Of course, when in Singapore, I had to have one of my favourite dishes: laksa.
I did a bit of research and found that Katong Laksa (George’s) was highly rated and frequently recommended on forums, so I decided to make my way there. Getting there wasn’t exactly the most enjoyable part of the experience, though. It was 31°C outside with high humidity, and you have to walk for around 10–12 minutes in the heat to reach the place.
After waiting through two crossings, each taking more than four minutes for the green man, I finally made it to Katong Laksa. The setting is very simple — an open-air seating area with no air conditioning (but thankfully huge fans), although there is some shade from the fixed canopy above.
I ordered a small bowl with extra prawns. As soon as it arrived, the aroma of the spices hit me. I also liked how the laksa covered mostly everything in the bowl. I decided to try the laksa on its own first before adding the extra chilli sauce and dried coriander, and I’m glad I did.
This was a really good laksa. You could taste the spices, coconut and dried prawns, and it was packed with flavour. What I particularly liked was that it wasn’t overly sweet; it leaned much more towards the savoury side.
Then I mixed in the chilli and coriander, and wow, that chilli gave it an extra punch.
The round rice noodles had a lovely bounce, the fish cake was finely chopped, and the cockles provided tasty little bites of seafood whenever you came across one. The prawns were also a great addition and worked really well with all the other flavours.
One thing that did surprise me, though, was the curdling in the laksa, which I suspect came from the coconut milk, along with a few other little bits floating around. It didn’t bother me too much, but it was noticeable.
Overall, this was a really yummy bowl of laksa and well worth the trip. With newspaper cuttings and photos of famous influencers and other notable visitors displayed around the place, I can certainly see why this little spot has made a name for itself.
Katong Laksa (George St)
Address: 307 Changi Rd, Singapore 419785
