The mister – being Asian and all — has one very simple rule for food:
Asian food is not supposed to be expensive.
So, when we visit izikayas, ramen houses, Korean barbeque restaurants and the like, I can sense the derision as my husband picks up the tab. Silently cursing this twisted American illusion that you can be anything you want to be and therefore charge anything you want to charge to be anything you want to be, he places his credit card on view.
We do this song and dance every time.
I’ve discussed this before about Thailand’s stance on food. In Asian culture, food is nourishment. It’s a basic necessity that with a little spice and some love, can be transformed from basic staples to lavish meals. Food is not made for profit. It is not made to reap millions of dollars. It’s made for survival, to bring families together, to define a culture and to celebrate.
Simply put, you cannot put a price on food…Unless you’re American. If you were to look only at the way Americans treat basic staples, like food and shelter, you would think it would be better to stand buck-naked and starving in a deserted lot. We’re made to believe that if we want good, wholesome food in our bellies, we need to pay a premium for it.
Gone are the days of the humble butcher, milkman and bakery owner who supplied just enough for a household so that he could provide a decent life for his family. Now we are inundated with giant superstores and specialty markets who provide food, but at a cost; a cost that can be too much to bear for many households in the States. Even as a college grad in our small “family” of two, I find myself at the grocery store putting back things “I guess I don’t need.”
I admire the street hawker culture in Asian countries. I was first introduced to this concept in Taiwan as the mister and I literally ate our way through Taipei. He was so proud to show me the night markets and street carts peddling food and all of it was very inexpensive.
Singapore, the bustling island country, has strived to keep their city as modern and as hygienic as possible. But, even they recognize that their former street hawker culture defined who they are today.
Just one of the many streethawker food courts in Singapore Another streethawker food court. Lawdy, look at that line. That means good food.The street hawker—or a person who sells made-to-order full meals on sidewalks—was an integral part of Singapore culture. Many generations ago, there was a major disparity in the ratio of men to women. Single young men needed to eat and didn’t exactly have wives or someone with the skills to cook. So, they grabbed food on the go for a very small, but reasonable price.
As Singapore became a power-player in the world, they placed restrictions on street hawkers. These entrepreneurs were placed into street hawker food courts: variously scattered food centrals all throughout the city.
Well, they may no longer be vending from little carts on the sidewalk, but we fully supported these food court street hawkers. Food is made with the same tender loving care and served with the same brashness as its street hawking predecessors. Ordering the famous Hainanese Chicken Rice with a brusque Singlish “okthankyoubye” is surprisingly comforting.
chicken riceNot only that, but it’s incredibly easy. You choose your favorite stall, wait in a small line, pay for the food and take your tray. It’s the way food should be: simplistically-made, fulfilling, and best of all, very inexpensive.
Stay tuned for part 2, Singapore Streethawker: the “Yeah, I’ll Try That” Edition.
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