Singapore's TidbiTs

Two of Singapore's most beloved noodle dishes — mee rebus and mee siam — sit side by side on hawker stall menus across the island. One is thick, sweet, and hearty; the other tangy, spicy, and light. Both are affordable, deeply satisfying, and quintessentially Singaporean. Here is everything you need to know about these two classics, from what goes into the gravy to where to find the best bowls. 📋 Quick Facts Mee Rebus "Boiled noodles" — thick yellow noodles in sweet-spicy gravy Mee Siam "Siamese noodles" — thin rice vermicelli in tangy, sour gravy Origin Malay & Peranakan (Straits Chinese) Typical price (2026) $3.50 – $5.50 at hawker centres; $7+ with satay or at cafés Where to find Virtually every hawker centre and food court in Singapore 🍜 Mee Rebus: The Hearty Classic Literally "boiled noodles" — mee being the Hokkien word for noodles and rebus the Malay word for boiled — mee rebus is a delicious d...

Mee soto is a spicy chicken noodle soup commonly found in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Mee means noodles. The spiciness depends on how much black-ish color chili you put in your noodles. This hot chili topping is optional, to add zest to the taste. If you have been to Indonesia, you probably would have come across soto. Soto originates from Indonesia, which is a soupy dish of broth, meat and vegetables. Simple yet delicious. Mee soto The main ingredients of mee soto are yellow Hokkien noodles, bean sprouts and slices of chicken ( ayam ) sprinkled with fried shallots and some mint leaves. The soup or gravy contains coriander and lemongrass that gives it a unique fragrant smell and taste. The noodles may also come in thinner rice vermicelli type. Mee soto can be found in many hawker centres or food courts and sells for between $3.50 to $4.50. This noodle is usually sold by Malay stall holders. Cheap, spicy, good and tasty! The yellow noodles are similar to the ones in mee rebus ,...

Laksa is a popular spicy and tasty noodle dish that originated from the Peranakan, descendents from the early Chinese immigrant who married local Malay women thus gave rise to the fusion of flavours from the ingredients used. This dish is very popular with both Chinese and Malay alike, and of course to the many tourists or visitors to this island who have got hooked on it. Curry Laksa The laksa noodle is the thick rice noodle type. The laksa curry is a rich spicy coconut-based noodles soup, the ingredients which may include bean sprouts, tofu (taupok), cockles , slices of chicken and egg. It is usually topped with a spoonful of sambal belacan , a fermented shrimp and chilli paste, and laksa leaf for the added zest. The Malays call laksa leaf daun kesum rather than daun laksa. Daun means leaf. Cockles' laksa is the more common type of laksa but there are other options such as those containing pieces of chicken for those who are allergic to seafood. Laksa leaf is a herb which is a...

Singapore fried noodles or bee hoon is well known all over the world. In many cities you will find a restaurant or a stall selling the famous Singapore fried noodles. You can find a stall in a London airport selling this popular Singapore noodles. Rice vermicelli cooked in garlicky white or the spicier reddish version. Bee hoon is sometimes also called as mee hoon . Same dish, different spellings. Bee (mee) hoon Ingredients may include seafood such as prawns or slices of fish, eggs, chicken and vegetables. Not forgetting cut limau kasturi or small limes for that added zest. Small lime squeezed to noodles is similar to squeezing lemon to salmon for a bit of tanginess. A plate of fried bee hoon or noodles typically cost $4 to $5 depending on if you get them at hawker cntres or air-conditioned food-courts. At some stalls you can even get them for only $3 like at pasar malam or the night bazaar or at economy stall in a food-court. Though at that price, do not expect much protein li...