Hainanese Chicken Rice
Delicate poached chicken served over broth-scented rice, the national dish
A Chinese, Malay and Indian culinary crossroads. The street food of the hawker centres is listed as UNESCO intangible heritage.
Incontournables
Delicate poached chicken served over broth-scented rice, the national dish
Whole crab in a spicy tomato sauce, to mop up with fried mantou buns
Soupe de nouilles au lait de coco epicee, crevettes et coques
Flat noodles stir-fried in the wok with cockles, egg and Chinese sausage
Grilled meat skewers served with peanut sauce
Yellow noodles and vermicelli stir-fried with prawns and squid in a broth
Pork ribs simmered in a pepper-and-garlic broth
Flaky Indian flatbread served with a curry, often at breakfast
Boissons
Strong local coffee with sweetened condensed milk, ordered in a coded jargon (kopi-o, kopi-c...)
The au lait 'tire' d'une main a l'autre pour le rendre mousseux
Pink gin cocktail created at the Raffles Hotel, an emblem of the city
Freshly pressed sugarcane juice, refreshing in the heat
Street food
Vocabulaire
| Langue locale | Francais |
|---|---|
| Makan | Eat / meal (Malay) |
| Kopi | Coffee |
| Shiok | Delicious, so good |
| Chope | Reserve a table (with a packet of tissues) |
| Da bao | Takeaway |
| Kaya | Coconut and egg jam |
| Tabao / Tapau | Pack it to go |
| Sedap | Good, tasty (Malay) |
Etiquette
Reserve your table by placing a packet of tissues on it ('chope') before going to order
Bring your tray back when you're done: it's now compulsory on pain of a fine
Halal stalls are clearly marked, respect them
Order your kopi in the right lingo, the regulars appreciate it
Regime
Many Indian and Chinese vegetarian stalls (look for 'vegetarian' in the hawker centres)
Indian roti prata and thosai are vegetarian
Little India is full of veggie and vegan options
Budget
3-7 EUR
Stands de rue, marches, vendeurs ambulants
10-20 EUR
Gargottes, cantines, restaurants familiaux
30-70 EUR
Restaurants connus, zones touristiques
Les voyageurs Orizn partagent leurs restaurants et street food preferes sur la carte live. Rejoins la communaute.