Drunken Clam pop-up capitalizes on experience economy
Lucky, there's a "Family Guy"-themed pop-up in Boston.
The intrigue: The "Drunken Clam" pop-up, which recreates the bar in "Family Guy," is the latest addition to the nation's growing experience economy.
The big picture: Experiences are a growing segment of the U.S. tourism industry, which reached 1.2 trillion in 2023, per a Cushman & Wakefield report.
Spending on experiences grew 25% between 2019 and 2023, while tourism spending on material items dropped 15% during the same time frame. And it's outlasted Barbie Mania.
For companies like Bucketlist, those experiences increasingly feature shows beloved by Millennials and GenXers — from the "Barbie" movie to "The Golden Girls" and now "Family Guy."
State of play: The pop-up launched last week in the basement of West End Johnnie's, selling 90-minute slots for $18 (includes a cocktail or mocktail).
The pop-up sold out last weekend, but will continue to run through Sept. 21.
Zoom in: The "Drunken Clam" pop-up has the usual merch and photo ops — the Quohog Channel 5 News desk, the Griffith Family couch and tiny rooms modeled after Stewie and Chris' rooms, down to the Time Machine Stewie made.
Episodes play on screens around the bar.
Context: Experiences like these can draw business to bars, restaurants and other venues that are being frequented less since the COVID-19 pandemic, be it due to inflation, less interest in drinking or overall economic uncertainty.
Zoom out: Boston is home to several "experiential" spaces, from the WNDR Museum to the Museum of Ice Cream that opened last year.
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13 hidden foodie gems at Far East Plaza from budget to boujee [Aug 2025 update]
When people share their qualms about how expensive food can get in Orchard Road, I don't really experience it directly. I guess the budget Barbie in me has explored the roads of Orchard so frequently that I've found Easter eggs of hidden eats all over the most unassuming malls, Far East Plaza being one of them. If we were to compare the shopping malls along Orchard, Far East Plaza, isn't the most attractive shopping centre. Yet, in contrast to most aesthetically developed shopping malls around the area, Far East Plaza offers one of the best eats, and they're affordable ones at that! Don't believe me? I'm letting you in on my secret of the 13 best eats in Far East Plaza that'll stop you from complaining about prices. 1. New Station Snack Bar (#05-95) The top of the list of what to eat at Far East Plaza shouldn't be unfamiliar to many. New Station Snack Bar has built a name for themselves, not only for their mouth-watering Salted Egg Pork Rice (S$8), but for their delectable spread of tze char dishes. This place hits like home for me — I've eaten here since my secondary school days, and am still patronising them today, nearly 10 years later. It really needs no introduction, as the Salted Egg Pork Rice stands out on its own. People queue for a serving of this dish is because of how the stall differentiates it from other tze char stalls. Their version is one that sees a more liquidly salted egg sauce, as opposed to most tze char stalls that do up heavy-tasting counterparts, making it difficult to get through. New Station Snack Bar fries the pork ribs to a perfect level of crisp while retaining tenderness inside. On the exterior, the meat is doused with a large scoop of luxurious salted egg sauce to pair with the rice, flooding the whole plate. I am particular about eating my rice with gravy, so this is great for me. Of course, we need to give the store credit for the other dishes that they have to offer as well. The Teo Chew Hor Fun (S$8) is another popular choice as many love it for its heavy wok hei flavour that stands out in the dish. The springy ribbons of kway teow hides crispy bits of fried radish, prawns and squids and fried eggs. This choice is highly recommended for people like me who love dry noodles. +65 6734 2862 Daily: 11.30am – 8.45pm Facebook | Instagram | Website Order Delivery: 2. Kra Pow Thai Street Food (#03-26/27) Kra Pow Thai Street Food is no longer a hidden gem of mine, because it has gotten popular in recent years. Known for their inexpensive, authentic street food, Kra Pow is one of my favourite places to enjoy Thai cuisine without flying to Thailand. In 2018, they transitioned from a much smaller unit to their current one, which is able to feed many more mouths. Now, they've also opened another outlet at Chinatown Point. You can say that they've been consistent in keeping their standards high, considering their success over the past few years. One thing that you have to order at Kra Pow Thai Street Food is the Drunkard Noodles (Minced Pork), and no, unlike its name, the chef isn't a drunkard and neither do the noodles contain alcohol. For S$11, you receive a large portion of stir-fried thick spicy noodles mixed with long beans, carrots, and minced pork. A bite in and you'll experience the burst of flavours from the chef's heavy use of basil leaves and chillies, making this a fiery experience. I swear by this dish — it's my forever favourite! For the purists, I'll make a guess that pad thai would probably be the dish to order when you're at a Thai restaurant. Am I right? Unlike other Thai places, Kra Pow offers Crackling Pork Belly Pad Thai (S$18.50), which is served in limited quantities daily. Pork belly isn't exactly an ingredient that you'd find in a plate of pad thai, but I decided to go for it. Regardless, it was a great decision. The meat is perfected with a great meat-to-skin-to-fat ratio, and paired beautifully with the soft rice noodles. When I popped one of the pork belly cubes in my mouth, I was amazed by how the melting fat juxtaposed the crispy golden brown shell of skin. Despite higher prices now, Kra Pow Thai Street Food definitely still serves a wonderful rendition of authentic Thai food. Those who are afraid of spice, remember t0 bring a bottle of water. +65 6734 1946 Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5 – 9.30pm Facebook | Instagram | Website Order Delivery: 3. Maddie's Kitchen (#02-10/11/12/13) Just a level down from Kra Pow is Maddie's Kitchen, a Hainanese tze char restaurant at an unassuming corner of Far East Plaza! Fairly new to the mall, they only opened the store in 2018. In all honesty, I was quite surprised that they opened in this mall but I guess they'll be added to the list of hidden gems. They specialise in old-school classics that you can typically find in a hawker. Think: iconic hawker centre dishes but squeezed into one restaurant. Yup, that's Maddie's Kitchen for you. What you have to snag would be their Pork Chop Hainanese Curry Rice ($6.80). The huge plate consists of fried pork chop, which is thinner in size as compared to typical Japanese cutlets, a serving of cabbage and a fried egg drizzled with black sauce, all of which are flooded in curry. The fried pork cutlet may seem easy to devour, but it was really filling… Alternatively, Maddie's Kitchen offers their rendition of Seafood Hor Fun (S$12.80/S$25.80) and Beef Tenderloin Hor Fun (S$14.80/S$29.80). This differs slightly from the typical tze char dish that you'll get from at any coffeeshop — the dishes are infused with a heavy wok hei flavour, and the beef hor fun incorporates bitter gourd and black beans, a different choice of vegetables from the norm! +65 6365 0501 Daily: 11am – 9pm Facebook | Instagram | Website Order Delivery: 4. Wasabi Tei (#05-68) Like a pearl hidden in a clam, Wasabi Tei is my newest addition to the list. This Japanese restaurant that seats a maximum of 15 diners. You'll step into an intimate setting that mimics the privacy that most omakase restaurants have — you'll get a premium experience of the chef in action live in front of you, and at a wallet-friendly price too. To all the sashimi-obsessed lovers out there, this is the place for you. Wasabi Tei serves the thickest slabs of salmon I've ever seen, and the freshest ones I've tasted too. In the Special Chirashi Sushi (S$38), you'll obtain premium cuts of raw fish from tuna, swordfish, sweet prawns and scallop. If you're on a tighter budget, you can always pop by during lunch hour for a more wallet-friendly option — the Sanshoku Chirashi Don (S$18). No matter what, I think their bowls are a steal considering how premium they taste. Mon to Fri: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 9.30pm Sat: 12pm – 4pm, 5.30pm – 9.30pm Closed on Sun Facebook | Instagram 5. Puncak Best Noodles Halal Muslim Food (#05-94) Puncak Best Noodles Halal Muslim Food is one of the more popular Muslim-friendly eateries in Far East Plaza and has been open since 1988. A dish that never ceases to intrigue me is the Honey Dew Chicken Noodle (S$7). Don't be fooled by its vibrant exterior — the Honeydew Chicken Noodles have a natural sweetness from the fruit. Although the name states 'honeydew', the chicken dish does not taste anything like the melon. Instead, the protein is slightly charred for a caramelised taste to give the whole dish depth, while retaining its moisture on the inside. If I'd compare this to something, the closest would be Chinese soy chicken noodles that you usually get at chicken rice stalls. The small restaurant serves a diverse amount of Chinese dishes, including the Beef Claypot Rice (S$8.50) and Fried Wanton Noodles (Dry)(S$6). Since it's halal, the latter serves wantons that are stuffed with prawn paste instead of pork, and deep fried to a crispy golden brown. These are insanely sinful but so addictive, I think you might need to order an individual plate of Fried Wanton (S$7/S$10)! If you'd like to spice things up, you can opt for the Fried Wanton Sambal (S$11/S$16). +65 6738 4348 Mon, Wed to Fri, Sun: 11.30am – 9pm Sat: 11.30am – 9.30pm Closed on Tue Facebook Order Delivery: 6. Greenview Cafe (#04-96) Picture this: it's raining and you're desperately looking for a bowl of affordable soup noodles, but there's no nearby hawker in Orchard Road. You'd be pleased to know that Greenview Cafe will do just the job for you, as they serve a good bowl of noodles at cheap prices! Greenview Cafe has been a go-to for many in Orchard for over 30 years now. It's fair to say that they are one of the pioneer F&B stalls in the mall. Despite their variation in menu, their speciality still lies in the iconic hand pulled noodle dish — mee hoon kueh. They're famed for their hand torn flour noodles — Dry Minced Pork Mee Hoon Kueh (S$6.90). In a bowl, you'll get the usual suspects, like chewy al dente noodles paired with salty ikan bilis and several vegetables, all tossed in black sauce. With a dash of sambal, your noodle dish is instantly elevated. Despite their simple offerings, Greenview Cafe has recently hopped on the trend by offering Tom Yum Mee Hoon Kueh (S$9.90) and Herbal Mee Hoon Kueh (S$8.90). They've certainly taken a creative twist to our traditional noodles. If you're looking to pass time and you're just feeling peckish, you could also try out their traditional snacks of Fried Sticky Cake (nian gao) for S$2.50! +65 6734 2312 Mon to Fri: 10.30am – 8pm Sat & Sun: 11am – 8pm Facebook | Instagram Order Delivery: 7. Yanji Gourmet Seafood Soup By GoodEarth (#01-16A/B) We all have those days where we wake up feeling slightly boujee, and Yanji Gourmet Seafood Soup By GoodEarth has a gourmet selection of premium seafood soup that will make you feel like you're dining in a 5-star restaurant despite being set in a humble shop. Before the shift to Far East Plaza, they were located in Marsiling Mall. Shortly after garnering steady popularity, they then opened another outlet at Funan Mall. When you hear the word 'premium', expectations naturally run high. At Yanji, their seafood soups certainly consist of the freshest ingredients of crayfish, abalone, minced pork and large prawns. But indulgence doesn't come cheap: the Premium Seafood Soup is priced at S$39.90. Albeit being one of the more expensive fish soups you'll find out there, you definitely can't expect this to taste the same as the rest. For S$14.90, the Batang Seafood Soup contains the batang fish (also known as Spanish mackerel) that breaks into a buttery smooth consistency in your mouth. The real star of the show is the broth that is chock full of umami and heavy seafood flavours. Take a sip and you'll be amazed by the result of the arduous process of cooking the broth. The pleasant sweetness comes from the fresh seafood and the slight wok hei flavour comes from the prawns and crayfish. The culinary expertise and technique embodied in the dish makes every single dollar worth it. +65 6369 0988 Mon to Sat: 11am – 4pm, 5pm – 9pm Sun: 11am – 4pm, 5pm – 8.30pm Facebook | Instagram | Website Order Delivery: 16 best hawker stalls at Newton Food Centre that'll make you feel like a Tasty Rich Asian [Oct 2024 update] 8. Nana Original Thai Food (#01-21) Nana Original Thai Food shouldn't be an unfamiliar name if you're big on Thai cuisine. They're situated at level 1 of Far East Plaza, and are notably packed on all occasions. They've since expanded across the country to Clementi, Golden Mile Complex, Aperia Mall and more. (Goodbye Golden Mile Complex… *inserts crying emoji*) They've branded themselves as a restaurant to 'enjoy Thai food the way Thais do'. Well, how else do we enjoy an authentic Thai meal if not with Tom Yum Soup (S$21.50)? You can choose between the creamy or clear soup base, just like other Thai restaurants. At Nana Original Thai Restaurant, they serve their version in a claypot bowl. Indulge in the tangy yet comforting soup that is packed with addictive flavours of sweet and sour hints that keep you coming back for more. If one of your go-to Thai food orders is Pandan Chicken (S$16.90), let's be friends! On the other hand, I usually stray away from Thai Green Curry Chicken (S$21.50) because I'm afraid that curries might get too jelak. For a list of locations, contact numbers, and opening hours, click here. | | 9. Nanbantei (#05-132) Nanbantei is one of Singapore's oldest Japanese yakitori restaurants. Located on the top level of Far East Plaza, it's a casual restaurant to visit for a get-together with friends. Housed in a private space with wooden accents, there's something comforting and intimate about the restaurant's interior design that mimics a traditional Japanese restaurant. If you're seated by the counter, you'll have front view seats of the chefs cooking skewers over hot charcoal. When you're here, I suggest ordering the Yakitori Bento Set as they're truly a bang for your buck. For S$20, you get 5 sticks of yakitori along with rice and miso soup. If you've got a bigger appetite, ordering several a la carte yakitori sticks might be a good move. You also get a lot more variety with the a la carte menu, so pick accordingly. You can opt between Negima (S$5.60), Shiso Maki (S$6.30), and many other options like Sake Harasu (S$7.50), or salmon belly, which I assume would be a crowd favourite. If not, there are also course meals that are on the higher end. The Yakitori Course features a total of 12 sticks for S$39, or you could share the Special Course (for 2) if you're here with your special someone. It comes with salmon sashimi, a total of 10 yakitori sticks and several other items at S$72. For a list of locations, contact numbers, and opening hours, click here. Facebook | Instagram | Website 10. Ya Kun Kaya Toast (#01-16) I don't think I can complete the list of ultimate eats in Far East Plaza if I didn't include Ya Kun Kaya Toast. For those who were unaware, surprise! There's a Ya Kun Kaya Toast in Far East Plaza — our local favourite coffee stall since 1944. It's tucked at the far corner of level 1, hidden from the rest of the mall. Yet, I often find them completely packed. I guess Singaporeans will always find their way back to the things they love. You shouldn't need an introduction to Ya Kun. They serve mostly breakfast foods, from their iconic kaya toasts to savoury Rendang Chicken Sandwiches (S$4.20) and Tuna Mayo Toastwich (S$4.20), to even a Steamed Bread Set (S$5.70) with a filling of your choice. If you can't tell, coffee, bread, and eggs are their speciality. Set A which consists of 4 slices of Kaya Butter Toast, soft boiled eggs and a beverage of choice, comes to a total of S$6.30. They stand out from the rest because of the fragrant spread of kaya, especially with the pronounced pandan flavour and a thick slab of butter. Dip it into hot coffee, and your tea break snack is set. For a list of locations, contact numbers, and opening hours, click here. Facebook | Instagram | Website 11. Cha Ca Cafe (#01-16D) Craving authentic Vietnamese food in town? Cha Ca Cafe brings something refreshingly different to Far East Plaza with its cosy, 6-seater Vietnamese eatery. They've got a selection of banh mi with varying proteins, from Beef (S$10) and (S$8) (Ham) to the standout (S$9) (Pork). Here, a crisp, golden baguette houses juicy slices of siu yuk style roasted pork, with crunchy pickled vegetables and a bright, tangy sauce. The spotlight doesn't stop there, as their carbs aren't to be missed! Cha Ca Cafe's (S$10.50), or spicy beef noodles, are rich and evocative, with an aromatic broth that is mildly spicy, loaded with tender beef slices and round rice noodles muddled with lemongrass and chilli heat for an authentic kick. For a tea-time treat, go for the (Spring Roll)(S$5.50 for 2 pcs) to pair with a sweet, indulgent Cafe (S$4), or Vietnamese coffee. No matter the time of day, Cha Ca Cafe is the perfect spot for those keen to go beyond the usual pho and explore the vibrant, lesser-known side of Vietnamese cuisine. +65 8285 0903 Daily: 10.30am – 9pm Order Delivery: 12. Fan's Cafe (#01-41) Fan's Cafe is a charming cafe that has quietly gained a following for its freshly handmade Shio Pan — fluffy, buttery salted buns that are baked fresh daily in small batches. Shio Pan lovers would be excited to know you can find them in a range of creative flavours here, from the classic Original (S$3) and (S$3.80) to the indulgent Choco (S$4) and (S$3.50) (Black Sesame). Each bun boasts a crisp golden crust and a soft, pillowy interior, making for a simple yet deeply satisfying treat. Pair your doughy treats with one of their Japanese-inspired beverages, like a freshly whisked Latte (S$5). They also serve speciality Coffee Latte (S$5) brewed with 100% Arabica beans, making this a great pit stop for both carb lovers and caffeine seekers alike. While Fan's Cafe may be a little out of sight, it's definitely not out of mind for anyone craving quality bakes and coffee. +65 9183 0183 Daily: 9am – 9pm Instagram 13. Pancakes and Friends (#01-34) If thick, fluffy pancakes are your love language, Pancakes and Friends is your calling. This cheery cafe specialises in Japanese-style soufflé pancakes — jiggly, cloud-like stacks made to order and served fresh off the pan. You can go sweet or savoury, with signature options like the Hokkaido Milk (S$12), Tiramisu (S$12), and a hearty Big Breakfast (S$15) pancake that comes stacked with sunny-side-up eggs, chicken ham, and cheese, all on a jiggly cloud of carbs for that all-American brunch vibe. Each stack is made to order, with its signature height and satisfying wobble. Not in a pancake mood? They've also got NYC-style bagels like Smoked Salmon Cheese (S$8/S$11) and Banana Chocolate (S$6/S$8), plus crispy Rosti plates. The Sausage Rosti (S$17) comes with creamy scrambled eggs and is perfect for some variety when sharing with friends. This space is bright, casual, and #InstaFriendly, complete with cute mascots and retro decor. Whether you're here for dessert, a brunch date, or a midday treat, Pancakes and Friends is a feel-good spot that delivers fluffy cafe comfort at great value! +65 9759 5322 Daily: 10am – 9.30pm | Order Delivery: 11 best affordable Orchard Road eats so you'll have more money for retail therapy The post 13 hidden foodie gems at Far East Plaza from budget to boujee [Aug 2025 update] appeared first on
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