Hawker food for a cause? Count us in. Back for its third year to raise funds for TOUCH Community Services, Ultimate Hawker Fest (UHF) will be moved to the Suntec Convention Centre to accommodate an even bigger crowd. Previous editions at the open space outside Millenia Walk saw hordes of over 3,000, and more than a handful of die-hard hawker fans who queued determinedly even in thundering rain for their favourite dishes.
This year's line-up is put together by food bloggers Maureen Ow (MissTamChiak.com), Derrick Tam (SgFoodOnFoot.com) and Ian Low (TheSilverChef.blogspot.sg) and sectioned into three food zones: Ultimate Original Recipe, Ultimate Pursuit of Happiness, and Ultimate Ingredients. The self-explanatory Ultimate Original Recipe zone keeps its focus on time-honoured recipes, featuring the likes of traditional nonya kueh by Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery and bak kut teh by Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh. At Ultimate Ingredients zone, expect a mixed bag of dishes souped up with hyper premium ingredients (think glutinous rice jazzed up with abalone at Geng Shu Mei Shi Shi Jia) as well as new-fangled riffs on classics (The Prata Place's fusion prata with a poached egg and Indian-spiced Hollandaise sauce).
Also sharing the limelight are some new generation hawkers. There's Douglas Ng of Fishball Story, who declares proudly to use only yellowtail fish meat, without any flour, in his housemade fishballs; and the husband-and-wife team, Gerald and Julyn of Penang Kia, who left cushy jobs as cabin crew with the Singapore Airlines to set up their prawn noodle stall.
Coupons can be purchased through ultimatehawkerfest.sg or at the event ground.