Cheap and good eats in Old Airport Road you should try

Less than $7 in your pocket with a ravenous appetite to satisfy?

If you're a curious tourist on the prowl for some local grub, hawker centres are your best bet. 

TripAdvisor recently ranked Old Airport Road Food Centre top in Singapore for its cheap and good eats.

Affordable, with hearty portions that are lip-smackingly delicious, the variety of food on offer in Old Airport Road is best enjoyed with a large group of friends - only because you can then try more than one dish without piling on the pounds.

But who am I kidding, it's top for a reason.

Bring on the calories!

If you're feeling all guilty from over-indulging, we don't blame you. Check out 8 hiking trails in Singapore you should try to get some exercise done.

Here are 9 of Singaporeans' favourites:

1. Roast Paradise, 01-122

Dishes to try: Minced pork noodles with char siew ($3.50), char siew rice ($3.50)

Charred, crisp and caramelised to a crackling perfection. Roast Paradise definitely serves up top quality char siew, judging from the hundreds of raving reviews on blog posts and social media.

With well marinated, and generous cuts of roasted pork belly and flank, it's hard to believe that the stall is relatively new to the scene. During lunch time, customers can enjoy their roast meat with garlic rice, while white rice is served during dinner.

On weekends, the stall offers a premium version of its char siew, with meat taken from the upper part of the pork neck.

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2. Albert Street Big Prawn Mee, 01-10

Dishes to try: Big prawn noodles, pork rib noodles ($4/$5)

A mark of a good prawn broth lies in its sweet fragrance. And Albert Street Big Prawn Mee doesn't disappoint with its offering of big prawns, a sweeter and larger version of regular ones other stalls use.

The noodle dish comes with a dry or soup version and customers can also choose to add on succulent pork ribs or pig tail. Remember to throw in some chili padi for an added zing.

A few units to the left is Whitley Road Prawn Mee, another notable stall which has equally snaking queues. While some claim that Albert Street has a more aromatic broth, most find the two comparable. We leave it to you foodies to judge for yourselves.

3. Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee, 01-116

Dishes to try: Lor Mee ($4)

The fact that lor mee lovers have rated this even better than the famed classic in Tiong Bahru Market, says a lot.

Xin Mei Xiang's version of the traditional Hokkien dish is a delicious bowl of flat yellow noodles served with thick spiced gravy mixed with vinegar, chopped chilli, braised egg and topped with a generous amount of shredded deep fried fish. The bowl even includes fat chunks of pork belly, all for an affordable price of $4.

4. Selera Rasa, 01-42

Dishes to try: Special Nasi Biryani ($3)

Biryanis everywhere usually come with a price-tag of $5 and above, so it's hardly surprising that Selera Rasa enjoys brisk business.

Possibly one of the cheapest biryanis in Singapore, the stall offers the three options of mutton, chicken and fish for their $3 dish. With fragrant basmati rice dressed in a spiced, aromatic curry sauce, the wholesome portion is definitely a steal.

5. Meng Kee Minced Meat Noodle & Foo Chow Fishball, 01-103

Dishes to try: Fuzhou fishball and meatball soup ($3)

Springy and filled with a large tasty wad of meat, Meng Kee's Fuzhou fishballs are worth queuing for. The soup-based dish comes with a hearty helping of four Fuzhou fishballs and pork meatballs each.

The humble broth is also perfectly cooked with thick chunks of minced pork. For those who want a carbohydrate load, there are noodle options at around $4.

6. Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun, 01-155

Dishes to try: Chee Cheong Fun ($2/$3)

Staying true to its name, each plate of chee cheong fun (rice vermicelli roll) is freshly made to order so be prepared to wait.

The humble Cantonese dish can be filled with chicken, mushroom, prawns, char siew and even otah and scallop. The sauce is savoury with a slightly sweet tinge. Top it with a prawn-based chilli and this makes for a perfect light meal.

7. Nam Sing Fried Hokkien Mee, 01-32

Dishes to try: Hokkien mee ($4)

A definite must-try on almost every food blogger's list, Nam Sing stands out among other similar stalls in the food centre for its well-balanced noodle and stock proportion.

The dish comes with a larger proportion of bee hoon to yellow noodle, which helps absorb the tasty prawn-stock gravy easily. Let the steaming hot plate sit for a while and you will be rewarded with an irresistible fragrance.

8. Chaun Kee Satay, 01-85

Dishes to try: Pork satay (60 cents with minimum order of 10 sticks)

There's a simple reason why this stall has been around since the 1970s. People just keep coming back for its Hainanese-style satay.

While the stall also serves chicken satay, the customer-favourite is the pork version. Each stick comes with a chunky amount of meat and fat brushed generously with a spiced marinade. The satay sauce also has a dash of pineapple gravy for that added burst of freshness.

9. Toa Payoh Rojak, 01-108

Dishes to try: Rojak (Prices start from $3)

Hand-toasted fried dough fritters, cool cucumbers and pineapples make the mix a flavourful one. Of course each order is freshly mixed, so it can be customized according to your palate. Other ingredients on offer are kang kong, beansprouts, jellyfish and tau pok.

The shrimp based sauce hugs the ingredients nicely with a subtle hint of lemongrass and lime which keeps a steady stream of regulars coming over the years.

debwong@sph.com.sg