Dawn Yeo writes about food, travel, and anything her mind conjures up to escape the realities of life. When she's not writing, you can find her struggling through university and eating too much for her own good.
Nestled in the heart of the Telok Blangah neighbourhood, this hawker centre has been a go-to spot for locals to enjoy simple yet delicious Singaporean specialities. With an adjacent wet market selling fresh produce, this is your one-stop shop for the week’s groceries and a hearty meal of your favourite local food.
The nearest MRT (Telok Blangah MRT) is just a 10-minute walk away, with nearby malls such as Vivocity and Alexandra Retail Centre. On a weekday, the hawker centre is bustling with activity when the office crowd descends on it, while weekends are busy with the neighbourhood folks. Home to 40 hawker stalls and cuisines ranging from Chinese to Malay to Indian, rest assured that there’s something here for everyone.
Shao La Telok Blangah Roasted Meat
You can never go wrong with a plate of roast meats, which is exactly what Shao La does well. They offer three different types of meat – char siew, roast pork, and duck – and you can create your own combination with rice or noodles. Prices range from $4 to $8 depending on the meats you choose, you can also include a braised egg as a finishing touch.
Sweet yet savoury, the succulent char siew pieces are on the fattier side and almost melt in your mouth. The roast pork also does the trick, offering that subtle crunch with a burst of saltiness. All in all, you can expect a decent plate of roasted meat here at Shao La Roasted Meat.
Seng Huat Prawn Noodles
Another favourite in this hawker centre is Seng Huat, with their famous prawn noodles drawing queues of up to 30 minutes, and possibly longer during lunchtime. Managed by a friendly couple, you’ll have no difficulty finding the stall with its constant crowd.
Their classic prawn noodles come in both soup and dry versions, for a very affordable price of S$3.50. With a healthy serving of prawns, fishcake, pork slices, beansprouts, and a generous sprinkle of fried garlic and spring onions, this bowl is extremely value-for-money. The hearty soup was savoury with a hint of sweetness, and the fried garlic added an extra oomph of flavour to an already yummy dish. All-in-all, a stall you shouldn’t miss.
Red Swallow Hot and Cold Drinks
To round off your meal, finish your visit to Telok Blangah Hawker Centre with some refreshing desserts at Red Swallow Hot and Cold Drinks. Also one of the long-standing stores here, you can find a wide offering of classic Singaporean desserts, such as Ice Kachang, Bo Bo Cha Cha, Chendol, and even Red Ruby.
The chendol was replete with the classic ingredients you’d find, like green rice flour jelly, coconut milk, gula melaka syrup, red beans, and shaved ice. Although it was missing some beloved attap chee, it was still extremely refreshing and comforting.
Apart from these three, there are plenty of other quality local finds at Telok Blangah. My own recommendations would be the fried carrot cake at Yuan Cheng Carrot Cake, 28 Cooked Food for some reliable cai fan, Haja Najumudeen’s Indian food, and the wanton noodles at Hong Ji Mian Shi Jia. As for drinks and sweet treats, look for Qi Shi Nian Dai, 3 Bakes, and Xin Quan Xing Rojak and Soya Bean Milk for your iced soya fix.
On a personal note, I actually grew up really near to this hawker centre, and we would visit it every Saturday for some delicious breakfast. Trust me when I say that Telok Blangah Hawker Centre, although smaller than some others, has a great selection of homely, comforting foods. Enjoy and remember to stay hydrated!
