Singapore's TidbiTs

You can find Roti John at many hawker centres and at  pasar malam (night markets). They are french bread coated with eggs and butter and and fried on hot plate and topped up with generous amount of chilli or tomato sauce and mayonaise. You can get them for around $5. The name John is English and roti is bread. So maybe during the early days this omelette sandwich is the equivalent of hamburgers or simply the french toast! You can find Roti John usually being sold at Malay stalls. At some hawker centres such as at Bedok Corner , the stall owners are getting creative. You can find Roti John Steak, Chicken or Sardine and Roti John Power! Grilling Roti John (front) and Ramly Burger Ramly Burger is that ubiquitous delicious and juicy meat local burger wrapped in egg and splashed with plenty of colourful sauces of tomato sauce, mayonnaise and mustard that you can only get at Pasar Malam. And it only cost about $4. The meat can be beef or chicken. Of course you can get value burgers at ...

Pasar malam — the Malay term for "night market" — is a quintessential Singaporean experience. These temporary, open-air bazaars pop up in neighbourhoods across the island, filling the evening air with the sizzle of deep-fried snacks, the aroma of grilled meats, and the buzz of bargain hunters. Whether you are after a quick dinner, a late-night sugar fix, or a cheap phone cable, the pasar malam delivers. 📋 Quick Facts Meaning Pasar = market, malam = night (Malay) Type Temporary / pop-up outdoor market Typical hours 12pm – 10pm (varies by location) Entry fee Free Payment Cash preferred; some stalls accept PayNow Best time to go Weekday evenings (6–8pm) to avoid crowds 📖 What Is a Pasar Malam? Pasar malam literally means "night market" in Malay — pasar being market and malam being night. In the old days, these markets operated only in the evenings when the tropical heat had subsided. Today, many open as early as mi...

One of Singapore's favourite breakfast that you can find all over Singapore. Many have it for late supper too as many roti prata shops open 24 hours. We are a nation that cannot stop eating. The good old roti prata or Indian pancakes. Roti means bread. And prata means flat. Literally it means flat bread. Our Malaysian neighbours call it Roti Canai. The origin could be from Chennai, India. Prata can be plain or may come with fillings, depending on customers preference, eggs being the most common. You can also have a combo of egg and onion. Crispy roti prata with curry There are also cheese, banana and chocolate pratas. And prata topped with ice-cream! Similar to the French crepes. Prata is a bit greasy, though the crispier ones taste better and probably less greasy too. You dip the prata into the vegetable, fish or meat curry sauce. Prata typically cost between 80 cents to $2 each depending on whether it's plain or with eggs and other fillings. Price also varies depending on i...

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...

In hot, humid and sunny Singapore, it is nice to take a dip once in a while to beat the heat. You can find swimming pools in many housing estates. The entry fees are cheap. Only $1.50 during weekdays and $2 during weekends. Children below 18 and senior citizens fees are half the price. The pools are open almost everyday from 8:00am to 9:30pm. They are closed once a week for maintenance, usually in the middle of the week. They are spacious complete with lounge chairs. And there are also slides at the kids pool like the one shown in the photo here. This one is at Pasir Ris. You do not have to bring the little ones to the pricey water theme parks. Public pool complete with slides at Pasir Ris Sometimes we can see children and students with instructors doing their swimming lessons in the public pools. So while using the pools is cheap having swimming lessons may not! But if there is rain, which is common in tropical Singapore, especially during year end monsoon season, you can't swim ...

Tau huay or beancurd is a whitish soft tofu usually added with liquid sugar. The sugar can be normal or brown sugar. One can also request for less sugar. Tau huay is a dessert sold at many soya bean chains such as Mr Bean and Jollibean. You can also find them at many drinks stalls in housing estates or at food centres. Tau huay is usually sold and eaten while still warm. Soya bean milk drink can be either hot or cold depending on preference. Tau huay and soya bean milk are typically sold for around $1.20 to $1.50 at chain soya bean stores. But if you go to hawker centre you can get beancurd for only 60 cents a bowl and soya bean milk for only 50 cents a cup. You can also find soya milk in packet or can drinks sold in many supermarkets islandwide but it is not the same as buying the original tau huay or a cup of freshly made soya bean milk at a hawker or food centre. Tau huay is delicious, relatively cheap and it's filling too. Bean curd Tau huay and soya bean milk from chain sto...

We all love coupons and deals. And as much as we love our kaya toast , roti prata , nasi lemak, mee siam, etc., that are easily available at hawker centres or food courts , we can't be eating those day in and day out. We want some variety. American fast food restaurants have invaded our shore since decades ago and like it or not they are here to stay. Fortunately they seem to have adapted to local taste and even have porridge or congee set complete with coffee or tea and the optional half-boiled eggs. Nasi lemak and chicken rice can be found in some fast-food chain lunch and dinner menus! Porridge meal with half-boiled eggs So if we crave for some western food and pancakes there is a $5 breakfast deals that include two pieces of blueberry or chocolate pancakes with hashbrown and scrambled egg and a cup of iced milo. The good old milo. To put energy in your body. You can sprinkle the pancakes with maple syrup or spread some butter. And you can surf the internet using the free wirel...