Roti

A lone shop remains lit at 3am in the morning along Whampoa Drive, and it is not a 7-Eleven convenience store. 

Sin Hon Loong Bakery is one of the few 24-hour bakeries in Singapore, and one of the last using traditional methods. Mr Lai Chee Peng, 57, started his career in 1982, joining his father’s business after finishing National Service. He has been a baker ever since. 

There are no price tags on the bread, and when you ask, Mr Lai or his assistants will be able to rattle off their exact pricing in one breath. But chances are, the regulars already know the prices. 

"We have used the same ovens for the last 35 years. I think this is what makes us different from the newer bakeries… We still slice bread by hand, and even though the slices are uneven, they taste better. We wait for the dough to rise naturally, no quickening or softening agents, no preservatives. It’s been like this since we started, so we stick to the good old way.”

The crustless white Nanyang-style loaf has been a favourite for generations. And there is the “jiam tao roti”, the Hokkien name for the french baguette, which locals love to pair with chicken curry.

We are open 24 hours everyday. Many taxi-drivers and night-shift workers come between midnight and 4am. The only time of the year we close our doors is during Chinese New Year, when we rest for 5 days.”