The annual World Gourmet Summit is back with its impressive range of international chefs. But if the events’ high prices make you lose your appetite, don’t get up from the table just yet. Our fair city is home to an incredibly diverse menu of cuisines. In fact, you can eat your way around the world without leaving town – and you can do it for less than $10 a pop

AUSTRALIA

Piper’s Pies
At Piper’s, the pies are hand-made daily and baked on the premises. Go for the hefty Piper’s Special made of  100 per cent lean Aussie beef  encased in a flaky pie shell ($6), and the classic coconut-flecked chocolate lamington ($2.80). #B1-59 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd (6338  6371).  MRT:  Raffles  City.  Mon Fri noon-10pm; Sat & Sun 11am-10pm.

AUSTRIA

Wiener Kaffeehaus
The  Viennese  coffee  delivers  a delightful  buzz  and  is  prettily served on a small silver tray complete with its own sugar cubes, cream and small cup of  luke-warm water; to help take the edge off  should the shakes get to you. For $8.80, pair it with warm chocolate cake or the traditional Sacher Torte ($4.40), a firmer, drier version of  a sponge cake packed with 70 per cent dark chocolate and apricot jam. 148 Neil Rd (6226 3148). MRT: Outram. Daily 10am-10pm.

BRITAIN

Chippy
The  reason  to  come  to  this British take-away is its Scottish offering: the deep-fried Mars bar. At Chippy, four pieces of  the gooey candy bar are just $2.95. If  you feel you must balance that with  something healthy, you can always order the fish and chips ($4.45). #B1-58 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd. MRT: City Hall. Daily noon-9.30pm

BURMA

Inle Myanmar Restaurant
Try the mou hin ga ($5.50), a ubiquitous noodle soup served as a light meal.The version here is richly curried in thick orange  fish  gravy,  filled  with  thin  rice noodles and a hard-boiled egg, and pungent with lemongrass and lime. #B1-07A Peninsula Plaza, 111 North Bridge Rd (6333  5438,  www.inlemyanmar.com.sg). MRT: City Hall. Daily 11am-10pm.

CHINA

Lao Beijing Dining Hall
Northern Chinese cuisine is the name of  the game here, so expect lots  of   very  reasonably  priced  soupy  noodles to slurp and bijoux dumplings to munch. Order the lightly piquant Zhajiang mian ($6), noodles smothered with a tender minced-pork gravy, and share a steaming basket of  xiao long bao ($8). #03-01 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd (6738 7207). MRT: Dhoby Ghaut. Daily 11.30am-3pm; 6-10pm.

CUBA

Cuba Libre
You may not be able to get to Cuba before Castro kicks it, but you can get a little Latino flavour right in Clarke Quay. Order a mojito, and sink your spoon into the caramelised sweet-corn flan or the baked coconut pudding ($7 each). The show of  amateur salsa dancers who shake their hips on the small dance floor comes free. #01-13 Clarke Quay, 3 River Valley Rd (6338 8982). MRT: Clarke Quay. Sun-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri & Sat 5pm-2am.

IF YOU LIKE…
High: Morton’s New York sirloin ($86) (Level 4, The Oriental, 5 Raffles Ave, 6339 3740)
THEN TRY…
Low: Astons Specialities ($9.90) (119 East Coast Rd, 6247 7857)

FRANCE

Crêperie Ar-Men
Let’s face it: for ten bucks you’re not getting any haute cuisine coq au vin. But you can still feast on good French crêpes (which, come to think of  it, are basically  the  Gallic  version  of   roti  but  with  a lot  more  flair).  Weekdays  noon  to  2.30pm, a set lunch with a starter, crêpe and dessert is from $9.90. 37 Duxton Rd (6227 3389). MRT: Tanjong Pagar. Mon-Sat, noon-2.30pm, 7-10.30pm.

GERMANY

Werner’s Oven
Opened by Werner Hochbaum in 1988, this favourite in the East is now run by the second generation of  his German-Singaporean family. And though some of  the dishes are just shy of  $20, you can chow on delicious grilled bratwurst and potato salad for $8 – or go right for the good stuff: a range of  German beers is just $7.95 for 330ml. 01-01/02/03 6 Upper East Coast Rd (6442 3897). MRT: Tanah Merah, then bus 14. Tue-Sun 8.30am-10pm.

INDIA

Samy’s Curry House
Samy’s is laid-back, cheap and has a diverse menu that’s stellar across the board. Everything is served on banana leaves instead of  plates, and that just adds to the experience. Our particular favourites: the fiery fish curry ($3.80), rich palak paneer ($5, small) and melt-in-the-mouth garlic naan ($2.50). And don’t forget the chicken tikka ($3.50 per piece). Blk 25A Dempsey Rd (6472 2080, www.samyscurry. com). MRT: Orchard. Daily 11am-3pm, 6-10pm. Other location: # 01-23/30 Katong Village, Block C, 86 East Coast Rd (6345 1726). Daily 11am-11pm.

INDONESIA

Pondok Jawa Timur
Like the eatery, the food is unpretentious and simple in appearance, but scores high on taste. The ayam penyet ( $5.50), which we think must mean ‘take a piece of  chicken, smash it with a chopper and then fry it’, tastes heavenly, with the aromatic marinade of  herbs and spices infusing nicely into the succulent flesh of  the chicken. For an extra dollar it’s served with white rice. #02-66/67 Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Rd (6333 8785). MRT: Orchard. Daily 11.30am-9.30pm.

ITALY

Da Paolo Gastranomica
Top the crunchy, thin crust with pepperoni, mixed vegetables or prosciutto for $6 per large slice.  Several  public  tables  are  nearby  for customers who simply can’t wait to eat until they get home. #01-74 Chip Bee Gardens, 43 Jalan for a Merah Saga (6475 1323, www.dapaolo.com.sg). MRT: Buona Vista. Daily 9.15am-9pm.

JAPAN

Kuriya Fish Market
Kuriya Fish Market sets itself  apart from the masses with just one small twist, its chilli salmon don. What appears to be a normal salmon don is given a little Singaporean lift with the help of  crunchy spring onions and a zing of  chilli, moulded together with some sesame oil. At $10.80, it is a little over the budget, but in return you’ll taste a truly original (and tasty) dish that you won’t be able to find elsewhere in or out of  Singapore. We say pay the damn 80 cents. #B1-107 Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade  (6836  4910).  MRT:  Orchard, then free shuttle bus from Marriot Hotel on Orchard Road to Great World City. Daily 10-30am-9.30pm.

KOREAN

Yogi Hub
Yogi’s vegetarian menu is 60 per cent organic, which makes for an environmentally friendly, not to mention delicious meal. Although the offerings cover a variety of  Asian cuisines, one stan-dout takes you on a quick trip to Korea: the Korean brown rice set ($7.80) of  goodies like red-eyed beans, barley, black glutinous rice, herbs and mushrooms braised in vegetable stock. The set comes with a soup of  the day, which is usually lotus root, bittergourd or winter-melon. 16 Madras St (6298 8198). MRT: Little India. Tues-Sat 11.30am-3pm, 6-10pm; Sun 11.30am-5pm. Other location: 28 Stanley St (6220 4344). MRT: Tanjong Pagar or Raffles Place. Mon-Fri 11.30am-7pm, Sat 11am-4pm.

MACAU

Crystal Jade Macau Cafe Restaurant
The highlight here is the Macau pork chop bun ($5.80). The bun itself  is exactly how we like it. A slightly sweet white bread that is soft on the inside and toasted on the outside. A nice portion of  marinated pork chop is squeezed in the middle and the sandwich is served with mayonnaise and a slice of  tomato. A great alternative when you’re tired of  run-ofthe-mill hamburgers. #B1-29A Seiyu Bugis, 230 Victoria St (6338 0198). MRT: Bugis. Daily 11-9.30pm.

MALAYSIA

Penang Kitchen
The nondescript façade belies the rich Penang fare offered here, some of  the best this side of  the Malaysian border. Plus point: friendly and helpful staff  who will even give you a drink as you wait for your take-away. The flavourful hor fun duck soup
($8.50), with its huge braised duck leg, can actually feed two light eaters. #01-05 5 Coronation Rd (6466 6193). Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat & Sun 10.30am-10pm.

IF YOU LIKE...
High: Chatterbox’s chicken rice ($22.75) (Meritus Mandarin, 333 Orchard Rd, 6831 6291)
THEN TRY...
Low: Boon Tong Kee ($4.70) (425 River Valley Rd, 6736 3213)

MEXICO

Café Iguana
This Mexican spot is proof  that concept restaurants can be fun as hell, so long as you have good food and good booze. The dish to try is the carne de puerco en chile verde ($7.99) served with sour cream, soft tortillas and rice. The stew is surprisingly rich and bold and clearly made from good stock. And because the food comes in generous portions, this appetiser makes for a great light meal. Or, since this is Mexico, you could skip solid food altogether and go right for the liquid lunch. Iguana has a bar full of  100 per cent blue agave tequilas, so fill up on a potent shot of  the Cabrito Blanco or Cabrito Reposado ($9.99 each). Even better, house pours are half  price from opening until 9pm and midnight till closing. #01-03 Riverside Point, 30 Merchant Rd (6236 1275, www.cafeiguana.com). Mon-Thu 6pm-1am; Fri 6pm-3am; Sat noon-3am; Sun noon-1am.

MOROCCO

Deli Moroccan
Featuring  an  al  fresco  dining space, this restaurant offers huge portions of  Moroccan specialities at a tiny price. A fusion of  European and African food, the cuisine is known for its extensive use of  North African spices (such as cumin, coriander, saffron, chillis and cinnamon) in tandem with almond and pistachio nuts. The most expensive dish is just $6.50, and most can be had for less than $5. Run by a local Malay lady and her Moroccan husband, the Deli offers friendly and prompt service and piping hot food served in a traditional earthenware tagine (the name for both pot and dish). Don’t miss the Moroccan apple drink – a sweet, cold, blended shake with milk and cinnamon – and the traditional hot apple tea, which is considered an art form in Morocco. Pair either with Koofta tagin (beef  stewed in an earthenware  pot,  $5.50)  or  the  Moroccan beef  kebab ($4). 30 Bussorah St. MRT: Bugis. Daily 11am-11pm.

NEPAL

Gorkha Grill
This lovely little restaurant is a little tricky to find, as it’s tucked behind the hawker stalls lining Smith Street, but it’s worth the hunt. Nepalese food in some ways is similar to Indian (and the restaurant sells that cuisine as well), with pungent spices and flavourful rice. For vegetarians, the palungo ko saag is a knockout: spinach sautéed with cumin seeds ($6.50). Carnivorous types should try the pro kukhura ko masu, which is a Nepalese chilli chicken dish. Or go for the momo ($8), which looks like a Nepalese version of  fried Chinese dumplings, filled with minced meat and veggies. It’s listed as an appetiser, but one serving can really fill you up. 21 Smith St (6227 0806). MRT: Chinatown. Daily 11.30am-3pm, 5.30-11pm.

RUSSIA

Nadezhda
Hearty, warm fare served by a hearty, warm woman – that’s what we want from Russian food. Evgenia Polesnaya,  more  affectionately  known  to local patrons as Jane, delivers both. The place is staffed by Russkie natives (Polesnya is from Belarus herself) and doles out perfect pirozhki (appetiser bun with cabbage) for just 70 cents. Other filling fare includes  draniki (potato pancakes, $5.50), blinchiki (pancakes  stuffed  with  snow  apple,  ice-cream or honey; $6), kotleta kartofelnaya (mashed potato pie with mushrooms, $7) and kvas (sparkling bread drink made with yeast, $3). 140 Arab St (6396 3445) MRT: Bugis. Daily 11am-11pm.

IF YOU LIKE...
High: Kazu Sumiyaki’s chicken yakitori ($23.20)  (#04-05 Cuppage Plaza, 5 Koek Rd, 6734 2492)
THEN TRY...
Low: Tori Q (90¢) (#B1-K1 Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd, 6836 7906)

SCOTLAND

Highlander
At this Scottish restaurant one of  the standouts is, ironically, an English invention:  the  Scotch  egg  ($10),  which  was dreamed up by the London food store, Fortnum & Mason, in 1738. Still, this one should not be given a miss. The tasty hard-boiled egg is wrapped with semi-salty sausage meat and encased in a layer of  perfectly fried breadcrumbs. It’s crisp and satisfying, particularly after a night of  pubbing. And it’s almost better than Mum’s. If  you’re more thirsty than hungry, you can sample a taste that is truly all Scotland. A mere $9.50 opens the door to the 225 whiskies on offer, but you’d need $2,800 for a bottle of  top-of-the-range single malt. #01-11 Block 3B, The Foundry, Clarke Quay, 3 River Valley Rd (6235 9528). MRT: Clarke Quay. Daily 11am-1am.

SINGAPORE

Chilli Padi
The restaurant is tricked out in Peranakan furniture and decorations, which can be a tad garish, but the menu, which is personally planned by executive chef  Patricia Lee, more than makes up for it. Many regulars swear by the ayam bua keluak (small  $7.80, big $10.80), the essential Peranakan stew  made  from  chicken  and  Indonesian black nut in a thick, spicy gravy that combines all the different taste sensations: sweet, salty, bitter and sour. But we say try the kepetin bak wan ($8.80), a rich broth which comes with generous helping of  juicy balls of  crab-meat, tofu and minced pork, sprinkled with grated bamboo shoots. 11 Joo Chiat Place (6275 1002). MRT: Bugis, then bus 33. Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30-10pm.

SWEDEN

Ikea
Hey, the meatballs are good – and they’re just $5.80. Ikea Alexandra, level 2, 317 Alexandra Rd (6786 6868, www. ikea.com.sg). MRT: Redhill, then bus 33 or 64. Daily 8am-10pm. Other location: Ikea Tampines, level 4, 60 Tampines North Dr 2 (6786 6868, www.ikea.com.sg). MRT: Tampines, then bus 27 or 168.

TAIWAN

Shilin Snacks
In keeping with the tradition of  the  famous  Shilin  Night  Market in Taipei, this stall sells nothing but ‘snacks’. But don’t make the mistake of  thinking this is finger food: items like the XXL Chicken ($3), a large, breaded, deep-fried cutlet of  chicken about the size of  a DVD box, and the Oyster Mee Sua ($3.50), vermicelli noodles in a thick brown sauce with liberal amounts of  oysters, are not to be ordered lightly. Basement 1, Junction 8 Shopping Centre. MRT: Bishan. Daily 11am-9pm.

IF YOU LIKE...
High: Empire Café’s nasi lemak ($14.50) (Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Rd, 6412 1101)
THEN TRY...
Low: Old Chang Kee ($2) (Blk 500, #01-34 Toa Payoh Central, 6259 3329)

THAILAND

Sticky Rice
Serangoon Gardens is as suburban as you can get, but Sticky Rice – smoky mirrors and red leather chairs – gives the homely locale a blast of  sex appeal, Thai-style. You also won’t find a better value lunch in town than the three-course noodle set ($9.90), a large serving of  pad thai strewn with peanuts and chilli flakes, tom yam soup swirling with coconut milk, and creamy otak. 5 Kensington Park Rd, Serangoon Gardens (6284  6266).  MRT:  Serangoon.  Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 6-9.30pm; Sat & Sun 11am-3pm, 6-10.30pm.

TURKEY

Sofra Turkish Café and Restaurant
Three may be a crowd but not for Sofra, whose Turkish trio cook up a storm every day in the kitchen to serve up delectable Turkish standards in a cosy setting. Start off  with warm red lentil soup ($3.30), move on to the doner kebab (a ‘turning roast’ of  lamb, beef  and chicken) served on fragrant rice ($8.90) or try the Turkish pizza ($1.20 per slice) (a variant served on pita bread, very popular with Turks). Finish off  with scrumptious baklava ($3.80), washed down with hot apple tea, black tea ($2.20, preferred by the Turks) or thick, strong Turkish coffee ($3.80). #02-42/43/44 Shaw Towers, 100 Beach Rd (6291 1433) MRT: City Hall or Bugis. Daily noon-9.30pm.

UNITED STATES

Botak Jones
He’s a long way from New Orleans, but for American Bernie Utchenik, home  is  where  the  stomach  is.  Wedged incongruously between a rojak and fishball noodle stall, he serves up monstrous portions of  American diner fare at really cheap prices. Spend your money on the Swanky Franky hotdog ($9), a log-like chicken sausage  wrapped  in  bacon,  blanketed  with melted cheddar and onions, and served with a giant side order of  fries and coleslaw. #01-2771 Yue Hua Food Place, Blk 608 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5 (6775 1225). MRT: Ang Mo Kio. Daily noon-10pm.

VIETNAM

Pho House
Everything at Pho House makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The friendly and bubbly service is top-notch, stemming from Saigon-born owner and chef  Trent Thai. Then there’s the food – so good that Vietnam sends cooking students to be trained here. The pho bo – beef  noodles with a full bodied soup stock ($9) – is the main reason to visit, though the grilled pork chop ($9) isn’t half  bad either. One enduring regret is that we’ve never made it to dessert, we’re always so full after the main course and coffee. 3 Temasek Blvd #03-008, Suntec City Mall (6820 2455). MRT: City Hall. Daily noon-9pm.

Compiled by Rachel Askham, Billie Cohen, Charlene Fang, June Lee, Gregory Leow, Derek Lim, Jamie Nonis, Elizabeth Soriano, Jaclyn Tan, Theresa Tan, Chris Toh and Daven Wu