Latest news with #GastroBeats
Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Food Picks: GastroBeats food festival returns from May 29 to June 22 at Bayfront Event Space
Go all out with Jett Barbecue's Everything Platter ($135), which includes a full beef rib, beef cheek tacos, loaded tater tots and mashed potatoes. PHOTO: COCA-COLA SINGAPORE Food Picks: GastroBeats food festival returns from May 29 to June 22 at Bayfront Event Space SINGAPORE – Popular food festival GastroBeats makes its return once again, running from May 29 to June 22 at the Bayfront Event Space next to Marina Bay Sands. Judging from the media preview on May 27 , this may well be my favourite edition so far for its curation of food vendors, plenty of photo spots and overall ambience with live music and spacious seating. It is pet-friendly too. A major plus point is the return of some familiar brands – delivery-only Jett Barbecue, famed for its show-stopping Texas-style smoked dino beef ribs (from $19 for 100g) and smoked beef cheek tacos ($24 for two pieces); La Levain bakery, dishing out sourdough pizzas with Asian touches such as nasi lemak, tom yam and laksa ($13.80 for half, $22.80 for whole); and Warabimochi Kamakura, with its event-exclusive kinako strawberry royale (from $13.90), kinako Hokkaido milk (from $10.90) and black sesame warabimochi ($19.90 for 10 pieces). Kamakura Warabimochi's black sesame warabimochi (left) and Kinako Strawberry Royale Warabimochi Drink. PHOTOS: WARABIMOCHI KAMAKURA There is also Golden Bao, which I first discovered at the Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar in March, churning out the popular handmade 'Chinese roti'. Then there are new discoveries for me. Slurp Your Oysters offers fresh oysters (from $16 for three) – raw or grilled – topped with garlic chilli, mentaiko or Thai chilli; and No Time Hot Pot (from $14.80) for convenient hotpot in a cup which I had missed at GastroBeats in 2024. Slurp Your Oysters offers fresh oysters – raw or grilled – with different toppings. PHOTO: COCA-COLA SINGAPORE Beat the heat with drinks such as the new Somersby Mango & Lime cider and Carlsberg beer at its retro-cool Carlsberg Kopitiam booth. Coca-Cola Singapore has an Insta-worthy section to take photos, play games to win merchandise or personalis e d rink cans. Get $1 off your drink when you buy a Coca-Cola combo from any food stall at the event. End the night at the immersive music experience Rewind Replay Remix: SG Edition (from $19.90 a person, including one drink, 30 to 45 minutes a session). There are three air-conditioned zones with pumping music that take you from the retro to disco to Y2K eras. Or walk off the food coma around the Marina Bay, which is set aglow with art installations by light festival i Light Singapore. Where: Bayfront Event Space (next to Marina Bay Sands), 12A Bayfront Avenue MRT: Bayfront When: May 29 to June 22, 4 to 11pm daily Info: and Check out ST's Food Guide for the latest foodie recommendations in Singapore.
AsiaOne
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
I visit GastroBeats again, here's whether it's still worth the hype, Lifestyle News
Last year was my first time attending GastroBeats and I had a really good time, which left me excited for the 2025 edition. I also wanted to see if this year's event would live up to the high expectations its previous runs had set. The festival will be held at the same place — Bayfront Events Space — every Thursday to Sunday, from May 29 to June 22. Similar to its past events, general entry is free so visitors have the flexibility to go in and out of the venue any time they want. And while there are the usual activities like live music, food and arcade games, there were also a few new things to look forward to. Arcade games, live music and more There's a variety of activities to check out at GastroBeats, and one highlight is the live music, which the festival would not be complete without. Under GastroBeats' Gig-ers campaign, several talented musicians and singers have been nurtured and trained by local band 53A to become performers. Names to look out for include Jean Kat and The Way Out, Javier, Masha Nyanna, and The Afterparty. While GastroBeats isn't the best place to do some shopping, there were a few interesting vendors to check out. The highlight for me was The Wicker Club, whom I've patronised at other events like Artbox and The Hammock Market. They specialise in vegan, hand-poured scents with risque names like Kinky Business and Sugar Baby. If your friends have a good sense of humour, these make excellent gifts. There's also The Cat Inspired, which sells kitty-themed pins, stickers and t-shirts. Similar to last year, there is a small arcade section with games and claw machines. It's a great place for kids (and adults) to try their luck and win some toys. Previous editions of GastroBeats had an Uncle Ringo Carnival with a merry-go-round and bumper cars. This year, it has been replaced with an immersive exhibition called Rewind. Replay. Remix: Singapore Edition. The experience takes you through three nostalgic eras of music — Retro Revival, Electric Disco and Digital Pulse — and it takes guests around 30 to 45 minutes to finish exploring the entire place. It was an extremely Instagram-worthy set-up and I had fun snapping pictures at the various themed zones. My favourite room was the one with a ballpit — it made me feel like a kid again! Tickets cost $19.90 per pax and include one complimentary drink. This can be redeemed at the bar inside the exhibition. Another popular attraction was the Solace Diner photobooth. It isn't your regular photobooth either. This one had a retro diner theme which will make you feel like you had stepped into an Archie comic book. Apart from the quirky theme, another highlight was the Mega Strip ($20), which is twice the size of a normal photo strip. I've definitely not seen anything like it before, so it makes a unique souvenir. Stuffing my face silly As a foodie, it's pretty obvious what the highlight of GastroBeats was for me. And I was happy to see that there were not only new food options, but some familiar ones too. A new vendor this year is Umami, which normally operates as a home-based business. They specialise in hearty bowls of Fried Hokkien Mee ($16). These come loaded with large pieces of grilled prawns and sotong. The Hokkien mee is on the dry side and there was a good amount of wok hei, which for me, is the most important component of the dish. If you love their grilled prawns and sotong like I did, you can also buy individual plates of it for $10 each. Another new vendor to check out is What The Puff, which sells fusion curry puffs. They're not just new to GastroBeats — they're new to the local food scene too and were established in December last year by Lim Yuan Ming, Brandon Lim and Oh Chin Jie. The concept was inspired by Yuan Ming and Brandon's parents, who are hawkers. Their booth had a variety of interesting, unheard of curry puff flavours like Chili Crab ($6), Truffle Mushroom Chicken ($6) and Mentaiko Tuna ($6). I loved the Chili Crab! Also new to GastroBeats is Tato Thoughts, which sells loaded baked potatoes. I got the Tato Breakfast ($12.50) which featured scrambled eggs, shiitake mushrooms, hotdog and mentaiko atop a piping-hot baked potato. Other flavours that caught my eye were the Tato Mala Chicken ($14.50) and Tato Smoked Salmon ($16). As much as I was excited to try the offerings from new food vendors, there was one repeated vendor I had to revisit — Jett Barbecue. I discovered them during last year's edition of GastroBeats and they sell some of the best smoked meats I've ever had. These are cooked in a massive $80,000 custom-built smoker that was lifted into the venue by a crane. They were clearly one of the more popular booths too because they had a never-ending snaking queue. And for a good reason. Just as I remembered, their Texas Dino Ribs ($19), which came served with mash, were phenomenal and the juicy slabs of meat melted in my mouth. I also reordered the addictive Beef Loaded Tatertots ($17) which makes a great sharing dish. This time around, I also tried the Smoked Beef Cheek Tacos ($24), which are an event-exclusive dish. Featuring taco shells loaded with smoked beef cheeks and onion rings, these were delicious and I wish I had ordered more. A repeat vendor whose food I didn't get to try last year is Cult Sliders. They sell a variety of sliders, hotdogs, finger food and cookies. The sheer variety of their slider selection left me spoilt for choice but I eventually settled for The 421 ($11). It featured grilled chicken and pineapple garnished with purple slaw and tangy mayo. I love how the pineapple and purple slaw added a sweet, crunchy touch to the small but mighty good burger. Another repeat vendor I checked out was Chris Pork. The brand, which is based in Indonesia, specialises in juicy pork belly and sausages. I sampled their Grilled Pork Sausages ($13.50) and Original Porkbelly ($14.50). These were sinfully good without being too greasy and heavy on the palate. Korean-style corndogs are a fuss-free festival food to enjoy and visitors can get some at Kwazy Korndog. There are classic flavours like the Sausage Corndog ($7) and Cheesy Corndog ($8), as well as more quirky ones like Buldak Ramen Corndog ($9) and Mantou Corndog ($9). I really enjoyed the Mentaiko Corndog, which had a filling of half sausage half mozarella cheese too. Fans of warabi mochi will be happy to know that Warabimochi Kamakura has a booth at this year's GastroBeats too. Apart from their popular mochi, which comes in boxes of 10 pieces or cups of two pieces, they also sell unique drinks featuring the sticky snack. Some popular options were the Matcha Strawberry ($11.90 for small, $13.90 for medium), Hojicha Latte ($9.90 for small, $11.90 for medium) and Kinako Hokkaido Milk ($10.90 for small, $12.90 for medium). Verdict: It's worth a visit I'm pleased to say that once again, GastroBeats did not disappoint. The food offerings met my expectations and I only wish that my stomach was bigger so I could have tried more food. Admittedly, the food here is a bit pricier than what you would find outside but that's a norm for festival food in general. I also really enjoyed the Rewind. Replay. Remix: Singapore Edition exhibition and feel that it is completely worth the price. If you love interactive, immersive experiences, this would be up your alley. And as it held in an indoor and air-conditioned environment, it was also a nice break from the sweltering Singapore heat. Address: 12A Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018970 Opening hours: Thursdays to Sundays from May 29 to June 22, 4pm to 11pm [[nid:716820]] melissateo@
Time Out
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
6 food stalls to check out at GastroBeats 2025, including Texan barbecue, fresh oysters, and more
GastroBeats 2025 is back with a bang this year, bringing three weeks of music, games, and of course, street food from some of Singapore's favourite F&B vendors. The festival runs from May 29 to June 22, from 4pm to 11pm daily, at Bayfront Event Space – next to several i Light installations. With over 50 food booths but so little time, we've narrowed it down to six must-try stalls at this year's edition of GastroBeats. Here's everything worth queuing for. 1. Jett Barbecue (F01) This is not Jett Barbecue 's first rodeo at GastroBeats. This Texan barbecue booth is a hit among festival goers each year, and its claim to fame is its fall-off-the-bone tender beef ribs smoked for up to 12 hours. The team even makes the effort to haul down massive industrial smokers, flown in straight from Texas. Sink your teeth into the Texas-style smoked dino ribs (from $19) served over a bed of mashed potatoes and sauce, or try the smoked beef cheek tacos ($24 for two pieces), which come with generous chunks of meat. 2. La Levain (F14) This homegrown bakery-café is known for its inventive croissants and flawless egg tarts, but at GastroBeats this year, it's serving sourdough pizzas as well. La Levain 's slices are fermented for 72 hours for deeper flavours and a crisp yet chewy crust. Just for the festival, you'll be able to enjoy three exclusive locally-inspired flavours: tom yum, laksa, and nasi lemak ($13.80 for half, $22.80 for full). Prefer sticking to basics? We like the Fourcheese pizza, but the truffle and classic margherita are good shouts too ($12.80 for half, $21.80 for full). 3. Slurp Your Oysters (F20) One of our favourite local home delivery businesses has a booth at GastroBeats this year. Slurp Your Oysters is known for flying in some of the plumpest, juiciest, and largest oysters right off the coast of Murotsu Bay in Hyogo, Japan. These morsels (three for $16, six for $28, 12 for $50) have a creamy, briny profile, and are served chilled or grilled, with toppings of your choice. Load them up with Thai chilli, mango salsa, Korean gulmuchim, or enjoy them grilled with mentaiko or cheese. You'll also find grilled scallops ($16), mussels ($16), and more at the stall. 4. Aunty Siam (F40) Who knew we'd be able to get authentic Hakka cuisine at GastroBeats? This stall is run by a mother-and-son duo who are all about preserving Hakka flavours through honest-to-goodness cooking based on Aunty Siam 's recipes. Try the signature nam yu fried pork belly (from $12) – pork seasoned with red fermented beancurd – perfect for pairing with a crisp, cold beer. Or tuck into traditional Hakka dishes like abacus seeds ($12), stir-fried with mushrooms and black fungus. Other dishes available include braised pork belly buns ($12) and Hakka yong tau fu (from $8). 5. Golden Bao (F02) Combine the popular Chinese street snack guo kui with roti prata and you have Golden Bao. These folks are popular vendors at Kampong Gelam's bustling Ramadan bazaars, and they're making their GastroBeats debut this year. Watch these hefty pancakes being kneaded, stuffed with meat and scallions, and fried up in front of you. Take your pick between the signature beef ($10) or chicken ($9). Make sure to top up for the chilli oil ($1) which is meant for generously dunking your roti slices into – a lot goes a longer way in this case. 6. Warabimochi Kamakura (F20) This Japanese dessert drink took the internet by storm last year, and this year marks Warabimochi Kamakura 's first GastroBeats appearance, bringing its famed warabimochi drinks closer to the masses. Sip on festival exclusives like the Kinako Strawberry Royale (from $13.90) or the trending matcha strawberry warabimochi drink (from $11.90). Our favourites, however, are the kinako warabimochi drink with Hokkaido milk ($10.90) and the hojicha latte with warabimochi ($9.90), which are on the nuttier side.
Time Out
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
GastroBeats 2025 returns on May 29 with free general entry, street food, and live music performances
GastroBeats, the highly anticipated annual food and music festival in Singapore, returns for its fourth edition in 2025. This year's festival village is once again located at the pet-friendly Bayfront Event Space, and will be running from May 29 to June 22, 2025. That's more than three weeks of free live music performances, carnival games, fun themed zones to explore, and plenty of street food by local vendors, including popular brands like Warabimochi Kamakura, Papi's Tacos, and others. Here's all you need to know about the festival at a glance. What is GastroBeats? GastroBeats started in 2022 to showcase the vibrancy of Singapore's culture – its food, musical talents, and more. The festival runs concurrently with i Light Singapore 2025, an annual art event where installations by various artists will illuminate the bay area. You can easily tick off both activities in one evening. Start with a stroll around the Singapore River to check out the artworks, then stop by GastroBeats at Marina Bay for some grub and music to round off the night. General admission is free. What's new at GastroBeats 2025? This year's festival sees a collaboration with Jelilo, a character designed by Singaporean creative Lester Lim. Three adorable life-sized characters – Captain Skull, One Eye, and Scarface – will be roaming the festival grounds, so get ready for photo ops and other fun, unexpected shenanigans that are sure to entertain the young ones. Music enthusiasts can also pop by a brand new music experience Rewind. Replay. Remix: SG Edition ($19.90 per person). The 30-to-45-minute experience will take you through immersive zones spotlighting three generations of music in Singapore: Retro Revival, Electric Disco, and Digital Pulse. Each ticket entitles you to a complimentary drink from a selected menu at Barrr. What food offerings are there at GastroBeats 2025? Some new food vendors will be joining the festival line-up this year. They include Warabimochi Kamakura which went viral last year for its dessert drinks studded with chewy warabimochi bits; Tomo Express – a new collaboration by popular Tomo Café and Hao Kang Kai; and excitingly, mother-and-son duo Aunty Siam and Weiheng, who are serving traditional Hakka fare and their classic Nam Yu fried pork belly this year. Quench your thirst at the Iichiko Club booth near the GastroBeats main stage. This year, Makoto-Ya is collaborating with five local F&B brands to shake up cocktails infused with Iichiko shochu, from sour plum highballs to Iichiko negronis. Catch five guest shifts on select weekends, including familiar names like Neon Pigeon and FLNT by 1-Atico. Plenty of other new food vendors are also set to join this year's line-up, and you can keep a lookout for them on GastroBeats' Instagram page. Other than that, the festival will also welcome back popular vendors like Sohtt – known for its sushi tacos and mochi croiffles; Nosh Bistro – food-truck-turned-bistro serving fish and chips; and Chris Pork – famous for its extra-crunchy pork belly. Who is performing at GastroBeats 2025? This year's performance setlist sees plenty of local talents like soulful Singaporean singer-songwriter-producer Murphy; Jean Kai & The Way out; pop-rock and punk band TheAfterParty; Sarah Syazlina & Band; GastroBeats newbie Alwine & Co.; and many more taking the stage. Find out if your favourite local acts are making a comeback this year on GastroBeats' Instagram page.
CNA
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
i Light Singapore returns end-May with 17 new light installations and GastroBeats festival village
i Light Singapore (iLSG) is set to return with 17 new light art installations by 20 artists – including an illuminated flower garden and a larger-than-life piano – along with the popular festival village, GastroBeats. From May 29 to Jun 21, 7.30pm to 11pm daily, with extended hours to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, Asia's leading light festival will light up Marina Bay and neighbouring precincts, as well as new sites along the Singapore River and at Raffles Place for the first time. Organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and presented by UOB, the festival, which aims to promote sustainability, is anchored on the theme To Gather and inspired by the colour red – a wavelength on the visible light spectrum and in celebration of SG60, according to a press release by i Light Singapore. At the main festival ground of Marina Bay, visitors can explore installations including "Take a walk through the meadow with me" by Megan Tan and Tan Shao Xuan (Singapore) from the University of the Arts, London College of Communication, which boasts a dynamic garden of 300 illuminated flowers repurposed from acrylic waste that respond to visitors' presence with light and music. Visitors can also participate in the "Design your own meadow memory" acrylic charm do-it-yourself workshop, where they get to upcycle offcuts of the installation into personalised charms. Additionally, Marina Bay Sands will host "Piano Walk" by Amigo & Amigo (Australia) at its outdoor Event Plaza, which features a larger-than-life piano that plays an original composition every 10 minutes and uses visitors' steps to create melodies. Other highlights include "Elementary" by Tonoptik (Montenegro) at Clifford Square, next to The Fullerton Bay Hotel, where visitors' movements alter a virtual landscape on the screen inspired by the ocean, as well as "Urban Oracle" by Ultravioletto (Italy) at the pontoon near the Red Dot Design Museum, which features 24 illuminated letters suspended over the water. iLSG will also introduce new satellite sites along the Singapore River and at Raffles Place. At the Singapore River visitors can visit the "Reverse Waterfall" by UxU Studio (Taiwan), which will create a semblance of a waterfall flowing in the reverse direction, as well as the "Bridge of 1,000 Dreams" presented by UOB and DesignSingapore Council, which will transform the Cavenagh Bridge across the Singapore River with illuminated bamboo sticks. These two installations will be on display till Jul 20, 2025. Raffles Place Park will also host a stunning inflatable garden, "The Guardians" by Matthew Aberline and The Beautiful And Useful Studio (Australia). Returning as a satellite site, South Beach will host "Saulux" by (Malta), at its Fountain Plaza, where wind transforms into light and sound manifested within a field of swaying willow twigs as well as "This is Not a Screen" which utilises recycled polarised screens from electronic waste to offer changing perspectives when gently spun. Adding to the vibrancy of the programme, popular festival village, GastroBeats, is also set to return to the Bayfront Event Space from May 29 to Jun 22, 4pm to 11pm daily with vibrant retail and pet-friendly zones, daily live music performances, as well as delectable street food and gourmet delights.
