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‘Dong dong dong chiang‘! There was a lion dance going on as Rachel and I arrived at Orchard Cineleisure to visit the grand official opening of TaiWan Night Markets on 28 July 2023.
This mall was once a bustling hub with Cathay Cineplexes, the now-defunct Charlie Brown Cafe and E-Games (LAN gaming), and more, making it a happening spot 20 odd years ago. I used to hang out here with my baggy JNCO jeans (helping the cleaners sweep the floor) back in my younger days.
However, in recent times, the whole mall has lost its vibrancy and has become quiet and deserted. The opening of this Taiwanese food court brings hope for a revival, injecting life back into the place.
The food court has a total of 24 stalls including 4 main stalls and a beverage stall at the front near the escalator. Night Markets Steak House serves the same signature Taiwanese sizzling hot plate platters like what I had in Shihlin Night Market in Taipei.
The menu features dishes like Ribeye Steak (S$24) and Chicken Chop (S$15), which, honestly, are a bit on the expensive side. They come with spaghetti, fried egg, and a bowl of creamy corn soup.
粥湯好 Seafood Congee sells heartwarming bowls of porridge, perfect for cold, rainy days. You can warm up your tummy with options like Congee with Silver Fish (S$8) and Congee with Egg And Beef (S$8).
We patronised 香香麻油雞 (Sesame Oil Chicken Soup) and got their Guo Shao Udon Noodles (S$12). There’s also an option to choose between instant noodles, egg noodles, cooked rice (pao fan) and Oriental crispy noodles mian xian.
The bowl of udon was loaded with ingredients like pork slices, a whole poached egg, 2 prawns, sotong, corn and crabstick; worth the price point.
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Visit 茶里香 Charlie! Charlie! for a range of bubble teas like Ceylon Assam Milk Foam (S$5.50/S$6.50) and Summer Fruits Tea (S$6/S$7.50) (pictured below). And for all the caffeine addicts out there, fret not! They haven’t forgotten you; they also serve Kopi (S$5/S$6) and Ancient Black Tea Kopi & Milk (S$4.50/S$5.50).
The street food section boasts 19 different stalls, each showcasing a variety of snacks and munchies reminiscent of the vibrant night markets in Taiwan.
Peanut Crunchy Candy Rolls With Ice Cream sells my favourite Taiwanese-style popiah with ground peanuts, coriander and ice cream. We watched as the chef ground the peanuts from a whole block and assembled our Peanut Crunchy Candy Rolls With Ice Cream Taro (S$5). They also had durian, mango and vanilla flavours.
The whole combination was even nicer than the one I had in Taiwan. The yam flavour of the ice cream was robust and the ground peanuts were chunky and delicious!
老陳蔥油餅 is a 30-year-old heritage stall from Taiwan selling a variety of spring onion pancakes. There are a total of 11 varieties for you to get giddy over.
We savoured the Fried Egg Scallion Pancake with Chicken Chop And Lettuces (S$8). While the size of the chicken meat was slightly underwhelming, the overall flavours were enjoyable; I believe adding more sauce could enhance the taste even further.
腸不住大腸包小腸 sells sausages stuffed in glutinous rice in varieties like Garlic (S$8.80) and Marinated Cucumber (S$8.80).
We tried the Pickled (S$8.80), featuring refreshing and tangy pickled vegetables paired with a piece of aromatic sausage and perfectly charred glutinous rice on the surface. However, considering its size, which was no larger than my palm (I’ve got small hands), it may seem like daylight robbery to the Taiwanese.
Visit 台灣QQ地瓜球 (Taiwan Sweet Potato Ball) for satisfying mochi-like treats, which sells in a cup of 12 for S$6. Get it with flavoured powders (original, plum, pepper, peanuts and chocolate) sprinkled on top.
The remaining stalls offer other street food favourites like savoury Taiwanese popiah, oyster omelette, desserts, oyster vermicelli and pan-fried dumplings; just to name a few.
Instead of splurging money on an air ticket to Taiwan, why not visit TaiWan Night Markets at Cineleisure Orchard? Yes, the price may be a little steep (it’s located in town, after all), but the authentic tastes and quality more than compensate for it.
Try it and let me know your feedback!
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