Tastemakers Guide To Best Young Hawkers in Singapore
Set up by Temasek Polytechnic Culinary & Catering Management alumnus Jeremy Han, this hip yakitori stall in The Bedok Marketplace is gaining a reputation 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. If it's your first time here, get the Truffle Wagyu Donburi ($16), which Tastemaker Amanda Liu says will hit the spot for beef bowl cravings. Expect a bowl filled with rice (almost to the brim), 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 — while pricey, this is tender, smoky and absolutely yummy. You might also want to share an a la carte order of Iberico Pork Cheeks ($12), which is melt-in-the-mouth soft. Tastemaker Amanda warns that the portion sizes here are rather generous, so either come hungry or bring a friend. Waiting time can get painfully long especially during peak meal hours, so you've been warned.
Avg Price: $20 per person
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Amanda Liu
This new stall at Amoy Street Food Centre (they opened in July 2017) is run by co-owners Gini Goh, who has extensive F&B background, and Le Cordon Bleu trained Ceen Yen. Together, they serve up tasty and affordable biryani sets that are rather creative too; the Signature Crackling Siu Yoke Nasi ($5) pairs the fragrant Indian rice with Chinese crispy pork belly and guess what, it works! Tastemaker Russell Leong likes that the meat is savoury and satisfyingly fatty with no porky odour, and that the rind is passably crisp despite the pork belly being served at room temperature. Burpple Tastemaker Justin recommends the unbelievably tender Soft Bone Pork Masala ($5), which Gini reveals is simmered overnight for 12 hours, and then cooked again with various spices at the stall the next day. Other meat combinations include sambal sotong, char siew and even salted egg chicken, and the plates do not go beyond a pocket-friendly $6.50. Gini also told Tastemaker Justin Teo that compared to cafes, which take a lot of work to break even, CBD hawker stalls get great foot traffic from young diners who are accepting of such experimental fare. This stall has been opened for just over a month so tweaks and refinements are certainly still under way.
Avg Price: $5 per person
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Sheryl Lyx
The top picks, popular finds and newly opened places in Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines, curated by Burpple editors!