Singapore

The basic and most popular dining spots among locals are the hawkers centres. Formerly street food vendors and centralized for health reasons, they resemble American food courts featuring a wide variety of stalls. Singapore enjoys a blending of Chinese, Indian, Malay and Tamil cultures and all variations may be found here. In recent years some have been enclosed and air conditioned.

The Merlion, Symbol of Singapore

From Port: You're there. HarbourFront is the vast shopping mall adjoining the Singapore Cruise Centre.

Review: Indoors and air conditioned, there are several food courts and many small, inexpensive ethnic restaurants including a McDonalds. Expect to pay about twice as much as the hawker centres, below. Still a bargain and air conditioned! $

Xin Food Court at HarbourFront

From Port: You're there. Adjoining HarbourFront just to the east.

Review: One cannot imagine a wider variety of Asian ethnic foods - Cantonese, Shanghaiese, Korean, Japanese, Hainanese, Thai, and more - simply unbelievable.

Indoors and air conditioned. $

Foodrepublic at Vivo City

Foodrepublic Interior

Dim Sum at Foodrepublic

From Port: From HarbourFront, take the MRT. Change at Dhoby Ghaut north to Newton Station. The MRT is cheap, safe, clean and easy to use for English speakers.

Review: Considered the best of the hawker centres, Newton Circus will not disappoint. $

From Port: From HarbourFront, take the MRT to the next stop, Outram Park. Walk one block north on Eu Tong Sen Street. Walk right (southeast) at Kreta Ayer Road. Then right (north) on Neil Road/South Bridge Road. Ask anyone for directions. $

Review:

From Port: From HarbourFront, take the MRT to any one of the ethnic districts - Chinatown, Arab Street, Little India.

Review: There is a huge variety of small, inexpensive restaurants occupying the bottom floor of shop houses. Set meals are particularly inexpensive. $

Shop houses were designed by Thomas Stamford Raffles, the British founder of Singapore in the early 19th century. They feature shop on the first floor, a five foot covered walkway in front to protect from the ubiquitous rain and living quarters on the upper two floors.

Shop House Restaurant off Arab Street