Singapore eats Archives - Pechluck's Food Adventures

Guide to visiting Hawker Centers in Singapore

While I was in Singapore during my 4 days, I had a wishlist of all the hawker centers and within those multiple stands I wanted to visit. Of course then reality hits that I get tired from multiple stops a day, and I’m not as hungry as I hoped. I am going to give you the benefit of my wishlist and why each hawker center is unique as well as provide you my tips in my full guide to visiting Hawker Centers in Singapore.

Hawker centers are a possibly dying phenomenon in Singapore. Many of the hawkers are getting on in years. The oldest hawker in age was profiled here– she is 90 years old and still going! Many stalls will close when the current owners pass as their children will not be taking over. Some of this may be intentional as they want a better life for the next generation, and better education doesn’t usually lead to a hawker life. But, it is also a great loss that many recipes will be disappearing.

Many people are rightfully concerned whether there will still be the same thriving hawker centers for the next generation. Even if it endures with government help, it is doubtful that the insanely cheap prices being offered now can continue as food costs and rental costs of spaces rise. If you visit Singapore, don’t miss your chance to visit hawker centers while you can to try some of these original generation of stalls.
Guide to visiting Hawker Centers in Singapore - Tiong Bahru steamed buns from Tiong Bahru Pau

Now, let me share my biggest tips for visiting hawker centers based on my experience visiting ones in Singapore recently, as well as previously in Thailand.
Guide to visiting Hawker Centers in Singapore - stand at Tekka Centre

Tips for Visiting Hawker Centers

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Dinner at Candlenut for Peranakan Food

Candlenut is a the world’s first and only Michelin–starred Peranakan restaurant. Peranakan cuisine is unique to southeast Asia and comes from a tradition of Chinese who came to the Malaysian/Indonesian/Singapore area in the 15th and 17th centuries and married the local women here. The culture became intermixed between Chinese an Southeast Asia, including the cuisine. On my recent whirlwind 4 day stay in Singapore, I had a chance to enjoy dinner at Candlenut for Peranakan food.

We ordered from Chef Malcom Lee’s Ahma-kase menu, a play on the Japanese word for omakase which is chef’s choice, and the word for ahma which means grandmother. The Ahma-kase menu is a prix fixe menu which starts with fish crackers, a small sampler of starters, soup, a family style set of dishes to share for a main course to be eaten with rice, then multiple little bites for dessert. There is a also an a la carte menu available, and Candlenut serves both lunch and dinner.

Starters

We started with four intense little small bites served on a wooden plate. In order from top to bottom you see (my favorite were the 2nd and 4th bites for how they were such upgraded refined takes on the familiar southeast Asian classics of curry and satay)

Homemade Kueh Pie Tee Shell with Boston Lobster, Chincalok Dressing, Laksa Leaf

Kueh Bakar Berlauk with Spiced Chicken, Mum’s Curry

Bergedil, Pork Buah Keluak Lemongrass Curry

Charcoal Grilled Maori Lamb Neck Satay, Kicap Manis Glaze