Support Local
You’ll realise that it’s already that time of the year when you hear the fireworks going off on Saturday evenings. I’m one of those who eagerly peer out of the windows of my HDB flat, marveling at the beautiful firework display as I think about celebrating Singapore, the place that I’ve called home for the past 22 years.
Though I wouldn’t exactly call myself a super patriotic Singaporean, I’ve had some instances of national pride — like when Joseph Schooling won the Olympic gold, or when I found out that Tiktok’s CEO is Singaporean. And when National Day makes its way around each year, I find myself feeling a little excited and proud. (And it’s not just because it’s a public holiday!)
This National Day, I wanted to show my Singaporean pride in ways that extended beyond simply reciting the pledge or singing Majulah Singapura. And I thought — what’s a better way than ordering from our local, home-grown businesses? So if you’re also all for #supportinglocal, let me share a list of F&B home-based businesses that you can consider ordering from this National Day:
1. Dapur Mother Mary
Image Credit: Dapur Mother Mary
Dapur Mother Mary sells a great variety of Malay cuisine, ranging from traditional dishes like Sambal Goreng and Rendang to even desserts like Kuehs.
The word “Dapur” is Malay for kitchen, and my favourite part of Dapur Mother Mary’s Instagram is looking at how big, hearty pots of food are all being lovingly prepared in their home kitchen. On top of their generous portions, DMM always goes the extra mile to ask their customers for feedback — this personal touch is something I really love about home-based businesses.
Despite living in Singapore for so many years, I’m still not too familiar with Malay cuisine as I often stick to what I’ve tried and tasted. But I thought that National Day would be a great time to try out food from other cultures that I’m not too familiar with, so I’ll be persuading my family to order their Lontong Goreng next Wednesday.
Just a note: DMM’s cooking usually goes into preparing small bulk orders, which is great for gatherings of at least 10 people — so if you’re looking to host a party this National Day, you know who to go to for your food.
Dapur Mother Mary
2. Sap Ubon Thai Cuisine
Image adapted from: Sap Ubon Thai Cuisine
We chanced upon Sap Ubon Thai Cuisine in Golden Mile Complex last year when we were on the hunt for some Chicken Cartilage, and have been going back ever since. Known for their authentic Thai Isaan cuisine, Sap Ubon makes the best Thai BBQ Pork Collar (which we tried to recreate here). But we’ve tried pretty much everything on their menu, and we can safely say everything’s a hit.
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Due to GMC’s en-bloc in May earlier this year, Sap Ubon has closed its (restaurant) doors but recently re-opened as a home kitchen! That means now you get to dig into your favourite Thai food from the comfort of your own home.
Other Meatmen recommendations from Sap Ubon include: Thai Fried Basil Roasted Pork Ubon with Rice and Thai Papaya Salad. And of course, the one that started it all — we hope the Chicken Cartilage makes its way back to the menu soon.
Sap Ubon Thai Cuisine
3. Wala Pizza
Image Credit: Wala Pizza
Does pizza = unhealthy? Jenna doesn’t think so.
The nutritionist and chef behind Wala Pizza, Jenna takes pride in how her pizza makes for a healthy and balanced meal. A big pizza fan herself (she once ate a whopping 97 pizzas in less than a month), Jenna loves experimenting with different sauces and toppings to create all kinds of flavour profiles, so her customers get to try something different each time.
Wala’s all about the cozy dining-in-experience. Set in Jenna’s home itself, her friendliness often makes the experience a lot more fun — and it’s no doubt that one would want to come back for more pizza and a great time of chit-chat.
Wala Pizza
4. Suguru Home Dining
Image Credit: @jiakbueyba
I always thought that if you wanted to indulge in fresh Japanese seafood like Uni (Sea Urchin), Snow Crab, or Ikura (Salmon Roe), visiting an expensive Japanese restaurant or Omakase place is a must. That was until I discovered Suguru — and it doesn’t get more awesome than fresh seafood shipped straight from Japan at your doorstep.
Best part? Their menu offers a discount on Wednesdays, and their popular menu items like Suguru Don (Hokkaido Scallops, Snow Crab, Ikura), Sawara Don (Sawara, Akami Zuke, Negitoro, Ikura) and Chilled Truffle Somen w/ Hokkaido Seasonal Uni & Raw Hokkaido Scallops are all going at $20 off. So if you’re looking to treat yourself to some atas Japanese food this National Day (also a Wednesday!), Suguru Home Dining is the place to go.
P.S. If you’re all for dining in, they have a restaurant too, over at Joo Chiat Road.
Suguru
5. Kneaded by Han
Image adapted from: Kneaded by Han
I’m a big fan of earthy flavours, so anything matcha, sesame, you name it, I love it. Which made me super excited to try out Han’s bakes! (Can we just mention how gorgeous all the desserts look on her Instagram page!)
We tried Kneaded by Han’s Assorted Bake Box ($34), which included 2 Mini Matcha Terrine Tarts, 1 Oolong Choux Au Craquelin and 1 Black Sesame Yuzu Oolong Pumpkin Cheesecake Slice. My favourite was the Matcha Terrine Tart — when packed in an exterior of buttery crumbly goodness, the sweet yet subtly bitter notes from the matcha could really take main stage.
Image Credits: The Meatmen
Do take note if you’re planning to order: Han usually puts out pre-order slots which start at 12pm on Saturdays on her website, with collection taking place on Monday to Wednesdays. So place your orders the weekend before!
Kneaded by Han
6. Jiababa (???)
Image Credit: Jiababa
Many of us are used to having our bagels in savoury form — perhaps complete with an egg, a slice of cheese and your meat of choice. But Jiababa does things differently with their Taiwanese-style bagels.
Jiababa’s bagels are softer than your usual breakfast bagel, and consist of a sweet filling, making it more like a dessert. Its filling often takes on elements common to Asian desserts — taro, mochi, sesame, sweet potato or osmanthus are often incorporated into their bagels, but they also have other fillings like lotus biscuit or brown sugar.
We tried their Genmaicha Bagel with Purple Sweet Potato, Black Sesame, Matcha Mochi and their Genmaicha Bagel with Osmanthus Mochi and Taro. For the former, I didn’t expect (what I assumed was a bizarre combination of) the flavours to go so well together! But the latter truly won over my heart. I really enjoyed the slight floral aroma from the osmanthus mochi and it went really well with the sweet and nutty taro.
Image Credit: The Meatmen
Ordering from Jiababa was really great too! The business is run by the friendly pair of sisters, Kay and Kat, and I loved chatting with them online.
Jiababa
7. Le Vyr
Image Credit: Le Vyr
Kombucha was all the craze a few years back, and after trying some from Le Vyr, I could totally see why. The drink was fizzy, tart, and just shy of sweet. And not to mention its health benefits — what’s a better drink to keep you refreshed in this sweltering August heat?
Le Vyr (wordplay on “levure”, yeast in French) is unique in how they chose to incorporate local flavours into their Kombucha. Some of them include my coffee shop drink stall favourites: Kopi O, Bandung, Teh Limau, whereas other local flavours include: Singapore Sling, Herbal Remedy and Liang Teh.
Le Vyr’s even friendly for first-time Kombucha venturers. If you’re spoilt for choice and not sure what flavours you should try, they even have a 5-pack Tasting Bundle where you can feel free to select any 5 Kombuchas of your liking.
Le Vyr
Singapore turns 58 this National Day!
Supporting local businesses doesn’t only build a stronger economy, but also builds a stronger community as we talk to the people we buy from. In a place like Singapore where we’re not gifted with natural resources, I’m grateful that at least we have people — others we can fall back on. Even though we are different, we are able to connect and bond with one another in interesting ways, including through the love for food.
This National Day, let’s take the time to not just celebrate the achievements that we have had as a country, but also celebrate people that make Singapore really feel like home.
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More of what you might like:
- 10 Iconic Singapore Recipes To Recreate for National Day, Including Chilli Crab and Hainanese Chicken Rice
- Singapore Hawkers Share: How Hawker Centres Bring Us Together
- 6 Delicious Local Breakfast Recipes To Start Your Day
P.S. We’ve got recipes for all your Singaporean and Asian favourites on our Youtube channel. Subscribe and share with your friends!
P.P.S. Can’t find a recipe you like? Drop us a comment or ping us on our socials.
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