A gleaming, hyper-modern metropolis built on a foundation of spectacular street food, this island city-state represented everything Bourdain loved about Asia. Kicking off Parts Unknown Season 10 (2017), Tony immersed himself in the humid, chaotic, and relentlessly delicious world of Singapore. Known for its meticulously regulated but culturally explosive hawker centers, the country boasts a culinary scene where Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan influences collide to create some of the best cheap eats on the planet. Bourdain’s angle was a passionate defense of this hawker culture, exploring how a society hurtling toward the future manages to preserve the soul-stirring recipes of its working-class past. Avoiding the sterile luxury of the city’s high-rises, he spent his time sweating over steaming bowls of prawn noodles and fiery chili crab. To truly understand the rich, multicultural heartbeat of this economic powerhouse, grab some napkins and seek out these essential local stalls.
The great Anthony Bourdain left his mark everywhere he went. When his death was announced to the world in June 2018, media throughout the globe chimed in and listed all the great things he had done for their respective country. Whereas before, tourists would shy away from exotic foods, thanks to him, travellers now go the extra mile to find and try local bites. With this in mind, here are all the restaurants Bourdain visited and the dishes he tasted when he shot Anthony Bourdain Singapore for his show, Parts Unknown Season 10 Episode 1 (originally aired October 1, 2017):
READ MORE: FREE THINGS TO DO IN SINGAPORE: 17 ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY
DISH – Hae Mee
WHAT IS IT?
Also called Prawn Mee, Hae Mee can be a soup or dry noodle dish of prawns.
WHERE IS IT?
545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles
665 Buffalo Rd, #01-326 Tekka Food Centre
Singapore
READ MORE: WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT SINGAPORE CITY
ANTHONY BOURDAIN SINGAPORE NOTES
Family-run hawker food stall located at the Tekka Food Centre.
DISH – Lontong and Mee Siam
WHAT IS IT?
Lontong – rice cake, coconut gravy, vegetables and a hard-boiled egg; Mee Siam – fried rice noodles with chili paste, prawns, bean sprouts, and a spicy, sweet and sour gravy, fried bean curd and an egg.
WHERE IS IT?
Sabar Menanti II
747 North Bridge Rd
Singapore
ANTHONY BOURDAIN SINGAPORE NOTES
A halal restaurant in the Muslim quarter of Singapore.
DISH – Orh Jian, Singapore Chili Prawns, Bak Chor Mee and Satay – Anthony Bourdain Singapore
WHAT IS IT?
Orh Jian – fried oyster omelets; Singapore Chili Prawns – fried prawns with chili paste; Bak Chor Mee – fishball noodle soup; Satay – skewered meat.
WHERE IS IT?
Lor 29 Xing Lian Eating House
549 Geylang Rd
Singapore
ANTHONY BOURDAIN SINGAPORE NOTES
Lor 29 on Geylang is popular food court with various hawker stalls.
DISH – Ikan Kepala Asam Curry, Itek Sio and Sambal Bendi – Parts Unknown Singapore
WHAT IS IT?
Ikan Kepala Asam Curry – Peranakan sour fish curry with pineapple; Itek Sio – Peranakan braised duck with tamarind and coriander; Sambal Bendi – okra (lady fingers) sautéed with sambal..
WHERE IS IT?
Guan Hoe Soon
40 Joo Chiat Pl
Singapore
ANTHONY BOURDAIN SINGAPORE NOTES
Oldest Peranakan restaurant in Singapore, predating Independence.
READ MORE: ANTHONY BOURDAIN SINGAPORE: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED ON THE LAYOVER
Singapore was Bourdain’s ultimate culinary playground, and this 2017 episode served as a fierce advocacy piece for the preservation of street food in an increasingly corporate world. He used the pristine, wealthy backdrop of the city to highlight the grueling, unglamorous labor of the hawker stall legends who spend decades perfecting a single dish. Tony’s absolute reverence for these everyday cooks cemented his belief that a massive bowl of spicy noodles served on a plastic tray is often vastly superior to a white-tablecloth tasting menu. His vocal support of the hawker centers helped secure their eventual UNESCO recognition, ensuring this democratic food culture wouldn’t be lost to modernization. Brave the humidity, claim your spot in line, and dive into the glorious, chaotic flavors that make this island a global food capital.
