Chilli crab kueh tutu, traditional Teochew meat puffs and authentic Thai food: Why this Instagrammable night market in Yishun is a must-visit

Pasar malams are always exciting affairs, and this new night market in Yishun has just upped the ante.

Featuring bright neon lights, Instagrammable decor (light-up cherry blossom trees, anyone?) and a wide variety of next-generation pasar malam vendors, the Yishun Central Night Bazaar feels reminiscent of Thailand's trendy Artbox Market.

Situated at the open space just beside Yishun MRT station, we visited the sprawling night market on its opening night and found a treasure trove of exciting food options, as well as fun carnival games.

While exploring the Yishun Central Night Bazaar, we also uncovered four stalls with unique concepts and met the vendors behind them. Read on to find out more about their specialties, and don't forget to head down to Yishun from now till Nov 17 to try them yourself!

Chub Tutu - tutu kueh with a trendy spin

We're all familiar with tutu kueh - but what about tutu kueh with fillings such as D24 durian, chilli crab, or even mentaiko?

Meet Xin Yi, 41, owner of Chub Tutu. As a pop-up based business, you can only get a taste of her special tutu kueh flavours at events and pasar malams, so don't miss your chance to try them out now at Yishun Central Night Bazaar!

"I used to sell tutu kueh just to earn a living, but it has now become my passion. I gave it a more innovative and creative spin by fusing different flavours together," said Xin Yi, who also happens to be a Yishunite herself.

If you aren't feeling particularly experimental, there are always familiar favourites like peanut, black sesame, and Nutella tutu kueh.

The Candy Shop - pick and mix your way

Those with a sweet tooth would not want to miss out on The Candy Shop, a family-run stall that allows you to mix and match from a wide selection of candies and sweets. Just pick out a container of your preferred size and dive right in!

The stall is run by Ong Kim Chu, who resides in Yishun, together with her daughter. The Candy Shop is the brainchild of the latter, borne out of her love for sweets.

FYI, you can ask to sample the candy before deciding on which flavours you want. We hear from Kim Chu that the sweet and sour candies are the bestsellers here.

Thai Snack - authentic Thai food

Craving something substantial for supper? Authentic Thai food isn't what you'd normally expect from a local pasar malam, but that's exactly what you'll get at Thai Snack in Nee Soon Night Market.

Run by 31-year-old Thai national Rain, she shared that this is her first time running a night market stall in Yishun.

"I'm usually at smaller night markets - this is the first time I'm setting up stall in such a big night market. There's a big crowd, but there's a lot more space as well, including seating areas," she said of her experience.

Her bestsellers are her Pad Thai ($8) and Papaya Salad ($6), but for those who cannot tolerate spice, she recommends trying her version of the Pad Kee Mao ($6.50), a dish of umami stir-fried rice noodles that can be topped with chicken or seafood. It's a very popular late night dish in Thailand - particularly after a night of drinking!

Teochew Meat Puff - freshly-made puffs with over 40 years of history

Here at the aptly-named Teochew Meat Puff stall, you'll find another Yishunite. Keith Hoo, 56, is the second-generation owner of this 40-year-old business. He currently runs the stall with his elderly parents, who are also residing in Yishun.

"I want [my customers] to have the best taste of their lives," Keith said of his meat puffs. They're all freshly-made to order, so be prepared to wait!

That said, you won't have to stand in line - there's a ticketing system and you can just return to the stall to collect your order when it is ready. And yes, these puffs are well worth the wait.

"Some of customers here are regulars and they follow us to every pasar malam we're at," Keith shared.

He added that the best way to enjoy the meat puffs are to eat them while they're still piping hot. Luckily for visitors at Yishun Central Night Bazaar, they can do just that, with ample seating space available.

"There are a lot of tables and chairs here, customers can sit down and enjoy their food immediately instead of bringing it back home," he said, praising the organisers of the night market for such a thoughtful setup.

"We wanted to go all out"

As we were walking around Yishun Central Night Bazaar and enjoying all that it has to offer, we couldn't help but notice how different it felt from the night markets that we're used to.

Although there's a bustling crowd, we hardly had to squeeze as all the stalls and seating areas were adequately spaced out. The area was well-ventilated too with plenty of fans in operation, so we could enjoy our food outdoors in relative comfort.

As for this night market's trendy makeover?

"We wanted something extravagant and colourful to attract people from all walks of life," said John Ye, spokesperson for the Yishun Central Merchants' Association.

"Since we had the venue, we wanted to go all out and do something that is memorable, rather than just the usual," he added, and shared that they consulted both residents and vendors before coming up with this unique concept for the Yishun Central Night Bazaar.

A long-time Yishun resident himself, John shared that he hopes their effort would change the minds of those who think that pasar malams have become "boring" with "nothing to eat".

But we'll leave you to be the judge of that - don't forget to grab your friends and head on down to Yishun soon!

The Yishun Central Night Bazaar is happening from now till Nov 17.

This article is brought to you in partnership with Yishun Central Merchants' Association.

jiajun.tan@asiaone.com