Yong Tau Foo, a traditional Hakka Chinese cuisine, can be eaten dry with a sweet sauce or served as a soup dish. Customers are usually attracted by the attractively colourful and mouthwatering display of ingredients lined up or stacked up in rows at the front of a Hakka yong tau foo stall. Ingredients usually consist of minced-meat-stuffed tofu or fish-paste-stuffed tofu, as well as, other stuffed vegetables and mushrooms. You get to pick your desired choice of noodles (eg. yellow noodles, vermicelli or kway teow etc) to accompany the ingredients that you’ve chosen. With a gradually disappearing traditional hawker scene in Singapore, it’s hard to come across an affordable yet simply scrumptious Hakka Yong Tau Foo nowadays.

Remember Ghim Moh Wet Market’s Hakka Yong Tau Foo stall? Fans of Peter Leow, the man behind this delicious Hakka yong tau foo recipe, rejoice! Having taken a break since 2003, Peter and his wife have decided to make a comeback! We’re pretty sure you remember him for the queue at Ghim Moh Wet Market. There wasn’t a timing where his stall wasn’t stormed by a crowd.

The secret behind his fresh and yummy ingredients is the strong passion towards creating culinary delights that Peter and his wife possess, as well as, the amount of hard work and love they invested in painstakingly hand-making each and every ingredient personally. Can you imagine waking up daily as early as 5am to prepare all the ingredients before they open their stall for business?! It’s no surprise that their ingredients taste distinctively different from those that are mass produced by factories and suppliers and made by machines.

What stood out for us most was the perfectly concocted chilli sauce that spices up the entire Hakka Yong Tau Foo dish! It adds that additional kick that’s super satisfying! We even bought a couple of their chilli sauce back home to enjoy with whatever home-cooked dishes we have.

So, what sparked Peter’s interest in making a comeback in the hawker scene? That’s when Varian Loke, founder of non-profit organization, Food Culture Academy (FCA), comes into play! FCA is established in December 2015, with an aim to bridge the gap between aspiring young hawkers and the already established and successful older generation of hawkers.

In order for the survival of Singapore’s hawker culture, Varian realizes that Singapore needs more youngsters to step out and be passionate about our hawker food. However, these aspiring young hawkers might have financial issues or might face certain problems which become an obstacle for them in pursuing the “hawker dream”. Hence, Varian, having a coffeeshop of his own in Geylang, decided to set aside two stalls as “training grounds” for the older generation of hawkers to impart their culinary knowledge and skills to the young hawkers who are willing and passionate about learning from the older generation of hawkers.

Peter is very supportive of Varian’s aim for FCA hence he decided to “test the market” once again, to see how responsive people are towards his Hakka Yong Tau Foo. This pop-up stall is located at the “Shiok Eat! Food Fair” at the atrium of West Mall from 20 June 2016 to 8 July 2016. There are a total of 14 different vendors. Peter and his wife are very open to feedbacks so if you’ve been a fan of his previous stall at Ghim Moh Wet Market, this is an opportunity for you to relieve the taste of Peter’s Hakka Yong Tau Foo again! Whether as finger food or as a side dish that you pack back home for lunch or dinner, Hakka Yong Tau Foo is a great choice for everyone!

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For those of you who have been a big fan of CCK 190 Wanton Mee, good news for you. Uncle Danny & Aunty Yvonne took one year break and they are now back in action – not at Choa Chu Kang anymore, but they have opened their brand new outlet in Circuit Road!

Aunty Yvonne learnt the ropes from her uncle about 20 years ago and opened a wanton mee shop with her husband Danny in Choa Chu Kang. Last year they took a break to enjoy life but eventually realised that they miss having their own stall, so they decided to make a comeback recently – not in Choa Chu Kang anymore, but in Circuit Road.

They left the house at 3am almost everyday to come to the stall to prepare ingredients. Yes, they roast the char siew in the shop, cook the soup and wrap their own dumplings. That is really hard work but Aunty Yvonne never complains. All she said was, “I am used to it.” Indeed, it was their passion and friendliness that attracted many diners. Even for regulars who has been eating their noodles in Choa Chu Kang, they don’t mind travelling all the way here to just have a plate of wanton mee.

The char siew is reasonably moist with minimal colouring and is sliced thicker than other stalls. The fried dumpling was the killer. Made from pork paste and mini prawn, they were substantial and juicy. Eat with a mouthful of noodles and we were all putting a thumbs up. The wantons, however, had a bit too much thick wonton skin for my liking.

This is one Wanton Mee that is anything but simple. The springy egg noodles were what I liked most. Uncle Danny tosses amazing noodles that is cooked perfectly with no alkaline taste. ere, each strand is retains its springy texture and original taste even after standing for 10 minutes. Best of all, the noodles did not clump together. Aunty Yvonne shared, the tossing of the noodles play an important role in ensuring that there is no alkaline flavour in the noodles.

The one thing which stands out is the sauce. Their homemade chilli is cooked for 4 hours, hence they have the punch and the addition of black sauce gave it more character. It’s a healthier noodle version – with no sight of lard. But I think the black sauce kinda makes up for it.

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Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee is not a stranger for all Bak Chor Mee fans. They started in 1945 and has been serving Teochew style bak chor mee (BCM) for more than half a century. At Hong Lim Food Centre, be ready to wait for at least 30 minutes during lunch. Ah Kow has passed on the skills to his two sons. In the past, both brothers shared the stall at Hong Lim. The 4th son would operate from Tuesdays to Thursdays while the elder son would operate from Fridays to Mondays.

Through a Facebook group, we got to know that the 4th son has just opened his own stall in Bukit Batok serving the same old classic BCM. Jon Cher, who is the son of the 4th son of Ah Kow, shared that his father “was kicked out by his own brother” in 2000 and hence he rented his own stall in Old Airport Hawker Centre till 2014. Eventually, the stall owner at Old Airport sold away the stall, hence it was closed. Recently, they started again in Bukit Batok!

Enough of family drama, let’s focus on their BCM. Their menu is kept simple with Bak Chor Mee selling at $4, $5 and $6 together with Teochew Dumpling Soup at $4, $5 and $6. We ordered a bowl of kway teow soup and minced pork noodles dry.

The soup version has got quite a bit of “liao” in it, including lean pork, minced meat, braised mushrooms, dried sole fish and dumplings. The wife was seen busy wrapping the dumplings. Even though the skin was thick, but it was still comforting. They also serve Teochew Dumpling Soup where you can get generous amount of dumplings.

As for the soup, I thought the broth I had that day lacks a little depth and was towards the bland side. I hope it was due to their teething issue. I need to go back again and try. Neverthless, no MSG is added to the soup and this is definitely one of the better BCM than many others.

The dry version had soft and flavourful braised mushroom with chilli, soy sauce and vinegar. What truly make this dish is the braised mushroom and its dried sole fish. This add a touch of umami to the noodles. In my impression, their version in Hong Lim had so much more vinegar than the current version, which I felt was a little lacklustre. The uncle did explain to me that he has dropped his vinegar just to cater to the new crowd in Bukit Batok. Fair enough. For me, I prefer it to be more sourish but this may work for you.

I stood there and see how the uncle prepares the noodles. It was interesting to see that he was using two types of sieves to cook his noodles. The first time he would use a smaller one to lightly blanch in boiling water before moving the noodles into another more traditional sieve to cook it again. The uncle explained that this was done to prevent lumps from forming in the noodles and to retain its desired springy texture.

Looking at how the uncle has got older over the years, I started to wonder if there is anyone to take over their cooking. According to Jon, he was doing full time during the Old Airport days. As the bukit batok stall is opened for only a month, Jon still holds on to his full time job and will only be there to help out during weekends. But it looks like there is a possibility that he will be back to start full time soon once business picks up.

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My makan kakis introduced me to this Nasi Padang place in Serangoon. Mdm Djudjurjati came from Semarang, Indonesia. She cooks a lot for the family and friends and everyone enjoys her food. That’s why her husband encouraged her to set up a food stall near her home about 20 years ago. 

There are more than 30 dishes for you to choose from. In the morning, mee siam, mee rebus and sardine curry puff are sold. Their mee siam is a little different with coconut milk added to it. But it was a little too mild for my liking. Mee rebus, however, is quite solid. It kinda reminds me of my primary school days when I always have it for breakfast. 

Its ayam penyet is deep fried till golden brown, although leaning towards the dry side. The crispy bits added the crunch but what made us give a thumbs up is the sambal belachan chilli at the side – spicy and tangy enough. Now can I have a plate of rice please? Oh ya, not forgetting the otah wrapped with banana leaf that is a tad spicy but firm enough to cut and share. I love it for its smoothness and fragrance. 

Ayam masak merah is my favourite dishes amongst all. Translated as “red cooked chicken”, it honestly doesn’t sound very enticing at all. But in actual fact, the mildly spicy chicken is slowly braised in a sweet tomato sauce, with a hint from the spices like chilies and lemongrass. The combination is shiok, which goes well with rice.

We also had the ikan bakar that was grilled with their secret spices. Don’t judge the book by its cover. This unassuming fish is very addictive. The quality of sambal sotong is great, each one is tender and the sambal is tasty. Beef rendang is more on the sweet side and fragrant, although the beef was a little tough that day. Other dishes we had include Black Pepper Fried Fish, acar nanas and sambal goreng.

You will be pleased to know that the Claypot Assam Fish Head is cooked with their homemade gravy. The rempah is cooked till fragrant before some coconut milk is added to create a delectable gravy that is piquant and spicy. Little details matter, for example, the eggplants are lightly charred at the edges which help them to keep in shape and soak up the gravy. 

The food more than passes muster as seen from the nods of our dining kakis and the long queue at the stall during lunch time. I recommend you to go around 11.30am so that everything is still hot and fresh (plus skip the queue).

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Yesterday, Michelin Guide Singapore has released their Bib Gourmand selection. 17 hawkers made it to the list. While we haven’t tried them all, some of my makan kakis are already questioning about the selection process and quality of some of the hawker stalls. For the team of MissTamChiak.com, it’s more baffling why are some of the good hawker dishes not included in the list. After all, our hawker culture is what makes Singapore stand out from the rest of the world and we think the list on Bib Gourmand is not enough to represent the vibrant hawker scene we have in Singapore. 

Nevertheless, we present you with the list of 17 hawker stalls from Bib Gourmand before sharing our thoughts on which other hawker stalls should be included in the list. 

Bib Gourmand Hawkers

1. Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa
Address: Blk 119, Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-75, Alexandra Village, Singapore 150119

This hawker originated from Depot Road’s Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa. The present owners did a little tweaking to the recipe from the original owners but loyal customers would still continue supporting. The gravy is spicy, lemak and very tasty. It’s hard to resist not slurping till the last drop.

2. A Noodle Story
Address: Amoy Street Food Centre, #01-397, 7 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069111

A Noodle Story is a contemporary take on traditional wanton noodle as the bowl served here has some influence from Japanese Ramen. Consisting of thin and springy Hong Kong style wanton noodle, Japanese charshu, Japanese-style braised egg and potato-wrapped prawn fritter, the flavours are enhanced by lemongrass scented oil, konbu and dried shrimps.

3. Famous Crispy Curry Puff
Address: Amoy Street Food Centre, #01-21, 7 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069111

Curry puffs here are handmade and always served hot. There are only two options available – sardine and the usual potato filling. The unique crust has many layers in a circular pattern and comes generously filled. This is the perfect tea-break snack so do go before 3pm or you’ll run the risk of leaving empty-handed.

4. Hong Kee Beef Noodle
Address: Amoy Street Food Centre, #01-42, 7 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069111

This hawker has been selling beef noodles for almost sixty years, since his father’s time. There are soupy and dry versions but many prefer the latter for its flavoursome gravy. Beef served here is succulent so look forward to a satisfying bowl of dry Beef Kway Teow when your craving kicks in.

5. Hoo Kee Rice Dumpling
Address: Amoy Street Food Centre, #01-18, 7 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069111″ phone=”6221 1155

Bak Chang can be overly-oily and taste “gelat” at times but Hoo Kee’s bak chang is well-prepared and doesn’t contain fatty meat. Chunks of lean meat are used, complemented by chestnuts and mushrooms that are of good quality. The pork is tender and savoury while the chestnut gives the overall taste a tinge of sweetness and crumbly texture.

6. The Fishball Story

Using only pure yellow tail fish with no flour, the result is a firm texture with a natural sweetness of the fish. Coupled with sambal, shallots and pork lard, this bowl of fishball noddle is so delicious. Hawker for the first time, we’re glad that up till this day, Douglas still has the right formula towards making a simple dish extraordinarily yummy. Read more about it here.

7. Wedang
Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, #B1-28, Singapore 199583

Serving Indonesian food and satay that tantalize your tastebuds is what this hawker does best. It’s hard to find tasty and authentic Indonesian food in Singapore so we’re lucky to have this hawker whipping up good and simple Indonesian fare to satisfy our cravings.

8. Famous Sungei Road Trishaw
Address: Blk 531A Upper Cross Street, Hong Lim Market, #02-67, Singapore 051531

This slurp-worthy bowl of Fruit Juice Crayfish Mee Siam comes with a very light gravy and we simply love indulging in a light, spicy, sweet and sour gravy. One mouthful is so full of flavour that it gets addictive and you probably can’t resist another bowl. We haven’t got the chance to try it, perhaps we have to do it now before the queue starts forming!

9. Na Na Curry
Address: 115 Bukit Merah View Market & Food Centre, #01-48, Singapore 151115

As its name suggests, this hawker is famous for their fish head curry and pork rib curry. The gravy is done till the right consistency. It is spicy but not tongue numbingly so. Made with fresh spices and fresh coconut milk, no wonder its strong fragrance lingers in the air. The chilli which packs a good punch too.

10. Chey Sua Carrot Cake
Address: #02-30, Toa Payoh West Market and Food Court, 127 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, Singapore 310127

Using the traditional cooking method passed down from the previous generation, Chey Sua only does white carrot cake. They will pan fry one side till crispy while leaving the other side lightly fried. Chilli sauce is pan-fried together with the crispy surface, which makes your dining experience so much more enjoyable. Read more about it here.

11. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Address: Stall No. 10&11, Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184

With smooth and tender chicken cuts and warm, fluffy, fragrant rice that is good enough to just eat with the chilli sauce, this hawker is prolly one of the most prominent chicken rice stall in Singapore. Tourists all over the world flock to Maxwell Food Centre just have a plate of this goodness.

12. Shi Hui Yuan Hor Fun
Address: Mei Ling Food Centre, Blk 159, Mei Chin Road, #02-33, Singapore 140159

At the mention of Hor Fun, this hawker will always pop to mind! The Hor Fun was excellent and you should go for the pork ribs, mushroom and chicken feet hor fun.

13. Alliance Seafood
Address: #01-27, Newton Circus Food Centre, 500 Clemenceau Avenue North, Singapore 229495

Newton Circus, in recent years, has been blacklisted for being a food centre that touts tourists. Well, there are still hawkers like Alliance Seafood that maintains the quality of their food for customer’s gratification. It’s a good stall to patronize for dinner with a big group of friends and family due to their wide array of food items offered.

14. Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
Address: Tiong Bahru Market, #02-82, 83 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898

Usually, boneless chicken flesh is flattened with a cleaver after deboning the chicken so it’s hard to expect sinking your teeth into a juicy chunk of meat. That aside, many were impressed by both white and roasted chicken as they were prepared so well, with tender and tasty flesh. The sauce was savoury, with a hint of sweetness and the chilli gives a really good kick.

15. Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee
Address: Tiong Bahru Market, #02-01, 83 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898

Hardcore fans of fried noodles will enjoy this dish but others might find it a tad too dry and lacking in flavour. The sotong was chewy and fresh though. This hawker has done a great job in removing the pungent seafood smell from their sotong and prawns. 

16. Balestier Road Hoover Rojak
Address: Blk 90, Whampoa Drive, Whampoa Food Centre, #01-06, Singapore 320090

Fear Factor aside, we’re pretty sure only locals can appreciate what goes into this dish. We can’t imagine tourists taking a bite of century egg without wincing or squirming in their seats. Hoover Rojak is fantastic as they still add jellyfish in the mix and use Torch Ginger Flower to give it the typical rojak fragrance. Yummy!

17. Liang Zhao Ji
Address: Blk 90, Whampoa Drive, Whampoa Food Centre, #01-07, Singapore 320090

This hawker selling braised duck always has a snaking queue, whether on weekdays or weekends. Braised duck is quintessentially a Teochew dish and the “lor” here is thick enough, with a balance between sweet and savoury flavours. The subtlety of 5-spice aromatics managed to permeate through the rice and gave the overall dish a thumbs up!

Which Hawkers have Bib Gourmand missed out on?

Besides the list of hawkers in Bib Gourmand list, we feel that there are some other excellent hawkers whom we thought should be in the list but didn’t make it. How can our char kway teow, roti prata and bak chor mee not appear in the list? That’s our unique dishes too! Perhaps, it is time for the Michelin inspectors to explore our country a little more. Here’s some of our favourite hawkers which we felt should be included.

Sungei Road Laksa
Address: Blk 27, Jalan Berseh, #01-100, Jin Shui Kopitiam, Singapore 200027

This is one of the last few existing hawker which still uses a charcoal burner to prepare their super delicious broth. You can smell the spices in the gravy – sweet yet mild spicy and infused with coconut flavours and hae-bi in it! The crunchy bean sprouts added texture to this already perfect bowl of Laksa. Read more about it here.

Hong Chang Eating House
Address: 2 Braddell Road, Singapore 359895

This is a hidden gem that is a MUST TRY! Their sambal stingray is BBQ-ed till crisp on the outside, yet retaining a moist flesh within. The sambal is the killer but it’s so shiok! The porridge with kong pao frog leg was impressive as well. The umami dark sauce has a nice smokiness and you get the ultimate enjoyment with piping hot porridge. Read more about it here.

Tai Hwa Bak Chor Mee
Address: Blk 466 Crawford Lane, #01-12, Singapore 190466

Behold the ultimate bak chor mee – mee kia done al dante, springy and don’t have the alkaline taste which is present in many noodles. The sauce, packed with chilli and vinegar, is a robust mix of savoury, spicy and sour. Lastly, the fresh ingredients used were well-marinated and cooked to perfection. There is also fried ti poh which is very rare nowadays! Simply irresistible! Seriously, how can this not appear in the list? Read more about it here.

Sixth Avenue Nasi Briyani Specialist
Address: 12 Sixth Avenue, Singapore 276475

Famous for their Mutton Briyani and Chicken Briyani, this hawker is very crowded during lunch time so go earlier as their mutton, especially, is usually sold out after lunch. Both meats are flavourful and tender. We liked that the spices used for the rice were evenly distributed and almost each grain was close to uniform in colour. They serve different flavours of prata too! Read more about it here.

Haig Road Putu Piring
Address: Blk 14, Haig Road Hawker Centre, #01-08, Singapore 430014

Putu Piring is the Malay version of our Kueh Tutu. The hawker uses gula Melaka for the filling and serves with grated coconut. Having taken your first bite, you’ll notice gula Melaka oozing out of the kueh, especially when it is piping hot. We always devour it on the spot after purchasing cause we just can’t wait till we get home before tucking in.

Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow
Address: 51 Old Airport Road #01-138 Old Airport Road Food Centre Singapore 390051

The queue here is always horrendous! Be patient as the hawker cooks every plate individually, to ensure that it’s served up fresh and warm. A plate of char kway teow consists of cockles, bean sprouts and fried pork lard to complement the tasty egg. You can detect the distinct wok hei and this hawker is definitely worth the wait. Read about it here.

Keng Eng Kee Seafood
Address: Blk 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1 #01-136, Singapore 150124

One of our best zichar in Singapore, THIS SHOULD BE IN THE LIST. The wok hei in their Moonlight Hor Fun is excellent. You get a smoky flavour from the flat noodles that was stir fried with lard, chinese sausages, prawns, squid and dark sauce. Add the egg yolks in the middle, mix it up with the noodles and you get an excellent plate smooth and delicious hor fun. Read more about it here.

Mr and Mrs Morghan Prata
Address: 7 Crane Road, Poh Ho Eatery, Singapore 429356

It’s hard to find artisanal prata nowadays but this hawker is admirable! He makes his own dough, cooks the curry and flips the prata all by himself. So much work with just a pair of hands! They have 3 types of curry – mutton, fish and dhal so let them know in advance upon your order. Read about it here.

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Singapore has an abundance of hawker food and our list is non-exhaustive. We might be small in land size but there are many parts of Singapore we have yet to discover. Through food, we experience and learn things about another culture so let’s take this opportunity to embrace the Michelin Singapore Guide and celebrate our hawker culture!

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Food is a representation of our national identity and a unifying cultural thread. Being Singaporeans, we’re proud of our hawker heritage and the long history of different iconic hawker centres on our little red dot.

This July, we celebrate our hawker culture with a list of exciting achievements and events. First, some of our hawkers made it to Michelin Guide Singapore’s Bib Gourmand. And
the Annual Singapore Food Festival is back!

This year’s Hawker Spotlight 2016 was held at East Coast Lagoon Food Village, which opened in 1977. A media tour was conducted by food connoisseur, Mr. Moses Lim, and we were introduced to five distinctively Singaporean hawker dishes. Take this opportunity to gather and catch up with your family and friends, over scrumptious meals.

With more than 20 years of experience in the F&B industry, hawkers Mr. and Mrs. Er have been running their own tze char stall at coffeeshops before moving their business to East Coast Lagoon Food Village in 2013 after the food centre’s renovation. We had one of their bestselling items – curry fish head. The curry was thick, with just the right amount of punch! The fish was very fresh, well-prepared and tender. Other ingredients in the curry include lady’s fingers and vegetables. This delicious dish is perfect for sharing when you have a big group.

This stall was first set up by Mr. Ang’s father at the back alley located at MacPherson. Currently, Mr. Ang, a 2nd generation hawker, is running the stall at East Coast Lagoon Food Village. Having operated for 55 years, this stall was originally well-known for their fried carrot cake. It was only 13 years ago that Mr. Ang started selling popiah after leaning the secret recipe from a friend. Mr. Ang’s popiah won the “Best of the Best” popiah in City Hawker Food Hunt last year. The popiah was generously filled and has a good combination of textures. We love the juiciness, as well as, the crunch from the beansprouts.

Originating from the back alley of MacPherson, this stall has been in operation since 1963 and Mr. Han is a 2nd generation hawker who took over the business since the passing of his father. Mr. Han is a field service engineer by training, but was interested in the hawker trade. We’re glad he decided to carry on the business as his Bak Kut Teh was selected as the Top 10 Bak Kut Teh in City Hawker Food Hunt in 2011. The soup was not extremely peppery and perfect for a rainy day. However, we felt that the highlight of this stall is their pork trotter, which are so tender that they melt right in our mouths.

The expert Char Kway Teow hawker, Ms. Mui Mui, has been hawking since the age of 12. Since young, she had been accompanying her mother and helping out at the stall at MacPherson every day after school. After their relocation to East Coast Lagoon Food Centre, Ms. Mui Mui took over and she’s also a 2nd generation hawker. Her Char Kway Teow was selected as the Top 10 Char Kway Teow in City Hawker Food Hunt in 2008. We were amazed by her cooking demonstration as she started off by cooking the eggs till a little dry before adding the rest of the ingredients for her Char Kway Teow. It contains a strong taste of wok hei, just the way we love it!

There are plenty of stalls selling satay at East Coast Lagoon Food Village but this particular one has been in the business for the past 38 years. Ms. Lynna is a 2nd generation hawker who took over the business about 6 years ago when her father fell ill. The satay, rice cakes and satay sauce here are all handmade. If you’re observant enough, they use chicken pieces instead of minced and the portion is quite generous. We enjoyed dipping the succulent meats into their homemade satay sauce, which contained quite a generous amount of peanuts in it. Simply flavourful!

Celebrate Hawker Heritage at Singapore Food Festival

The Annual Singapore Food Festival is back, bigger and with much more food offerings, with the theme, “Savour the Past, Taste the Future”. Get ready to celebrate Singapore flavours through the amazing talent of our hawkers and understand the rich depth of our culinary past and future. The Festival takes place in various locations across Singapore from 15 to 31 July 2016. Visit www.singaporefoodfestival.com for more details on the events happening islandwide.

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Remember Guang Zhou Kitchen which was previously in Chinatown Food Centre? We were disappointed that they were closed last year after receiving so much support from foodies. But good news is, chef/owner Mr Tang has opened Master Tang Wanton Mee at Sixth Avenue a few months ago.

Still feisty at 82-year-old, Mr Tang has been a former head chef from Crystal Jade kitchens. According to Makansutra, he is the man behind the signature Crystal Jade wanton mee and was their former chief kitchen trainer for almost two decades. With the help of his wife, he still does the cooking while the wife takes the orders. On our day of visit, it is interesting to see an ang moh ordering wanton mee from them.

Thin noodles, rich broth and wanton filled with shrimp and pork is the best combination for wanton mee. It is, however, difficult to get all three elements right. The noodles are thin and refined with an alkaline taste and a springy texture, a sign that shows Mr Tang has perfected through years of experience. The only small issue which we had was that the noodles was a little lumpy. Probably because we went after lunch and the boss was busy doing other things while cooking noodles.

The wanton noodles ($3.50) came with 4 small dumplings which goes well with the Crystal Jade-like chilli paste and sweet sauce. My favourite is their beef brisket and beef tendon noodles ($6) that is stewed till tender and soft. It’s really comfort food for us, especially when it was raining during our visit. The sauce from beef brisket is pretty rich and makes the noodles better. Go for their braised chicken feet noodles or pork knuckle noodles if you like! Sadly, he doesn’t do the porridge anymore.

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After the owner of Sin Kee famous chicken rice at Margaret Drive Food Centre passed on, his two sons Niven and Benson opened “Uncle Chicken” in Alexandra Village Food Centre and “Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice” in Mei Ling Food Centre respectively. The brothers eventually shut down their stalls and last year, Benson went to work for Niven at Uncle Chicken Rice in The Bedok Marketplace.

About a month ago, Benson is back on his feet and re-opened “Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice” at Holland Drive with his young partner. We braved the storm that day just to visit Benson, as well as to try the chicken rice. Benson was in a uplift mood that day, talking and laughing as he chopped our chicken rice. It’s quite a rare sight for me.

Nothing much changes, Benson still chopes the chicken in huge chunks. His movements are still clean and brisk, each piece of meat is tender and smooth in the mouth. He will leave the leftover bones from the chicken to prepare that soup, which is used to poach chickens and rice.

To be honest, the slightly aromatic rice is not how I like my chicken rice to be. I prefer the flavours to be more intense and oily but that’s my preference. For my husband who prefers something lighter in texture, this definitely works for him. The chilli is spicy and tangy done right with vinegar and lime, just the way we like it. While Niven’s ginger dip is more thick and strong, Benson’s version is more wet which is cooked using both old and young ginger.

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In Hainan island, goats are slaughtered during special occasion and mutton soup is prepared. In Singapore, mutton soup is not as popular but there are some really good ones. One of them is Ivy’s Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup. Previously located at Kim Keat Palm Market and Food Centre, Ivy’s Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup has moved to Pasir Panjang Food Centre!

My foodie friends were raving about its Hainanese herbal mutton soup for a long time but I have never get a chance to try it till today. Thinking that I would meet Ivy (since the stall name says so), I actually met Max Ng who is the owner of the stall. Max is a Hainanese (fellow suki) and Ivy is the name of Max wife. The story goes, Max was trying to woo Ivy then and he cooked mutton soup to win her heart. Of course he succeeded because they got married and Max opened Ivy’s Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup. Such a beautiful love story behind the mutton soup.

How unique is Max’s mutton soup? Every morning, Max would marinate the lamb ribs with fermented red yeast and seared in oil to get rid of the gamey taste. Then, the meat is cooked with more than 10 different herbs for hours. The end result? Each spoonful of soup is flavourful with deep herbal flavours but not overpowering. Served with some tau pok, black fungus and wolfberries, the lamb ribs are tender.

With a mild gamey taste, dip the ribs into his super shiok homemade tangy chilli paste and serve it with rice. To be enjoyed any time of the day, and best savoured on a cool rainy day. To be honest, I am not a huge fan of mutton soup but Max’s herbal mutton soup has boosted the flavours in the broth well enough for us to enjoy it, especially during rainy days. Plus, he is using claypot now instead of just serving it in bowls, so it helps to keep the temperature warm till the very last drop. Each claypot mutton soups starts from $9.

The post Ivy’s Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup Moved to Pasir Panjang appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Image & Text by Maureen & Mu Qin

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is the perfect thing that motivates us to get our lazybums out of bed as early as 8am. We truly believe that a good/bad breakfast will define your mood for the day. Here’s a list of breakfast spots in the East that will make you reconsider waking up early. Enjoy!

Mr and Mrs Mohgan’s Super Crispy Roti Prata

Good, artisanal pratas are hard to come by. Meet Mr and Mrs Mohgan, the couple who does super crispy roti prata in the middle of Joo Chiat. Mr Mohgan has been making prata for more than 30 years. He makes his own dough, cooked the curry and flips the prata all by himself. What’s the best way to find out if the prata is good? Eat the kosong (plain) one! I ordered a stack for my foreigner friends to try and they were full of complements. Moderately thick and pan fried till a beautiful brown, the pratas here are fresh and SUPER CRISPY. Very satisfying breakfast!

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery

Having spent quite a little while abroad, I’ve come to realize how lucky Singaporeans are to be able to enjoy our “kopi-o” with traditional kaya toast at old school coffee shops. It’s impossible to look for such comfort food within a nostalgic setting that’s affordably priced in Western countries. East-siders will be familiar with Chin Mee Chin Confectionery. Their kaya toast comes in buns rather than bread slices. These buns are made in-house and toasted till slightly charred. Generous slabs of kaya is then, spread on the buns, followed by a little chunk of butter. Imagine watching butter melting on the skillet before you cook and the aroma that lingers in the air. That’s the little action taking place on your warm toasted buns. Besides their popular kaya buns, Chin Mee Chin Confectionery is also famous for their custard cream puffs and egg tarts too!

Yong He Bak Chor Seafood Noodles

Used to be at Yishun, Yong He Bak Chor Seafood Noodles have relocated to Bedok a few months ago. He is actually the uncle of Ah Guan Noodles and brother of Ah Lam’s Abalone Noodles! So the whole family has been targeting seafood noodle! For $4.50 a bowl, you get a bowl of noodles tossed in homemade chilli sauce, and served with fresh prawn, clams and well braised mushroom sauce. The noodles were splendidly cooked, it’s springy, tasty, aromatic and of course, well larded. The braised mushroom slices gave the Mee Pok another delectable dimension, with its sweet and deep flavour from the prawns and clams. The deluxe $10 version comes with either big prawns or crayfish.

Enak

Opened last year end, owner Ibu Bida gave up her corporate job to start a hawker stall. She hired a talented Indonesian cook from Tanjung Pinang to whip up a good spread of dishes. They do breakfast items in the morning. Mee Rebus ($2.50) – a simple dish of thick yellow noodles with taupok, green chilli and a hard-boiled egg drenched in a flavourful spicy-sour gravy. The gravy is not overpoweringly starchy. The star for us was the Mee Soto ($2.50). The soup has many layers of flavours and a perfect balance of spices – not one outshines the others. It is strong, rich and robust, unlike the many versions out there that are weak and lack depth of flavour. Forget about the Mee Siam. Read about our previous review.

Ru Ji Kitchen

Young hawkers Joanne and Daniel learnt the skill from Joanne’s father and they wake up very early everyday to make the fishballs. Using yellow tail fish (蕃薯鱼), they beats them into fish paste for an hour before making it into fishballs and fish cakes. That is why their fishballs are so fresh and bouncy! The mee pok is very springy and well-tossed with their homemade chilli sauce, vinegar and lard.

Toast Hut

Toast Hut is the place for traditional kaya (coconut jam) toast set by young hawker Melvin Soh. He picked up his skills at a local kaya toast chain when he was 17 years old. After working there for three years, he opened his own stall in Old Airport Road Food Centre in 2007, serving kaya toast paired with home-brewed traditional coffee, which he learnt from his father. Aside from the signature items, he serves blended ice coffee to cater to his young customers and freshly made sandwiches using traditional kaya toast bread. In response to the health consciousness of Singaporeans, kaya used in Mr. Soh’s stall is specially created to make it less sweet and not cloying when served with coffee or tea.

Fu Yuan Minced Pork Noodle

Occupying just half a stall at Tampines Street 21, Fu Yuan Teochew Bak Chor Mee is really an unassuming establishment. The owner is formerly working as an assistant with Twa Hua when he was a young boy. At first glance, the mee pok looked a tad dry. But once the noodle and sauce were tossed up, they came together nicely. The noodles sits in a small pool of vinegar-based sauce and which is slurping good. Especially the vinegar, very fragrant and seems like it’s a superior brand. Topping the al-dente noodles are a mixture of minced pork, liver, pork balls, fried sole fish, etc. You get a bowl of soup on the side as well. Read about the full review here.

Xing Yun Kway Chap

Business is overwhelmingly good that this kway chap stall only opens from Friday to Sunday so expect long queues forming. Well, good things are worth the wait right?! Queuing must be one of Singaporeans’ favourite pastimes. Standing in the queue with groups of aunties and teenagers chatting at the top of their voices made me feel as though I’m in a mini wet market.

Xing Yun’s kway chap are braised to perfection. The translucent kway is slippery smooth and does not break easily in the sweet and aromatic broth. The braised pork belly, pig’s intestines and tau pok are well-flavoured. We enjoyed the braising sauce’s good consistency as it is not too thick nor too watery. The ingredients are stewed long enough for the spices to penetrate into them. Many people are skeptical when it comes to pig intestines due to an odour but fret not as Xing Yun’s intestines are tender and absorb the braising sauce so well that the odour is gone. Adventurous foodies can attempt to try pig’s tongue while big-eaters should definitely go for the pig trotters! Dip the morsels into a tangy spicy chilli sauce for that extra kick!

Chai Chee Fried Carrot Cake

When every other stall’s deep fried carrot cake is square, Chai Chee’s version is long and freshly deep fried. Each carrot cake stick is crispy on the outside, yet soft on the inside. It is one of my favourite breakfast snack whenever I am in Bedok. Best paired with Rui Xing Ka Fei Cha Shi stall located at #01-42.

Yummy Sarawak Kolo Mee

Being the top foodie pick in Sarawak, of course Singapore’s version cannot be compared to those served in Sarawak. Our version is different but decent. Don’t confuse this dish with wanton mee! Kolo noodles are cooked, drained and dry-tossed with different sauces, hence the name “kolo”. Usually, the must-have ingredients are springy and oily noodles, minced pork, char siew and vegetables. Sometimes, wantons are added.

Yummy Sarawak’s Kolo Mee doesn’t consist of minced meat but its curly kolo mee is good! These noodles are only made of egg whites, hence lighter in shade and don’t contain alkali. I can’t help but salivate when the cook tossed the noodles together with the sauces. I guess the fragrance makes the stomachs of everyone who are still in the queue growl with hunger. Huge wantons with crunchy water chestnuts complement the noodles so don’t miss out on these! We also had the Chicken Feet Spare Ribs Noodles which was well-braised and flavourful.

Bedok Chwee Kueh

One of the cheapest chwee kueh in Singapore, Bedok Chwee Kueh is a popular breakfast for residents in the East. They are pretty generous with their radish and not very salty. The steamed rice cakes are soft and do pair your chwee kueh with the chilli sauce.

Tian Nan Xing Minced Pork Noodle

If you have always been eating Bedok 85 minced pork noodle soup for supper, now you can try Tian Nan Xing minced pork noodle at Blk 511 Bedok North. With more than 80 years of history, the stall is now managed by 3rd and 4th generation. They focus on using good and fresh ingredients, hence each bowl of bak chor mee is flavourful and tasty. Like the other BCM in Bedok 85, Tian Nan Xing has minced pork and pork balls in the noodle soup ($3). But if you add extra $1, you will get their homemade dumplings. The springy noodles with tasty soup create wonders, the soup is sweet and makes you want to have another bowl.

Mizzy Corner

Everyone who frequents Changi Village would know about the nasi lemak served at Mizzy’s Corner. My family and I love it for its value for money, and we would invariably leave with very satisfied tummies. The standard chicken nasi lemak set which costs $3.50, comes with a fried chicken wing, a fried egg and ikan biliss, sambal and a slice of cucumber. Unfortunately, the rice is not fragrant enough and it is too soggy. A piece of mackerel otak otak can be added for an additional $1.

Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery

Hands up for those who still eats ang ku kueh. We probably spend most of our time finding good brunch places and forgot about the old traditional kuehs we used to eat when we were young. Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery is a old traditional shop in Bedok which has more than 48 years of making its own ang ku kuehs, nonya kuehs and other festivals kuehs everyday. It is pretty rare because most of the ang ku kuehs we see in shops are from factories.

The Soon Kuehs and Ku Cai Kuehs here are pretty famous too. The ladies make them every afternoon and the skin is soft and slippery. When steamed, the skin was translucent and thin, packed with big fat fillings. These kuehs are sold fresh everyday over the counter and contain no preservative. This stall is actually halal certified! This malay aunty here was busy wrapping the Bulok Inti, which is a sweet blue glutinous rice with coconut shredding on top.

Song Han Carrot Cake

Carrot cake here thrills my tastebuds and rivets my attention. The owner of this stall serves up a generous portion of black and white carrot cake just for the price of $3. It has a texture that is soft, light and melts in your mouth right away. The tasty chilli is fragrant and not overly spicy. The uniqueness of adding small shrimps imparts a distinct crunchiness as you enjoy each morsel of food. This stall is especially suitable for families wherein some members prefer the black version with its thick and sweet dark sauce but others go for the white one that tips towards the savoury end.

Hua Zai HK Style Roasted Delight

I have very high expectations on how roast meat from a particular stall should measure up when it comes to these Hong Kong style roast cuts. Surprisingly, Hua Zai HK Style Roasted Delight Rice/Noodle was a hidden gem that I stumbled upon by chance. The roast meats are very well-prepared that it’s obvious the stallholder has the roasting temperatures right at his finger tips. The roast pork is served up warm, with skin so crispy it crackles in the mouth, lending a dainty contrast to the texture of delightfully tender meat. These roast meats are served with either noodles or rice over here and I have a particular fondness for the well-seasoned char siew. The meat is succulent with a hint of sweetness. This stall serves tasty and tender soya sauce-braised chicken too.

Besides roasted meats, this coffeeshop serves delicious Muslim Food too, amongst which longtong is my favourite. I enjoy the soft and fluffy texture of the rice cakes with wisps of fragrance carried over from their banana leaf wraps. The spices used are perfectly blended into the longtong, making it taste heavenly.

Glory Catering

Craving for Nasi Padang-styled and Nonya-styled cuisine? Glory’s the right place to head over! Their Nonya Laksa and LongTong are crowd pleasers. The former stood out for me as it is milkier and less spicy but still rich in that uniquely Nonya flovour. It comes with generous helpings of prawns, fish cakes and lemongrass sprinkled on top that helps to rack up your appetite. The LongTong here is very smooth and go after the milk curry with its feel of graininess that comes from the pinch of dried shrimps plus grated coconut dry-fried to a golden brown. The vegetables are soft and tender but not overdone.

End your meal with Nonya kuehs (bite-sized pastries) are a specialty of Glory. The kuehs here contain the right amount of sweetness, texture and delivers a burst of flavours the moment you bite into them. It’s favourable to walk in with an empty stomach so you can savour all the Nonya delights you want!

Song Zhou Carrot Cake

Even though they no longer make their own carrot cake, but after getting it from supplier, they will add some “secret” ingredients to make to make it softer. The owner will first stir fry the garlic and chai poh till fragrant, then add in some carrot cake pieces, pour over the egg batter and fry with black sweet sauce and fish sauce.

Song Zhou’s black carrot cake is very very fragrant and wet. Each piece of carrot cake is so soft with aromatic charred edges. What I love about it is, they are very generous with the eggs and black sauce, hence giving it a sweet and savoury taste. The white one is also not bad, but I still preferred the black ones. And to be frank, I think the uncle does a better job than the wife. The owner said, there is no secret to frying a good plate of carrot cake. What’s most important is to control the fire so that the heat will be balanced during frying.

Hock Choon Laksa and Lor Mee

It’s hard to miss this stall when there’s always a snaking queue smacked in the middle of Eunos Market and Food Centre. I enjoy its savoury gravy that is thick but not overly starchy and full of flavours. You’re able to add your desired amount of condiments which include chopped garlic, sliced chilli, sambal chilli, chopped spring onions and vinegar. Prefer a tangier taste? Pile up on the garlic and vinegar! Served with half a braised egg with my favourite kind of creamy yolk and thin slices of pork belly well-seasoned with 5 spices, having this for breakfast starts the day on a right note! Wait, did I mention about the fried fish? This is the highlight of the Lor Mee – crispy yet moist within, it complements the dish so well.

Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow

This Char Kway Teow owner does everything single-handedly, from taking orders all the way to frying it and serving the fragrant noodles into your hands. He has a perfect rhythm while frying char kway teow, adding fresh prawns and squid into the oil before the noodles. It’s hard for your stomach not to growl while waiting in line but this is definitely worth your wait.

The fluffy noodles coated with spicy, eggy goodness, gives this dish a lovely taste and texture. It has enough wok hei, the right amount of charred-ness and a spice level that was perfect. The cockles were plump and some crunchy beansprouts were scattered among the noodles. Strips of garlic chives completed the dish. Instead of your usual super black and sweet flavour, you get a more savoury finish, with just the right amount of smokiness here!

Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee

Made from starch, eggs and some secret blend of spices, it takes about 5 hours to cook before you get the smooth and light gravy. The gravy coated the noodles very nicely and portions of braised pork belly and fish are quite generous. The modern version of lor mee contains fried fish but Xin Mei Xiang’s version still sticks to tradition and tediously hand-shred Spanish mackerel. Ain’t a fan of yellow noodles? You can opt for kway teow or bee hoon or any combination of them here! I thoroughly enjoyed the textures and mix of savoury, sweet and tangy flavours. People often say, “money can’t buy happiness” but for $4, I had a well-concocted bowl of lor mee, which I see as one of life’s simple pleasures.

Tan Beng Otah Delights

Otah here is prepared on the spot and freshly wrapped. The otah has a good balance of chilli and fish and exudes ethereal fragrance when served hot. The filling within contains chunks of mackerel meat and the spices packs quite a punch. What I enjoyed most was the packet of traditional nasi lemak wrapped in banana leaves that this hawker still prepares. Consisting of fried fish, an egg, ikan bilis and peanuts, it made me reminisce the days when my late grandmother would tabao this back for me on weekends for breakfast when I was young.

Da Zhong Mei Shi

The elderly hawker does all the cooking and the end result – a wonderfully charred plate of kway teow that’s out to tantalize our tastebuds. He makes it a point to fry only one plate at a time so be prepared to wait for your plate. A plate of char kway teow consists of a mixture of flat rice noodles and egg noodles, perfectly stir-fried with eggs, cockles, lap cheong, bean sprouts and Chinese chives. I’m not sure which particular stall you frequent but I grew up eating from this old uncle hence, sharing my wonderful childhood experience with you.

Jia Mei Wanton Mee

Many might be familiar with this hawker’s wanton noodles but I prefer their mushrooms and chicken feet noodles, soaked in their special sauce. The sauce is sweet with a slight salty aftertaste. The sour chilli cranks up the tastiness of this dish and I like it that these noodles are soggy, while not overly soft at the same time. Be warned though, the queues can get quite crazy on weekends!

Joo Chiat Chiap Kee

Joo Chiat Chiap Kee in Bedok makes their own dome shape fishballs that is fresh, chewy and gives a satisfying homely taste! Their sambal chilli is to die for. When tossed with my noodles and bean sprouts, it is super shiok. For $3, we get 5 fishballs, worth it right?

Hon Ni Kitchen

Readers staying in Bedok have definitely heard about Hon Ni Kitchen for its nasi lemak. It is always long queue during lunch and the only time when it does not have a queue, is Sunday. Because the stall is closed on Sunday! Go for their chicken wing, it is deep fried till crispy. Dishes include luncheon meat, fried kuning fish, fishcakes, stir fry long beans, ikan bilis, otah, fried eggs etc. Its nasi lemak is very light and fluffy because they use coconut milk sparingly. The rice is best eaten with their homemade sambal chilli sauce.

Kim Choo Kueh Chang

You name it, they got it! Offering an abundance of rice dumplings with different stuffing, Kim Choo definitely doesn’t disappoint. The ingredients are pretty generous here and very tasty. No matter which flavour of rice dumpling you select, you’ll realize that the rice was not in any overwhelmed by the ingredients. The glutinous rice was soft but compact, with a nice aroma. Each rice grain fully absorbed the essence of the ingredients wrapped within. You get a complete package that’s so flavoursome you can’t just stop at one.

Planning what to do or where to eat over the weekend? We hope this list of breakfast offerings in the East will motivate you to get up earlier and start your day with a bowl or plate of delicious food. This list is non-exhaustive and I’m sure there are some more that we have not discovered.

The post 27 Local Breakfast in the East That’s Better Than Brunch appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Hainanese Chicken Rice is Singapore’s national dish and can be found island-wide at almost every dining spot, from humble hawker centres to major restaurants and even hotel cafés. The chicken is usually served with fragrant rice and a spicy chilli sauce, with ginger paste. In Singapore, chicken rice recipe can be roasted or braised in soya sauce for a different taste (we still like it poached). For some people, it might be the rice and chilli sauce that makes or breaks the dish. As we celebrate Singapore’s National Day today, we’ve hunted down 17 chicken rice stalls in Singapore that are among local favourites.

1. Ah Boy Chicken Rice

Local celebrity chef, Eric Teo, has raved about Ah Boy Chicken Rice on his Facebook about 3 years ago so we decided to check it out. The roasted chicken has a crispy and thin skin that we enjoyed but a pity, the meat was a little on the dry side. Poached chicken, however, fared much better. It was tender, sweet and cooked till perfection, maintaining a smooth texture. We thought the rice itself is fluffy and loose with a nice aroma and not overly greasy. The tangy chilli dip didn’t make much of an impression as it was a little watery. If you’re in the area and craving for chicken rice, you should drop by.

2. Chen Ji Hainanese Chicken Rice

Chicken here is tender and perfectly complemented by the flavoursome oyster sauce. The chilli is bright and tangy and contains a spicy kick. Sadly, the rice did not fare so well as it was dry and although it has the flavour of the chicken broth, it doesn’t stand out at all. What’s worth mentioning here is their chicken feet soup that’s only available on Mondays and Fridays after 11am. Chicken feet is full of collagen, which is good news for ladies! We loved the crunchiness of these chicken feet and the flavoursome broth made the entire package simply wonderful. So, if you come here for chicken rice, remember to go only when they’re serving chicken feet soup!

3. Chin Chin Eating House

Founded in 1934, this eatery exudes a nostalgic feel and is reasonably clean. Dishes offered here are very Hainanese, including steamed chicken rice with chilli sauce and ginger dip, pork chop, chap chye and more. Today’s focus is on chicken rice so we’ll just skip the rest. Chicken rice at Chin Chin is drizzled with light fragrant soy sauce and sesame oil, enhancing the flavours of the tender and juicy chicken. Cooked just right, the chicken has retained its moisture with every bite. The rice is less oily but still fragrant and tasty with aroma from ginger and garlic. The chilli sauce consists of a little tanginess which made our meal very satisfying.

4. Hua Kee Chicken Rice

This stall is now run by Mr. Lim, a second generation hawker, together with his mother, Mdm. Tan who founded Hua Kee over 30 years ago with her husband. Unlike other stalls, the chicken here is chopped in large chunks with skin and bone still attached to ensure the meat retains its natural juices and flavours. We liked that the chicken was tender, juicy and full of flavours. The aromatic rice was not too oily and fluffy, with grains that separate easily. There’s nothing impressive about their chilli and ginger dips but we’ve got to say that this is the tastiest cucumbers from any chicken rice stall. The savoury and sweet juices from the chicken clung to the sides of these crunchy slices of cucumbers.

5. Kampong Chicken Rice

What makes Kampong chicken different from the usual chicken we get at chicken rice stalls? Well, the yellow skin kampong chickens have more distinctive features such as their skinny legs and leaner bodies. They are allowed to run free and are corn fed, thus containing less fat and are healthier for consumption. The meat here is definitely not as fatty. It is leaner but still, very tender. Ladies will jump for joy and feel guilt-free for indulging in this plate of healthier kampong chicken rice due to it being less fat. Even though the rice is not as fragrant and amazing as compared to others, it complements the chicken well. The highlight was their kicky chilli sauce, which is properly thick and spicy. One word – SHIOK! Read about it here.

6. Leong Hainanese Chicken Rice

Uncle Leong used to be the head chef for “稻香村山芭鸡” shop in Novena Ville, which unfortunately, closed down in 2007 due to the outbreak of bird flu disease. His passion for the kitchen still burns strong hence, he set up his own Leong Hainanese Chicken Rice in Shunfu Market. The meat served here has a textural difference compared to others. The chicken breast is very tender and flavourful. Little soy sauce and sesame oil were drizzled onto the chicken and we could really taste the sweetness of the meat. As for the chicken drumstick, you can see the glistering chicken skin and the meat was very succulent. The rice was infused with ginger and chicken stock and the grains are very fluffy. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal as Uncle Leong’s chicken rice gave a very warm, homely feel to it.

7. Ming Kee Chicken Rice

Ming Kee Chicken Rice is well-known for those staying in Bishan. It’s not surprising to queue for at least an hour just to satisfy your chicken rice cravings over here. Unlike others, this stall has no chicken displayed so if you’re here for the first time, you might get the wrong idea that the stall has already ran out of chicken. In actual fact, once the chicken is cooked, they will dunk it in ice water and it will be left there till it is ready to be chopped.

Shocking the meat in ice water after cooking creates a jelly under the skin. This results in the meat tasting more flavourful and succulent. Surprisingly, it tastes even better when these chilled chicken are eaten with some steaming rice. We enjoyed the skin which glided smoothly into our mouths. Chicken gizzards are also soaked in cold water here to retain the crunch. Their chilli dip, however, was a tad disappointing as it’s too watery for our liking.

8. Nam Kee Chicken Rice

Nam Kee has over 40 years of experience under its belt and is a household name for many families across the island. It serves traditional Hainanese chicken rice with meat ever so tender with the unforgettable chilli sauce – and at affordable prices too! The velvet-smooth skin of the chicken is enticing enough and tucks in just the right amount of fat beneath. The meat is juicy and goes very well with the dipping sauce, which is a combination of chilli sauce, ginger paste and a not-so-salty dark soy sauce that delivers the right punch. The rice served here is aromatic and has a good consistency, complementing the chicken perfectly.

9. Nan Xiang Chicken Rice

Nancy Lim, founder of Nan Xiang Chicken Rice, took charge of her first chicken rice stall at Whampoa food centre in December 1986. Nancy and her husband takes turn to manage the hawker stall. It looks like another unassuming chicken rice stall but when the plate of rice was served, it was so fragrant you can’t resist taking a mouthful even if your camera usually eats first. Chicken rice here is first stir-fried with garlic, ginger, shallots and chicken soup before cooking it in rice cooker. Not a lot of chicken rice stalls do this now because it’s laborious and takes extra time to prepare the rice. Well, all we can say that it’s worthwhile because frying the rice before cooking makes it even more fragrant, which is a plus point when the chicken meat is already succulent and cooked just right, leaving a gelatin layer beneath the skin. The addition of lime juice to the chilli sauce also makes it refreshing and delectable! Read about it here.

10. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

This should be the most well-known stall among both locals and tourists. Growing the business from an unknown stall in Maxwell Market from 1986, Madam Foo and her daughter, Ms. Loi, still preside over the quality of food at all outlets with a watchful and experienced eye. Tian Tian chicken rice is cooked with American Broiler breed of chicken and remember – they defeated Gordon Remsay at the Hawker Heroes Challenge! This already speaks a lot about their food. Their steamed chicken is served slightly chilled which is very refreshing and light on a hot day. The soothing coolness is also a perfect counterpart to the “fierceness” of the chilli. Most importantly, their light, smooth and slightly buttery rice, with just a hint of garlic, sets them apart from the rest. Even celebrity chef and host Anthony Bourdain said that the rice here is so good that you can eat it on its own! There are many outlets and the one we’re featuring is at Joo Chiat and it’s air-conditioned too!

11. Uncle Chicken Rice

Uncle Chicken Rice is very persistent in using good quality ingredients. Their fresh chicken is simply poached, sits in cold water, chopped and served with the flavourful rice. The chicken is cut chunky with an ultra smooth skin and the flesh is tender and sweet. Served with aromatic rice that was not too greasy and loose, it has a subtle garlic flavour. Chicken stock was used to cook the rice hence, you won’t get a soup here to pair with your chicken rice. The chilli has a hint of sweetness which cuts the oiliness of the rice.

12. Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice

Wee Nam Kee started from a humble beginning and now, has a few outlets islandwide. They serve three different types of chicken – namely the poached, soy sauce and fried. We tried the poached chicken and it was executed really well in a flavourful broth. The chicken turned out to be juicy and tender, gently gingery with subtle chicken flavour. The broth is tasty enough to boost your appetite. Each long grain rice is well-oiled, mildly fragrant, yet not too greasy and separates easily into loose grains. Lastly, the chilli is amazing! It contains a well-balanced blend of ginger, vinegar and spice. It was tangy with very little sting.

13. Yeo Keng Nam Chicken Rice

Having grown up eating chicken rice here as it’s just a stone’s throw away from where I stay, the taste is special to me. The chicken is so plump and juicy and it has managed to retain a lot of its natural flavour since the stall owner here makes it a point not to soak the chicken in ice water for too long. I love the roast chicken here as well, due to its super tasty skin that whets my appetite for more. Rice here is whole and coated with a thin layer of oil, making the texture just right. The chilli has a tangy twist to it. Hence, I always enjoy my chicken rice experience dining here.

14. Sin Kee Famous Cantonese Chicken Rice

About a month ago, Benson is back on his feet and re-opened “Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice” at Holland Drive with his young partner. Nothing much changes, Benson still chopes the chicken in huge chunks. His movements are still clean and brisk, each piece of meat is tender and smooth in the mouth. He will leave the leftover bones from the chicken to prepare that soup, which is used to poach chickens and rice. The slightly aromatic rice is well paired with the chilli that is spicy and tangy done right with vinegar and lime, just the way we like it. Read more about it here.

15. Yishun 925 Chicken Rice

It started with just one hawker stall within Yishun but over the years, they have expanded and now, there are a few stalls around Singapore. We’re always happy for these successful hawkers who started out very humbly. Chicken meat here is cooked just right, making it smooth and palatable. We liked that it was served deboned, which makes it more convenient for consumption. The soya sauce which the chicken was drenched in is not overly salty, just perfect! Rice here is very ordinary and not as aromatic as compared to others but you know the saying, “mai hiam buay pai”. Since it’s so affordable, we’ve nothing much to complain about.

16. Yet Con Hainanese Chicken Rice

This is another time-honoured establishment lying along Purvis Street. Yet Con has been serving their style of authentic Hainanese chicken rice here since 1940. Notice that chicken at Yet Con are being laid on trays instead of being hung up – this is to prevent the juices from dripping so that flavours are bette retained. There’s no silky gelatin layer under the chicken skin but we enjoyed the super “chickeny” flavour here. The chicken is lightly salted without any overwhelming drench of soy sauce seasoning, making every bite full of natural “chickeny” taste. The rice is aromatic, with the lovely scent of ginger, shallots and chicken stock. We like that it isn’t overly greasy. The only downside was the chilli and ginger dip that we found too watery for our liking.

17. Delicious Boneless Chicken Rice

It was already 3pm and we were still queuing for Delicious Boneless Chicken Rice. 30 minutes queue just to get my chicken rice fix, but so worth it! We paid $11 for 2 pax meal with soup and achar. The chicken is chopped into big chunky pieces and topped with fried garlic, which is quite unique. Achar brings a refreshing touch and the rice has a pleasant garlic aroma. We are so in love with their (refillable) cabbage soup that is peppery and full of vegetables and meat. The owner is in good mood on our day of visit so he gave me an extra bowl of lotus root pork ribs soup filled with generous amount of lotus roots and peanuts.

There are plenty of other stalls that might be good but not mentioned above. Do comment and share your thoughts with us, let us know which other chicken rice stalls in Singapore are worth our calories! Enjoy your hunt in finding the best chicken rice stall in Singapore, HAPPY NATIONAL DAY!

The post 17 Best Chicken Rice in Singapore (Food Hunt Time!) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

In the gently refurbished space in ICON Village lies a new Matchaya opened by Kaelyn Ong and Kevin Chee. This amazing couple gave up their full time job to be matcha specialist, that’s really something! I knew them through food tasting sessions and they have definitely put in so much time and effort to build this brand of theirs.

Seriously, we can’t really find good matcha drinks in Singapore prior to the opening of Matchaya. That’s the reason why they decided to hunt down the best ingredients from Japan just to make a matcha latte that they are proud of. Each flavour went through at least 100 taste-tests before launching to the public. From weekly pop-ups to now a permanent space, there has seen steadily growing interest in the health-conscious, preservatives-free and organic matcha desserts.

Certified organic premium ingredients from different prefectures in Japan have been combed to produce a variety of Japanese milk tea. Keeping the sugar level to a minimal, there are four milk teas for your to choose from – Matcha Milk Tea, Houjicha, Royal and Kuromitsu. The Matcha Milk Tea ($4.90) is pleasant and juggles the sweet and bitter notes well. I would prefer to add another shot of matcha (additional $1).

There are also desserts like macarons, brulee toast and ganache tarts. My dining partner likes the Black Sesame Tart ($6.20) with a thick and fragrant black sesame ganache. For me, I am super in love with their houjicha soft serve ($5.90)! I drink houjicha daily but it has always been very mild but for this soft serve, the nutty flavours hits on the right spot. It is smooth and creamy with a lovely roasted flavour unique to houjicha. With a crisp buttery cookie on the side and pure houjicha powder sprinkled on top, I am so coming back for this.

Perhaps, it’s time for me to ditch my coffee mug for a matcha whisk.

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By Mu Qin & Maureen

Seafood white bee hoon shot to fame after a coffee shop in Sembawang a couple years ago. Enhanced with shellfish such as “la la” (clams) and crayfish, as well as, prawns, it sounds like a simple dish, but the stock makes or breaks this dish. Riding on this trend, hawkers have set up stalls, specifically specializing in seafood white bee hoon. We bring you 8 seafood white bee hoon places from all parts of Singapore that foodies flock to.

Woon Woon Pek Beehoon

At the east of Singapore, Woon Woon Pek Beehoon offers only White Bee Hoon, accompanied with various seafood. There are standard offerings and you have the option of adding on la la, crayfish, sliced fish, flower crab or prawn at an additional cost. White Bee Hoon here comes in three sizes – small, medium and large. We had the small portion of La La Prawn White Bee Hoon ($6) which came with very generous toppings of fried pork lard. The broth is light, yet very flavourful, with a hint of sweetness from the vegetables and the seafood was fresh.

Jin Hock Seafood

Jin Hock Seafood is popular zi char stall among East-siders. Although White Bee Hoon is supposedly their signature dish, you won’t notice it on their signboards or any related food pictures. There are four different sizes and we went for the $9 portion (medium, perhaps). Out of all the seafood white bee hoon we’ve tried, this is the only one that came with plenty of sliced cuttlefish, adding a layer of texture to the super moist white bee hoon here. There are truckloads of eggs, and a few prawns and we enjoyed the white bee hoon that was well-infused with flavours from the broth.

XIAN Seafood White Bee Hoon

Owner of Cafe De Hong Kong, Mr Francis Mak, opens XIAN Seafood White Bee Hoon in a Ubi coffeeshop together with two other partners. They first quick fry the bee hoon to give it a little smokiness and set aside. Made using old mother hen and pork ribs, the light milky broth is cooked with fresh seafood and bee hoon. Crayfish is sliced into half to absorb the essence from the broth as well as to release the crustacean flavour. We had the crayfish white bee hoon which ones in three different sizes – $15, $20, or $25. They also have la la white bee hoon or flower crab bee hoon. Oh ya, those pork lard… so generous!

East Seafood White Meehoon

Most stalls at the hawker centre were closed in the evening but it’s hard to miss East Seafood as the queue only stops when they’re sold out. The bee hoon are first wok-charred before being braised in the seafood stock. We had La La and Prawn White Meehoon ($8) and felt that the stock lacked flavours as they cut down on salt and soya sauce. The noodles were soft while the lala and prawns were fresh but it would’ve fared better if the stock was thicker and richer. Good news for fans of East Seafood as they have just opened a branch in Ang Mo Kio in July, as well as, another in Hougang in August.

72 小厨之家 White Bee Hoon

Hidden in yet another centralized estate in Ang Mo Kio lies this moist and palatable white bee hoon. The $5 portion comes with generous servings of sliced pork, sliced fish, prawns and la la. The fresh seafood enhanced the sweetness of the broth, which already tasted a little eggy. This is no doubt a comforting plate of noodles, especially on rainy days. We were also ecstatic to find chunky cubes of pork lard which made the entire package more aromatic.

Sunny Seafood

Sunny Seafood is a hawker stall that specializes only in serving up good-tasting white bee hoon. We had the medium size portion ($4.50), served with fried fish fillet, prawns, squid, eggs and vegetables. On the whole, this white bee hoon was light, not greasy and well-balanced in flavour. The ingredients were fresh and we enjoyed the savoury and tender fried fish fillet. However, we felt it could’ve been better if the noodles were softer and soaked up more of the tasty stock.

吃家 Kitchen

This is another hawker stall selling “Zi Char” in a coffee shop that West-siders frequent. We believe that their white bee hoon is a dish that is added onto their menu at a later time after they started business. The La La White Beehoon ($6) only has one standard size. Served with plenty of fresh la la, the dish had sufficient moist and flavours. The soft noodles were simmered to a perfect timing as it arrived well-soaked with the richness of the broth. One portion is only enough to fill the stomach of one man. 吃家 Kitchen should consider serving their delectable white bee hoon in different sizes to cater to different groups of diners.

You Huak aka White Restaurant

Up North, lies the originator of all white bee hoon(s) in Singapore, which has now expanded their business from their humble start-up in Sembawang. They have outlets in Punggol, Sun Plaza and Toa Payoh. So, what’s the secret to their superb white bee hoon? Firstly, the noodles are full of flavour! Squeeze some lime onto it, mix well and you get mouthfuls of really tasty white bee hoon! Secondly, the broth is very rich and thick which whets your appetite for more. Thirdly, their generosity with their ingredients gives a really good impression and stirs up your appetite upon being served on your table. There are prawns, squid, egg and vegetables all soaked up nicely in the stock. There are three sizes, small ($4.50), medium ($8) and large ($12).

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It’s a Thursday afternoon when I met some of my foodie friends for lunch at Trivex Building, an industrial estate in Tai Seng. Uncle Bob recommended us to try Indonesia Delight Gandis, a coffeeshop stall that serves good nasi padang and other Indonesian dishes. The taxi uncle who drove me there thought I was going for meeting, he didn’t even know that there is a coffeeshop even though he lives near the area.

It’s really easy to spot Indonesia Delight Gandis because there is a looooong queue of in front of the stall even before lunch! We met Annie who was busy preparing food with two other helpers. She said her family was from Bandung and came to Singapore 12 years ago. Annie’s parents had their own food stalls back in their hometown, so when they came over to Singapore, they started a food stall too. 2 years ago, they have just moved to Trivex Building from Playfair Road.

The signature here is Ayam Penyet ($5.50). Tender chicken thigh is first marinated with various herbs and spices. Then, it is smashed before deep-frying. It is flavourful and the skin is crisp and not oily. They are very generous with their fragrant and crumbly batter bits. As for their chilli, it is numbingly spicy, which we love. They also love Ikan Penyet ($6) – the fish version.

Other dishes they serve include Mee Rebus ($3), Mee Soto ($3) and Lontong ($3). The mee rebus gravy is intensely robust with intriguing complexity and depth of flavour. Every strand of noodle is coated without being too thick nor watery. It has an old school feel, reminds me of my primary school days where my favourite is mee rebus.

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We’re pretty sure you’ve heard of many good hawkers, whose standards deteriorated after they turned famous and became so overwhelmed with crowds.

Tiong Bahru Boneless Chicken Rice has recently been recognised in the Michelin Bib Gourmand List. Having been around for more than 30 years, the stall owner was once one of the chefs preparing chicken rice at Mandarin Hotel. Such great credential, that really sets the expectation!

We arrived around 11.30am on a Thursday to avoid the lunch crowd. There was already a queue forming so we joined the queue. Four uncles are handling the stall that particular day and one of them was in charge of taking orders. Upon reaching our turn, we placed our orders and merely asked a question “uncle, 你们早上几点开?” (Translate: what time do you open in the morning?) but before we finished our question, we were rudely cut off by him, “问问问, 看不到后面很多人排队啊?!” (Translate: Ask ask ask, can’t you see a long queue behind?)

Ok, that’s really rude.

Nevermind about the service, because they are probably busy after all. But sadly, our chicken rice didn’t quite live up to expectation. The thing about boneless chicken is that the hawkers tend to flatten the flash with their cleaver after they debone the chicken. Forget about sinking your teeth into chunks of meat as the meat here is flat and dry. It’s not as succulent as many other good chicken rice stalls around Singapore, of which a couple of hawker names have already popped up in our heads.

If we ever return to patronize again, we would skip the normal white steamed chicken and just go straight for the roast chicken. Its fragrant skin saved the day. Furthermore, the rice lacks consistency and does not exude the usual chicken rice aroma. The chilli was a little watery.

That’s our personal experience after all. Some of you probably have had it better. But Tiong Bahru being such a heritage enclave, I am sure there will be better options than this?

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Compiled by Mu Qin & Maureen

Singapore, with her plethora of delicious local hawker delicacies, is a foodie’s heaven. We’re pretty sure no one can resist the scrumptious yet artery-clogging char kway teow. Flat rice noodles and egg noodles are often stir-fried over very high heat with eggs, cockles, Chinese sausages (lap cheong), fish cakes, bean sprouts and Chinese chives. Traditionally, hawkers fried the kway teow with generous amounts of delightful lard but in the 21st century where more people are becoming health-conscious, the healthier version of char kway teow is executed with oil and vegetables. Char Kway Teow is a common dish at hawker centres across Singapore but it’s tough to find one that really suits your personal preference. So, here’s a list of 17 Char Kway Teow hawkers for your enjoyment.

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee

Touted by many as one of the best char kway teow in Singapore, this stall is often swamped by crowds during lunch hours. It was first started by Mr. Ng’s father at Metropole Cinema in Tanjong Pagar in the 1950s but is named after their tenure at the second outlet in Outram Park. Mr. Ng helped since the beginning and officially took over about 10 years ago. Each $3 portion comes with cockles, bean sprouts and fried pork lard to complement the tasty egg. The noodles are smooth and thoroughly coated with special black sauce, packed with a wallop of wok hei. Each bite gives a textural crunch from the deep-fried lard. So shiok!

Hill Street Fried Kway Teow

Wok hei is very well-done at Hill Street Fried Kway Teow as you can distinctly taste the smokey flavour of the noodles. Go closer and you’ll notice that the owner uses a very shallow wok which is probably only 5 inches deep to ensure that the kway teow is fried uniformly. A plate of $3 fried kway teow comes generously packed with ingredients. We enjoyed the crunchy bean sprouts and bits of crunchy pork lard, with lots of eggs and sweet dark sauce. Chives are also added to enhance the flavours of the noodles.

Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow

Uncle Teng, the man behind numerous plates of delectable char kway teow, fries each plate individually to ensure the flavours are concentrated and the dish is served piping hot. With more than 40 years of experience in frying char kway teow, his movements are swift and rhythmic. He single-handedly takes orders and fries the kway teow. Fresh prawns and squid are added into the oil before the noodles. Each mouthful of fluffy noodles were well-coated with spicy, eggy goodness, giving it a lovely taste and texture. The dish also had enough wok hei and plump cockles, completed by strips of chives. Instead of the usual sweet finish, Uncle Teng’s char kway teow is more savoury, with a good amount of smokiness.

No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow

Judging by the framed newspaper article of Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hanging proudly at the stall, it says a lot about the reputation of No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow. Despite his fame, owner Mr. Ho is friendly and approachable. He cooks each batch upon order and the portion is one of the most generous in Singapore. The basic $3 plate has everything from Chinese sausages, fish cakes, cockles, eggs to bean sprouts and chives. The noodles were soft and moist and perfectly enveloped in the greasy sauce that was savoury with a hint of sweetness. To be honest, it is still our favourite thus far.

Choon Hiang

Since the age of 12, Ms. Mui Mui has been accompanying her mother and helping out at their stall at MacPherson every day after school. She only took over after their relocation to East Coast Lagoon Food Village and her char kway teow was selected as the Top 10 Char Kway Teow in City Hawker Food Hunt in 2008. Her cooking style differs from other char kway teow hawkers as she started off by cooking the eggs till a little dry before adding the rest of the ingredients for her char kway teow. It was flavourful and contains a strong taste of wok hei, just the way we like it.

食得福 Fried Kway Teow

When a few readers introduced me to the same CKT stall, it made me very curious (especially when it is located in Ang Mo Kio)! I dropped by for lunch at 食得福 CKT opposite AMK Hub and was pleasantly surprised how simple but tasty their noodles were. The aunty has been frying CKT for more than 20 years and even though her ingredients and sauces are nothing special, it all depends on how the hawker controls the fire and makes the noodles come alive. This is a very good plate of char kway teow which is wet enough and smoky enough. Plus, they even have stir fried mee tai mak which has become my new favourite.

Armenian Street Fried Kway Teow @ Seng Kang

Started in 1949 by Mr. Lim’s father back in Armenian Street, this street side stall was well-loved by many char kway teow fans. Mr. Lim helped his father since young and took over in the late 1980s. The moist noodles are well-coated with sweet dark soy sauce and fried to perfect goodness, with sufficient wok hei and small, crunchy pieces of pork lard. Generous portions of Chinese sausages, cockles, eggs, bean sprouts and chives added on the desired flavours to this culinary wonder. We found that it tasted better when chilli is added into it. There are other outlets in Tampines and Sin Ming. Read more about it at http://www.misstamchiak.com/armenian-street-fried-kway-teow-seng-kang/

大众美食 @ Changi Village

The elderly couple works in harmony at this hawker stall – while the wife takes order, the husband whips up a superb plate of char kway teow, with its fragrance and smokiness lingering in the air. He makes it a point to fry only one plate at a time so be prepared to wait for his wonderfully charred kway teow that’s out to tantalize our tastebuds. A plate consists of your usual eggs, cockles, Chinese sausages, bean sprouts and chives. Somehow, this elderly uncle’s char kway teow gave us a tad of homely feel.

Amoy Street Fried Kway Teow

This stall originated from a push cart along Boon Tat Street in the 1960s. Having been in business for over 5 decades, it’s not surprising to see huge office crowds queuing for a plate of this goodness, especially during lunch time. Boasting a nice texture and good consistency, this char kway teow leans towards the more savoury side. The kway teow was moist but not overly wet and the cockles were fresh and plentiful. The standard is not consistent because some days, the char kway teow appeared a little too dry for our liking. But we like that it had a lime to give a tangy dimension to the sweet and smoky dish.

Mr. Chee’s father started the business more than 30 years ago. Mr. Chee used to run a car workshop and only took over the stall about 10 years ago. His char kway teow is a little different. He doesn’t use lard and uses sausage and ham for his char kway teow. His homemade chilli sauce is pretty solid, packing a really good punch. We ordered the $3 and $4 version and found the $4 plate of char kway teow bigger, with an additional big prawn. However, the $3 is good enough with decent wok hei. The reason behind Mr. Chee being labeled as the “Dancing” char kway teow man is because he sways along with his frying movements. He explained that this helps him keep fit. Read about it here: http://www.misstamchiak.com/char-kway-teow-circuit-road/

Lai Heng Fried Kuay Teow & Cooked Food

What makes this stall stands out from the rest is its uniqueness in offering otah that surprisingly complements a plate of char kway teow. Instead of tasting the usual charred and smokiness flavours, you get a super moist and slippery plate of kway teow here. Don’t be mistaken – there’s still a hint of wok hei and the aroma is fantastic! You’ll notice a lady helming the wok and she’s the daughter of Mr. Saw, the original owner and hawker. Sorry, but Mr. Saw’s char kway teow still fares better so when you’re ordering, remember to request for Mr. Saw to prepare it for you.

Katong (Peter) Fried Kway Teow Mee

Owner Peter Lim learned how to make his char kway teow from one of the best char kway teow “masters” in the late 1960s when he was offered a chance to help out at the coffee shop beside Odeon cinema in Bras Basah. Later on, Peter set up his own hawker stall at Jago Close along East Coast Road before moving to Tanjong Pagar Food Centre and roped in his son, Benny, to help whip up tasty plates of local and Penang char kway teow. We tried the traditional black fried kway teow and Penang white fried kway teow. The former consisted of a strong wok hei taste and came with abundant pork fats, yet it’s not very oily. The latter fared really well too. White kway teow is used and it’s more savoury than sweet but we enjoyed the spicy-tangy twist the most. What amazed us was that Peter and Benny use a prawn and chicken stock instead of water during their cooking.

91 Fried Kway Teow Mee

This is perhaps, one of the rarest char kway teow stall in Singapore that has chye sim and ikan billis as toppings. We found the wok hei really gratifying and enjoyed the crunchy texture and savoury-ness coming from the ikan billis. It changed the overall taste of traditional char kway teow. Owner Mr. Tan explained that his char kway teow is stir-fried with a special broth that takes about 10 hours to prepare. He replaces the sinful pork lard with vegetable oil for a healthier choice. It’s quite amazing that we could smell the aroma a few stalls away, while Mr. Tan is frying char kway teow. However, the only downside is that we found his portion too small and ingredients too little.

Meng Kee Char Kway Teow

Run by a father-daughter team, this char kway teow tilts towards the sweeter version. We haven’t tried the father’s version but the daughter is the one who is frequently manning the stall nowadays. Char Kway Teow here is moist and smooth. More sweet sauce is added to enhance the sweetness, as compared to the savoury ones we commonly find in Singapore. We enjoyed the strong wok hei and pork lard flavours and found the noodles to be well-coated with eggs and the highlight was their chilli which gives a good kick. Their cockles are served a little raw and much juicier and larger than usual but we would’ve liked it better if these were cooked longer.

Seah Im Fried Kway Teaw Mee

Run by a very friendly aunty since 1985, Seah Im’s char kway teow serves customers perhaps the most generous portion of noodles priced as low as $2.50. This stall is designed especially for those super health-conscious as she doesn’t use pork lard, yet lesser oil. Ingredients used are the standard Chinese sausages, cockles and eggs. We’re quite contented that she still manages to bring out the wok hei flavour and serve up a decent and delicious plate of char kway teow. Besides, it’s only $2.50 so what have you got to complain about?

Heng Huat Fried Kway Teow

For years, there have been mixed reviews about Mr. Tan’s char kway teow. He has tweaked his recipe many times just to satisfy that tastebuds of those who prefer a guilt-free indulgence. We went on a Saturday evening for dinner and his stall is already lined up with customers. Char kway teow here is stir-fried with bean sprouts, cockles, eggs, chye poh and topped with a mountain of chye sim. It’s so abundant that we had to re-position the chye sim so as to capture the noodles in our photos as well. This is a decent plate of char kway teow but we cannot comprehend why people will queue for it.

Yong Huat CKT

At the modern coffee shop AlibabaR, there is a old school stall Yong Huat that was started since 1949. You can either have the black style or white style (with the sweetened black sauce) which my grandpa usually prefers. But hey, char kway teow is all about the black sauce right? So go for it if you want a plate of CKT. What’s the draw here? That countless amount of pork lard that is added to every plate. OH MAN. So sinful but yet we can’t resist! Besides Fried Kway Teow, they also do Fried Mee Suah, Fried Tong Fen and Fried Mee Tai Mak.

After two weeks of tucking into char kway teow, we concluded that our personal favourites were No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow and the Penang version from Katong (Peter) Fried Kway Teow Mee. Guess it’s time for us to hit the gym!

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

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Hawker stalls selling ngoh hiang are pretty common in Singapore. If the past, you could probably see hawkers making their own ngoh hiang, but now most them got it from suppliers so what stall owners have to do is to deep fry them and serve with bee hoon and chilli. Because it is such an easy business, the bee hoon, in my opinion, becomes the one that makes or breaks the entire dish.

A few weeks ago, I was trying to find a good makan place in Choa Chu Kang and my kind friends Edward and Alvin recommended me to try the ngoh hiang behind Choa Chu Kang interchange. Adding to that, Mu Qin also mentioned the same ngoh hiang stall that she would sometimes drop by for supper. Living in Ang Mo Kio since birth, Choa Chu Kang is like a total stranger to me (I don’t even recall when is the last time I have been to Lot One).

So we arrived at the coffeeshop at Blk 302 Choa Chu Kang. It was a busy coffeeshop with the ngoh hiang stall located at the corner. In the morning, the stall sells economic bee hoon. By noon, they are converted into ngoh hiang prawn cracker. Even though we arrived a while after they opened for the day, we could already see some tables enjoying their ngoh hiang.

Doing this for 20 years, the owner is a man with few words. He quietly fries the items and chops them up into small pieces. The variety is pretty huge, not only can you find tau kwa, meat rolls, sausages, fish balls, century eggs etc, there is even fried chicken wings. While most of the items are ordinary, I though the ngoh hiang was tasty and well marinated with five spice power which let the ingredients shine through. The bee hoon was sufficiently moist and manages to hit all the right spots! Prawn fritters were also a popular item here.

It’s hard to find a ngoh hiang bee hoon stall that opens till late but when we stumbled upon this really yummy stall, we were ecstatic! Supper, anyone?

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Kyuu Kei Soba x Udon is the latest Japanese noodle bar in Marina Bay Link Mall. Opened for less than a week, they serve delicious udon and soba either soup or dry with a variety of broths. 26-year-old owner Julius Chen studied in Le Cordon Bleu Sydney and fell in love with Menya Mappen in the CBD area. Hence, he decided to bring the concept back and opened Kyuu Kei with his army friends.

Here’s how it works. First, choose between udon ($1.80) and soba ($1.80). Then, pick from 7 types of broth – Mentaiko ($5), Soba Dipping Sauce ($2.20), Miso Butter ($3), Japanese Curry ($3.70), Creamy Sesame Dressing ($3), Ginger Shoyu ($3.70) and KyuuKei Dashi ($3). While other soba shops only offer a limited variety of broth, I like it that they have a wide variety and all of them were made in house.

My recommendation is to go for the Mentaiko Sauce, Creamy Sesame Dressing or KyuuKei Dashi. The mentaiko sauce i tried that day was a little too thick, but when mixed well with the udon, it gives a creamy and indulgent aftertaste. Another creamy option, the sesame dressing works as it is nutty and smooth. If you prefer something light to go with the soba, KyuuKei Dashi is a good choice. They don’t make their own noodles.

Once you have selected the broth, top the noodles with freshly cooked ingredients under the heat lamps such as Buttered Shimeiji ($3), Edamame Peas ($2), Charshu ($5.50) Kakiage ($3), Sweetened Tamago ($3), Ebi Fry ($2.50), Yakitori Chicken & Leek ($3), Yakitori Bacon Asparagus ($3.50) and Yakitori Bacon Enoki ($3.50). Catering to the healthy lunch crowd, you realized that there are no deep-fried items here but serious cooked dishes. Especially the well-seasoned chashu, it was flavourful and comes with a good bite. The yakitori we tried that day was a little bland, but it’s understandable because it was the first day opening. Nothing remains stationary for long though, so you can ensure freshness in your noodle bowl.

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Just opposite my in-law’s house, the husband told me there is a food stall selling Sarawak laksa and kolo mee at the coffeeshop beside Bedok Library. We finally get to try it out one weekend. They only serve three dishes – Kolo Mee, Sarawak Laksa and Soya Sauce Noodle.

The owner Mr Then Hua San is from Sarawak and he wanted to create the flavours that are familiar to Sarawakians living in Singapore. Unfortunately, he was too busy on my day of visit for me to probe more. But good thing is, he brought in the laksa paste from his hometown.

Let’s start with the bowl of kolo mee which he got a factory to make the egg noodles. It was the highlight because they are really QQ and served with minced pork. Tossed with shallot oil and char siew, there is no alkaline taste in the noodles! For $4, the portion is really generous and I had a hard time finishing it.

I have tried Sarawak laksa twice. First, it was in Laksania where the strong aroma of spices tickle the nostrils. The second time, it was when our dear friend Jackson, who is a true blue Sarawakian, specially prepared Sarawak laksa dinner for us. That was really memorable because he specially use the laksa sauce which he got from Sarawak and it was strong but has a more balanced flavours.

It’s probably not easy to replicate the dish because of the ingredients used in the laksa sauce. Plus, it is a tedious chore because you need to soak the vermicelli, cook the spice paste, shred the chicken, peel the prawns etc. That is really hard work.

Red Hornbill’s Sarawak Laksa ($5) is the lightest Sarawak laksa I have tried. It’s easier to eat, and probably works well for first timers who would like to try this dish. Mr Then brings in the laksa spices from Sarawak. Bean sprouts, sliced prawns, shredded chicken are served in the soup, while lime and belachan chili are served on the side. I suggest you squeeze lots of lime and for better enjoyment. They are too generous with the bee hoon, I was hoping it’s relative to the ingredients added.

It’s quite crowded on the weekends. On our day of visit (Sunday), we got to wait for about 45 minutes.

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After an extensive two-month renovation, Food Opera re-opens with an impressive tally of 27 stalls and mini restaurants in late May 2016. I frequent this outlet in ION Orchard for its fishball noodles and nasi padang. After renovation, the food heaven has more delicious and heritage dishes from parts of the world, including local hawker delights and traditional street snacks.

Here are our 7 favourites.

Xing Lou Seafood White Bee Hoon

Seafood white bee hoon is recently in trend with many new stalls offering it. Riding on this trend is Food Opera’s latest addition – Xing Lou Seafood White Bee Hoon. Enhanced with shellfish such as “la la” (clams) and crayfish, as well as, prawns, it sounds like a simple dish, but the stock makes or breaks this dish.

The talented Malaysian chef from Xing Lou Seafood White Bee Hoon first wok-charred the vermicelli before braising it with seafood and pork ribs broth. One appeal is the stall front, with an ice bed mount of crayfish and scallops. They are committed to using only the freshest catches ferried into Singapore daily from Endau, a Malaysian fishing port. The all-important stock comes easy on salt with no MSG, so you taste the subtle richness of the seafood. A single portion of white bee hoon with prawns and clams starts from $6.90, and you can add crayfish for $8 or scallops for $4.

Ah Yat Kitchen

Ah Yat has been a household brand since 1970, and is regarded as the master of abalone with its repertoire of abalone dishes and Cantonese favourites. If you want to eat abalone for anything less than $10, that’s quite impossible. But here’s the good news – you can enjoy Ah Yat Abalone Baked Rice for only $8.80 in Food Opera!

Tender baby abalone and mushrooms are basted with a homemade abalone sauce, placed over a bed of aromatic egg fried rice, then baked to perfection. Ah Yat also serves Roasted Chicken Rice or Fries, Baked Spare Rib Rice, Special Braised Shark’s Fin with Rice, and Double-Boiled Spare Rib Soup with Carrot & Corn.

Scotts Hwa Heng Beef Noodles

Being a Hainanese myself, beef noodles is usually one of our staples. It’s real hard work just to prepare the beef stock. Scotts Hwa Heng Beef noodles started out in the 1940s at a humble stall along Bain Street. Dishing up piping hot bowls of Hainanese-style Traditional Beef noodles; dry or soup versions are available, the stall has kept to its original proprietary recipe which has nourished many generations of customers.

We were surprised when we took our first bite of the dry Beef Noodles Combo Set Meal ($7.50). The gravy was thick and starchy, with beefy goodness. The sliced beef adds bite to each mouthful of springy thick vermicelli. Tender and fragrant, the set also served with beef balls in soup. It’s a pity they do not serve with preserved vegetables anymore; but luckily the chilli and chinchalok dip added a comfortable mix of salty-tangy and spicy flavour to the dish.

Great World Noodle House

Many of us know that You Men is best known for his Hong Kong-style roast meats and noodles, which he mastered under the tutelage of Hong Kong chefs in the early years of his career. But at Food Opera, he has challenged himself with the opening of Great World Noodle House.

Their new Fried Pork Chop Noodle ($5.80) is super solid. Tender & juicy meat is marinated and deep fried to yield a juicy and crispy pork chop. Don’t play play ok! They also have Signature Chicken Chop with Noodle, Crispy Pork Chop with Fried Rice, and You Men Noodle Soup.

Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh

I am very surprised to see Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh in Food Opera. This is the only brand that my husband and I always visit during our dating days. Started in 1973 by Madam Gwee Peck Hua, she learnt the tricks of the trade while working at a bak kut teh stall and have created her own recipe since then.

Using only garlic and the finest grade of white pepper from Sarawak, its Signature Prime Ribs ($11.50) is a medium-bodied clear soup that’s just a touch fiery. The chilled ribs are air-flown from Australia and Indonesia. They are boiled for hours to get the maximum flavour and to ensure its tenderness, but also careful to not mask the sweetness of the pork ribs with garlic. Here, you can also enjoy new menu items like Pig Trotters ($9.50) and Claypot Tofu ($8.70) featuring silken tofu with pork balls and egg in claypot… so homely!

Lam’s Signatures

There are many well-respected heritage brands in Food Opera at ION Orchard. Another one is Lam’s Signatures where owner Mr Yap Eng Lam is the man responsible for bringing abalone to the local masses. We first tried his signature Abalone Noodles at a coffee shop in Race Course Road, and later made another positive impact in the food scene when he debuted his Mini Wok Noodles.

Not only can you try the said dishes here, they have other tempting dishes like Salt-baked Chicken Thigh with Rice ($6.90). The moist chicken thigh is freshly marinated with sea salt and herbs before baking it till a beautiful golden brown. That Thai style chilli brought the dish to another level. We tried to ask for the recipe but the manager only said, “Coriander, fish sauce, sugar, chilli padi and other ingredients I cannot say lah…” Ok aunty, you win. I will come back just for the chilli.

Pepper Lunch Express

Hinging on their do-it-yourself concept using a special electromagnetic iron plate, Pepper Lunch has been a crowd-pleaser since it entered Singapore’s bustling food scene. Now, customers at Food Opera ION outlet can look forward to savouring an exclusive Scallop & Chicken Chilli Crab Pepper Rice ($10.80).

Accompanied by a scrumptiously spicy chilli crab sauce made with a medley of spices, it adds complexity of the taste with the spiciness kicking in towards the end. The scallops were plump and works great with the robust sauce and Australian short grain rice. Cook the way you like it to experience the smell and taste. If you like beef, they also have Beef Pepper Rice with chilli crab sauce.

Other popular stalls include Riverside Indonesian BBQ, Thye Hong Fried Prawn Noodles, and Guan Chee HK Roasted Duck.

MissTamChiak.com will be rewarding 5 readers with $30 Food Opera’s dining voucher each.

All you need to do is:
Step 1 – LIKE Miss Tam Chiak & Food Republic Singapore on Facebook
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Step 3 – Comment below: What dish would u like to try in Food Opera at ION Orchard?

Closing date: 22th September 2016. Good luck!

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