JW: You can also grab a local to ask them, “Hey! What do you think? Then they’ll probably have an idea. Singaporeans have strong opinions about their food. But we are a very competitive culture. It’s hard to go wrong. Singapore has 300 new restaurants opening every day. They have to prove themselves to be worthy of being the last one because there is limited space.
LA: Singapore’s culinary scene is so global. I mean even here in New YorkI can sample all kinds of food, including my favorite Indian curry and Malaysian satay. You have a wide range of chefs, people and food types. What food should one order at a hawker center? I’m aware that some hawker centers are Michelin-starred.
JW: Oh, yeah.
LA: It’s like an entire scene in itself. What should people order?
JW: So chili crab is part of, it’s our culture, so you’ll want to go to a hawker center that does have a sort of specializes in that, and you don’t just have to do chili crab—you can do black pepper crab, you can do steamed crab, you can do garlic butter crab. There are so many varieties. It’s just so good.
Laksa is another dish that’s very popular at a hawker centre. I love it. It’s a sort of noodle broth. Prata is a light bread or carrot cake. It is not the same thing as English carrot cake. It’s just stir-fried turnip with egg. It’s really really, really delicious.
If you’re feeling under the weather, herbal soups are a great option. You can have herbal soups if you are feeling under the weather. I also love fish soup and congee. I don’t think the problem is where you can find food. It’s your stomach.
LA: It’s not uncommon to think that if you go somewhere alone, you will be by yourself. The joy is in meeting new people. You can ask some locals, “Is that weird if you sit at my table? Can you tell me what I should order?” Then you’re going to be trying everything.
JW: As a solo travelerI love meeting other solo travellers. It’s a good idea to find other solo travellers and ask them to share a meal. When my friends come to visit, they often go to a local hawker center, where three people will each buy five different dishes and bring them down and place them family-style at the table.
