I really love Pasar Malams (Sorry, Malay language, for butchering you). You get to walk around before you buy, burning calories to justify all the extra eating and drinking you will be doing. There is also the sensory experience of the sights, sounds and aromas of live cooking. That was just part of the fun I had at the Marine Parade Pasar Malam I visited yesterday evening, 28 Sep 2022.
Located just beside the 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre, it’s definitely not the biggest street fair you’ve ever seen but I think I had disproportionately more fun than I expected.
My mum always tells me not to have a drink with my food but I threw caution to the wind and headed straight for the Ah Moi Thai Tea stall. They have 4 flavours— Original, Matcha, Grape and Mango— in 3 sizes— 500ml (S$3), 700ml (S$4) and 1,000ml ($5).
Ah Moi Thai Tea brands itself as “The Real Taste of Thai Tea” and while I can’t attest to the veracity of that statement, I have a weakness for mango and my 500ml was gone way to soon. The stall also has piles of titbits in small Tupperware containers on sale at S$2.50 each.
My second stop was also inspired by the Land of Smiles. Talad Thai Skewers reminded me so much of strolling along the night markets of Bangkok and Phuket.
Their skewer options were Thai Chicken, Thai Grilled Pork (Moo Ping), Thai Isan Sausage and Thai Grilled Chicken. Each costs S$2 on its own but you can mix and match any 3 for $5. I mixed and matched the first three but would choose 3 skewers of just Thai Grilled Pork (Moo Ping) if I had to do it over.
The Local Delights 傳統小吃 stall is the biggest one at this pasar malam and lives up to its translation from Chinese as ‘Traditional Snacks’. There is Tapioca Cake (5 for S$3), Muah Chee (S$3), Herbal Tea Egg (1 for S$1), Curry Fish Ball (S$3) and Cheese Sausages (S$2).
In a nostalgic mood, I went for my childhood favourite of Huat Kueh (1 for $1). I used to call it ‘makokay‘ instead of wa ko kueh as a kid (I hang my head in shame, Seth).
The Vadai Shop stall is bright and yellow, almost the same colour as the fare it sells.
The tried and trusted Masala Vadai (S$1) and Veg Fritters (S$1) called to me but I went for my fave Chilli Vadai (S$1.20) and Onion Vadai (S$1).
There were exotic options of skewers such as Chicken Liver (S$2.30) and Chicken Gizzard (S$2.30), and then expensive exotic options such as Baby Crab (S$7) and Crispy Giant Squid (S$9), which I decided to pass on.
Despite being smaller than the average night market, the Marine Parade Pasar Malam makes for an enjoyable— and filling— outing. It runs from 25 Sep to 9 Oct 2022 so there’s still time for a return visit.
Other articles you might like:
Huge pasar malam in Yishun with 7 rows of food & drink stalls
Sourbombe Bakery debuts magical Japanese curry bun for limited time at Jurong Point’s Matsuri Fair
