Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
The Christmas spirit is in the air, and what better way to celebrate the yuletide than with some food and drinks at the Yishun MRT Trade Fair happening from 6 Dec to 21 Dec 2025. I know Yishun has a certain reputation, but don’t let that discourage you from visiting!
The pasar malam is right behind the MRT Station, and very noticeable. In fact, the aroma of stinky tofu and savoury skewers embrace you as soon as you step off the train. As a certified Yishun man, I headed down with gleeful delight to discover the goodies.
The first stall that caught my attention was Bok Bok Cui right by the pasar malam‘s entrance. I popped by at around 6pm, and there was already a long queue in front of it.
The reason became very apparent after I tried their Potato Pancake (S$3). It was about the size of an adult hand, freshly lifted from the skillet while still piping hot. Both sides were fried to a crisp with a generous coating of spicy seasoning, and it just melted in my mouth.
It was so good that I went back to tabao some for my family, only to find an even longer queue snaking from the stall and a 15-minute wait time to boot.
My dad is a Thai food fanatic and could not resist the call of Bangkok Grill and its authentic skewers. The stall has a spread of grilled delights, including classics like Moo Ping, Chicken Sticks, and Beef Sticks. There are also more curious skewers, like 3 types of sausages. All sticks go for S$2 each, or 3 for S$5.50. You can also grab a small pack of Sticky Rice (S$1).
The Moo Ping was superb to sink my teeth into; every single bite dissolved into savoury goodness. As for the Chicken Sticks, they were a little more on the average end, but still worth a try. I loved how the charred bits were evenly spread throughout the meat.
I would also like to recommend ChubTutu and their array of sweet treats. There are comfort picks like a Korean Cheese Coin (S$5), which is a coin-shaped waffle with melted cheese inside. For an additional S$1, you can add toppings like Rainbow Sprinkles, Oreo Crumbs, Nutella, and Biscoff.
But if you prefer something healthier, you can try their Giant Mango (S$8), which is literally half a mango cut open and served with various fruit-related toppings. I had it with Fresh Pomelo Shavings and Mango Boba, but there are other topping options like Cream Cheese (which was sold out when I arrived). This one is definitely something to share with the family, as I can’t fathom being able to finish this on your own.
I stumbled upon this humble little stall without any eye-catching signage, simply named Hot & Cold Bird’s Nest Drink. According to my dad, stalls that sell Bird’s Nest Drink were common in pasar malams of old but are much rarer now due to the drink being considered taboo for obvious reasons.
Nevertheless, I bought a cup of Bird’s Nest Drink (S$3 for Small, S$4 for Big). You can also grab a bottle for S$3 if you’re in a rush. It was slightly sweet and a little diluted, like sugar water. There were bits of thin jelly throughout the drink, which gave it a grass jelly-like texture.
No part of me believes they used a real bird’s nest in the recipe. Rather, it’s likely a shark’s fin soup-type situation where they found a suitable replacement.
If the food isn’t enough to entice you, then how about some snow? Ok, it’s actually fake snow, but hear me out. Every night from 7.50pm – 8pm and 9pm – 9.10pm, a shower of fake snow rains over the pasar malam, making it feel like you’re walking through a Christmas market. Don’t worry about the snow going into the food; all the stalls are sheltered.
If you’re a curious Yishun resident, you have until 21 Dec 2025 to pop by.
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