Singapore held its 7th edition of the Michelin Guide Ceremony and its Singapore’s Michelin Bib Gourmand Selection in June 2023.
In this year’s selection, 17 new hawker centre stalls and two restaurants have been awarded the Bib Gourmand bringing the total number of such awardees in Singapore to 79.
While many are familiar with Michelin Stars, the Bib Gourmand is a separate type of Michelin rating named after the large white friendly Michelin mascot, Bibendum. It recognises friendly establishments that serves high quality gourmet food at wallet-friendly prices including Singapore’s humble food scene, hawker centres.
At the heart of Singapore’s food paradise scene are hawker centres. These humble establishments offer highly accessible, affordable and not to mention delicious as seen by the high number of Bib Gourmand selections.
Cheap food with Michelin appraisal? Such treats are a great suggestion to bring your overseas colleagues to introduce them to Singapore’s local cuisine.
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Michelin 101: How Are Bib Gourmand Establishments Chosen
Before we move into the selections, here’s some insight into how Michelin Guide inspectors arrive to the conclusion to determine the recipients of the Bib Gourmand award. Michelin inspectors follow five restaurant rating criteria which is used around the world. The criteria are as follows:
- Quality of Ingredients
- Mastery of flavour and cooking techniques
- Personality of chef represented in the dining experience
- Harmony of flavours
- Consistency between inspectors’ visits
Hawker Stalls And Restaurants That Are Newly Awarded
Here is the selection of the 17 hawker stalls and two restaurants that are newly awarded with the Bib Gourmand rating in this year’s Michelin Guide:
Bib Gourmand Hawker Stalls To Bring Your Overseas Colleagues
North Bridge Road Market and Food Centre
Situated close to the business district, this hawker centre serves as an ideal lunch spot for workers in the area. Besides being in an ideal location, this hawker centre also houses one Bib Gourmand Awardee, Soon Huat.
#1 Soon Huat (Prawn Noodles)
Soon Huat hawker stall specialises in an old school local prawn noodle dish. There are two options to choose from, the dry and soup version with both topped with butterflied prawns, bean sprouts, fish cake and fried garlic.
The dry version comes with a bowl of rich prawn broth on the side which the Michelin Guide describes to be ‘flavoursome’ and a ‘treat’. If you’re not a fan of prawns, the inspector also recommends trying out the stall’s pork rib noodles instead.
Besides the captivating and nostalgic flavours, Soon Huat also sells their prawn noodles at a super value-for-money price point starting from $3.50. This makes it especially hard to get the quickly sold-out dish so be prepared to queue early for this meal.
Price: From $3.50
Address: 861 North Bridge Road, #01-105, North Bridge Road Market & Food Centre, Singapore 198783
Operating hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 9am – 12.30pm, Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays
Adam Road Food Centre
Located in the heart of Bukit Timah, Adam Road Food Centre is one of Singapore’s staple food centres enjoyed by local and foreign friends alike. The open aired hawker centre houses three Bib Gourmand awardees making it one of the establishments with the greatest number of Bib Gourmand awardees.
#2 Bahrakath Mutton Soup
Bahrakath Mutton Soup hawker stall is one of the few Indian cuisine stalls awarded with a Bib Gourmand. Otherwise known as Kambing (goat) Soup by locals, this hearty dish is described to be served quite generously, packed with flavour with tender cuts of meat.
A crowd favourite is the mutton leg cut soup which according to Michelin inspectors is “rich, dense and full of herbal flavours”. It is also recommended to try out the soup with other lamb cuts along with a side of bread to soak up the rich and hearty flavours of the broth.
Price: From $7, additional $1 for bread
Address: 2 Adam Rd, #01-10, Adam Food Centre, Singapore 289876
Operating hours: Daily, 11am -12am
#3 Selamat Datang Warong Pak Sapari (Malay Cuisine)
Situated right next to the mutton soup stall is a 3rd generation Malay cuisine hawker stall which received the Bib Gourmand for its Mee Soto and Mee Rebus. According to locals, the thick gravy of the Mee Rebus and broth of the Mee Soto is flavour packed and is well complemented by the chili. There are also options from chicken feet and beef tripe customers can add on to enhance the flavours of the dish.
According to the Michelin Guide, the dishes brought out “authentic Malaysian flavours”. They have also recommended to add more coriander if you prefer more fragrance in your dish. If you want to let your overseas colleagues or business partners have a go at local authentic Malay cuisine this is the stall you should consider.
Price: Mee Soto Ayam, Mee Rebus from $4.50
Address: 2 Adam Road, #01-09, Adam Food Centre, Singapore 289876
Operating hours: Sunday to Thursday, 8am – 4pm, Closed on Fridays
Geylang Bahru Market And Food Centre
Located in the Bendeemer and Kallang district, Geylang Bahru Market and Food Centre had reopened after renovations in 2018. This young hawker centre has earned itself three Bib Gourmand hawker stall awardees, putting it in a spot right next to Adam Food Centre.
#4 Hui Wei Chili Ban Mian
Ban Mian, is an egg noodle dish that is typically hand-made and served with a soup base or dry. At Hui Wei Chili Ban Mian is where you’ll find a generous serving of chili-coated al dente noodles tossed in minced pork, lard, meatballs and an onsen egg. According to local reviews, the chili can get quite spicy and is best to ask for less servings if needed.
Besides the dry chili Ban Mian, the stall also serves the usual soup Ban Mian varieties as well. Based on the Michelin Guide, the iconic chili is a home-made blend, and you can try opting for the e-fu or ramen noodles instead.
Price: Chili Ban Mian, $5.00
Address: 69 Geylang Bahru, #01-58, Geylang Bahru Market & Food Centre, Singapore 330069
Operating hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11am – 9.30pm, Closed on Fridays
Newton Food Centre
A well-known hawker centre that is frequently visited by tourists, Newton Food Centre is worth the trip if you’re introducing local dishes to your overseas colleagues. One consideration could be Bib Gourmand awardee, Kwee Heng hawker stall.
#5 Kwee Heng (Braised Duck)
Liked for their boneless braised duck amongst other delights, Kwee Heng has been around for 40 years to perfect their recipes. According to local reviews, regular customers note that the tenderness and flavour of the duck has been quite consistent throughout the years. Most reviews also praised Kwee Heng’s flavourful braised duck rice and noodle which is coated in a thick gravy.
According to the Michelin Guide, the duck is described to be “tender, juicy and flavoursome” and can also be served with congee. Besides the braised duck dishes, Kwee Heng also serves Hainanese chicken rice and char siew dishes which provides some variety that you could offer to your overseas colleagues.
Price: Braised Duck Rice and Noodle, from $4
Address: Clemenceau Avenue North, #01-13, Newton Food Centre, Singapore 229495
Operating hours: 9.00am to 10.30pm, closed on Wednesdays
Old Airport Road Food Centre
This famously known hawker centre is home to many multi-generational food stalls that have been around since the early 1970s. With recipes being passed down, nostalgic flavours in classic local dishes such as Char Kway Teow and Hokkien Mee are the gems in this food centre making it a favourite food stop amongst locals. It is of no surprise that one of its stalls have been awarded the Bib Gourmand.
#6 Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee
This hawker stall sells just one menu item, Hokkien Mee for the past six decades since its opening. The dish is fried with a mixture of egg noodles and rice vermicelli noodles, scrambled eggsbeansprout and topped off with prawns.
Local reviews mention that the Hokkien Mee is on the drier side with the prawns providing a strong umami flavour. However, be prepared to wait about 15 to 20 minutes for a plate. According to the Michelin Guide, the pronounced umami flavour is brought out by the mixture of the prawn flavoured broth tossed in the noodles and tomalley.
Price: From $5
Address: 51 Old Airport Road, #01-32, Old Airport Road Food Centre, Singapore 390051
Operating hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 6pm, Closed on Mondays
Bukit Merah View Market and Hawker Centre
Located in the heart of Bukit Merah and situated near business districts such as Tanjong Pagar is where you’ll find this hawker centre. Though a little less known, this hawker centre has one stall that has managed to clinch the Bib Gourmand award.
#7 Yong Chun Wan Ton Noodle
Served either dry or with soup, this hawker stall serves traditional wanton noodles with larger than usual wantons which are plump with ingredients from water chestnut, pork and shrimps as described by local reviews. The springy noodles coated with the flavourful savoury sauce is usually topped with char siew which apparently is sold out quickly. So, be sure to arrive quite early to not miss out on the char siew.
According to the Michelin Guide, the stall’s wanton noodles are best enjoyed in its “dry” form though there is still a side of soup served. Their wantons are also described to be “fresh and firm”.
Price: From $3.50
Address: 115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre, #01-56, Singapore 151115
Operating hours: Sunday to Thursday, 5.30am – 1pm, Closed on Fridays
Featured Image Credit: Google Reviews
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