Once a year, Geylang Serai transforms into an exciting visual spectacle.

Illuminated by an array of lights and festive songs, this sleepy enclave in Singapore springs to life in a whirlwind of noise and activity. This is often accompanied by the wafting smells of barbecued meats, kebabs and traditional pastries -- just a sample of the food items available here. The festival atmosphere, evergreen festive songs harkens many back to their childhood days.

Each year, I look forward to eating my way through the Ramadan Bazaar at Geylang Serai. It’s a simple case of multitasking: I’d nibble (or in my case, gorge) on hand-held portions of food while browsing and shopping at the same time. There is just one little problem, though -- I cannot help but feel guilty stuffing my face while almost everyone else around me is fasting. These days, I try to make it a point to start stuffing myself after break fast.

Where’s the crowd?

Maybe it’s the dwindling number of shoppers. Or perhaps the stalls are more spaced out with the opening of the revamped Geylang market. But this year’s Bazaar seemed less congested, unlike previous years. Still, the organizers get my vote for strategic stall placements and my first point of visit after exiting the train: A Ramly Burger stall!

Call me a Ramly burger addict but I just can’t seem to get enough of these babies, even though Ramly burgers are practically available throughout the year. Hailing from Malaysia, the burger consists of a seasoned burger patty, grilled then wrapped in a thin layer of egg, which also neatly holds all its condiments for minimal mess. Perfect street food, if you ask me.

Next on the snacking list: Keropok lekor, a form of fish cracker originating from the Malaysian state of Terengganu. I ended up buying a bagful of these fishy crackers (though technically, you can’t always call them crackers). Made from fish paste and sago flour, they take quite a lot of jaw action before you can swallow; the thicker slices have a chewier texture while the thinner strips are slightly crispier.

Ayam percik (grilled marinated chicken) is another must-have food when one is in Geylang Serai. There are numerous stalls selling ayam percik, each with a different take on the dish. The one I bought had a tangy tamarind marinade, char grilled for a smoky flavour and then dunked in a slightly sweet peanut sauce just before serving. Just remember to bring the wet wipes: Ayam percik is finger-licking good but it sometimes leaves an awful mess on your hands!

Elsewhere, I spotted a stall peddling otak-otak (grilled fish paste wrapped in coconut leaves) and pulut panggang (grilled glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaf). Different fillings like coconut, chicken or dried shrimp that go too well with the sticky and smoky glutinous rice, perfect for rice queens who need their carb fix.

Tasty titbits galore

The aromatic smell of dendeng greeted me as I strolled further into the bazaar. Dendengs (spicy barbecued beef) are very common during the month of Ramadan. Originating from Indonesia, the spicy taste of the local version has grown milder in recent years, almost as sweet and mild as ba kwa (Chinese barbequed pork). These days, most dendeng are produced en masse and sold under a franchise from a main supplier. My only complain here is the texture: The original dendeng had a consistency similar to jerky but these mass-made ones -- with their springy texture -- feel a bit too synthetic.

After all that savoury food, I was feeling partial to something sweet. I chanced upon a stall selling apom balik, which is basically a foldover pancake stuffed with a variety of fillings like red bean paste, sweet corn or peanut butter. I opted for the old school version that comes with crushed peanuts and sugar. The apom’s soft centre was heavenly but it’s chewing bits off the crispy sides that made it such an enjoyable fix for me.

As I journeyed further into the belly of the bazaar, I spotted more stalls selling more sweet things: Pisang goreng (banana fritters), cempedak goreng (fried jackfruit) and kuih balu, a bite-sized sponge cake made from a sweet, eggy batter, are some of the traditional snacks that are popular during this festive season. You can also find Ramadan staples such as ketupat, lontong and lemang -- various forms of rice wrapped in banana or coconut leaves and sold along with serunding, a sweet-and-spicy coconut or meat floss.

There’s an outside chance that I’d probably end up with a coronary every time I make the trip down to the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar. Luckily for me -- and my heart -- the bazaar is only around for 30 days in a year. While a number of the food sold there are available throughout the year in places around Singapore, getting it all in one location, coupled with a festive atmosphere, is just a bit too hard to resist.