Haig Road Food Centre: 10 best hawker stalls to try

Besides its famous putu piring, this food centre offers plenty of moreish savoury options - think springy kolo mee, tender braised duck rice and luscious mee rebus.

Any Singapore resident who's watched Street Food: Asia on Netflix will undoubtedly know of Haig Road Food Centre. One of its most popular vendors, Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring, was heavily featured in an episode that spotlighted its delectable sweet treats. But this establishment in Paya Lebar, which first threw open its shutters in 1977, also offers more for hungry diners to explore.

You'll be treated to all manner of multicultural delights: mee rebus with a thick and luscious gravy, springy kolo mee, caramelised satay skewers with all the fixings and fluffy claypot rice. Read on to discover our must-try dishes.

Haig Road Food Centre | 14 Haig Road

Warong Sudi Mampir

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If you're in the mood for satay, then head to Warong Sudi Mampir. The popular Halal-certified vendor cooks up tender, well-marinated skewers of charcoal-grilled satay, which is available in chicken, mutton and beef. There's a substantial smoky char on the meat, and each portion comes with red onion slices and cucumber slivers, plus a fragrant dipping sauce. Sticks are $0.50 each, with a minimum order of 10.

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Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring

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Arguably the most well-known stall here is Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring, thanks to its starring role on Street Food: Asia on Netflix. This is a tight-knit, family-run operation that has passed down the company - and expert putu piring-making skills - over generations, and they now boast multiple outlets across Singapore. Expect aromatic discs of ground rice flour filled with sweet gula melaka and topped with lots of freshly grated coconut, which should be enjoyed right away for the best experience. A serving goes for $2.50.

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Tong Kee Traditional Braised Duck

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You can visit this stall - which has been feeding hungry diners since 1960 - to tuck into servings of braised duck. The duck comes smothered in a flavourful braising sauce, and is topped with a garnish of coriander. You can choose to accompany your meat with a serving of flavoured rice, or opt for a warming bowl of kway chap - which features a dark and aromatic herbal soup - instead. Expect to pay around $4 for a hearty meal.

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Lin Yu Mei

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What sets kolo mee apart from wanton mee? The noodles aren't cooked in alkaline water, and the sauce mixture usually includes a fragrant hit of shallot oil. Here, you can try it at Lin Yu Mei, which serves kolo mee and laksa. A bowl of kolo mee comes with al dente, curly egg noodles, minced meat, char siew, pork lard and some spring onions. Those who like things hot can add some spicy chilli sauce. Meanwhile, the Sarawak-style laksa includes tamarind paste for a sour tang. Prices begin at $4.

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Afandi Hawa & Family Mee Rebus

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Tuck into a moreish plate of mee rebus at Afandi Hawa & Family Mee Rebus. Their signature dish comes with a rich sauce - which is reportedly thickened with sweet potato puree - and also includes thick yellow noodles, an egg and fresh green chilli. Another item on the menu worth sampling is the soto ayam, which features a light yet flavour-packed chicken broth, thin slices of chicken and a plentiful amount of fried shallots. You can anticipate forking out about $3.

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V2 Claypot Corner

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V2 Claypot Corner serves an array of claypot-cooked delights, and their calling card is the claypot rice ($4 and up). There's the requisite hint of smokiness, and the well-flavoured rice is crowned with chicken chunks, Chinese sausage slivers and leafy vegetables - best paired with an ample amount of chilli sauce. However, do note that it lacks the conventional charred bottom crust. Other items include claypot bak kut teh, claypot noodles and claypot braised pig trotters.

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Hougang Jing Jia Mutton Soup

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With various outlets scattered throughout the city-state, this is a popular spot to go to for mutton soup. For a little bit of everything, you can get the mixed soup, which goes for $6 a pop. It is topped with thinly sliced ginger and coriander that adds some freshness to the dish. The broth includes different Chinese herbs, and the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender without tasting gamey. Add some zing by dipping it in the accompanying chilli sauce.

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HJ Waliti HJ Mazuki

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There are many stalls selling Malay cuisine here, and a go-to option for mee soto is HJ Waliti HJ Mazuki. They also serve the likes of mee siam, mee soto daging and mee rebus. The mee soto has the requisite chicken soup, noodles and a generous amount of shredded chicken. The mee rebus, another popular choice among regulars, is blanketed in a fragrant sauce with a hint of spice. You can also add more sambal for good measure. Anticipate paying around $3.

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Chin Heng Dessert

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Old-school desserts, which retail for around $2, are the name of the game at this establishment, where you'll find a range of colourful items that span both hot and cold offerings. If it's a sweltering day, cool down with traditional ice kachang - there's even a durian version available if that's your thing - or chendol. And if you want something warm, opt for the tau suan topped with crunchy fried dough fritters or green bean soup with sago and coconut milk.

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TG Fish Porridge

Fancy a comforting serving of Teochew-style fish soup? That's what you'll get at TG Fish Porridge, which serves various fish- and seafood-based soups that make for a healthy and satisfying lunch. The fish soup sports thick and firm slices of fish, as well as a few pieces of lettuce, seaweed and fried shallots. Make a meal of it by ordering a bowl of rice, or add some bee hoon to your dish. Expect to pay about $5.

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ALSO READ: Fernvale Hawker Centre is finally open - here are some notable stalls to check out

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.