Traveling to Singapore on a Budget Part 2

Traveling to Singapore on a Budget Part 2

This is my favorite portion of the blog where I talk about FOOD.  That's right folks, the part that you all have been waiting for.  My trip to Singapore in terms of food was AWESOME.  Definitely a must visit destination for foodies and budget ballers alike.  There are a couple of food etiquette that you must know when going to Singapore, be sure to read the tips below.  Enjoy the show.

Albert Center.  Near the hotel.  Great place to eat and our preferred spot during the trip.

Fried Carrot Cake(Black) $2.50.  It's rice cake and daikon stir fried in a sweet dark soy sauce. 

Fish Soup $3.  This was really really tasty.  It was bursting with flavor.  I really didn't need the rice, just wanted the soup.

Lor Mee Place

Lor Mee $2.50.  Delicious Medicinal like thick broth with egg noodles.  It's an acquired taste.

Steam Rice Cake Place

Steamed Rice Cake with Preserved Radish $1.60.  This was my favorite by far.  The preserved radish compliments the doughy steamed rice cake.  Make sure to ask for spicy.

Fresh Soy Milk & Grass Jelly 40 cents each.  This really quenches thirst on a hot and humid day.

Maxwell Food Center During Lunch

Maxwell Food Centre, home of the famous Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

Famous for it's "Chicken Rice".  Singapore's National Dish.  Made famous by Anthony Bourdain. 

Chicken Rice.  Rice is cooked in the chicken broth.  Served with cucumber slices.  Sauces include a fermented chili sauce(red), chopped ginger, and black thick soy sauce.  Served with a bowl of broth. $4.  It was alright in my opinion. 

I can see why many people love this dish.  The chicken is tender and compliments the rice.

We ordered Chinese vegetables with our chicken rice.  Nothing fancy, just boiled vegetables with some sauce on top.  $2.50

Lychee Juice Drink.  80 cents.  It's basically Lychee juice from a can with Ice, but I'm not complaining.  It's refreshing.

Lime Juice 80 Cents.  Tart and sweet and the same time.

Banana Fritters from near by hawker stall.

Who can't say no to banana fritters.

Takoyaki.  This was at a food court of a mall.

This place opened very early for breakfast.  Delicious Roti.  Freshly made, piping hot.

We ordered the Roti Prata.  It is basically freshly handmade Roti bread and curry for dipping.  $3.00.  Very very delicious.  I called it the Indian version of the croissant.

You get 2 big pieces of hot Roti bread.  Just rip a piece and dip in the lamb curry, enjoy.  It was gone in minutes.  I wanted to order more, but I had to resist because there were other food to try.  One of my Top 5 food there.

This stall was 15 people deep when i got here.  It must be good.  I decided to get a bowl.

Getting close to the front. 

The dry noodle component.  This did not disappoint.

These fish balls were fluffy and just pillows or air.  Nothing compared to those you get in noodles here in the States.  I was speechless when I took a bite.  It was so good, I wanted to slap the chef for being such a genius.  The meal cost $3.50

Soft Boiled Egg from Ya Kun Kaya Toast.  Add little bit of soy sauce, break yolk, stir and eat with spoon.  I like to dip my toast in there.

I picked the Set A with was $4.50. 

Kaya Toast.  The Kaya is a coconut jam that is really delicious.  It nothing compared to our smuckers.  If they have Ya Kun Kaya here in, I would definitely get some.

Saltiness of the butter and sweetness of the kaya jam.  Don't knock it until you've tried it.

Add some runny yolk and you've got perfection.

Found this hawker stall in Chinatown.  Delicious bbq meats.

Bbq pork over rice and Chicken Rice.  $5.00 for both

We added a plate for vegetables w/ oyster sauce for $3.00

Shrimp Cracker $1.00.  Had to get this, it called out to me.  Wasn't disappointed.  Street snack at its' best.

Curry Fishhead from a Restaurant. $30.  Not that good in my opinion.  Hawkers centers are probably better.  They overcooked the fish head.  That was my first and last time going to a restaurant in Singapore.

Stir Fry Ong Choy.  This was delicious and spicy. 

Grass Jelly and Lychee in shaved ice.  Great way to cool down in the hot humid climate.

Pork dry noodles with fish ball soup. $3.00.  I love this a lot because they throw in some pork cracklings in the noodle.  Nice touch.

Chee Cheong Fun.  Basically rice noodle with a sweet sauce drizzled on top.  $2.00.  Great texture and just simple comfort food.

Rice Dumpling with sausage and pork fat.  Heaven.  Pure heaven.

Just to give you a perspective on prices for the dishes.  It is typical that dishes will not cost more than $4.00

Lau Pat Sat, one of the first and oldest hawker center.  Situated right in the heart of the business district, it's constantly packed.

Indonesian Chicken lunch set.  $3.50.  Everything on that plate goes so well together.  The crispy chicken, the sour soup, the fluffy rice and stir fry vegetables.

Pork Sisig.  There's a growing population of Filipinos in Singapore.

Shark Fin Soup for $2.50?!?!  This I must try.

Tasted more like hot and sour soup after I added vinegar to it. 

Kway Chap stall otherwise known as "Offal"

I had the Kawy Chap set. $3.50.  There was pickled vegetables, tea egg, pork and offal.  It was delicious.  There was a medicinal broth that accompanied this set. 

Pork congee with chinese fried donuts. $3.00

We kept going back to this beverage stall.  80 cents grass jelly and 70 cents soy milk.  Can't beat that.

So here are my budget tips:
1. If there is a line forming at stall, most likely the food is delicious.  Locals will always visit a stall that they trust and is delicious.
2. Bring your own napkins.  There is one thing that these hawker center will not provide, which is napkins.  Be prepared and bring your own.
3. After you are finished with your food, attendants will clear your trays and plates.  No need to worry.  It's a eat and walk situation.
4. Go to different Hawker centers to experience different food.  There's Muslim hawker centers, Chinese hawker centers and Malay hawker centers.
5.  Walk around before you settle down to a stall that you like.  There are more than one stall that sells the same type of food and might be cheaper.
6. There are no tax Singapore, therefore the price is what you will pay.
7. Find a table, drop your pack of napkins on it to claim your table.  They call it "chopping" in Singapore.  After that, you are free to go get your food.
8. Some stalls will have signs that read "Self Service" which usually means that you must grab your food before going to your table.  Some stalls will deliver your food straight to your table, payment upon delivery.  All you have to do is tell them your table number.