The delightful Katong stretch of East Coast Road remains one of Singapore’s most exotic streets.
Since young, I love going to this historical part of Singapore.
During my primary school days, my extended family frequently had dinner at Mei Yuen Restaurant, a venerable roast meat eatery currently still operating at the start of the stretch.
Those excursions stopped in the final years of the 80s. But thereafter, I still regularly head to Katong Shopping Centre for … ahem, never mind, I’ll elaborate on this later.
As a working adult, I didn’t have much time or opportunities to visit. But whenever I could, I would never fail to have a bowl of Laksa at Mary’s Corner. Oh wait, there used to be a Waraku outlet here too; one of the franchise’s first outlets. My parents and I ate there several times.
Yeah … the whole area holds many yummy and playful memories for me.
And so I was really looking forward to this revisit. I’m thrilled to say the area is as vibrant, as alive, as ever. You would seriously be spoilt for choice over what to feast on or chill with when here.
East Coast Road: Singapore’s Most Exotic Food Street?
First off, East Coast Road is one of the longer roads in Singapore. In other words, I didn’t “cover” its entirety. When I wrote “Katong Stretch” above, I refer to the stretch from the Still Road junction to Mountbatten Road.
Also, I got a little carried away with photos. So this post will contain more photos than usual. Be warned!
On Rumah Bebe i.e. the top right restaurant in the above picture, I’ve ever only eaten there once. What I remember from that visit was, oh gosh, the interior is like a miniature Peranakan museum. I should seriously revisit and do one of my geeky restaurant posts on it someday.
And speaking of Peranakan …
Katong’s Peranakan Heritage
The area, and neighbouring Joo Chiat, have long been associated with the Peranakans. Many wealthy Straits-born families used to live here.
Thus, many of the eateries and shops retain distinctively Peranakan designs in their decorations, most commonly in the form of tiles. For example, the façade of Zaffron Kitchen (above picture again) features large swathes of mesmerising orange Peranakan patterns.
And elsewhere:
Continuing on …
Katong Shopping Centre
Last but not least …
Now, I mentioned the mall in my introduction, didn’t I? Well, this used to be one of my must-visits every other week, because there were previously some PC game shops here.
As in, those sort of PC game shops.
The mall wasn’t as famous as, say, Sim Lim Square, for those sort of things. (Double Ahem) But for me, I always preferred the ones here. There always felt to be more choices.
… …
Also … my BMT mates and I use to pop by right after Saturday morning book-outs from Tekong. Oh no, we didn’t come in sweaty and smelly No. 4. Please … We changed and had those stuffed into our field packs.
And after buying, we headed home to game away the night. Yes, game, instead of partying like any self-respecting BMT recruit would on a Saturday night.
Such … obsessive indulgence. And delightful memories for me too. I couldn’t stop grinning outside the mall, as I reminisced about those Saturdays.
All photos taken with my LG V40.
Read my other Home Tourist photo essays.
