SINGAPORE: The long-awaited Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre opened its doors to the public on Thursday (Jan 25).
Managed by NTUC Foodfare, the dual concept hawker centre offers both traditional food stalls and “hipster” cuisine not commonly found at food centres that will appeal to a younger crowd.
These non-traditional food choices include grain bowls with wagyu beef, pork belly burger, hamburg hot buns, chilli crab pasta, bingsu and gourmet coffee, priced between S$4 and S$7 on average.
A stall at the newly-opened Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre. (Photo: Rachelle Lee)
The Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre opened on Thursday (Jan 25). (Photo: Rachelle Lee)
CHIC HAWKER CENTRE DINING
The two-level hawker centre houses 42 stalls, with the ground floor hosting 20 stalls that offer local street staples, and cheaper and healthier options. Stalls on the second floor will serve non-traditional food, and feature craft markets and art workshops.
To complement the non-traditional food at the hawker centre, the space is modelled to create a chic dining experience, with customised furniture and high bar stools.
The high-bar stools and customised tables and chairs aim to give the Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre a very “pop-art feel”. (Photo: Rachelle Lee)
HELPING ASPIRING HAWKERS, BOOSTING PRODUCTIVITY
The design of the hawker centre also aims to provide a “creative space” for selected aspiring hawkers under the hawker-preneurship programme to set up stalls at a lower cost.
The programme has helped hawkers like Poh Chee Eng, 28, who is now the owner of Fully Food Good, a prawn noodles stall.
Mr Poh used to be a civil servant for five years before making a career switch.
“My parents are also hawkers so I guess it’s natural for me to do the same and I don’t want to waste their recipe. And for a guy my age, it might be a challenge to fork out the upfront capital requirements,” said Mr Poh.
Tray return stations at the newly-opened Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre. (Photo: Rachelle Lee)
The new hawker centre has also put in place several productivity measures, such as centralised dishwashing and common crockery systems. Diners are also encouraged to return their own tray and crockery after use through signs plastered around the hawker centre.
The hawker centre is working with grassroots, Singapore Kindness Movement, schools and volunteers to be tray return ambassadors who will make their rounds urging patrons to return their trays after meals.
Signs are plastered around the hawker centre to encourage patrons to return their trays after their meals. (Photo: Rachelle Lee)
The hawker centre was previously scheduled to open in late 2017, but MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Teo Chee Hean said in a Facebook post last month, that the installation of the gas supply took some time, causing the delay.
