These passionate young hawkers who have chosen to serve delicious local delights instead of sticking to the regime of an office job certainly deserve our support!
Youfu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
For Kick-ass Hokkien MeeĀ
Are you craving some delicious hokkien mee? Located at Golden Mile Food Centre, Youfu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle is arguably one of the best new hokkien mee stalls in Singapore. Run by 21-year-old Andre and his father, this hardworking duo certainly does not disappoint our palates with their highly popular signature dish.
Their tasty fried noodles comes in either thick or thin beehoon but we recommend you order both versions to get the best of both worlds. What's more, their hokkien mee is affordably priced at $4 and $5 if you're having it at the hawker. Alternatively, you can opt for $6 and $8 take-away portions which are wrapped in fragrant opeh leavesāwe reckon this will elevate the taste of the dish even further!
For Wonderfully Crispy Har Cheong GaiĀ
Let's not forget this local favourite! If you love har cheong gai (prawn paste chicken), you can't go wrong with these crispy wings from Ah Tan. Some of their specialties include the Chicken Cutlet Set ($6.80) which comes with their golden-brown chicken wings and drumlets atop fragrant rice. Or simply opt for their Chicken Wings Set ($5.20)!
Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice
For Extremely Tender Chicken SlicesĀ
If you're a chicken rice lover, you certainly won't want to miss out on what Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice has to offer. Located at Blk 158 Ang Mo Kio, the stall which was originally run by Mr Lee Tai Keng was handed down to siblings Natalie and Lex who have since taken over their father's legacy.
Aside from the regular plate of Chicken Rice ($5), we strongly recommend trying their Special Chicken Fried Rice ($7) which features a piping hot plate of fried rice topped with tender chicken slices. While you're at it, go for the Shredded Chicken Porridge ($3), Half Chicken ($15) or Whole Chicken ($30) to complete your meal!
Tian Nan Xing Minced Pork Noodle
For Authentic Teochew Bak Chor Mee
Situated at 511 Bedok North Market and Food Centre, Tian Nan Xing Minced Pork Noodle is a crowd favourite among residents thanks to their mouth-watering bowl of Bedok-style bak chor mee. Their minced meat noodles are served with a generous amount of handmade meatballs, minced pork and meat dumplings.
If you're a newcomer, you might recognise Mr Tan Jia Hao as the current stall owner. This multi-generational stall was passed down to him by his father, Mr Tan Poh Chye, and has been going strong to this day. Their noodles come in $5 and $6 servings with a huge bowl of savoury and aromatic pork bone broth to boot.
Habib's Rojak (Ayer Rajah Food Centre)
For Indian Rojak Worth Travelling For
Ayer Rajah Food Centre houses two Indian rojak stalls, one of which is Habib's Rojak. Second-generation hawker Habib Mohamed has been helping out at his father's stall since he was a teen, and has now taken overāa heartening decision as his father literally named the stall after him.
We would suggest you opt for their flour-based prawn ($2) and coconut fritters ($0.70) as well as their unique rojak offerings including cow lungs ($2), cow liver ($3) and marinated squid (from $4). All these go insanely well with their spicy and nutty sauce!
For Affordable Locally-Inspired Burgers
Ryan and Clare, the young couple behind this burger stall in Beauty World Food Centre, are motivated by their goal of serving unique and quality burgers at affordable prices. The fact that neither had any formal culinary training comes as a surprise as their burgers are seriously yummy.
Their specialities lie in their localised burgers such as the Crispy Pork Belly Burger ($5.50) and Ayam Buah Keluak Burger ($5) which come with fluffy brioche buns. The former boasts thick chunks of crackling fatty pork belly and crunchy Japanese cucumbers topped with sweet and tangy hoisin sauce and English mustard. As for the latter, the patty is made with minced chicken and buah keluak which has a bitterness that complements the chap chye (Nonya braised vegetables) extremely well.
For Light but Flavourful Char Kway Teow
Female hawker Gwen Teng gave up working in various cafes and commercial kitchens just so she could take over her father's popular char kway teow stall which has been up and running for three decades. The verdict so far is that her cooking is of the same high standards as her father's!
Many are fond of their lighter tasting Char Kway Teow (from $3) as they find that the taste is not overwhelmed by copious amounts of sauceāthis allows the flavours of the fresh seafood ingredients like the cockles and prawns to really shine through. On top of that, the dish comes loaded with bean sprouts, eggs, fish cakes, lup cheong, chives and pork lard.
For Indulgent Wagyu Beef Bowls
Set up by Temasek Polytechnic Culinary & Catering Management alumnus Jeremy Han, this hip yakitori stall in Bedok Marketplace is gaining traction for its amazing wagyu beef dishes. Prior to setting up shop, Jeremy honed his chops in fine-dining kitchens including Saint Pierre and the defunct FiftyThree so you know you're in good hands.
If it's your first time here, get the Truffle Wagyu Donburi ($16) as this will surely hit the spot. Expect a bowl filled to the brim with rice topped with perfectly seared Tokyo-style braised wagyu, minced beef and a perfect onsen egg. Order the 72-Hour Slow-Cooked Angus Beef Short Ribs Skewers ($6/stick) on the side if you want a little something extra to finish off your meal!
