Coffeetiam? A Guide To Fusion Hawker Food In S’pore
The humble hawker centre is, unquestionably, a hallmark of Singaporean food culture. After all, it’s served our population for decades as an easily accessible, one-stop destination for all kinds of affordable and tantalising staples. Jin ho jiak.
However, changing tastes and efforts to revitalise the hawker scene have led to unique concepts popping up throughout various hawker centres around the country in recent times, sparking a slow and gradual change in the hawker landscape for years to come.
A notable trend among these new concepts is fusion cuisine - the combination of various cultural, region, or country-specific culinary traditions. Think Japanese-inspired cai png, or mala spaghetti - the possibilities are endless when it comes to fusion food! We’ve highlighted four unique fusion hawker stalls in Singapore for those looking for a culinary journey for their taste buds.
Hideki
What kind of fusion: Japanese/Singaporean
Location: Yishun Park Hawker Centre, Shenton Food Hall
Yes, Japanese cai png is a thing. As a cai png enthusiast myself, I had to do a double-take when this stall first caught my eye.
Don’t expect to find sweet and sour pork or curry chicken here, as Hideki switches out the usual fare dished out at your usual mixed vegetable rice stall for Japanese dishes made using premium ingredients.
The ordering process differs from its Singaporean counterpart as well. Rather than displaying their dishes out in the open, the stall opts to guide diners through building their personalised bowl of chow.
Diners start with their choice of base carbs between soba and sushi rice, before choosing a protein to pair with their base. Chicken, pork, salmon, and unagi (yes, unagi) are among the options, which is topped off with a chosen sauce and a variety of (optional) sides.
Prices vary depending on your choices of protein and sides, but it is generally on the lower end. For reference, opting for a bowl of sushi rice with flame-torched aburi chicken costs just $4. Buay pai.
Brostern
What kind of fusion: Western/Asian
Location: Ci Yuan Hawker Centre
Brostern is a combination of the words “brother” and “Western”, which perfectly encapsulates its beginnings - it was founded by four childhood friends with a dream of running their very own western stall in their ’hood.
Asian-inspired creations are sprinkled throughout Brostern’s menu of western favourites - choose from western staples such as chicken chop ($5.50), or opt for something with a twist such as the lemak chilli padi pasta ($6) or laksa seafood pasta ($6).
Feeling adventurous? Try the salted egg roti john ($6), a toasty and eggy Singaporean favourite paired with a luscious, creamy salted egg yolk sauce that elevates the dish to a new level. Big eaters or groups will enjoy their deluxe ambeng platter ($35), their western-inspired take on the traditional nasi ambeng. This attention-grabbing dish switches out the usual Malay staples such as rendang and sambal goreng for chicken cutlet, fish and chips, chicken chop, john tarik, aglio olio pasta, buttered rice, fries, garlic bread and coleslaw laid out neatly on a large platter. Damn worth it.
Eddy’s No. 1
What kind of fusion: Western/Asian
Location: Hong Lim Food Centre
It’s pretty presumptuous for a hawker stall to call itself No. 1 - but we’re proud to say that this stall deserves the plaudits. Headed by Chef Eddy Wan with 10 years of culinary experience, Eddy’s No. 1 serves up yummy Asian-inspired Western chow that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Its fusion pasta offerings are the star of the show alongside its famed duck confit ($10). The chicken chop laksa spaghetti ($6) is a dish inspired by his love for curry noodles in Malaysia. Featuring a large portion of chicken chop sitting upon a bed of perfectly al dente spaghetti and creamy laksa sauce, protein lovers will dig this.
The mala shrimp spaghetti ($7.50) features a mala jiang made from scratch by Eddy and is chock-full of flavourful additions such as shrimp, broccoli, tomatoes and mushrooms. Cooked to tongue-numbing perfection, this is a hit for spice lovers everywhere!
A Noodle Story
What kind of fusion: Japanese/Singaporean
Location: Amoy Street Food Centre
Japanese ramen meets Singaporean mee pok at A Noodle Story. This Michelin Bib Gourmand-nominated stall has won plaudits for its unique take on dry noodles, utilising premium ingredients to give it a Japanese-inspired elevation.
Only one dish is offered at A Noodle Story - noodles. Al dente mee kia noodles are tossed in a soy sauce mixture and topped with juicy shrimp wontons, chashu, ajitsuke tamago (ramen egg), and a crispy potato ball. Talk about going all the way - but these noodles are worth the hype.
These aren’t the most affordable noodles out there (prices start at $9), but we’d say the preparation and final product completely justifies its cost.
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