Wednesday, March 2, 2011

A Tale of 2 Hawker Centers: Part 1 Lau Pa Sat






When I'm in Singapore for work, I try as much as I can to eat local -- whether it is in a sidewalk cafe, a local restaurant, a food court or the best thing, at a hawker center.
Lau Pa Sat Festival Market along Robinson Road is near the office and is one of the more well known (and tourist-famous) hawker centers in the city.
It is housed in an ornate, filigreed building, built in the late 1800s. Inside, despite the fact that it is filled to bursting with people and food stalls, the many rotating fans and the high airy ceiling keep the temperature at a comfortable level.
Lau Pa Sat has Pinoy food stalls, most notable of which is Tapa King. Another Pinoy food stall, located outside the hawker center is called Cantunan Atbp. I presume it is referring to the varieties of pancit it offers.
In addition, there is a Mang Kiko Lechon which offers lechon and sisig meals and has long lines -- not just of Pinoys but of locals and expats as well.
We have successfully exported our cholesterolific cuisine!
At night, Lau Pa Sat transforms one side of the street into a satay joint with patrons enjoying cold beer, satay, barbecued chicken wings and other Singaporean goodies until way past midnight.
For my lunch at La Pa Sat, I had my favorite -- spicy fishball noodle from Song Kee Noodle House. Despite the queue, the fish ball assembly line was quick, you order, you pay, move forward in the line, and by the time you get to the front, your fish ball (with fish cake) noodle is ready.
$3 for the basic bowl, add $1 if you want more of the freshly made, springy fishballs. Just $4 for a local lunch, so good lah!

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