Constructed in 1980, Peninsula Plaza is a mall that is dedicated to the Burmese residing in Singapore. This 30 storey tall building has office areas and other commercialized sources of entertainment. Expats working in Singapore have their own places to visit in the city. People from Thailand visit Little Thailand in Golden Mile Complex whereas Little India is the Indian and Bangladeshi hangout. Chinatown is usually frequented by Chinese and people from Vietnam. Similarly, the Burmese visit Peninsula Plaza which is also known as Little Burma.
Upon entering the mall, you will be able to see many groups of people from Burma who get together to speak in their language. As soon as you enter the mall, you will be able to see signs in curving language and fragrance of ngapi and fish sauce wafting your nose. Peninsula Plaza comprises of shops and restaurants that sell traditional wear, Burmese delicacies and other goods from the country.
On Sunday, you can see groups of Burmese people throughout Peninsula Plaza with the crowd spilling over to Saint Andrew’s Cathedral. People are seen mingling with people from their country, dining and shopping for food items shipped from Burma. When in Peninsula Plaza, these following are the activities you can indulge in!
Gastronomy in Peninsula Plaza
Peninsula Plaza’ s basement has an array of restaurants and stalls in the plaza which serve delectable Burmese food including soups, curries, noodles and curries. The Fish Head Thout San soup is a must try dish at 4Waddy Seafood. While at Peninsula Plaza you can also try pickled tea leaf salad, Shan Noodles and Shan tofu fritters. These eateries also serve curries, pork belly and preserved vegetables. Other dishes worth a mention include Minkwayyuet Thoke, a pennyworth salad, Danbauk which is a Myanmar biryani, Chin Baung Kyaw are rosette leaves including bamboo shoots and chilli. You can also try delicacies like Mohingar and Faluda sold in the food court.
As you go higher in the plaza, you will find signs that are written in Burmese script. On these floors, shops sell Burmese snacks and goods such as Sone See Yar, a Burmese cracker which is $2. You can also buy preserved goods and preserved fruits which are priced between $2-$5.
Shopping in Peninsula Plaza
The shopping plaza houses beauty salons, internet cafes, real estate agents, legal firms, placement agencies and travel and visa agencies that sell tickets to Myanmar. Apart from these, you can also find fashion stores that sell apparel for men and women. Clothes that are located on the ground floor are priced between $8-$22.
Other shops in the mall sell cameras, shoes, watches and sunglasses. It is advisable to skim through all the shops before you buy anything as a few shops sell expensive goods. You can also purchase shoes and gears for around $50 in Peninsula Plaza. If you wish to buy perfumes that are extremely cheap, you can visit MTY International that sells perfumes ranging between $8- $12. Peninsula Plaza also sells souvenirs from Myanmar which are worth checking out.