Geylang Nights - Singapore
Every time I get over to Singapore, I try to make a point of spending a little time down Geylang at night. The purpose is to just basically just roam around aimlessly and soaking up the sights, sounds and the colors of this rough and tumble district on the outer side of the city. This place doesn’t really make it to your typical tourist maps and guides but it’s got a lot of character.
Checking it out by day is fine too but it really comes to life after say 9pm. Essentially you will be walking from one end of Geylang Street to the other which has smaller streets named Lorongs that come off it. It’s the Lorongs where all the action is and each one has its own flavor and is famous for something. Many of the eateries here have been in the area for a very long time and so you will notice familiar faces or dishes along the way which makes it really interesting.
Now while this is declared a Red Light District, it is pretty tame these days compared to years gone by due to a crackdown on booze in the last few years so it’s a lot more clam and a lot of the night walkers and corner dwellers have left. But hey there’s a lot more reason to come on down to Geylang than just sleeze.
Geylang contains a vast array of Singaporean delicacies, such as unique local wonton noodle dishes, frog porridge and all sorts of other things fried, boiled and secreted away among the Lorong side streets. It’s a culinary cacophony that takes in Chinese and Indian flavors and it’s always a great food adventure. The best way to tackle it is to eat your way through it picking up a different item and a refreshment at the stalls that tickle your fancy.
There are some stand outs like - Geylang Lorong 9 Beef Kway Teow which is quite famous for it’s thick black bean sauce and tender beef Kway Teow Noodles. There’s also No Sign Board Seafood which is bit of an institution that’s been around forever. Their main specialty is Singapore’s famous White Pepper Crab. From there, you can also check out Eminent Frog Porridge and further down one of my favorites Penang Seafood Restaurant where you can scoop up satay and laksa and whole bunch of other Malaysian delectables. Finally, there’s the Bali Nasi Lemak Fast Food Stop where you can delve into everything Indonesian. If you love Asian Street Food this is one of the more way wood places to go but no less rewarding.
As far getting there goes, the closest MRT Station is Kallang and from there you need to take a brisk 12 minute walk, or simply jump in a cab - all the taxi drivers know Geylang! There’s a bunch of 2 and 3 Star Hotels in this district with the more notable chain being the Fragrance Hotel group. Staying is Geylang isn’t exactly for the feint hearted but it is fun. For those that want to stay further out in rather more upscale digs there’s plenty of great options including Hotel Jen in Tanglin.
No matter where you stay or where you go in Singapore, Geylang has it’s own unique flavors and nigh time vibe that makes this one food journey that’s worth exploring at least once.
Images By Talking Talking Fork. Enjoy.
