Skip The Geylang Crowd And Visit These 6 Ramadan Bazaars In S’pore Instead

If you’re tired of the overhyped and overpriced food at Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar, we get you.

Here’s a list of alternative bazaars that you should go to do all your last minute Hari Raya shopping. From kuih and dendeng to capal and baju kurung, these bazaars got you covered.

1. Jalan Jalan Makan Makan Raya Edition 2018 (Marina Bay Sands)

The Jalan-Jalan Makan-Makan Raya Edition 2018 is coming to Marina Bay Sands from 1 – 3 June. It is the first MEGA halal food and shopping bazaar at MBS that you definitely don’t want to miss out on.

You’ll get to meet your favourite celebrities, shop for your Hari Raya outfits and break your fast, all in one place!

If you’re looking for the perfect baju kurung, homegrown Muslimah fashion designer Adlina Anis, will have a pop-up booth at the bazaar. Get your wallets ready, because her Hari Raya collection is to die for.

[caption id="attachment_34665" align="aligncenter" width="1198"] Image Credit: @adlinaanisofficial[/caption]

If you’re planning on breaking fast at the bazaar, head on to Farah Diana Catering’s booth for their famous Nasi Ambeng ($7). This meal is packed with sides such as beef rendang and sambal goreng – you’re definitely going to need a power nap after eating this.

[caption id="attachment_34667" align="aligncenter" width="536"] Image Credit: Farah Diana Catering Facebook[/caption]

Their booth will be located right next to the stage so you definitely won’t miss it! Best part, there’s plenty of seating space as well so you can break fast at the bazaar itself.

With over 200 stalls at the Jalan-Jalan Makan-Makan bazaar, you won’t need to look elsewhere for all your Hari Raya needs.

Jalan-Jalan Makan-Makan Raya Edition 2018
Address:
Marina Bay Sands Expo Hall E
Date:
1 – 3 June 2018
Time:
10am – 10pm

2. Bazaar Raya One World (Our Tampines Hub)

The Bazaar Raya One World at Our Tampines Hub has plenty of traditional bazaar staples including putu bambu, ayam perchik, and satay burger. So if you’re looking for real food, then this is the place to indulge.

Keep cool with a cup of original Butter Booeh from BOO:EH and bask in the atmosphere of festivities at the bazaar! Their slushie is a new crowd’s favourite as well.

[caption id="attachment_34670" align="aligncenter" width="1742"] Image Credit: @boo.eh[/caption]

Out of the 150 stalls available at Bazaar Raya One World, we highly recommend getting the Satay Burger from Famous Satay Burger. If you need an upgrade from your usual ramly burgers, this is the perfect choice for you.

[caption id="attachment_34671" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Image Credit: Famous Satay Burger Facebook[/caption]

If you’re looking for real good food for the soul, then this bazaar won’t disappoint. No rainbow coloured food or edible balloons at this bazaar here!

Bazaar Raya One World
Address:
Our Tampines Hub, 1 Tampines Walk, Singapore 528523
Date:
12 May – 13 June

3. KB Raya Fest (D’Marquee, Downtown East)

D’Marquee is the perfect location for a bazaar if you can’t stand the heat.

Get your wallets ready because you’re in for a real treat. KB Raya Fest is a one stop destination for all your Hari Raya needs. Not to mention, some of the food vendors sounds pretty damn good too!

Burgs by Project Warung will be selling their famous burgers at KB Raya Fest 2018. Unless you live under a rock, Burgs is known for selling gourmet burgers at an affordable price.

Trust me, you can’t miss out on this one.

[caption id="attachment_34672" align="aligncenter" width="1288"] Image Credit: @projectwarung[/caption]

KB Raya Fest
Address:
D’Marquee @ Downtown East
Date: 25th – 27th May 2018
Time: 12pm to 11pm

4. LalooLalang Bazaar (Malay Heritage Centre)

Bring all your kakis for 3 days of food, fun and entertainment. For our non-Muslim geng, in the morning you go breakfast then in the evening you join for break fast ok!

This highly anticipated bazaar has been hugely successful since its debut in 2015.

Fashion, lifestyle, food and fun awaits you down at LalooLalang Bazaar. Be entertained by local acts and learn a thing or two about the Malay culture down at the Malay Heritage Centre galleries!

[caption id="attachment_34675" align="aligncenter" width="1950"] Image Credit: @laloolalang[/caption]

LalooLalang Bazaar
Address:
 Malay Heritage Centre, 85 Sultan Gate, Singapore 198501
Date: 1 – 3 June
Time: 3pm to Midnight

5. Bazaar Raya Utara (Woodlands Regional Centre)

The Bazaar Raya Utara is now in its 16th year, featuring a record of 80 stalls, selling everything from street food to homemade Hari Raya goodies.

A new air-conditioned section also houses apparel and fashion stalls, such as Muslimah fashion brand Ayu Apparels and online store Vintagewknd.

[caption id="attachment_34676" align="aligncenter" width="1302"] Image Credit: @ayuapparels[/caption]

Thankfully, traditional food stalls still comprise the bulk of the bazaar’s offerings, with the longest lines dedicated to crowd favourites such as nasi Padang and Ramly Burgers!

Bazaar Raya Utara
Address:
 Woodlands Regional Centre, Next to Causeway Point
Date: 14 May – 12 June
Time: 10am – 11pm

6. The Grand Bazaar (Singapore Expo)

Inspired by the famed spice bazaars in Istanbul, The Grand Bazaar will take you through the sights and sounds of Turkey.

Taking place on the final weekend of Ramadan, visitors can expect a myriad of food, fashion and furniture shopping, plus cultural performances to enjoy.

A colourful experience awaits you at the Grand Bazaar. With a wide spectrum of vendors participating, you are sure to find something unique in this gathering.

The Grand Bazaar
Address:
 Singapore Expo Hall 6B
Date: 8 – 10 June 2018
Time: 10am – 10pm

So grab your friends, family and most importantly, your wallet, and head down to these bazaars before the month of Ramadan ends!

Also Read $30 VS Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2018 – Can You Get Decent Food?

(Header Image Source: @projectwarung, @boo.eh, @nataliayusoff)

Food At The Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar Isn’t Cheap — Here’s What’s Worth It And What’s Not

In the past couple of days, much has been said about this year’s Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar.

Some have pointed out that Artbox 2.0, and others have said the food there is not worth the price or the queue.

The DiscoverSG team headed down to taste-test the food ourselves, to distinguish those that are worth the money (and the queue) from those that are not. Full disclosure: we picked many of these items based on their insta-worthiness and novelty.

Our conclusion? Some of the most photogenic foods actually tasted the worst.

These are some of the things we liked.

Worth It

1. Katoshka (Muslim owned)

[caption id="attachment_26780" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Image Credit: passerbyshaz[/caption]

One of our favourite stalls at the bazaar–by far– was Katoshka, which serves up russet fries drenched in sauce. Here, you don’t have to worry about running out of sauce for your fries. Not your average cup of cheese fries, this snack packed a punch without being too overwhelming.

We tried the Sambal Cheese ($5.90) and loved how the crispy fries mixed with the spicy cheese. While the serving size is quite small, we think it’s worth every dollar

We also tried the Asam Boi Special ($3.90), a sour plum drink. The drink was on the sweet side, with just the right amount of sourness from the Asam.

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2. Banana Cheese Fritters 

[caption id="attachment_26798" align="alignnone" width="750"] Image Credit: passerbyshaz[/caption]

Another sweet treat we tried is the Banana Cheese Fritters ($6)–the humble pisang goreng with a twist. There was barely a queue or a wait when we were there. We went with a classic chocolate flavour from a list of options including chocolate rice and oreos. Served warm, these were the perfect balance of sweet and salty–great for those who want a sweet treat that isn’t too cloying.

The melted cheese brought a very subtle flavour to the fritters. If you’re looking for a stronger cheese flavour, we suggest asking for an extra helping of cheese.

And now, on to the stuff we didn’t like.

Not Worth It

1. Milk Bites (Non-halal)

[caption id="attachment_26781" align="alignnone" width="750"] Image Credit: passerbyshaz[/caption]

The Singaporean wisdom of ‘if there’s a queue, join it‘ led us to Fried Milk. An interesting concept, these bite-sized squares of fried milk pudding come in 3 different flavours: Original, Pandan and Thai Milk Tea.

We tried the platter ($9), which came with 4 milk bites of each flavour. Freshly fried, these desserts were crunchy on the outside and oozy on the inside. The consistency of the cream was a bit chunky for our liking and the flavour was quite overwhelming. Suffice to say, we weren’t fans of these.

2. WORD (Muslim owned)

[caption id="attachment_26793" align="alignnone" width="750"] Image Credit: passerbyshaz[/caption]

WORD is no stranger when it comes to cooking up a storm. Their outlet at Upper Thomson Road serves up delicious Western fare alongside crafted sodas and mocktails.

At their pop up stall, we tried the Minah ($8), a bucket of soda dressed to the nines. We were in for a bit of a wait despite the short queue due to a shortage of staff. When we did get our drink creation, we were pretty disappointed. Crafted from Fanta Orange, Ice Cream Soda and two scoops of ice cream, this tasted like diluted Fanta and felt like it could easily have been made at home.

While we appreciate the size of the drink, hauling it around was also a bit of a struggle, especially given the crowd.

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3. Loco Loco

[caption id="attachment_26794" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Image Credit: passerbyshaz[/caption]

Loco Loco made a splash at last year’s Geylang Bazaar for offering up flavoured churros. This year, they have 3 outlets spread out over the entirety of the bazaar. We picked up the Chilli Crab Churros ($6) and Beef Scotch Eggs ($6).

The Chilli Crab Churros were warm and the chilli sauce topping tasted like the real-deal, minus the spiciness. Sadly, these Churros were unexpectedly dense. Without the sauce, this snack would have ranked low on our score scale.

The Beef Scotch Eggs were served warm and with a serving of keropok. We waited about 10 – 15 minutes for the Scotch Eggs, so pick this up only if you’re willing to wait around for this dish. While the eggs were nicely done, the beef was pretty plain.

At least they’re photogenic?

Image Credit: passerbyshaz[/caption]

SOFNADE is one spot you might want to check out for a sweet treat. Serving up Cendol Soft Serve, Galaxy Milkshakes and Donut Balls, it’s no wonder this dessert stall is a favourite among sweet tooths.

We managed to grab a Galaxy Milkshake ($6.50) while the line was short and watched as the stall attendant poured the coloured liquids into the cup, layer by layer. A gorgeous work of food art topped with rainbow sprinkles, its flavour was unfortunately, a let down. The milkshake tastes like a vanilla milkshake, except a lot sweeter. We’re sweet tooths ourselves, but this was way too sweet for us.

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Unfortunately, many of the pretty and novel foods we tried at the Geylang Bazaar were sub-par in the taste department.

That said, we also bought ourselves some more “traditional” pasar malam eats like Takoyaki Balls, Vadai and Dengdeng, and we must admit, at the end of the day, these were our top picks.

While this year’s Geylang Bazaar may have more of an Artbox vibe compared to the past years, we were still glad we made the trip down. One piece of advice we do have though, is that if the food looks good, it probably won’t taste great.

Also read, With Over 1,000 Stalls, This Year’s Geylang Bazaar Will Keep You Coming Back For More

With Over 1,000 Stalls, This Year’s Geylang Bazaar Will Keep You Coming Back For More

The month of Ramadhan is a few weeks away and while it holds plenty of cultural and religious significance for Muslims all over the world, that doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t join in on the festivities.

Two cultural events worth checking out every Ramadhan are the annual Hari Raya Light-Up and the Geylang Serai Baazar. This year’s light-up is centred around the cultural and historical aspects of Malay culture.

Hari Raya Light-Up 

[caption id="attachment_26271" align="alignnone" width="991"] Image Credit: Hari Raya Light-Up 2017 Organising Committee[/caption]

This year’s Hari Raya Light-Up will feature a 4.4-metre-tall wau (a kite originating from the Malaysian state of Kelantan), a stage area formed by a 12-metre-wide sampan and decorated arches standing at 13-meters and 9-metres tall.

[caption id="attachment_26272" align="alignnone" width="991"] A 4.4-metre-tall wau, a kite originating from the Malaysian state of Kelantan (Image Credit: Hari Raya Light-Up 2017 Organising Committee)[/caption]

This year’s light-up stretches over 2.25km, spanning Sims Avenue and Changi Road, and comprises 900,000 LED lights!

This year’s Hari Raya Light-Up will see the addition of a new, temporary exhibition. Housed in a structure modelled after the weaves of a ketupat, the exhibition serves to educate the public about the history of Hari Raya and of the Geylang Serai area.

Geylang Serai Bazaar

[caption id="attachment_26266" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image Credit: SCAPE*[/caption]

The Geylang Serai Bazaar is returning with more than 1,000 makeshift stalls selling both traditional and fusion snacks. Happening from 25 May to 24 June, look out for “poke bowls”, candy floss burritos and “rainbow planet” ice-cream buns.

[caption id="attachment_26265" align="alignnone" width="618"] Candy Floss Burritos[/caption]

The annual bazaar spans Geylang Serai market, Joo Chiat Complex and Haig Road. Cultural performances are set to take place every weekend near Kampong Kembangan Community Club. For cultural buffs, catch free screenings of P Ramlee’s films on the big screen.

If you’re a Singaporean (or foreigner) who is keen on getting their hands on some delicious eats, head on down to the Hari Raya Light-Up. Our advice? Bring that portable fan and lots of cash!

Hari Raya Light-Up
Where:
Around Sims Avenue and Changi Road 
When: 
May 20 – Jul 7

Geylang Serai Bazaar
Where:
Geylang Serai Market, Joo Chiat Complex and Haig Road 
When:
25 May – 24 June 

Also read, DBS Marina Regatta Is Bringing The Beach To The Bay, With lululemon Workouts, Potato Head’s Coconut Bar & More!

8 Geylang Serai Bazaar Street Snacks Worth Braving The Heat For!

Possibly the most anticipated pasar malam of the year, Geylang Serai Bazaar is here! From household products to apparels to mouth-watering snacks, the Bazaar offers practically everything. With more stalls than before, Geylang Serai Bazaar is back with awesome food that makes all the heat and queues worthwhile.

From fancy rainbow bagels to everyone’s favourite salted egg churros, here’s our list of must-try hipster snacks at this year’s Geylang Serai Bazaar. Be prepared by coming with empty stomachs!

1. Salted Egg Churros

[caption id="attachment_9400" align="alignnone" width="747"]churros salted egg Image credit: Instagram user @amitamiti[/caption]

Hands up salted egg yolk lovers! Here’s a new rendition – Churros with Salted Egg Yolk Sauce. Try Locoloco‘s new creation – bite size churros drizzled with salted egg yolk sauce ($6) – for some eggy goodness. Don’t fret if salted egg yolk is not your thing as they offer a variety of flavours ranging from pandan with gula melaka to red velvet. Can’t really decide on a flavour? Get a platter with all the flavours and sauces with an additional dollar for the Salted Egg Yolk Sauce!

What’s more, Locoloco is serving soft serve ice cream with their churros this year – another must-try on our list!

Loco Loco
Location:
 Next to Mr. Teh Tarik
Price: $4.50/cup, $16 (assortment), $6 (churros with soft serve/salted egg yolk sauce)

2. Rainbow Bagel

[caption id="attachment_9401" align="alignnone" width="747"]word._cafe rainbow bagel Image credit: Instagram user @seeintear[/caption]

Get your sugar fix from this pretty Rainbow Bagel! From the people of WORD., these bagels filled with strawberry cream cheese funfetti and tasty marshmallows are going at $8. A little tip from us: these bagels are best eaten fresh as they tend to turn a little soggy after a while! Queues are fairly long at WORD. but we’d say it’s worth the queueing.

WORD.
Location: Booth 9 at the open space carpark along Engku Aman Road
Price: $8

3. S’mores Dip

[caption id="attachment_9436" align="alignnone" width="746"]smores dip Image credit: Instagram user @shuyingong[/caption]

These S’mores Dip from Happy Rollies will leave you wanting for more! Consisting of biscuits and marshmallows nested above a bed of chocolate, this snack definitely tastes as yummy as it looks.

This popular stall can be identified through its snaking queue. The waiting time can take as long as 30mins! That said, you can also take the chance to order the Fried Ice-Cream Rolls ($5) with toppings ranging from banana to maple cornflakes.

Happy Rollies
Price: $3.50

4. Watermelon Volcano

[caption id="attachment_9430" align="alignnone" width="748"] Image credit: Instagram user @aowen[/caption]

The perfect refresher for the sweltering heat, the Watermelon Volcano is a must have when browsing the bazaar. Topped with freshly scooped watermelon balls, condensed milk, syrup and ice served in a watermelon husk, this thirst quencher will definitely cool you down.

The medium Watermelon Volcano is priced at $6.90 and is a good size for sharing among 2-3 people.

Happy Rollies
Price: $6.90 (Medium)/$12.90 (Large)

5. Spicy Korean Yoghurt

[caption id="attachment_9435" align="alignnone" width="748"]korean spicy yoghurt Image credit: Instagram user @thehalalfoodblog[/caption]

Up for a different yoghurt experience? This Spicy Korean Yoghurt is the perfect dessert for you. Topped with chopped almonds, cranberries and spicy Korean hot sauce, this Vanilla Yoghurt ($5) is definitely a new experience for all yoghurt lovers.

Location: Along Haig Road
Price: $5

6. Macaron Ice Cream

[caption id="attachment_9433" align="alignnone" width="748"]macaron icecream Image credit: Instagram user @raimification[/caption]

What’s better than Macarons and ice-cream? A Macaron Ice Cream obviously. Presented by the folks at Barakah-Fe, the macaron shells are crisp and chewy. Ice cream flavours are available in oreo, vanilla, nutella, chocolate or salted caramel. Not only do you get to taste the best of both worlds, this highly delightful dessert is also very instagram-worthy.

Barakah-Fe
Location: Along Haig Road
Price: $4

7. Fried Oreos

[caption id="attachment_9434" align="alignnone" width="896"]fried oreo Image credit: Instagram user @emmiiewoo[/caption]

What’s a pasar malam trip without fried food, right? Deep fried to perfection, this snack is a twist to everyone’s childhood snack. Besides its delicious melty chocolate on the inside, choose between icing sugar ($3) and chocolate sauce or condensed milk ($3.50) to complete your perfect dessert!

Price: $3 (With icing sugar)/$3.50 (With chocolate sauce or condensed milk)

8. Cotton Candy Soda

[caption id="attachment_9432" align="alignnone" width="747"]cotton candy soda Image credit: Instagram user @_missyclaire_[/caption]

Think over-the-top milkshakes are too much? Think again. Offered by Backalley Bites, this novelty comes with different flavours of soda – Grape, Blueberry and Cherry. Top that off with sweet cotton candy and tadah, the sweetest drink of all time.

Backalley Bites
Price: $3/$2 without cotton candy

Some tips from us for those visiting the bazaar:
Bring a portable fan, wear light clothing and arm yourself with a watermelon volcano. A fair bit of walking will be needed to search for these stalls so a comfortable pair of walking shoes is recommended.

That said, gather as many friends, head down to the Geylang Serai Bazaar this instant and soak up the Hari Raya spirit!

Geylang Serai Bazaar
Date: 4 June – 6 July
Time: 5pm till late
Location: Along the stretch of Changi Road between Joo Chiat and Paya Lebar Road
(Paya Lebar MRT Exit A. Due to construction work this year, turn left and follow the crowd instead of heading in the direction of the Singapore Post Centre)

(Image header by TNP, Spring Tomorrow & Notey)

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