Makan Spotlight: Laksa

Kelaté is a hawker stall helmed by Malaysia-based actress Sasqia Dahuri that's dedicated to Kelantan cuisine. There are only three dishes on the menu, and you won't find the usual bowl of engine-red broth here. Instead, you'll get an unassuming plate of white gravy poured over white flat rice noodles – called laksam (from $4.90). But what it lacks in colour it makes up for with flavour. The fish-based coconut gravy is creamy and deeply savoury, with a bright and spicy edge thanks to the torch ginger flower and sambal. It's a unique, yet strangely comforting, version of the familiar curry-based laksa. 

You won't miss the gravy in the bowl of dry laksa from Let's Jiak!. For founders Ryna Tan-Jalil and Carlos Choon, it started as a popular potluck dish that blossomed into a lifeline during the COVID-19 circuit breaker period. They've since sold more than a thousand bowls out of their home, with many drooling over the fragrant rempah (spice blend) and hae bee (dried shrimps). One bowl of their signature dry laksa costs $9.50, with options for self-pickup or $10 islandwide delivery. Order yours from @letsjiaklaksa. 

For those who like their food sour, Penang assam laksa is preferable. Sate your appetite for it at Super Star Original Famous Penang Laksa. Fans rave about its authenticity – apparently the laksa is as good as any you'll get from its place of origin. The soup is said to be rich with the sweetness of ikan kembung (chub mackerel) to balance out the sour and spicy notes, and comes topped with large, fresh and juicy cockles, which makes the slightly pricey $6.50 price tag worth it.

Try out laksa Siglap at Lemaq before this dish is lost to history. Said to have originated in a coastal village called Kampong Siglap, laksa Siglap is a completely different breed from the ubiquitous Nyonya and Singaporean laksa. Where the latter is creamy and sweet, the former is nutty, sour and pungent thanks to a fish-based broth, toasted coconut shreds and a lemongrass-forward rempah. The dish is completed by laksa cap, a thick and chewy noodle made from tapioca starch and rice flour.