On 18th July, the 2018 Michelin Bib Gourmand list of awardees were released. Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puff at Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market earned this highly coveted distinction for the first time. We rushed to Tanjong Pagar to get a taste of their curry puffs firsthand before the crowds started rolling in!

Bren Tham is the second-generation owner of Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puff. The business was started by his father, who obtained and learnt the curry puff recipe from a Hainanese sailor in the late 1950s. Mr Tham officially took over the reins from his father around ten years ago, but he has been helping out at the stall since he was a young boy.

So, what makes Hainanese curry puffs special? Mr Tham shared with us that Hainanese curry puff uses rempah chilli paste, or as he calls it, ‘Baba-style’ chilli paste, in its filling. The rempah used at Rolina is made fresh every day, and cooked using a variety of spices and chilli for two hours. Another key difference lies in the dough skin of the curry puff. Mr Tham explained that the skin of Hainanese curry puffs are thinner, as the focus is on the filling. He believes that it is ultimately the filling that is the heart and soul of the curry puff.

Preparation starts at 5am every morning, and the curry puffs are usually ready for sale around 7am. Only two traditional flavours are available at Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puff — Curry Chicken & Egg ($1.50), and Sardine ($1.50). Mr Tham believes in ensuring quality over having a greater variety of puff flavours.

The crispy curry puffs are fried to a beautiful brown, with around twenty intricate folds made at the top to contain the filling. Due to the thinness of the skin, do be careful when breaking the puff as it crumbles quite easily. The puffs came piping hot with a generous filling. The rempah coated potato cubes and chicken chunks in the Curry Chicken & Egg was spicy and aromatic. I preferred the sardine puff more as it was oh-so-moist! Usually, sardine puffs are on the drier side, but because of how fresh the puffs from Rolina are, the natural moisture of the filling is retained. It was so delicious that I bought two more sardine puffs on the spot for lunch!

When asked about their thoughts on receiving the Michelin Bib Gourmand award, Mr Tham chuckled and shared how surprised he was, as he did not expect the stall to receive such an accolade. Nonetheless, he is deeply honoured at the recognition accorded.

Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puff has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a roadside hawker stall in front of Novena Church. Today, the stall sees a steady stream of customers who return for their curry puffs that are made from the heart.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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I have heard whispers of a great briyani stall residing within Circuit Road Hawker Centre for the longest time. As this hawker centre is not the most accessible, I have been putting off my visit there. Recently, I somehow mustered enough energy to travel to this far-flung hawker centre to visit Hamidah Bi.

Briyani by Hamidah Bi, which is run by Madam Hamidah and her daughter, has been operating at Circuit Road Hawker Centre for almost a year. The kind macik previously helped out at her son’s biryani stall in Eunos for eight years. Madam Hamidah finally made the move and opened her own briyani stall at Circuit Road. Fun fact: her brother also owns a briyani stall! It seems like making good briyani runs in the blood of this family!

The stall only sells briyani — Chicken Briyani ($5) and Mutton Briyani ($5.50). Madam Hamidah shared with me that the basmati rice is cooked with vegetable oil, onion, ginger, garlic and spices to give it flavour and colour. The pile of long-grain rice looked truly delicious with its orange hue. On first bite, the strong aromatics just exploded in my mouth! The flavours were just right without being too overpowering. Special mention has to be given to the fluffy rice grains which are cooked with evaporated milk in achieve that firm, yet soft, texture. Drench the basmati rice in some zesty dalcha and it becomes so appetising that you will not want to stop!

Next comes the star. The meat masala. I normally prefer chicken masala more in briyani so I dove into that first. The chicken masala was cooked for an hour but the drumstick was somehow stringy. The masala taste was flavourful and strong, with the spices evidently infused into the meat. Overall, a decent chicken masala, but not very outstanding on its own.

The mutton masala was a whole different story. I am usually not a fan of mutton masala because the strong gaminess puts me off. But at Hamidah Bi, the mutton masala was absolutely divine! It was so tender, and fragrant, and the distinct taste of lamb was very pronounced. If you love mutton, you will surely love this! I asked Madam Hamidah whether she added anything special to make this mutton masala out of this world. She chuckled, and replied : “Normal. Everything normal. Curry powder, chilli, onion and ginger.” The mutton masala is cooked for three to four hours, much longer than the chicken, to get that amazing flavour and melt in mouth meat that peels off easily from the bone. Even as I am writing this, I’m fantasizing about this very plate of mutton briyani that has positively won my heart. Definitely a must-try!

Divine mutton masala, soft and fluffy basmati rice, sweet and sour achar, appetising dalcha — Hamidah Bi truly does delicious briyanis. The mutton briyani was arguably the best briyani I’ve ever had, and I am not even a big fan of mutton! I cannot emphasize how much you NEED to try this briyani. Visit Briyani by Hamidah Bi, and you will know what I am talking about!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Every weekend, my family will head to our favourite Telok Blangah Food Centre for breakfast. And our favourite food? The comforting dry prawn mee from Seng Huat. We, and countless others, have been regular customers of Seng Huat Noodles Stall for many years.

Over the last twenty years that Seng Huat has been at Telok Blangah, they have faithfully served the residents and garnered a strong loyal following. The husband-and-wife duo work together in tandem, with the uncle doing the cooking, and the auntie taking orders. She even knows all the regulars’ orders by heart, and can predict their orders before they utter a single word! Seng Huat was previously located at Bukit Merah for around twelve years, before moving to Telok Blangah. The uncle started learning the ropes from his boss when he was just a teenager in 1982. Seng Huat sells fishball noodles too, but their prawn mee remains the more popular option.

The Prawn Noodles ($3) are available in both soup and dry versions with a choice of yellow noodles, mee pok, mee kia, bee hoon and kway teow. We ordered the Dry Prawn Mee Kia and the crowd favourite Prawn Noodles Soup. The al dente bee kia had a bouncy and firm bite. I suspect that the noodles were coated in lard because it was so smooth and fragrant! The uncle stir fries his own chilli to constitute the seasoning, which makes the mee kia savoury with the slightest hint of sweetness and spiciness. The prawns, though small in size, were very fresh and sweet. Most importantly, the portions at Seng Huat are very generous. At just $3, you get a filling bowl of mee kia and numerous prawns. Finish the meal with the accompanying bowl of prawn soup and I assure you, your day is made.

The Prawn Noodles Soup seem to be more popular with the older folks. The boss shared that the rich prawn soup is made from a stock of fried prawn shells and pork ribs. The distinct flavour of the prawns manifests strongly in the soup, and it is almost as if you can taste the ocean in your mouth! Uncle also told me that unlike most places where they spam rock sugar in their prawn soup, Seng Huat puts less rock sugar to allow the natural sweetness of the prawns to come through without artificially drying one’s mouth. Note that if you order the Prawn Noodle Soup, it is inevitable that the alkaline flavour of the noodles will be infused inside the soup. Besides prawns, there are also pork slices and fish cakes in the prawn noodles. Seng Huat also adds crispy, fragrant and perfectly fried pork lard in both the dry and soup prawn noodles. Sinful, but yummy!

I always look forward to visiting Seng Huat on Saturday mornings. The couple is warm and welcoming, and you will often catch the friendly auntie bantering with the regular customers in queue. They are only open from Friday to Monday due to the ailing health of the couple. Seng Huat’s prawn noodles comes highly recommended, but be prepared to queue, especially during peak hours!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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One day, I was asking my mom if she had any food recommendations, to which she excitedly exclaimed: “Yes! Got a ban mian stall above Sheng Siong at Teban Gardens that is nice! It’s run by a Chinese couple.” I was skeptical — ban mian is ban mian, how good can it get?

Located in Yong Sheng Coffee Shop above Sheng Siong, this ban mian stall had the simple name of Ban Mian. Fish Soup. We tried both soup and dry versions of the ban mian ($3).

The auntie told me that they use handmade ban mian, which explains the chewy, QQ texture of the noodles. The ban mian was firm, with a good bite, while the broth bore the sweetness of minced pork chunks, cabbage and fried ikan bilis. You can request for the egg to be cracked directly into the ban mian, letting the heat of the hot broth cook it. You may find the ban mian average tasting at first. But as you eat it, you’ll gradually realise that this simple bowl of hot noodles is actually quite addictive and comforting. After trying so many mediocre ban mian in food courts and hawker centres, this is admittedly one of the better ones around.

If you want something more special, the dry ban mian is the one to order. The first thing you will notice is how the seasoning taste starkly different from that of most ban mian stalls. The distinctive sour tang of the vinegar made the ban mian more appetising, but the real special weapon was the chilli. The auntie revealed that high-quality Tungsan chilli is used in the seasoning of the dry ban mian. The seasoning sure packed a fragrant spicy punch. The Tungsan chilli coated the minced pork chunks nicely, making them taste different from the ones in the ban mian soup. The minced pork were sizeable and chunky, so I asked the auntie how she made it so tender and delicious. She wryly smiled and shared that the minced pork is marinated with a special sauce. Pork lard is not used in the seasoning which is concocted with just vinegar, dark soya sauce and Tungsan chilli. It was pretty amazing that the ban mian was perfectly moist.

Good ban mian should be readily available in every part of Singapore so that those seeking comfort food can easily get their hands on some. I am sure that there are many other good ban mian places in Singapore, and this unassuming stall at Teban Gardens has just been added to my list.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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The Michelin Bib Gourmand list broke on the morning of 18th July. By 1045am, I was already at Bukit Merah View Food Centre, ready to be amongst the first to try the newly crowned Bib Gourmand award recipient — Chai Chuan Tou Mutton Soup. However, with only fifteen minutes to opening, the shutters of the stall were still down. This cannot be the case, I thought. Makansutra reported that preparation at Chai Chuan Tou starts as early as 8 am. I later found out that the stall will be closed that day as the owners had some urgent matters to attend to.

Two days later, I returned to Chai Chuan Tou, wholly determined to have that Bib Gourmand worthy bowl of mutton soup. I confidently walked to the stall at 11 am and, lo and behold, a queue of at least ten customers has already formed! This happened only one minute after opening. I guess their mutton soup must really be something else!

The service was quick and efficient and soon, it was my turn to order. I attempted to strike up a conversation with the lady who took my order. “So how long have you guys been opened?” I asked. “Thirty over years,” the lady replied patiently as she busied around, scooping bowls of rice, taking orders and arranging bowls of mutton soup simultaneously. I continued with my next question: “Do you know that you got onto the Michelin Bib Gourmand list? Any thoughts on that?” She smiled and said : “Yes it is an honour. We are very happy and would like to thank our customers for their unwavering support.” She then briskly handed me my tray of food, and turned to serve the next customer. With the unending hordes of patrons, it was near impossible to probe further.

We ordered the Mutton Ribs Soup ($6) and Mixed Mutton Soup ($6). Both bowls had generous chunks of meat basking in a clear looking broth. On the first sip, the mutton soup tasted quite bland. But, wait for it! The distinct, yet subtle, taste of the mutton comes at the end. I must say, the gaminess of mutton was not overpowering at all. Instead, the mutton had a light fragrance and its sweetness was well infused into the soup. Of the two, I preferred the bowl of mutton ribs soup. The meat was really fall-off-the-bone tender. If you want a sense of how skilful the owners of Chai Chuan Tou are in cooking mutton, this bowl of mutton ribs soup will give you a pretty good idea.

The Mixed Mutton Soup came with strips of mutton, mutton stomach and mutton meatballs. Due to the nature of the various parts, the texture of the items were understandably more chewy. Once again, the mutton was well cooked, with none of them tasting rubbery at all. Make full use of the chili sauce by dipping the mutton strips in! The thick and tangy chili helped to cut through the gaminess of the mutton. Although my friend commented that the chili tasted rather ordinary, I think that it served its main purpose, which is to complement the mutton!

From the insane queue, I gather that Chai Chuan Tou’s mutton soup is really popular, especially with the older generation!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Madam Liew Kiaw Hoon often prepares her signature Nyonya laksa for family gatherings and her children’s company events. Family and friends often praised Madam Liew’s laksa for being absolutely delicious. They have told her that ‘It’s so good, you should open up a stall!’ With the support from a huge fan base, Madam Liew’s son started Madam Liew’s Recipes at Siglap Road, aiming to showcase his mom’s house recipes and honouring her legacy as a great home cook.

Back in the kampung days, Madam Liew’s husband ran a provision shop in the Siglap area. Their neighbours would frequently gather at the provision shop to socialise and chit-chat. It was there that Madam Liew met a Teochew Nyonya lady who shared the Nyonya laksa recipe with Madam Liew. Over the years, Madam Liew enhanced and adjusted the recipe. Besides being a good home cook, the 87-year-old also has prior culinary experience — she used to run a fishball stall on the sixth floor of Lucky Plaza. With decades of home cooking experience under her belt, Madam Liew dishes out a formidable Nyonya laksa which is a must-try!

The Nyonya Laksa ($4.80) comes with the standard fishcake, cockles, prawns, bean sprouts, and laksa leaf. It is rare to find laksa gravy cooked over charcoal fire these days, but at Madam Liew’s, it is still being done! The star of the Nyonya laksa has got to be the handmade rempah — it has ten secret spices in it and each time, 10kg of rempah is prepared at one go!

At first glance, the portion seemed rather generous. The laksa gravy was also clearly a lot thicker than usual. It looked deceivingly spicy with its bright fiery red hue, but rest assured, the spice level is definitely manageable even for beginners. For those who need an extra spicy kick, just mix the sambal chilli on the side into the laksa gravy. Unlike the usual laksa where coconut milk plays a vital role in the taste of the gravy, the flavour of the nyonya laksa here is derived from the different spices used instead. Due to its thicker consistency, the laksa gravy coagulates quite fast when left out in the open, so eat it while it’s piping hot!

Apart from serving up Nyonya laksa, Madam Liew’s Recipes also does laksa goreng, or dry laksa, on the weekends. Madam Liew’s son informed us that they have plans to expand the menu in the near future to include other signature dishes such as popiah and mee siam from his mother’s kitchen. Opening a brick and mortar F&B business is never easy, and we definitely admire the family’s dedication to honouring and preserving Madam Liew’s legacy. If you are in the East, why not give Madam Liew’s Recipes a try?

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Edmund Teo is a 23-year-old hawkerprenuer who’s passionate about Thai food. Having had prior experience co-managing a Thai hawker stall, Edmund decided to strike out on his own and open Thai Ruk Thai in the heart of Ang Mo Kio a month ago. Thai Ruk Thai specialises in two main items — Ba Mee Moo Daeng, or Thai Wanton Mee ($4/$5/$6), and Khao Kha Moo, also known as Pig Trotter Rice ($5.50/$7.50). Needless to say, we gave both of them a try!

I think the biggest difference between Thai wanton mee and our local version lies in the noodles’ seasoning. Thai noodles just seem more fragrant somehow! Edmund revealed that he tosses his wanton mee in pork lard and fish sauce only. He believes in minimal seasoning to allow for the fragrance of pork lard and fish sauce to shine through. I really like how the sinfully oily and glistening noodles boast a lovely lard fragrance. Admittedly, this wanton mee may not be the healthiest! The char siew here was thinly sliced, which I personally felt lacked bite. Edmund explained that authentic Thai char siew actually has a cardboard-like texture. He prefers his char siew to be fattier at Thai Ruk Thai, the char siew has a higher fat to lean meat ratio. The stall also makes their own char siew. Edmund marinates the meat overnight before roasting it for 45 minutes. The wantons are decent enough, with the fried wantons being more memorable. The golden hue is indicative of how the dumplings are nicely fried till crisp. They are packed with a substantial amount of pork filling too! The steamed wantons, on the other hand, were smooth and slippery, albeit slightly on the powdery side.

The Pig Trotter Rice was a weaker contender as compared to the Thai wanton mee. My main gripe was the lack of flavour. The braising sauce was on the bland side, while the braising sauce did not penetrate the collagen-rich trotter well enough. This was strange considering how their pig trotters are marinated for four hours every day. The accompanying chilli sauce was fantastic though! Edmund told us that a vinegar-based chilli is specially used as its acidity cuts through the jelakness of the fatty pig trotter. I found myself dipping the chunks of pig trotter into the sour and appetising chilli sauce repeatedly!

Thai Ruk Thai is an honest, no-frills hawker stall that gives you a glimpse of Thai street food. It probably won’t paint the best, nor the most representative, picture of what Thai street food has to offer, but the stall still dishes out a pretty good bowl of wanton mee that’s definitely worth a shot.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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I am a self-professed fan of fish soup. So, when I stumbled upon this zichar place which apparently sells great fish head bee hoon in Chinatown, I knew I had to visit one day. An Ji sits in Chinatown Food Centre and spans two storefronts. The words ‘Recommended on TV Steamed Fish Head/ Fish Head Noodle’ are displayed prominently on their signboard. I guess when you make it to national television, that speaks volumes about your food!

It was not quite yet lunchtime when I visited, and the stall was still quiet. Attempting to strike up a conversation with one of the shop attendants, I politely asked how long An Ji has been opened for. A surly “Open very long already” made it difficult to continue the conversation. I ordered the Crispy Beef Noodles ($5) and Fish Head Noodle ($5). A quick glance at their menu would lead one to think that An Ji’s strong suit is in seafood, but the shop attendant corrected me and shared that they actually specialise in fish head. An Ji uses sheng yu, or toman fish, for their fish head. Toman fish is commonly used in sliced fish soup, and hawkers will normally marinate and deep fry them. Interesting fact: toman fish has wound healing properties! Who knew right?

Truth be told, I am not a fan of sang meen (crispy noodle) but they are always a crowd favourite. The sang meen at An Ji was really crispy and had a good crunch. I prefer to drench the noodles in the gravy to soften it, so as to spare my teeth and gums the extra effort! The beef slices were tender and well cooked, and not overly chewy. Unlike the beef hor fun in some places where the beef is only recognisable by its texture, the beef at An Ji has that distinctive, strong beefy aroma assuring you that it’s the real deal. The individual components were all done competently but overall, the Crispy Beef Noodles lacked that ‘wow’ factor that would make it a superb beef sang meen.

True to An Ji’s reputation as fish head specialists, the Fish Head Noodle left a deeper impression. It was so amazingly rich and milky that the full intensity of the fish soup can be tasted in every sip! It is clearly evident why toman fish is an obvious choice for fish soup — the meat in the fish head chunks was very fine and sweet, with the deep-fried texture adding an extra fragrance. This was a very impressive bowl of fish head soup that I will come back for! My only gripe is that I have to continuously keep my eyes peeled for sharp bones due to the nature of fish head. The presentation of the fish soup also needs more work. Plastic containers, really?

And, An Ji concludes yet another chapter in my hunt for the best fish soup in Singapore. Is it the best out there? Nah I don’t think so, but it sure is a strong contender!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to An Ji. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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There is a common saying that the East side has the best food in Singapore. Well, that is not entirely true! Hidden in Taman Jurong Food Centre is a unique Western stall that serves up BOTH wholesome salads and sinful pizzas at the same time! Welcome to ButterNut, a stall that serves both healthy and indulgent Western food. The owners of ButterNut, Darren and Vivian, created the extensive menu from scratch based on Darren’s two years of experience in the F&B industry. The food items constantly rotate and change as the couple continually tweak their recipe according to feedback received. There is something for everyone at ButterNut — whether you are looking to indulge, or to go clean for the day.

At ButterNut, everything — from the pizza dough to the house made sauces — is prepared from scratch. We had a go at some of their signature dishes, most of which are rarely seen at hawker stalls! The ButterNut Chicken Pizza ($9.90) is a popular option. Those who fancy a lighter meal can opt for the customisable ButterNut Salad ($7.80). The Sweet Potato Fries with Mix Cinnamon Seasoning ($5.60) is also special. You don’t usually see cinnamon with fries!

The ButterNut Chicken Pizza is a must order! The thin-crust pizza is topped with Greek marinated chicken slices, roasted butternut chunks, and rosemary. The pizza is made upon order so you can expect piping hot pizzas fresh from the oven! It takes around seven minutes for the pizza to bake till perfection. The superb thin crust was armed with a satisfying crunch. Having butternut on pizza might sound strange but you will be surprised by the unexpected combination. The sweetness of the butternut pairs perfectly with the well-marinated chicken chunks which have been infused with the aroma of herbs and spices. Can you believe that such high quality pizza can be found in a hawker setting?

Hesitant to eat ‘health’ food, I approached the ButterNut Salad with caution. We chose a base of mixed greens, followed by the standard toppings of butternut with rosemary herbs, cherry tomatoes, pineapple, broccoli, sauteed shimeji, white button mushrooms, almond flakes, and House Blend Honey Mustard. You need not fear finding wilting vegetables in your salad — the owners at ButterNut use only fresh vegetables. For the first time, I actually have no trouble eating greens! There was also a good mix of flavours in the colourful salad. Sweet butternut, fruity pineapple, crunchy broccoli, earthy mushrooms and nutty almonds. You won’t tire of eating this!

Amongst the three dishes, the Sweet Potato Fries is arguably the dish that gets jelak the fastest. Darren shared that the seasoning is a creative mix between cinnamon and sour plum powder, similar to those that you can find in Taiwanese night markets. However, the fries were too skinny and feeble for my liking. As the dish is sweeter in nature, those who prefer their finger food savoury might lose interest very fast.

Darren also brought out the Fresh Baked Quinoa ($11.20) with Alfredo Sauce and Smoked Duck Slices for us to try. As we all know, quinoa is a health food so I guess by baking it in tons of cheese, ButterNut is trying to appeal to a larger audience! The owners really do not skimp on the quantity and quality of ingredients here. The texture of quinoa might take some getting used to and, frankly, I am not big on its grainy and hard texture. Having said that, the strong melted cheese and creamy sauce did a good job in making the quinoa tasty. In addition, the torched smoked duck slices were tender and juicy!

ButterNut is definitely not your average Western food stall, and their interesting and well-executed dishes are above average as well. Situated in a hawker centre, Butternut might not be able to always attract the right kind of customers who will appreciate the unique food that it offers. But if Butternut’s offerings are right up your alley, do pop by to support Darren and Vivian!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to ButterNut. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Mention Beauty World and, immediately, crowd favourites such as Hambaobao spring to mind. I will admit to having a one-track mind whenever I frequent this food enclave in Bukit Timah, often only visiting the Cheong Chin Nam supper stretch or heading up to the food centre in Beauty World. But within this dimly-lit shopping centre lies a hidden gem and if you don’t keep your eyes peeled, I guarantee you will miss what is arguably one of the better thai boat noodles in Singapore.

Located on the ground floor of Beauty World Shopping Centre is Victory Thai Boat Noodle. This humble cafe was opened two years ago by a Thai lady, who is apparently a good cook as well. I was told that most of the recipes at Victory Thai Boat Noodle are the lady boss’ own. Decked out with simple wooden furniture and bright yellow walls, the cafe’s “Thai-ness” was immediately noticeable — loud Thai music, standout decor, and friendly Thai staff. A decent variety of the standard Thai fare is offered, ranging from green curry and basil rice to the famous mango sticky rice dessert. But we were here to try their signature Thai boat noodles. And since the both of us were beef lovers, the Boat Noodle Beef ($5) was a must-order!

Honestly, I’m not a big fan of Thai boat noodles. I never understood the craze over them and the few times I was pulled out to eat ‘really good’ boat noodles, I was disappointed. So, believe me when I say that the Thai boat noodles here were really good! The cloudy beef broth was light, yet rich, with a perfect balance of sweet and savoury notes. I found many of the Thai boat noodles way too salty. Of course, if you finish this entire bowl of broth, you will also find it salty la. Moderation is key! The noodles are customisable so I chose the standard rice noodles. Translucent, firm, and smooth, the rice noodles were very easy to slurp up. I found the texture of the beef slices to be inconsistent though. The beef meatballs were more to my liking, as they were nicely QQ and chewy! Oh, and by the way, condiments are on the side so feel free to spam the chili. For $5, the portion was quite substantial — they were generous with the amount of meat and noodles. Altogether, this was a delicious and comforting bowl of noodles which I will definitely return for.

The rest of the items were less stellar. The Thai Grilled Pork Rice ($5) was average, with the pork slices being especially tough. The ‘porky’ smell was also very strong and obvious, which was off-putting for me. I wished there was more of that savoury brown sauce to drench the dry rice with. The accompanying chili was very potent — some might even say ‘choking’ — and you can really taste the sheer amount of spices in it!

The clear Tom Yum Seafood ($9) was the priciest dish, yet it was also the one that fell furthest from our expectations. A good bowl of tom yum soup needs to have that distinctive sour yet spicy kick, and strong flavours of lemongrass and assorted spices. Sadly, the soup nailed only the spicy part, and was sorely lacking in the unique tom yum sourness and herbaceous aroma. On the bright side, the portion of ingredients in the tom yum soup was quite lavish! The seafood was fresh, with meaty mussels and crunchy prawns stealing the limelight.

The boat noodles at Victory Thai Boat Noodle were really amazing, and I think it would give the other local Thai boat noodle franchises a run for their money, if the location wasn’t this obscure. Hmm, I wonder if this place has any connections to the famous boat noodle stalls near Victory Monument in Bangkok…

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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I recently met up with a friend who is heading overseas to study. I asked him if there were any particular hawker stalls that he would miss, and he shared about this ‘traditional wanton mee’ in Bugis.

This stall is literally called Traditional Wanton Noodle. Located in the bustling and crowded Albert Food Centre, the stall was void of a queue when I got there. I was sceptical of my friend’s recommendation almost immediately. Unlike other popular or famous stalls that often see a queue, there wasn’t one here. But again, never judge a book by its cover right?

The stall attendants were busy going about their job when we visited. When I enquired on how long have they been opened for, the din and noise of the hawker centre made it impossible to decipher the answer. But the brusque looking auntie did hold up four fingers! The plump handmade wantons which sat on metallic trays were calling out to me, and they sure looked irresistible. A plate of Wanton Noodle ($3) and hot bowl of Dumpling Soup ($3) sounded just about perfect for the rainy afternoon.

At first glance, the messy pile of noodles and green plate looked pretty old school. The noodles were thicker than the usual thin mee kia. Thankfully, they were cooked well, and were springy! Maybe it was because of its broader width, but I found the noodles to have a better bite than mee kia. I asked for chilli in my noodles, and a watery chilli sauce was drizzled over them. The chilli was lacklustre and lacked fragrance and depth. I could only feel its unforgiving spiciness and my tongue burned up instantly.

The wantons and dumplings here are on the meatier side. They are quite generous with the meat filling as the dumplings were not flat or empty. I wished the filling was juicier though. The fried wantons paled in comparison, as the ‘jian’ taste of the deep-fried skin overwhelmed the taste of the filling.

The stall was also pretty generous with the char siew. Sadly, the char siew was too tough.

For $3, you get a sizable plate of noodles with plenty of ingredients. The dumpling soup came with five to six dumplings as well. Traditional Wanton Noodle does not have the best wanton mee in Singapore, but if you are not a fussy eater, ok lah can try.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Zhong Pin Noodle House was featured on Our Makan Places: Lost & Found recently for their delicious Sarawak noodles. I made a trip to this humble hawker stall at Bukit Merah Central and had the pleasure of meeting the owners Xan Tan and Roy Ong. The stall was located at Bukit Timah for around two years, before it shifted to its current location.

Roy, who created all the recipes at Zhong Pin Noodle House, cooks for his own family frequently. Many of the noodle dishes here taste different from the usual hawker fare — they all boast a distinct taste of home. If you take a look at Zhong Pin’s menu, you may be slightly confused by the inclusion of Sarawak noodles, in addition to the familiar ba chor mee and fish ball noodles. Roy’s best friend is a big fan of Sarawakian cuisine, and often lamented the lack of it in the local food scene. Hence, inspiration struck Roy and he saw an opportunity to introduce quality Sarawakian cuisine to Singapore. Roy actually travelled to all the different states in Sarawak to try their food, and learnt tips and tricks from local chefs too!

The Sarawak Fusion Laksa ($5) is Zhong Pin’s speciality. Coming up with this dish was no easy feat. Xan shared that they were afraid that the original Sarawak laksa, which is more pungent and oily, would not please the palates of Singaporeans. Hence, the couple did some R&D and made a fusion Sarawak laksa of their own — one which Singaporeans would be more receptive to. The result is a mildly aromatic laksa that’s extremely flavourful. Unlike Singaporean laksa, Zhong Pin’s rendition is a lot less spicy. Many described this fusion laksa as a cross between mee siam and curry. In other words, you would probably love or hate this dish! The gravy has no MSG and only premium ingredients are used. Indeed, you can really taste the freshness of the large, crunchy prawns! My only complaint would be the bee hoon which did not soak up the laksa broth sufficiently. But aiyah, I guess that’s just the nature of bee hoon. Remember to add the homemade sambal chili and a squeeze of lime!

Sarawak Kolo mee seems to be a simpler dish — the noodles and oil are the key ingredients. The noodles are also usually not topped with an abundance of ingredients. Roy, once again, puts his own spin on kolo mee. Zhong Pin’s Sarawak Kolo Mee ($4) is heavier, and has quite a fair bit of ingredients. Initially, I found the kolo mee to be on the sweeter side. The tender housemade char siew was a little too lean for my liking. Dig deeper into the bowl and you will find bar chor hidden beneath the noodles. I liked how the saltiness of bar chor balanced out the sweetness of the noodles. Another gem would be the big hunks of pork lard. So greasy, so sinful! However some pieces were harder than the rest. I felt that the egg noodles, which are imported from Malaysia, could have been more springy though.

When Zhong Pin first started out, they only served noodles. But with the shift to Bukit Merah, they have introduced the Signature Zhong Pin Curry Rice ($4.50) to meet the needs of the hungry working crowd. This was the most interesting dish  of the three, simply because it was unlike the conventional curry chicken rice we know. The curry had a strong taste of spices, primarily lemongrass, and there wasn’t as much coconut milk. The savoury and sweet curry packed quite a spicy punch though. The chicken wings were tender and could be torn apart easily, while the potato chunks were not crumbly and still retained a starchy bite. My companions did not like this rendition of curry chicken as it was not what they are used to. But if you’re up for a different curry experience, come try it!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Can you imagine singing Wang Leehom’s classic 唯一 (wei yi) to laksa? Well, believe it or not, Wei Yi Laksa and Prawn Noodle shares the same name as the song! I journeyed to Tanglin Halt Market to find out if this famous laksa stall could live up to Wang Leehom’s song and indeed be THE ONLY laksa for me.

I popped by in the morning to beat the lunch crowd but, to my horror, there was already a short queue. And it was only 1030am! Many tables at the hawker centre were occupied by elderly patrons with Wei Yi’s distinctive red and white bowls. This built up my expectations and anticipation for their laksa!

Wei Yi Laksa and Prawn Noodle has been opened for thirty years and has accomplished a great deal. They were listed in CEO’s Hawker Guide, and also participated in overseas culinary exchanges in Shenzhen and Tokyo. Perhaps that explains why their menu has Japanese translations! Unlike the typical laksa stall that sends out bowls with the standard fish cake, bean sprouts, and cockles, Wei Yi offers some level of customisation. Here, you can choose from 6 sets, with each set being a different combination of chicken, fried bean curd, cockles and prawns. Wei Yi serves prawn noodles with fish cake too.

My mantra in life has always been go big or go home, so of course, I ordered the bao ga liao laksa with all the available ingredients ($5). I must admit that the laksa looked extremely enticing with its beautiful bright colours and a generous serving of ingredients. I dug in with high hopes. But sadly, it failed to match up to expectations. The first thing that struck me was the lack of coconut milk in the gravy. How could such a rich-looking laksa be missing coconut milk? And so I took a second spoonful, third, fourth and fifth — you get the idea. Alas, I could not detect even a hint of coconut milk in the thin gravy. The dollop of sambal chilli on the side was also lacklustre, lacking in both fragrance and potent spiciness to bolster the mediocre gravy.

The ingredients in the laksa did a lot better though. The chicken slices were very meaty while the tau pok was nice and fat, soaking up the gravy well. The deshelled prawns were slightly larger than usual, but the meat was rather flaky. Cockles are mandatory in laksa, to me at least, but I found the sizeable cockles too fishy for me. For $5, the amount and variety of ingredients were impressive. The portion was quite generous — I struggled to finish it on my own.

This is personal preference lah but I preferred the All Prawns Prawn Noodle Soup ($3) of the two. The prawn stock was savoury, rich, and intense, making it infinitely more flavourful than the laksa. I loved how Wei Yi threw huge, thick chunks of lard into the prawn soup, adding a fragrant greasiness that elevated the taste of the prawn noodles. If you remove the pork lard, the dish will taste almost exactly like primary school tuckshop food— very nostalgic! We chose the standard yellow noodles so the jian flavour seeped into the soup, making it pleasantly sweeter. But understandably, not everyone is a fan of the jian in yellow noodles. Compared to those in the laksa, the prawns were a lot bigger, fresher, firmer, and crunchier. The number of prawns you can fish out from this deceptively small bowl of noodles was quite astounding. Definitely great value for money!

In more ways than one, I was quite disappointed with Wei Yi’s famous laksa. I am someone who needs rich coconut milk in laksa and Wei Yi did not deliver in that aspect. If this crucial element could be nailed, this could very well be a darn good bowl of laksa in the West — bearing in mind its fresh ingredients, generous portions, and great value for money.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Wei Yi Laksa and Prawn Noodle. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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A collaboration between Singapore’s DJs, The Muttons, and Roast paradise,  Fook Kin seems set to be the new craze in Singapore. If you haven’t already heard of Roast Paradise, check out our review. From pink neon lights that greet you with a cheeky message, to marble tabletops and steel chairs, everything about Fook Kin will remind you of old-school Hong Kong. Furthermore, you will be enjoying your food with songs such as “玫瑰玫瑰我爱你” and “月亮代表我的心” playing in the background. I have to say my hipster self was very intrigued.

Honestly, I don’t think my mind is capable of describing the greatness of this char siew adequately. Well, mind-blowing, may I say. The caramelised KL-style char siew was chewy and crispy in all the right areas. The sweetness and stickiness of the char siew hit me first, before the seductively juicy meat worked its magic and had me hooked. I couldn’t stop chewing, bit by bit, piece by piece.

Before I knew it, I had polished off the entire plate.

The stellar char siew was a rock star for sure, but it also overshadowed the other dishes. The roast pork wasn’t bad at all, but it definitely was not as phenomenal as the char siew. It’s still worth a shot, of course.

Just a piece of advice — don’t underestimate the noodles($1.50) and only think of it as a side. The noodles deserve extra attention. The springy noodles, together with the chilli paste which carried a hint of lime, was surprisingly palatable.

Ikura, silky smooth tofu, chewy century egg, and melt-in-your-mouth pork floss may seem like a messy, and odd, combination. There’s just so much going on in one bite! I wonder who was the chef who went, “Hey, I’ve got a great idea for a dish! Let’s throw everything together and pray that it works well.” Because, I’ll like to thank the chef for his crazy little idea which led to the creation of this wonderfully delicious and immensely addictive dish. I dig the Triple Happiness ($9.80) and it sure made me triply happy.

The Omelette ($8.80), which was a tad dry, was nothing to shout about.

Fried lotus root drizzled with salted egg yolk sauce?! Sign me up! I NEED this as an everyday snack. I kept reaching for more because these were SO GOOD. The creaminess of the salted egg and the crunchiness of the lotus root sent me to food heaven. Do yourself a favour and order the Golden Lotus Root Crisps($9.80) when you’re here.

Verdict? It was pretty fook kin awesome. I loved the lotus root crisps so much that I took away extra packets for my family. You’ve gotta try it! A word of caution though — Fook Kin’s flawless char siew might just ruin all char siew for you.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Fook Kin. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Hanging lightbulbs and marble tables fill Black Fairy Coffee, a charming new cafe with an enchanting tale.

I like to believe that Tyrwhitt Road is a whole other realm — a place that provides respite for anyone who’s had a long day. The streets are lined with cafes and restaurants, and presents visitors with endless dining options. Black Fairy Coffee might just be yet another cafe in the area, but this new kid on the block warrants a visit.

How does popcorn and coffee sound to you? The Popcorn Latte($6), as you might guess, was a concoction with a medley of sweet and salty notes. There was a discernable burnt aftertaste that is unique to popcorn. Rest assured, caffeine-lovers, for this is a pretty strong cuppa.

Who doesn’t love a good ending? I especially adore stories that involve the princess marrying her true love. In this case, my true love is an avocado toast, and his name is “Happy Avo After” ($9.90). The dish features fresh leafy greens, radish, onions, and alfafa green sprouts lying on a chewy sourdough bread that’s slathered with a generous layer of fresh avocado spread. Avocado toast is all the rage these days, and you can never go wrong with a millennial’s favourite meal! (Meal-lennial? Hmm)

When asked, the very helpful fairies in the shop unhesitatingly said that The Goblin($20) was their signature item. Not as sinister as it sounds, but the Goblin was sinfully good. The ensemble of slow roasted pulled pork, onion and carrot shavings, and toasted brioche bun was quite delightful. I especially liked the ratio of pulled pork to crunchy vegetables; it’s not every day that you find a cafe that gets the right balance.

I guess it is safe to say that we had a fairy good time at Black Fairy Coffee. We hope you’ll have a bewitchingly good time here!

(By the way, the place turns into a bar at night! Right on time for Cinderella to pre-game before the ball (; )

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stall featured here.

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Holla, holla. A new minimalist café is in town. Decked out in shades of white, Apartment Coffee houses just about 4 tables, including a long countertop which seats up to 10 patrons.

Apartment Coffee does not just take care of your caffeine needs. They make sure that their space is aesthetically pleasing, and photos taken in any corner is fit for the ‘gram. Sunlight streams in through the tall windows and makes the bright space look even more pristine.

Grab a seat at the coffee bar should you like to be let in on a tip or two from the friendly baristas. The knowledgeable baristas welcome questions and are more than happy to share about the types of coffee and the unique characteristics that you should look out for in your cuppa. Interestingly, on the day of my visit, all the baristas were dressed according to the theme. In fact, even the patrons were in solid block colours that complemented the setting. Kudos to everyone!

I had the Colombia El Mirador, which had a surprising fruity aftertaste. The coffee was creamy and smooth and is the only milk-based option available. My partner got an espresso shot named “Colombian Bella Vista”. Thick and heavy, with acidic notes of orange blossom, the espresso will delight the taste buds of coffee connoisseurs.

The banana loaf was also an immense delight. The pastry was soft, moist, and fragrant — quite the perfect afternoon snack.

We ordered the China Phoenix Mountain to cleanse our palates after finishing the rich and indulgent coffee. To our surprise, the oolong tea was exceptional. The floral notes were enchanting, and the hot tea was incredibly calming and soothing. The next time I’m here, it will be for the tea!

The café is still new, so it’s currently in its soft launch phase. Show Apartment Coffee some love, and drop by for a cup of coffee brewed by coffee aficionados.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Apartment Coffee. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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16 Best Carrot Cake Stalls That You Should Not Miss!

Not to be confused with the ang moh kind of dessert, the greasy, pan-fried carrot cake can be eaten at any time of the day. Some prefer their chai tow kway to be wetter and eggier, while others prefer their kueh to be softer. Looking for the best carrot cake in Singapore? Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the sweet black chai tow kway, or the savoury white version, you should definitely try these sixteen chai tow kway.

1. 618 Sim Carrot Cake

Probably the best carrot cake in Yishun (and the north), 618 Sim Carrot Cake serves up a really unique plate of carrot cake ($3). The chye poh here is actually placed on the side of the plate. The preserved radish is crunchy, and not overly salty. Neither pork nor lard is used in the preparation of the dish. On another occasion, we went back again and tried the carrot cake with prawns ($4.50). The prawns were diced into small pieces and fried together with the carrot cake and chives.

2. Ang Moh Kio 107 Carrot Cake

The carrot cake here has been rated as one of the “Top 10 Carrot Cake” in Singapore. Both white and black versions are available at either $3 or $4. The carrot cake was moist and soft. The elderly uncle is not stingy with the chye poh (preserved radish), eggs and garlic. There’s a good crunch in every bite of the fragrant carrot cake.

3. Bukit Merah View Carrot Cake

The stall has been in business for over 60 years, and the hawker still painstakingly makes carrot cake the traditional way. Bukit Merah View’s Carrot Cake comes in chunks that have a crispy exterior. The black carrot cake ($3) had just the right amount of sweetness, and was nicely charred. I preferred the white carrot cake ($3) as there were more consistent charred bits, making this plate of chai tow kway more fragrant.

4. Chey Sua Carrot Cake

Chey Sua only does white carrot cake. They will pan fry one side of the carrot cake till crispy, while leaving the other side only lightly fried. Unlike most carrot cake stalls where the chilli is placed on the side, Chey Sua actually pan fries the chilli together with the crispy surface. Grace and Shirley, who have taken over the family business over 20 years ago, insist on making their own radish cake. Shirley said that factory-made ones may be too soft or too hard sometimes, so by making her own, she can ensure consistency.

5. Fried Carrot Cake

This unnamed stall is known for being the go-to stall for Clementi residents who crave a good plate of carrot cake. Run by a husband and wife duo, the stall attracts snaking queues in the morning. The white carrot cake ($3) is on the eggier side and the kueh is firm with a spicy kick in every bite.

6. Fu Ming Cooked Food

Also known as the ‘mickey mouse carrot cake’, the carrot cake from Fu Ming is named as such due to the signboard having cute Mickey Mouse on it! Each bite-sized piece of carrot cake is bigger than usual, which allowed us to taste the soft texture of the cake and the flavour of the radish. I love those big egg pieces and the sweetness of the black sweet sauce. Apparently, they add sweet sauce twice. We noticed that the stall steams their own carrot cake! $3 for this plate of goodness is a real steal.

7. Ghim Moh Carrot Cake

Ghim Moh Carrot Cake still makes their kueh themselves. The $4 plate of Yuan Yang contains both white and black carrot cake. The pan-fried fragrance of the white carrot cake was stronger, and the black carrot cake leaned towards the drier side. Overall, a well-balanced plate of carrot cake.

8. Good Spice Carrot Cake

This is arguably one of the cheapest carrot cakes on the list, and possibly in the market too. A plate of carrot cake starts from $2, and the Yuan Yang is only $3. The carrot cake here is very old school. The kueh is extremely soft — almost becoming nua and indistinguishable. The egg in the white carrot cake was cooked like an omelette with a slightly watery texture. The black carrot cake was a lot less salty than the white version, with the perfect level of sweetness. I cannot decide which one I like more!

9. Guan Hin Homemade Carrot Cake

At the stall, you will see huge round aluminium trays filled with homemade carrot cake. Everyday, the old couple makes the kueh in the stall, cuts it up into huge chunks and fries them upon order. Each piece of carrot cake is chunky and stir fried with garlic and preserved radish. I preferred the black version which is mixed with a thick and rich black sweetened sauce. The uncle is generous with the eggs too!

10. Guan Kee Carrot Cake

The carrot cake at Guan Kee is wetter, and more savoury. Even the conventionally dry white carrot cake is moist here! The portion of the Yuan Yang($4) is pretty substantial. The kueh here is thick, chunky, and firm. I preferred the black version as it was nicely moist, and not too sweet!

11. He Zhong Carrot Cake

This family-run carrot cake stall has been at Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre since 1973. This stall only does white carrot cake and the carrot cake comes in big and chunky pieces, unlike the usual flat pancake style! These springy chunks of goodness are very flavourful, with a strong garlicky aroma and fragrance of fish sauce. The generous amount of chai poh studded throughout the cake gives a sweetness that complements the savouriness perfectly. Another thing that I like about the carrot cake here is that the stall makes their own kueh, according to their own special recipe, daily. The carrot cake is very affordable, with the smallest portion starting at just $2.50.

12. Lau Goh Teochew Chye Thow Kway

Lau Goh started from a pushcart, along Merchant Road, in the 60s. If you are like me, who cannot decide to have the white or black version, you can just order this dual carrot cake ($5). They are very generous with eggs. Vegetable oil is used, instead of lard, so the carrot cake is slightly healthier.

13.Lin Hai Sheng Carrot Cake

The family behind this stall owns a factory dedicated to making the yummy, soft kueh. Only white carrot cake is sold here, with no added vegetable oil, hence the carrot cake is less oily than that of many places. The queue get rather crazy during mealtimes!

14. Song Zhou Carrot Cake

The stall was started by Mdm Qiu’s dad, and she has been helping at the stall since she was young. Now, her husband and her have taken over the stall. They used to only sell white carrot cake, but as more youngsters love the black rendition, they started to fry black carrot cake too. Even though they no longer make their own carrot cake, they add some “secret” ingredients to make the kueh softer after receiving it from their supplier. Song Zhou’s black carrot cake is very, very fragrant and moist. Each piece of kueh is so soft and aromatic. The stall is very generous with the eggs and black sauce. Each plate of carrot cake starts from $2.50.

15. Tiong Bahru Kampung Carrot Cake

The uncle was a roadside hawker at Tanjong Pagar Railway Centre, before he moved to the current location at Tiong Bahru market. He has been operating for over 30 years! The carrot cake was thick, but soft, and almost mushy. The chai poh taste was quite strong, and especially so in the white version.

16. Yuan Cheng Carrot Cake

In an attempt to be ‘healthier’, Yuan Cheng uses vegetable oil in their carrot cake. Both the black and white versions at Yuan Cheng are stellar, and you will find long queues at the stall on weekend mornings. The white carrot cake is blander, as compared to the black version, but its very eggy. I prefer the black rendition as it was more flavourful. There are also hidden charred bits in the black carrot cake! Very shiok! A plate of carrot cake starts from $2.50.

I’m sure you’re craving for a piping hot plate of fragrant carrot cake now. Make sure to let us know your favourite stall! Do you agree with our list of the best carrot cake in Singapore? If not, share with us which stall should be included in this list!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the cafes/stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Back in the day, Madam Yang Hassan used to sell curry puffs, goreng pisang, nasi padang, and other dishes in the kampong with her siblings. The recipe for epok epok came from her grandmother, and the delicious puffs were such a big hit  that Madam Yang Hassan decided to turn it into a business. Together with her sister, who’s the cook, Madam Yang churns out freshly-made curry puffs and goreng pisang every day.

Everything here is handmade – from the dough right down to the fillings. The stall offers the standard curry potato and sardine puffs. Madam Yang Hassan’s sister informed us that meat was added to the curry potato filling in the past, but they have since decided to make the epok epoks vegetarian to cater to people with dietary restrictions.

Unlike most stalls that differentiate their puffs using coloured ink, the epok epoks here are recognised by two distinct forms of crimping. The curry potato puff is hand-crimped while the sardine puff is crimped using a fork. We caught a glimpse of Madam Yang Hassan hand-crimping the curry puffs with fast, confident strokes. In a few seconds, pillow-like puffs with beautiful curly edges appeared.

Each batch of deep-frying yields several trays of curry puffs. Madam Yang Hassan’s sister stirs the wok occasionally, and keeps a watchful eye for any bruised epok epoks. She told me that the sardine ones break more easily than the potato puff while being fried. Once the puffs have turned a lovely golden brown, they are ready to be taken out of the wok.

The best part of Yang’s epok epoks is undisputedly the dough. The outer shell is so thin and crispy, shattering easily on the first bite. As the dough is so well executed, the curry puff stays crisp without turning soggy.

The curry potato filling was made with aromatic spices. One might not be accustomed to the strong taste of spices at the start, but it grows on you! I preferred the sardine puff – you can really taste the fine shreds of sardine in every bite!

Besides epok epok, the stall also does mains such as Mee Soto and Mee Rebus. Satay is available as well. Note that he epok epoks are only available from 12pm, until they are sold out. Reasonably priced at 50 cents each, the scrumptious curry puffs are a must-try!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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The post Yang’s Epok Epok – Grandma’s Recipe Is Truly Sedap! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Every family has a must-order whenever they are having zi char. For my family, we love having 宫保鸡丁 (Gong Bao Chicken). The glorious sweet and spicy chicken became so famous that it has made an appearance in Western countries known as the kung pow chicken. So where can you find the best? My choice will be Ah Di Claypot Delights!

We arrived at Ah Di Claypot Delights just 10 minutes after they had started operations for the day. The coffee shop was still empty, and some of the stalls were not opened yet. We were early as we didn’t want to jostle with the lunch crowd. To our surprise, Ah Di Claypot Delights was already busy preparing their legendary gong bao for 16 people! The owner shared that this wasn’t an unusual occurrence as there are many loyal customers who love the gong bao.

The best dish at Ah Di Claypot Delights, of course, has to be the Gong Bao Chicken($5/$7). The cubes of meat, which were coated in a spicy brown sauce, were firm and juicy. Ah Di Claypot Delights does not serve the starchy version of our clay pot favourite. Hence, the spiciness is more pronounced in their rendition of the classic dish. Pro tip – pair the chicken with rice, especially if you can’t handle the spiciness.

The owner also recommended the Pig’s Organ Soup ($4/ $6) which was superb. Just one glance at the soup, and we knew that the soup was boiled for many hours. The owner confirmed our suspicions by revealing that the soup was boiled overnight! The soup was a culmination of the essences of the myriad of ingredients that it was boiled with. We absolutely loved the tender pork, and soft slices of liver.

The stall owner has another stall which her son has taken over. Ah Di Claypot Delights has been around for more than 10 years, and they have moved several times. If you stay in the west, you might remember them from a long time ago. I’m glad to have discovered this gem which can be reached on foot, from Choa Chu Kang MRT, in just 5 minutes. If Choa Chu Kang is too far for you, you can find them at their new stall in Sembawang.

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Located in the same kopitiam as the famous Hainanese chicken rice balls, Soon Yan Carrot Cake is a hidden gem in Toa Payoh. The uncle manning the stall is friendly and easy-going, and he swiftly churns out plate after plate of pan-fried chai tau kway.

Soon Yan has been opened for 19 years, with the current owner picking up the reins from an elderly couple (the original owners of the stall) who have since retired. Having no prior culinary experience, he only learnt the basics of frying carrot cake from the previous owners in a short time span of 14 hours! Ever since then, it has been a process of trial and error as lao ban attempts to perfect the chai tau kway. Pointing to the signboard, I asked if Soon Yan still sells laksa. The boss chuckled and explained it was difficult managing two very different items, so he decided to forgo the laksa and concentrate on serving delicious carrot cake instead.

Soon Yan does only white carrot cake and, specifically, white carrot cake with prawns. Now, as a carrot cake purist, I thought the addition of prawns was rather gimmicky, but we shall see! The Carrot Cake with Prawn comes in three sizes — small ($3,), medium ($4) and large ($5).

On first impression, Soon Yan’s carrot cake was reminiscent of that from Chey Sua. In terms of structure, both had the same piece-by-piece, pancake-like layers of kueh. They Sua’s is darker due to the sweet chili being buah onto the layers, while Soon Yan’s had a golden hue which reminded me more of an omelette. Indeed, when lao ban delivered the carrot cake, the distinctive eggy fragrance filled the air.

The exterior was reasonably crispy while the insides were extremely soft – in fact, it was a little too nua for me. You definitely get more egg than kueh in every bite, so good news if you prefer a higher egg-to-kueh ratio in your chai tau kway! Soon Yan’s carrot cake was rather well-balanced, and was not too salty or greasy. However, the chai poh taste was almost non-existent.

Flip over the carrot cake and you will find the ‘prawns’ embedded in the ‘pancake’. Actually hor, even though the signboard says prawn, I think ‘shrimp’ would be a more accurate description due to the small size. The prawns tend to fall out easily and if you eat it on its own, it is plain and there’s nothing to shout about. Make sure you kiap the prawn together with the carrot cake! The crunchiness of the prawn complements the soft kueh super well, giving it a very nice mouthfeel. The chili was also not overly spicy, and played a supporting role in enhancing the overall flavour of the carrot cake.

To put it simply, if you like your white carrot cake to be gao gao in eggs, then you should give Soon Yan a try!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Soon Yan Carrot Cake. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Soon Yan Carrot Cake – Super Eggy Carrot Cake with Prawns! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.