Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
112
For local-style hawker centers, in Chinatown you can find stalls at the Maxwell Road
Food Centre at the corner of M axwell and South Bridge roads, or y ou can tr y Lau Pa
Sat at the corner of Raffles Way and Boon Tat Street. A ne w food attraction, a r ow of
stalls along S mith Street called Food Alley was conceiv ed by the STB. R umor has it,
these guys are having a har d time making a living selling local food to the v ery touristy
crowd that passes down this street in the evenings. In the Historic District, try the small
center next to Allson H otel on Victoria Street, or Makansutra, next to the Esplanade-
Theatres on the Bay. In Little India, Tekka Market is under construction, but nearby on
Race Course Road the hawkers have set up under a temporar y structure.
When you eat at a hawker center, the first thing to do is claim a seat at a table. ( Local
trick: I f y ou put a tissue packet do wn on the table in fr ont of y our seat, people will
understand it's reserved.) Remember the number on y our table so that when y ou order
from each stall, you can let them know where you're seated. They will deliver your food
to the table, and y ou must pay upon deliv ery. Change will be pr ovided. When you are
finished, there's no need to clear y our dishes; it will be taken car e of for you.
The modern version of the hawker center is the food court. Similar to hawker centers,
food courts are air-conditioned spaces inside shopping malls and public buildings. They
also have individual stalls offering a v ariety of foods and tables with fr ee seating. Gener-
ally, food courts offer a more “fast-food,” less authentic version of local cuisine, but y ou
also get greater variety—many food courts have a stall that sells Western burgers and fish
and chips, and stalls with J apanese udon or Korean barbecue. Food courts also differ in
that they're self-ser vice. When y ou appr oach the stall, y ou take a tray , pay when y ou
order, then carry the food yourself to a table, similar to cafeteria style. When you finish,
you are not expected to clear y our tray.
Food courts are everywhere within the city, most of them operated by popular chains
like Food Junction, Kopitiam, and Banquet. You'll find them in shopping malls and
public buildings, most likely on the top floor or in the basement. Your hotel's concierge
will be able to point y ou to the nearest food court, no problem.
6
9 CAFE SOCIETY
In Singapore, traditions such as B ritish high tea and the Chinese tea cer emony live side
by side with a growing coffee culture. These popular hangouts are all over the city. Here
are a few places to try.
BRITISH HIGH TEA
Two fabulous places to take high tea in style ar e at Raffles Bar & B illiard Room at
Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Rd. ( & 65/6412-1816 ), and Equinox at Swissôtel The Stamford,
2 Stamford Rd. ( & 65/6431-6156 ). Both places are lovely, if pricey. The buffet will cost
anywhere from S$33 to S$38 (US$22-US$25/£15-£17), more at peak seasons. High tea
is served in the afternoons from 3 until 5 or 5:30pm.
CHINESE TEA
There are a few places in Chinatown where tea is still as important today as it has always
been in Chinese cultur e. The Tea Chapter, 9-11A N eil Rd. ( & 65/6226-1175 ), and
Yixing Xuan, 30-32 Tanjong Pagar Rd. ( & 65/6224-6961 ), offer tranquil respites from
the day and cultural insight into Chinese tea appr eciation.
 
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