You can take the Singaporean out of Singapore but you can’t take Singapore out of the Singaporean. It’s easy to see why: we are blessed with an immense culinary diversity that we take for granted and once abroad, food is that one thing we all miss most.
Yes our city may be small, and there’s only a few million of us – but that doesn’t mean we have to be obscure. In fact, all the major cities of the world would have at least one Singapore restaurant. From Paris to London and Sydney, we sift out the most authentic spots so you won’t have to miss home for too long.
City: Paris, France
Restaurant: The Hood
Address: 80 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011 Paris, France
Once you’re done marvelling at the Eiffel Tower or taking in the immense beauty of the Louvre Museum, make your way to The Hood in the Marais – the only Singapore restaurant in Paris. All the classic Singapore dishes are available here, including chicken rice, nasi lemak and pandan cake. Be sure not to miss the confiture au lait de coco et pandan… aka kaya.
City: London, United Kingdom
Restaurant: Singapore Garden
Address: 3 Fairfax Rd, London NW6 4DY, United Kingdom
35 years is a long time to be operating what could possibly be described as a niche cuisine. Yet, that’s precisely the feat that Singapore Garden has managed. A glance at the menu will show all the big Singapore staples like chicken rice, chilli crab and nasi lemak but also dishes that will remind you so much of home. There are renditions of tahu goreng, rojak and an entire list of mains that will make you feel like you’re digging in to zi char at home.
City: New York City, The United States of America
Restaurant: Singapura NYC
Address: 31 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003, United States
Trust New York City to come up with a Singapore restaurant that not only highlights all our hawker favourites but also dishes from the Peranakan and Eurasian communities. So yes there’s the nasi lemak and chicken rice but also bak kut teh, chilli crab and – gasp – sambal belachan with petai. One wonders where they get such a steady supply of Singapore’s favourite stinky beans!
City: Tokyo, Japan
Restaurant: Little Merlion
Address: 2 Chome-8-3 Nishiaraisakaecho, Adachi City, Tokyo 123-0843, Japan
Singapore cuisine meets the kawaii-cute aesthetic of Tokyo at Little Merlion. Here, dishes like roti prata and even carrot cake (both black and white versions), are served up in unmistakably Japanese kitchenware. This is also where you can slurp up a hearty rendition of laksa which comes with an egg with a gooey centre and polish off your meal with a milo dinosaur.
