Punggol residents, if you’ve spotted a giant tent on the green field next to the MRT station, no, it isn’t Cirque du Soleil happening but rather a giant pasar malam is ongoing till 8 Feb 2024.
Lian Hup Seng Construction is hosting a 32-day Trade Fair & Event featuring 50 stalls with a diverse range of food and beverages. Tired of the usual Taiwanese crispy chicken and kebabs like me? Well, on my mission to explore the food section, I uncovered a variety of unique foods; here’s what I found.
Chai O’Clock, with the tagline “Singapore’s TikTok Viral Pani Puri,” was the first stall to grab my attention. Despite not being swayed by the TikTok hype, my craving for this Indian street food delicacy led me to indulge.
The TikTok Viral Pani Puri (S$6) with S$1 more for takeaway comprised 5 crispy hollow shells filled with pomegranate seeds, crispy fine muruku, fried shallots, and coriander. Accompanied by a side of tamarind chutney sprinkled with chaat masala, the combination was pure bliss— crispy, tangy, sweet, and rich in spices, just as it had captivated me during my initial encounter with this treat. Two thumbs-up!
The Pav Bhaji (S$7), with an additional S$1 for takeaway, featured a soft, grilled bun filled with a mildly-spiced vegetable gravy primarily composed of mashed potatoes, bits of onion, and green chillies. Topped with a crispy, chilli-esque crumb and served alongside a grilled green chilli, it offered a delightful blend of flavours.
I spotted a stall selling Korean-style spicy instant noodles wrapped with Vietnamese spring roll skins. There are a total of 6 flavours including Chicken Floss and Prawn (1 for S$3, 2 for S$5).
We tried the Cheese and Luncheon Meat and felt that the latter was more flavourful. The skin was chewy and the instant noodles were a little spicy. Though was an interesting combination, it wasn’t over the top in terms of flavour.
Bok Bok Cui, with its lengthy queue and offering of Potato Pancake (S$3), proved to be a test of patience. The grilling process took a considerable 10 minutes, and upon finally tasting the spicy variant, I found it a tad too oily with some burnt parts. If you decide to give it a try, I genuinely hope your experience surpasses mine.
I also spotted S&N Nasi Briani_Sg and decided to takeaway the Beef Briani (S$7) (the spelling variation intrigued me). I’m sorry pakcik and makcik, but the beef was probably one of the driest and toughest piece of meat I’ve ever had. While the rice was perfectly cooked, it had a slight smokey flavor, likely from the meat. The only saving grace was the pickled vegetables on the side.
Feeling thirsty from my exploration, I decided to try Bung! Lemon Tea. Opting for the Hand-crushed Bitter Gourd Lemon Tea (S$3.50), the guy vigorously pounded bittergourd pieces, ice cubes, and green lemon slices to the point that the whole stall stand vibrated like a mini earthquake.
The green lemon was extremely aromatic and citrusy while the bittergourd had a mild bitterness at the end. If you’re feeling adventurous, give it a try— I genuinely enjoyed the unique combination! If not, the menu also sells Hand-crushed Lemon Red Tea (S$3.50) as well as Hand-crushed Lemongrass Tea (S$3.50).
I also came across The Candy Shop, boasting over 100 varieties of candies and gummies. Prices ranged from S$6 for a 250g extra small bag to S$12 for a 340g medium bag.
Bingtanghulu sells a variety of crunchy candied fruit skewers like Grape (S$5) and Strawberry (S$8).
As Chinese New Year arrives in about a month’s time, you can purchase a huge variety of festive snacks and cookies as well. Kids can also look forward to the rides by J’Kids Amusement Funland.
While I discovered many intriguing offerings, most turned out to be disappointing. Explore the Punggol pasar malam for yourself and enjoy trying the different foods and drinks.
As always, feel free to share your favourite and least favourite stalls in the comments.
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