15 minutes from the MRT - Mountbatten

The opening of the new Circle Line station means Mountbatten residents can heave a sigh of relief as they now have an alternative route home to the lumbering bus journeys that weave through the enormous Tanjong Katong estate. Mountbatten boasts easy access to one of Singapore’s most treasured foodie havens along Old Airport Road, cleverly coupled with our country’s iconic Kallang Stadium right next door to ease off our growing gut and guilt.

Makan mayhem
Kampong Arang is a quaint street off Mountbatten Road lying next to Chin Sin Huan Eating House (Blk 7, #01-113 Jln Batu) – a fairly understated locale, yet one that’s often heralded by Mountbatten residents for its famous $2.50 wanton mee. Make a left on Exit A of the MRT station and you’ll find you’ve hit Singapore’s motherlode of local delights. The Old Airport Road Block 51 Market & Food Centre (Blk 51, Old Airport Rd) boasts stalls like Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee (#01-32) and Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee (#01-116) that have walked the hall of fame in Makansutra’s Die, Die Must Try! recommendations.

While waiting for your hokkien mee to arrive, start queuing at Whitley Big Prawn Noodles (#01-98) for an enticing blend of sweet, prawn-thrashing flavours, complementing the unique option of pig’s tail, liver and ribs that will not disappoint your soaring expectations – or cholesterol levels.

Cool off with the highly acclaimed and quintessentially Singaporean soursop juice at Meilock Soursop (#01-82), a stall known for being generous with the delightfully fleshy pieces of soursop at the bottom of your cup.

Fret not if you’ve burst some seams on your shirt or busted your belt buckle by now – just head up to level two of the food centre, where you’ll find a community of Mountbatten’s most old-school alteration and tailoring services. Aunties who run these humble businesses like Kang Heng Store (#02-10) will not hesitate to give you the most comforting and genuine smile, along with affordable alteration prices.

Don’t sweat the small stuff
Instead, work up a sweat in the trimmings of Kallang Stadium (15 Stadium Rd). Do not mistake it for the dowdy old National Stadium (come on, tear it down already!) – it has much to offer all you sports enthusiasts. Call up your soccer-mad mates for a Sunday morning kickabout at The Cage (38 Jln Benaan Kapal) – Singapore’s first indoor soccer stadium has six five-a-side pitches for you to delight in the speed, skill and trickery of the world’s most popular game.

Don’t forget to drop by the Kallang Netball Centre (52 Stadium Rd), not just to check out pubescent schoolgirls decked in FBT shorts battling it out in fierce interschool games, but also to leisurely shoot a few hoops among friends.

Next door is the Kallang Cricket Ground (31 Stadium Crescent) where you can feel free to flaunt your batting skills and celebrate India’s national sport. Conversely, don’t be embarrassed by your lack of ball sense. The Tanjong Rhu Promenade Park Connector stretches from the KPE, along Geylang River, finally ending at East Coast Parkway. This route is yet another way to get your heart pumping in the hearts of Mountbatten.