FOOD STALLS AT FOOD CENTRES

11 January 2021 | If you go to the food centres in Singapore, you can find many different types of foods; however, for the most part, the food stalls specialize in a particular type of food. Let me explain a bit more.

Generally, most food stalls at the food centres have different types of Chinese, Malay and Indian food. The Chinese food stalls might have noodle type dishes with chicken, pork or fish balls. Or they might specialize in a type of savory porridge. Or you could simply find a buffet type stall with rice, cooked vegetables and other types of fish and meat. Malay food stalls also have a lot of rice and fish/meat dishes but are generally a bit more spicy than their Chinese counterparts. And Indian food, usually halal, contains a lot of the things you would normally think of including lots of chicken, beef, and lamb dishes in creamy, thick sauces with prata or some other bread for dipping and eating. Aside from these three types of cuisine, you can also find a smattering of other types of Asian yumminess like dumplings, laksa, fishhead soup, rendang, pad Thai. If you’re lucky, you can also find foods from Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Not every food centre has every type of cuisine so you do need to explore the ones in your neighbourhood to find a variety of foods.

And what’s also interesting is that most food centres will always have a stall very generically called “Western Food” where they will serve steaks, French fries, pork and beans, mashed potatoes, fried chicken and other similar types of foods. They are usually pretty popular with the locals.

Another thing that’s unique to food centres is the drink stalls. They are always separate from the food stalls. So, if you want a kopi, lychee drink, tea or beer, you have to go to a separate stall to get your drinks.

They will always ask you if you want your food and drinks to stay or for takeaway. Takeaway sometimes has a surcharge for the plastic ware. Food and drinks for stay usually do not and are often served on plastic dishes and glasses.

While the same rules apply for ‘reserving’ a table with a mobile phone, a bag, or a pouch of napkins, most of the food centres today have new rules which remind people to clean up after themselves (i.e, clean their table and remove their trays by placing them in the halal or non-halal tray stations) so that the Aunties and Uncles can focus on keeping the tables clean.