Tiong Bahru

Although Singapore is commonly acknowledged as one of the smallest countries in the world map, there are still many parts of the island that I have yet to set foot in. Until today, Tiong Bahru was one of them.

According to local as well as international media such as Lonely Planet, CNN and even Ming Pao in Hong Kong, it is an old neighbourhood which has undergone some major transformation, turning it into one of the hip districts for the expats and young, trendy locals. 

While a generic, multi-level shopping mall stood at one side of the Tiong Bahru MRT station, an old-fashioned shopping complex remained outside the other exit of the train station, probably from decades ago by its beaten appearance.

Among the fruit stall, optical store and a hawker centre was 良辰美點 (Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastry), a family-run bakery selling Hong Kong style buns and pastries of about a dozen different types. While I walked past I could see the family kneading and shaping the dough by hand around a big working bench behind the front counter. Trays of unbaked buns and tarts were stacking on top of each other. The round and shiny egg tarts caught my eyes and I had to try one. The crunchy and buttery tart base crumbled in my mouth as I bit into it. The generous serving of filling made of eggs, evaporated milk and vanilla extract was pillow-soft and silky smooth. 

About two blocks away from the MRT station is Yong Siak Street, where the weekend crowds come for their caffeine fix and photography-lovers come to capture images of nostalgia. 
Surrounded by the tall iconically Singaporean HDB blocks, the residential buildings along this street were only 2-3 levels high, with the ground flood rented out as shop houses. This is where the new Tiong Bahru began.

Started as an online website, Books Actually is an independent book shop owned by two Singaporeans and stocks primarily local literature and rare-to-find books. From Sigmund Freud, Lee Kwan Yuen to the latest Singaporean poet, from sociology, economy to pop culture, the book collection here aims to provide variety and appeal to a wide local audience. At the back of the shop is a gift shop section cramped with vintage items such as second-hand kitchenware, beer bottles, cassettes and cassette players, black and white photographs of celebrities and unknowns, buttons and badges. There was also a column dedicated to vintage books, one of which made me sneeze as soon as I opened it. Another side of their business is publishing works written by local writers.

Not far from Books Actually was Woods in the Books, a shop that I know my mum would be crazy about if she came here when we were kids. Almost like a sister store to Books Actually, it is a children's book shop, stocking colourful picture books, story books, beautifully designed pop-up books, phone-book-thick encyclopaedia, etc. A group of school-age kids were learning to draw a crocodile in a painting class in the back room during my visit.

Strangelets is a lifestyle store with minimal decoration, allowing customers to focus all their attention on their products. Here one can expect to find interesting designs from bags and jewellery to toys and kitchenware and gorgeous body soups and beautifully packaged scented candles. 

Tiong Bahru has become quite a popular destination among foodies. Forty Hands, Tiong Bahru Bakery, Orange Thimble and Drips Bakery Café made up the vibrant cafés scene. Western restaurants are in abundance, such as Open Door Policy, SocialHaus and Two Face Pizza and Taproom, just to name a few. For some Japanese fair, you can head to Ikyu, which serves modern Japanese cuisine. Not wishing to burn a hole in your pocket? There was a hawker centre almost at every corner of the street.

A stroll away was the Tiong Bahru Market. Above the wet market on the ground floor was a hawker centre occupying the whole level, where some locals would claim to find some of the best hawker food in Singapore.

With its quiet alleyways, bustling wet market, quirky designer stores and boutique cafés, Tiong Bahru is a charming neighbourhood as well as a harmonious blend of Singapore's past and present.