Singapore has been touted to be a foodie’s paradise, with tons of dining options from street food to swanky celebrity restaurants. We’ve got your hunger covered with this handy little guide. You can savour these popular dishes from around the ASEAN region on this tiny island!
Pulut Panggang
Brunei Darussalam
Pulut Panggang is a traditional snack that contains steamed glutinous rice with inti (savoury fillings). The rice is wrapped in banana leaves and then grilled. There are many types of fillings, with beef and shrimp being more popular. In Singapore, you can find the shrimp flavour at this store:
Otak-otak Kampung
#02-165 Geylang Serai Market & Food Centre
Phone: 9380 0696
Rendang
Indonesia
The spicy meat dish, infused with aromatic spices and coconut milk over hours of cooking, takes on different forms depending on the locality. For example, the Javanese like it sweet while in Sumatra, it’s not rendang if it’s not dry. No matter where it’s from, it is never served crispy.
There is also a choice of meat, with beef being the most popular, followed by lamb or goat. Here is one example of where you can tuck into this wholesome spice-rich authentic Indonesian dish at an affordable price:
IndoChili
Various locations
www.indochili.com
Laab
Laos – Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Laab, or larb, is the unofficial Laos national dish – this meat-based salad is flavoured with mint, chilli, fish sauce, garlic and lime juice. It is made with chicken, beef, duck, fish, pork or mushrooms, which are raw or cooked.
In Singapore, you can have a taste of authentic laab, made with minced chicken, as well as laab salmon at the following restaurant owned by founder Michael Ma, who was born in Laos.
Wine, Tapas, and Friends
49 Club Street
Nasi Lemak
Malaysia
One of the most loved rice dishes in Malaysia, nasi lemak is fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. The basic nasi lemak includes the quintessential sambal sauce, ikan bilis (anchovies), peanuts, cucumbers and eggs. To adapt the dish for different meals of the day, additional sides such as deep fried ikan kuning (yellowtail scad), chicken and otah might be added.
With so many variants being sold in Singapore, and the sheer number of stores serving the island, it is hard to pick one. Prepare to try them all!
Mohinga
Myanmar
Traditionally, Burmese mohinga is prepared with chickpea or rice flour, garlic, onion, lemongrass and ginger and fish cooked in the broth. It’s one of the more popular breakfasts wherever you go in Myanmar.
In Singapore, you can find authentic mohinga at Peninsula Plaza, a shopping complex that is considered to be “Little Myanmar”. It is located on the basement level, easily accessible from Coleman Street via escalator.
Inle Myanmar Restaurant
111 North Bridge Road, #B1-07, Peninsula Plaza
www.inlemyanmar.com.sg
Adobo
Philippines
Adobo is one of the most popular Filipino dishes and is considered the unofficial national dish. It is usually made with pork or chicken, stewed or braised in a sauce. The sauce usually consists of vinegar, cooking oil, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, and soy sauce.
With a large population of Filipinos living in Singapore, you can find a variety of restaurants serving up authentic Filipino cuisine at Lucky Plaza. A short walk away is a restaurant that serves a Chicken Pork Adobo combination.
Gerry’s Grill
51 Cuppage Road, #01-12 Starhub Centre
Pad Thai
Thailand
The dish is arguably made more famous by Gordon Ramsay being roasted for his rendition of the national Thai dish. It is a stir-fried rice noodle dish commonly served as a street food and at most restaurants.
Palm sugar makes it sweet, red chili pepper adds spice, and tamarind paste helps to make it both sweet and sour. You can find authentic Thai cuisine at Singapore’s “Little Thailand”, Golden Mile Complex.
Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant
5001 Beach Road, Golden Mile Complex #01-67/68/69
Pho
Vietnam
Pho is the national dish of Vietnam and is sold everywhere from restaurants to street carts. It is rice vermicelli, herbs, and thinly sliced meats served in clear beef or chicken based broth. The spices usually consist of cloves, star anise, coriander seed, fennel, cinnamon, black cardamom, ginger, and onion.
While Pho is readily available from a long list of Vietnamese restaurants, we found one which is highly rated and operates as a food kiosk.
