Lau Pa Sat which translates to “Old Market” in Hokkien, was built in the 19th century. It used to be known as Telok Ayer Market – one of Singapore’s oldest markets. An iconic Singapore landmark, it was gazetted as a national monument in 1973.
Located in the heart of Singapore’s financial district, Lau Pa Sat is one of the more popular food centers, or what we refer to as ‘hawker centres’. Here, you will find delicacies and local favourites like chicken rice, satay, Char Kuay Teow, as well as the other cuisines.
The building is octagonal in shape. It has a clock tower, with a clock face on every side, and bells that chime every 15 minutes. I find the chiming a nuisance.
Lau Pa Sat has the advantage over the other hawker centers because it is in the heart of the business district, within the tourist belt, and it is open 24 hours.
Foreigners may say that Lau Pat Sat is the best place to try Singaporean dishes, but most locals would disagree. There are many other hawker food stalls which serve more scrumptious local food. That is why although reputed to be a popular food place, it is never a first choice for the locals when it comes to eating out. In fact, none of my friends have ever suggested going there for a meal. That is probably why I have never been there before. Had my friends and I not wandered there by accident, I wouldn't have eaten there at all. Since we found ourselves at the place, we thought we might as well give it a try.
There are plenty of stalls to choose from, so we had a walk around the place first to check out what was available. The place needs getting used to, not only because it is quite a big place, but also because of the shape of the place. One would need to eat here regularly to know where everything is.
A picture of their billboards. The place looked very busy. I think foreigners and tourists like the novelty factors of the place - the distinctive design of the place, the chiming of the clock, the dining out on the street, and cheap local food. Sometimes, the food might be mediocre, but the atmosphere and the company makes the evening memorable.
We ordered from a 'Tze char' stall. And we ordered some satays. These were what we had.
The food looks good in the pictures, but we agreed that it is not the best. Maybe, because of its reputation, our expectations were higher. Or, maybe the food here is catered more to the expats and tourists' taste. Or, maybe we ordered from a mediocre stall. Whatever it was, we were disappointed with our first visit to the place.
French beans fried with sambal chilli.
Their own home-made tofu.
Barbecue Sting Ray
Dice chicken with onions, spring onions and chilli
Prawns fried with sambal chilli
Chicken and beef satays
Lau Pa Sat surrounding by tall buildings. The road will close at 7 pm, and tables and chairs will be set up in the streets. This is when 'Satay Street' opens.
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