The Changi Village Hawker Centre Food Worth Your Trip, From Nasi Lemak to Speciality Dry Mee Sua

Changi Village Hawker Centre may seem a bit out of the way, but it is a great lunch or dinner stop for those visiting Changi Beach Park, Changi Boardwalk, Changi Chapel and Museum, or if you are staying in the bus hotels nearby.

We took multiple trips down to this hawker centre with one question: what stores are worth the visit? From popular stores to smaller gems, we narrowed our list to ten that we think you should try when you head down.

Changi Village Hawker Centre is at 2 Changi Village Road, Singapore 500002.

1. Wong Hing Kitchenette

Wong Hing Kitchenette is a traditional Chinese establishment serving up hor fun, ee mian, udon, and Hong Kong-style noodles. The dishes are cooked by an elderly uncle tirelessly working the wok, filling the air with a delightful scent.

Our meal of choice was the Fried Hor Fun w/ Sliced Fish ($5.50). For the price, the portion was impressive. The dish featured hor fun noodles generously coated in sauce, topped with large fish slices and a large serving of vegetables.

We generally enjoy our hor fun wet, but this one really exceeded all our expectations. The texture of the sauce was just right, maintaining that fine balance between runny and thick without being too starchy. It ticked all the boxes in the flavour department as well, with a strong wok hei note and a rich savoury flavour profile.

The highlight of this dish was definitely the snakehead fish. Fresh and with a nice bite, it was seasoned perfectly with salt. There were also many slices, which surprised us given the price point.

Other dishes that we saw customers ordering included the Bean Sauce Beef Hor Fun ($6) and the Fried Noodle Hong Kong Style ($6). We also tried the Japanese Style Fried Udon ($6.50), but would recommend giving it a miss as it was lacking in flavour.

#01-43. Opens Fri to Wed from 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 9pm. Closed on Thurs.

2. Mei Xiang Goreng Pisang

This hawker centre has a handful of goreng pisang stores, and Million Star Fried Banana is the most notable one that many flock to. However, this writer would like to offer Mei Xiang Goreng Pisang Store for your consideration.

What makes this store stand out is the batter. We prefer our goreng pisang to have a decent coating of batter to really give it that fried and sinful taste, and this store delivers. The batter is also always crunchy when we patronise the store, giving way beneath our teeth to a soft but not mushy banana. The sweetness of the banana also comes through perfectly, making for a delightful combination of sweet and fried flavours.

The goreng pisang comes in two prices: $1.50 and $2. Aside from fried bananas, there are also the Tapioca (Original) for $1, Tapioca Cake ($1), Green Bean ($1), and 3-in-1 Yummy Cake ($1.50) on sale.

#01-51. Opens Wed to Mon from 10.30am to 8pm. Closed on Tues.

3. International Muslim Food Stall

This is one of those stores that has been around for decades, but that has slowly been eclipsed by other nasi lemak stores in the hawker centre (if the lack of queue is anything to go by). However, we still think that the store serves up a really, really good plate of the local favourite.

For $6.20, we got the Chicken Wing Set ($5) and an additional piece of fish ($1.20). This dish is one where every ingredient vies for attention. One mouthful of the fragrant rice had us in heaven. We’ve often tried nasi lemak where the rice just lacks a bit of punch, but this one remains just the right amount of salty, savoury, and coconut-infused goodness even after years.

The meats were tasty as well — the chicken wing was succulent and well-marinated. We managed to get it freshly fried, so the batter had a nice crunch. A return visit confirmed that while it’s not as shiok when slightly cooked, the wing remained delicious.

The fish was a nice touch — so crispy that we could comfortably eat the head. It honestly reminded us of traditional home-cooked fish that our grandmas used to make. We also appreciated that it did not have a bad fishy smell or taste, as is common with these types of fish. The chilli was spicy with a slightly sweet aftertaste that went well with the aromatic rice.

Overall, a solid plate that we’d definitely buy again.

#01-01. Opens Tues to Thurs from 11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to 9.30pm. Opens Fri from 6pm to 9.30pm. Opens Sat to Sun from 4pm to 9pm. Closed on Mon.

4. Haowii

Haowii specialises in old school noodle dishes — think Fishball Noodle ($4) and Minced Meat Noodle ($5). While those were tempting options, we went for the Speciality Dried Mee Sua ($5/$6). This mee sua is made Teochew-style, featuring a strong vinegar sauce for that sour tang. Other ingredients included pork slices, minced meat, fresh pork lard, ikan billis, and Teochew fish dumplings.

The saltiness of the pork slices and minced meat went really well with the vinegar sauce. The minced meat was also very fluffy – soft, easy to chew, and not overly minced. But the dish really took a whole new level when we mixed in the chilli.

This slightly sweet chilli is the definition of umami. When mixed with the noodles and the vinegar sauce, it helped to counteract the strong vinegar and bring it to the right level. It also added a very complex flavour profile that was accompanied by a spicy kick.

We also ordered the Kway Chap Set ($5). This dish saw deep-fried tofu (tau pok), soybean tofu (tao gua), small intestine, soft and silky pig skin, egg, and regular pork meat sat in a plate with a richly flavoured sauce liberally poured over. The deep-fried tofu was totally soaked in the sauce, making for a juicy mouthful with each bite. The meat was decent, not the best, but within expectations.

The kway teow noodles surprised us mainly because of how big the bowl was in comparison to the picture on the stall banner. The noodles were thick-cut and silky smooth, swimming in the aforementioned sauce and pairing well with it. At the end, we found ourselves just drinking this soup and enjoying ourselves immensely. For the price of $5, we think that this dish was definitely worth it if you want enough kway chap for one.

#01-15. Opens daily from morning to about 12pm.

5. Changi V. Dessert House

We all love a good traditional Singapore dessert, and this store has many at competitive prices. For $2.50, we ordered the Ice Chendol, served with a liberal amount of coconut milk, red beans, and pandan jelly noodles. The gula melaka was not too sweet, while the jelly noodles melted in our mouths without being mushy.

We also got an assortment of other desserts. Ice Kachang ($2.50), Ice Jelly Cocktail ($2.50), Red Ruby ($3.20), and Commando ($2.50). The Ice Kachang was much like other ice kachangs, filled with corn, attap chee, and red bean. We particularly enjoyed the strong pandan flavour from the green syrup in this one.

Our favourite dessert, however, was the Ice Jelly Cocktail; a perfect blend of sweet and sour with a very generous serving of fruits. The fruits also offered a nice bite, adding texture to the dessert.

Commando is one of the store’s more popular desserts. This comes with red tea jelly, longan, and condensed milk. It definitely has a milder flavour profile than the others, so it’s a good choice for something a bit lighter after a heavy meal. The longan was super sweet, though, which was a plus.

#01-08. Opens Thurs to Tues from 10.30am to 9.30pm. Closed on Wed.

6. Sinar Murni

When we asked the store owners of Sinar Murni what their best-selling dish was, they gave us two words: “Tahu Goreng”. For the uninitiated, Tahu Goreng is a fried tofu dish served with peanut sauce and a bit of chilli. Despite how red it looks, the spice level was still manageable even for us with sensitive tongues. However, the store also does a spicier version upon request.

The sauce was generously heaped onto large tofu chunks. This dish was the perfect mix of sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy. The peanuts added a nice sensory crunch and, well, a strong nutty flavour (just look at how many peanut pieces are in the sauce). There was also a mix of bean sprouts and cucumber that served as refreshing additions.

The tofu texture was decent — a little tough on the outside but soft inside. The mild flavour worked well with the peanut sauce. One thing we would have liked better was for the crust of the tofu to be a bit crispier. For the price ($4.50), the portion was quite big, and we would say it’s definitely worth a try if you love peanuts.

#01-75. Open from Wed to Sun from 11am, until stock runs out. Closed on Mon and Tues.

7. Hainanese Curry Rice

We all love a good plate of Hainanese curry rice, and this one was pretty decent. It is popular with the lunch crowd, though, so you might want to head down a bit earlier if you’re eyeing this store.

We ordered the Pork Chop Set for $4.50, and added on pork chop, braised pork, vegetables, and egg (an additional $3.90 for all). The dish was soaked through with two types of curry – chicken curry and Hainanese curry.

As with most Hainanese curry rice, this one was not that spicy at all. This plate was a fusion of many different flavours. The pork chop had a subtle sweetness, while the fatty braised meat added a more savoury richness. The mixture of the two curries and the sauces from the braised meat and vegetables meant that each bite was always something different. The combination of the curries, in particular, created different levels of earthiness with each mouthful. Both were nicely spiced to achieve a somewhat homey feel.

One thing we didn’t expect to like so much was the fried egg. With a creamy yolk whose flavour was enhanced by the mix of sauces, it made for a very nice staple in the dish.

One thing we will note is that the pork chop was rather small and not as golden-brown as we would’ve liked it to be. It was also a tad bit on the dry side. If you head down, we’d recommend maybe giving the pork chop a miss and opting for the other meats and vegetable options available.

#01-56. Opens Mon to Sat from 6.30am to 3pm. Closed on Sun.

8. Authentic Thai Cuisine

Thai food has been becoming more commonplace in hawker centres, and we are all for it. This store serves hearty meals starting from $6 and a good variety to boot. We, of course, had to try the Thai Style Pineapple Fried Rice ($6, Chicken) and Thai Style Tom Yum Seafood Soup ($6.50). You can add on some carbohydrates (rice, rice noodles, tang hoon, mama noodles, or flat noodles) for an additional $0.70, but we chose not to.

The pineapple fried rice came with a sprinkle of pork floss, a nice savoury complement to the sweetness of the pineapples. We particularly liked that the pineapples were naturally sweet with only a hint of sourness; none of the overly saccharine canned pineapple taste. The rice was tossed with carrots, corn, and some raisins for an added flavour. The dish had a very homey and warm, earthy flavour – possibly from turmeric or curry powder. We do wish this last element were a bit more pronounced to add more oomph to the dish.

The Tom Yum Seafood Soup has definitely been altered for local taste buds. While the soup had that acidity we love in tom yum, the heat was nowhere to be found. However, the bowl was chock-full of ingredients such as prawns, mushrooms, squid, imitation crab meat, and clams (these were big and fresh, and there were quite a few too). There was a generous serving of onions as well, which lent sweetness to the soup. If you like your tom yum spicy and numbing, this is not the dish for you. For those on the opposite side of the spectrum, this will be a good option to enjoy that punchy flavour with none of the pain.

Other dishes available include Thai Style Chicken Chop Fried Rice ($6.50), Thai Style Basil Leaves Miced Pork Rice ($6), and Thai Style Fried Mama Noodle ($6/$6.50).

#01-58. Opens from Thurs to Tues from 11am to 9pm. Closed on Wed.

9. Weng Kee Original Taste Ipoh Hor Fun

This store almost always had a line on our many visits, so we had to give it a try. The Shredded Chicken Ipoh Hor Fun ($4) featured thin, silky hor fun noodles coated in a savoury-sweet sauce.

The chicken was succulent, and the char siew tender and sweet. The fried wanton saw a crispy wrapping and filling with a nice bite, though there was only one, and we would have loved more. As we ordered with chilli, the sauce also had a slight spicy kick that tickled the throat, but overall, it wasn’t too spicy and didn’t overwhelm the dish.

The best part of this meal was the generous helping of pork lard that really elevated the dish by incorporating that slightly smoky and umami element. There was also a mix of bean sprouts, chewy mushrooms, and fishcake slices.

The store also sells a medley of other noodle dishes. Another popular reiteration of the Ipoh Hor Fun is the Chicken Chop Hor Fun ($4/$5), which has raving reviews online. There is also Wanton Noodle ($4/$5) and Fish Ball Noodle Soup ($4/$5). If you want more of the fried dumplings, you can get them for $2 or $4.

#01-19. Opens daily from 6am to 9pm.

10. King Grouper Fish Soup

This chain hawker store is a popular one with a few outlets around Singapore, and we’ll admit that it’s worth a shot. The Red Grouper Fish Soup was priced at $9 (small), though, which was a bit more than we were expecting.

Regardless, the soup was sour with a mild sweetness that we enjoyed, with ginger slices adding a hearty flavour. The grouper was extremely tender and soft while still being firm enough to hint at its freshness, whilst the pork balls packed a flavourful punch. Served in the soup was a generous portion of vegetables and tofu that really helped to fill the stomach.

In all, it was a decent plate of fish soup, though the price is a bit steep. We wouldn’t travel down just to eat it, but if you are in the area, it’s definitely worth a go.

#01-64. Opens daily from 9.30am to 9.30pm.