The New Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre – with the much talked about new generation hawkers cuisine on its 2nd level known as Fareground – has opened. The delay in the opening and the eventual opening of the dual concept hawker centre on 25 January 2018 was widely covered in the media (see Opening of ‘hipster’ hawker centre in Pasir Ris delayed and ‘Hipster’ Pasir Ris hawker centre opens by the Straits Times). We visited the new hawker centre managed by NTUC Foodfare to see if it is indeed something that is shaking up the local street food scene.
The building housing the new Pasir Ris Hawker Centre certainly looks different from the typical old school food centre structure. The two storey hawker centre, with its own multi-storey carpark right above it, has a contemporary sleek architecture. There is a seamless integration with the neighbouring Pasir Ris Town Park allowing easy access and good views of the rather scenic park.
The new food centre can house up to 42 stalls. 20 stalls offering traditional hawker fare are on level one. According to NTUC Foodfare, the 2nd level of the hawker centre, called the Fareground, is intended to be “the playground for new generation hawkers to excite patrons with their creative brand of modern cuisine, priced affordably to serve one and all“.
Fareground
The Fareground looks spacious and airy. There are the usual hipster cafe furniture and decor – mismatched chairs and stools, bar tables, colourful graphics and the like.
We had lunch at the Fareground and tried rice bowls from Tasty Street and beef noodles from Saap Lah Thai Boat Noodles.
Tasty Street – Our Little Red Dot
Tasty Street – Our Little Red Dot offers Asian Grain Bowls which combine local flavours with premium ingredients (such as Iberico Lor Ba, Sous Vide Chicken with Truffled Hotplate Tofu Sauce).
We had a small Sous Vide Chicken Breast Bowl which was only $3.50 ($5 for large bowl). The chicken with brown rice, vegetables, onsen egg, truffle tofu sauce was quite tasty and certainly good value.
Tasty Street – Our Little Red Dot #02-16
Facebook Page
Opening Hours: 11am to 9pm, Thursdays to Tuesdays, closed on Wednesdays
Saap Lah Thai Boat Noodles
Saap Lah offers a variety of Thai boat noodles and yong tau foo with tom yum soup. We tried the beef Thai boat noodles ($5). The broth was very tasty and there was a fair amount of sliced beef and beef balls. Overall the dish was not bad but we thought the texture of the noodles was not quite what we expected – it did not have the perfect chewy and smooth texture we liked.
Saap Lah Thai Boat Noodles #02-09
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 7.30pm, Thursdays to Tuesdays, closed on Wednesdays
Jin Ho Lim Ah
In true Singaporean hipster style, the drinks stall at Fareground is named Jin Ho Lim Ah (which is Hokkien for a very good drink). It has a serious looking coffee brewing machine. Besides tea and coffee, Jin Ho Lim also offers beers, ciders and a good selection of local and traditional concoctions.
We had the very middle of the road hot coffee ($1.50) and cold black coffee ($2) which were both of artisanal cafe standard.
Jin Ho Lim Ah #02-15
Opening Hours: 11am to 11pm, Wednesdays to Mondays, closed on Tuesdays
Stalls at Fareground
We took photos of some other stalls on level 2 of Pasir Ris Hawker Centre. As you can see, the variety of food offered is quite interesting.
There are a few selling burgers and other Western or fusion dishes.
The Humble Burger sells chicken rice burger, with buns made from Japanese rice coated in breadcrumbs and meat patty of chicken cooked in soya sauce and topped with chilli and ginger sauce, as well as portobello burger, sio bak burger and miso-glazed roast pork belly in a bun.
#02-22 Facebook Page
Daburu sells “hot buns” and “hot plates” including a double hamburg hot bun double pork belly hot bun and chicken chop hot plate noodles.
#02-11 Facebook
It should not be surprising to see trendy Poke bowls and Bingsu at Fareground.
Thai cuisine and prawn udon are available.
There must also be waffle and ice cream.
Traditional Fare and Level One
Level one of the new Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre looks like a fairly typical Singapore food centre. The food stalls cover the usual Indian, Chinese and Malay street food and the very Singaporean Economic Bee Hoon and Rice.
Food Centre with Social Objectives
The new Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre managed by NTUC Foodfare is not just another food centre. It is also a social enterprise with aims of keeping meals healthy and affordable for Singaporeans. Every stall will offer at least two Budget Meals to ensure that everyone can enjoy a satisfying and affordable meal at the hawker centre. Currently, budget meal prices at the stalls on the first level cost a maximum of $2.80.
Each stall will also provide at least one Healthier Choice meal (under 500 calories) as certified by HPB. All the hawkers are required to use healthier oil (as endorsed by HPB) in their food preparation.
Helping to promote cashless payment, the food centre enables patrons to use their Plus! cards, Plus! Pay or DBS Paylah! Diners topping up and using their Plus! Cards can earn Link Points to redeem for purchases at the hawker centre and across more than 100 retail points including NTUC FairPrice.
Other features of new Pasir Ris Hawker Centre include
– A self tray-return system;
– Food waste management system;
– Family dining area with child-friendly tables and chairs; and
– Handicap friendly access;
– Easy access to Car Park with Electronic Parking System; and
– Bicycle Parking Lots.
The new dual concept food centre is indeed an interesting introduction to the local street food scene. It seems like the new Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre is a food centre that promotes health, social graces, innovation and entrepreneurship. It is also a well-designed space for a wide selection of affordable food. Food centre like the Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre is a great way to eat in Singapore.
Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre
110 Pasir Ris Central
Singapore 519641
Opening Hours of Centre: 7am to 10.30pm (opening hours of stalls may vary)
The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog
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