The Ramadan period, a time for prayer, soul-cleansing and resolute devotion to the religion, started on the evening of June 17.

To the layman, the most obvious display would be the act of fasting - the abstinence from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. While abstaining, they would still go about with their daily lives, dealing with the same old drudgery.

But what if by 6.30 pm, you still find yourself being held hostage by your boss, and by the time you are released, you are nowhere near home?

You know what makes it worse? No Malay/Indian/Indonesian/fast food restaurant in sight when it's time to break your fast.

Scanning through the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS)' list of halal-certified establishments yielded some rather unexpected results, and we've picked some for your different needs and preferences.

1. For the workers stuck in town: Jollibee.

Smack in the middle of Lucky Plaza, manned by a whole lot of staff from the Philippines, and hailing from the Philippines - not many would expect this eatery to be Halal-certified.

Is it good? By our peasant palate, then yes. It's like Kentucky Fried Chicken, but with better fries.

Address:

06-048A Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road Singapore 238863

2. For sausage-lovers: Gogo Franks

Think sausage, and the first thing in your mind would be either:

1) Sausage fest

2) Made from pork, or at least with traces of pork.

Turns out, Gogo Franks is certified Halal by MUIS. Whether you work in the west, east, north, south or Sentosa, you know where to get sausages prepared according to MUIS' guidelines.

Address: too many too list, but here's one.

#B2-7-5-2, Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road Singapore 238873

3. For the National University of Singapore students: Spice Table by Pines. 

Nestled in the concrete jungle that is University Town is Spice Table, an inconspicuous restaurant near the internal school bus stop.

Delivering a large array of dishes, the common misconception among NUS students is that it offers "zi char and a whole lot of other things," and consequently, not falling under the halal category.

The food? It's good. I really like it. I think both the Sambal and cereal fried rice are worth a shout, especially in a land so barren of halal food.

Address: 1 Create Way, #01-12 Create Tower, University Town @ NUS Singapore 138602

4. For dim sum lovers: Tang Tea House

Pork is often the centrepiece when eating dim sum, or at the very least, is laced in the different dim sum meals in some way or another.

Enter Tang Tea House that defies such convention. Selling almost everything from seafood to chicken organs, the place is more famed for its dim sum, which is devoid of all pork ingredients.

Address:

357 Bedok road Singapore 469545

5. For the hipsters: FIX cafe. 

This is the cafe that popularised the term 'naan-wich' - a naan-base dish that should rename itself naan-za because it definitely looks more like a pizza than a sandwich.

Muslim-owned hipster joints have been sprouting in the east, but not many have registered or obtained the Halal certification from MUIS unlike FIX cafe.

That aside, Haji Lane has been littered with so many people that it has lost its hipster cred. For a real boost in your hipster points, foray into the realm of Balestier, where FIX is located.

Address:

#01-06, HomeTeam NS-JOM Clubhouse, 31 Ah Hood Rd Singapore 329979

6. For the muggers: Hanis. 

If the National Library (NLB) was your go-to study place back in your O-level and A-level days, then you would have noticed this:

A small cafe in the middle of the NLB's terrace, we remember it as that cafe that forces every library visitor to take a longer route whenever making a trip to the nearby McDonald's.

What some wouldn't know is its halal-certified status. Instead of perpetually heading to fast-food outlets in the nearby Bugis Junction, another option just presents itself right at the door of the Mugging Den.

Address: National Library, 100 Victoria St Singapore 188064

7. For those with Japanese food craving: Hei Sushi.

The sushi restaurant's halal status is more known, but sushi joints still put many off because, since when Japanese restaurants are halal?

Fusion sushi, sashimi, grilled chicken - the place is teeming with options for its patrons.

Address: #01-22/23, Sembawang Shopping Centre, 604 Sembawang Road Singapore 758459

8. So Pho

When it comes to popularity contest, So Pho may not have the upper hand against its strongest competitor, Nam Nam, but it wins in one respect: it is halal-certified, catering to the appetites of Muslims.

Pho aside, So Pho boasts an eclectic mix of Vietnamese food guaranteed to quell your hunger after a day of fasting, including Banh Xeo (vietnamese pancake) and Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich).

Address: B1-08, Jurong East Mall (JEM), 50 Jurong Gateway Road 608549

9. How about an entire food court? 

Advocating "no pork, no lard", the Fork & Spoon food court spoils Muslim patrons with plenty of choice without breaking the bank.

Its most popular food court, the Toa Payoh branch, has many Halal-certified stalls under its roof such as the yong tau fu, western, ban mian stalls.

Address: #02-70, 470 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh Singapore 310470

Top photo from Tang Tea House.