When in Singapore, do as the Singaporeans do: eat great food. From the many hawker restaurants to gourmet venues spearheaded by Michelin star chefs, you’ll soon discover that food is a significant part of Singapore’s culture – and that travelling to the other side of the island in search of a good meal is nothing out of the ordinary.
The fact that there are at least 20,000 eateries to feed a nation of around five million is testament that food is integral to the Singaporean lifestyle. While breakfast and lunch tends to be rushed in favor of the working day, the evening meal is an entirely different matter and is a time to socialize with friends and, most importantly of all, tuck into the perfect feast.
With its rich multicultural heritage, Singapore has a variety of cuisine to cater for its diverse population – and is often considered to be the food capital of Asia.
Local cuisine includes dishes from different parts of China, along with halal Malay food, southern and northern Indian cuisine, as well as Peranakan and Nonya food – a blend of flavors from China, Malaysia and Indonesia. International cuisine is widely available too, including Thai, Korean, Vietnamese, Mongolian and Japanese.
A rise in gourmet venues run by leading chefs in recent years has given way to a new style of eating out, which has raised Singapore’s fine dining profile.
Joël Robuchon, who holds an accumulated total of 28 Michelin stars – the most in the world – is among the chefs who have set up restaurants on the island, along with one of America’s most celebrated chefs, Mario Batal, and famous Japanese-born chef Tetsuya Wakuda.
Together, they have created an elite class of fine dining restaurants in Singapore, which combine the best ingredients with world-famous cooking techniques, delivered in some of the most luxurious settings – and are almost certain to leave a dent in your wallet.
Have your say good or bad
I like Pince & Pints, where fresh-faced owner Frederick Yap gives new meaning to menu simplification with his one-item-only offering — live whole lobsters from the Atlantic Coast.
Diners can either have them grilled or steamed, with sides of shoestring fries, herbed butter sauce and Parmesan-topped mesclun leaves.
The lobsters can also be prepared New England style as mayonnaise-tossed whole lobster shreds wrapped in warm, butter-seared rolls.
Those who like it saucy can order the chili lobster, which arrives basking in a sweet and tangy tomato-based sauce alongside deep-fried man tou.
If you’re lucky, you may even catch the latest limited-time-only offering of lobster truffle roll with truffled “caviar” sauce.