Bencoolen Dried Goods Store Sells Nostalgic Tidbits In Family-Sized Packs At Good Prices

Called Eng San Ginseng & Birdnest, the shop specialises in Chinese health foods and assorted dried ingredients for TCM brews.

Anyone remember Dahfa fish sheets? 

But it also sells a selection of childhood snacks that folks growing up in the ’80s and ’90s would know, like Popo Fish Muruku, Dahfa Dried Fish Fillet and sticky-sweet sticks of fish ‘satay’. 

Prices are very reasonable

Netizen Rick Hkc, who posted about the shop on Facebook, also found traditional pig’s ear biscuits, the swirly ear-shaped snack that’s not made from actual pigs’ ears but flour and cinnamon powder.

Giant bags of keropok

There are also giant bags of keropok balls and sticks, which make for great TV snacks. 

There are dried fruits too 

If you fancy dried fruits as a tidbit, the shop also has dried jackfruit and banana chips in family-sized packs.

Sweet-sour snacks

There are various types of ‘kiam sng tee’ (Hokkien for salty-sour-sweet) snacks too, like dried mandarin orange peel and sour plums, plus more common tidbits like Tao Kae Noi dried seaweed packs. 

#01-32 The Bencoolen, 180 Bencoolen St, S189646. Tel:  6333-3232. Open daily 9am-6pm. 

Photos: Rick Hkc