5 Local Breakfasts!
Put the cereal away, hit the road and enjoy a fab Singaporean breakfast in a hawker centre.
Everyone loves a good breakfast, and in Singapore the eating options are countless. This time, though, why not forget the fancy brunch and kick-start your day with a meal at a kopitiam or hawker centre instead? At less than $5 for a delicious dish of food at most places, there’s nothing not to love. Below are just a handful of our personal favourites, and the recommended locations for giving them a go.
Chee Cheong Fun
If you love noodles, be prepared to be blown away by this rice noodle roll. A rice flour mixture is first steamed into thin sheets before it’s rolled into tubes and dressed in light soy sauce and sesame oil. Silky smooth and savoury, this is an absolute must-try. Common fillings include shrimp and char siew (roasted pork), although the ones without filling are equally tasty. Where: Pin Wei Hong Kong Style Chee Cheong Fun, #01-25 Pek Kio Market & Food Centre, 41A Cambridge Road.
Nasi Lemak
Traditionally wrapped in banana leaves, nasi lemak is an extremely versatile dish that can be served with different toppings. A classic nasi lemak comes with fragrant coconut rice, ikan bilis (fried anchovies), peanuts, egg and sambal (chilli paste). If you’re lucky, your set might even come with a fried chicken wing or fish at some stalls.
Where: Tan Beng Otah Delights, #01-74 Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Road.
Kaya Toast
Available at almost every kopitiam, kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs accompanied by a nice, strong kopi is the quintessential traditional breakfast. And, hey, what could be better than hot toasty bread slathered with a sweet kaya jam and some coffee to wake up our senses? Where: Heap Seng Leong, Blk 10 North Bridge Road, #01-5109.
Chwee Kueh
We love our kueh in Singapore, but chwee kueh takes the prize among all the others. This dish mightn’t win a medal for looks, but it definitely makes up for it in taste. While the freshly steamed rice cake itself isn’t too unhealthy, the preserved radish and chilli on the side give this breakfast a sinful calorie boost. Completely worth it, though!
Where: Jian Bo Tiong Bahru Shui Kueh, #02-05 Tiong Bahru Market, 30 Seng Poh Road.
Carrot Cake (Chai Tow Kway)
Not related to the dessert at all, this is a local staple present in most, if not all, hawker centres. Fried with delicious nuggets of radish cake, garlic and chai poh (preserved radish), this dish is offered “black” or “white” style. The black variety is fried with dark soy sauce, giving off a slight sweetness, whereas the white is only fried with eggs to create a crispy exterior that perfectly contrasts the soft rice cake. Where: Ghim Moh Fried Carrot Cake, #01-16 Ghim Moh Market & Cooked Food Centre, 20 Ghim Moh Road.