Do you live to eat, or eat to live?
Singaporean company Makasuntra believes that it’s the former; there are countless, delicious things to chomp on, bite into and make you say “Yum! Another serving of that, please. And no sharing this time!†Life to them is all about finding happiness on a plate — more specifically, a humble, yet increasingly popular plate of street food.
From the group that brought Filipinos the palpitatingly exciting and hugely successful World Street Food Congress held at Bonifacio Global City last April, Makansutra is set to open the 12-stall Makansutra Hawkers which will be a permanent Singapore-style “hawker” food hall at the SM Megamall this September. Hawker stalls are food stalls that usually only specialize in a few main dishes.
(A funky peanut butter and pork floss sandwich at the refreshment and snack station. Can you imagine the taste and texture?)
(While CNN calls Melvin a new generation of heritage street food soldier, their new style Bento Kway Chap and duck set says it all)
“Heritage street food culture has never been more empowered than it is today. A heritage street food dish is about culture, lifestyle, traditions and identity. It also represents myriad opportunities for both the humble cook and the savvy investor,†says entrepreneur KF Seetoh who founded Makansutra in 1997.
Filipinos will soon find themselves face to face with all time favorites like Singapore’s well known Geylang Claypot Rice and Malaysian Laksa, as well as newer, less familiar (but equally promising) selections like spicy egg baguette with chicken curry, pork rib broth cooked with sugar cane, rice noodle with pig offal, black glutinous rice in palm sugar and a tall, frosty glass of lemon barley to say the very least.
“You do or die; it’s about survival, and that’s how iconic world street food fare was created back in the more desperate days,†Seetoh further elaborates, which is not to say that uncomplicated recipes don’t deserve to be celebrated and enjoyed up to the very last bite and sip.
Just like the modest banana cue, carioca and ubiquitous fishball and grilled isaw, these international counterparts of local favorites will surely find a special place in the food-loving palate of the Filipino. With an average of P200 for whole meals, how can you resist?
The Makansutra Hawkers can sit up to 500 people and will have two spaces for private functions. More impressively, Makansutra intends to hire disadvantaged individuals to operate its stalls and will be trained on basic and robust street food skills to give them a head start. The Makansutra concept is also available for Franchising and Licensing Partnerships.
(A truly old and forgotten version of Teochew style peppery Bak Kut Teh with Sugar Cane is hawked at the Adam’s Rib stall)
(That gummy crispy fragrant Oyster Omelet or Or Luah, will be sold at the Ah Tee stall)
(Baoji Xiang, besides offering paper wrapped fried chicken noodles, will also offer the comforting Singapore chicken rice set)
(Alhambra Padang will aslo offer this satay bee hoon which was a hit at the recent World Street Food Congress where they ran a stall)
(Har Cheong Kai from Hong Kong Street)
(The iconic Singapore chili crab from Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee)
(Mian Ji and fried Hokkien Prawn Mee)
(A Singapore invention — the Milo Dinosaur, dedicated to kids and the young at heart will be available at the refreshment station)
(Nasi Briyani)
(Folks waited for two hours for this Malacca nonya mee Siam from Donald and Lily at the World Street Food Congress. It should be a shorter wait this time)
(This is the stall that Anthony Bourdain wants in his Bourdain Market in New York — The Geylang Claypot Rice stall)
  
(It looks like a new version of Pares with noodles but this beef noodle with thick beef gravy sauce will entice you at the Gooba Hia stall)
(Singapore hawkers testing and hiring cooks to work with them)
