Artbox Singapore 2018 – 10 Must Try Dishes At Singapore’s Largest Pop-Up Market!

After last year’s overwhelming response, the popular pop-up container market from Bangkok is back again! This year’s Artbox Singapore 2018 sees nearly a triple in size and covers an expansive 140,000 square feet at Bayfront Event Space. Artbox Singapore 2018 will run for two weekends from 25th May to 27th May and 1st to 3rd June.

The theme for Artbox Singapore 2018 this year, Oasis, aims to construct a sanctuary of experiential imagination for visitors to escape from the stress of urban life. The organisers have taken the feedback for last year’s edition and improved on the layout of the aisles and stall locations. There were wider walkaways to allow for human traffic, and numerous chill out corners and cosy hammocks to relax and unwind. Our team visited the highly-anticipated Artbox Singapore 2018 and highlighted ten interesting food stalls. So what are you waiting for – let’s go!

Cereal Citizen
Stall 66

Cereal Citizen is the dessert brainchild of three good friends. They are famed for their Crododo, a cross between a croissant and donut. Toppings of Fruity Pebbles and Oreo are available for Crododos ($8 each). The Crocodo itself was a pastry lover’s heaven with a flakey and buttery exterior while the inside remained airy and fluffy. To complete the meal, the Cha Yen Milkshake ($10) sees your choice of Crododo placed on top of a rich tasting milk tea. The Curry Crododo ($10) was very similar to roti pairing with curry, as the Crocodo was wrapped around a cute cup holding delicious curry gravy, making it an indulgent savoury snack.

Yossakul’s Thai Kitchen
Stall 7

Yossakul’s Kitchen serves up authentic Halal Thai food and desserts. We ordered the quintessential Pad Thai ($5) and Mango Sticky Rice ($5). The Pad Thai was wetter than usual and had an uncharacteristic tomato taste to it. Make sure you have a cup of drink at hand as the bee hoon is extremely spicy! For the Mango Sticky Rice, the glutinous rice was cooked to the right consistency and topped with sweet, juicy mango slices. We also love how Yossakul remains one of the more affordable options for a filling meal with generous portions!

MOMO
Stall 39

If the Ice Cha-Pa-Lang Float seems a tad too heavy for you, Momo’s Sakura Drink ($6) is a great thirst-quenching alternative. Before you gasp at this drink’s price tag, let it be known that it contains real Sakura flowers! The drink is made with a base of carbonated soda and also has a spoonful of sweet and chewy pearls at the bottom. This drink tastes just like any other fizzy and refreshing lemonade until you bite into the sour and tangy sakura. Though hard to recommend given its price, it’s one of the more ‘Instagram worthy’ drinks at the event so social-media aficionados should consider giving it a try!

Tiew Mai
Stall 307

Tiew Mai’s logo might be familiar to some – it is actually a Thai Boat Noodle eatery situated at Upper Serangoon Road! Their main dish for Artbox Singapore 2018, the Thai Holy Basil Chicken ($8), features minced chicken that is stir-fried with garlic, chilli and long beans. A sweet and dark soy sauce is mixed in before the fresh and aromatic Thai holy basil is added. The dish comes with a serving of white rice and is topped with a fried egg, which still had a soft runny yolk. The minced chicken was truly mouth-watering – it was infused with the sweet flavours of the soy sauce and a hint of spiciness from the chillies. The basil, which scented the chicken with its herbaceous fragrance, did not overpower the flavour of the dish. This is a substantial and authentic dish that is sure to bring you back to the streets of Thailand!

The De’luxe One
Stall 71

The De’luxe One definitely brought an element of creativity to Artbox Singapore 2018. The stall decided to add a Thai spin on a British classic! Their Tomyam Fish & Chips ($6) features two pieces of deep-fried battered fish that have been coated with Deluxe One’s very own tomyam sauce. The chips were lathered with a cheese sauce and are topped with some chopped spring onions to add some freshness. The tomyam sauce seemed to be made with a mayonnaise base and was definitely milder in flavour than I expected. It still carried the spicy and sour essence of tomyam, but it was toned down so as to not overwhelm the flavour of the fish. The fish itself was fried to crisp perfection, while the white flesh remained moist and succulent. Overall, this was a delicious plate of fish & chips! However, I felt that the sauce could’ve packed a bigger punch in terms of spiciness and flavour.

Soi Thai Soi Nice
Stall 333

Soi Thai Soi Nice is a local Thai brand with several outlets islandwide and famous for their authentic Thai Seafood Hot Pot. They are bringing a few signature bite-sized treats from the expansive menu to Artbox Singapore 2018, which include tantalising items such as Deep Fried Pork Belly ($5), Fried Garlic Chicken Thigh ($5) and Tom Yum Mama ($6). We had the Grilled Pork Neck ($5) which saw chunky pork strips soaked in jaew, or Thai dried chilli dipping sauce. The chilli was infused with aromatic spices, which made the pork more exciting by giving it a spicy kick. The meat strips were nicely charred and flavourful, though some were chewier than usual.

The Wicked Cream Co.
Stall 355

Their famous bright coloured Roasted #WICKEDMALLOWS are extremely Instagram-worthy as customers can mix and match three flavours on a stick for $4. We tried the Alphonso Mango, Cotton Candy Bubblegum and Pink Lemonade – stellar flavours that tasted like the real thing. If you are adventurous enough, they have quirky flavours such as Salted Egg and Charcoal Lemonade as well. They also do Soft Ice Cream and we had the creamy Himalayan Pink Salt Ice Cream made with Hokkaido Milk. True to its name, the subtle saltiness provided a nice contrast to the sweetness of the ice cream. The soft serve melts quickly though, so finish it fast to avoid a sticky mess!

Cafe3 by Joan Walker
Stall 369

Cafe3 by Joan Walker jumped onto the dry ice bandwagon with an additional surprise: LED lights in their Mystical Food Cups ($13.80). Simply choose your Mystical LED Drink Flavour (Blue Paradise, Red Sweet Heart, Gold Shimmer) and a corresponding “food plate” with a savoury option of Combo (consisting a mix of calamari, fries, hot dogs) or Har Cheong Gai. If you are going for desserts, sweet Ice Cream Mixed Fruits is also available.

Carrot Cubes
Stall 40

Carrot Cubes is a hidden gem in Artbox Singapore 2018 specialising in carrot cake. The chef creatively reinterpreted the all-familiar breakfast staple and transformed it into a never-seen-before carnival food! Carrot Cubes offer the Traditional White Carrot Cake ($5) as well as the spicy Hottie Carrot Cake ($6). The item to look out for is the chef recommended Bacon & Cubes ($7): a fusion carrot cake with the addition of bacon bits. The bacon was generous and complemented the soft carrot cake with its giamness (saltiness), making the otherwise mushy texture of the carrot cake less boring. Carrot Cubes also offer the Carrot Smoothie ($6): a refreshing blend of fresh carrot juice, milk and orange juice. Fibre tends to accumulate at the bottom, so the smoothie becomes harder to sip near the end. Combo sets of food and drink are available and starts at $10!

Hyde & Co
Stall 44

If you’ve already visited the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar this year, you might have tried Hyde & Co’s Crispy Chicken Rendang. Now, the stall is making yet another debut at Artbox Singapore 2018! Their signature Chilli Crab Pasta ($10) pasta that has been thoroughly coated with a sweet and savoury tomato and chilli-based sauce is one of the offerings here. Despite being one of the pricier dishes at the event, I was pleasantly surprised by the generous amount of crab meat! Sat atop the pasta was also a few pieces of emping belinjo, which added a crunchy texture to the dish. This dish definitely captures the flavours of authentic chilli crab without being too heavy or overpowering.

Ollela
Stall 12

Ollella’s Ice Cha-Pa-Lang ($6) definitely lives up to its name. This sweet and indulgent drink comes filled to the brim with a plethora of refreshing ingredients, including cream corn, grass jelly, jackfruit and aloe vera – just to name a few! To complete this decadent concoction, the cup is filled with condensed milk and soda water. We took things a step further and decided to order the ‘float’ version ($8), which gets you a scoop of their homemade ice-cream on top (Coconut/ Pandan)! After mixing everything together, I found that this drink had a perfect balance of sweetness and savouriness. I also really enjoyed the combination of textures – you get rich creaminess from the ice-cream, a subtle crunch from the corn and springiness from the grass jelly!

Other than the dizzying array of food choices, Artbox Singapore 2018 also houses a plethora of lifestyle, beauty, fashion and art vendors from both local and overseas. There are also fun and games available with creative installations such as the foam pit and hair-raising VR Fear Factor. So come spend your weekend at the hottest event in town – Artbox Singapore 2018 surely has something for you!

You may also want to check out our article on 10 fun things to see and do at Artbox Singapore 2018!