lately i’ve been discovering a number of gems at alexandra village. i used to go there only for the awesome grilled stingray. but with new finds like claypot laksa and teochew snacks, there are actually many more reasons to make a trip there.
even more recently, i stumbled upon my newest find of these little buns of heaven at tiong bahru lien fa shui jing bao — crystal dumplings! (if you’re wondering about the name, this stall used to be at tiong bahru food centre.)
crystal dumplings are so called because the filling is encased in a delicate translucent skin, through which the color of the contents shows through clearly. each dumpling has a glossy texture. here, you have 3 options for the filling — yam paste, sweet bean or vegetables, no doubt the bestseller.
the steamed crystal dumplings here sell out so quickly, new batches have to be made every hour. business is so brisk, they even had to put up a sign written in chinese, “please order in advance”! i got a first-hand experience when i, along with many eager customers, was told i had to make a reservation for my dumplings and come back in an hour for the new batch to be ready (!!).
not that i minded much; the dumplings were good! served with a tasty chili paste, these bite-sized buns go really easy on the tummy. and because they are so yummy, it’s really hard to resist popping these bite-sized buns one after another! i like the vegetable filling that is crunchy and fragrant with a nice shrimp flavor. the skin is not too thick, with a chewy texture that doesn’t get rubbery.

though being labeled as secondary offerings, the sweet bean and yam paste fillings fare very well too. they aren’t too sweet, and make good desserts after a big meal.

if you are looking for a nice and economy breakfast meal, check out these crystal dumplings. just be sure to go early lest these babies are sold out!
know of any similar nice and cheap breakfast? leave a comment below!





goes by the name veron. a definitive leo born august 1, 1984. a solo traveler. loves cats, coffee, sensual music, yummy food and technology. when she's not at her job as an IS developer for the government, she's likely to be out dining, or visiting an interesting art gallery or event.







woo, u have been exploring abc and alexandar village recently? so many posts on them, u eat all one shot or on separate days? haha View all comments by ladyironchef
Haha I have been going there on multiple occasions recently. It helps that the location is pretty convenient for me. View all comments by Veron
Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James. View all comments by James
u just reminded me that I haven’t been eating this for the longest time. Used to eat it very often even before the revamp of Tiong Bahru Market. I should go find this stall soon. hehe View all comments by Jessie
Hehe, that’s a good idea. Just note that the stall is now at Alexandra Village and not at Tiong Bahru anymore :) View all comments by Veron
yup yup. Saw the address in your post. It’s so near my house. haha View all comments by Jessie
I was delighted to see this post. Used to eat it often at Tiong Bahru market when my office was at Bt Merah. That was before my eldest son was borned (>14 years ago!) Photos well taken.. Info very useful. Thank you. Keep up with your good work. Cheers ! View all comments by Tjhin
Wow, thanks for sharing! I never knew the stall has such a long history. Now that you know its current location, perhaps you can bring your sons to check it out! :) View all comments by Veron