FAST FOOD NATION

        Before and after arriving here, I have been many times encouraged to by proud locals to try out the local cuisine. We’re supposed to be really excited about it because this is such a “multi-ethnical” place, with such a wide variety of foodstuffs. These are both facts. However the reason why Singaporeans are so loud about their food is not always (unfortunately) because of it’s quality. The food is nice, not extraordinary. The actual reason for food to be such a self-praised brag, braggadocio, bravado, grandiloquence, puff rodomontade, whatever-else , is that it is one of the very few actual national specificities Singapore has.

Be we wrong or right, Singaporeans crave their food and it is very diverse. As long as you don’t order Potatoes mixed with Virgin Olive Oil, Lightly cooked Salmon, and a whipped Mustard and Cress Cream, you can eat almost anything anywhere and at anytime.

        The places to go to are big open-air cafeterias with takeaways aplenty; places that are at times called “food court”, and at others “hawker centres”. They are found at every turn and comprise all sorts of restaurants, snacks, beverage stands, milkshake parlours, ice-cream sellers and little old Chinese women who pick up your tray once you’re done. Another important detail is that a meal costs 3 to 5 dollars (e.g. 1.5 to2.5 euros).

        Conclusively,  Singapore does have an attractive, paletable and practical cuisine, enough so for me to present you a few of the dishes we have appreciated so far.

    The steamboat....     weird dry noodles.... and    马来面

                   

      Forêt noire                    a foodcourt premium stand                make your choice

      

                  
fried prawn noodles       fish noodle/rice thing             veggie rice

                     
             forgot               nasi goreng (aka fried rice)

And my personal favourite : The Murtabak.
Beware : not Mutabak, Murtabak tastes different.

Singapore food varies with each household. Chinese seem to like steamed fresh fish and stir-fried choy sum. An Indian might prefer chicken curry and dal along with rasam (or roti prata and murtabak). While a Malay family will eat rice with beef rendang. I sill have a lot to taste here, when I can, I'll try to describe other popular dishes such as dim sum, Hokkien mee, Hainanese chicken rice, pork rib soup, wanton noodles, yong tau fo, Char Kway Teow, rasam, sambar, Ice Kacang and Kueh Dada.

Comments

[Willena]

I just love banana milkshake...but I don't think it's a local drink :)