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Singaporeans love to eat. And no wonder, the city is a veritable gastronomic delight. Many may believe that there is no such thing as Singaporean food in itself because of its hybrid and eclectic nature, but this is clearly not the case. It is essentially a combination of Malay, Indonesian, Chinese and Indian cuisine, and the results are wickedly delicious.

New York and San Francisco have more to offer in terms of variety, Brussels is said to have the best French food, and Japan the best in quality. But when it comes to a combination of convenience, quality, variety, price and the sheer joy of eating, Singapore has to be the best bargain on earth.

The king of Singaporean dishes is the superb ’Hainanese Chicken Rice’, which is undoubtedly the city’s favourite. A two—course meal in itself, the tasty dish consists of juicy sliced chicken with a bowl of its flavoursome broth on the side, served with an assortment of condiments like chilli, soy, ginger and scallions. The rice is made with the chicken stock as well, and the whole dish comes together perfectly and deliciously.

For the best Hainanese Chicken Rice in town, try the Delicious Boneless Chicken Rice at Katong Shopping Centre, Sun Kee at the Magaret Drive Food Centre or Boon Tong Kee at Balestier Road.

Chinese dishes like dim sum (bite—sized dumplings stuffed with meat, seafood and vegetables) are popular lunch choices in the city, as is the Malay requisite, Satay, juicy little pieces of meat on skewers grilled over a charcoal fire, served with rice, onion, peanut sauce and sliced cucumbers. Because of the obvious Indian influence in the Singaporean culture, it is also not surprising that Indian food is all over the city, and it’s not hard to come by the city’s favourites like Hot fish head curry or the paper—thin, slightly sour pancakes made with rice flour and lentils.

To eat well in Singapore, one seldom needs to look further than one of the many Hawker centers, popular markets where Singaporeans eat to their hearts content from food stalls serving an array of dishes from main dishes to drinks, desserts, from vegetarian to halal. The food is inexpensive, fresh, varied and of quite high quality. Hawkers usually display their food specialties at through photographs or actual dishes, great for those who may not know what to choose because of the sheer selection! Dishes can be as low as S$2 or S$3 per plate but be wary of the ones frequented by tourists as occasional over—charging does occur at these particular centres.

For those in the mood for international cuisine, Singapore rivals even the most food—savvy capitals, and the fine dining choices are equally impressive. Elegant Italian food can be found at Paladion di Firenze at Mohd Sultan rd., and for a cosier, romantic atmosphere as well as great steaks , the Grill on Devonshire, Devonshire Road, is a must. When in a celebratory mood, nothing quite beats Singapore’s Grand Dame of restaurants, The Raffles Grill, for sophisticated colonial charm.

So when in Singapore, here’s a bit of advice— be adventurous with eating, as there are few places in the world that you’ll find culinary varieties at such low prices.