Singapore's TidbiTs

For people staying in the east, particularly at or near Tampines east, Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats Block 201 also known as Tampines N2 Shopping Street is impressive with its varied offerings. especially food. While not visually stunning, it is after all a typical housing estate, it is a bustling neighbourhood with blocks and the blocks stretching from Block 201C to Block 201E, is a feast to behold with its eateries. Starting with Afghanistan Restaurant located along Tampines Street 23 at Block 201E and just across Tampines East Community Centre (CC), this busy coffeeshop style restaurant with 10 stalls attract morning breakfast goers with its delicious local offerings such as kacang phool , mee soto , nasi lemak and the many kueh or snacks. The kacang phool shown below complete with baguette and a cup coffee is $7. Perfect for breakfast. Tampines N2 Shopping Street At Block 201D at Tampines St. 21, there is a restaurant popular for its briyani, roti prata and murtabak c...

Once known as the Malay Emporium of Singapore and although it was developed later than the more glamorous and historical Kampong Glam , Geylang Serai has long been associated with the Malay ethnic community of Singapore with history of the area dated back to early 19th century. It is one of the oldest Malay settlements in Singapore. Located between Changi Road and Sims Avenue, the main attraction of the greater Geylang Serai is the busy Geylang Serai Market, affectionately known amongst the Malays as Pasar Lama (old market). Pasar Baru (new market) is the opposite building called Joo Chiat Complex, which was completed in 1985 on the site of the former Changi Market. Designed like a traditional Malay house, Geylang Serai Market comprises two storeys consisting of a wet market on the ground floor and a cooked food or hawker centre on the upper floor. It was first opened in 1964 by the first prime minister of Singapore Lee Kwan Yew. It was redeveloped in 2009 and reopened in 2010. It is ...

Bedok Food Centre is a hawker centre affectionately known as Bedok Corner . Simply because it is located at the corner of Bedok Road and Upper East Coast Road. A compact place with 31 stalls where you can find and taste traditional local delicacies such as satay , ayam penyet , laksa , rojak , bubur kampong (kampong style porridge), sup kambing (mutton soup), mee soto , chicken rice, char kway teow, gado-gado, Hokkien mee, roti john and snacks such as banana or chempedak fritters, epok-epok or curry puffs. There is a popular local dessert cheng teng stall, a few seafood stalls that sell the perennial seafood dishes such as the spicy sambal stingray, cumi sotong (squid) and sambal lala. Bubur is congee or porridge and kampong means village. Chempedak is artocarpus integer , in the same family as jackfruit. Bedok Food Centre a.k.a. Bedok Corner The words food centre and hawker centres are used interchangeably, and they basically mean the same. In many countries the term hawker c...

Popiah or spring roll. It can be the whitish wet version or the brownish deep-fried ones. These spring rolls are popular local delicacies. The ingredients can include but not limited to eggs, prawns, turnip, carrots, peanuts, lettuce, parsley, garlic, bean sprout, sweet sauce, chilli paste (the quantity of chilli paste depends on the spiciness that you want it to be) that are wrapped in popiah skin which is paper thin wheat flour to hold all or some of these ingredients! Many people think it is the skin that makes or break a popiah. And the filling of vegetables, seafood, eggs and chilli, which is optional, need to be well-drained before being tightly rolled or wrapped. The popiah still need to be moist but not soggy. Some vendors will add a dash of crushed peanut bits to make it crispy. Kway Guan Huat Popiah at Joo Chiat You can get popiah at most hawker or food centres . The popiah can be the deep-fried version or the wet types, depending on personal preference. You can get a wet ty...

Bugis Village also known as Bugis Street Market is a good place for tourists and locals alike to pick up a souvenir or two such as fridge magnets and keychains. It is not a flea market, but more of the street's night market concept stores with fixed price, although you can also bargain for higher value items like a luggage bag. You can find 'I love Singapore' or 'Singapore is a Fine City' T-shirts that go for three pieces for $10. But of course, it must look lame for locals to wear these T-shirts here or elsewhere. Not that we are not patriotic. I think one would look pretty hilarious too, wearing a 'no chewing gum' t-shirt. You cannot find chewing gums at Bugis Market or elsewhere in Singapore. So, do I miss chewing the sugary gum? Fortunately, not really. Entrance to Bugis Street Market If you are looking for inexpensive watches, you can get a $5 watch at Bugis Market. These are not fake branded watches like those found in some alleys in Bangkok and other...

Pasar malam — the Malay term for "night market" — is a quintessential Singaporean experience. These temporary, open-air bazaars pop up in neighbourhoods across the island, filling the evening air with the sizzle of deep-fried snacks, the aroma of grilled meats, and the buzz of bargain hunters. Whether you are after a quick dinner, a late-night sugar fix, or a cheap phone cable, the pasar malam delivers. 📋 Quick Facts Meaning Pasar = market, malam = night (Malay) Type Temporary / pop-up outdoor market Typical hours 12pm – 10pm (varies by location) Entry fee Free Payment Cash preferred; some stalls accept PayNow Best time to go Weekday evenings (6–8pm) to avoid crowds 📖 What Is a Pasar Malam? Pasar malam literally means "night market" in Malay — pasar being market and malam being night. In the old days, these markets operated only in the evenings when the tropical heat had subsided. Today, many open as early as mi...