Chinatown Food Street will transform into a 50s pasar featuring 50-cent hawker dishes
By Pamela Chow; Photos: Courtesy of Chinatown Food Street
As part of the Singapore Food Festival, Chinatown Food Street will transform into a two-day pasar straight out of the 1950s and 60s – where visitors can feast on a variety food for only 50 cents.
The 50 Cents Fest will be held from 30-31 Jul, and will feature long-lost dishes like Kok Kok Mee, “UFO” (fried oyster cake), Ice Ball and Rickshaw Noodles. Old-school treats such as Malt Candy and Kacang Puteh will also be offered during the weekend.
Out of the huge range of dishes, more than half will be old at only 50 cents each – just like in the olden times, when the phrase “50 cents is bigger than a bull cart wheel” was often used.
Dishes that you can get for this pre-inflation price include Char Kway Teow, UFO, Kok Kok Mee, Riskshaw Noodles, Hainanese Chicken Rice Balls, BBQ Chicken Wings, Chin Chow Drink and more. (A full list of all 50-cent dishes can be found here.)
Fringe activities
Besides makan, the event will feature other fun activities from the days of yore, such as the services of a letter writer, calligrapher and street fortune teller, performances by opera singers and martial art professionals and black-and-white movie screenings.
The 50 Cents Fest will run from 3pm-11pm on 30 Jul and 11am-11pm on 31 Jul at Chinatown Food Street, Smith Street. More information available at www.chinatownfoodstreet.sg/the-50-cents-fest.
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