Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat, Raffles Place: An F&B hub paying homage to home-grown food brands

An initiative launched by FairPrice Group, Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat is the new ‘Everything Food’ concept that blends local food retail and F&B establishments situated within the gazetted monument of Lau Pa Sat. 

Recently opened on 26 November 2020, this 7,000sqft area champions Singapore’s only Hawker X Street X Mod-Sin food hall home to two retail sections housing more than 120 brands and a vibrant space with 10 food establishments. 

I made my way to Lau Pa Sat at 2pm—what I deem to be the perfect timing to brush shoulders with the lunch crowd without getting in their way. Immediately, I was greeted by a red ‘Food Folks’ sign and a beautifully renovated area which demarcated the newly revamped space. 

Brightly-lit and filled with pockets of vivid colours, Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat exuded a lively and energetic vibe, expressing youth and positivity into this heritage monument situated in the middle of the Central Business District. 

What I tried

With 10 F&B establishments to choose from, I was spoilt for choice. Owned by a mix of foodpreneurs as well as second and third-generation owners, the food stalls here at Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat range from perennial favourites such as Shi Hui Yuan to GOPIZZA, a modern pizzeria serving up pans of single-serve fast pizza.   

First up on my list of must-try was Chef Kang’s Prawn Noodle House’s Prawn Soup Ramen (S$12.90), a Food Folks exclusive sold only at Lau Pa Sat. 

Here, each strand of ramen was delightfully smooth, soaking up the intense sweetness of the umami-laden broth while still being firm to bite. Although the broth exuded an intoxicating aroma of briny prawn heads, it was to my surprise relatively light and immaculate in taste. 

The tiger prawns were plump, crunchy and nothing short of amazing (just look at that magnificent red colour!) but it was, in fact, the heaps of humble-looking bean sprouts and kang kong that won my heart. They added a dimension of freshness that was simply refreshing, resulting in a dish that was not too heavy to stomach. 

Frankly speaking, I honestly didn’t expect much from Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles. After all, how delicious can a bowl of mee pok and three bouncy white balls be? Well, the stall proved me wrong with their serving of The Folk’s Favourite (S$7.50).

Just looking at the splash of chilli sauce and that runny soft boiled egg crowning the top got me salivating from the back of my tongue. One glance and I knew it would be good given the rich chilli coating every strand of mee pok was already encased in. 

Indeed, I was not disappointed. The mee pok showed off their silky glory glistening under the rays of sunlight that shone into Lau Pa Sat. Despite its lethally spicy appearance, it was mild with a sourish balance from the use of ketchup and a tinge of creaminess attributed to the gooey egg yolk.

Don’t be too taken by the noodles as Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles also makes some of the best fish balls in Singapore. Handmade from scratch and never frozen, their bouncy yellowtail fish balls will leave you wanting more. Trust me, three fish balls alone are definitely not enough.  

Tucked in the corner of Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat’s ‘Love Healthy’ zone is SMOL, a booth feeding health-conscious Singaporeans convenient and hassle-free grain bowls. Here, I was eager to try S’tay The Night (S$11.90), a vegan bowl featuring an exotic serving of jackfruit satay and my all-time favourite peanut satay sauce. 

Sadly, the last portion was sold right in front of my eyes (just imagine my disappointment!) and as a result, I opted for their signature Kena Salmon (S$14.90); a bowl with nothing exceptional to rave about.

The honey soy salmon flaked just like it was supposed to and the dressing was spot on. Neither too sweet nor savoury. My only gripe would be the fact that everything else was cold except for the salmon. 

It was probably meant to be served this way, but shortly after a couple of bites, I decided to have it takeaway for dinner during which I heated everything in the microwave. I’ll just say this: with everything warm, it was so much better.

No food adventure at Lau Pa Sat will be complete without dessert. Forgoing my regular bowl of iced cheng tng, I treated myself to a Lychee Raspberry Ice-Cream With Bandung Cone (S$5.80) from Creme and Cone. 

Alright, I admit. The reason for choosing this combination was obviously for its colour. You might not be able to see it but let me tell you, the pink-on-pink was simply gorgeous. I want to take a moment to highlight the intricate details on the bandung cone—those mesmerising hexagons will unknowingly put you in a trance. 

The lychee ice cream was creamy to a fault. What made this fruity goodness even more delectable were the random swirls of tart raspberry bits. Overall, it was a well-balanced scoop of ice cream that made for the perfect end to a satisfying meal on a hot and humid afternoon. 

Final thoughts 

With the aim to bring Singapore’s food community together, Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat is indeed a foodie’s heaven loaded with diverse offerings catering to Singaporeans of all generations. 

As a food writer, it’s always a heartening sight to witness large social enterprises leverage on their strengths to give back to society. I firmly believe that FairPrice Group’s launch of Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat is just the first step in strengthening our food heritage and there will surely be more exciting projects and collaborations to come. 

Expected Damage: S$4.90 – S$15 per pax