Balek Kampung To Bedok Corner Part 3: Bedok Corner Hawker Center (Written by Peter Chan)

For the knowledge on how alfresco dining and rustic charm was like in my time, I would not mind stepping back into the past. Like many others, I prefer the modern amenities although I am aware that with modernization it comes with a price; a loss of the laid-back kampong ambience, unsociable people, warm evenings because of lower ceilings, and higher food prices.

The Bedok Corner Hawker Center did not begin at its present location next to Bagnall Court. In fact it began at the bus-stop in front of the former 3SIR. The present location of the hawker center in the early 1960s was a piece of empty ground filled with lallang. Shortly after the Bedok Camps were completed in 1969, all the hawkers were re-sited across the road to its present location. In my memories, I can “see” stalls selling “Jill Her Eng Chye”, Chicken Porridge, “Cher Char”, Hokkien Mee, ”Cheng Teng” and Satay. Only the Lim family operating the “Jill Her Eng Chye and “Cheng Teng” and the Hokkien Mee were the sole survivors from the 1950s, while many retired during the upgrading of the hawker center. Of course it might not be fair to compare yesterday’s food prices to today’s; inflation, wages, rental and utilities always rising more than decreasing. Satay was $1/- for 10 sticks, chicken porridge was 0.30 cents a bowl and Jill Her Eng Chye was $2/- by the time I was in National Service in 1972. Through the years, I always patronized Mak Chik who sold mutton soup; always conscious that her price went up from $1.50 to $3.30 today.

Photo 1: (Left Photo) Chicken Porridge stall. (Right Photo) Hokkien Mee stall on the side of the future 3SIR. In front of the stalls was Vienna Inn, the future Bagnall Court. Bedok Corner is on the right of the photo. The sea was behind the stalls. (circa 1958)

Photo 2: Bedok Corner Hawker Center: front facing Bedok Camp 1. The front row comprised the Drinks stall, Cher Char stall, one stall always closed, passage way, Hokkien Mee, Mee Goreng/Mutton Soup Stall, Seafood Bakar stall, Cheng Teng stall and Jill Her Eng Chye stall. The back of the hawker center faced Bedok Road (now the public car park)

Photo 3: Old familiar faces such as “Jill Her Eng Chye”, Hokkien Mee and Ah Pek who is seen “kooning” at the public toilet

After the upgrading works were completed in 2005, a new name was given to this place; to keep pace with its new Minangkabau architecture. Bedok Corner Food Court did not retain many of the Bedok Corner Hawker Center stalls. I missed the goreng pisang Malay women selling her kueh and tapioca & banana fritters, Rashid the Bandung drink specialist, and the chicken & duck rice stall – on some days the taste of his duck was better than his chicken and vice versa. Today a horde of new food stalls appeared with new menus; tandoori chicken, ice kachang in soya bean, O-luak, Tahu Goreng to name a few.

One question for readers: Look at Photo 3 again and guess which person is likely to be the CSM from 1st Commando Battalion

Photo 4: Bedok Corner Food Center (circa 2008)