While at every Hawker Center in Singapore there are people trying to sell you to try their food, Newton was so bad that I have to recommend to stay away.

Show up to the Newton Hawker Center at 12:30am, as soon as I exit the cab, I am surrounded by three people trying to steer me to their stalls. While I don't mind someone from behind the stall saying try my food (as happens (more/less) at other Hawker centers) this is the first time I have been physically steered (at least they tried). Once I was past the taxi unloading area the "sales" pressure was the normal variety which I am accustomed to. Prices IMO, were higher at Newton than the other centers.

Here are the eats I sampled while in Singapore:

Black pepper crabs and also the Chili crabs served at the UDMC food center on Eastern Parkway. Have been to 5 different places at the UDMC and all have been terrific. MAKE SURE YOU TRY THESE DISHES WHILE IN SINGAPORE!!

At Hawker Centers:

A wide variety of dumplings: shrimp, pork, shrimp/pork. All very tasty, never a "bad" one. some of the stalls served the dumplings with athick soy sauce and fried garlic slivers on top. Man was that a tasty addition (as if the dumplings could not be made better).

Cockles, a small shelled bi-valve. I tried these twice to make sure my first negative experience was not the place I went to. I found cockles to be a pain to eat and not that good. The shells do not open up when cooked, you need to pry them open (which is an effort) and IMO did not have a great flavor like mussels or clams. If you do try them, I would suggest getting them well-done as if you don't the black material inside is pretty runny and not appealling.

Oyster omlette - need I say more? if you like oysters, you'll love this omlette w/ oysters and scallions.

Roti John - Bread stuffed w/an egg, mutton, onion mixture. Sometimes a chili sauce comes on the sandwich sometimes served on the side.

Murtabak - A very very thin bread stuffed w/onions and your choice of either minced mutton (most common), minced chicken or chopped sardines (my fave), served w/a light curry flavored sauce.
While the Hawker Centers versions are good, I prefer Zam Zam's in Arabtown.

Also, the multitude of places where you can get satays (grilled pieces of chicken, mutton or seafood) on bamboo sticks, served w/a peanut sauce are always sure to please. The peanut sauce can vary between places and I could not get enough of the stuff, putting over my fried rice (my own form of fusion cooking) and of course using it to dip the satays into.

Tried congee for the first time. I would describe it as soupy rice, with dried anchovies, seafood and salted egg. Usually served for breakfast. I liked it alot, although I could not see eating it for breakfast.

As usual Singapore was right on w/the food.

Having visited Singapore for the first time back in October 2001, I will be returning next month (May 2002) for a second round of food tastings ... and visiting some friends. Thanks for the suggestions, I had never made it to the Newton Hawker Center on my previous trip but had heard that it was one of the better ones, I'll heed your warning.

Newton is definitely more expensive than other hawker centers, and I agree, much more entreaties to sit or eat here or there than elsewhere also. In fact, one of the hawkers was arrested last year for doing so, since it is against the law. But it and also Lau Pau Sat (also more expensive than average), are used to having tourists which is not the case for many neighborhood hawker centers (but these are out of the way areas anyhow). Of course, expensive is relative, and still cheap by US standards.

If you go for the chili crab, be sure to also ask for the fried man-tou (a fried bread) for dipping into the sauce. A few places don't have it.

Comment on congee - its more often thick, not soupy, and available with a variety of ingredients including thousand year old eggs. I was once accused of going Asian by a colleague when I had it for breakfast....tongue in check, since I am Asian.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by siliconengineer:
If you go for the chili crab, be sure to also ask for the fried man-tou (a fried bread) for dipping into the sauce. A few places don't have it.</font>

Can't believe I forgot to mention the man-tou (could not have remembered the name).
Sop up that sauce!!! Yum!

Thanks for mentioning this siliconengineer.

siliconengineer, can you recommend any specific neighborhood Hawker Centers that you think are worth searching out? Proximity to an MRT and/or Bus stop is a plus for me.

I have the better part of three days in Singapore in July so I'll have a chance to get about moer than I normally do.

Thanks.

transpac,

Try starting with one of the food courts that are present in many shopping centers as they're basically air conditioned and clean hawker centers.

One such is just off the exit of the Bugis MRT station, in the basement of the Seiyu department store/Parco shopping center by the Intercontinental Hotel.

A hawker center is also close by, across the street in Bugis Village so you can look through both places before deciding. Bugis Village itself is also worth seeing as it is mainly a street market with fake brand name and real watches, clothing, souvenirs, CDs etc. and fruit stand at the end.

If the hawker center there was acceptable, a bit more 'downscale' and one still reasonably close to a MRT station is located near the Kallang MRT station. I know how to get there, but my directions may a bit off. Get off at the Kallang station, walk towards Geylang Road. Here's where memory is a bit vague -- I think you cross Geylang and turn left, but it might be crossing the street and turning left at Sims. You'll come to a hawker center by the corner of a small street and the main road (most likely Geylang but maybe Sims). If you get to a Shell gas station on the other side of the street, you went too far.

Actually if you continue walking on that street in the same easterly direction, you'll come across many sidewalk eating places as I found out once coming the other direction from Malay Village; thinking that I would walk back to the hotel which was a wrong decision because of the distance and it being a sunny afternoon. And since I mentioned it, I don't think Malay Village would be worth going to for a first time visitor.

Recently old style street stands for eating were restored in Chinatown, I think Smith Street or possibly Temple Street. It was raining heavily the only nights I had available last time so I couldn't get there to try it. Chinatown can be reached by getting off the MRT at Outram (prounced oo-tram) Park.

siliconengineer, Thanks for the tips. Over the past 5 years I've usually stayed at the Intercontinental so I have frequented the Food Court at Parco/Bugis Junction. I've also seen the hawker center across the street after you walk through Bugis Village, but have not tried it.

I will search out some of your other reommendations.

Thanks again.

Take a look at www.makantime.com (http://www.makantime.com) and www.makansutra.com (http://www.makansutra.com) for some additional ideas.

I keep coming back to the Indian stall downstairs at the Scott's Food Junction on Scotts road next to the Hyatt. Veg set for S$5.80 or so. If you can't find a place to sit, walk around the back of the Japanese food stall by the up escalator.
Rich

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
...
Tried congee for the first time. I would describe it as soupy rice, with dried anchovies, seafood and salted egg. Usually served for breakfast. I liked it alot, although I could not see eating it for breakfast.
...</font>

Several of the late night/open all night places, both in S'pore and in the States, offer congee (jook) in the wee hours. It's just the right thing when your stomach thinks it's time to eat, but the clock says 0300. (Much more approachable than Sting Ray with sambal, though a .5 liter Tiger beer from 7/11 can help wash just about any insult to the digestion down.)
Rich

just 2c worth from a singaporean

re: hawker centers, if you'd prefer somewhere more comfortable, i.e. cleaner and with AC, your best bets are lau pa sat (warm nonetheless), china square (both close to the tanjong pagar/raffles place sub stations) and the numerous shopping mall foodcourts, whether they are located in the downtown area or in the burbs. my favorites are the ones as jurong point (boon lay sub station), bugis junction (bugis sub station) and marina square (no AC, linked to the city hall sub station).

i should also mention that newton, while popular with tourists, isnt all that remarkable to singaporeans. it's expensive, full of hawkers who are nothing less than insistent, and really not much better than the typical hawker center in the burbs. it is interesting, however, to peoplewatch at night (say after 11pm) when you start to see a more ummm, interesting, clientele =)

just remembered that there is another hawker center i particularly love, called seng poh market in tiong bahru, not too far from the tiong bahru sub station. food is good and cheap.

good luck finding these places, if you're interested, and i'd recommend several other places (non-hawker center types) if you want. and good luck on the sub, the new numbering system and maps are so confusing that even singaporeans like myself dont quite get the point =)

Murtabak - A very very thin bread stuffed w/onions and your choice of either minced mutton (most common), minced chicken or chopped sardines (my fave), served w/a light curry flavored sauce.
While the Hawker Centers versions are good, I prefer Zam Zam's in Arabtown.


Willie and I had a very very filling lunch there today,,,,Mutton for Willie, Chicken for me, with side dishes of Prawn Masala and Chicken Biryani.....Coke was cold, A/C was on upstairs,,,,Nothing but locals and your intrepid FT Sin-DO'ers......What more could you ask for!!

Best, Dave

Are any of these open after 12 am? Thx!


just 2c worth from a singaporean

re: hawker centers, if you'd prefer somewhere more comfortable, i.e. cleaner and with AC, your best bets are lau pa sat (warm nonetheless), china square (both close to the tanjong pagar/raffles place sub stations) and the numerous shopping mall foodcourts, whether they are located in the downtown area or in the burbs. my favorites are the ones as jurong point (boon lay sub station), bugis junction (bugis sub station) and marina square (no AC, linked to the city hall sub station).

i should also mention that newton, while popular with tourists, isnt all that remarkable to singaporeans. it's expensive, full of hawkers who are nothing less than insistent, and really not much better than the typical hawker center in the burbs. it is interesting, however, to peoplewatch at night (say after 11pm) when you start to see a more ummm, interesting, clientele =)

just remembered that there is another hawker center i particularly love, called seng poh market in tiong bahru, not too far from the tiong bahru sub station. food is good and cheap.

good luck finding these places, if you're interested, and i'd recommend several other places (non-hawker center types) if you want. and good luck on the sub, the new numbering system and maps are so confusing that even singaporeans like myself dont quite get the point =)

Are any of these open after 12 am? Thx!

The "popular" ones like Newton are open late into the night or 24 hours, while the smaller, more "native" ones are hit and miss. There are plenty that are open, but stalls open and close somewhat at the whims of the people running them. The one we went to last night was definitely still in full swing at 1 or so, but was pretty well shut down by 2:30AM.
I'd say Lau Pa Sat is a reliable, centrally located place for hawker food, though the drawback is slightly higher cost and more tourists.

Forgot to mention: a hearty second on Newton. FAR more annoying than any other place I've been in Singapore, and SGD15 for the same food as would cost SGD5 at a less well known place really made me angry, on principle :)

My favorite food centres remain the Chinatown Complex and Maxwell Road. Note that neither of these is air-conditioned, nor are they open 24 hours. However they both offer a wide variety of food, with the Chinatown Complex being HUGE. Both are easily accessible by the MRT.


Here's an older post of mine (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308935&highlight=hawker) on this general topic.

^ ^ ^ for Maxwell, I eat there almost daily when in Singapore and, while a tiny bit pricier than most (not that a non-local would ever notice), the sheer competition keeps the quality excellent. And it is open 24 hours, only problem is that most of the famous stalls sell out and close shop by afternoon... good options, instantly identifiable by their long, snaking queues, include:

* Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
* Zhen Zhen Porridge
* the Hokkien mee stall
* the claypot chicken rice joint

Tian Tian's one of the best in Sing (no mean claim!) and has even been written up in the NY Times. Also try the raw fish at Zhen Zhen -- it's more like a carpaccio kinda thing with lime, sesame, and onion, and the price is all of S$2!

...just remembered that there is another hawker center i particularly love, called seng poh market in tiong bahru, not too far from the tiong bahru sub station. food is good and cheap....
One of my local friends (+1) took me there in January -- loved it & a nice change of pace from Newton/LPS/etc. It's on the list for a visit in a few weeks - I'm looking very forward to returning!

Willie and I had a very very filling lunch there today,,,,Mutton for Willie, Chicken for me, with side dishes of Prawn Masala and Chicken Biryani.....Coke was cold, A/C was on upstairs,,,,Nothing but locals and your intrepid FT Sin-DO'ers......What more could you ask for!!

Best, Dave
Zam Zam's was excellent ^ ^

I read about a place called New Victory which is very close to Zam Zams and also serves murtabak. Anyone been to New Vitory?

Both are across the street from the Sultan Mosque.

Another question, what is MRT stop that is very close to Zam Zam's?

Zam Zam's was excellent ^ ^

I read about a place called New Victory which is very close to Zam Zams and also serves murtabak. Anyone been to New Vitory?

Both are across the street from the Sultan Mosque.

Another question, what is MRT stop that is very close to Zam Zam's?

I was just there last weekend - for breakfast - had Roti Prata with Curry gravy. YUM!! Closest MRT is Bugis Station - 2 blocks away.
bb

^ ^ ^ for Maxwell, I eat there almost daily when in Singapore and, while a tiny bit pricier than most (not that a non-local would ever notice), the sheer competition keeps the quality excellent. And it is open 24 hours, only problem is that most of the famous stalls sell out and close shop by afternoon... good options, instantly identifiable by their long, snaking queues, include:

* Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
* Zhen Zhen Porridge
* the Hokkien mee stall
* the claypot chicken rice joint

Tian Tian's one of the best in Sing (no mean claim!) and has even been written up in the NY Times. Also try the raw fish at Zhen Zhen -- it's more like a carpaccio kinda thing with lime, sesame, and onion, and the price is all of S$2!

Maxwell is a little diminished for me since it's reconstruction but still excellent. I used to work on Tras Street just one block from Maxwell. The other Hawker centers that I think are consistently good:
Tiong Bahru
Chomp Chomp - Serangoon Gardens
Beach Road - if you like Halal - go downstairs for Mee Goreng at Baharudeen
bb

I was just there last weekend - for breakfast - had Roti Prata with Curry gravy. YUM!! Closest MRT is Bugis Station - 2 blocks away.
bb
:cool: THANKS!

My experience with Newton is that they will try to push the pricer stuff (like crabs, prawns, steamed fish) on you, if you're a tourist, which is kind of a turn-off. It gets a lot of foreign visitors given its location (off Scotts Road).

You are advised to ignore the suggestions and go with what you want, not what they want to sell you.

As mentioned by others, Singaporeans are pretty serious about their food-- ask local folks where they like to go for hawker food.