Cuisine of Singapore
Singaporean cuisine is something special, an incredible intricacies of Indian, Chinese, Malay and European culinary traditions. Do not forget about the Indonesian and Middle Eastern notes that make the taste of local dishes unique. Singaporean chefs are not afraid to experiment: it turns out original and tasty.
Among the brightest representatives of the Singaporean menu are chicken with steamed rice, dosai pancakes with vegetables or fruits, roti-prata with curry sauce, sate skewers on bamboo sticks, nasi-lemak rice with peanuts, egg, anchovies and cucumbers, spicy chicken ayam buah keluak and, of course, the king of Singaporean cuisine chili crab: it is cooked in a fragrant pepper sauce and served with sweet rice buns.
The original chili crab recipe was invented by the chef of one of the oldest restaurants in Singapore, Long Beach Seafood. This specialty has been prepared for 60 years, it usually costs about 50 SGD.
Of the soups, at least two are worth appreciating – bak-kut- tekh from pork ribs and laksu with seafood. And for breakfast, kaya toasts with coconut jam are perfect: a cup of hot coffee is just right. Check jibin123 for customs regulations and visa requirements of Singapore.
In Singapore, people eat with both chopsticks and forks and spoons, but table knives are rarely served even in restaurants. Tables in food courts are usually occupied by placing a pack of paper napkins on the table or an umbrella on a chair, but the good habit of taking the trays to the places allotted for them is not only encouraged here, but considered a rule.
Hawker Culture
Singaporeans are literally obsessed with food, considering it one of the most important components of their culture. They rarely eat at home and, being passionate gourmets, have created the unique gastronomic tradition of Hawker Culture, which was recently inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Simply put, these are numerous street eateries and food courts where the food is tasty and cheap: any of the many dishes costs from 2 to 10 SGD. Singaporean street food is Michelin-starred and highly acclaimed by a constellation of celebrity chefs and restaurateurs, from Gordon Ramsay to Anthony Bourdain.
Cafes, bars and restaurants
In addition to the diverse local cuisine in multicultural Singapore, you can try dishes from almost all countries of the world. There are 48 Michelin-starred restaurants in the country, three of which have been awarded three coveted stars. It is in Singapore that the only Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant in the world, Candlenut, operates.
The first Michelin-starred street food in 2016 was Hawker Chan Liao Fan Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle at Chinatown Food Complex. Rice and noodles with chicken are served here today at very affordable prices, and the chef keeps the sauce recipe a strict secret. The actual Michelin star today belongs to another Singaporean eatery, Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles, also famous for its noodles. Prices there, however, are higher, and some visitors complain about the frequent cost of popularity – a long wait for an order.
Another interesting format is Chinese-style zi char (or cze char) eateries with a very extensive menu, consisting primarily of wok dishes. Examples of such establishments are Keng Eng Kee and New Ubin Seafood.
A special feature of culinary Singapore is rooftop establishments where you can enjoy not only the taste of dishes, but also impressive views of the city. For example, the world’s tallest brewery LeVeL33 overlooking the bay, the world’s tallest outdoor bar 1-Altitude on the roof of a skyscraper and the Braci restaurant on the roof of a shophouse overlooking Boat Key’s waterfront.
At night, the bars of Singapore are filled with life. This is not to say that the nightlife is concentrated in any one area: you can dance on the Clarke Quay promenade, where the legendary Zouk club is located – the 9th line of the DJ Mag world rating, or in the Aura and Marquee nightclubs in the Marina Bay complex Sands.
In terms of bars, the best are on Boat Key, Haji Lane, Club Street and the bohemian Dempsey Hill. A couple of establishments deserve special mention: the Atlas bar with a grandiose collection of 1,600 brands of gin is located in a building that seems to be teleported straight from Gotham City, and the main decoration of its interior is a grandiose bar counter. Well, the Native bar, the project of the famous bartender Vijay Mudaliar, specializes in cocktails made strictly from local ingredients (some of them are grown directly on the mini-farm equipped right there).
