A flight of flavours: Our Guide to Old Airport Road Food Centre (Unique Finds Edition)

While I fervently disagree with the 'East Side Best Side' agenda, I will admit there are some spots in the East that do give it an edge (just a lil).

Today, I'm proud a West-sider (winks), but there was once upon a time that I had been an indweller of the East.

And as someone with her fair share of good ol’ Eastie memories, I knew I had to spotlight Old Airport Road Food Centre (Unique Finds Edition)... a place layered with nostalgia and still buzzing with some of the best eats around.

Built in 1972, Old Airport Road Food Centre was the new hub to resettle street hawkers found all around Kallang Estate, following the closure of Kallang Airport in 1955.

Being one of the oldest and largest hawker centres in Singapore, it has accumulated quite a number of famous names under its repertoire. But we aren't here to share about many of the heavy hitters that you've probably already heard of. Instead, we're diving into the silent local favourites that have similarly built up a cult following over the years.

Western Barbeque #01-53

Firstly, a fan favourite since my dad lived in Katong. Don't be fooled by its ambiguous name; grilling since 1974, this western stall has been serving up Hainanese-style fanfare with its signature garlic sauce. We ordered their Pork Chop ($7.50), served up with 2 slabs of grilled pork chops slathered in their signature garlic sauce. The garlic tomato-based sauce is similar to what you would find with its more unhealthy counterpart, the fried Hananiese Pork Chop.

However, there is something truly one of a (garlic) clove about the sauce that keeps the crowd coming back for more!

Pork chops more often than I care for tend to lean on the chewy side, but even after multiple visits, their pork chops remain tender and soft each and every time. Plated with a side of extra crispy crinkle cut fries, cold slaw and a cream bun, this hearty plate always hits the spot.

Kallang Cantonese Live Prawn Noodle #01-83

Next up, we needed something soupy on this once-in-a-blue-moon chilly day in Singapore. While making our rounds through the stall lanes, a tank of fresh live prawns caught our eyes we settled on a bowl of prawn noodles. We decided to order the Large Pork Ribs Prawn Noodle ($7).

Watching the stall owner was like watching a kung fu master skillfully manoeuvre his way in a constrained space to whip up a bowl of warm prawn noodles right in front of our eyes. The product of that mastery was a bowl of yellow noodles submerged in a clear yet flavourful seafood broth adorned with succulent and fresh prawns and tender pork ribs.

The noodles come in both regular and large sizes (we got the large)!

Famous Kallang Airport Fried Oyster #01-55

Lastly, we got an Oyster Omelette ($6) to share. The messy storefront and piling produce convinced us all the more that this oyster omelette was going to be delectable. Even though we ordered a small portion, the omelette came with substantial-sized oysters that were fresh and did not have a fishy aftertaste. Paired up with a tangy chilli sauce, this omelette made sure that we were stuffed.

Bakes & Bites #01-164/165

But as they say, there's always a separate stomach for dessert. We stopped by the newest rising star, Bake & Bites for our dessert fix. Helmed by an elderly husband-wife duo, Bake & Bites specialises in cold muffins, muffins meant to be eaten cold. What does a cold muffin taste like you might ask? The verdict: surprisingly refreshing!

After building up some sweat from our main meal, these cold muffins were the perfect thing to cool us down. Moist, sweet and old-school style muffins are sometimes a nice break from all the dramatic fanfare of desserts from modern cafes.

Note: Do head down early or pre-order your muffins as the auntie told me they've been selling out fast, thanks to their recent fame!

Pro-O'live-Tip: Check out the 2nd level for some light shopping

The 2nd level of the market houses the retail shops, ranging from a leather crafts store to a local bookstore. Spend some time browsing through the store, and you might find a gem or two concealed between the stalls.

It's no secret that we love food here in Singapore, so much so that hawker culture has been inscribed into the UNESCO list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Supporting our hawkers will help to ensure our hawker centres and gastronomical history will stick around for decades to come.

Tip: All stores accept CDC vouchers, so head on down and show them some love!

📍Location: Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Rd, Singapore 390051