Maxwell Food Centre

Maxwell Food Centre

Cnr South Bridge Rd. and Maxwell Road

Maxwell Road  Singapore 06000

Rating: 5/5 

If I've learned anything from my time in Singapore, I've learned that shabby-looking hawker centers = ridiculously amazing food. Even without the extra frills such as nice silverwares, air conditioner, and fancy decor...Maxwell Food Centre is worth every sweat (especially in the 90+ degrees weather) and minute of your time. Besides the great variety of food stalls available, Maxwell is conveniently located in the heart of Chinatown. A wide selection of Chinese goods and touristy gifts are placed around the area; and not to mention, a big Indian temple that is right across the hawker center. The food quality at Maxwell is great, and the service is surprisingly fast and friendly!

Even Bourdain loves his chicken rice!

Hainanese Chicken Rice is a dish of Chinese origin. Immigrants from Hainan Island brought chicken rice to Singapore many decades ago, and over the years it has become a national icon! Silky smooth poached chicken on top of fluffy rice infused with chicken stock -- a Singapore signature. The fragrant rice is cooked in chicken broth with ginger and garlic, accompanied by three different sauces: chili sauce, ginger puree, and dark soy sauce. There's no rule as to which sauce goes with what, dip them however you'd like!

There's noway you can survive an entire meal without some refreshments! We tried the usual: sugar cane w/ lime and lychee drink. Both tasted great, but I would still stick to sugar cane. I definitely reached my sugar cane drink quota that week in SG :-P. The Singaporeans are also quite clever with their packaging - plastic bags are used to their fullest potential! Talk about saving money and the environment.

 

Bak Kut Teh is a herbal pork-based soup chock full of pork ribs, garlic, and spices. The soup can also be accompanied by you tiao, or deep-fried dough. When you dip the you tiao into the soup, it soaks up the pork-based soup -- giving foodies a different experience / taste. Personally, I like the soup without the you tiao.

 Oyster Omelette (Singaporean Style): Mixed with eggs, small oysters, chopped spring onions and chives, the oyster omelette is slightly crispy, but not too oily. While also a popular dish in Taiwan, the Taiwanese version is a bit more slimy, where starch is mixed into the egg batter, giving the resulting egg wrap a thicker consistency.

Overall, prices are extremely affordable (approximately $3 ~ $4 per dish). The service is quick at most stalls and the cleaning staff are consistently on top of their jobs. Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions at Maxwell? Here's a rule of thumb: head to the stall with the longest line.