While I was an exchange student in Europe, I was eating breakfast one morning when my roommate questioned me about my breakfast eating habits. "You seem to be eating everything and anything for breakfast. One day you are eating something sweet, the next morning you're eating something salty. One morning you're eating a bowl of rice and the next morning a sandwich.That's pretty strange and unusual." Well that's the thing about Singapore. It's so cosmopolitan that the different cultures have also been weaved into our daily eating habits. Eating like a local and experiencing our whole breakfast culture is one thing you would definitely want to tick off your bucket list.
01| Roti Prata
Ok so let me start with Roti Prata. This is an Indian dish that is made with flour and most of the time looks like a flat pancake. You can choose to have it served with chicken or fish curry. Children are known to pair it with sugar. It is very common to have your Roti Prata cooked with other ingredients such as cheese, onion, banana or even chocolate. Pair your Roti Prata with a cup of local tea or coffee. I would usually have mine with a cup of tea with milk and sugar (also known as Teh Cino to the locals). A plain Roti Prata would usually cost between $1 to $2. Any add-on ingredients would incur additional charges. Don't be surprise when you are given a menu without the price stated. It is quite common and fear not. Just ask the waiter for the prices before ordering! One of the best Prata shops I have eaten from is the The Roti Prata House. You can find them at 246M Thomson Road and they are opened from 7am in the morning.
02 | Nasi Lemak
This is a hearty local dish that consists of coconut rice and is usually paired with ingredients such as a spoonful of fried anchovies (ikan bilis), peanuts, a slice of cucumber, an egg and other bigger ingredients such as a piece of chicken wing or a small fried fish. It is also served on a separate plate with a hot spicy sauce (sambal) that gives the dish it's added favour. I would recommend having a plate of Nasi Lemak at Adam Road Food Centre. There are a handful of Nasi Lemak stores there but do check out the one called Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak. Address: #01-02, Adam Road Food Centre, 2 Adam Road. They open from 7am.
03 | Dim Sum
Dim Sum is a type of Chinese cuisine that is served as small bites in small brown baskets or plates. A traditional Dim Sum breakfast would involve having various types of steam buns, rice noodle rolls filled with pork, prawns or beef and other selections such as egg tarts, pork ribs and the must have Siu Mai (pork dumplings) and Har Gow (shrimp dumplings). I for one, particularly love the old traditional vibe that Red Star Restaurant gives. They open from 7am and can be found at 54 Chin Swee Road, #07-23. You will need to take the lift up to get to the restaurant.
04 | Eggs Benedict
In recent years, the cafe culture has sprung up in Singapore and it's common to see young teens and yuppies waking up to go cafe hopping around the island. One of the more popular cafe food that Singaporeans would eat and busily take photos with would be a plate of eggs benedict. Apart from it looking very instagramable, the dish is actually very tasty. Forty Hands at the hipster enclave of Tiong Bahru does a nice plate of Eggs Benedict. You can find them at 78 Yong Siak Street and they open from 7.30am.
05 | Kaya toast, soft boiled eggs and a coffee drink
The locals usually have a full set of this to start off their day. Kaya toast is prepared with Kaya (coconut jam), some slabs of butter and two slices of toast.
The eggs are soft boiled and the fun part starts when you crack and pour your semi-cooked eggs into a plate, put some pepper and soya sauce in it, and slurp the entire concoction down in a few gulps. You end the meal by washing everything down with a cup of hot coffee. I usually swop my coffee for a cup of hot tea as I'm prefer the latter. Worth trying is the chain of Ya kun Kaya Toasts that are scattered across the island. There is an outlet in town at 313@Somerset that opens at 7am. Address: 313 Orchard Road, #01-32/33/34
06 | Chwee Kueh
This dish is made up of steamed rice flour and sprinkled with salty grains of pickled vegetables, garlic and pork lard. The locals would usually add a spoonful of chilli to spice up the dish. You would usually have to buy at least two pieces of Chwee Kueh and it is served to you on a brown sheet of paper. Try the Chwee Kueh at Tiong Bahru Market. I would recommend the store called Jian Bo Shui Kueh at #02-05.
07 | Fried Carrot Cake
This dish is made of eggs and chunks of radishes. The soft radish is moulded into square chunks and fried with the eggs which helps to hold the whole dish together. It is fried in a hot wok and depending on your preference, you can opt for the white or black version. The black version comes about from the sweet black sauce that is added onto it. Bits of pickled vegetables are usually added at the top of the dish to give it a tinge of saltiness and an added crunch. The stall called Chey Sua Carrot Cake does an awesome job on this dish. You can find them at Blk 127, Toa Payoh Food Centre, #02-30. You will have to climb up the stairs to find this hidden gem!
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