What to do at the 6 new MRT stations on Thomson-East Coast Line, including a splatter paint studio and halal prawn mee

This Saturday (Aug 28) will be an exciting day for Singaporeans because the much anticipated Thomson-East Coast Line 2 will finally be open to the public. 

Six new stations on the line will be operational, giving us more access to various parks, eateries and malls. 

If you've been complaining about not having much to do in Singapore, we suggest exploring the different attractions and food options along the line. To get you started, we've compiled a list of places that are less than an 11-minute walk from each station. Have fun! 

Springleaf MRT Station (TE4) 

Springleaf Prata (3 min walk) 

When one mentions Springleaf, the first place that comes to mind is the legendary Springleaf Prata and its scrumptious Plaster Blaster prata. 

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Fortunately, the new Springleaf MRT station makes it even more accessible — it's only a three-minute walk to the eatery! 

Address: 1 Thong Soon Ave, Singapore 787431

Mongkok Dim Sum (1 min walk) 

Not feeling prata? Fret not as there are other food options in the vicinity like freshly steamed dim sum from Mongkok Dim Sum. 

The variety here is extensive — apart from dim sum, they also have zi char dishes including lala (clam) bee hoon and seafood hor fun. 

Address: 906P Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 787110

Thai Hao Chi Mookata (1 min walk) 

If you're in the mood for Thai food, take a short one-minute walk from the station to Thai Hao Chi Mookata. 

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The food here is a fusion of Thai and local flavours so apart from ingredients including Thai-style abalone and Mama noodles, they also have interesting options such as bak kwa. 

Address: 908 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 787111 

Hakka Ampang Yong Tau Food (3 min walk) 

For a more healthy alternative, you can check out Hakka Ampang Yong Tau Foo which is just three minutes away from Springleaf MRT.

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The stall has been around for over a decade and specialises in nostalgic plates of Hakka-style yong tau foo. 

Address: 928 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 787121

Springleaf Nature Park (7 min walk) 

To work off all those calories, you can stroll over to Springleaf Nature Park. 

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While it's not as large as its neighbours like MacRitchie Reservoir Park, it's still a nice place to have a walk and immerse yourself in nature. 

Address: 1230 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 787129

Lentor MRT Station (TE5) 

Grillhood Mains x Desserts (9 min walk) 

This eatery tucked away on a quiet street in Yio Chu Kang can be considered a hidden gem.

For cafe standards, the food here is pretty pocket-friendly and the menu includes chicken pasta, salmon burger and mushroom soup. 

Address: 603 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, #01-2661 Block 603, Singapore 560603 

Chelabela: Korean Food by Korean Chef

This humble Korean eatery went viral a number of times and is popular for its authentic and homely Korean dishes. 

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They were previously located in Woodlands but have since moved to Ang Mo Kio and are a 10-minute walk away from Lentor MRT Station. 

The menu here includes army stew, anchovies and three kimchi dishes. 

Address: Block 603 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, Singapore 560603

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak (10 min walk) 

Lentor MRT Station happens to be near one of the popular Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak chain outlets.

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For those of you who don't live near Adam Road Food Centre, visiting the Ang Mo Kio outlet is now more convenient than ever. 

Address: Block 603 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, Singapore 560603

Mayflower MRT Station (TE6) 

Hong Ji Claypot Herbal Bak Kut Teh (4 min walk) 

For a soothing bowl of bak kut teh, you can consider checking out Hong Ji Claypot Herbal Bak Kut Teh 

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They serve Malaysian-style bak kut teh, which has more of a herbal flavour as compared to our peppery local version. 

Address: 11 #01-138 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, Block 107, Singapore 560107

Gim Tim (6 min walk) 

If you're hankering for some Cantonese and Hokkien fare, Gim Tim is a good restaurant to satisfy those cravings. 

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The restaurant, which has been around since 1975, serves up classic dishes including Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Peking duck and salted kampong chicken. 

Address: Blk 157, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 #01-546 Singapore 560157

Long Cheng Aquarium (5 min walk) 

Fish enthusiasts can pop on over to Long Cheng Aquarium, known for its good variety of fish and aquarium supplies, and reasonable prices. 

Address: 157 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, #01-582, Singapore 560157

Soi 19 Thai Wanton Mee (9 min walk) 

You don't have to travel all the way to Bangkok just for Thai-style wanton mee because Ang Mo Kio is home to a stall that does a pretty good rendition of it. 

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The owners learned the recipe from his Thai godbrother who resides in Bangkok so you can expect some pretty legitamate Thai-style wanton mee here. 

Address: Blk 151, Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, Singapore 560151

Bright Hill MRT Station (TE7) 

Two Chefs Eating Place (3 min walk) 

Known for its famous butter pork ribs and drunken cockles, Two Chefs Eating Place is one of the more popular zi char restaurants in Singapore.

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Their extensive menu features dishes such as seafood hor fun, prawn paste chicken and sliced fish hor fun. 

Prior to this, you could only reach the restaurant by bus or car but now, you can just hop on a train. 

Address: 410A Sin Ming Ave, #02-01, Singapore 570409

Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park (11 min walk) 

Love having a stroll at the sprawling Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park? Some good news is that the new Thomson-East Coast Line 2 has made the place even more accessible. 

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The massive park has a variety of attractions like the Adventure Playground, Lotus Garden and Water Playground. Dog owners can also let their furkids stretch their legs at the dog run. 

Address: 1384 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1

Grub (5 min walk) 

Mention Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and one of the first things that come to mind is Grub, a cosy bistro that serves hearty dishes including fish and chips, chili crab pasta and brunch plates. 

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It's a great place to chill at after a day of fun in the park! 

Address: 510 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Singapore 569983

Windsor Nature Park (14 min walk) 

Another park in the vicinity that is worth checking out is Windsor Nature Park. 

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Here, hikers can explore different trails such as the Hanguana and Drongo Trail. It also is linked to MacRitchie Reservoir and other parks in the area. 

Address: 30 Venus Dr, Singapore 573858

Upper Thomson MRT Station (TE8) 

Cafe-hopping galore 

Upper Thomson, as most know, is home to numerous cafes and bars — it's a cafe hoppers idea of paradise! 

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Some of the more popular ones include One Man Coffee, Salted Caramel Artisan Ice Cream and Knockhouse Cafe. 

Not feeling cafe food? There are also eateries like Kampong Chicken Rice and The Roti Prata House that have Asian options. 

Ashi Foot Reflexology (3 min walk) 

If your feet need a little love after scouring the area for food, you can treat them to a relaxing foot massage at Ashi Foot Reflexology. 

If that's not thorough enough for you, they also offer full body massages. 

Address: 233 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574364

Splat Paint House (4 min walk) 

Unleash your creativity and make a mess at Splat Paint House, Singapore's only splatter paint studio. 

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Here, participants don protective coveralls and create their own masterpieces by flinging paint, shooting water guns and using spray bottles. 

Address: 207a Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574346

Thomson Plaza (7 min walk) 

Recently, Thomson Plaza has gone through a major revamp and the mall now has even more stores and eateries to explore. 

The mall is also home to popular restaurants such as Omoté Sushi Restaurant, Hajime Tonkatsu Ramen and Nyonya Memories by Ivins. 

Address: 301 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574408

Caldecott MRT Station (TE9) 

Creamier (6 min walk) 

Just a six-minute walk away from Caldecott MRT is popular ice cream joint Creamier. 

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They have a myriad of interesting ice cream flavours to choose from including blue pea vanilla, butterscotch almond and rum & raisin. 

Currently, they also are offering locally-inspired seasonal flavours like kopi peng and teh peng. 

Address: Lor 1 Toa Payoh, #01-02 Blk 131, Singapore 310131

Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre (11 min walk) 

Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre is home to some famous stalls such as Come Daily Hokkien Mee and Chey Sua Carrot Cake. 

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You can also enjoy some hearty halal prawn mee from Deanna's Kitchen. 

Address: 127 Lor 1 Toa Payoh, #02-25, Singapore 310127

Far East Flora Market (5 min walk) 

This stretch along Thomson Road has quite a few plant nurseries and florists and is popular among plant enthusiasts for its wholesale prices.  

Check out Far East Flora Market for their array fresh blooms stored in a cold room — just remember to bring a jacket as it gets chilly!

Address: 557 Thomson Rd, Singapore 298182

melissateo@asiaone.com