Nonya food has been over publicised it'll be a cliche to say anything more.For those of you who're accustomed to "Wine and Dine", Singapore has a wide variety of fine restaurants to choose from, much like many other cosmopolitan cities. There is no shortage of publicity in that area. To most Singaporeans, however, what Makan entails is not the quality of the service nor the presentation of the food, but very simply the quality of the food, the spontaneity, the cosiness, the convenience and most importantly, the affordability.

As a large portion of the population are muslims, halal food is available everywhere. There are Malay Muslim and Indian Muslim food, you'll know when you see one as there's always a sign written in Arabic prominently displayed. Nasi Padang, a style of cooking originated from Sumatra and popular in Singapore is a must try for the visitor. See our Muslim food page for some ideas.

While you may find at least one Chinese or Indian vegetarian food stall in every food centre, you're not likely to come across fine elaborate dishes, especially Chinese vegetarian food. Good Taoist/Buddish vegetarian food seems less easily available. One simple reason is the complexity in vegetarian food preparation. Unlike Indian vegetarians and vegetarians in the West, Taoist/Buddish vegetarians do not eat garlic, onion, leek and those related vegetables. Vegetarian food, in this case, does not mean cooking with only vegetables, but rather, the art of shaping and texturing flour into mock meat and fish dishes. it's worth the trouble to give it a try, for good Chinese vegetarian food is rare, even in Singapore. If you're lucky, you may come across a Chinese temple that serves vegetarian food(only on certain days).

Indian Muslim food, or the so called Mamak food, is very popular in Singapore, roti prata, mee goreng, Indian rojak, nasi padang, mutton soup are some of the more popular dishes.

Seafood is of course a social food that tops many people's list. Seafood eaten the local style is a noisy and cosy affair. Chili crabs, black pepper crabs, drunken prawns and deep fried baby squids are just some of the endless yummy dishes that one shouldn't miss. Lobsters, glamourous as it may sound, is not as popular or as fun as Chut Chut(a kind of cone shaped sea shell that has to be sucked) or raw cockles(despite the risk of Hepatities). And eating barbequed sting ray from a piece of banana leaf at a food centre is definitely a truer Makan experience than having Salmon on China at Maxim's. If you do not know where to begin, East Coast Seafood Centre is worth a visit. If you know your way in Johore Bahru, it's definitely much cheaper!! Selamat Makan! (enjoy your meal!)

South Chinese Ethnic Food

While there are at least ten Chinese dialects being spoken in Singapore each with its own special dishes, there are five major groups that you'll most likely encounter.

Canton is where all Chinese want to eat. Cantonese food is world famous especially its Dim Sum and Wanton soup. If you'd eaten in a Chinese restaurant outside China, it's most likely Cantonese food.

The Hakkas are famous for their Yong Tao Foo(literally means stuffed tofu). Originally filled with minced pork flavoured with salted fish, the hawker version consists of a variety of boiled vegetable filled with fish paste that comes either with various sauces or as a soup. Hakkas are in many ways similar to the Jews, they are migrants that spread throughout the World from Surinam to Malaysia and has a very strong ethnic identity. Thrifty and hardworking, their origin, though definitely Chinese, is still a big mystery.

The Teochews are famous for its fish ball noodles(especially Mee Pok - flat egg noodles), porridge and steamed dishes. Unlike Cantonese porridge(sometimes called congee), Teochew porridge is watery and plain that comes with a variety of small dishes. We often see Teochew porridge as a sick bed food, simply because it seems so healthy! There is a considerable amount of Teochews in Thailand, and if you're familiar with Thai Chinese food, you'll recognise the the Teochew influence.

Next, there is the well known Hainanese from the island of Hainan. Chicken Rice, boiled chickens seem simple enough, yet a really good stall is hard to find even in Singapore! Less fancy as the name may sound as compared to Chili Crab or Fish head curry which are competing to be the unofficial national dish, the popularity of this dish easily beats the two. Last, the Hokkiens, together with its sub groups like the Hock Jiu and Hock Chia, make up the largest Chinese ethnic group in Singapore and definitely has a lot to offer. Oyster omelette, Char Kway teow and Hokkien Mee top the list and yam rice and sweet potato porridge more a novelty these days.

You will find standard Restaurants like

• McDonald
• KFC
• Pizza Hut
• Delifrance
• Burger King
• Hawker Centres

Hawker centres are where you will find a veritable feast of Chinese, Malay and Indian treats. It is best to find yourself a seat before you order. Placing a packet of tissue on the table will signal to others that the table has been reserved. Sharing a table with strangers is fine if you cannot find a vacant one.

Place your orders at each stall, state your table number and your selections. Most hawker centres have numbers on each table, however self-service is practiced in some hawker centres and food courts. It is also a good way to ask Singaporeans about their favourite food or stall. Chinese dishes come with chopsticks, though a fork and spoon will be made readily available upon request.

When ordering seafood, you should ask for the exact price you will be charged for the dish to avoid any misunderstanding.Some favourite hawker centres in the city area include Bugis Street, Lau Pa Sat and Maxwell Road Market.

Food Courts

Food courts are basically air-conditioned, indoor hawker centres. They are popular because they offer diversity of choice in a clean, modern and sometimes even upmarket setting. As with hawker centres, it is best to find a seat before you order your food.

Some favourite food courts in the city areas include Bugis Junction, Clarke Quay, Picnic Food Court, Takashimaya Food Village, Market Square at Centrepoint, China Square Food Centre and Kopitiam.

Prices

Singapore has a wide range of differently priced menus to suit the needs of travellers. Local fare found at hawker centres and kopitiams or open-fronted local coffee shops are very reasonably priced indeed while luxurious meals served at five-star establishments are still excellent value for money.

Credit Card

Most major credit cards are widely accepted at Singapore restaurants, with the exception of the more simple establishments, food courts and hawker centres, You may wish to call ahead to confirm that your card will be accepted.

Service Charges

Most hotel restaurants and dining establishments levy a service charge of 10%, a government tax of 3% and a cess tax of 1%. Some suburban eating places and most hawker centres and food courts do not levy this charge. Tipping can be practised at your discretion.