Balestier

Atop the MRT station, Square 2 is consciously modeled on the hip malls of Seoul, packed with 500 small boutiques selling Korean fashions, electronics, accessories and food.

Most of Balestier's shops — over 40 at last count — are devoted to selling light fixtures and other interior decoration items. Unless you want to surprise the folks back home with a lovely Singaporean toilet bowl, it's probably best to head elsewhere — both Novena and Toa Payoh have large shopping centers around the MRT stations.

Formerly Novena Square, this is by far Novena's largest shopping mall. The main theme is higher-end branded sporting goods, including a large California Fitness gym, but there is also a decent selection of restaurants, a Kopitiam food court and a Cold Storage supermarket.