Hawker Centres are hands down, the best way to eat while in Singapore! And they are everywhere, which makes it even easier to choose hawker centres over anything else. Hong Lim Food Centre is my absolute favorite hawker centre to date and I believe that it is incredibly underrated. So needless to say, I just had to share it with you all. Although there's quite a few stalls in Hong Lim worth checking out, I'm just going to give you my top three. These places are definitely *must trys* and after you sample their goodies, thennnnn you can move onto all the others :)
This centre is in a great location in between Clark Quay and Chinatown, so you can easily take different train lines to this area. It's located on the second floor of a parking garage, right behind PARKROYAL on Pickering if youre approaching from Clark Quay area. Depending on the time of day that you go, you can either find giant lines and craziness while locals try to eat quickly on their lunch breaks orrrr you could find a collection of old men sitting quietly at their own tables in silence, staring off with maybe 6 empty Tiger beer bombers in front of them. All depends on the hour.
Each time I've visited this Hawker Centre, I never saw foreigners. (At least noticeable looking ones with tour books and loud English speaking voices). I also didnt read many blogs suggesting visiting Hong Lim Food Centre. Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown and Lau Pa Sat Food Court in the business district are definitely more well known, but I think that's what makes Hong Lim even more special. You're eating amongst locals that eat here everyday and tourists haven't overtaken. So really, it's a gem!
Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist
Wanton Noodle- where to even start?! This dish was my absolute favorite while in Singapore and as I sit here, staring at the ceiling trying to think of how to properly describe its magic, I hear myself saying aloud, "the shit is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S". So I'll just leave it at that. I was lucky enough to get to Singapore twice in 3 months this past year and each time, you can bet your butt I ended up here. Wanton Mee can be served dry or in a soup and typicallly consists or noodles, barbecued pork, greens and wantons. Usually a bowl of broth and boiled dumplings come on the side when you order it dry. And at Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist, they'll be quick to tell you not to pour the soup into the noodles if you look like you dont know what youre doing. In addition to the delicious, flavor packed boiled dumplings in the broth, they also serve crispy fried wontons over the noodles. Watching the girl behind the counter prepare your bowl is definitely entertaining as well. She's incredibly quick, dipping serving spoons into different pots and containers to pour in the perfect amount of sauce combination. Different portion sizes range from 3-5 Singapore dollars and you don't have to order the largest portion to be satisfied. (But you also won't be disappointed if you do!)
Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa
It's no wonder that Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa has a Michelin Bib Gourmand award. Laksa is one of those dishes you *must* try while in Singpore and this is definitely the place to go for it! Sungei Road has two locations, this one, and another closer to Little India. The other location is a bit out of the way, but if you have the time, check it out as well. It only has one option on the menu, it costs 3 Singapore dollars and people wait in line forever for it. The Hong Lim location also has a ridiculous (yet understandable) line, but unlike the Little India location, they have protein options. Anddddd the master behind Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa works at the Hong Lim Stall with his wife. So there's that! They're absolutely adorable and will chat with you while preparing your dish. Traditionally, laksa is a spicy soup made with a rich coconut milk base, rice noodles, and various seafood. It's an explosion of flavor and you'll find yourself wondering how something could taste so good!
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee has a line every single day that stretches around the row of stalls and keeps people waiting for up to an hour. Mee is the term in Singapore and Malaysia used for "noodle". Being able to identify this word will help you loads in Singapore, by the way. Kway Teow mee though is a popular Singaporean dish that you may have already heard of or read about. It reminds me a bit of the Thai dish, pad see ew, but I doubt anyone from Singapore would be pleased with my comparison. Kway Teow Mee, however, is typically cooked with egg, bean sprouts, and often served with prawns. Heading over to the Outram Park stall is definitely a must when visiting Hong Lim.