The Republic of Food

The hawker food of Singapore and Malaysia has very high similarity as they all originated from the same root, an amalgamation of Chinese, Malay and Indian food. Some years ago, a business group has gathered some of the best Singapore hawker food under one concept-store style food court called Food Republic. There are many outlets all over Singapore particularly in the shopping malls.

I visited the one at the newly-renovated Wisma Atria and it was fully packed with diners at lunch peak hours. I visited the same outlet a few years back and the situation was the same. It seems that the food court is never lacking in customers.

I also felt like I was spoilt for choices. I went round and round the stalls looking for something that could really satisfy my gastronomy for Singapore hawker food.

At the end I settled for the fried prawn noodles which is also a signature dish of Singapore hawker food. There was a long queue for the noodles and I knew I had made the right choice, because the first rule in good food hunting is spotting the crowd around it. The chef did not stop cooking the noodles since I first joined the queue. I saw the whole process of how my food was prepared.

When I finally acquire my plate of fried prawn noodles, the next challenge was to look for a seat. I was lucky to find a seat by the glass window and I could finally savour my plate of hot Singapore hawker food. The stir-fried noodles were soft and coated with very subtle prawn broth. The fresh lime and the chili paste that came with it elevated the taste of the noodles to a different level if you like spicy and sour taste.