We all know I’m not a classy girl. I don’t need caviar and champagne to be happy. Give me some good local food, especially hawker food, served on plastic plates and I am on cloud nine. Which is why our Sunday night dinner at Newton Food Centre in the heart of Singapore rated as my best meal over the four day weekend.

If you’re in Singapore, you have to go here. It’s not hard to get to, a $5 cab ride from Orchard and if you’re anything like me, you won’t want to leave. It’s perfect for tourists and locals alike, with a never ending variety of dishes to try, cheap as chips (although apparently Newton is an “expensive” hawker centre, being in the city) and it’s a hell of a lot more attractive (read: clean) than the food carts you get at really local dodgy hawker centres (which I also love).

I mean, check this out. I tried to get a panoramic shot to show y’all but the place is actually just too huge. This is about half of the stalls and seating space (click for a slightly larger image):

It was only Panu and I for dinner, so I couldn’t try as much as I’d like (given we’d had a seafood binge at Long Beach Friday night and a hawker buffet on Saturday night), but we got in some pretty awesome local specialities. The best and my all time favourite being the BBQ stingray with sambal (top photo). I hadn’t had this for years and it was perfect. And all of SGD$5!

We also ordered char kuay teow (SGD$5) which was deliciously smoky and came with a heap of see ham (cockles) which is the one most important thing missing from char kuay teow in Australia. Panu didn’t like the see ham, so more for me. Yay!

There’s satay galore at Newton – I ordered 10 chicken satays for SGD$6, but later found that that was the most expensive satay around with others coming in at SGD$5 or even less. It was delicious, tender, smoky and perfect though, so I’m not complaining.

Panu wanted to try the chai tow kuay (fried carrot cake). To those who don’t know, “carrot cake” here doesn’t actually include any carrots. This dish (and what you get at yum cha) is made with flour and shredded daikon (white radish), which is probably why it’s called carrot cake. Because they kind of look like carrots, no?

I chose this stall because they made their chai tow kuay black and smoky, unlike the whiter version, and it was divine. Panu’s favourite dish.

That was all we had! Lame, I know. Now that I’m back in stinking wet and cold Sydney, I wish I’d just gluttonned myself into oblivion. But alas, I will be back FOR SURE.

Newton Food Centre
500 Clemenceau Ave
Newton, Singapore, 229495
Trip Advisor site

12 Thoughts on “Newton Hawker Food Centre, Singapore

  1. I might just cry Catty! Everything looks so damn good 😛

  2. I love Singapore’s hawker centres! That stingray looks delicious, and now I’m kicking myself that I didn’t order one when I was in SG recently. Yeah – thanks for that, Catty!

    I don’t think I’ve been to Newton Court cos I usually stay near Maxwell Road when I’m in SG, and I just walk to the hawker centre there. Just one more thing. I guess it’s all relative but I don’t think there are any really dodgy hawker centres in SG.

  3. Lorraine: hehe sorry. I want to cry too, though.

    Mr Noodles: Um, I think the dodgy ones are all in Malaysia hahaha. But yeah, Singapore is too clean and modern to do the really dodgy ones. There are heaps of hawker centres around I dont think it really matters where you go but do try the sting ray next time!

  4. I loved Newton…went there on both my trips to Singapore. I wish I’d be more adventurous and tried something like Stingray…I didn’t see it on offer though (many of the stalls were closed when we were there). I’m with Panu – cockles = blergh! LOL.

  5. Can you feel the envy, hmmm, CAN YOU?! That’s 10,000 miles of envy. I want to go to a hawker market, and I want to go now *looks down at moussaka packed lunch* Sigh. It all looks very ace indeed Catty. Did you get any of the desserts while you were there?

  6. Miss Piggy: Hahah maybe cockles is an acquired taste but I can’t get enough of them. Secretly I was pleased that Panu didn’t like hehehe. Yes, try the stringray next time. Only a couple of stores were selling them but I was definitely on the hunt for them!

    Grubworm: I am envious of myself now that I am back in Sydney and eating salads!!!! We didnt actually eat any desserts at the hawker centre. Went back into town for dessert but was pretty disappointed so yes I was kicking myself.

  7. Maylin on June 14, 2012 at 10:45 am said:

    thanks for the fabulous post, cousin! we’ll definitely have to go to newton hawker centre when we get to s’pore – leaving Melbourne tomorrow!!

  8. oh my goodness all the food looks so yummy! salivating in front of the comp now. yes i have to agree with you that hawker food is just as awesome!

  9. Newton is sooo good, it used to be a mainstay for me when I used to go to Singapore regularly. There’s a great Hawker stall place in Little India too, much much grungier but about half the price and you very much feel like you’re where the locals eat – I think last time I was there I was the only white guy in the place!

    Mmmmm… now I’m craving CKT, argh!

  10. Maylin: so jealous you’re going this weekend. Pack me with you!! Have a great time x

    Melissa: I know, I salivate looking at my own photos lol.

    Rob: Yeah, there are so many good ones around.. there’s also a great one called Chomp Chomp at Ang Mo Kio but we just stuck to Newton cos it’s pretty damn awesome and super close to where we were staying 🙂 dont think you can go much wrong eating anywhere in Singapore!

  11. Everything looks so good, pure torture, wish I was in Singapore!

  12. Hey Catty.

    Great article. We’re in KL at the moment and loving all the hawker stalls and food markets. Going on a road trip to Singapore soon so will have to try some stingray!!!

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