Our Ramadan bazaars came and left us too fast, but thankfully there's a new upcoming hip spot in town to soothe that heartbreak. From 3rd June to 26th June, the Bayfront Event Space near Marina Bay will be transformed into an urban lifestyle playground for creative talents in the culinary, arts, and entertainment world ?
Touted to be the largest festival in Singapore to be opened to the public since the pandemic, you will be able to enjoy live performances, delicious halal food from Big Boy Franks, Haig Road Putu Piring, Praffles and more, graffiti art, and a massive food bouncy castle ? We went to the media opening of Gastrobeats 2022 on Wednesday (1st June), and here's a guide to help you navigate this massive place!
1. 14 halal food stalls for you to try
One of the most important part of Gastrobeats is definitely the food (it's literally in the name!), and we're happy to have 13 halal food stalls to check out!
a) Ah Lim Nasi Lemak
Ah Lim Nasi Lemak used to be located in Maxwell Food Centre, before closing down and moving into a home-based business. Now this budding outlet has ventured into the bazaar scene for the first time, and we're excited! Ah Lim Nasi Lemak sells a variety of dishes, with the signature dish being, you guessed it, nasi lemak ? Ms Aishah Lim is a born Chinese Muslim and runs this humble stall. Their version of nasi lemak is super hearty! Choose from a wide range of toppings such as sambal sotong, chicken cutlets and fish fillets! They also have other finger foods which are perfect if you're on the go such as Korean corn dogs! ?
Halal status: Muslim-owned
b) Haig Road Putu Piring
Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring, has been featured in Singapore's Michelin guide and on Netflix's Street Food Asia, so you know you have to get in line! Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring has gained loyal fans, both locals and tourists, and this is apparent from the long queues at their stalls. If you haven't tasted this delicacy yet, then you'll definitely be enticed to try it once you've read this! ? Once you sink your teeth into the steaming hot piece of putu piring, the taste of gula Melaka just melts in your mouth and you can feel it oozing, instantly delighting your taste buds ?
Halal status: Muslim-owned
c) Kueh Ho Jiak
Craving for some old-school treats with a little twist? Kueh Ho Jiak's contemporary take on traditional kuehs will tantalise your palates! Their ang ku kueh is as visually appealing as it is delightful to the taste! While most kueh makers use the “tortoise” mold exclusively for Ang Ku Kueh, they have adopted cute and less common mold designs like teddy bear, koi fish, flower and more ?There's also a special treat you must try when you're at their stall: Hershey Chocolate Ondeh with Vanilla Ice Cream! ?
Halal status: Halal-certified
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d) You Tiao Man
If you prefer something a little more crunchier to snack on while you walk around the festival, You Tiao Man is well, your man. Expect all your favourite fried goodness, and a Gastrobeats special: at $2.50 per stick, you can choose any of these 5 unique, local flavours (Nutella Sprinkles, Kaya Butter, Strawberry Cream, Ice Gem Delight and Milo Dinosaur).
Can't decide? Buy all 5 for $9.90 ? While waiting, try snapping a photo with their friendly mascot! ?
Halal status: Halal-certified
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e) Big Boy Franks
If you prefer to indulge in a hearty meal, Big Boy Franks's big, juicy burgers and hotdogs is something you can look forward to! Drool over their signature Chicken Hot Dog Bun, which comes with our homemade special Chilli Con Carne, or try their hefty Smash'em Mothership Burger, which features TWO thick beef patties in ONE burger! We advise you to find a seat before eating this though ?
Halal status: Muslim-owned
f) Noobie
Heard of Waffl., a dessert shop known for their aesthetically pleasing and delicious bakes? Their sister company Noobie is serving up refreshing iced chocolates and assorted drinks at Gastrobeats! We tried their signature drink, the Iced Chocolate with Macadamia and if you're a lover of all things sweet, this drink is for you ?
Halal status: Muslim-owned
g) Rancho Meats
Rancho Meats made their street food debut at the Geylang Serai Ramadan bazaar this year and has been the talk of the town so far! Prior to this, their meats were sold online where you have to buy and prepare yourself, but this time round, it's all done for you; you just have to choose which meats you want (their signature ribeye or chicken), how you want it served, your choice of sauce (mentaiko is a favourite!) all stuffed in either the Bun (a sub-like sandwich), Bucket (your order in a mini tub) or the Bowl. You'll definitely get why the Internet has been raging about this for quite a while now ? They've also got classic fries such as Cheesy Fries and a must-try Salmon Mentaiko Fries ?
Halal status: Muslim-owned
h) TIGAfolks & Co
Meat your standard here at TIGAfolks & Co! They're known for making mouth-watering roasts of assorted meats, so prepare for a delicious meat-fest here! Choose from favourites such as roast beef, lamb ribs and more. It's going to be a filling meal, so come with your belly empty!
Halal status: Muslim-owned
i) The Leaf Co
Don't be upsetti and eat your spaghetti! That's what you're promised here at The Leaf Co when you dig into a delicious plate of pasta! ? You can DIY your pasta too! Choose your choice of pasta, your base and sauces and your favourite meats! If you're in need of a pasta fix, you know where to go ?
Halal status: Muslim-owned
j) The Figs Shop
Unlike what their name tells you, they aren't selling figs! They do, however, serve up a delicious spread of fried chicken wings with a variety of flavours such as tandoori, sambal, salted egg, prawn paste and Thai chilli! ?
Halal status: Muslim-owned
k) Alamak!
Alamak! Sedap eh this one! This newly-opened Muslim-owned stall serves up a range of street snacks such as takoyaki, keropok lekor, goreng pisang and more! We tried their takoyaki (hotdog and prawn filling respectively) and my favourite was the prawn because sometimes, the classic ones just suffice ?
Halal status: Muslim-owned
l) Let’s Pretzel
Who can resist a warm pretzel? Well, many of us CAN'T. Check out this pop-up store Let's Pretzel! Did you know that they had a store at Geylang Serai Ramadan bazaar this year ? They have a special Gastrobeats menu for you to try: cinnamon sugar, pepperoni & cheese, cookies n creme, truffle mayo crunch, strawberry cheesecake. Imagine just munching on these while you're strolling around the festival; it's been so long since we did this! ?
Halal status: We have reached out to them and they told us that all of their ingredients are from halal-certified suppliers. They also mentioned that they are currently in the process of obtaining the halal certification. Do dine with discretion.
m) Praffles
Praffles by Fooditude has now joined the ranks of being bazaar staples with their mind-blowing combination of pratas and waffles. For the uninitiated, it's actually a prata-like texture shaped like a waffle ?
You definitely have to try their signature Chilli Crab Praffles which comes with a generous serving of soft-shelled crab topped with chilli crab gravy and served in a cone-like box. Other than chilli crab, they also have toppings like curry chicken, truffle cheese (a lot of mozzarella involved ?) and even sweet ones like rainbow ice-cream.
Halal status: Muslim-owned
n) Cheeky Dumplings*
This store is relatively new and serves up a range of authentic Chinese dumplings such as the Sichuan Chili Oil Dumplings and more! Do note their outlet states that all of their ingredients are from halal-certified suppliers. We spoke to them and they told us that they do intend to apply for halal certification when they gain more traction. We advise that you dine with discretion.
2. Popular spots for IG-worthy photos
a) Pretty in pink at foodpanda's booth
As a fan of all things pink, foodpanda's booth was simply picture-perfect for me! Whilst I did not have much time to snap up some cool IG photos, you definitely can! It screams aesthetic all over: from cool pink outdoor benches and swings, to pink walls filled with pictures of food and a fun, tossing game too!
b) Immerse in otherworldly soundscapes at Visa's striking installation
When we came to this installation, there's already a queue forming because it screams IG-worthy! ? In partnership with local art studio Space Objekt, the 'Portal of Possibilities' is a symbolic gateway unlocking a range of experiences with Visa. As you walk down this criss-crossed arch lighted with eclectic colours, you'll be immersed in the surrounding ethereal soundscapes by local musical talents! Make sure to take your best shot and tag @visa_sg on Instagram to unlock a mystery gift! ?Here's a little tip for a great photo: take your photos at night; the glowing arches will appear even better on screen!
c) Check out unique graffiti art containers
The Gastrobeats Art Zone is empowered by Oppo, where you'll see amazing graffiti art sprawled all over containers! Why not add a little fun to your phototaking and try your luck at winning Oppo Enco Buds and Oppo Bands? Take your most creative picture with these art containers, upload it on your IG feed, follow and tag @opposingapore on Instagram and use these three hashtags: #DemsterxOPPO #Empower YourNight #OPPOFindX5Pro! We bet you'll be more creative than we were (the festival was closing okay ?)
3. Bouncy castles from Jumptopia, arcade, retail stores, and more
a) Jumptopia
Kiztopia brings Jumptopia, its signature mega-bouncy castle event, outdoors with a food-theme at GastroBeats for the first time! Held at the Bayfront Event Space from 3 to 26 June 2022, festival-goers can look forward to eight specially-designed, massive food-themed inflatables that are sure to satiate their bouncing appetites, especially that of kids and their families! Do note that you need to buy a separate ticket to enter Jumptopia. The price for one ticket (for one person) starts from $20.50, which is also inclusive of a general entry ticket to Gastrobeats. You can purchase the ticket from Klook via this link.
b) Arcade
Having an arcade has become a staple in fun fairs and large festivals, and you can play to your heart's content at IClaw Taiwan! You have the usual favourites: racing games, dance battles, claw machines (one of which involves a larger-than-life Pink Panther doll) and more!
c) Other things you should check out
There's also other stores you should check out such as a VR playing experience, stores selling organic skincare products and more! Be prepared to spend a bit ? There will also be live performances by local artists such as Keyana and more, which truly adds on to the weekend fun fair vibes we miss so much! ?
4. Tips and other information you need before heading over to Gastrobeats
GastroBeats will be open from 4pm to 10.30pm daily from 3rd to 26th June 2022! You'll need to pay an admission fee, which starts from $9 before entering. Do note that the ticket does not include the cost of food and drinks purchased inside. You can purchase the tickets here via Klook! If you intend to enter Jumptopia, do note that you'll have to pay for tickets there. We suggest checking out Klook's special bundle, especially for families with young children (or those young-at-heart ?), which combines both tickets to Jumptopia and Gastrobeats. You can check out the link here.
The festival only accepts contactless payment systems, so do prepare a credit card, or your DBS PayLah! app on hand! If you use your Visa card, you'll get 10% discounts over your tickets and stalls in the festival!
Here are some tips we have to make your Gastrobeats 2022 experience a fulfilling and fun one!
- If you intend to check out the art installations at the i Light festival (we came up with a guide for you right here!), get all your favourite meals earlier (i.e from 4pm onwards)! You can then catch good seats to enjoy your meals, play some games at the arcade or do a little shopping, before heading out to snag good photos of the installations from 7.30pm onwards!
- If you're only heading to the Gastrobeats Festival, make a little plan! Just there for the food? Queue early to avoid crowds! Bringing the kids to Jumptopia? Come between 6-8pm, where the crowds are much lesser! You're combining everything into one go? Come in the afternoon and play to your heart's content at Jumptopia, arcades and more, get your shopping done and then queue up for your food!
Whatever you choose to do, the most important thing is to HAVE FUN. We're happy that large-scale events like these are back! Have fun and stay safe out there! ?