You can visit New York City to get a taste of Singapore with the opening of Urban Hawker. A hawker center is similar to a food court with stalls selling meals, quick dishes, and snacks. The Urban Hawker in the heart of New York City’s midtown spans over 11,000 square feet with 17 different food vendors.
New Yorkers can experience a melting pot of Malaysian, Peranakan, Chinese, Indian, and Asian-style Western dishes. The Urban hawker project was initially the idea of the late Anthony Bourdain, but it has now come to fruition after his passing four years ago.
Out of the 17 vendors within Urban Hawker, 11 of them are directly from Singapore. Here are some of the featured stalls.
Hainan Jones
Most would say Singapore’s signature dish is Hainanese Chicken Rice. In the 1970’s chef John Toh Kang, the founder of the original Hainan Jones stall pushed the meal to a new level. Now in 2022, his son Raymond will be introducing Hainan Jones to New York City at the Urban Hawker, featuring their specialty chicken meals cooked three different ways. Poached is the authentic way of making the signature dish. The other options are roasted and fried.
Padi
The Padi stall features the husband and wife team of Sulaiman Rahman and Annie Ali. Serving up Nasi Ambeng, which is a rice platter full of spices, Beef Rendang which is similar to a beef stew made with Malaysian/Indonesian spices, and Sambal Squid, also a sweet and spicy Malaysian dish based in chili.
“Our restaurant in Singapore is eight years old. This is our first expansion in the US. When we heard Anthony Bourdain’s project had been revived, we said we were interested in getting involved,” Rahman told The Post. The eatery also has plans to branch out to Los Angeles.
Mamak’s Corner
Chef Rajan Belani will be serving a Singapore breakfast all day long at Mamak’s Corner. One of the signature dishes of the Southeast, Nasi Goreng Mamak. The wok-fried rice noodle dish is served with sambal sauce, tomato, veggies, and minced meat. Another highlight of Belani’s stall will be his Indian flatbreads accompanied by coconut chutney and lentils.
Daisy's Dream
At Daisy’s, you’ll be getting a taste of authentic Peranakan cuisine. Peranakan food is a fusion of Malaysian and Chinese ingredients. The owner Roy Tan named the stall after his mother Daisy, who opened her first stall when she was 60 as something for her to enjoy during retirement. Expect dishes such as Nyonya Curry Chicken and Laksa.
