Bukit Canberra Food Centre opened in December 2022, making it one of Singapore’s newer hawker venues. Those who’ve made the trek north just for this will be happy to know that it’s located a roughly five-minute walk from Sembawang MRT station.
The unique facade is covered in green creeper plants, and the space is decked out in colourful tropical decor and can accommodate approximately 800 diners. Here are some suggestions for what to try, including nasi lemak, char kway teow, thunder tea rice and Mexican-Indian fusion grub.
Bukit Canberra Food Centre is at 21 Canberra Link
Take a break from your usual braised duck rice and visit Home Treasure Salted Duck to try their specialty salted duck rice. The meat is marinated for three days before being poached to perfection, and the meal is rounded out with white rice, cucumber slices, half a braised egg and a bowl of soup. They also serve bee hoon and porridge, and you can anticipate forking out around $5.
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Tuck into the crowd-favourite dish of nasi lemak at this vendor, which gets its name from an island in Malaysia and has been in business since 1948. The allure lies in the sheer range of sides you can select from to gussy up your basic serving of nasi lemak: everything from spicy sambal chilli fish and lemon satay fish to turmeric chicken and lemongrass chicken. Expect to pay roughly $7 and above.
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Hoof it over to this joint for a tasty serving of char kway teow, where prices start at approximately $4. You’ll receive a plate of glistening noodles loaded with thin slivers of Chinese sausage, fresh beansprouts, eggy bits and cockles. There’s a solid essence of wok hei, and it’s best enjoyed with a hefty scoop of chilli sauce. For a somewhat healthier alternative, try the brown rice bee hoon.
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Those who want to load up on their greens should order the thunder tea rice from Granny’s Thunder Tea. Fork out about $5 for a bowl of white rice with seven toppings – including eight types of chopped-up veggies and herbs such as long bean, sayur manis, spinach and cabbage alongside peanuts and dried shrimp. Of course, you’ll get the mandatory bowl of herbaceous soup on the side, which leans on the lighter side, and they also offer a version made with puffed rice.
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Mexican-Indian fusion cuisine is Snack That Food Up’s claim to fame. What exactly does that entail? Think butter chicken, tandoori chicken and chicken tikka quesadillas (around $7 each) loaded with cheddar cheese and served with corn chips and a dipping sauce, plus other hearty selections like tacos, naans and pitas. We recommend asking for a side of guacamole, and their chicken wings aren’t too shabby either.
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Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao is the place to be if you’re hankering for regional Chinese delights. Dumpling lovers can get the juicy xiao long baos, crispy pan-fried pork dumplings or – our personal favourite – wantons in chilli oil, while those who want noodles have a plethora of options to choose from, including mala beef noodles, dan dan noodles, boiled spicy fish noodles and tomato egg noodles. Prices begin at about $5.
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Feeling like some Middle Eastern nosh? Arabest Middle Eastern Cuisine doles out traditional dishes such as chicken and lamb mandi, chicken and beef kebab with your pick of rice or fries and various iterations of wraps and pita sandwiches. For something sweet, go for the kunafa – a classic dessert crafted with syrup-soaked spun pastry, cheese and nuts. Anticipate paying around $10.
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Muffin Homme is a hawker bakery that specialises in their namesake muffins and egg tarts. Flavours for the muffins (approximately $2 each) run the gamut from classics such as apple crumble and hazelnut chocolate to more unique concoctions including double chocolate yoghurt, matcha white chocolate and cranberry cream cheese. Do also sample the egg tarts, which are available in original and chocolate varieties.
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This popular local chain – which also has outlets at Whampoa Makan Place and Golden Mile Food Centre – offers homey Teochew-style noodles topped with ingredients such as minced meat, meatballs, fish balls, pork liver and fried wantons. For something simple yet satisfying, we suggest getting the fishball noodles, which are great for warming up on a chilly day. Expect to pony up roughly $4 and above.
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Mala fans are in for a treat at Liu Kou Shui, which is run by a young hawker. The stall is perhaps best known for its tongue-tingling mala char siew: succulent pork belly marinated in Sichuan peppercorns, dark soy sauce, dried chillies and sugar, which you can indulge in with fluffy Japanese rice, a soft-boiled egg and leafy veggies ($7). They have a wide array of other rice bowls, including grilled chicken, beef sukiyaki and caramelised char siew.
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This article was originally published in Singapore Women’s Weekly.