Old Amoy Chendol

A favourite stall for chendol — the quintessential Southeast Asian shaved-ice dessert — tucked inside the bustling Chinatown Complex food centre. A mound of finely shaved ice is drenched in fresh coconut milk and dark, fragrant gula melaka (palm sugar), then loaded with pandan-green rice-flour jelly and soft red beans. The balance is everything here: the gula melaka is smoky and rich without being cloying, and the coconut milk tastes freshly squeezed. It's the perfect cheap antidote to the tropical heat, served fast and eaten on the spot. Find a seat in the always-busy centre and dig in before the ice melts.