The Turkish have their shish kebab, the Japanese have their yakitori, and we in Singapore have satay! The origin of satay isn't clear. Some say it was the Arab traders who brought it to the region. Others claim it was the Javanese who invented it. But what's clear is that satay has long been a popular street food in Singapore, and we've developed our own distinctive taste and style.
In fact, we have two different types of satay - Malay and Chinese. The latter, a more recent adaptation by the Chinese, is identified by the use of pork as well as the addition of grated pineapple to the spicy peanut dip, though fewer and fewer stalls are providing pineapple these days.
Whether Malay or Chinese, satay is one of our most popular street foods. Chomping through numerous sticks of satay, inSing.com reviews the most talked-about stalls across the island.
Address: Stall #07/08, Boon Tat Street, Lau Pa Sat
Operating hours: Mon-Fri: 7pm-12.30am, Sat-Sun: 3pm-12am
Price: $0.60 per stick for beef, mutton, chicken
Rating: 4.5/5
The stall is boldly named Best Satay, but does it really live up to its name? We sampled its beef, mutton, and chicken. Among the three, the best is the beef. It's slightly charred, but the meat is very juicy, tender and has a pleasant bite. Redolent of herbs and spices, it's flavorful enough to be enjoyed on its own!
The mutton tastes very similar to the beef, but isn't quite as tender. There are tough sinews in the meat which make chewing through it difficult. Still, the meat is well-marinated. For the chicken, breast meat is used, but surprisingly, it's not as dry as we'd expected.
The peanut gravy here isn't too thick or too runny, and the taste is just right. We especially liked the coarsely crushed peanut which is crunchy and aromatic when serve.
Chuan Kee
Address: #01-85, Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Road
Operating hours: Tues-Sat: 6pm-11pm, Sun: 2.30pm-11pm, closed on Mon & Thurs
Price: $0.40 per stick for pork, chicken
Rating: 4.5/5
This has got to be one of the best pork satay! Each Chuan Kee pork satay is a skewer of meat-fat-meat. It's so sinful, but utterly delicious! The pork is chewy and juicy, while the flavorful fat just melts in your mouth. Just as delightful is the tender and succulent chicken satay, made with thigh meat. Little charred bits give a sublime smoky fragrance.
Both pork and chicken satay use the same marinade base. We could detect lemongrass and coriander seed among the myriad of herbs and spices used. It's obvious the marinade has deeply penetrated the meats.
Although the sticky honey coating on the meat is lovely, it does border on tasting excessively sweet after a while. A little less sugar and more salt would balance the flavours out more.
Address: Stall #01, Boon Tat Street, Lau Pa Sat
Operating hours: Mon-Fri: 7pm-11pm, Sun-Sat: 6pm-11.30pm
Price: $0.60 per stick for beef, mutton, chicken, beef tripe
Rating: 4/5
Fatman Satay is a legendary name for Malay satay. What makes them so special? Well, its satay is made from minced meat! Another point worth noting is the use of different marinade for each kind of meat. This is a nice touch because for the other stalls, there's no distinction in flavour between the different meats.
We tried the beef, mutton and tripe. The fragrance of the marinade isn't noticeable at first, but it reveals itself subtly. Taste-wise, the satay is quite mild, but pairs well with the light and smooth peanut gravy. The tripe is unimpressively tough.
Because of the minced meat, the satay is easy to chew. However, it lacks the juiciness. Ultimately, we still prefer the texture and succulence of sliced meat. It's just more enjoyable to munch on.
Address: #01-344M, Blk 75, Toa Payoh Lorong 5
Operating hours: Tues-Sun: 5.30pm-11pm
Price: $0.40 per stick for pork, chicken, mutton
Rating: 3.5/5
This is a Chinese satay stall that still provides grated pineapple with the peanut gravy, although sometimes they forget, so you have to ask for it. The peanut is quite finely grounded, resulting in a smooth paste. The gravy could be more flavorful, but the consistency is just right - not too thick or too thin, and is still sufficiently chunky when mixed with pineapple.
Pork, chicken and mutton are available here. The marinade has a good sweet-savoury balance, and the aroma of coriander seed stands out. Although all three meats are tender to the bite, they lack succulence. This is due to the use of leaner cuts of meat. If you like your satay with less fat, this might appeal to you.
Address: #01-19, Haig Road Food Centre, 14 Haig Road
Operating hours: Mon-Fri: 10.30am-6.30pm, Sat-Sun: 10.30am-4.30pm, closed on Wed & Thurs.
Price: $0.40 per stick for beef, chicken, mutton, beef tripe
Rating: 3/5
When people want babat (beef tripe) satay, they know that the place to go is Warong Sudi Mampir. Truly, the tripe satay here is impressive. An intriguing texture that's both meltingly soft and chewy at the same time, it's like enjoying grilled chicken skin, but minus the sinful fat.
However, we were less impressed with the rest of the selection. The main problem is over-grilling, which resulted in the beef and chicken satay being dry and a little tough. It didn't help that lean breast meat is used for the chicken satay.
Also, the marinade is very sweet. If you dip the satay in the spicy and chunky peanut gravy, it tastes more flavorful. But on its own, the satay just tastes sweet and lacks fragrance.
