By Expats for Expats
There are many ways to embrace a new culture, but one of the best and most fun ways is to dine on the local cuisine. And I’m not talking about the sanitized expat version of a local dish, but the local’s local dish.
Singapore is full of foodies, and plenty of places to get the best local dishes.
So how do you find those hidden gems that serve the best local food?
Word-of-mouth is certainly an excellent choice for finding the best local food. Location has some impact. My wife will likely find the expat-version of a local dish in the CBD, but if you’re outside the central area, you may have better luck at a better price.
But thankfully Singapore isn’t too geographically big, so every square meter is within a reasonable drive, so great food is just a car, cab, or bus ride away!
When searching out the best local cuisine, I suggest leveraging 3 sources:
- Chope
- Trust the queue
- Your colleagues
Chope
There are several food apps that can help you navigate your desire to “eat like a local.” But I have found Chope, which in Singaporean vernacular, means “to reserve a place, such as a seat in a fast food restaurant, sometimes by placing a packet of tissue paper on it,” to be an excellent resource.
Chope provides a “Local Flavours Guide” which has a nice overview for local Singaporean dishes, be they mod-Sin or authentic Singaporean food.
Trust the Queue
Interestingly, Singaporeans love to queue. There is something psychological and magnetic about a queue. Typically, if there is something important, something valuable (maybe free), a great deal, or something good to eat . . . there is a queue.
So when you go the local hawkers stand or food court, take a look around. Search out the queue, because at the head of the queue is something great to eat. This queue is an indication that something special and good is going on at the head of the line.
Long queue = Great Food! No queue, don’t bother!
Your Colleagues
Finally, and what I think is certainly the best source for finding the best local food . . . your colleagues.
I’m fortunate, in that I work with several Singaporeans and who have been more than happy to take me to the best Laksa place to expose me to some great grub!
And I haven’t been disappointed, although I have settled into my favorite dishes – chicken rice, chili crab, char siew rice, laksa, – that doesn’t stop my colleagues from asking me if I’d like to taste their meals. “It’s very nice!” is their typical response. Though I don’t take them up on it, I file it away for another day.
So however you choose to “eat like a local,” just enjoy the process, enjoy the company and most importantly, enjoy the food!
Stay tuned to our next episode of By Expats for Expats. And if you have missed our Episode 1 of By Expats for Expats, you can still read it now.