Where to Buy and Eat Authentic Foreign Food in SG: Turkey, NZ, India, Vietnam, France, Greece, Sweden and USA

Singapore is a melting pot of nationalities and global food offerings

Aren’t we lucky to have such a wonderful mixture of nationalities in this country? Plus, there are so many interesting places to choose from all over the globe, from eating to shopping for food in Singapore. Have you ever wondered where foreign mamas buy foods they adore from their home country or where they like to eat out when they are missing home? Foodie Mama Ghillie James asked 8 global mamas (from Turkey, NZ, India, Vietnam, France, Greece, Sweden and USA) where they like to shop and eat in Singapore. 

Click through the gallery to find out!

I have been living here for 13 years. I moved here because of my husband’s job – just like most other expat women. I have 2 daughters, Tara is 9 years old and Maira is almost 3 years old. I have a small business –Tara’s World. I bring Turkish towels, blankets and kids’ ponchos into Singapore.

Favourite shop to buy ingredients from your country:
There are only 2 places where I can buy Turkish food in Singapore. I purchase them online as one of them is in a warehouse and hard to access (in Jurong West). I buy cheese, rice, lentils, olives, olive oil etc. The other one brings most of the seasonal fruits and vegetables from Turkey.
www.straitsmarinesupply.com.sg
www.lemed.com.sg

Storecupboard items you bring to Singapore from home:
Since I can buy dry goods from the first supplier, I don’t bring them from Turkey anymore. But I always bring my Turkish cheese as I can’t have breakfast without it! Also beef pepperoni (called sujuk), some homemade pasta, simit (Turkish bagels), nuts and olives from my in laws’ olive grove.

What food do you miss from home?
That’s a hard one! I miss everything! Especially Turkish made simit which is like a bagel but softer and covered with sesame seeds. Manisa kebab, which is thinner/smaller kebabs on lavash bread and yoghurt. Yum!

Which is your favourite restaurant (from your country) in Singapore?
To be honest with you, we don’t really go to Turkish restaurants here as we cook at home. There is only one of them that tastes like home called Arkadas Cafe. It’s a very casual lunch place. Otherwise, if we go out for dinner and want to eat something Turkish, we go to a Greek restaurant as our cuisines are almost the same.

A Recipe you love:
Firinda Köfte Patates (Baked Meatballs with Potatoes)
For the meatballs:
500g mince beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
25g or one small bunch parsley, leaves chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 medium size egg
For the potatoes:
3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 large red peppers (capsicum)
1 tbsp olive oil for frying
3 tomatoes, chopped
For the tomato sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 cups water
pinch dried oregano
pinch red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy!)

Directions:
1. First prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients. Work gently with your hands until mixture holds together. Divide mixture into 16 portions. Shape into flat balls/or fingers. Preheat oven 350F/180C.
2.In a frying pan, add a dash of oil and fry the potatoes briefly. Then remove to a dish and set aside. Then in the same frying pan, fry the meatballs for 2 minutes then set aside.
3.Put the potatoes in the bottom of a roasting tin and lay the meatballs on top. Arrange the peppers between them and then add your chopped tomatoes.
4. In a saucepan make a rich tomato sauce.  Heat a tablespoon olive oil, then add the onion, chopped garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, tablespoon tomato paste, and a glass of water then simmer until the tomato sauce is cooked and pour over the meatballs. Bake for 45 minutes until potatoes are done.

We have lived in Singapore for almost 5 years.  We moved here from London after spending 10 wonderful years there and it’s where both our boys were born (now aged 8 and 10). My husband and I are both of Indian heritage – his family however migrated to Australia in the 1970s and mine migrated in the 1980s. We are very much immersed in both Indian and Aussie cultures, and even when it comes down to comfort food, I think it would be very difficult choosing. That said, the satisfaction, amazing taste and contentment we get from a lamb curry, bowl of dhal mahkani and piping hot chapatti can’t be beaten!

Favourite shop to buy ingredients from your country:
I really enjoy the diversity of food shopping in Singapore – from Tekka Market and Mustafa to specialist grocers in Little India and gems like Jothi store for tableware and cookware. However, fof the amount of variety and ease of shopping, the ‘one-stop shop’ Mustafa cannot be beaten and I can always find what I’m looking for there. My spice box is always stocked with a few staples that I use when preparing Indian food – turmeric, coriander, cumin, chilli and garam masala and a few exotic ingredients like dried lime and saffron.

Storecupboard items you bring to Singapore from home:
Whenever I travel to India I love to bring back homemade pickle – usually mango or lime pickle.

What food do you miss from home:
I have fond childhood memories of authentic regional street food from a city in Central India – Indore, also my birthplace.

Which is your favourite restaurant (from your country) in Singapore:
My favourite Indian restaurant in Singapore is Mustard in Little India  – the flavours are great and the cuisine is quite different to what I prepare at home.

A Recipe you love: Dahi Papdi Chaat
This popular ‘street food’ combines sweet, sour and spicy flavours. Crisp papdi (deep fried, crisp, small flour crackers) topped with potatoes, chickpeas, yogurt, chutney and some crunch. It is quick to whip up and is great for a party. The recipe is not very specific on quantities, but it doesn’t really need to be as it can be adapted to how you like it.

20 crisp papdi (you can make these or buy from Mustafa)
1-1 ½ cups whisked natural yoghurt
a pinch or two of salt to taste
a pinch or two of caster sugar to taste
2 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and chopped into cubes
a big handful or two of cooked chickpeas, tinned are fine
2-3 tbsp tamarind chutney (preferably Pataks)
2-3 tbsp green chutney (preferably Pataks)
Roasted cumin powder to taste
Chaat masala to taste
Red chilli powder to taste
Fresh coriander leaves
Julienned fresh ginger – few sprigs
Sev (crunchy savoury snack) for sprinkling over
½ pomegranate, seeds removed for scattering

Directions
1. Add salt and sugar to the yogurt to taste. Whisk till smooth and keep it in the fridge.
2.Arrange the papdis on a plate. Place some potatoes on each papdi and around the platter. Cover with some chickpeas then drizzle a little green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney. Sprinkle with roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, a little red chilli powder and salt. Top it all up with the yogurt.
3. Drizzle some more of the sweet tamarind chutney, coriander leaves, julienned ginger, sev and pomegranate pearls. Serve immediately, so that the papdis don’t get too soggy.

I have lived in Singapore for 1 1/2 years with my husband and 2 teenage daughters. I work part time as a cooking instructor for The Providore.

Favourite shop to buy ingredients from your home country: Tekka market or Tiong Bahru market are my favourite places to get ingredients from Vietnam.

Storecupboard items you bring to Singapore from home:  I usually bring cinnamon, star anise, organic garlic and fresh lime from my home country.

What food do you miss from home: I usually crave crab soup with noodles and different fresh herbs, Bun Rieu, in my dreams!

Which is your favourite restaurant (from your country) in Singapore:
My favourite Vietnamese restaurant in Singapore is Wraps and Rolls in Ion, Orchard link and Mrs Phö in Kampung Glam.

A recipe you love: Vietnamese fresh spring rolls.
They are easy to make and delicious to eat! A favourite for everyone who does my cooking classes.
Makes 8 servings
For the rolls:
8 rice papers
4 crisp lettuce leaves, shredded
200g of cooked rice noodles
A handful of coriander leaves
A handful of mint leaves and local basil
1/2 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
8 chives
8 cooked peeled prawns, halved lengthwise.
1 bowl of water
For the dipping sauce:
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice/vinegar
5 tbsp water
1 clove of finely chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp finely chopped coriander root
1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chili

Directions:
1. To make the dipping sauce, mix the water with sugar and lemon juice or vinegar in a bowl. Add the fish sauce and mix well. Taste and check the balance of the mixture and adjust to your own taste. Then add the chopped garlic, chili and coriander. It is ready to be served.
2. For the pancakes, lightly moisten the rice paper by dipping it into the water bowl for 1-2 seconds. Place the rice paper on a flat plate or a cutting board. Put a mound of lettuce on the centre of the rice paper. Add 1/8 of noodles on top of the lettuce, with herbs, and sliced carrot. Lay 2 pieces of prawn in front row with the cut side downwards. Roll the rice paper halfway into a cylinder, press down and folding it tightly. Fold 2 ends of the paper over the filling and continue rolling until you complete the cylinder.
3. Repeat the remaining ingredients to make another 7 more rolls in the same way. You can then cut the roll in half and serve with the sauce. These are best eaten fresh but will hold for an hour or so in the fridge.

I was born in Auckland, New Zealand but in my twenties moved to Sydney where I continued my work as a paediatric nurse before moving to Dubai where I met my English husband, Alex. We got married in Dubai in 2013 then shortly after, we moved to Singapore for Alex’s job. Presently, I am a stay at home mum to Johnny and George (which can be very chaotic as they are both toddlers!) so I have always found cooking and baking a great way to switch off and relax.

Favourite shop to buy ingredients from your home country
I was very lucky to have found the online Kiwi Kitchen shop early on during our settling into Singapore. “Vogel’s bread” is somewhat of an institution growing up in New Zealand so I think I was longingly googling that one day when Kiwi Kitchen popped onto my radar. They stock a wide range of products from NZ – meats, bakery goods, wine, lollies and they are constantly adding items. I highly recommend all of the Vogel’s bread, the yummy Lewis Road Creamery dairy foods and I always have a stock of Goodtime savoury mini pies in the freezer as they are the perfect size for my boys and as an added bonus they have The Heart Foundation of NZ tick. I also spotted Easiyo yoghurt makers in Phoon Huat about six months ago. Lots of us kiwis grew up with an Easiyo thermos on the bench and it has saved me a bomb here in yoghurt bills! It is truly yummy thick yoghurt and full of lots of good acidophillus which I love for my boys.

Storecupboard items you bring to Singapore from home:
With Kiwi Kitchen around I don’t really have to worry about using my precious baggage allowance on food to be honest (yahoo, more room for new clothes!).  Plus, I think I am lucky as being antipodean, lots of the products in our local supermarket are things from home so it is all quite familiar and accessible for me.

What food do you miss from home:
There isn’t much I can’t find in Singapore so I suppose the thing I miss the most are my sister’s yummy, fresh and simple home-cooked meals.  Actually, great affordable wine is what I miss – surely that counts as food?

Favourite restaurant from NZ
I am yet to try Wakanui (in the West Tower of Marina One) but I hear the Canterbury lamb and beef are great. So, I’m going to claim Baker & Cook as my “Kiwi Restaurant” – it reminds me of the great cafe scene at home – yummy coffee, delish salads and I’m a sucker for a mince and cheese pie for Sunday lunch if I’m feeling a little fragile after a Saturday night out!

A recipe you love: Anzac Biscuits
1 cup wholegrain rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 cup coconut
1 cup soft brown sugar
¼ cup golden syrup
125g butter
2 tbsp boiling water
½ tsp baking soda

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.
2.Mix together rolled oats, flour, coconut and sugar in a large bowl. Heat together golden syrup, butter and boiling water until butter melts in a small saucepan on the stove top. Stir in baking soda (don’t be alarmed, it will froth up!) then fold into dry ingredients until combined.
3. Roll mixture into balls (a little smaller than a golf ball) and place on trays. At this stage, I put the prepared trays in the fridge for about 10 minutes now that I live in Singapore to stop them spreading so much when they first hit the oven.
4. For biscuits that are crunchy on the outside but chewy on the inside, lightly flatten and bake until golden (about 20 minutes). For a crispier biscuit, bake for about 30 minutes.  You can play with how much you flatten your Anzac’s and how long you bake them to find your perfect combo of crispy/chewy/chunky!

I have lived in Singapore since 2009 with my husband Mark and our two girls, who are aged 10 and 8. My mother is from Lyon and my father from Paris. I was born in France but I grew up in Morocco until I was 13. I then moved to Paris until I was 20 before moving again to London. I am a “Reflection Artist” and run my business from home. I suppose I am not a typical French expat, as I have a real mix of friends from many countries of the world.

Favourite shop to buy ingredients from your home country:
La Petite Boutique in Serangoon is near where I used to live. They sell croissants from Tiong Bharu Bakery, which are delicious. There is also a new patisserie on the ground floor of the Shangri La hotel with amazing pastries. I buy my baguette and pain miche (similar to Poilane) from Baker and Cook. I don’t really eat cheese but when I do I buy it from Culina. I like their French wine selection there too. For brioche, apricot tarts and galette des rois I go to Paul French bakery. Le Petit Depot is a fabulous French supermarket website managed by two delightful guys. They can order extra things for you and are always willing to help. From here I buy French toiletries, Carte D’or ice cream, French yogurts, puy lentils and Savora mustard, French sweets and chocolates which the children really like.

Storecupboard items you bring to Singapore from home:
Clothes! But my friends bring cheese and cold meat.

What food do you miss from home:
Not very French but I actually miss the meat and vegetable carpaccio that they make at Rebellato in Paris 16 and for French pastries I love Angelina in Paris.

Which is your favourite restaurant (from your country) in Singapore:
With the children we go to L’Entrecote, but it’s not the same as Paris! We have also enjoyed Le Gavroche over the years. The café is good for tartines, L’Angelus is a favourite for us too.

A recipe you love: Madeleines
3 eggs
120g caster sugar
130g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
zest of a lemon
120g butter
salt

Directions
1. Whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale and creamy. Sift over the flour and baking powder, and add a pinch of salt and the lemon zest and fold in.
2. Melt the butter and gently fold it into the mixture. Let stand for 2 hours in the fridge.
4.Preheat the oven to 210 degrees. Fill the cups of a greased madeleine tray with the mixture and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Turn out and dust with icing sugar.

I have been in Singapore since 2007 but first visited as a child in the mid 80’s. I was born in Thessaloniki (2nd largest city in Greece) but raised on the south side of Athens. I grew up 5 minutes from the sea and unlike other capitals of the world, Athens is one of the few capitals where you can swim! I used to swim before going to work, all year round! I came to Singapore while on assignment with work. Since then I met my husband here and have had 4 children. With my friend Kate Mitchell we founded Agora Products, importing food from Greece.

Favourite shop to buy ingredients from your country:
With our importing business, we now bring a big range of foods, so I get to enjoy them too! Thankfully there are a great many stockists of Greek products now in Singapore. Our website gives details of them as well as being able to buy online. The brands that I love are Delta for Greek yogurt, Epiros feta cheese and talagani handmade cheese for grilling. This is similar to halloumi but even better! Greece has fabulous herbs and it’s so great to be able to use the ones I love from home in my cooking as well as Greek olives, Olive oil and vinegar. Greek honey is, in my opinion the best! I could go on and on!

Which store cupboard items do you bring to Singapore from home:
Prior to our company, I used to bring extra virgin olive oil, oregano, thyme, honey and Greek coffee! Now it’s much easier as I can get everything I need in Singapore.

What food do you miss from home?
I mainly miss certain ingredients/vegetables/fruit that make a big difference in Greek cuisine (after all Greek cuisine is very ingredient based!), such as tomatoes (juicy and tasty), zucchini (fragrant and crunchy), and fresh herbs such as the basil grown at home.

Which is your favourite restaurant from your country in Singapore?
There are three main Greek restaurants in Singapore that have different identities. These are the dishes that I like the most in each:
Blu Kouzina: for their dips (eggplant and organic 3 bean), spinach pie and lamb!
Bakalaki: for their spicy cheese dip and their souvlaki!
Alati: for their salt-baked seabass!

A recipe you love: Melitzanosalata – Smoked Aubergine (eggplant) dip
I highly recommend the recipe book by Alexandra Stratou, “Cooking with Loula”.  She explains seasonality, cooking methods, cooking necessities…a great recipe book for someone like me who enjoys Greek food but is not as experienced in the kitchen. Below is her wonderful recipe for Smoked Aubergine dip.

Serves 6

3 large aubergines (eggplants)
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
A few drops of hot sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
1. Start by roasting the aubergine. You can do this in the oven under the grill, over a flame on a gas stove, or do it the way I do, in an old frying pan without any oil. Stab the skin a few times before you start to prevent the aubergines from exploding. Leave each side to char for longer than you would expect. Once blackened on all sides, plunge the aubergines into cold water, then drain.
2. Scoop out the inside flesh of the aubergine and place in a bowl, trying to avoid most of the skin, though do not worry if there is some, it will just add to the taste! Remove the seeds only if there are many – keep in mind that aubergines have more seeds toward the end of their season.
3. Drain off any excess liquid from the aubergine that’s collected in the bowl. Transfer to a food processor or blender along with the remaining ingredients. Pulse for a smooth texture or leave it a little more textured (as I do it in my house). Taste and adjust the seasoning.

We have lived in Singapore for 9 years. We have two small children.

Favourite shop to buy ingredients from your country:
IKEA is my go to store for Swedish treats and food. Especially at Christmas times I’ll go there for thin gingerbread biscuits (our kids love them!), glögg, pick and mix, pickled herring and lingonberry jam just to mention a few Swedish must haves for Christmas. There is also a great online shop for Scandinavian fish. Plus The Norwegian Seamen’s Church usually sells Scandinavian food and also have Scandinavian lunches every Thursday.

Which storecupboard items do you bring to Singapore from home?
Our standard items that we bring back are cheese, kaviar, O’boy (chocolate milk powder to mix with milk), marzipan, salted liquorice and knäckebröd.

What food do you miss from home?
Seafood from the west coast of Sweden, unbeatable, and freshly picked strawberries in the summer.

Which is your favourite restaurant (from your country) in Singapore:
Swedish Fika Cafe and Bistro, located on Beach Road, have a delicious selection of traditional Swedish dishes and desserts. They also serve hot chocolate with whipped cream!

A recipe you love: Jansson’s Temptation (Anchovy gratin)
Serves  4-6 persons

6 large potatoes
2 large yellow onions (cut into rings)
10 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons butter
200-300 ml pouring cream
2-3 tbsp breadcrumbs

Directions:
1. Peel the potatoes and cut into strips (matchsticks). Put into water so that the starch is washed away.
2. Fry the onion in a little of the butter until transparent. Drain the potatoes from the water and pat them dry. Put one layer in a greased baking dish. Then season with black pepper and a little salt and layer some of the anchovy fillets on top and thereafter onion (don’t over season with salt or the dish will be salty). Repeat a few times, but the top layer should be potatoes. Season again then pour over about half of the cream mixed with some of the anchovy oil.
3. Top with the breadcrumbs and dot with a few small cubes of butter. Put the dish into a 200 – 225 C oven for about 20 minutes. Then pour over the rest of the cream and cook until the potatoes are soft, (approx 30 minutes). You may need to add extra cream depending on how wide the dish is and if it looks too dry. It should still be creamy once the potatoes are cooked.

I’ve lived in Singapore for seven years with my husband and three boys. Two born in NYC and the youngest born here in Singapore. I am a writer and my first novel, Keep Me Posted, came out last year, and I’m hard at work on my next one. We love learning about all the other cultures here through food. Naturally there’s the Chicken Rice and the Chili Crab but Singapore is also where we discovered the Lamington, Mince Pies, and Bread sauce, to name a few — all thanks to our international circle of friends.

Favourite shop to buy ingredients from your country:
I’ve learned to make the most of what I find here, so I don’t go to any great lengths to buy the same breakfast cereals or brands of yogurt we have at home. However, now you can find almost anything at Cold Storage but seven years ago it was a different story.

Storecupboard items you bring to Singapore from home:
Alas, none of those things travel well. But I always save some suitcase space for a few special mustards or hot sauces from favourite restaurants, which also make great gifts for friends here. Our absolute favourite are Sweet Hot Pickles and Peppers from Tony Packo’s restaurant in Toledo, Ohio. Jars of pickles in my checked luggage may sound like a risky proposition, but these are worth it! (Also, I put them with the kids clothes.) I’ll also grab a bunch of halfway healthy packaged delights from Trader Joes and Costco – stuff I can use for the kids school lunches or snacks.

What food do you miss from home?
That’s easy: A good New York bagel with cream cheese and the fresh seasonal produce we eat in the states all summer long — especially peaches, cherries, cantaloupe, sweet corn, and tomatoes.

Which is your favourite restaurant (from your country) in Singapore:
We cook at home when we want American food, and we dine out when we want something else, but for a family treat that feels a bit like home, we go to Mozza in Marina Bay Sands. In fact, it’s become our Christmas Eve tradition. Friendly service, pizza that is a notch above your typical pie, and loud rock music on the speakers all adds up to a great time (which is no small feat when you have three young boys at the table). Without the kids, a classic cocktail from Employees Only reminds me of being in New York.

A recipe you love…
Seven Layer Dip is ubiquitous at any potluck in the U.S. In Singapore, though, it is downright exotic, so it’s become my go-to crowd pleaser whenever I’m in a dish-to-share situation. I love seeing people huddled around it, scarfing it down and exclaiming, “What IS this?”  It’s not a recipe so much as assembly instructions. You can literally look at it and figure out how to make it, and after you do it once, you’ll never have to measure your ingredients again. There are variations, but here’s how I do it…

A baking or casserole dish, preferably glass.
1 Can of refried beans
A few tablespoons of salsa
1 cup sour cream
Packet of taco seasoning
1 cup guacamole (make it, buy it, whatever…)
1 cup shredded and chopped iceberg or butterhead lettuce
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar and/or Jack Cheese
Some pickled jalepenos or sliced black olives from the jar to top
Two bags of tortilla chips

Directions
1.Empty the can of beans into a medium sized bowl and add a few spoonfuls of salsa. If your salsa is watery, kind of drip the juices out before you mix it with the beans. Stir it up. (Lazy person tip: You can do this right in the bottom of your serving dish.)
2.Empty about 3/4 of the packet of taco seasoning into the sour cream and stir it up.
3. Now layer the ingredients evenly in your dish. You can play around with the order, but keep the beans on the bottom. I usually go in this order: Bean and salsa mixture, guacamole,  sour cream mix, cheese, lettuce and finally tomatoes.
4. Place the jalapenos or the black olives haphazardly on top, or just sprinkle on half so people can avoid them if they choose. Serve with tortilla chips to dip.