Try the “Singaporean breakfast” if you have the chance. Even the well-to-do in the area know that breakfast should be filling and affordable. It’s no surprise that Kaya Toast is a hit among the city’s established social circles.
Two slices of white bread are toasted on both sides, with a layer of kaya jam sandwiched between the two slices of bread and a layer of butter or margarine. The scene is complete with a cup of coffee or tea and two soft-boiled eggs.
There are different types of toast in Singapore:
- Single-Slice Kaya Toast – “bachelor” thin toast,
- Double-Slice Kaya Toast – classic “married couple” toast,
- Cracker Kaya Toast – crispy crackers instead of bread,
- Steamed Kaya Toast – hot steamed bread,
- French Kaya Toast – Bonjour Singapore toast fried in eggs,
- Space Bun – puffy buns instead of toast.
Kaya jam is created using coconut milk, pandanus, eggs, and sugar. As a form of memento, it is frequently offered for sale in little jars. It is available in both a caramel and a green tint (the green color comes from the pandan) (from the burnt brown sugar).
Eggs are often prepared by being thrown into a small dish, covered with soy sauce, and then having white pepper ground over them. It is common practice to dip toasted bread into this mixture so that one may experience all three flavors—salty, sweet, and spicy—in one bite. A cup of regional coffee, which has nothing to do with “espresso, cappuccino, or latte,” is the traditional beverage to have with breakfast.
Traditional variations of kopi are distinguished from one another according to the proportions of the following ingredients: coffee, water, sugar, condensed milk, and milk.
Each drink that may be made with this mixture of components has its own unique name (along with the number of calories that are included in one Kopitiam, which is equivalent to one cup containing 200 milliliters):
- kopi o koson, kopi o kosong: coffee and water (5 kcal);
- kopi oo, kopi o – coffee, water, sugar (66 kcal);
- copies of these, kopi c – coffee, water, sugar (90 kcal);
- mine, kopi – coffee, water, condensed milk (113 kcal);
- kopi gu yu, kopi gu you – coffee, water, butter (140 kcal).
Genuine local kopi is available at kopi tiam, kopi tiam. The lively Anklas and Anti (elderly “uncles” and “aunts”) boil ground coffee in sock filters and pour kopi from large coffee pots with spouts.
They are known for their colorful attire. And most of the orders are taken in Singlish because the older generation has a limited grasp of the English language.
A cheat sheet in Singlish that will help you order kopi at the food court:
- stronger: add “gau” to the word copi, gau;
- weaker: “pho,” po;
- less sweet: siew dai, siew dai,
- sugar-free: kosong, kosong;
- with milk: siew, si;
- cold: pheng, peng (analogous to ice).
Going to a chain restaurant that offers a typical breakfast all throughout the day is the most convenient method to sample kopi. Here are three examples of such locations:
Killiney Kopitiam (67 Killiney Rd), the oldest Hainanese coffee chain in Singapore, which has been operating since 1919 at this address;
Ya Kun Kaya Toast, a vast chain like Starbucks but with local items on the menu;
Food Republic @VivoCity (1 HarbourFront Walk, #03-01 VivoCity), a food court near the Sentosa Monorail that is located above the HarbourFront tube station.
But the special thrill is to order kopi in a traditional cup. That’s where you can do it.
- Heap Seng Leong can be found at 10 North Bridge Road, Unit 01-5109. A vibrant coffee shop that serves an uncommon variety of kopi called Kopi Gu You, which is made with butter.
- Rasapura Masters (B2-50 Canal level, 2 Bayfront Ave). Stop by the recently remodeled food court for some java and toast in the middle of your tour, and while you’re there, have a look at the peculiar Digital Light Canvas display.
- Malaysian Food Street (Resorts World Sentosa 8 Sentosa Gateway, Waterfront, Level 1. On Sentosa Island, near the Universal Studios theme park and the Oceanarium, there is an authentic-looking food court.
- Go to The Courtyard Fullerton Hotel Singapore if you are looking for a location that is more expensive and has a city atmosphere (1 Fullerton Square). The hotel, which was formerly Singapore’s primary post office and is now designated as the island’s Mile Zero because of a memorial plaque bearing that name, is housed in a structure that has been refurbished. They are used to tourists dropping by out of curiosity, so don’t be afraid to enter this beautiful hotel to touch Singapore’s history and even send postcards from the front desk (ask for the unique red stamp!). They are used to tourists stopping by, so don’t be afraid to ask for it.
What else can you eat for breakfast?
Dim Sum:
The custom of drinking tea in the morning in China includes the consumption of a snack known as dim sum. These can take the form of bite-sized platters of sweets, fruit, vegetables, chicken feet, buns, dumplings, and rice wrapped in lotus leaves.
Those who stay at premium hotels like St. Regis, Intercontinental, Marriott Tang Plaza, Shangri La, Four Seasons, or Mandarin Oriental typically have the opportunity to have dim brunch as their breakfast meal of choice.
Empress (1 Empress Pl, #01-03 Asian Civilisations Museum):
The restaurant, which is situated within the Asian Civilizations Museum, provides views of the Singapore River. It is a really handy way to begin the day with a delicious breakfast at this location, and then immediately begin your trek from the old to the ultra-modern portion of Singapore.
Congee:
Rice is the primary ingredient in congee. The jasmine rice is simmered for an extended period of time in a beef broth until it turns into a porridge. It is then combined with a variety of other ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, pig meatballs, 100-year-old eggs, fish, peanuts, and ginger. throughout all of the meal courts, even at KFC restaurants in the network!
Orh luak, oyster omelet:
It is made by frying tiny oysters in potato starch and beaten eggs. also known as “oyster omelet.” When they are served, they are topped with a fiery chili sauce and lime wedges for garnish.
Try out the cuisine of Heng, which has been recognized with a Bib Gourmand from Michelin (located at Newton Food Centre #01-28, 500 Clemenceau Avenue North).
Nasi Lemak :
Coconut milk and pandan rice topped with sambal chili sauce and other side dishes are the hallmarks of the Nasi Lemak meal. On a plate, banana leaf, or piece of paper, rice is piled up into a mound. A fiery, hot sauce is poured all the way around the plate.
Fresh cucumber slices, glazed or hard-boiled eggs, fried anchovies, glazed peanuts, and deep-fried chicken are some of the items that can be used as garnishes. The Adam Road Food Centre is worth a shot (2 Adam Rd).
This traditional Singaporean food court is located close to the Botanic Gardens, and it is home to two well-known stalls that are quite popular with the locals. These stalls serve nasi lemak, and they go by the names Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak and #1 Adam’s Nasi Lemak. But in general, you can get Nasi Lemak almost anywhere, and the taste is the same no matter where you go.
Min Jiang Kueh:
Min Jiang Kueh, are pancakes that can be topped with a variety of ingredients, including crushed roasted peanuts, shredded coconut, red beans, pandan jam, cheese, or chocolate. Try something at Jollibean, a fast food franchise that has over two dozen takeaway locations all across the island.
Granny’s Pancake, located at 20 Ghim Moh Road, #01-52, Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre, is a location that is solely recommended to food enthusiasts who are unable to spare the trip time or people who come to Singapore primarily for the purpose of indulging in their passion for food.
Carrot Cake, or Chai Tow Kway :
carrot cake? It’s actually a radish pancake. Daikon, often known as “white carrots,” is grated or diced before being stir-fried with garlic, eggs, rice flour, starch, and various spices. Include your choice of either dark or light soy sauce with it.
You may give it a shot at Chey Sua Carrot Cake, which is located at #02-30 Lor 1 Toa Payoh, Block 127. There is constantly a line of people waiting to be served, and the average wait time is roughly half an hour. The approach to cooking in the form of a contemporary frittata is the key to this restaurant’s success.
Chwee Kueh:
Chwee Kueh is a dish that consists of steamed rice flour fritters with water. Pickled radish cubes are used as decoration, while chili sauce is given on the side.
Try it at Jian Bo Shui Kueh (Tiong Bahru Market #02-05 Seng Poh Road).
This is Singapore’s most famous and oldest fritter kiosk, and it has grown into a large network that stretches across the whole country.
Bee Hoon :
Bee Hoon, also known as “breakfast for the poor,” consists of fried rice noodles topped with a variety of veggies and seasonings. There is also the option of adding fried chicken and an egg to make it more filling.
You may give it a shot at Yon Yan Fried Chicken Wings, which is located at 726 Clementi West Street 2, #01-191. The stall gained notoriety after a photograph was taken of the current Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, waiting in line for his order for about half an hour.
Mee Goreng
The dish known as Mee Goreng consists of egg noodles that have been fried, along with tofu, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, and curry sauce. Included in the price are Chinese cabbage as well as several types of seafood, such as shrimp and calamari.
Mee Rebus
Mee Rebus is a type of soup that is often made with egg noodles and a curry sauce. These meals are available at virtually every hawker center and food court in Singapore.
