Serious CCC Leader John Tan Promises Moslems And Sinkies Lower Rents And Halal-Only Food At Ramadan Bazaar! Indulge In Daily Gluttony After Fasting!

[JohnTan]

The annual Geylang Serai Bazaar is officially open till Jun 5, bringing with it the bright lights and festive atmosphere that the “mother of all pasar malams” is known for.

This year's edition is noteworthy for a couple of reasons – the most significant being the bazaar only features food and drinks that use halal-certified ingredients. The organisers have also made sure that the majority of the 150 food stalls on site feature traditional goodies, including dengdeng, vadai, ayam percik, roti john, mee goreng, goreng pisang, otah otah and, yes, Ramly burgers.


That said, bringing back the traditional has not stopped the bazaar from returning with a palpably modern feel. One of its food zones is made up of container-style stalls, with a transparent plastic ceiling decked in fairy lights, giving it an ArtBox-esque festival feel.

There's also no shortage of decidedly non-traditional treats, including lobster nasi lemak, mala noodles and a waffle-prata hybrid.

Here are our top picks from the Geylang Serai Bazaar 2019.

WHITE RABBIT NOSTALGIA

Stalls this year have hopped onto the White Rabbit nostalgia bandwagon. At Take A Bite, a White Rabbit sauce is drizzled over vanilla-flavoured ice cream and topped with the candy itself (S$6).

The stall also sells the candy in drink form (S$3.50) with fresh milk, White Rabbit candy sauce and condensed milk, which should take you right back to your childhood.

BOBA MILK EVERYTHING

Brown sugar boba soft serve, flaming boba milk with cream mousse, boba pancakes – it's a bubble tea world and we just live in it.

At Milk Bro, a blow torch is used to put the finishing touches to its signature flaming boba milk with cream mousse and brown sugar (S$5.90), reminiscent of creme brulee.

Popular bubble tea shop Alley is also hawking a boba pancake stack (S$9.90) alongside its brown sugar tea and boba range.

LOBSTERS AND NASI

Lobster Bro – from the people behind Beef Bro, famed for its mentaiko beef cubes – serves up big chunks of grilled lobster with nasi lemak (S$22.90), or on its own with flavours like black pepper and garlic butter (S$20).

It can get messy but, hey, what’s going to the bazaar without getting your hands dirty? There are sinks conveniently located to wash your hands after.

FROM CHINA TO BOMBAY

Mala fever has spread to the bazaar. The Mala Stop features plenty of options, including noodles with beef (S$10.90), chicken (S$9.90), mixed chicken and beef (S$11.90), seafood (S$12,90), and even an “all-in” (S$14.90) for those who cannot decide what they want.

For those who want to push boundaries, the noodles can be bought in salted egg yolk flavour for an additional S$2. Those looking for the zing of mala may want to stick to the original flavour though.

Also bringing a little spice to the bazaar is Biryani Boss. Try the Bombay Sliders (three for S$10) in butter chicken, mutton keema, and masala potato flavours.

WHAT'S A 'PRAFFLE'?

This “rojak” item is a true reflection of Singaporeans' penchant for food innovation: A waffle-like treat with a crispy prata texture. Say hello to the "praffle".

Praffles, a newcomer to the bazaar, sells the hybrid wrap with curry chicken (S$12.90), truffle cheese (S$10.90) and chilli crab (S$15.90). Wash it all down with its selection of charcoal-infused water, black chocolate, black coffee and black milk tea.

Geylang Serai Bazaar 2019 runs till Jun 5, late afternoon till 12am, at Geylang Serai Market. Paya Lebar is the nearest MRT station.

https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasi...19-serves-up-praffles-and-bubble-tea-11499458

 

[bobby]

Why not just make it a Muslims only event ?

 

[wontonmee]

Looks like diabetes and heart attack food. Haha.

 

[laksaboy]

For that kind of money, I can go over to nearby Joo Chiat and have a very nice Vietnamese meal.

And so much for the promise to reduce stalls selling 'hipster' stuff.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lower-rents-fewer-hipster-goods-at-hari-raya-bazaar

"Because it is sizeably less than last year's rental, we really hope it will translate to reasonable pricing of the goods being sold," said Dr Maliki, who is also Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs.

 

[JohnTan]

Looks like diabetes and heart attack food. Haha.

As long as there is no pork, any sort of food is permissible and halal to moslems, including alcohol and drugs.

 

[bobby]

I thought lobsters are considered haram by the m&ds......

 

[syed putra]

Nowadays, just looking at tge food they sell at the bazaar makes me sick.
Anyway, the malays got it wrong. Its not fasting, but abstinence.

 

[JohnTan]

Nowadays, just looking at tge food they sell at the bazaar makes me sick.
Anyway, the malays got it wrong. Its not fasting, but abstinence.

The m&ds have a lot of islamic clerics with prestigious islamic degrees from saudi arabia, pakistan and egypt. They won't get their islam wrong. It's more likely that you are wrong, murtad!

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Why not just make it a Muslims only event ?

Than cannot earn enough.

 

[JohnTan]

Than cannot earn enough.

I would have preferred more non-halal and pork eateries at the bazaar like in the previous years, but my grassroots adviser preferred to not agitate the local islamists and salafists. So, we made this year's bazaar smaller and reduced the rent.

 

[winnipegjets]

The highlight of the event should the roasting of John Tan and serving him out as meals to the devotees.

 

[JohnTan]

The highlight of the event should the roasting of John Tan and serving him out as meals to the devotees.

My ramadan highlight was leading a moslem to Jesus Christ. That's one less salafist or wahabi wannabe wanting to kill the rest or persecute the rest of us for being happy in life despite rejecting muhammad's nonsensical claim to prophethood.

 

[laksaboy]

I thought lobsters are considered haram by the m&ds......

Lobster or crayfish?

 

[winnipegjets]

My ramadan highlight was leading a moslem to Jesus Christ. That's one less salafist or wahabi wannabe wanting to kill the rest or persecute the rest of us for being happy in life despite rejecting muhammad's nonsensical claim to prophethood.

You are an infidel! May the sword of Allah cut you into many bits and feed you to the swine. Allah Akbhar.

 

[syed putra]

I would have preferred more non-halal and pork eateries at the bazaar like in the previous years, but my grassroots adviser preferred to not agitate the local islamists and salafists. So, we made this year's bazaar smaller and reduced the rent.

There are no historical buildings of any significant size in mecca and medinah to indicate its importance in "islam".
No poets such as omar khayam mentioned going to mecca for pilgrimage.