I am a Singaporean, growing up so proud of the food we had here. I love the affordability of yummy dishes in our neighbourhoods and the amazing food options we always had,
however in recent times, over the past couple years to today, I noticed that food stalls are constantly changing around my area.
No doubt it’s the rent trap but the flavour of the food is also starting to become either too bland or too salty. I can’t remember the last time I had a good bowl of fish soup after the previous stall owner had to close down due to increasing rent.
The vegetables at fishball noodle stall also became more bitter or discolored looking. It’s just a disappointing realisation I guess, to see that it’s unable for food stalls to put out quality dishes with commitment anymore because of the rent and food import inflation.
Either that or ingredient portion is ridiculously small for an affordable bowl of say $4.50 noodles. I had wanton mee for $4-$4.50 at my neighbourhood coffeeshop with just 4 slices of thinly-sliced char siew.
This kopitiam concept has served such great influence feeding millions of Singaporeans everyday for generations but these days it seems like a lost dream.
Perhaps, it’s also because the first generation of truly amazing hawkers have retired and young people aren’t willing to learn anymore.
Can’t blame them though. Most stalls are owned by Chinese/Vietnamese foreigners nowadays and for them to learn our recipes properly is also too high of an expectation.
I can only dream about those lost days of actual good food culture now. If we fully lost our hawker/kopitiam cultural identity to feed the average Singaporean, what else have we got?