Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Chong Pang is a small, often overlooked part of the North. Compared to its outlandishly wild cousin Yishun, Chong Pang is more of a sleepy town where old folks come to retire. This peace was shaken up when it was announced that the iconic Chong Pang City Gateway was going to be demolished to facilitate the development of Chong Pang City.
Residents took the news with heads held high. The gateway isn’t gone forever; it will be rebuilt in 2027. Even so, a farewell party was in order. And what better way to celebrate an integral part of Chong Pang’s streets than a pasar malam?
I did not expect much as I was told that the Chong Pang City Pasar Malam has 15 stalls and runs from 11 Oct till 31 Oct 2025. However, nothing could prepare me for the disappointment I was barrelling towards. As I stepped down from the bus, shock and horror overtook me as I realised that this was far from a pasar malam.
There were barely any food stalls at all. I counted 6 or 7 stalls — and they were your typical Ramly Burgers, kebabs, and Thai iced tea. It’s barebones; there weren’t even any hipster-esque matcha stalls.
The only energy I felt in this barren facade of a pasar malam came from Biase 2 je, a stall selling Malay snacks. It’s run by 2 jovial men who welcomed me with open arms, explaining every item on their menu with enthusiasm.
I took an interest in their Bombolonis (S$1 for 1), which come in boxes of 6, 8, and 12. These sugary doughnuts were offered with a handful of filling options, the highlights being Durian and Oreo.
I went for their Biscoff, Cadbury, Strawberry, and Choco-nut fillings. The Bombolonis are excellent sweet treats, and taste even better when refrigerated.
The owner told me to “tell my friends if it’s good, tell him if it’s bad”. While I don’t exactly consider you readers as my friends, I’m happy to report that these Bombolonis are one of two worthwhile stalls in this abysmal pasar malam.
The other worthwhile stall is Man Kou Xiang Stinky Tofu, which sells vegetarian-friendly stinky tofu. I found it rather cheeky that their stall name literally translates to “fresh mouth stinky tofu”, when the dish tends to do the exact opposite.
You can choose from 5 different versions of stinky tofu, with 13 sauce options. I went with the regular White Stinky Tofu (S$7.50 for Small, S$9.50 for Medium, S$11.50 for Large) coated in Pickled Vegetables 5 Spices Sauce.
If you’re wondering what the other 8 stalls were for, here’s your answer. Cheap phone covers, electronic accessories, and crane machines with bootleg plush toys.
Some of these crane machines weren’t even operational; that’s how mismanaged the pasar malam was.
I don’t like writing negative articles as it could come across as punching down on honest folk. However, if this is the Chong Pang City Gateway’s final send-off, it’s frankly intolerable.
