Old Town White Coffee Part II

So we visited Old Town White Coffee (OWTC) for the first time awhile back and that was when it had just received its Halal certification.

This time we decided to go back for some breakfast!

Omega Soft Boiled Eggs on Toast ($3.20)

My darling wife tried this when she visited with her friends recently and I've been hooked on the idea of trying it since she sent me a text with a pic of the eggs on toast... Soft-boiled eggs is one thing but double bonus when it's already on the toast!!

First thing I'm going to mention is the bread.
I'm not sure if it was intentional but the toast was a little too... toasted.
I'd even go as far as to say it was bordering on burnt. I'm someone who likes my toast with a little extra char and crisp but it's too much when you have that 'burnt' taste.

But the redeeming factor? The eggs!

These Omega eggs were of top-notch quality.
Big and solid and obviously of a very high-grade, these eggs made it worth the price of the dish.

A little bit of dark soy and pepper and you're all set!

A good question would be how are you gonna eat it?
Do you pick it up? Will the eggs run all over the place if you do? Believe it or not - I actually ate it with a fork and spoon! Cut off a piece and scoop it into the mouth. This way, you get bread and egg in one mouthful and no problems!

Old Town French Toast ($3.40)

Good old French Toast... bread covered in egg and fried and then topped off with peanut butter.
Wait... PEANUT BUTTER?!?!

The menu didn't say anything about peanut butter and it's definitely not a classic recipe to have it on french toast so it was actually a bit of a shock. Especially for my darling wife who doesn't really fancy peanuts...

Oh well, one simply cannot live on bread alone am I right?

Old Town Nasi Lemak with Sambal Sotong ($7.20)

One of the first few things I saw on an OTWC poster was the Nasi Lemak and I've been meaning to try it for the longest time. So even though I had some eggs and toast, I was still hungry enough to have some of their famous Nasi Lemak.

The rice itself was not too bad. Still can be considered quite tasty. I wasn't too impressed with the sambal though. I always prefer my sambal to have a bit more of a sweet taste and not just all chilli.

But I think the worst part was the Sambal Sotong. It is cooked with pretty much the same sambal that comes with your Nasi Lemak and has this really weird texture to it. I know people like their sotong to be soft but this was more like a jelly-like texture.

For the relatively high price of $7.20, I really expected more.

They also have a 'Special' version for an extra $0.40 which comes with Acar Timun (Cucumber Pickle).

Curry Potato Paratha ($3.80)

As you can see (and probably expected), the prata is the instant type which they just need to dry-fry on the grill so it gets warmed up. But to be fair, it is pretty soft.

The curry itself is surprising because it's got some taste despite being very very watery.
But sad news, it's not really a Potato Curry. It's more of a curry with potatoes.
Meaning, they have cooked the potatoes separately and then just added them to the curry probably just before they bring the serving out to you. In fact, you can see the potato at the bottom left of the bowl above still has a dry spot there...

Definitely not a dish worth the price tag.

Oh well, guess you can't win them all.

Old Town Teh Tarik ($2.20)

So I know I'm supposed to be going for the White Coffee which is what they are famous for... but I'm not really the kopi kind of guy lah.. So I decided to have the teh tarik.

And then after I received it, I immediately regretted it. The teh tarik was nothing impressive. Not really full-flavoured and really lacking any milk/sugar taste overall.
Maybe I really should stick to the coffee next time.

PS you can get the iced teh tarik for an extra $0.30.

Adam's Verdict:
Omega Soft Boiled Eggs on Toast 4/5 -- Old Town Nasi Lemak with Sambal Sotong 1.5/5
Old Town Teh Tarik 2/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Omega Soft Boiled Eggs on Toast 4/5 -- Old Town French Toast 2/5 -- Curry Potato Paratha 2.5/5

Well there are definitely some items worth having at OTWC.
More items to come next time!

Old Town White Coffee

White Sands
No 1 Pasir Ris Central #01-15

Tel: 6584 4404
www.oldtown.my

Operating Hours:
8.00am til 10.30pm Daily

Yumen Hut

Tucked away in a little corner of EHub Downtown East, there sits a little eatery called Yumen Hut.
My darling wife and I visit EHub quite often to watch movies and go makan and what nots and we passed by Yumen Hut so many times.

One day, we suddenly noticed that it was actually certified Halal!
The place serves mostly Chinese cuisine so we didn't really take notice whenever we passed by but it definitely seems like it was worth a trip now that we know!

Veggie Crackers (Complimentary)

After we placed our orders, we were served this small dish.
I really had no idea whether it was a snack or if we were supposed to use it as a garnish for our food later.
Turns out it's actually Fish Crackers in strip form!

Anyways, when we sat down an took a look at the menu, we noticed that all the noodle dishes had different and special noodles to go along...

They also had  dishes that used Paprika Noodles, Carrot Noodles, Spinach Noodles, Mushroom Noodles and even something called Two Ply Noodles.
Interesting right? Special noodles to compliment the specific dish!

We later found out that the owner of Yumen Hut was also a noodle manufacturer! No wonder he had such a wide variety of noodles to offer... You can even buy the noodles to cook at home!

Laksa with Paprika Noodles ($4.50)

Anyways, my darling wife has the Laksa which was paired with Paprika noodles.
Look at that colour!

The Laksa gravy is lighter than usual which probably means it's less sinful. It's light but still very tasty.
The Paprika noodles actually do have a but of taste but it's not as spicy as you'd expect. I actually though it was a very good healthy alternative for those that want Laksa flavour without having to indulge too much.

Overall a very enjoyable dish!

Fried Chicken with Carrot Noodle ($3.80)

Truth be told, this wasn't my first choice.
The Cold Sauce Two Ply Noodles were sold out. And so were the Fried Mushroom and Stewed Chicken Noodles. So I decided to settle on something that seemed like I might enjoy it.

Well, not too bad actually!
Maybe it's just me but I felt super healthy just eating the Carrot noodles! Hahaha!
They really have a nice and springy texture and I can actually get the veggie taste.
The fried chicken was just an add-on to me because the star of the dish was definitely the noodles.

And it's quite a big serving of noodles mind you!

Fried Dumplings ($3.00)

Well no meal is complete without some side dishes am I right or am I right?
(Or maybe that's just something I say!)

Quite a selection to choose from including Calamari (Which they call Blur Rings), Ngoh Hiang, Otah Otah, Fried Crab Claws, Fried Mushrooms and even Durian Rolls.

We decided to have something that would go well with the noodles.
And that means dumplings!!

The Fried Dumplings were actually really nice.
A nice whole prawn with veggies wrapped up in wanton skin and fried to a crispy goodness.
The chilli given is the normal chicken rice chilli which wasn't really that good though.

But are you wondering why the dumplings are coloured green and orange?
That's right! Spinach and Carrot incorporated into the skin! Genius!

Adam's Verdict:
Fried Chicken with Carrot Noodle 3.5/5 -- Fried Dumplings 3/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Laksa with Paprika Noodles 4/5 -- Fried Dumplings 2.5/5

This is truly one of those hidden gems that you would not even notice without looking twice.
Nice and quiet place with some good food! And a healthy choice! Definitely worth another visit!

Yumen Hut

Downtown East 1 Pasir Ris Close #02-113
Tel: 6581 5191

Operating Hours:
11.00am til 10.00pm Daily
Closed on Chinese New Year

The Halal Food Blog is now on Instagram!

That's right kiddies!
The Halal Food Blog is now invading your Instagram feed as well!!

@thehalalfoodblog
Follow us if you want more mouth-watering pics of the makan we review and makan places we visit!
There may even be a few surprises that you won't see anywhere else on our blog or FB page!

PS you can also tag us if you have tried something delicious and want to make us jealous!
This will give us more ideas on makan places to try as well! See you on Instagram!

Larkin Bus Terminal: Cendol

You guys remember the time we had ABC from Gerai Pak Abu?
Well, we found something better...

Cendol (RM3.00)

Imagine having a nice cold bowl of Cendol on a really hot day.
And with the way the weather is nowadays, a hot day means pretty much almost every day lah.

Well if you're in the vicinity of Larkin, fret not - Pak Abu to the rescue!
Besides having his champion ABC, we found out that his Cendol is also THE BOMB!!!

Let us start by saying that he doesn't use that watered-down coconut milk nonsense.
His is the pure stuff. And by the taste of it, I'm even willing to be that the coconut milk he uses is probably hand-squeezed from grated coconut he probably gets from the market downstairs.

The gula melaka is just the right amount and the mix of flavours with the santan is superb.
And because the ingredients are top quality - the taste simply explodes in your mouth and you can't help it but to keep scooping it into your mouth.

The cendol itself was reason enough to applaude.
There' no overpowering pandan flavour which is a good thing.
And I know you're probably thinking that the colour is really dull but that just means that there's little or no artificial colouring added to the cendol.

Adam's Verdict:
Cendol 5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Cendol 4.5/5

My wife and I thought we had the BEST cendol when we visited Melaka recently.
But I think Pak Abu just stole that title with this one.

PS if you want the dessert version, be sure to tell Pak Abu. If not, you'll get the watery drink version.

Gerai Pak Abu (MS16)

Kompleks Pengangkutan Awam Larkin (3rd Level)

Operating Hours:
9.00am til - 9.00pm Daily

Guru's Banana Leaf Cuisine

Here's another quickshot for you kiddies.
Something that simple but I'm sure a lot of you really enjoy...

So my darling wife and I were in Changi Village to run an errand and decided we'd have some breakfast.
Nasi Lemak? Lontong? Mee Siam? Hmmmm.... so many choices....
But we eventually decided to settle on a place that my Dad, my brother and myself had chanced upon when we had gone fishing a few months back...

Roti Prata Kosong ($0.80) and Roti Prata Telur ($1.50)

Now doesn't that just look like the type of breakfast you'd really enjoy?
Simple and comfortable!! It's universal!

Now I know there are many many many many places where you can get prata and I'm pretty sure most of you have your own opinion on where has the best prata am I right? Well, I'm pretty particular too but I am willing to admit that there are quite a large number of places where you can get decent prata.

In Changi Village, this is our venue of choice (until something better comes along?)
The prata is crisp and fresh looks damn inviting. And I have to say that even though there are plenty of prata stalls around Singapore, it's getting increasingly difficult to find one that still sells at the relatively low prices offered at Guru's Banana Leaf.

Even better still - the prata comes with friends!
A nice big serving of dalcha and sambal to go along with your roti prata is always a winner.
The dalcha has all the trimmings and the sambal was actually pretty nice and that always goes well with prata am I right?

If you're looking for more than just plain or egg prata, they pretty much have the works in case you were wondering... Cheese, Tissue, Masala, Egg Cheese, Mushroom, Hotdog, Masala, Bom. The list goes on!

Masala Paper Thosai ($3.00)

The last time I stopped by with my Dad and brother, I had the Masala Paper Thosai and I could safely say that it was "Boleh tahan" standard so I decided to have it again.

As usual, it was huge and made for a filling meal. Comes with coconut chutney (mint and spicy) and some dalcha too. But for some reason, today there was a slight issue...

Now, I don't mean to be a complain king or anything but to me that's like really really bad.
It's like really a little bit of masala only! It definitely wasn't like this the last time...

And further to this, the masala was unfortunately salty AND it was dry too.
Thankfully I enjoyed the crispy flour.

Oh well. Maybe better luck next time?

Or maybe next time I might go back to this place for my thosai...

Adam's Verdict:
Paper Masala Thosai 1.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Roti Prata 4/5

Maybe I should start a hunt for the best prata?
But I think that hunt might never end actually... So in the mean time let's stick to the ones we know are good.

Guru's Banana Leaf Cuisine

Blk 1 Changi Village
#01-2020

Operating Hours:
6.00am til 11.00pm Daily

Swensen's - Breakfast

My darling wife tells me one day that Swensen's offers a special breakfast menu on weekends and public holidays. This is big news because they were offering a dish that I was absolutely obsessed with at the time...

So we put in our best efforts to wake up early on weekends when I wasn't working so we could visit Swensen's. It would only be like 2 months later that we finally managed to make our way down!
Would it be worth it?

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict ($12.90)

Eggs Benedict!
I'm a sucker for Eggs Benedict and I'm a sucker for smoked salmon.
So with this dish, I'm automatically a double sucker!

And it's pretty rare to find a Halal version of Eggs Benedict because it normally consists of ham or bacon instead of the smoked salmon. So thankfully there seems to be a new trend of this Halal version being offered at a few eateries so that's great!

Did you know that Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon (instead of ham) is actually called 'Eggs Hemingway'?

So how were the Eggs Benedict at Swensen's?
Well....

Unfortunately the eggs were not very well-poached. When I think of Eggs Benedict, I think of poking into the egg and the runny yolk just flows out and spreads the whole thing with yolky goodness. The yolk in this case was pretty much just about 4/5 cooked so it was mostly solid with just a little bit of runny parts left as you can see from the picture above.

The Hollandaise Sauce (normally egg yolks, butter and lemon juice) was a little bit on the sour side. Perhaps too much lemon juice I reckon? Plus it only came with some baked beans and no other trimmings like a side salad or anything like that so many might find the price tag a little hefty.

The best part of the whole dish was the sourdough bread the eggs are served on.
Swensen's still has some of the best sourdough I've ever had and that was the best part of this dish.

Hearty Steak & Eggs ($14.90)

The other dish we tried was the Hearty Steak & Eggs.
That's right. Steak for breakfast. Fierce or what!

It comes with a slab of steak (which is a pretty decent size) smothered in sauteed onions and mushrooms, a sunny-side up, BBQ baked beans and 2 special buns with a surprise inside!

In case you were wondering, those are the BBQ baked beans that come with both the Eggs Benedict and the Hearty Steak and Eggs. They're actually not bad at all!

The 2nd picture shows the steak all sliced up. Not really the thickest steak ever (well, it IS breakfast) but it's cooked well enough so that it's still tender and juicy. Unfortunately the sunny-side up was again a disappointment. I guess Swensen's just doesn't do eggs the way I like em...

Oh and I almost forgot the buns!

Surprise!

That's actually baked honey butter cream in the middle of a Ciabatta bun!
It's actually really tasty! Just think of soft butter with a sweet honey tinge to it!

Adam's Verdict:
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict 2/5 -- Hearty Steak & Eggs 3/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict 1.5/5 -- Hearty Steak & Eggs 2.5/5

There are actually quite a number of other breakfast items being offered. More traditional breakfast favourites like pancake, waffles, french toast, omelettes and even sandwiches!

But yet again, the service at the Tampines Mall Swensen's left a lot to be desired.
Not the first time but I sure hope it's the last time.

Swensen's (Tampines Mall)

Tampines Mall
4 Tampines Central 5, #03-30
www.swensens.com.sg
Tel: 6781 5489

Operating Hours:
10.30am-10.30pm (Weekdays)
8am-10.30pm (Weekends)

Yellow Submarines

We definitely welcome recommendations from our readers for makan places for us to visit and most of the time, the suggestions we receive are really good leads! So, when I received the same recommendation from 3 different people within 2 days, we simply had to visit this place ASAP.

Check out the queue...

So there's this place called Yellow Submarines in Toa Payoh which opened in April but was just certified Halal recently. So what exactly do they specialize in? Cheesesteak sandwiches!

I remember seeing a feature on the Food Network about the best Cheesesteak sandwiches in the US. I knew that there were places in SG which sold Philly Cheesesteaks but pretty much all of them were not Halal joints. So my heart (and stomach) still longed for a nice Cheesesteak...

I received the recommendations on Wednesday and Thursday and we made our way to Toa Payoh on Friday evening. That's how excited we were to try it!

But we arrived at one of the busiest times - dinner time! Just check out the queue above! I waited in line for just about over 30 mins before I reached the front. And when I looked back, the line was stretched all the way to the pavement again. And I though to myself "This had better be worth it...".

Hmm.. I wonder what I'm gonna have...

They have quite a few items on the menu which you might be interested in. They've got a few different types of submarines sandwiches including tuna, chicken and even a mushroom one! They've also got a hotdog, a burger and Quesadillas!

But.. we were there... for one thing...

Yellow Submarines Classic ($6.90 ala carte / $9.90 meal)

*drool*
I don't know about you but I'm a meat guy. And I'm also a cheese guy.
So when you put meat and cheese together - I'm the guy who's gonna eat it up!

Nice thin slices of beef which are pan-grilled to tender and juicy perfection. Get a nice soft baguette-roll and pile on the beef atop a bed of  sauteed onions. Finally, top if off with a nice generous slobbering of cheese sauce... And just how much cheese are we talking about?

ZOMG is that a cheese overload or what!! Slurrrppppp!

The roll itself was soft and a good choice because it holds in the cheese sauce. I already mentioned that the beef was tender right? Well let me add that it's also a very generous serving of beef in the sandwich.

When it comes to the cheese, I actually noticed something when I tasted the cheese on its own.
The closest taste I can compare it to is the cheese you get at Long John Silver's. You know when you order the side of potato chips at LJ's and you get a small serving of cheese sauce? Well this is the closest thing I can match it to. I'm not saying it's the same cheese but close enough!

That's actually a good thing because I love this particular cheese! It has just the right flavour to go with the meat but since there's A LOT of the cheese, you'd better prepare yourself!

I've read some comments online that some ask for no onions or less/more cheese when they order.
Well, however you wanna have it - this is one sandwich that really hits the right spot.

And if that's not enough cheese for you...

Torpedo Fries ($3.00)

This was a real winner for me.
How can anyone possible resist Cheese Fries???

The fries were just perfect - crisp on the outside but still fluffy on the inside.
Top it off which a nice dollop of the cheese sauce and you're gonna be digging at it with your fingers instead of with a fork.

I reckon this is one of their best sellers and a definitely must-have!!

Coleslaw ($1.50)

The first thing that came to my mind when I tried the Coleslaw was "Long John's".
Just like the cheese, the Coleslaw was really really similar with the coleslaw served at Long John Silver's!
The noticeable difference was that this version was a little sweeter with some raisins added in.

I say this is a definitely a must have as well especially if you love the coleslaw at LJ's like me!

Adam's Verdict:
Yellow Submarines Classic 4/5 -- Torpedo Fries 4.5/5 -- Coleslaw 4/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Yellow Submarines Classic 4/5 -- Torpedo Fries 4.5/5 -- Coleslaw 4/5

High scores all around!
We have no doubt that a lot of people will be flocking to Yellow Submarines. Yet another superb makan place in Toa Payoh for us to visit!

We're definitely going back to try some other stuff on the menu. Plus a Cheesesteak or 3 :P

PS as a Beatle fan, i give a nod to the name of the joint :)

Yellow Submarines

Blk 177 Toa Payoh Central
#01-110 (Approach from behind NTUC side)
Tel: 6352 7890
www.yellowsubmarines.com.sg

Operating Hours:
10.30am til 10.30pm Daily

McDonald's - Curry Drumlets

I'm not sure when they launched this new promo menu but I think it was probably within the past few days perhaps? Because I just saw the poster this morning!

That's right. McDonald's has just launched a new promo menu
I had originally thought that it would be the Samurai Burger (since I saw it in JB already a few weeks back) but apparently that'll probably be a little later.

The main item on the promo is called the McAloo Tikki and it's basically made up of a potato and peas patty with more veggies to accompany. I'm guessing the meat lovers will probably pass?

Well they also have a side dish in the promotion which might tickle your fancy a little more.

Curry Drumlets ($2 for 2)

They've had a few different versions of chicken drumlets at McDonald's and the latest is one involving curry.

The description they gave is that the drumlet is "coated with feisty curry powder" so I was thinking it was going to be like the shaker fries where the powder comes separately but I didn't receive any powder in my delivery package. Hmmmm....

Well they drumlets themselves are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside as usual.
The seasoning still has a hint of curry so I'm guessing that if there really was a curry powder sachet that comes along, the curry flavour will give you a real kick.

Adam's Verdict:
Curry Drumlets 3/5

Anyways you can also order the larger serving of 10 for $10 if you have a few people to share with.
Or if you're really hungry. Or greedy :P

Finish off with a Butterscotch Sundae!

McDonald's

120 outlets islandwide
www.mcdonalds.com.sg
Delivery Hotline - 6777 3777

Operating Hours: Varies depending on outlet

WarungIndo

I actually first caught wind of WarongIndo when I saw one of my colleagues posting on FB about visiting it during its opening at Tampines. I made plans to visit it as soon as possible but as usual, a busy schedule is always the best excuse to put things off right?

Well, my darling wife mentioned to that a friend had eaten there recently and was raving about the food.
Okay no more excuses - it's time for some Indo cuisine.

One extremely big plus for me is that it's in the East. It's in Tampines in fact. Near my in-laws' place some more!Woo hoo!!

Kerupuk ($1.20)

You can start of your Indo meal with a favourite Indo starter - kerupuk!!
The usual choice of Belinjau or Prawn crackers awaits you. But weirdly - it didn't come with any sambal...

Ayam Balado ($5.50)

The dish that my darling wife's friend was raving about was actually the Ayam Balado so that's what my darling wife decided to order because she's all for the spicy food. Plus, she was hoping for a better 'Balado experience' after the disaster we had in Melacca.

So you get a nice piece of tender chicken completely smothered in the Balado with rice and tahu/tempeh.
Is your mouth watering yet?

My darling wife simply enjoyed this dish. It was not as spicy as she expected but still very very tasty nonetheless and she knows how hard it is to find good Balado nowadays. (Mum's cooking does not count!)
The portion itself is just nice for one person so you big eaters will still have space for some side orders.

Ayam Panggang ($5.50)

As tempted as I was to go for the Ayam Penyet or the Bakso, I decided on the Ayam Panggang instead.
Healthy choice kaper?!?! :P

Same serving comes with white rice and the tahu/tempeh combo and a slice of cucumber.
In this case, it also comes with a side of sambal which, by the taste, I reckon they also serve with the Ayam Penyet version.

The sambal at WarungIndo has a nice taste and goes well with the chicken. But for those of you fire-eaters, be informed that it's not as spicy as you'd probably like. But this is good news for everyone else who doesn't mind a milder sambal.

The Ayam Panggang itself is roasted simply with minimal seasoning. The major taste factor comes from the sweet black sauce which they cover the chicken with after the roasting is done. Typical Indo-style ayam panggang with nice and tender chicken.

Calamansi with Sour Plum ($1.70) and Soda Gembira ($2.00)

And to wash it all down, we ordered some favourites.

The Calamansi with Sour Plum was very refreshing. The Calamansi was not overpoweringly sour and the plum gave it a nice tang. Definitely very cool and tasty drink to go with your meal.

You all know my obsession with Soda Gambira right?
Well unfortunately this one was kinda lacking. Or maybe it was just my own expectations set too high?
It seemed to be lacking the sweet bandung taste...

Well, an interesting thing to note - they have Kopi Luwak on the menu!!

Adam's Verdict:
Ayam Panggang 3/5 -- Soda Gembira 2.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Ayam Balado 3.5/5 -- Calamansi with Sour Plum 4.5/5

I can tell you I'm definitely going to go back to WarungIndo.
There are a few items on the menu I simply MUST try... like... Bakso and also the Indomie!!

But a word of advice, certain items on the menu are only available on weekends.
For example, the Sayur Asam, Satay and the chicken wings only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Plus - check out their weekday lunch specials which come with complimentary soup!

WarungIndo

Blk 201D Tampines Street 21 #01-1171
Tel: 92985501
Email: WarungIndo.sg@gmail.com

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Warungindo/151099578360783?fref=ts

Operating Hours:
11.30am til 11.30pm Daily

Ramadhan Special 2013: Geylang Serai Ramadhan Bazaar

My original intention before the fasting month started was to go to Geylang Serai a few times during Ramadhan and compile a post of pictures which would capture the 'magic' we all associate with visiting the mother of all bazaars.

But after 2 visits (one in the first week and another in the third week), I suddenly realized something...
Some of that magic wasn't there anymore... But let's talk about that later.

This is a food blog! And one of the main things we love about Geylang Serai is the wide variety of food we all enjoy as we walk along the crowded stalls... So let's see what delicious food they has this year!

Bird's Nest Aunty still in the same place every year...

Roti John

Pulot Pangang

A nice big pile of YUMMY

One of my favourite things to have at the bazaar is something they call 'Kebab Roll' but I call it "Hot Dog Bun with Meat".

I guess there's just something a nice big pool of meat, veggies and sauce simmering on the flattop and then taking a nice big bite out of it in a hot dog bun topped off with mayo and more sauce. Definitely a messy and satisfying one for me!

Kebab Roll aka "Hot Dog Bun with Meat"

Putu Piring

Kebabs

And more Kebabs...

Egg Tarts by Guyz Delicacies

Pies by Guyz Delicacies

Portuguese Egg Tarts by Guyz Delicacies

The last 3 photos were actually taken at a stall just beside Tanjong Katong Complex.
There was a stall called Guyz Delicacies and they offered "Cookies, Egg Tarts, Pies and Buns" according to the name card.

The only other place we have reviewed so far that offers Halal pastries like these is Mayson's Bakery so this is definitely a welcome trend.

Even though the bazaar is over, you can still get more info at the following link;
www.facebook.com/guyzdelicacies

Appam Balik

The next generation...

The Usual Suspects

I've actually never tried this before...

Jagung Bakar

Kala Coconut Ice Cream

One of the longest queues I spotted at the bazaar was at this stall located near Singapore Post Centre headed towards Tanjong Katong Complex.

It was selling Thai-style desserts!

Mango & Sticky Rice

Just a small section on the long queue

Coconut Ice Cream

Mango Sticky Rice & Coconut Ice Cream - Thai desserts!
And just take a look at that long queue! It was really madness I tell you. Luckily the people manning the stalls were working fast enough to keep it moving.

The Coconut Ice Cream seemed to be the biggest draw.
Coconut Ice Cream topped with what looks like Gula Melaka syrup served in a coconut shell!
My first thought was "No way lah gonna be able to eat the coconut flesh with the plastic spoon" but how wrong I was! The coconut flesh seemed to be soft enough even with plastic spoons!

Anyone happened to try this new dessert at the bazaar?

Ramly Burger (Amazingly - I didn't have a single one this Ramadhan!)

Feeling crabby??

Ranor Tenggiri Fresh Otah

When it comes to otah-otah at the bazaar, I always trust Ranor.
It's freshly prepared and has a nice spicy kick to it. Never lets me down!

Sugar Cane Juice

Ayam Percik

It used to be quite difficult to find a decent Ayam Percik in recent years. Even though the number of stalls seling Ayam Percik has definitely increased over the past few years, some of them.. well... don't really tickle my fancy so to speak.

But then again I guess it's up the individual as usual. Spicy or not spicy? Dry or dripping? So many choices.
But for me, it must be on the bamboo and it must be completely dipped into their special sauce!

And last but not least, undoubtedly my most favourite thing to have at the bazaar... DENDENG!!

I know some of you are saying "But nowadays you can get Dendeng anytime of the year what no need to wait til bazaar time." Well, I agree with you there. But you would probably agree with me too when I say that it's simply not the same as having Dendeng while walking around the Bazaar Geylang am I right?

Stage 1

Just need to wait...

Ready!

One of the talking points this year (just like every year) was the price of Dendeng.
I think this year it was a little bit more of a hot topic because of the different and inconsistent prices being offered at different stalls both at Geylang and at other locations too.

Most of the stalls at the Bazaar Geylang and also the stalls at the Bussorah Street Bazaar sold Dendeng at $5.00 per 100gm. This was a 50-cent increase from last year's stall prices! It only started to become worth it when you bought at least 500gm ($20) and 1kg ($40) of Dendeng.

I realized that prices varied when I received a top-off that Dendeng House, which is the main supplier of Dendeng, was still selling it at original prices of $4.00 per 100gms. No inflation!
Long queues at their branch!

God bless Dendeng House

The Tampines Bazaar also sold Dendeng at $4.00 per 100gms by the way.
I'm not too sue about the Woodlands Bazaar because we didn't get a chance to visit this year.

But the biggest shock to me came at the end of the fasting month...

You guys know about the 4-day Bazaar held at Expo?
Well they had what I think is most probably the most expensive Dendeng prices I've ever seen!
And even if you bought 500gms or 1kg - it's still gonna be more expensive compared to other places.

Actually I can't really blame them.
I'm not sure about the rental prices at Geylang Bazaar this year but I can imagine it still costs quite a lot.
So you can imagine how much it would have cost to rent a stall at the Expo Bazaar!
And I guess sometimes there's no other place to reflect this than in the price of your goods.

Now that I mention it, it seems like quite a lot has changed and this means that somehow, the magic that was once associated with Geylang Serai during Ramadhan seems to be lost in translation.
What could be the reason for this?

Expo Bazaar

The emergence of other Bazaars during the fasting month is definitely a big contributor.

The pictures above show the Expo Bazaar which was held for only 4 days and still drew a lot of crowds. Not as many stalls but you still enjoyed the comfort of air-conditioning as you strolled along. Prices were a little elevated I guess but perhaps a small price to pay to avoid the crowds at Geylang?

The bazaars at Tampines and Woodlands continue to draw crowds as they have for the past few years.
After all, not only do you avoid the crowds, you also don't have to travel so far am I right?

But I'm not so sure how long we can stay away because all of the other bazaars will probably not have all the same stuff we will find at Geylang Serai.

Raya Lights 2010

Raya Lights 2013

I guess one of the biggest challenges faced is the sponsors for the bazaar in Geylang Serai.
Over the years, I'm sure most of you have noticed the dwindling crowds and the many comments that people pass about how the times have changed and the 'Spirit of Geylang Serai' has gone.

There was even an article in the papers recently with commentary on how the years have passed and perhaps people are no longer drawn to Geylang Serai as much as they used to be in the past.

Could be a change in the mindset of the new generation? Or have the crowds really found something new?
I think it's a combination of both to be honest. I honestly feel that since Kampung Melayu was demolished to make way for a new complex, things have never been the same...

There may be other places around Singapore to visit for bazaars but in the end, I feel that most of us will still visit Geylang Serai at least once or twice during Ramadhan. Because it's just not the same as other places. It is still the first name that comes to mind when people say Bazaar Ramadhan. I believe that people still want to celebrate like how we used to but the draw is definitely lesser than in the past. People want to come to Geylang Serai and feel the spirit and that seems to be lacking.

And it's always small things that make a difference. For example, I know what the lights are not really the biggest factor but people still talk about how the lights are not as attractive anymore and quite a few comments I've heard comparing our Raya Lights to other festivals like Deepavali and how we pale in comparison. Well, I guess it's up to individual opinion but you have to admit - it makes a difference.

But hope is not lost.
You still have the 'Raya Spirit' as you hustle and bustle along the crowded rows of people. We always complain when we have to squeeze with all the sweaty people and muscle our way to the front to buy or food and other stuff. But deep inside, we know we will miss it if we ever lose it.

Malam Raya 2010

Malam Raya 2010

Those last 2 photos were taken on the night before Hari Raya at about 1am.
As you can see, the crowds were out in full force even thought it was already so late!

This year, it was still crowded. But I have a feeling it was not AS crowded.
Only 3 years and such a big difference. I hope that the culture and the spirit associated with Geylang Serai never dies and picks up in the coming years.

And yes - I still make it to Geylang Serai on Malam Raya every year since 1997.
Last minute shopping. Meet up with old friends. Have some food. Soak in the spirit.
Alhamdulillah and I hope we can all continue to do so for many many years to come.