Aaron Ong

A Letter to the Faces Behind the Counter

By Aaron Ong - June 16, 2026

You are turning over chicken wings when I first notice you. It is just past seven at Old Airport Road Food Centre, and the ceiling fans are pushing warm air down onto the tables. The…

How to Photograph Cuppage Plaza Food Without Disturbing the Room

By Aaron Ong - June 15, 2026

The camera flash went off by mistake. It was a small, clumsy decision, but in the narrow, slightly smoky space of Kazu Sumiyaki, it felt much larger than it was. A few heads turned. The…

To the Stirring of the Wok in the Early Hours

By Aaron Ong - June 12, 2026

The first sound is not the flame. It is the metal ladle touching the side of the wok, a small, hollow note that carries across the half-awake floor of Hong Lim Market & Food Centre.…

Cuppage Plaza Food Guide: Japanese Restaurants and Hidden Gems in Singapore’s Little Tokyo

By Aaron Ong - June 11, 2026

I started coming to Cuppage Plaza for the light. The building is old, a little worn at the edges, with narrow staircases and corridors that smell faintly of charcoal and sake by early evening. But…

A Note to the Knife That Cuts, But Never Hurries

By Aaron Ong - June 9, 2026

The knife lands softly before it cuts. I hear it before I lift the camera. A low wooden sound, not sharp, not rushed. At Maxwell Food Centre, the lunch crowd is already pressing into the…

Wang BBQ Chicken Wing & Satay: Photographing Smoke, Wings, and Skewers at Chomp Chomp Food Centre

By Aaron Ong - June 8, 2026

I reached Chomp Chomp Food Centre at 20 Kensington Park Road, Serangoon Gardens, Singapore on a Tuesday evening around 7pm, just as the place was beginning to thicken with supper energy. The tables were filling…

To the Fragrance That Lingers Long After the Meal

By Aaron Ong - June 5, 2026

The evening air at Old Airport Road Food Centre is thick and warm. It wraps around me the moment I step away from the open street. I walk past the bright neon signboards, letting the…

Lau Pa Sat Satay Street: Photographing After-Work Satay in Singapore’s CBD.

By Aaron Ong - June 4, 2026

I visited Lau Pa Sat Satay Street on a Tuesday around 7pm, just as Boon Tat Street was changing its identity from a busy traffic route in Singapore’s CBD to a lively alfresco dining venue.…

A Letter to the Hidden Moments Between the Shots

By Aaron Ong - June 2, 2026

The afternoon heat settles heavily over Tiong Bahru Market. The frantic noise of the lunch hour is completely gone. I sit at a corner table near the open balcony. The green tiles reflect the warm,…

Izakaya Singapore: More Than Just After-Work Spots

By Aaron Ong - June 1, 2026

When we talk about izakayas in Singapore, we often reduce them to simple after work drinks spots. We picture loud rooms where tired professionals go to drink cold beer and eat cheap bar snacks. But…