SINGAPORE: There’s just one day left until Bukit Batok West Hawker Centre officially opens at Block 469 Bukit Batok West Avenue 9 on Wednesday (March 19).
This first hawker centre in the area is being run by the Fei Siong Group. It has more than 80 tables, 400 seats, and 22 stalls, has been much awaited. Its offerings include Chinese, Malay, Indian, Western, Vietnamese, and Vegetarian cuisines. Additionally, diners who also have a sweet tooth will not walk away disappointed.
Best of all, each stall offers meals that start at a discounted price of $3.20, ensuring that residents will find them affordable. This should come as a particularly welcome bonus to the many elderly residents in the area. The hawker centre is part of Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok, a community care apartment building for seniors over the age of 65.
Open from 7 am to 10 pm, the 1,945 square metre hawker centre has a barrier-free design with higher ceilings. It also has high-volume, low-speed ceiling fans for good ventilation, a spokesman for the National Environment Agency told the Chinese news daily, Lianhe Zaobao.
Bukit Batok West Hawker Centre has a central tray return point, and forks, spoons, cups and trays will be cleaned and disinfected on-site. Plates and bowls, meanwhile, will be cleaned elsewhere, with drivers bringing them to a factory at least three to four times a day to ensure an adequate supply of dishes.
The stall owners who spoke to Lianhe Zaobao are confident that diners will come, not just from Harmony Village but from Tengah, which is nearby.
Residents, meanwhile, who are used to paying at least five to six dollars for meals at the coffee shops and food court in the area, are looking forward to the discounted meals. One 62-year-old even told the Chinese daily that it would be great if he could get a full meal for less than $4.
Commenters online have echoed the same sentiments. While the news that meals will be cheaper was greeted positively, some expressed the hope that these meals will be substantial.
One said they hoped the portion size would not be discounted.
Another even wrote: “These discounted meals are completely misleading. The portions are tiny, and the stall staff constantly pressure you to add extras. If you don’t, you’re met with a disapproving attitude.”
A Facebook user chimed in to say that a proper discounted meal would be around $2.80 instead of $3.20. /TISG
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