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Westies, you might want to set your meal plans aside or make space for more because Jurong Point’s Food Feastival has begun! From 28 Aug to 10 Sep 2023, the event space at JP1 (older wing of Jurong Point) is hosting a dizzying array of booths from vibrant artisan desserts to modernised street food.
We hastily made our way there on the first day, lured by the promising list of vendors that would be setting up shop over the 2 weeks. If you’ve been to any bazaar-style food fairs or festivals, the layout is no different.
The first booth to catch our attention was a collection of adorably shaped figures which turned out to be mantou buns and mooncakes.
As we ambled along, an all-too-familiar sight stopped me in my tracks. I never envisioned coming across a booth selling snacks straight out of my childhood.
Instead of using coconut milk in the Khanom khrok (S$5 for 8pcs), these came in Thai Milk Tea, Sweet Potato and Pandan flavours. Without the coconut milk’s aroma, a creamy filling and crispy bottom, the khanom khrok resemble the original in name only. A decent snack but not worth trying if you want the real thing.
For a more authentic taste, we were told Potato Queen’s Pandan Cassava Cakes (S$3.50 for 1, S$6 for 2) are made the traditional way with the addition of pandan.
The texture was more gelatinous than I remember but it was enjoyable since the pandan lends a great deal of aroma. The Potato Stick with Sour Cream (S$4) could have been an easy home-run had it not been served stale. Perhaps you might get lucky and receive a fresh batch.
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By far the most tantalising dessert option to me were the snow mochis from Xiao GeGe. The mochi skin was stretchy but not chewy and the cream fillings had a poised sweetness that didn’t overwhelm the taste buds. Their Taro Puree (S$4.50) and Strawberry (S$4.50) were absolute standouts.
Definitely can’t forget the iconic Mozzerella cheese coin (S$6) from 2 Ninja 1 Fatty
Of course, that’s not all there is to the food stalls. You can also indulge in the Salted Crispy Chicken (S$5.50) and Honey Glazed Chicken Chop (S$5.50), as well as Beef Cubes (S$12).
Even Cinnabon has set up a booth at Food Feastival, bringing their world-famous bakes to Jurong Point. Either dabble in their selection with a Mini Chocobon (S$4.50) or go big and get a pack of Minibon 4-in-1 (S$17) for yourself; either way, you’ll have to go all the way to Raffles for more after the food fair ends.
It’s safe to say you’ll need more than a few repeat visits to try everything. But if you take eating seriously, it might be time to flex those jaw muscles and loosen your stomach. Eating challenges will be taking place on the weekends – Gimbap, Noodles on 2 Sep and Burger stacking, Chicken Wings challenges on 3 Sep. 9 and 10 Sep will be when the heavy hitters take part in the finals for an epic showdown. Performances like Taiko Drums and K-pop dances are going to electrify the atmosphere.
It’s looking like a lively 2 weeks at Jurong Point’s Food Feastival, so why not head over to watch an eating competition live, gorge down some food in your own time or participate yourself?
Do note registering for the challenges is free but requires an L Privileges membership.
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