Singapore's TidbiTs

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 ...

Many associated Little India with Mustafa Centre, the huge 24-hour department store that sells almost anything. Yes, they practically sell everything including electronics, jewellery, shoes and fresh produce. And we all know of someone who would dash to Mustafa Centre to get that last-minute travel luggage. Other than Mustafa Centre, another well-known landmark in Little India is without doubt Tekka Centre or Market and the Arcade. Although not part of the original Raffles Town or Jackson Plan, like the ethnic areas of Kampong Glam and Chinatown , the well-preserved Little India in Singapore evolved through trade-related activities and remain a magnet of all things that represent the Indian culture and heritage of Singapore. The area was developed around agriculture and cattle trading in the 19th century. Common traditional trades include garland-making, goldsmithing, and fortune-telling. Indian goldsmiths are prominent, as gold jewelry is culturally significant. Walk along Serangoon ...

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...

If you crave for that yummy Indian dishes there are many tasty yet affordable dishes that you can get for between $3 to $5. The good old roti prata or Indian pancake with vegetable, fish or meat curry gravy, which you can find practically everywhere in Singapore, at hawker centres , food-courts or coffee-shops. Or stand-alone stalls that just sells roti-prata and other Indian foods. Though just like many local snacks, roti-prata can be quite greasy as well. Chappati set with four different dips. Other common tasty and affordable Indian food is potato filled masala thosai with curry and sourish sauces, dipping or gravies that you can get for $3 or a chappati set that includes two pieces of chapatis and three side dishes plus poppadom, or Indian cracker. If you are looking for a healthier option, chapati will probably be it. Just like roti-prata, you can find those or chapati at many Indian stalls at hawker centres or food-courts. A plain thosai without fillings cost only between $1.50...