Essay:Describe some of your experiences in food courts and hawker centres. How important are these places in your life as a teenager in Singapore? (N13)

Have you heard of a saying that goes "Your taste buds have memories of their own"? It is true that we can remember the distinct flavours of food well. Undoubtedly, food forms an integral part of our lives and without food, we will not have the energy to do work. For me, experiences at food courts and hawker centres are very memorable and as a teenager, these places play an important role in my life too! I will be describing experiences in some hawker centres that I like very much- Tiong Bahru Food Centre, Jurong West Hawker Centre and the Zion Riverside Food Centre.

  Firstly, does a place appear in your mind whenever you crave for mouth-watering dishes? Yes, I do, and Tiong Bahru Food Centre is no doubt the first place that appears in y mind whenever I think of delectable Singaporean cuisine. From chicken rice, prawn noodles, to "chee kueh", there is a wide array of dishes to choose from ,so I cannot help but become spoilt for choice. One of my favourite dishes is "chee kueh". The "kueh" is soft but firm and garnished with a generous layer of savoury and crunchy pickled vegetables. Once I bite in, all the surrounding noise seems to be blocked off and I can feel the contrasting textures between the supple "kueh" and the roughness of the pickled vegetables. Therefore, you can see that Tiong Bahru Food Centre is so important to me because I can derive plenty of joy from indulging in the local dishes. Not only do the dishes fill my stomach with satisfaction, but they also supplement in my growth as I am still a growing teenager. As food is what I miss the most about Singapore whenever  I am overseas, satisfying my cravings at the Tiong Bahru Food Centre constantly reminds me of my Singaporean identity.

  Next, the Jurong West food market is just like any ordinary market. It has a noisy and vibrant atmosphere, which displays the passion and warm-heartedness of Singaporeans, just like the tropical climate in Singapore.There is a wet market within the food market itself, so the floor may be wet and slippery, with the air even filled with a pungent and fishy smell. However it still holds a significance to me as I spent most of my childhood here. It is the place where I accompanied my mother to her daily grocery shopping in the wet market, where I had to stand outside the wet market and pinch my nose because of the pungent smell, where I started on my culinary journey through the different flavours of food- salty, sweet, spicy and bitter, just like the flavours of life. Nowadays, as a teenager, it is important to reflect on my childhood occasionally and take things slowly amid my fast-paced and busy lifestyle. The Jurong West Food Centre is truly the place where I can reminisce about the old times I spent in Jurong and with the people here.

  Finally, the hawker centre that I will be talking about is famous for its "Char Kway Teow". It is none other than the Zion Riverside Food Centre As compared to the rest of the hawker centres I have mentioned, this hawker centre is relatively small in size. However, especially on weekends, it is packed to the brim with tourists who are interested in Singapore's cuisine and culture. Although I may sometimes be out off by the long snake-like queues, I join in the queue and through hearing some conversations and observing my surroundings, I can understand more about Singaporeans and the tourists who visit Singapore to a greater extent. I understand how Singaporeans are willing to wait patiently in line just for the sake of good food, such as "Char Kway Teow", and why tourists visit Singapore, mostly due to the credit of  our unique culture. This is shown through our dishes such as rojak, which consists of a variety of ingredients- "you tiao"(fried dough fritters), turnip slices, pineapple slices, all combined by a sweet sauce. The sweet sauce represents what Singaporeans share in common, which is the love for Singapore and the entire dish is integrated like the people of Singapore, who are able to blend well together despite the differences between the many races and religions. Through this, as a teenager, I can have a broader horizon of Singapore, as well as the world, just through being in the Zion Riverside Food Centre.

 Therefore, the experiences in food courts and hawker centres such as the Tiong Bahru Food Centre, the Jurong West Food Market, and the Zion Riverside Food Centre offer so much more than food to me. Apart from pampering my taste buds, they possess memories and dishes that constantly remind me of my Singaporean identity and provides me with a wider horizon of Singapore. They supply food for the nourishment of our teenage souls. Hence, we should spend some time to immerse ourselves in the vibrant food culture that Singapore has to offer.

Score:23/30

Tips: Try using 5 senses to describe these places. 

Note: Some people also call "chee kueh" as "chwee kueh". By the way, this is one of my favourite essays! :)