MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Singapore as we know it today is built on the backbone of multi-cultural heritage. With different ethnicities mingling throughout decades to form a unified group of people, their food is one of the best ways for anyone to experience the rich diversity Singapore has to offer.
With travel opening once again, Filipinos with a taste for adventure can now head to Singapore to get their fill of Singapore’s food and culture.
“Now that Vaccinated Travel Lanes to Singapore are now available to Filipinos, Zi Char is a perfect way for first-time travelers and return visitors of Singapore to bite into a new-found appreciation for Singapore life and culture”, said Ruby Liu, Philippines Area Director, Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
Derived from the Hokkien words for “cooking” and “frying”, Zi Char is a Singaporean dining term for dishes loosely based on Chinese cooking with generous servings of Malay, Indian, and Peranakan influences. Zi Char itself is all about variety. Counting mouth-watering meals such as Chili Crabs, Salted Egg Chicken, and Cereal Prawns as standout dishes, Zi Char dishes bring together crazy delicious flavor combinations that take diners on a gastronomic adventure in each bite.
Many Zi Char stalls can be found throughout the hawker centers and kopitiams in the heartlands of Singapore. With many variations of rice, noodles, meat, and seafood meals, for gatherings between family and friends, Zi Char tends to be a hit among Singapore locals thanks to their big portions and wallet-friendly prices.
With the abundance of choices all over the country, the Singapore Tourism Board has a rundown of must-try Zi Char restaurants to work up the appetites of Filipinos craving for a crazy delicious good time in The Lion City.
Keng Eng Kee Seafood
From its humble beginnings as a stall in Old Havelock Road Hawker Center, Keng Eng Kee has grown to pick up numerous accolades such as a Michelin Plate, an Essence of Asia inclusion among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and a recommendation from the late Anthony Bourdain.
Their Signature Moonlight Horfun is a must-try dish composed of silky fried noodles topped with an egg yolk to represent a bright moon reflected in a shimmering river. Other hits include Marmite chicken, and Coffee Pork Ribs.
Uncle Leong Seafood
If you love crab, this is a spot to check out. First founded in a neighborhood coffee shop, Uncle Leong Seafood has grown into three full-fledged restaurants. The Chili Crabs are a hit among both locals and foreigners, as well as their signature Shimmering Sand Crab, a unique crab dish made with Uncle Leong’s signature sauce and topped with sprinkles of fried oats.
White Restaurant
Sembawang White Bee Hoon is widely considered as a uniquely Singaporean dish much like Chili Crabs and Hainanese Chicken Rice. Originally prepared by the founder of White Restaurant, the eatery’s Original White Bee Hoon may look deceptively simple, but it’s packed with fresh seafood flavor. Enjoy it alongside their Signature Meat and Seafood Rolls and their Signature Fried Wings made with an aromatic lemongrass marinade.
Sum Kee Food
A Zi Char restaurant loved by many Singaporeans, Sum Kee Food offers diners a wide variety of scrumptious meals. Come for the signature Curry Fish Head which pairs nicely with a hot serving of rice, and the Ultraman Chicken, tender, juicy chicken bites coated in salted egg sauce.
Singapore, Reimagined
“With a vibrant mix of flavors in each dish, Zi Char dishes reflect the diverse cultural heritage that has found its way into many aspects of Singapore life,” said Liu.
For more on Zi Char, catch the latest episode of Zi Char or Char Lang episode available here or check out https://www.facebook.com/VisitSingaporePH/
