Everyone always jokes that there are only two favorite hobbies of Singaporeans: eating and shopping. It comes as no surprise then that Singapore has a very unique culinary culture.
Food in Singapore can range from very expensive ($20+ Singapore) to extremely cheap ($3-$4 Singapore). The cheaper places tend to be located in these places called Hawker Centres. Hawker Centres are known for serving very traditional foods of Singapore, along with other local Southeast Asian dishes. They serve anything from Singapore's very own specialties such as Chicken Rice and Chili Crab, to authentic Indian food, all for a mere $3-$4 per dish. Some of these Hawker Centres are even open 24 hours! The way a hawker centre works is that you simply walk up to a stall that seems to offer what you are looking for, order your food, and wait a couple of minutes for them to prepare it. If you'd like a drink or even dessert, you would have to go to a different stall that is especially for either drinks or desserts.
My favorite hawker centre is Lau Pa Sat. Lau Pa Sat offers an endless amount of dining options, and in the evening time, there even is a live band that sings American pop music. The other interesting thing about hawker centres is the fact that there is no service charge, thus making eating in hawker centres, as opposed to restaurants, a cheaper option.
My other favorite place to eat ethnic foods are the canteens at NUS. The food at NUS is even cheaper; I have had meals for about $2 Singapore (around $1 US). NUS students also get discounts at certain stalls. The canteens are set up similar to hawker centres, with stalls specializing in specific foods lined up next to each other. My favorite stall is the juice stall; I can get a huge glass of fresh juice for $1 Singapore. The juice is very refreshing during the hot, humid days in Singapore.
Restaurant dining in Singapore can be very expensive. Unlike hawker centres, restaurants charge both GST (general sales tax), as well as a service charge, adding several dollars to your bill. While restaurant dining is still relatively cheaper than Washington DC, it still is expensive for Singaporean standards. The more expensive restaurants tend to be, believe it or not, Mexican restaurants. I haven't exactly figured out why this is, but a burrito, quesadilla, or enchiladas at one of these restaurants can easily cost $20 by itself. Additionally, it is very difficult to find fresh salad in Singapore. One local was claiming that the reason for this is because it is expensive to import vegetables that are meant for raw consumption because of the fact that cleaning off the pesticides requires a great deal of work and time.
McDonald's is another popular option amongst locals for food. One can walk by any McDonald's at any given hour and expect to see patrons eating a Big Mac or enjoying an ice cream cone. The McDonald's in Singapore also offers unique options that are not offered in the US, such as cheese shaker fries. These shaker fries simply consist of a cheese powder that you mix with your french fries by shaking the two together inside of a bag.
Overall, dining in Singapore has been a truly unique experience. While I do miss fresh salads, I cannot complain about the cheap prices for relatively great food!