Where to Eat Singaporean Food in Manila?

At this time pre-pandemic, I’m in Singapore for vacation. Whenever I’m in the Lion City, I would explore its diverse gastronomic landscape (it’s a mistake not to do so!). So I’m missing dishes and food experiences such as hawker centres, Indian cuisine, and my favorites Bak Kuh Teh (a peppery pork soup dish) and Fish Head Curry. (Check out my articles on Singapore here.)

While I wait to travel to the Little Red Dot (Lord-willing, next year!), I will have to satisfy myself with Singaporean food here in Manila. Because I’ve been to SG a few times and have eaten its delicious food, I’m extra picky with my Singaporean food. There are food spots out there claiming to serve Singaporean food when it’s remotely authentic. Sure, their food is good and even great. But it’s not Singaporean. Sorry!

Fortunately, there are a few Singaporean brands that have opened in the Metro. They are:

Hawker Chan

Hawker Chan is popular for its Soya Sauce Chicken, Cantonese meats, and the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal. This humble hawker stall in Singapore’s Chinatown Complex Food Centre (read about my visit here) has been expanding globally and has opened in the Philippines back in 2018.

Hawker Chan Cantonese Meats and Soya Sauce Chicken (rightmost)

Recently, the Hawker Chan here has been opening more branches with posh interiors and exclusive items such as Roast Duck and Singaporean-style Char Kway Teow (stir-fried noodles). These new branches are dubbed as “Hawker Chan 2.0”. Check out my article on it soon!

Check out Hawker Chan Philippines’ Facebook and Instagram pages.

Joybean

Joybean is a Singaporean franchise that specializes on soy-based products and traditional snacks.

My favorites here are their Classic Soy Milk, which is a popular drink in hawker centres, and their Mee Chiang Kueh, which is a traditional Singaporean pancake filled with peanut or red bean (or bacon and cheese, in the case of Joybean).

Joybean’s Classic Soy Milk (left) and Peanut *Mee Chiang Kueh* (right)

Interestingly, Joybean is originally named Jollibean in SG. It sounds like Jollibee, the country’s leading fastfood chain, and its logo’s font is curiously similar to the Filipino chain’s. I guess they renamed it to avoid copyright issues.

Check out Joybean’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

Rong Hua Bak Kuh Teh

Literally “meat bone tea”, Bak Kuh Teh (BKT) is one of my favorite Singaporean dishes. The popular variety in Singapore is the Teochew kind, which has a clear, garlicky, and peppery broth (Teochew is a Chinese ethno-linguistic group). This dish is best paired with rice, youtiao (deep-fried dough fritters), and beancurd skin.

I’m glad that Rong Hua Bak Kuh Teh, a BKT shop in SG, has opened in the Philippines. Now, I don’t need to travel to Singnapore for my BKT fix. And stay tuned for my Rong Hua experience!

Rong Hua Bak Kuh Teh Ayala Malls Manila Bay

Check out Rong Hua’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and their website.

Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice

Hainanese Chicken Rice, or simply Chicken Rice, is considered to be Singapore’s national dish. And the best one in the Philippines, for me, is served by Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (yes, it’s a mouthful so we’ll refer to it as TBHBCR from now on).

Tiong Bahru Sct. Torillo (Quezon City). For me, this branch, albeit modern, has a vibe akin to Singapore’s *kopitiams* or traditional coffee shops.

Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice

TBHBCR is a Michelin-recognized hawker stall in Tiong Bahru Market (I’ve been there before!). It has expanded to the Philippines, offering not just Chicken Rice but also other Singaporean dishes such as Curry Chicken Noodle and Fish Head Curry. And of course, an article is coming up soon!

Check out TBHBCR’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and their website.

Which of the Singaporean food spots above have you tried or would like to try? Are there other a Singaporean food spots in the Philippines that I should try? Comment them below!