What makes a good bowl of prawn noodles? For most of us, it’s the broth that matters. To some, it’s the chilli sauce that makes the difference. And now, people look for big prawns – the bigger the better. But during our younger days (or my parents days), it’s rare to see big prawns in the noodles. Just give us a delicious bowl of piping hot prawn noodles and it will make us slurp non-stop.

545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles is one of the few hawker stalls that still has that old school charm. But the unique thing is, the noodles are prepared by a pretty hawker Li Ruifang.

I first “got to know” Ruifang via Instagram as she has been actively sharing her meals. It was till later that I found out she was the hawker behind 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles. It’s amazing how social media connects people, isn’t it?

The roots of the prawn noodles in Ruifang’s family go far back into the 1950s when her grandfather started selling it along the streets of Whampoa before it was even named so. When Whampoa Market was built in 1973, Ruifang’s Dad and Grandmother took a stall, and has been selling prawn noodles since then.

The current stall at Whampoa Market is run by Ruifang’s aunts. With the guidance of her dad, the 32-year-old finance graduate decided to be a hawker, bringing bowls of tradition and history to Tekka Food Centre.

Everyone I know who has tried 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles at Tekka Market only has good things to say. Using a recipe that spans across 3 generations, what you get is that old school prawn noodle that has got that familiar taste from grandmother’s time. I wasn’t old enough to experience police-wear-shorts period but their prawn noodles hit the comfort spot with its flavourful broth.

The prawn noodles go from $4. I like the dry prawn mee better because firstly, the broth is not diluted by the noodles and secondly, the sambal that was tossed with the noodles was awesome – a nice balance of spicy, savoury and dried seafood accents. With a spoonful of ketchup added in, toss the noodles well and make sure every strand is coated with the sauce. With half slices of prawns and thin slivers of lean pork, it did remind me of my childhood. A spoonful of fried shallot crisps garnishes the bowl.

Ruifang starts her day at 2am, boiling, peeling, cooking ingredients and preparing the stock. The hearty broth is thick and murky, with a distinct sweetness from the clams and umami from prawns. It’s on the sweet side, which I believe will cater to the younger crowd.

I have met many aspiring young hawkers and I believe Ruifang is one of the more successful ones who never give up. I am really grateful that she is continuing the hawker heritage.

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

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

The post 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles – Old School Prawn Mee by Chio Bu Hawker appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

We’re on a hunt for Japanese Ramen across the island, and after hearing about Buta Kin, one of the cheaper ramen options in Singapore, we began to find affordable ramen here. Opened last year within Clementi Mall’s NTUC FoodFare food court, Ramen Taisho serves artisanal ramen. Hock Soon runs the stall with his wife, Kalene. He spent 3 years traveling to and fro Japan to learn the ropes before launching Ramen Taisho. He even followed the old ramen grand masters in Japan to learn the art of ramen. So, let’s find out how his ramen fared.

There are three ramen options – Soup, Dry and Dipping. Hock Soon meticulously and diligently makes the noodles by hand every night after closing the stall to ensure that customers get them fresh the following day. He uses wheat flour imported from Japan for his noodles. Other ingredients such as the chashu pork and tamago eggs are also made in-house.

Tonkotsu Ramen ($6.90) is the best out of the three ramen options. The thin wheat noodles are cooked al dente, boasting a light and springy texture. The broth, made from a mixture of pork and chicken, is robust and flavourful but not too rich. The slices of chashu pork are savoury, with a hint of natural pork sweetness. However, it was a tad too tough and dry. We would also have preferred the slices to be thicker, with a good balance of lean and fatty layers. Also, the tamago eggs weren’t very well done. We like ours softly firm, with a runny yolk in the middle. Big eaters should go for Ramen Deluxe ($8.90) that comes with extra chashu, egg and nori.

Tsukemen – Dipping Ramen ($7.90) – came in second among the options. The cold ramen paired up very well with the seafood dipping broth. It is full-bodied and features the sweetness of seafood. We assumed that seafood, most probably crab, has been simmered for a long time, giving the broth such strong flavours. We did not feel thirsty after our meal, making us certain that Hock Soon prepares his broth from scratch, without the addition of MSG.

Finally, the Mazemen ($6.90) is a shrimp-infused dry ramen, accompanied by miso soup. The taste reminded us of “bak chor mee”. The fragrance was enhanced by huge dollops of sesame oil but the overall package just didn’t hit any right notes for us. Moreover, the miso soup was too bland, nothing impressive.

Ramen Taisho also serves one type of Donburi Rice Bowl – Chashu Negi Don ($5.90), as well as, a Kid’s Meal, consisting of chashu rice with miso soup. If you’re looking for a casual meal in an unpretentious setting, Ramen Taisho is the place for you.

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

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

The post Ramen Taisho – Delicious Artisanal Japanese Ramen below $10 appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

The East has Mr and Mrs Mohgan’s Super Crispy Roti Prata, while the central area has Sin Ming Roti Prata. Now, we’re adding one more delicious roti prata stall, Enaq, to our list of favourites! The popular prata stall is a hidden gem in the West and has just opened their second outlet at Ghim Moh a week ago.

The dough is made in the Ghim Moh outlet before it is sent to the outlet in Jurong East.

How do you know if the prata is good? Eat the kosong (plain) one! Each piece of plain prata costs $1 at Enaq. The dough is made daily before being pan-fried till a golden brown. Moderately thick, the prata carries a buttery aroma. The prata is wonderfully crisp on the outside, and fluffy inside. It’s not as oily as the prata(s) you get elsewhere.The prata tastes even more heavenly when you dip it into the special sambal chilli and curry.

The egg prata ($1.70) is well executed too! The dough has generous portions of eggs spread out nicely within. Every bite is full of eggy goodness! The prata is fluffy and chewy at the same time. We had such a satisfying breakfast that we’re planning to return for more.

Enaq also serves Thosai, Murtabak, Biryani, Chapati set meals and more. We shared a plate of Maggie Goreng ($3.50) on top of our pratas. The springy maggie noodles are cooked with just the right amount of spice, and stir-fried with eggs and vegetables. It’s such a simple dish but when the cooking is done well, there’s nothing to complain about.

Oh, and you have to get their Teh Tarik ($1) – it’s super shiok! Next time your prata craving kicks in, you know where to go! 

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

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

The post ENAQ – New Crispy Prata in Ghim Moh that You Shouldn’t Miss appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Opened two years ago, Takagi Ramen is run by Yang Kaiheng and his Australian-Japanese wife, Ai Takagi. Kaiheng specialised in science while Takagi majored in law, but they decided to fly to Australia to master the skills and techniques of ramen preparation from Takagi’s father. Her father brought over Japan’s Hakata Ramen to Melbourne, Australia, so the couple learnt everything from scratch before setting up the first Takagi Ramen in NUS.

Kaiheng and Takagi spend approximately 12 hours daily to prepare their soup. They recently increased the amount of meat and bones placed into the broth for simmering to make the broth richer and creamier than before. According to them, the toughest part about making ramen broth in a coffee shop is the issue of hygiene. Freshly-made pork broth spoils very easily, especially in Singapore’s humid conditions. While some places use preserved soup concentrate for ramen broth, the couple insists on making it fresh from bones and meat. The broth was indeed robust and flavoursome, with hints of porcine sweetness.

The eggs and chashu are also freshly prepared in-house, while the noodles are ordered from their Japanese food product supplier. The couple meticulously peels each and every egg before marinating them overnight. This process is as simple as ABC but can be a very time-consuming chore. The chashu is gently simmered and marinated for over 6 hours to ensure its tenderness, allowing it to have a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

We had the Miso Ramen ($6.50) and Black Tonkotsu ($6.90). The former features a miso-flavoured Tonkotsu noodle soup with corn while the latter boasts a Tonkotsu noodle soup with charred garlic oil, black fungus and bamboo shoots. The noodles are well-cooked and slightly springy. The broth for the Black Tonkotsu fared better as the flavours are stronger and more full-bodied. The savoury eggs with a runny centre and fork-tender chashu are great accompaniments to the bowl of ramen. There’s also an added crunch thanks to the black fungus and bamboo shoots. Every mouthful leaves you feeling satisfied.

We also shared a plate of Deep-Fried Gyoza ($3.50). You can opt for the steamed version as well. A blend of minced chicken and vegetables are enveloped within a thin layer of gyoza skin and fried to a crisp golden brown. It wasn’t entirely crispy, but sightly chewy. We would’ve preferred the gyoza to be juicier, with stronger flavours.

Although running a hawker stall is exhausting, and requires long hours of standing in the crazy heat, the couple feels that it is less stressful than when they were in their previous jobs. We felt that the standard of Takagi Ramen is quite good, given that they’re a hawker stall and their dishes are priced so affordably. Taste is very personal and subjective so you’ll have to try it and pass your own verdict. 

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

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

The post Takagi Ramen – Satisfy your Ramen cravings in Ang Mo Kio’s heartland appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

What an interesting name, Ho-Jiak. Somehow, I pictured a hipster cafe serving nothing but traditional Singaporean food. In the end, hipster cafe yupp, but we got Japanese rice bowls instead! Ho-Jiak, which also means delicious in Hokkien, is tucked away on the second storey of Fuji Xerox Tower.

The menu is super simple – pick your proteins and you’re done! Oven-baked Chicken Leg ($7.90) or Pork Shoulder Shabu ($8.90) or Beef Shabu ($10.90) – what’s your choice?

The chicken leg was unfortunately too popular a chick that it was totally sold out for lunch. The beef and pork were both very lean, yet it was still satisfactorily tender. However, they were lacking in some seasoning, in my opinion. I could stir it in the curry, but it wasn’t sufficient to even fully coat the rice. I don’t know about you but I love my rice absolutely bathed in curry, but this wasn’t the case, sadly.

The Chicken Kaarage ($4.50) is another plain chick, out there in search for a sauce partner which never seems to appear. While the chicken chunks were crispy, moist and tender, it tasted like those from a packet sold in supermarkets. Now, can someone please grant that poor chicken her wish for a husband?

The verdict? Average it is. But it’s definitely a convenient place to grab a quick lunch or chill out over some beers in the Tanjong Pagar area. In the meantime, preparations for a bar is ongoing and that could be a good reason to head back. Food wise, I am hoping that this cafe of almost 2 months will truly grow to deliver what their shop name promises to deliver. 

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

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

The post Ho-Jiak – Inexpensive Rice Bowls on Anson Road (Below $11) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Lady luck is finally on our side! We visited Foon’s Thai Recipe twice in the past two weeks but they were closed. We finally got the chance to try their Thai style wanton mee yesterday. Foon’s family used to run a wanton mee stall in Hatyai so Foon learnt the recipe from them. Having moved to Singapore for more than a decade, she decided to open a hawker stall to sell wanton noodles.

We ordered both the dry and soup version of wanton noodles, which is priced at $4 per bowl. For the dry version, normal mee kia is accompanied with char siew, wanton and chilli flakes. Sauces such as fish sauce, chilli sauce and char siew sauce have also been added in. Foon gets all her sauces from Thailand and makes her own chilli sauce, lard oil and char siew sauce. You can toss some green chilli in as well, for that zesty finish.

The noodle is springy with a nice bite, while the char siew is tender and not too dry. The size of wantons are slightly bigger than what we get in a plate of local wanton mee. They are generously stuffed with minced meat. Just give the bowl a good toss, and you’ll be enjoying mouthfuls of flavourful wanton mee. We found it tastier than our local version.

While Foon’s dry wanton noodle is decent, the soup version didn’t impress. The noodles and char siew are too bland while the soup is too peppery for our liking. We only realised later on, that we have to mix and match all the Thai condiments placed on the counter of Foon’s hawker stall before savouring this dish.

Besides going for the two famous wanton mee stalls at Old Airport Road Food Centre, you can consider trying Foon’s Thai Recipe the next time you’re there.

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

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

The post Foon’s Thai Recipe – Tasty Thai-Style Wanton Mee at Old Airport Road appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Opened by the brother-in-law of the owner of Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh, Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh was started more than 3 decades ago. In 2015, they relocated from Yuhua hawker centre to a coffee shop just two blocks away. It was also then, that the second-generation took over the stall. As compared to other bak kut teh stalls in Singapore, Joo Siah’s broth is very peppery, perhaps one of the most peppery ones around.

The Spare Ribs Soup ($7.50) arrived piping hot, with an intense peppery aroma. The broth is steeped with flavours and the tender lean meat detaches easily from the ribs. Dunking the you tiao ($1) into the peppery broth makes these fried dough sticks very addictive. We also had preserved vegetables ($2) to accompany our bak kut teh but it didn’t fare well. We suggest that you skip it.

You should also forget your diet and sink your teeth into the Pig’s Trotter ($5.50). After going through hours of marinating, boiling and simmering, this herbal pig’s trotter is exceptionally tender and well-braised. It contains a substantial amount of lean meat enveloped within a gelatinous layer. Mix your rice with the dark gravy and you’ll get a match made in heaven.

Do go hungry so you’ll not be torn between finishing the pig’s trotter and slurping down the peppery bak kut teh broth. We always leave this stall feeling very satisfied!

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

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

The post Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh – Wonderful Peppery Broth For Rainy Days appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Monday?! Seriously?! We’re not sure why this night market opens only on Monday, but if you’re ever on leave on a Monday and visiting Johor Bahru, you might want to check this place out. Pasar Malam in JB is priced so affordably for us, due to the exchange rate. Stretching from KSL Shopping Centre to the Grand Paragon Hotel, you’ll find stalls selling a variety of fresh produce, as well as, cooked food. Not sure where to begin? Here’s a list of foods you might want to try here.

Old School Mee Chiam Kueh

Known as Apam Balik in JB, this snack is traditionally filled with crushed peanuts and sugar. However, with the influx of Japanese pancakes (Dorayaki) with fillings such as red beans, cream cheese, chocolate etc., the traditional mee chiam kueh is fast disappearing. We’re elated to find this stall still sticking to traditional fillings so we had ours with peanut and corn. The peanuts gave the soft kueh a nice nutty fragrance, and a good crunch while the corn gave this snack a sweet finish. Don’t forget to pair it with fresh soy milk – a match made in heaven!

Chwee Kueh & Chee Cheong Fan

The stall sells both chwee kueh and chee cheong fan. However, the taste and texture weren’t to our liking. The chwee kueh is more dense as compared to those we have in Singapore. The generous amount of chai po is not salty enough. This dish would’ve been better if it’s more savoury. On the other hand, this chee cheong fun outshone every dish we tried that particular Monday evening. It boasts a silky smooth texture, with a good balance of sweet and savoury flavours. It’s best to devour it while it’s hot.

White Carrot Cake

The white carrot cake here is a tad more mushy and not as flavoursome as we expected. It was a little bland, but we could taste the chai po and yam.

Black Carrot Cake

The constant clanking sound of those spatulas and aroma of this black carrot cake were what drew our attention to this stall. This black version fared better than the white one we tried just minutes earlier. We were observing the hawker while queuing for a packet and “WOW!” – the amount of eggs added in is ridiculous, in a good way. Although we simply love this eggy goodness, you might find yourselves eating more eggs than rice cake, which is supposed to be the key ingredient. The sweetness is just right though! Shiok!

Nasi Lemak

While the rice fell short on the coconut fragrance, the crispy and well-marinated chicken made up for it. We were warned that they serve killer chilli but it wasn’t THAT spicy. Oh man, we’re beginning to salivate just reminiscing the taste of the chicken. Next time, we would probably just feast on a huge drumstick!

Penang Assam Laksa & Chendol

Sad to say, this is one of the foods that we’ll rank last at this night market. The Assam Laksa is very diluted and bland. Where’s the sourish taste? The spice has zero kick. What a boring bowl! Moreover, the chendol has a strange taste. We suspect that artificial Gula Melaka has been used.

Besides the food that we have mentioned, Teochew kueh, Nonya kueh, fruits, roast meat, grilled meat, humongous buns and desserts are available as well. Our visit to KSL Monday Night Market marks a great end to our day trip to Johor Bahru.

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

The post [Johor Bahru] KSL Monday Night Market – Feast to Your Heart’s Content appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Find Korea’s best Korean street food here – even egg bread! We probably did something amazing in our previous lives to deserve this. Baro Baro is conveniently located at Tanjong Pagar Xchange, joining the stretch of eateries feeding hundreds of hungry souls during lunch hour.

I’m sure fans of the egg bread snack are curious about the taste. “How do theirs compare to the ones in Korea?” There are 4 flavours ($3 each) available – Original, Corn Mayo, Bacon Cheese and Chicken BBQ. I would say, just get the Original – classics will remain classics. The bread isn’t a regular fluffy bread. It has a dense cake-like texture and is slightly sweet. When combined with the savoury whole egg, it makes for one of the best snacks in Korea. However, with much difficulty, I have to break it to you that you will still need to fly to Korea for the real deal.

Kimbab ($6) is another street food that you cannot afford to miss out on. It’s fuss-free, healthy and absolutely delicious – what’s not to love? Baro Baro’s rendition of a Tuna Kimbab won’t blow your mind to the ends of the globe, but good enough to keep your Korean food cravings on hold. After all, it’s really hard to get kimbab to taste bad.

I know it sounds like a stupid idea to pay $7 for a bowl of Ramyun. But we just can’t help it sometimes okay… The Spicy Noodle Soup ($7) kept calling out to us that day (conveniently shifting the blame…) so of course, we just had to go with it. However, this was a tad disappointing. If I’m paying $7 for a bowl for a bowl of instant noodles, I would expect at least some accompanying dishes, not just an egg and some mushrooms… For the noodles and soup, I’m sure that we all know how it tastes like.

We requested for Noodle Toppoki ($6) without noodles since we already ordered Ramyun. Hmmm, as usual, it’s really average. After gobbling down like ten chewy rice cakes, it might be a tad spicy for some. And that’s when their light bulb coolers come in handy to put out the fire.

The Blue Lemon Soda ($5) was just too fizzy. The novelty is present, but I will not order that beverage again. The only plus point is that you can bring the light bulb home afterwards!

There is nothing amazing about this Korean eatery, but I wouldn’t mind popping by to enjoy some Kimbab. Baro Baro is having a promotion now – order any set meal and you’ll receive a light bulb cooler on the house.

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

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

The post Baro Baro – Popular Korean Street Food Under One Roof appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Serangoon Garden is well-known for being a foodie’s heaven. There’s a wide array of food choices in myVillage mall, hawker centres, of which Chomp Chomp outshines everything else, and along the rustic-looking two-storey shophouses. However, if you’re an early-riser, you should definitely check out Serangoon Garden Market. Besides sinking your teeth into delectable, traditional hawker fare, some modernised stalls have made the market their second “home”. We bring you 10 delicious hawker stalls that are worth making the trip to Serangoon Garden.

Seng Kee Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle
Unit: #01-36
Opening Hours: Tue-Sat 7.30am to 1.30pm. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Nothing is more welcoming that a rich bowl of fishmaw soup filled with generous servings of minced pork, pork liver, quality fish maw, and braised mushroom slices. Seng Kee has been in business for 36 years. Owner Mr Lee started out in Eunos before settling here in Serangoon Gardens a few years ago. 

We guarantee that you will have no regrets if you go for the $10 bowl. Each bowl of cloudy soup is very tasty and full of flavour. The soup is boiled with pork bones for hours and dried sole fish (ti poh) is added for extra depth and umami. The noodles are cooked till al dente and tossed with chilli and thick mushroom sauce. 

Lad & Dad
Unit: #01-32
Opening Hours: Wed-Sun 12pm to 8pm. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladanddadsg/

Lad & Dad is a joint effort between a father and son. Diners can expect British-inspired food with a local touch. The Lad’s Beef Stew ($12) comes with hand-mashed potatoes, seasonal salad and fragrant rice. Flavored with herbs and loaded with huge chunks of beef, the robust stew is the kind of comfort food that brings warmth on a rainy day.

Pancake King
Unit: #01-25
Opening Hours: 7am to 9.30pm daily.
Website: http://pancakeking.com/

Pancake King only uses fresh and natural ingredients. There’s no MSG, artificial flavouring, or preservatives added. They have this policy that if, for any reason, a customer dislikes their products, they will issue a full refund. They serve four flavours of pancakes (mee chiam kueh) – coconut, red bean paste, cheese and peanuts.

Their pancakes are crispy on the outside, yet soft and spongy on the inside. These pancakes are made fresh daily, without any oil used during the cooking process. Their pancake dough doesn’t contain eggs too. They also serve local delights such as curry puffs, carrot kueh, hum ji beng, prawn/peanut/ikan bilis fritters and more. Gorgeous cakes made from top quality butter from New Zealand and Australia can be found here too.

Garden Street Kway Chap
Unit: #01-21
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 8am to 3pm. Closed on Mondays.

This is quite a gem in Serangoon Garden Market. The kway is soft and delicate, the braising sauce fairly good, the innards not too chewy and the tau pok not too dry. What really caught our attention though, was the meat, as it was not the usual fatty meat. Although the lean meat looked a little dry, it was very tender and well-braised.

Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery
Unit: #01-45/46
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 6.30am to 3pm. Closed on Mondays.

Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery has been around in Serangoon Garden for at least 30 years. They serve old-school buns like the classic luncheon meat buns, tuna buns, ikan bilis buns, otah buns, and many others. You can also find butter cake, banana cake and walnut cake. We noticed many people taking away their signature marble cake. All these are freshly baked in-house so pair them with a strong cuppa kopi to kickstart your day! We had the tuna bun ($1), which was still slightly warm, as well as, a slice of the banana cake ($0.80).

Aliff Nasi Lemak
Unit: #01-27
Opening Hours: 7.30am to 2pm, or till sold out. Closed on Mondays and Fridays.

There are very few nasi lemak stalls in Singapore that use basmati rice, probably because it costs more. However, we love it! Basmati rice is light and boasts a fluffy texture. At Aliff Nasi Lemak, rice is cooked with only freshly-squeezed coconut milk and pandan leaves. High grade ikan bilis are also used. The wings are marinated with freshly ground spices – each bite had a mix of crisp skin and tender meat. So satisfying! Last but not least, the sambal will definitely knock your socks off!

Serangoon Garden Carrot Cake & Wanton Noodle
Unit: #01-13
Opening Hours: 7am to 4pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

There are a few stalls in Serangoon Garden Market selling fried carrot cake, but this stall is still our favourite. The standard of their fried carrot cake has been consistent throughout the years, and the portion is always very generous. Most importantly, they fry the carrot cake with huge amounts of sweet sauce. If you have a sweet tooth, this plate of greasy goodness will certainly lift your spirits.

Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice
Unit: #01-44
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 11am to 9pm, closed on Sundays.

This is one of the stalls in the market which always has a super long queue. Ah Seng serves authentic Teochew-style braised duck. Its braising liquid is light but surprisingly tasty. Each slice of duck meat has a good bite and pairs up brilliantly with the side of white rice that has been drizzled with gravy.

Soon Huat Pig’s Organ Soup
Unit: #01-42
Opening Hours: Tue – Sun 9.30am to 4pm, closed on Mondays

Soon Huat is another stall that is used to long queues. The pig’s organ soup comes with the typical ingredients like liver, intestines, pork slices and preserved vegetables. The broth is armed with a balance of saltiness and sweetness, and a slight tanginess from the preserved vegetables. Tip: you can refill the soup for free.

Dip the well-cleaned innards into the chilli sauce and pair it with rice. Don’t forget to order their pork knuckle too. 

Rolina Singapore Traditional Hainanese Curry Puff
Unit: #01-33
Opening Hours: Tue – Sun 7am to 4pm, closed on Mondays
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/RolinaSingaporeTraditionalHainaneseCurryPuffs/

Rolina has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a roadside stall outside Novena Church more than 50 years ago. Founder, Mr Tham, learnt how to make curry puffs from a sailor when he was just 19. Rolina’s name came from a twist to the word “Novena”. It’s an eye-opener watching the staff wrap curry puffs in the stall. All the spices and ingredients are still prepared by hand and the puffs are made fresh everyday. Deep fried till perfection, the filling is spicy but very addictive. I thought a mouthful is good enough but I finished the whole puff instead. 

There’s an abundance of local fare to treat yourselves to at Serangoon Garden Market, so it’s best to go with a big group so you get to try a little of everything.

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

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

The post 10 Delicious Hawker Stalls to Check Out at Serangoon Garden Market appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

How many of us are still climbing our way to the top of the success ladder? Some of us are barely staying afloat and it doesn’t help that a meal in CBD often demands at least $5. As such, we often end up with a meagre amount to bring home every month.

But don’t surrender to the unnecessary “exorbitant” lifestyle. If there’s a will, there’s a way. And this is the way that we have specially paved for you to consider – a comprehensive food diary comprising of Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in the CBD for a typical 5-day work week. ALL UNDER $50!! Yes, it’s humanely possible.

Let’s speedboat towards the 6 DIGIT bank account balance together. Read on to find out how.

Sian-Day Monday – $9.80

Breakfast: Chwee Kueh ($1.80)

Situated towards the back of Clifford Centre, a nameless eatery offering local delights awaits. We were shocked that they genuinely do not have a shop name, but #01-K3 is the clue! Receive 5 plump chwee kueh (steamed rice cakes) topped with ample preserved turnips for just $1.80 – what a steal! The chwee kueh are a little denser than what we would have liked, but the greasy and fragrant turnips seemed to be screaming 加油 (add oil) for my dreadful Monday. Thank you, I really needed that encouragement.

Lunch: Nasi Padang ($3)

Despite the huge number of office workers invading the area during lunch hour, the delicious food at Shenton House lacks an online presence for some reason. Or maybe, they want to keep it a secret. Tucked away at the last eatery, this Nasi Padang has won countless hearts over the years. For just $3, you can order 1 meat + 2 vegetables/egg on top of the amazing portion of rice drenched in curry. Doesn’t the chicken drumstick look so appetizing? My eyes were glued to it the moment I stepped into the eatery. The meat ended up tasting slightly dry, but the crispy skin made up for it.

Dinner: Pad Thai ($5)

My nose picked up the lovely aroma of stir-fried noodles as I was on my search for dinner at Amoy Street Food Centre. I went for the classic Pad Thai ($5) that was indeed satisfying and good value for money. SAP Thai Food is a relatively recent addition and has a pretty extensive menu representative of Little Thailand. I was too excited to tuck into the piping hot noodles, that I even found squeezing the lime a chore. The umami flavours radiated throughout the dish, ending my Monday on a pleasant note.

Fry-My-Brain Tuesday – $9.00

Breakfast: Fried Bee Hoon ($1.50)

I don’t only get Monday Blues, I get Tuesday Blues too. So, I need to recharge for Day 2 with energy boosters like Fried Bee Hoon. This takeaway box will surprise you with just how much noodles are packed inside. The Bee Hoon is a tad plain, and could do with less oil. However, you will really appreciate this dish if you’re up for a super busy day ahead.

Lunch: Chicken Leg Angel Hair Pasta ($5)

Shall I invite you into the house of Italian food? Taste Affair is one of Amoy’s newest guests, injecting fresh vibes into the old building. For $5, you may twirl away with a good serving of Chicken Leg Angel Hair Pasta coated with a chili oil-based sauce. Looking beyond the pasta, the tender chicken actually emerged as the angel of the meal. Also, a golden poached egg is never a bad idea.

Dinner: Nasi Lemak ($2.50)

While you may pick your own dishes, we went with Set C ($2.50). This Nasi Lemak (which means ‘fatty rice’) comes with a huge scoop of green long-grain rice, filled with subtle coconut notes. Spice your carbs up with an ikan kuning, otah, ikan bilis, a sunny side up and a spoonful of sambal chili which will curb your nasi lemak cravings temporarily. For me, the sambal chili plays an important role in bringing the whole dish together, but unfortunately, it was more sweet than spicy. Nevertheless, within the CBD, this plate suffices.

I-Am-Dead Wednesday -$8.60

Breakfast: Curry Puff ($0.60)

Sometimes, I wake up craving some Indian spices to heat me up for the day. Do you? Especially when I am in a rush, a curry puff is my go-to breakfast. The Real One Teh Tarik & Indian Food prepares a whole range of cheap eats that includes 60-cents curry puffs. Despite the puff skin being slightly thick, the flavourful filling was a joy to savour. Although they are small, I’m cool knowing that I will be having a heavy lunch later.

Lunch: Fried Kway Teow Mee ($3)

Told you that it would be heavy, but I forgot to mention that it’s tasty and smoky as well. Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee – this name shouldn’t be foreign to the CBD crowd. The first outlet is kickstarted by Mr Ng’s father at Metropole Cinema in the 50s, and Mr Ng is now in charge of the second outlet in Outram Park. The noodles are smooth, thoroughly coated with a special black sauce and awesomely packed with a wallop of wok hei. And, we couldn’t possibly do without the cockles, beansprouts, fried pork lard and egg, right?

Dinner: Hand Crafted Salad ($5)

To combat the greasy lunch I had earlier, I wanted something light and guilt-free. Off I skipped towards Tanjong Pagar MRT to grab my precious box of greens. Your eyes will sparkle at the plethora of brightly-coloured toppings and dressings; don’t hesitate to ask the staff for recommendations! 1 premium (protein) + 3 toppings, and a box of 5 toppings are both sold at $5. In the end, I decided to go for smoked duck, corn, purple cabbage, carrots and Japanese sesame dressing that evening. Not to forget, the cosy ambience and friendly staff played a part in putting a smile on my face.

Press-On-A-Little-More Thursday – $8.10

Breakfast: Peanut Pancake ($0.90)

I never want to live a week in CBD without Frankie’s Peanut Pancake. Located at the coffee shop at the junction of Boon Tat Street and Telok Ayer Street, the stall has a range of fluffy yet chewy ban chiang kueh which sells like hot pancakes. Get the combo version which is a mix of both red bean and peanut for just 90 cents. This spongy pancake is a reminiscence of my childhood and I absolutely love it.

Lunch: Mee Rebus ($2)

$2 noodles?! Yes, you saw that right. Uncle Ah Cai has kept his prices constant since 22 years ago; this uncle is a true friend. He wakes up at 3am daily and heads to the coffeeshop to prepare the noodles. You will be spoilt for choice as there are 8 different types of noodles – mee siam, prawn noodles, laksa, wanton noddles, fishball noodles, bak chor mee, mee rebus, lor mee. If you’re seriously troubled over what to eat, I will suggest the hearty mee rebus – yellow noodles swimming in a thick potato-based gravy.

Dinner: Aussie Rolls ($5.20 for 3 rolls)

Wrap your day up with some charming rolls from the basement of Chevron House. The rolls are usually priced at $2.60 onwards for one. However, get a bang for your buck from 6pm onwards. You can purchase 3 rolls for the price of 2! Mhmmmmm, all 31 of them looked delightful but the indecisive me finally settled on Tuna, Korean Bulgogi and Sweet & Spicy Calamari. The Calamari Roll stood out the most as a result of the interesting combination of textures and flavours.

Drink-Drank-Drunk Friday – $13.90

Breakfast: Popiah ($1.40)

Start your day on a roll, with this traditional Fujian snack. Similar to how a burrito is made, stir-fried turnips, beansprouts, lettuce, mashed hard boiled eggs and peanuts are wrapped in a thin crepe-like skin. It isn’t too heavy, so you can pop this Singaporean-favourite into your mouth easily. I particularly enjoyed the delicate popiah skin, even though I feel that the uncle could have been more generous with the sauce.

Lunch: Hainanese Curry Rice ($2.50)

Hainanese Curry Rice Sets start from only $2.50 here, and this Pork Chop Rice Set costs exactly $2.50. It is almost unbelievable that such a generous amount of comfort food comes at such an affordable price. The pork chop is served crispy and tender, despite coming with a limited amount of fat. Watch as the auntie pours the fragrant curry over the rice; it didn’t turn out spicy at all. This was easily one of the tastiest hawker meals, but prepare your battle gear for the insane queue that stretches to no end during lunch hour.

Dinner: Ninja Burger

TGIF!!! What does that mean? Suit up, it’s time to reward yourself with a treat to end the stressful week. Does a burger sound good to you? Well, it surely did sound like heaven to me. In the heart of bustling Raffles Place lies a silent Dojo, which is home to affordable burgers. In fact, they specialise in pork burgers which isn’t the most common in Singapore. Bite into a juicy pork patty dressed with a special oriental sauce, sandwiched between freshly toasted buns. You would wanna pair the porky goodness with some addictive fries that are worth all the calories. All at just $10 nett (Pss no GST and service charge)! It doesn’t deserve a “OMG THIS IS SO GOOD, LET ME CRY IN HAPPINESS”, but experience the unparalleled feeling of satisfaction after a week of scrimping.

Total: $49.40!!!!!!

YES, WE DID IT, WE DID IT!

Give me a Hi-5! $50 under a week in CBD, who says we can’t achieve that? I had a very fulfilling week putting myself to the challenge, and I genuinely hope that this will come in handy for anyone and everyone.

If you are up for this challenge, do tell us how it went and if you managed to complete it! Also, if you have other ideas for affordable meals in the CBD, please share with us!

The post Budget Tam Chiak – 15 Meals for Less Than $50 in 5 Days (CBD Edition) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Opened by two partners in October 2015, Padi Emas Coffeeshop has been pleasing the tastebuds of their customers, especially when it comes to their seafood items. We spoke to one of the partners, Yusof Erksan, who used to be a Real Estate Agent before joining the F&B industry. He manages 7 stalls within this coffeeshop, and we were drawn to one of his latest creations – Beef/Lamb Kut Teh. Yusof hopes to whet appetites by offering this Halal version of locals’ favourite “Bak Kut Teh” dish.

Strictly following the instructions and methods given by a Malaysian chef, the folks at Padi Emas use 14 types of herbs for the broth. There are common herbs such as danggui, cinnamon, star anise, wolf berries, and a couple of secret ingredients. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of mutton, but Padi Emas’ Lamb Kut Teh has no gamey taste. Each spoonful of broth is flavourful with deep herbal flavours. The lamb ribs are tender, with a good mixture of lean meat and fatty layers. Remember to dip the ribs into their super shiok sambal balachan, which is tangy and fiery at the same time. Each portion of Lamb Kut Teh costs $7, and is best savoured on a cool rainy day. There is also Beef Kut Teh ($6) available here.

You can also treat yourself to a hearty Claypot Rice or Noodles here. It was a pity that the claypot noodles were already sold out, but the Beef Claypot Rice ($5.50) was also appetising. Each slice of beef is well done, but still tender. We love the runny egg which oozes out gloriously out to coat the rice. For us, the best part of claypot rice is always the crispy and smokey grains stuck at the bottom of the claypot. Don’t worry, it’s alright to indulge once in a blue moon!

Looking for midday light bites? The Tahu Goreng ($4) and Goreng Pisang ($2 for 4 pieces) are great choices. Soft and silky tofu is drenched in generous amounts of thick sweet sauce with peanut, and topped with shredded cucumber and bean sprouts. Each bite features a nice crunch, with a nutty finish. The Goreng Pisang, on the other hand, is slightly sweet and crispy. It’s enjoyable and we definitely don’t mind tabao-ing some back as snacks!

Padi Emas Coffeeshop also serves sambal stingray and other seafood choices. We are planning to return for them. For those staying in the West, here’s another coffeeshop for you to explore!

Note: This is an invited tasting.

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

The post Padi Emas Coffeeshop – Heavenly Halal Lamb Kut Teh in the West appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Before we embark on an overseas trip, we will always do some research on where to find delicious eats. Likewise, if you’re coming to our sunny island, we’re pretty sure you’ll be spoilt for choice the moment you google “what to eat in Singapore” or “hawker food in Singapore”. There are over a hundred hawker centres in Singapore, but, how do you know which ones are worth your visit, especially when time is very limited? Well, look no further as we’ve shortlisted 9 of our favourite hawker centres to satisfy your palates!

Old Airport Road Food Centre

Accessible by Dakota MRT (Circle Line), this hawker centre offers a wide array of food to tickle your tastebuds. You can go for light bites such as kaya toasts from Toast Hut, chee cheong fun from Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun, porridge from Xin Mei porridge, and the famous soy beancurd from either Lao Ban Soya Beancurd or 51 Soya Bean for breakfast. For a heartier meal, there is Singaporeans’ favourite Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee, Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow, roasted meats from Roast Paradise, a couple of wanton mee stalls, rojak, and more. If you’ve already tried our local hawker fare at other food centres, you can opt for Unkai Japanese cuisine for fresh seafood,which ranges from grilled scallops to shucked oysters.

East Coast Lagoon Food Village

If you happen to be basking in the sun or participating in some recreational activities at East Coast Park, you might want to drop by this food centre for a meal. Opened since 1977, this food centre features many long-standing hawker stalls. You will find that many of them are now run by 2nd generation hawkers. The curry fish head from Eastern Red Seafood stall and Popiah from Lagoon Carrot Cake stall are good for sharing. The curry is thick, with just the right amount of punch, while the popiah is generously filled. Every bite consists of a great combination of textures.

On rainy days, you can savour Bak Kut Teh and Pork Trotters from Han Jia Bak Kut Teh. The latter is so tender that its meat will melt in your mouth. Supper-goers can share a plate of satay. Remember to dip the succulent meats into their homemade satay sauce for that nutty oomph!

Tekka Market & Food Centre

One of Singapore’s greatest assets is its wet markets which are full of exotic and authentic food. They are also where some of the nation’s oldest butchers and fishmongers chop and scale fresh food any way you desire. Besides the market, Tekka Centre in Little India has a food centre that offers delightful dishes like nasi briyani from Allauddin’s Briyani , prawn noodles from 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles and duck rice from Heng Gi. The chicken briyani is excellent. The Dhalchat and the chicken curry complement the rice very well. It might be a tad spicy for some of you though.

Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre

Here, you can find a wide variety of scrumptious hawker food that are familiar to long queues on weekends. Ask any Singaporean and they can name you at least 2 dishes worth trying at this food centre. Our favourite is Jian Bo Shui Kueh. The firm and moist kueh is topped with fragrant chye poh. There are two lor mee stalls serving different variations of lor mee (Tiong Bahru Lor Mee & 178 Lor Mee). You can also find Lee Hong Kee Roast Meat, Tiong Bahru Fishballs and Tiong Bahru Pau (buns and dim sum items). Don’t forget to get some desserts from Liang Liang Garden to put a sweet end to your feast.

Do note that Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre will be closed for three months from Monday (Feb 20) for renovations.

Changi Village Hawker Centre

Changi Village is a historical spot for Singapore. Learn about our past at Changi Chapel and Museum or take a stroll along Changi Boardwalk. Hungry from your adventures? Head to Changi Village Hawker Centre for a tasty meal. Locals who frequent Changi Village would know about the nasi lemak served at Mizzy’s Corner, and at Sri Sujana Muslim Food. Beware of the sambal chilli which gives a fiery kick. Up for something more exotic? The mushrooms and chicken feet noodles, soaked in their special sauce is an option! You can find this at Jia Mei Wanton Mee. There is also seafood white bee hoon from Woon Woon Pek Beehoon.

Maxwell Food Centre

Maxwell Food Centre is always crowded as it’s located near Chinatown. You will spot two stalls that always have a line forming – Tian Tian Chicken Rice and Xing Xing Tapioca Kueh! The former has been in business since 1986 and defeated Gordon Ramsay at the Hawker Heroes Challenge. That already speaks a lot about their food. The latter serves steamed tapioca cake which is absolutely delightful and lovely. However, our favourite is the ondeh ondeh! The best part about these coconut-coated glutinous rice balls is definitely the filling inside, which literally explodes in your mouth with a burst of gula melaka. The noodles from Guan’s Mee Pork which comes with fish maw and tamago egg is worth trying too. 

Amoy Street Food Centre

Built in 1983, this hawker centre faithfully serves the Central Business District lunch crowd. During peak lunch hours, queues are long and it’s difficult to find a seat. However, at other times, it’s pretty much a ghost town. Food choices range from Thai cuisine from SAP Thai Food, to Western cuisine from Taste Affair, to fusion food from A Noodle Story. It’s a perfect idea to grab a cup of traditional Nanyang coffee with kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs from Ah Seng (Hai Nam) Coffee to perk you up in the mornings.

Timbre+

Timbre+ (Timbre Plus) has transformed the old Ayer Rajah hawker centre into a gastropark. Graffiti and spray paint art are splashed all over shipping containers and vintage Airstream travel trailers that have been transformed into food trucks. Timbre+ is home to 21 hawker stalls that usually close around 6pm, and 15 restaurant brands that serve you till late. Some recommended stalls are Wong Kee Wanton Noodles, Fishball Story, Nora Nasi Padang and Roxy Laksa. The atmosphere here is great and there’s live music every night after 7.30pm. 

Golden Mile Food Centre

This place is ideal if you’re taking a weekend trip to Malaysia, as coaches often depart from Golden Mile Complex, which is opposite the hawker centre. Perhaps, you might want to pop over to the hawker centre for Quan Jia Fu (全佳福) Nasi Lemak, Hainan Hokkien Mee, and 91 Fried Kway Teow Mee, before catching your transport to Malaysia. You can also check out the interesting army market located a level above the hawker centre.

Hope you’ll find our guide and recommendations useful! 

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

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

The post 9 Best Hawker Centres in Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

HUNGRY HUNGRY HUNGRY. I WANT BURGERS. HUGE ONES.

Burgers have a special place in my food. It ain’t the most photogenic, ain’t the easiest to manage, ain’t the most gorgeous, but that’s whats’s unique about them. I wanna dig into them with my bare hands. I wanna stretch my jaws so wide to get a huge mouthful. I wanna be left speechless when the amazing flavours hit me time and time again. It’s so simple, yet it’s one of the heartiest and most and filling meals. There’s a reason why burgers never cease to exist in this world.

Burgers… The bigger, the better. And if they are under $20, all the better. But then again, there are probably a million different kinds sold all over this island. And not all of them will turn out great, it’s unfortunate but it’s true. So, right here are 16 XL burgers which stole my heart. Burger up, and let’s zoom right in.

Disclaimer: We’re not responsible for the potential food babies and love handles that might make an uninvited appearance.

Bergs Gourmet Burgers

Our first contestant – a ginormous monster bigger than my hands. The BERG with Cheese features the classic BERG patty topped with fresh vegetables and Aioli & BERGS sauce. Choose from cheddar, swiss or blue cheese to cheese that handsome up! The lack of strong seasoning allowed the beef to shine, though some might find it a tad bland. If you’re a beast and that burger is still not enough to fill you up, the thick-cut fries dipped in the spicy BBQ sauce will finish off the job for you. Now, we know that Haji Lane ain’t just about OOTDs, fashion and cafes yeah?

Burger Joint

Pssss, I’m gonna let you in on a hidden gem smack right in the middle of CBD. You may have walked past it so many times, without notice it at all. Burger Joint, a heaven of burgers and booze all behind the façade of an ordinary-looking door. Love it or hate it, Burger Joint insists on offering you the true flavours of their premium beef patties by cutting out any seasoning. The beef might be a tad plain on its own, but trust me, the entire burger will have you smiling for hours.

Candour Coffee

I bet just the name Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Burger ($13.90++) will set off thousands of fireworks in your brain. Ooohhhh, what you don’t know is that even more will go off once this 5-inch burger makes its alarming entrance into your mouth. In between two brioche buns lies a whole chicken thigh wrapped with mozzarella cheese and smoky bacon strips, and some sassy BBQ sauce. Thankfully, the taste matched up to its appearance. And not to forget, the sweet brioche bun was a pleasant change up from the regular burger buns. I’m swiping right for you, Mr. Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Burger!

Dojo

Dojo refers to a formal training place for Japanese martial arts practitioners. Inspired by Japanese culture, Dojo has set itself apart by creating an array of pork burgers. Unleash your inner cravings and go for the Hadoken ($13) which comprises a juicy pork patty, layered with spicy chilli meat sauce, cheese and bacon. It feels like a twist to the Rendang burger, with the crunchy, smoky bacon taking it one notch higher. If you’re somehow not feeling the local flavours today, you have 13 other equally delicious burger options as all of them are under $20 whoo! PS: No GST and service charge!

Fat Boys

Oh boy, I would have so regretted it if I missed out on this glorious burger – “The Yolo” ($19.80++). A well-seasoned beef patty cooked to a medium (with lamb and pork options available), is joined by a sunny side up, fried spam, fried onion strings, mozzarella cheese sticks and smoked chipotle. All that in between warm sesame seed buns. Yes, I know, it literally sounds like a potential heart attack. However, once you jump on the Fat Boys bandwagon, you’ll understand why the truckload of calories are worth it. Let’s face it, it is pretty impossible for this to taste bad, but nevertheless, the entire harmony of flavours surpassed our expectations. The beefy goodness, the all-so-familiar saltiness of the luncheon meat, plus the oozy magma-like cheese… I hear the crowd going mad already.

Grit @ Pek Kio

Rock those masculine guns and pans! 4 young, promising chaps have taken the route of a new-gen hawker, and have continuously impressed us with their creations. If classics float your boat, simply get the Double Cheeseburger ($9.90). Man, those well-executed beef patties and fragrant, fluffy buns! Although the binding of the ground beef could be improved on, for $9.90, it would be a crime to whine. In addition, the buns were toasted perfectly, providing a nice warm pillow for the patties to rest on. Not to forget, the addictive cheese fries deserve a honourable mention! The hard work that goes into Grit’s homemade cheese concoction of cheddar, nacho cheese sauce and cream totally paid off in our opinion.

GRUB

Didn’t think that a fish burger will make the cut? Well, maybe that’s because you haven’t seen this big burly fellow yet. Let’s take a moment to thank GRUB for a fish “patty” twice the size of a burger bun. Oh my…. This Crispy Fish Burger ($12) is an absolute beauty. There you have a golden XL crumbled fish fillet and remoulade in between the glistening brown cushions. If you are wondering, GRUB uses sustainable fish produce and avoids MSG, artificial preservatives and additives. Another perk of dining at GRUB! After diving into the fish, let’s not forget the chips which certainly did this cafe proud as well.

Half Pound

It’s time to loosen your belts and “crack” some knuckles. This Half Pound Burger ($18++) may be a newbie in the scene, but it is deserving of its seat here on our list. Let me tell you why. Look forward to a juicy 220g Angus beef patty, candied bacon, truffled Gouda, Monterey Jack and pickled daikon. The burger will capture your heart the moment you set your eyes on it. The thickness of the patty, which weighs half a pound, added to the burger’s towering height. We only wished for more truffled gouda atop the patty. On a side note, someone please just stop us; we simply couldn’t stop reaching out for the crispy fries. Pair that with their signature butter-based sauce and I betcha gonna say you never want to leave the restaurant.

The Quarters

Inspired by Singaporeans’ love for salted egg yolk, The Quarters’ The Real McCoy ($16) is a game changer. The thick and juicy chicken is oat-battered and infused with spiced buttermilk to get that tenderness and crispiness. It is accompanied by the homemade legendary salted egg aioli, a golden rich sauce that flows. This, is definitely better than McDonald’s.

Jinjja Chicken

A Korean casual restaurant has set its sights  on taking fast food far beyond fried chicken and fries. Browsing the menu, you will find an ample number of staples like burgers, rice and noodles that will entice all ages. The Chicken Burger ($7.90) consists of a whopping fried chicken fillet marinated identically to the soy sauce Korean fried chicken. The batter was crispy, flavourful and did not become soggy from the sauce. Jinjja Mashiseoyo! A burger isn’t complete without its long-time buddies – soft drink and fries, which will cost you a top up of just $2. The next time I’m looking for a quick meal in Bugis, Jinjja Chicken will be my first stop!

Kaw Kaw SG

Nestled in Aliwal Arts Centre, Kaw Kaw SG contains a lovely arty-fartsy vibe which is not commonly seen. After some annoyingly indecisive moments, we finally decided on The Permaisuri ($16.30) which was cooing to us. Here comes the attack of the upsized, upsized and upsized chicken! What stood out most was the generous amount of chicken floss tucked under the bun, as it added a unusual hint of sweetness. If you’re interested in furniture or art pieces, this place is literally your ecstasy as all the furniture and art pieces in the eatery are actually up for sale!

LOOF

Vegetarians, this Kimcheeseburger was born for you! Even without meat, a burger can still be equally impressive. Watch the grilled haloumi patty, kimchi and caramelized onions steal the show, even from the bulky meats. As expected from the ingenious pairing of kimchi and cheese, this spicy-salty combination will take you way higher than Loof rooftop bar. Cheese lovers are bound to go crazy over the bountiful block of cheese. Just like the icing on a cake, the caramelized onions enhanced the whole stack with its slight sweetness! After your sumptuous meal, make a dash for Loof’s Mama Shop which evokes nostalgic childhood memories. 

Third & Sixth Bistrobar

Diet? What is diet? Throw that idea away for a day and simply indulge in the beautiful things life has to offer, such as this Messy Mexican burger ($14). As the name suggests, expect to get your fingers and even palms dirty. A 150g beef patty topped off with cheddar cheese and chili con carne will brighten your day instantly. Although the protein was cooked to a good medium rare, the exterior of the patty could have been less dry. I particularly enjoyed the chili con carne, which lent the beef patty a lovely heat. While you chomp down mercilessly, treat yourself to some booze at Third & Sixth if you need a short “getaway” from life.

Wolf Burgers

Next in line, we have the artery-clogging Alpha Burger ($14.90). Truly worthy of its name, this is THE alpha male in the wolf pack at Pasarbella. So, what will you be receiving? Two 100g Australian grass-fed beef patties stacked up, caramelised onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and American cheese sandwiched between two airy brioche buns. Wolf Burgers has managed to nail the seasoning in its protein, allowing the beef to taste divine even on its own. With no GST and Service Charge, the Alpha Burger is undoubtedly one of the best quality burgers below $15! Just an extra note, Wolf Burger does its meat medium unless requested otherwise.

Wew, this is it. You can’t help but salivate right? Instead of just dreaming of them burgers, show us how beastly you can be too. Despite chugging down so many of these giants, I can safely say that I am still up for more burgers. I CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH OF THEM.

Long live burgers.

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

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

The post Champion Burgers Under $20 – Go BIG or Go Home appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Bak Chor Mee, which translates to minced meat noodles, is a noodle dish tossed in vinegar, minced meat, pork slices, pork liver, stewed sliced mushrooms, meat balls and bits of deep-fried lard. The addition of chilli is optional, and you have a choice of mee pok (flat egg noodles) or mee kia (thin egg noodles). You can also choose between the dry version and the soup version. Traditional hawkers will also add a few small pieces of fried crispy sole fish and Chinese lettuce as garnishing. We have collated a list of 27 Singaporeans’ favourite bak chor mee stalls for you!

MacPherson Minced Meat Noodles

Owner Uncle Yap starts work at 3am every morning. His broth is boiled with old hens, soy beans and anchovies for 3 to 4 hours. The bowl of rich and cloudy soup is really tasty, with a hint of sweetness. Uncle Yap adds the power braised mushroom sauce to the noodles before serving them. The flavours are strong with a tanginess from the presence of black vinegar.

Meng’s Kitchen

Doesn’t matter if it’s 3am or 3pm, this eatery is always packed with customers. The noodles are springy and Meng’s is very generous with the ingredients. The best part has got to be the tiny pieces of pork lard! 

Seng Kee Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle

Nothing is more welcoming than a rich bowl of fishmaw soup filled with generous servings of minced pork, pork liver and quality fish maw. Seng Kee has been in business for 36 years. The owner, Mr Lee, started out in Eunos before settling here in Serangoon Gardens a few years ago. He is known for tossing his bowl up into the air when he is cooking his Bak Chor Mee.

Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles

It’s best to go earlier or you have to be prepared for a 30 to 40 minutes wait during lunch time. The pork is fresh and they also serve a thicker mee kia which is evenly coated with the accompanying sauce. The sauce is very well-balanced, and the fragrance of this bowl of noodles is accentuated by fried sole fish.

Yong He Bak Chor Seafood Noodles

The owner of Yong He is actually the uncle of the owner of Ah Guan Noodles and the brother of the owner of Ah Lam’s Abalone Noodles! For $4.50 at Yong He, you get a bowl of noodles tossed in homemade chilli sauce, with toppings of fresh prawns, clams and a generous dollop of well-braised mushroom sauce. 

Fu Yuan Minced Pork Noodle

The owner of Fu Yuan worked as an assistant at Tai Hwa when he was a young boy. At first glance, the mee pok may look a tad dry. However, mix it with the vinegar-based sauce and we’re sure that you will enjoy it like we did. 

Tian Nan Xing Minced Pork Noodle

With more than 80 years of history, Tian Nan Xing’s BCM is naturally a force to be reckoned with. Tian Nan Xing has minced pork and pork balls in its noodle soup ($3). You can top up a dollar for homemade dumplings.

Seng Hiang Food Stall

There are two bak chor mee stalls at Fengshan Food Centre but we can’t really tell the difference between their noodles. Seng Hiang’s queue is shorter so its piping hot slurp-worthy bowl of bak chor mee arrives more quickly as compared to its neighbour’s. This stall also serves the dry version but if you’re traveling from afar, it’s a must to go for their soup version!

Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian

This is the other bak chor mee stall in Fengshan Food Centre and the wait is around 40 minutes. You’ll notice the lady boss continuously kneading the dough. Perhaps, this is why the noodles here are a little more QQ as compared to Seng Hiang’s.

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

Ever since Tai Hwa has been awarded a Michelin star, the queue has been crazy! You have to wait for about an hour for your noodles. The mee kia is perfectly cooked and lies in a tasty mix of chilli and vinegar. Also, the pork they use is fresh and well-marinated. 

58 Minced Meat Noodle

We queued for half an hour for 58 Minced Pork Noodle and rewarded ourselves with a larger bowl. There were so much noodles! Do note that the noodles don’t come with vinegar but you can help yourself to it. The mee pok is softer as compared to what we are used to, but it isn’t soggy. The chilli was not bad, too. Perhaps, the usual $3 bowl is more well-proportioned.

Ah Hoe Mee Pok

When a Japanese cooks ramen, we think nothing much of it. But when a Japanese cooks meepok in a coffeeshop, people from different parts of Singapore flock to try it. Naoji-san gave up his job in the finance industry to pursue his passion for cooking. As he slides the noodles into a big bowl, Naoji-san carefully dresses them with chilli sauce, abalone slices, meat balls, minced meat and fresh prawns.

Yan Kee Noodle House

In order to stand out, you have to be different. And, Yan Kee did just that. Their specialty is bak chor mee sua, instead of the usual bar chor mee. The well-cooked mee sua comes with vinegar, chilli, fresh lard, crunchy ikan bilis and a whole mushroom.

Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee (Hong Lim)

If you are a fan of Teochew-style Bak Chor Mee, especially those with a heavier vinegar taste, you probably would have tried Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee. The stall has been around for more than 60 years. Deep fried pork lard, mushrooms, fresh pork slices, dumplings and fried flat fish lay atop the al dente noodles which have been tossed with a special vinegar from China.  

Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee (Bukit Batok)

Ah Kow has passed down his skills to his two sons. In the past, both brothers shared the stall at Hong Lim. Now, the 4th son has his own stall in Bukit Batok. The dry version has soft and flavourful braised mushrooms, chilli, soy sauce and vinegar. What truly makes this dish special is the braised mushrooms and dried sole fish which add a touch of umami to the noodles.

Teochew Fish Ball Noodle

The old couple has been cooking BCM for more than 50 years. They started at Selegie Road, before moving to Jalan Besar, and they are now at Crawford Lane. The uncle is very swift and his skilful tosses of the noodles will make you even more excited about them. Indeed, every strand of mee kia is QQ and springy. 

Guan’s Mee Pork

Guan’s Mee Pok at Vivo City (previously at Maxwell Hawker Centre) has brought our mee pok to another level by serving it with fish maw and seafood. Every bowl of noodles features a Ni-tamago egg (Japanese half-boiled egg with a semi-solid yolk), which is low in cholesterol. 

Ding Ji Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles

The rich soup base is simmered overnight to get all the goodness from the pork bones. Sliced pork, pork liver, dried sole fish (ti po), minced meat and egg are served in a bowl of the aromatic soup, together with a bowl of springy noodles tossed in chilli sauce. From 7pm to 7am, the soup and noodles are cooked by a 74-year-old aunty, so the standard of the noodles might be different.

Ah Ter Teochew Fish Ball Noodles

Gilbert was a trader before he took over his father’s business. The star is that solid bowl of soup. For $5, you get a bowl full of ingredients. Think pork slices, kidney slices, liver, fish cake slices, prawns and lots of fresh minced meat. The mee kia was springy, smooth, and well coated with chilli sauce. Every mouthful of noodles, when paired with the ingredients, is perfection.

Jalan Tua Kong Lau Lim

This is another stall that has received raved reviews from the media. The noodle is cooked al-dente, with a nice bite. Even after leaving it untouched for awhile, the noodles did not turn lumpy. Warning: their chilli is extremely powerful!

Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle

There are two very popular bak chor mee stalls at Kovan’s Market & Food Centre that draw huge crowds. Fa Ji is one of them. As compared to Yam Mee, Fa Ji’s flavours are more well-balanced.  Usually, Bak Chor Mee does not come with fishballs and fish cakes but you have it all here. The fishballs and fish cakes are fresh and tasty too.

Yam Mee Teochew Fishball Mee

Yam Mee is the other BCM stall in Kovan that receives crazy long queues. Though the savouriness of the noodles can’t be compared to Fa Ji’s, we enjoyed the chilli sauce which really packs a punch. Some might find the mushrooms too salty but we like it. The addition of fried shallots gave this dish a good crunch, and an alluring aroma.  

Lam’s Abalone

Ah Lam’s Signature Abalone Noodles isn’t your typical bowl of bak chor mee. There is no liver slices in it and no vinegar is added. Instead, you get noodles topped generously with two bite-sized abalones, a scallop, a fried fishball, minced meat, bits of pork lard and half an Ajitsuke Tamago (Japanese flavoured egg). Each mouthful whets our appetite for more.

Sixties Teochew Traditional Minced Meat Noodles

Single-handedly run by an elderly uncle, this stall shares the same coffee shop space as the popular Loo’s Hainanese curry rice stall. The mee pok here is springy, and after a good toss with the condiments, you get an explosion of different flavours and textures in every mouthful.

Punggol Noodles

This admirable hawker uncle lost his right hand in an industrial accident, but is still dishing out delicious bowls of noodles. We have nothing but respect for him. The star here has got to be his handmade meatballs which are tender and bouncy. The ti poh bits hidden within each meatball enhances the flavour. Love it!

132 Traditional Teochew Noodle

Since 1969, this stall has been serving hundreds of bowls of BCM daily. We heard that there’s a batch of Indonesians who always make a special trip here before proceeding to the airport. The noodles are alright, but the fishballs tasted a little too factory-made. Though we requested for lesser chilli, it still made our tongues burn, so do take caution.

Seng Huat Bak Chor Mee

Craving for BCM in the middle of the night? Seng Huat Eating House is a 24-hour establishment serving bak chor mee and fishball noodles. Over at Seng Huat, you get to add your own dose of vinegar. To be honest, I prefer the Yan Kee bak chor mee which is more flavourful. However, this is a good option if you are in the area.

Whether you’re looking for a satisfying breakfast or indulgent supper, we hope that our list of BCM will come in handy. 

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

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

The post 27 Bak Chor Mee Singaporeans Love (Which is your Favourite?) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Yong Tau Foo, a traditional Hakka Chinese dish, can be eaten dry with a sweet sauce or as a soup dish. Customers are usually attracted by the colourful and mouthwatering display of ingredients lined up or stacked up in rows at the front of a yong tau foo stall. Ingredients usually consist of minced-meat-stuffed tofu or fish-paste-stuffed tofu, as well as, stuffed vegetables, mushrooms, and fried items. You get to pick your choice of noodles (eg. yellow noodles, vermicelli or kway teow etc) to accompany the ingredients that you’ve chosen. With that, we bring you 15 of the best yong tau foo stalls in Singapore!

Xi Xiang Feng Yong Tau Foo

Anyone who has lived in Ang Mo Kio long enough will know about this famous Yong Tau Foo stall, which always has a long queue! Ikan bilis and soy beans are added into its soup, making it very sweet and tasty. Doesn’t matter if you slurp down the entire bowl of soup, as no MSG is added. There are close to 40 food items for you to pick from. Xi Xiang Feng’s bee hoon is slightly different from the bee hoon at other noodle stalls. It is thicker and firmer, which gives it a nice bite. 

Ngee Fou Restaurant – Ampang Yong Tau Foo

At Ngee Fou, a portion of Yong Tau Foo ($4) consists of standard ingredients – kangkong, fried bean sticks, fishballs, tau kwa, tau pok, fried quail eggs, fried wanton, tofu, brinjal, bittergourd and lady’s finger. The ingredients are made fresh daily. There is only the dry version available here and the ingredients are served with rice. 

Yentafo Kruengsonge

Yentafo, our equivalent of Yong Tau Foo, is a Thai noodle dish comprising rice noodles crowned with a myriad of ingredients in a light broth tinted pink with a mildly-sweet ‘yentafo’ sauce. Both the flat rice noodles and pink broth are imported directly from Thailand. There isn’t any soya bean in the broth. Instead, it is prepared by simmering pork bones, radish and coriander root, then tinged with a pink sauce that the owner, Madam Mallika, makes. She uses natural ingredients such as fermented red tofu and cooked Thai red rice in her recipe.

The Beef House (Hakka Food)

Although this eatery is famous for their ping-pong sized beef balls, which is served in a clear soup with thin bee hoon, kway teow or mee kia, the Hakka Yong Tau Foo here is also worth a try. The ingredients for each bowl of yong tau foo are fixed and very fresh. Paired with minced pork and mee pok, which is thinner than those we get elsewhere, every mouthful is full of texture and flavour.

Fu Lin Bar & Kitchen

The dry Yong Tau Foo comprises items of our choice generously drenched in a gooey brown minced chicken gravy(the chef’s secret recipe) and Fu Lin’s signature thick bee hoon in a starchy sauce. The deep fried items absorbed the gravy very well, especially the deep fried beancurd skin. 

Siew Lin Yong Tau Foo

The hawker uncle arrives at his stall at 4.30am every morning, and painstakingly hand-makes the yong tau foo items. With a gradually disappearing traditional hawker scene in Singapore, it’s hard to come across hawkers still hand-making their own yong tau foo ingredients nowadays. There are 3 sets to choose from, with the most expensive being $4.80. 

Goldhill Hakka Yong Tau Foo

The hakka yong tau foo served at this unpretentious eatery took us by surprise! Instead of tau kwa, they use silken tofu with a velvety smooth texture. The fish paste is prepared fresh daily, and used as a filing for the chilli, bittergourd, tau pok and ngor hiang. The sweet sauce is fantastic. Thick, sweet and very shiok! Individual portion costs $5-$6 while sharing portion starts from $8.

Yong Xiang Xing Tau Foo

We’re pretty sure that this stall has many loyal supporters. Every time we pass by People’s Park Food Centre, we spot a long queue here. The hawkers are very efficient, and the queue moves fast. The number of yong tau foo ingredients are pre-set and isn’t accompanied by rice or noodles. You just need to choose the small or big portion. The simple and light broth is very addictive! 

Bagus Yong Tau Fu

This halal-certified yong tau foo eatery serves many variations of yong tau foo broth, ranging from tom yum to laksa. The fiery tom yum yong tau foo ($7) allows you to select 6 pieces of items, which are then accompanied by la mian. 

Bai Nian Yong Tau Foo

Don’t expect a wide selection of ingredients here. The standard yong tau foo ($4) comes with bee hoon, tau kee, minced shrimp balls, mushroom-minced meatball, and more, in a light savoury soup. The items are quite well-prepared and fresh. They will ask if you want the stuffed bittergourd, or have it replaced with other items if you aren’t a fan. The best part? Extra bee hoon is free!

109 Teochew Yong Tau Foo

Those working around Clarke Quay can head here for your yong tau foo fix. 109 Teochew Yong Tau Foo started off 35 years ago manufacturing and selling fishball and yong tau foo items, before they finally opened a two-storey eatery. There are many items for you to choose from, and each bowl of yong tau foo (soup or dry) costs around $6, with a minimum of 6 ingredients.

Cambridge Road Yong Tau Foo

The elderly hawker behind the stall prepares individual items freshly on a daily basis. The ingredients are unique and are mostly steamed, not deep fried. The ingredients go very well with the clear and tasty yong tau foo broth. We prefer the dry version which comes with a sweet sauce that gives the dish an extra oomph. The chilli sauce here is also homemade. It’s not too spicy, and possesses just the right amount of punch.

Koo Kee (Gao Ji) Yong Tow Foo Mee

This ‘brand’ of yong tau foo can be found islandwide. There’s always a line even before lunch time at People’s Park Food Centre. Despite being a chain, the standard of their yong tau foo is good. The star of their stall is actually the noodles that have been drizzled with a mixture of their secret sauces.

Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu

Placing your order is very simple at Xiu Ji, as you just need to inform the hawkers whether you want 6 or 8 pieces, with or without noodles, and whether you want additional ingredients such as fishcake, bittergourd, brinjal, and more. The clear soup is light and tasty, perfect for days when you’re seeking some solace. 

Soon Li Yong Tau Foo

Everyone staying around Bukit Merah or Henderson would be familiar with this stall that operates only after midnight. The broth served here has a peppery kick to it, and you get to choose from a large variety of ingredients. There were even pork belly, pork intestines, and other pork innards for selection. The cuttlefish slices are generously portioned as well. Do expect a queue and be prepared for the stall owners’ grumpiness, though we thought they were in a particularly good mood when we popped by on a Wednesday night. 

After trying so many yong tau foo, we’ve come to realise that there are indeed different variations and different soup bases. Also, you can really taste the difference in standard between handmade ingredients, and those manufactured by factories. Our favourite is Yong Xiang Xing Tau Foo at People’s Park Food Centre. What’s yours?

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

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

The post 15 Heartwarming Yong Tau Foo for a Tofu-licious Meal appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Laksa is basically a noodle dish with chicken, prawns, or fish, served in a rich and spicy curry coconut milk broth or a sour assam (tamarind or gelzugur) broth. In Singapore, our local “Katong” laksa boasts a milky flavour and a coconuty fragrance, and packs just the right amount of punch. Thick rice noodles are most commonly used. Without further ado, here are 11 places for your laksa fix!

Roxy Laksa

Founded in 1952, Roxy Laksa started as a humble cart parked outside Roxy Theatre. Made with fresh ingredients and rempah which they grind in-house, the thick gravy is rich and robust. It is really lemak yet not overpowering. Each bowl of laksa costs $4.50. Mix in a spoonful of sambal for an extra kick!

Beast & Butterflies

MTM Laksa ($16) stands for “Mee Tai Mak” Laksa. Silver needle noodles are accompanied with fresh cherry stone clams, prawns, fishcake and crispy tau pok, in a tasty Laksa gravy. The broth has a good balance of coconut milk, spices and herbs. It’s not too spicy nor too rich. Although this Laksa doesn’t come with cockles, the plump and sweet cherry stone clams are a delicious alternative.

The Original Katong Laksa (Janggut Laksa)

The special dish that is exclusive to this outlet is Crayfish Laksa! The spicy coconut milk soup base here is creamier with bits of dried shrimp. Short strands of thick bee hoon and beansprouts are blanched with the laksa broth a few times before they are topped with prawns, fishcakes, prawns, cockles, and laksa leaves. It’s extremely delicious and pleasantly aromatic. A regular bowl of laksa starts from $5 while the crayfish laksa is selling at $9.50 a bowl.

Frenzlink Cafeteria

This eatery serves $2 noodles! Yes, you heard us right. Uncle Ah Cai wakes up at 3am daily and heads to the coffeeshop to prepare the noodles. There are a total of 8 different noodles available – mee siam, prawn noodles, laksa, wanton noddles, fishball noodles, bak chor mee, mee rebus, and lor mee. The heartwarming bowl of laksa won the hearts of many office workers, and managed to tickle our tastebuds. You won’t believe that it’s just $2!

Wei Yi Laksa

What makes Wei Yi Laksa special is the menu which allows you to choose your desired combination of ingredients. We had the classic bowl ($3) which consists of prawns, cockles and taupok, topped with a teaspoon of chilli. The laksa gravy is thick, spicy and filled with hae bee (dried shrimp) flavours. They’re quite generous with the cockles, which are fat and juicy.

328 Katong Laksa

This was the first Laksa I was introduced to when I was growing up, thus it always brings back memories of my childhood whenever I dine here. The Laksa broth($5.35 small / $7.50 large) here can be very addictive, with a great balance of flavours from the presence of hae bee (shrimps), coconut milk and chilli. 

928 Yishun Laksa

If you’re not a Yishun resident, it could be hard to identify this hawker stall. The shop doesn’t have a name; just try to spot people eating Laksa from a red bowl, and you’ll know you’re at the right place. The Laksa base features a mild coconut fragrance, and isn’t overly rich. Add a spoonful of chilli and you get the ultimate bowl of Laksa. SHIOK!

Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa

Listed under the Michelin Bib Gourmand, this stall serves sizzling hot Laksa in a claypot. Even though the sun is scorching hot during lunch hours, you’ll still see a queue here. The gravy is not fiery spicy, but it’s quite rich, with a lovely hint of coconut. Serving Laksa in a claypot ensures that the Laksa remains warm throughout. 

Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa

There are two variations of the Asia Delight Laksa served here – original and the other one with crayfish. The $7 portion comes with crayfish. The Laksa broth is prepared using fresh coconut, scallops, dried oysters and dried prawns. It was light on the palate and smooth, unlike the usual thicker versions. The hawkers are generous with the ingredients, and the crayfish is fresh and juicy.

Glory Catering

Glory Catering offers Nonya Laksa, which is a crowdpleaser. This Laksa stood out due to its milkier and less spicy gravy. It is served with a generous helping of prawns and fishcakes.

Sungei Road Laksa

Sungei Road Laksa is a humble stall in a coffee shop, and most of the time, is manned by 3 ladies. One of the ladies fills the bowls with ingredients, while another takes orders and the last fills every bowl with the gorgeous broth. The broth is cooked over a charcoal fire which we believe, is extremely difficult to find these days. The laksa gravy is light, easy to drink but still very flavourful. 

After savouring so many bowls of Laksa, our favourite is Sungei Road Laksa. Despite their recent price hike to $4 per bowl (yup, it used to be $2 per bowl), Sungei Road Laksa still has our hearts. Feel free to let us know if we have missed out on other gratifying bowls of Laksa!

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

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

The post 11 Lak-xurious and Unforgettable Laksa in Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Opened 3 months ago at Golden Mile Food Centre, also known as Army Market, Prawn Village is a surprising find! Owner Anson was a nurse for 16 years before embarking on his hawker journey.

“My grandparents used to be kway chap hawkers but they refused to pass their skills down to me as they always believed that degree holders shouldn’t pursue hawking as a career.”

7 years ago, Anson was holidaying in Penang, and came across a stall that served superb Penang prawn noodles. He casually asked if the Penang hawker was willing to impart the techniques of preparing prawn noodles to him. To his amazement, they agreed. He went back to Penang a couple of times to master the skills of cooking prawn noodles, before he finally set up Prawn Village.

Similar to other prawn noodles stalls, you get to choose between having the soup version or dry version. You can also select your desired type of noodles from yellow noodles, hor fun, bee hoon, and thick bee hoon. A small bowl of prawn noodles is affordably priced at $3, and Anson sure is generous with the ingredients. The two big prawns wow-ed us, and they were beautifully presented in the bowl.

Anson prepares the broth with pork ribs and chicken bones, and simmer it for many hours, in order to bring out the flavours. Indeed, each spoonful boasts strong flavours. The prawns are blanched on the spot.

If you find the weather too hot for a soupy dish, go for the dry version. Remember to request for the fiery chilli. The yellow noodles we picked were cooked just right, with a springy texture. 

Prawn Village also offers homemade fishcakes at $1.40 per piece. Have you heard of Tom’s Citizoom Mee Pok Tar located at Ghim Moh? Tom is actually Anson’s brother. The fishcakes are prepared by Tom on a daily basis, and Anson gets these pieces of addictive fishcakes from Tom. Each slice is bouncy, with hints of garlic.

You can be sure that Prawn Village is here to satisfy. 

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

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

The post Prawn Village – Gratifying Prawn Mee by a Nurse turned Hawker appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Run by a couple, Tian Yi used to sell economical bee hoon, chwee kueh and chee cheong fan over a decade ago. However, the lady boss sustained a hand injury from excessive frying. As a result, they decided to focus on serving traditional desserts, which is not as taxing for her hand. Hawker Uncle Alan’s wife came from Ipoh, where her family manages a few hawker stalls. Therefore, they are able to innovate and create their own recipes for traditional desserts.

Although there are other stalls islandwide to satisfy your dessert cravings, Tian Yi’s desserts are very special! You’ll be surprised to find out that their Signature Green Bean Soup ($1.80) consists of 22 ingredients, while their Signature Red Bean Soup ($1.80) contains 23 ingredients. Alan and his wife arrives at their stall as early as 5am every morning to prepare the desserts.

They use ingredients such as orange peel, barley, sago, yellow beans and lotus seeds for their green bean soup. For their red bean soup, you can find dried longans and different types of red beans. Each mouthful boasts refreshing flavours that’s light on the palate, while the contrasting textures give these desserts an edge.

Besides their signature items, we also had the Pulut Hitam ($1.50) and Tau Suan ($1.50) – a new item on their menu. Black glutinous rice is generously topped with coconut milk, which makes this sweet dessert creamy and flavourful. The level of sweetness is just right, and the coconut milk is not too rich such that it gets ‘gelat’ after a few spoonfuls.

Tian Yi’s desserts have managed to amaze us thus far, but the Tau Suan is slightly disappointing. It’s too mushy for our liking, as we prefer the mung beans to be a little firmer.

This stall also offers sweet potato soup, bo bo cha cha, and savoury items like cuttlefish peanut porridge and glutinous rice. For those who are looking for a sweet finish to their meals, Tian Yi Desserts is the place for you.

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

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

The post Tian Yi – More than 20 Ingredients in a bowl of Green Bean Soup appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Just like how we would always carry boxes of pineapple pastries from Taiwan or egg tarts from Hong Kong back to Singapore, tourists are also known to lug home boxes of Pandan Chiffon Cakes. It’s definitely not only a hot favourite among Singaporeans, as it is well-loved by visitors too. 

History of Pandan Chiffon Cake

Pandan Chiffon Cake is ubiquitous to South East Asia, in particular Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. However, we don’t know for sure how or where this cake originated from. Perhaps, it’s an evolution of traditional chiffon cake influenced by both the Dutch and English when they colonised these lands.

So, what makes a good Pandan Chiffon Cake?

Everyone has their own criteria when it comes to picking the best pandan chiffon cake. To us, the perfect pandan chiffon cake should taste good, smell good and look good. It’s best made from extracted juices from pandan leaves (screwpine leaves), instead of artificial pandan paste. The chiffon cake’s texture should be fluffy and light, and reasonably sweet.

We went around the island getting pandan chiffon cakes, so let’s begin by introducing these 11 different brands of pandan chiffon cakes.

1933 @ Capitol Piazza

1933 is a themed restaurant by BreadTalk Group. Paying tribute to the year that Capitol Theatre building was completed, 1933 attempts to bring us back to the 1930s by serving the finest rendition of cuisines during that period. The Gula Melaka Pandan Cake ($7.90 standard size) is a childhood favourite that is baked with bits of palm sugar for that extra fragrance and served with delightful Gula Melaka syrup. They also have a tea time set at $8.90++ for this cake and a choice of coffee or tea.

Pure Pandan

As its name suggests, many might already know this shop for their Classic Pure Pandan Chiffon Cake ($1.70 per slice / $15 per cake). The chiffon cakes here are simple, uncomplicated and are made with only the purest pandan juice. No artificial paste, pandan essence or colouring are added. Besides pandan chiffon cakes, they also pride themselves in creating other flavours of chiffon cakes, using only pure juices and natural ingredients.

Bengawan Solo

Bengawan Solo was founded in 1979 by Tjendri Anastasia, from Indonesia. She started baking and selling baked goods from her little home kitchen of her HDB flat. However, officials from the Ministry of Environment caught up with her and her unlicensed food production, resulting in her decision to set up the very first Bengawan Solo Cake Shop in Marine Terrace. Since then, her Pandan Chiffon cake ($1.50 per slice / $15.00 per cake) has been a best-selling item amongst her Nonya kueh(s) and other offerings.

Yummi Chiffon

If you’re working near Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, it’s hard to miss the colourful array of mini chiffon cakes displayed at Yummy Chiffon – too tempting! According to the server, these mini chiffon cakes have no added preservatives and no artificial colouring. “It’s also low in fat,” chimed the server. Perhaps, this might attract many OLs working in the area.

Galicier Confectionery

This is a neighbourhood bakery that I’ve patronised since my secondary school days. It is established in 1998 and has been at Serangoon Central for the past 20 years. They make tasty cakes, pastries and bread, which are sold at reasonable prices. The pandan chiffon cake is one of the crowdpleasers, and it’s almost always sold out if you head down too late. Baking of all their products is done in their kitchen, so you can smell the fragrance of freshly baked goods upon entering the shop.

Joe & Dough

This is more of a cafe, but Joe & Dough’s Gula Melaka Pandan Cake ($5.80 per slice / whole cakes start from $52) uses pandan essence that is extracted the traditional way – by blending the leaves before pressing their juices through a sieve to acquire the bright green liquid. It features a buttery texture, slathered with a thick layer of Gula Melaka, and sprinkled with desiccated coconut and ground almonds.

Moon River

The two outlets aren’t the most accessible but this does not deter their customers from making the trip to purchase their highly raved pandan chiffon cake. If not for online recommendations, we wouldn’t have come across this ‘brand’. So, we’ll try and see how good this is during our taste test.

Love Confectionery

Located near Alexandra Village Food Centre, this old-school bakery features a nostalgic décor and traditional cakes and pastries. Don’t overlook their simple pandan chiffon cake! We heard it’s one of the top favourites among residents living nearby.

PrimaDeli

The scent of PrimaDeli’s waffles always attracted me to their shop, and I’ll end up buying a few of their breads and their pandan chiffon cake for my family for breakfast. Launched in 1992, this home-grown bakery franchise now has outlets all across Singapore.

Balmoral Bakery

Founded by Hainanese “Ah Kohs” (big brothers), Balmoral Bakery started selling cakes and pastries with an English touch in 1965. This bakery garnered a reputation for their delicious, crusty, golden pastries and moist, flavourful cakes that were reasonably priced. Well, the fact that they’ve been around for almost 50 years is a testament that they’re doing something right in their kitchen.

Drips Baker’s Playground

It’s a perfect place for a quick afternoon tea session if you wanna sink your sweet tooth into the bakery’s dainty tarts that are freshly prepared daily. If you’re not into tarts, pair your tea with a slice of pandan chiffon cake for a lovely afternoon.

We roped in a total of 20 people to help with our tasting session and graded the cakes according to the following criteria – (i) appearance, (ii) fragrance, (iii) sweetness, (iv) moistness and, (v) fluffiness and lightness. 5 is excellent and 1 is the direct opposite. Here’s our top 3!

1. Galicier Confectionery
Pandan chiffon cake here scores the highest when it comes to having an airy-fairy feathery lightness. It’s fluffy, with just the right amount of moisture. Its sweetness is also well-balanced. 

2. 1933 @ Capitol Piazza
1933’s Gula Melaka Pandan Cake features a relatively moist texture, with its sweetness enhanced by the layer of gula melaka hidden within the chiffon cake. The whipped cream topping gives this pandan chiffon cake a slightly creamy and delightful texture.

3. Bengawan Solo
As compared to the other two above, Bengawan Solo’s pandan chiffon cake is very moist and soft. Its sweetness is also reasonable. However, its bright-green appearance made it look unappetising – that’s just the first impression.

Hope our little guide will help you decide on which pandan cake to try next!

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

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

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