There’s simply too much good food in Paya Lebar, especially with Haig Road Market and the likes a mere 5-minute walk from the MRT. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favourites and we hope that it will be a good starting point if you’re travelling to Singapore for the first time or from the Western part of the island. Enjoy! 

Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle

Located in City Plaza which is a short walk away from Paya Lebar MRT, Poon Nah City Banmian is one of the most popular banmian stalls in Singapore. The highlight here is their noodles, which are soft and chewy. The broth here is clear without any eggy bits. That doesn’t mean that it’s less tasty though! They use wolfberry leaves in their dishes, which are supposed to be ‘cooling’ for the body. Its also an excellent source of Vitamin E! The chilli sauce stands out as well. Diners have a choice of ban mian, you mian, mee sua, and even bean flour noodles. Our favourite order would be the classic ban mian with minced pork or sliced fish!

Arnold’s Fried Chicken

Arnold’s Fried Chicken needs no introduction. They have garnered an impressive following, and have even set up a new branch in Bedok recently. We got the 1 person set from their ala carte menu. For $7.70, you get half a young and tender spring chicken, and fries and coleslaw. The chicken is well marinated, and tender. The perfect comfort food for a bad day! We will recommend the affordable 2 Person Set ($24.60) which comes with 2 pieces of crispy fried chicken, fries, coleslaw, 2 fried buns and 2 regular soft drinks.

Dapur Penyet

Dapur Penyet is owned by Edy Ongkowijaya who is known as the person who brought the lip-smackingly good ayam penyet to Singapore. Here, authentic Indonesian spices, herbs and ingredients are used.

We tried the classic Ayam Penyet ($9.50), which comes with boiled kang kong, a piece of tempeh (fermented soya bean cake) and beancurd. They also have a grand total of 5 different types of sambal! They come in varying levels of spice and originate from different parts of Indonesia. Other than Ayam Penyet, they also have a grilled chicken dish, the Ayam Bakar Kecap ($9.70) which is sweeter and less oily.

5 Little Bears

You don’t have to fly to Taiwan to get your fix of Taiwanese street snacks. 5 Little Bears is a Taiwanese eatery selling classics like Braised Pork Belly Rice, Oyster Vermicelli and more. We got the affordably-priced Braised Pork Rice Set ($5.90) which comes with a choice of wintermelon tea, black tea or green tea. Cut into small pieces, the braised pork belly has the right ratio of fat and lean meat. It also comes with some preserved vegetables on the side which helps to cut through the rich dish.

End your meal on a sweet note with Eight Treasures Ice ($6), a colourful looking Taiwanese dessert that has 8 different types of ingredients – coconut jelly, corn, pearl jelly, red bean, sweet potato, green bean and yam.

Xuan Miao @ Cantine

This is for the vegans, and those who are feeling a little under the weather. Xuan Miao (Vegetarian Food) at Cantine is located at the Basement of Paya Lebar Square. The noodles of the U-Mian Dry ($6.50) come with a blob of xiang chun sauce which has a strong garlicky taste. The black sauce complements the xiang chun sauce and sealed the deal for us. While the soup may taste a little bland for some, each bowl is filled to the brim with vegetables and accompanying ingredients.

Long Phung

I really love Vietnamese food. I just can’t get enough of the fresh herbs and fish sauce which I find so fragrant and addictive. Here at Long Phung, only authentic Vietnamese food is served! The classic Pho Tai ($7) comes with beef slices and rice noodles. The broth is slightly sweet, and extremely flavourful. They serve their thin beef slices rare, so that the beef does not get overcooked due to the piping hot broth. The springy rice noodles are smooth and glide down your throat easily. This bowl is perfect comfort food on rainy days.

Mr and Mrs Mohgan

Hailed as the best prata in the east, we think that Mr and Mohgan Super Crispy Prata lives up to its mighty reputation. Having made prata for more than 30 years, Mr Mohgan is a prata expert. He makes his own dough, cooks his own curry and flips the prata all by himself! Their kosong (plain) prata is super crispy, and has an enticing buttery aroma. They also have 3 types of curry – mutton, fish and dhal.

Syaza Nasi Padang

Syaza Nasi Padang is situated in a coffeeshop near Paya Lebar MRT . Other than nasi padang, they also serve delicious bowls of mee soto. The mutton briyani ($10) is worth a try too. The dedicated old couple manning the store starts food preparation at 5am daily.

Do.Main

Do.Main is set up by French pastry chef Frederic Deshayes. It was started in December 2014 and combines the best offerings from a French bakery and a French patisserie. The bread, pastries and desserts are made using classic French techniques. We tried the Red Wine Oxtail Stew Pie ($12) which features soft and tender shredded oxtail wrapped in a flaky and buttery crust. The dessert selection comprises “Bourdaloue Pear & Almond Tart” ($5), Salted Caramel Eclair ($5), White Coffee Cake ($8) Royal Chocolate Cake ($8) and more. 

99 Bistro and Kitchen

Get ready your cameras for this briyani dish that is served in a bamboo trunk wrapped in banana leaves. The lamb briyani is knocked out of the bamboo trunk onto the plate with a swift thump. This serving method is supposed to help lock the flavour of the spices into the meat and rice! The Bamboo Briyani set ($24) comes with a cup of iced blueberry soda and a cup of hot honey lemon ginger drink. It is just nice for 2 pax, or maybe even 3. 

Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee

Lin yu mei Kolo Mee often sees snaking queues because of their springy and QQ noodles! Only egg white is used to make kolo mee, so it is not as yellow as other noodles, and is supposedly healthier too. The kolo noodles are cooked and drained before they are tossed with different sauces. They are then topped with minced pork, char siew and a helping of extremely potent chilli. 

Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau

Say Sang Tau Kwa Pau’s signature dish goes for just $1.50 each. Think fried bean curd stuffed with roughly chopped ingredients such as fried fish cake, braised egg, fried yam and cucumber, and drizzled with teochew braised sauce. It makes for a delicious explosion of flavours! 

Zheng Guang Wanton Mee

Zheng Guang (正光) is aptly named as the owner runs an honest business selling wholesome food, without any shortcuts or missing ingredients in his wanton. The noodles here have a perfect QQ texture, are not lumpy, and are well-cooked. Hence, they soak up the sauce better. Fried plaice, a type of flatfish from North Atlanta, is also added to the noodles.

Chillpanzee

Chillpanzee is a cute little ice-cream shop that sells unique ice-cream flavours such as Banana Cookie, Black Sesame, Yakult and Thai Green Tea. They serve their ice-cream in empty coconut husks, alongside coconut flesh and toppings of your choice. A single scoop and 3 toppings go for $4.90. We tried the Banana Cookie flavour which had a distinct banana taste. It did not taste artificial and did not overpower the cookie bits that were embedded in the ice-cream. 

Casa Bom Vento

Halal Eurasian Cuisine is rare in Singapore but you can get it at Casa Bom Vento, which serves up the classic Devil’s Curry (Debal Curry).  Casa Bom Vento’s Debal Curry ($13/Small) looks intimidating and is mouth-burningly spicy. Cooked with chicken, chicken sausage and potatoes, the dish does not contain coconut milk. Make sure you have a drink before you dive into the curry! 

Greendot

Greendot serves up a variety of vegan items, and is fully vegetarian! If you’re craving homey tasting comfort food that is nourishing and tasty, get the Angelica Herbal Noodles ($7.90). The flavourful soup is made with more than 10 Chinese herbs. The noodles come with with Konnyaku fishball, soya mutton, lettuce, carrot and tau pok. You can also look forward to vegetarian burgers which are exclusive to the Paya Lebar outlet. 

The Original Katong Laksa

Sure, you’ve tried Laksa before. But have you tried CRAYFISH LAKSA? The Original Katong Laksa now has Crayfish Laksa ($9.50) which is only available at their outlet in Paya Lebar. The spicy coconut milk soup base is creamier and has bits of dried shrimp which adds flavour to the broth. If you just want a bowl of good ol’ laksa, go for their classic Laksa (from $5) which sees short strands of thick bee hoon and beansprouts topped with prawns, fishcakes, cockles and laksa leaves.

Tong Kee Braised Duck

The owner of Tong Kee Braised Duck, Mr Lim, has been selling braised duck for more than 50 years. He used to help his mother sell braised duck out of a trolley cart at Princess (Margaret) Market back in the 1960s. They shifted to Princess Margaret Market, before moving to 40A Margaret Drive Hawker Centre. Mr Lim now sells braised duck at the Haig Road Hawker Centre. The braised duck here has light herbal flavours and tastes like gold with the braised duck sauce. 

Tenderfresh

Tenderfresh is no stranger to most Singaporeans. The Lucky Set ($6.90) which comes with 2 pieces of fried chicken, fries, and coleslaw, is the most popular dish here. You might want to try the Laksa Prawn Spaghetti ($8.90) if you’re craving something a little spicy. 

From fried chicken to mee soto, Paya Lebar has a whole lot of good food (especially at Haig Road Market). Do share with us your favourite places!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal 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 A Paya Lebar Food Guide – 19 Spots We Love! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Wanton Mee is something that you can literally get ANYWHERE in Singapore. But have you ever had wanton mee cooked by a Vietnamese? This store hidden in a corner of Golden Mile Food Centre is single-handedly run by Mei Er, 29, who moved to Singapore 6 years ago from Ho Chi Minh City after marrying a Singaporean.

The store name ‘Kai Yi Wanton Mee’ is actually named after her 2 year old daughter. The food here is cooked from the heart! Unlike other hawker stalls which usually get their meat and other ingredients from a supplier, Mei Er visits the wet market once a week (on her off day) to grab the freshest ingredients for her dishes. Even the chilli is made in-house by her.

“I don’t think the meat from the suppliers is fresh enough, I prefer to see and buy it myself. Even the minced meat is minced by hand.”, she told us. We really respect her dedication!

So what exactly is the difference between Singapore-style wanton mee and the Vietnamese rendition that Mei Er sells?

According to Mei Er, she includes garlic inside her handmade dumplings. Other than that, she prefers to include more vegetables and less meat in her dishes. Mei Er told us that even though Vietnamese Wanton Noodles is not a dish that is commonly enjoyed by the majority of Vietnamese locals, it is actually a dish that is prepared by part of the Vietnamese-Chinese community.

We tried the signature Char Siew Wanton Mee ($4.50). You get a bowl of noodles tossed with black sauce, and topped with lettuce, lean slices of char siew and 2 crispy fried wantons. The wantons here are extremely crispy, without a stale oil smell, but it could have used a tad more filling. We especially enjoyed the homemade chilli which Mei Er does from scratch. The mee kia noodles look deceivingly dry but is actually scrumptious due to the addition of fried lard and a drop of lard oil.

The Chicken Sticky Rice ($5.50) will definitely please Singaporeans. Lo Mai Kai-like sticky rice forms the base of the dish, with a huge chicken drumstick on top. The chicken drumstick is well-marinated and is extremely tender and delicious. We like the addition of shallots, which are made from scratch by Mei Er too! The fragrance of the fried onions brings the dish to a different level, especially when the shallot is mixed together with a mouthful of sticky rice. A side of refreshing achar (South Asian pickles) which provides a refreshing tangy crunch, tops the dish.

The Chicken Sticky Rice also comes with a side of soup, which comprises two fat dumplings. We love that the fillings are almost bursting out of the delicate skin. Do note that the sizes of the dumplings can be inconsistent, as they are made by hand.

A healthy low-carb option, or a dish to share, would be the Mixed Soup ($4.50) which comes with tau kwa, crab stick, cuttlefish, a prawn, and more of the handmade dumplings that we love. Of course, vegetables are also included! The broth is made using 7 secret ingredients that include vegetables and pork bones. It takes a total of 5 hours to prepare the soup!

Surprisingly, our favourite dish was not the wanton mee, but the Chicken Sticky Rice. We loved the unique combination of lo mai kai rice and the tender, well-marinated chicken drumstick. We came for the wanton mee, but would return for the delicious Chicken Sticky Rice. That being said, the juicy dumplings warrant a return visit as well.

Mei Er is truly dedicated to her craft and always has a smile for her customers. She starts preparation at 7am, even though they only open for business at 10am. Do pay her a visit if you’re near Golden Mile Food Centre.

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 Kaiyi’s Wanton Noodle. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Kaiyi’s Wanton Noodle – Delicious Vietnamese Style Wanton Mee! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Ayam penyet comes to mind when I crave Indonesian food. Oh, the thought of smashed fried chicken with fluffy white grains, sambal chilli, cucumber slices, fried tofu and tempeh, makes my mouth water. Ayam penyet is known especially for its super tender meat which is a result of a unique light smashing technique.

While pursuing a tip-off about a store that concocts their fresh sambal chilli by hand, I stumbled upon what could possibly be one of the best ayam penyet sambal chilli I have tasted thus far. Impian Wahyu is a humble little stall helmed by an Indonesian couple, Abang Batman and Wahyu Ning. You’d probably guess by now that the shop is named after Ms Wahyu. However, Mr Batman commands a spot on the signboard too. Spot that batman logo? There’s even a batman plushie hanging from the ceiling. If you’re curious, you should most definitely pop by. Mr Batman will be more than happy to provide a show-and-tell session about his name and the origins of the dishes, whilst you enjoy the the Indonesian spread prepared by them.

The Ayam Penyet ($5.50) is essentially an Indonesia-style chicken rice dish, so critics will probably be placing most emphasis on the quality of the rice or chicken. For me, the key is really the sambal chilli. 

Impian Wahyu’s sambal is divine. Yes, DIVINE. It is surprising that the sambal isn’t as spicy as the ones you would usually get at Ayam Penyet Ria or other stores. The combination of sugar, fried tomatoes, and dry chillies is a flavourful mix that can be enjoyed even on its own. Each portion of sambal chilli is handmade upon order.

Ms Wahyu first grabs a handful of tomato, and fries them till they are dry, before pouring it onto a portion of dried chillies and sugar. The ingredients are then pounded in a mortar to create the sambal chilli.

The chicken is slightly crispy, and is well seasoned with Indonesian spices. “Before this, we actually boil the chicken in a broth for at least 3 hours to soften the bones”, Mr Batman reveals right after he places the already softened chicken chunks in extremely hot oil. 

The couple recommended the Sup Buntut Oxtail ($8.00), which is a broth swimming with a generous amount of carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and oxtail meat. The vegetables added a touch of sweetness to the dish as well. I really liked the oxtail, which is soft and fatty.

The Tahu Goreng ($4.00) was a simple assembly of fried tofu and beansprouts, served with peanut sauce. Though the peanut sauce was slightly watery, the sweetness from it paired nicely with the tahu goreng.

“Do you know why we use begedil in our Mee Soto? If you put it in, the chicken broth will become thicker!” Yes Mr Batman, soaking the begedil in the already savoury chicken broth of the Mee Soto ($3.50) really gives it a better texture. Though I found the noodles to be quite average, the shredded chicken pieces were tender and really tasty.

I’m proud to say that Impian Wahyu has exceeded my expectations. Having built a home to some of the most authentic Indonesian dishes, Mr Batman guarantees that your tummies will be satisfied!

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

The post Impian Wahyu – This Indonesian Couple Makes Awesome Sambal Chilli! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Whether you’re stepping into Pulau NTU for the first time or returning back to school after summer break, you’ll be surprised by the NEW F&B establishments in school. How does Lu Rou Fan, or Ke Kou Mian sound? We are here to get your tummies ready for the new school term *gulps*.

Canteen 1

Dams Western

Dams Western serves up lots of interesting dishes such as Sambal Spaghetti ($4.60), Miso Cream Pasta ($4.60) and Grilled Chicken with Satay Sauce ($5.80). We tried their highly recommended Chicken Katsu Don ($6) with an additional order of shimeiji mushrooms (+$1). The fried chicken cutlet was juicy but the highlight of our meal was, surprisingly, the rice which is topped with miso cream sauce and a flowy poached egg. Other add-ons include Beef Fries ($2.80/$4.80) and Garlic Fried Rice ($1.20/$2). The prices might be a tad steep for a student, but it definitely feels good to #treatyoself.

Canteen 2

Ayam Penyet

How can we leave this out from the list? The Ayam Penyet from Canteen 2 is THE hot favourite. Each order of Ayam Penyet ($4.50) comprises a plate of rice drizzled with chilli sauce, a basket of fried chicken with fried tau kwa, and MORE chilli. Beware, the chilli is extremely potent and will leave your lips tingling. We love the crispy bits littered all over the basket, and the well-marinated chicken which is tender and juicy. If you’re trying to eat clean (kinda, but not quite), get the steamed chicken instead of the fried chicken.

Xiao Long Bao

Xiao Long Baos are like little dumplings of joy. 6 pieces go for $4.30 here. We like that there is a good balance of both fatty and lean meat, but would have preferred the skin to be a tad thinner and smoother. This is still great for sharing though!

Chicken Rice

I’m not the biggest fan of chicken rice, but I would definitely come back for this particular one at Canteen 2. This unexpected gem is right next to the famous Ayam Penyet, with a much shorter queue (thank goodness). We recommend the Lemon Chicken Rice ($3). Mix the rice well with a dollop of their garlicky chilli sauce and savour it with the fried chicken. To get some greens in, you can add some cabbage for just $0.50.

Yong Tau Foo

Staying in hall means no more home-cooked meals, unless you’re willing to slave over the stove in the communal pantry in hall. If you’re looking for some homey food on a bad day, go for the Superior Pork Broth Set Meal ($4 for 8pcs minimum) from Canteen 2. You can even get brown rice (+$0.80) here. The pork broth, which is thicker and sweeter as compared to your run-of-the-mill Yong tau foo soup, is a must-try. 

Canteen 10/11

Waffles

Canteen 2 is known for its waffles, but we decided to give the one at Canteen 10/11 a shot as well. The friendly server recommended the popular Ice-Cream Waffles ($2). Expect a whole waffle with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, drizzled with your choice of sauce (chocolate/strawberry/maple syrup). Honestly, I prefer the waffle here to the one at Canteen 2. I like that it is more fragrant, and slightly more crispy. 

Sichuan Fragrant Garden

My friend raves about this Ma La Xiang Guo at Canteen 10/11, because of the huge portion. For just $4.80, you get a heaping bowl of ingredients in a huge bowl. Top up $2 for your choice of meat (chicken/beef/pork). Unlike other stores, the owner does not ask for your preferred level of spice. The default one is not too spicy and was manageable for my dining partner and me. The enormous portion serves 2 comfortably. Apart from this, Sichuan Fragrant Garden serves up an array of other Sichuan dishes, such as Beancurd Shredded Pork ($5.50), Boiled Chicken ($5) and Fried Rice ($2.50, $3.50 with chicken/beef/seafood).

Canteen 12/13

Takashi Menya Japanese

Canteen 12/13 is extremely popular because of Takashi Menya Japanese, which has an extensive menu. Diners can look forward to Japanese tonkatsu ramen and even cha shu donburi bowls! We tried the highly recommended Japanese Tonkatsu Original Curry Rice ($5) which consists of a freshly fried pork cutlet, a mound of rice, and sweet Japanese curry. A few cubes of potato and carrot slices were thrown in the mix as well. We liked that the pork meat was lean, yet juicy, and much preferred it to the chicken version.

Burnz Western Cuisine

Burnz Western Cuisine used to be at Canteen 14 but has moved to Canteen 12/13. Their unique hot grill items are still as popular! We tried the Black Pepper Chicken ($6) which came with a small baked potato and a portion of baked beans, on a sizzling hot plate. The chicken was drenched with black pepper sauce, and topped with a generous portion of onions. Prefer other meats? You can find beef, pork, and lamb, as well.

Canteen 14/15

Big Harvest Noodle (Banmian)

The queue here is crazy during meal times, but the friendly Uncle who cooks the noodles is rather efficient so you won’t have to wait too long. While there are a lot of options here (dumplings, fried fish, sliced fish etc), we recommend the foolproof Dry Banmian ($3). The silky smooth banmian noodles, which are made in-house, have a nice bite. We love how the splash of sweet black sauce binds together with the oozy runny egg and coats each strand of noodle perfectly. Portions run small so if you’re a big eater, add extra noodles.

Taiwanese

Freshies rejoice, you don’t have to travel out of Pulau NTU to get your fried chicken fix. This NEW Taiwanese stall at Canteen 14 offers XL fried chicken cutlets that can rival the popular Shilin Fried Chicken. We got the XL Large Chicken Chop Rice ($5) which comes with a braised egg (卤蛋), pickled vegetables and cucumbers. The rice is drizzled with braised sauce. Do ask for more to prevent it from being too dry! We loved the freshly fried juicy chicken cutlet which was extremely crispy and not greasy. If you’re in the mood for something else, we recommend the Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice ($3.80).

Canteen 16

Ramen

Canteen 16 is known for its ramen. For $5 a bowl, this is a real steal! The Tonkatsu Ramen ($5) is highly recommended by the store owner, but they have lighter options such as the Shio Ramen ($5) as well. The broth of the ramen is thick and rich, but can be slightly on the salty side. It comes with 3 slices of lean pork meat, bamboo shoots, and black fungus. 

Pioneer/Crescent Canteen

Yong Tau Foo

I was DEVASTATED when the Quad Cafe (at SBS) closed down, because I love the yong tau foo there. Thankfully, we can still enjoy the stir-fried yong tau foo at Pioneer/Crescent Canteen as they have moved over earlier this year. The Yong Tau Foo here is probably not what you’re expecting. Instead of the usual yong tau foo which comprises a bowl of hot soup with ingredients, the yong tau foo here is served dry! Remember to pick the maggi mee, along with your choice of ingredients. After that, just tell the aunty “炒的” which means (fried one). A short wait gets you a freshly stir-fried plate of noodles. We love the generous eggy bits that come with your noodles, and the savoury-sweet black sauce. This is a good option if you’re craving a “level-up” cup noodles.

Canteen A (North Spine)

Mini Wok

Mini Wok sees longer waiting times as compared to other stalls at canteen A. Their extensive menu includes dishes such as Kung Bao Chicken Rice ($3.50), Beef Hor Fun ($4.50), and Sambal Fish Fillet Rice ($4). We ordered the Black Pepper Chicken Rice ($4), and waited for about 10 minutes before our meal came in a literal mini wok. While the black pepper sauce was flavourful, it was more sweet than spicy. The chicken was extremely tender and lean, and the gravy came complete with sliced onions which added an extra sweetness and crunch. The dish is completed with a sunny-side up.

Canteen B (KouFu)

Ke Kou Mian

This NEW stall at Koufu sells Ke Kou Mian, sorta like jazzed up Maggi Mee. The Special ($3.50) comes with vegetables, tomato, minced pork and a sous vide egg. The Normal ($2.50) is a more affordable option, but does not include the sous vide egg and the tomatoes. A spicy version ($3.70) is also available. 

Japanese Food

Fluffy fu yong dan meets fried chicken – what’s not to love? The Hotplate Chicken Fuyong ($3.60) shows up at $4.30 on the signboard but actually costs $3.60. With at least 4-5 slices of fried chicken, and refillable miso soup, this dish will leave you full and satisifed. The fluffy omelette is doused in a savoury and slightly starchy sauce that goes well with rice. Pair it with a generous sprinkle of chilli flakes for a kick. Remember to eat the omelette quick, as it will get slightly charred at the bottom if it is left on the hotplate for too long. If you’re not that into chicken, they have shrimp and oyster versions as well.

Hive Co-Op Cafe

The queue might be a turn-off but the food is sure a turn-ON. The co-op cafe at the HIVE is suitable for our Muslim friends, as they are halal-certified. We tried the Carbonara ($5.50), which features chicken ham and mushrooms tossed together with penne in a creamy sauce. My 2 friends are not fans of carbonara, as it can be too heavy on the palate, but they couldn’t stop themselves from polishing off the whole portion of pasta. The creamy sauce is not too thick and coats each piece of pasta perfectly. Note that an order of carbonara comes with Penne, automatically, as it is able to pick up the sauce better. On Wednesdays, every main course ordered comes with a complimentary apple. 

Sukho Thai (Outside Wee Kim Wee)

This NEW cafe right beside EEE and WKW took over Spruce over the Summer break. We tried the Green Curry Chicken Rice ($5.50) which the service staff recommended. The dish boasts a generous portion of lean chicken, but the bubbling “curry” had too watery a consistency. I look forward to revisiting when they iron out the kinks. 

The Sandwich Guys

Sometimes I find myself rushing to lectures, despite my best efforts to wake up early. If you’re in a rush, grab a sandwich from The Sandwich Guys. I love that their sandwiches are made to order. Think fillings such as Philly cheesesteak ($4.50), or Cajun Grilled Chicken ($4) sandwiched between warm comforting pillows. We recommend the BBQ Pulled Pork ($4) which features thin strips of pork marinated with BBQ sauce! You can add on $1.80 for a drink and a side of mashed potato or buttered corn.

Pen&Inc.

If you craving something fancier, or celebrating a friend’s birthday, Pen&Inc is the place for you. While most of their mains are rather pricey for a student, they have DIY salads for less than $10. We tried the premium Tajima Wagyu Burger ($24++) which comprises a beef patty, a sesame brioche bun, Japanese Nato, Roma Tomato, pickled cucumber, 2 crispy onion rings, and a side of fries. The patty is of premium quality, and we love the extremely fresh vegetables and heavily-buttered brioche buns.  

NIE Canteen

Ba Chor Mee

The longest queue in NIE ALWAYS stems from the Minced Meat Noodle Store. A bowl of Ba Chor Mee goes for just $2.50/$3.30! However, they run out of minced meat rather quickly so its best to arrive early. We were there at 1pm and they had already run out of minced meat, so we tried their fishball noodles ($2.50) instead. 3 bouncy and springy fishballs, a few slices of fish cake, and cabbage come in a bowl of soup. Dry mee pok noodles are served separately. The noodles do not get clumpy, and the chilli is sumptuous. (P.S. Ask for more!)

There’s definitely more food that we’ve missed out, like the Zhup Cai Beng from Canteen 10/11 and the DIY Salad from Koufu that sees endless queues during lunch hours. But we hope that this list is comprehensive enough for you to start your first few weeks of school right! If you have more good food to recommend, leave a comment below and we’ll be sure to check it out.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid for 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 The Ultimate Guide to Good Food in NTU (Halls & Cafes Included!) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

It is a challenge to find halal Char Kway Teow. Following a recommendation from a dear old friend, I headed down to Bukit Merah View to check out a hawker who has been selling halal char kway teow for close to 6 years. When we arrived, the security shutter of the shopfront was pulled down and so I thought it was closed. A while later, the shutters went up and unveiled a Chinese man. Turns out, the Chinese man was performing his daily muslim prayers. Anis, the owner, revealed that he is actually a Muslim convert. Prior to his marriage to his Malay-Muslim wife, Anis has always been interested in Islamic beliefs. “Even before my marriage, I was already a Muslim convert,” said Anis.

The stall sells only Char Kway Teow (regular – $3, big – $5). “Considering our present economy, you don’t need anything too complicated. It is better to keep it simple,” Anis explains his rationale behind the sale of only char kway teow. Similar to the traditional version, Anis’s stir fried kway teow consist of kway teow and yellow wheat noodles stir fried in sweet black sauce, and garlic. A good amount of egg, chye sim vegetables and cockles were thrown in as well. For $3, the portion is sufficient to fill our bellies without being too “jelak” for us.

The noodles are fairly moist and oily, and each strand of noodles separated nicely. I do feel that the lack of pork lard (because it is halal) robbed the noodles of its potentially rich flavour, but the sweet and savoury notes underlying each bite is still satisfactory. What we liked most was their homemade chilli, which left an enduring heat on our tongues. Very shiok! Do ask for no chilli if you are unable to take the heat, though. 

The beansprouts were still crunchy after being left out for a long time. Perhaps, the highlight was the use of fresh cockles, which added a slight sweetness to the dish. Each cockle is fat and chewy! If you like, you can have additional cockles for only $1!

With a solid background in cooking, Anis serves up plates of char kway teow that everyone should try. We weren’t too impressed on our first bite, but the char kway teow became more addictive with every subsequent bite. 

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 786 Char Kway Teow. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Started by two cousins, Ng Jiewei and Lim Pei Tang, in January 2016, Eat 3 Bowls serves affordable and tasty Taiwanese food. Prior to moving to the current location, they were operating in pasar malams. After much validation and support from a group of regulars, both Jiewei and Pei Tang quit their full time financial planner jobs to open this stall in Seah Imm Food Centre.

Both of them travelled frequently to Taiwan and did extensive research to craft what they are serving today. The Braised Pork Rice ($2.50) is steeped very deeply in Taiwanese tradition. The pork belly is cut into small pieces and braised in a gorgeous thick and savoury sauce for at least 6 hours. The pork belly has a good mixture of lean meat and fats. It’s not too oily, so I don’t feel guilty eating it.

They ran out of Pig Intestines Mee Sua ($3.50) when we ordered, so we waited for a good 30 minutes for the next batch of mee sua to be ready. Each bowl is served with minced garlic and vinegar. It was a little bland on its own, and I wished they had some chilli oil to pair with it. However, I am impressed by the huge and tender pieces of intestines.

We ordered a set meal for 2 ($15) which comes with 2 bowls of braised pork belly rice, salted crispy chicken, braised cabbage and bittergourd pork ribs soup. The salted chicken comes in huge chunks and had a thin crispy skin. It’s nicely spiced with salt, pepper and five spice powder. I like the well-braised cabbage and bittergourd pork ribs soup, which are perfect for the hot weather. They also have a set meal for 1 ($7.50).

Eat 3 Bowls serves more than decent Taiwanese food, I must say. Many Taiwanese eateries in Singapore are serving Taiwanese food at way too exorbitant prices. The prices here are really affordable and this is how Taiwanese food should be.

The post Eat 3 Bowls – Cousins Sell Taiwanese Food in Hawker Centre appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Ayam penyet comes to mind when I crave Indonesian food. Oh, the thought of smashed fried chicken with fluffy white grains, sambal chilli, cucumber slices, fried tofu and tempeh, makes my mouth water. Ayam penyet is known especially for its super tender meat which is a result of a unique light smashing technique.

While pursuing a tip-off about a store that concocts their fresh sambal chilli by hand, I stumbled upon what could possibly be one of the best ayam penyet sambal chilli I have tasted thus far. Impian Wahyu is a humble little stall helmed by an Indonesian couple, Abang Batman and Wahyu Ning. You’d probably guess by now that the shop is named after Ms Wahyu. However, Mr Batman commands a spot on the signboard too. Spot that batman logo? There’s even a batman plushie hanging from the ceiling. If you’re curious, you should most definitely pop by. Mr Batman will be more than happy to provide a show-and-tell session about his name and the origins of the dishes, whilst you enjoy the the Indonesian spread prepared by them.

The Ayam Penyet ($5.50) is essentially an Indonesia-style chicken rice dish, so critics will probably be placing most emphasis on the quality of the rice or chicken. For me, the key is really the sambal chilli. 

Impian Wahyu’s sambal is divine. Yes, DIVINE. It is surprising that the sambal isn’t as spicy as the ones you would usually get at Ayam Penyet Ria or other stores. The combination of sugar, fried tomatoes, and dry chillies is a flavourful mix that can be enjoyed even on its own. Each portion of sambal chilli is handmade upon order.

Ms Wahyu first grabs a handful of tomato, and fries them till they are dry, before pouring it onto a portion of dried chillies and sugar. The ingredients are then pounded in a mortar to create the sambal chilli.

The chicken is slightly crispy, and is well seasoned with Indonesian spices. “Before this, we actually boil the chicken in a broth for at least 3 hours to soften the bones”, Mr Batman reveals right after he places the already softened chicken chunks in extremely hot oil. 

The couple recommended the Sup Buntut Oxtail ($8.00), which is a broth swimming with a generous amount of carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and oxtail meat. The vegetables added a touch of sweetness to the dish as well. I really liked the oxtail, which is soft and fatty.

The Tahu Goreng ($4.00) was a simple assembly of fried tofu and beansprouts, served with peanut sauce. Though the peanut sauce was slightly watery, the sweetness from it paired nicely with the tahu goreng.

“Do you know why we use begedil in our Mee Soto? If you put it in, the chicken broth will become thicker!” Yes Mr Batman, soaking the begedil in the already savoury chicken broth of the Mee Soto ($3.50) really gives it a better texture. Though I found the noodles to be quite average, the shredded chicken pieces were tender and really tasty.

I’m proud to say that Impian Wahyu has exceeded my expectations. Having built a home to some of the most authentic Indonesian dishes, Mr Batman guarantees that your tummies will be satisfied!

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

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This is it. The article that best summarises my journey in the National University of Singapore. Before, during and after classes, I’d dashed straight for the canteens no matter where I was. School food played a grand part in my academic journey, for sure. I wasn’t the best performing student, but I hope I did my best in bringing you some of the best food places that might become your new favourites. 

Tai Feng Wei

For the later half in NUS, I moved into Prince George Park Residence (which is opposite King Edward VII Hall). Prior to living here, my impression of the food choices here wasn’t positive. Turns out, it really isn’t so bad. For one, the Taiwan Popcorn Chicken Rice Box ($4.50) at Tai Feng Wei (Taiwanese) is pretty decent. Each of the components is decent, and the chicken is nicely seasoned. If you’re famished, the portion here is guaranteed to fill your tummy.

Fiesta Restaurant

Fiesta opened about 4 months ago, just before the start of the 2017 summer holidays. Fiesta is essentially a Chinese restaurant serving tze char dishes, and express lunch sets that are wallet friendly. I went for the Black Pepper Beef Fried Rice ($6.90) which sees beef slices coated in a black pepper sauce that is cooked with tomatoes, green peppers and onions. I loved the sweet and savoury notes!

Chinese Noodles @ Frontier, Faculty of Science

I remember taking Darwin & Evolution, and Global Health –  both were mentally draining. Thankfully, I was able to restore my energy with a comforting plate of Chinese noodles from the Science Canteen, the Frontier. There appears to be a never ending queue at the stall, but you won’t have to queue for more than 20 minutes. You can look forward to dumpling noodles, chicken noodles, and wanton noodles. Pro tip : Ask for Chan Chan (mix) and you’ll be given a plate of noodles with all the ingredients – dumpling, fried wanton, fishball, mushrooms, sliced chicken, minced meat, as well as a slice of ngoh hiang. Best part? This ultimate plate of noodles costs only $2.30! 

Yong Tau Foo & Laksa

The Yong Tau Foo at FASS is crazy popular. Be prepared to queue for at least 10-15 minutes before you can pick your ingredients, and another 15-20 minutes before you receive your food. Regardless, it’s worth it because you’re really getting your money’s worth. For just $3.50, you get 9 pieces of ingredients, and bee hoon, noodles or laksa soup! My go-to ingredients would have to be the seaweed chicken and crabstick! I liked that the laksa soup has a good balance of coconut milk and spices. During exam periods, I usually switch to clear soup and opt for more greens, for a lighter meal. 

Liang Ban Kung Fu @ The Deck, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

For just $7, we scored a serving of broccoli, raw chicken slices, pork balls, tau kwah, and enoki mushrooms. If this is your first time trying the ma la xiang guo, ask for mild spice (小 辣). If you need a loud awakening, go for medium（中辣）or hot spice（大辣). I find the 小 or 中 辣 still manageable especially if you can take the heat. This ma la xiang guo is fragrant, and very much comparable to those found in restaurants. Super value for money, isn’t it?

Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice @ The Deck, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

The chicken rice ($2.80) from The Deck, is undoubtedly, one of my favourite dishes. The rice pairs extremely well with the flavourful chilli sauce. I would always order the chicken thigh as it is more tender. Soaked in soy sauce, the flavourful chicken can be eaten on its own. 

Kaneda Japanese Cuisine @ Technoedge, Faculty of Engineering

One of the must haves in Technoedge is the Fried Chicken Tama ($4)! You’ll be served a hotplate filled with chicken chunks swimming in a savoury egg and sweet gravy mix. They also serve wakame, which I love!

Hougang Fishball Minced Meat Noodles @ Technoedge, Faculty of Engineering

Sometimes, my friends and I get caught up in study sessions that endure till night falls. Fortunately, Hougang Fishball Minced Meat Noodles opens till 8pm. I was introduced to the Fried Minced Meat Ball Noodles ($2.80) in year 2, and I’ve loved it ever since. The handmade meatball is oil, but succulent. Though I find the noodles just alright, the soft pieces of pork lard elevate the taste of the noodles. If you like, you can even get the meatballs without the noodles, as a snack. The cook puts chilli into your noodles by default, so remember to alert him should you prefer otherwise. 

Western Food @ Technoedge, Faculty of Engineering

A couple of my peers in the engineering faculty recommended this stall so I had a go at the Black Pepper Grilled Chicken Chop ($3.20), which comes with a set of side dishes. I opted for coleslaw, sausage, and thick cut fries to pair with the grilled chicken which was pretty well executed. This is a good beginner set if you’re craving for some western food. 

Indonesian Panggang @ Technoedge, Faculty of Engineering

A fan of ayam panggang? You will be pleased to know that you don’t have to venture out of school to get it then! The ayam panggang is priced very reasonably, and features tender chicken flavoured with kecap manis (sweet sauce). The chicken skin sports a nice char and smokiness. You can opt to have your rice drenched in a rich curry gravy.. For only $3.50, you’re really getting your money’s worth.

The Spread @ NUS Business School

Nestled in a corner of the Mochtar Riady building is this pretty cafe selling Asian cuisine. The Spread is perfect for lunch if you ever need to escape the heat. The Japanese Beef Bowl / Gyudon with Sunny Side Up ($8.80) is made up of rice, a sunny side up egg, sliced beef and onion. I love the sweet and savoury marinate on the beef, but I did find the beef a tad dry. The cafe also offers do-it-yourself salad bowls, desserts, and beverages. 

Dickson’s North Indian Halal Food

The Terrace canteen, in the School of Computing, is a place I hardly visit. However, it is home to a number of international cuisine – Western, Indian and Vietnamese. If you’re heading to Dickson’s, you have to get the Steamed Briyani Rice, Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, and Cauliflower ($6). I couldn’t stop slurping up the curry of the butter chicken, which was robust and highly addictive. The chicken itself is well marinated, though slightly fibrous. Equally flavourful is the tandoori chicken, which has a strong charred taste.  

Café on the Ridge @ NUSS The Graduate Club

Previously accessible to students, this eatery now allows only members of the NUSS graduate club. Pro tip : register for the NUSS graduate club 90-days trial membership to gain access to the graduate club’s swimming pool and gym. After a workout session, you can drop by Café on the Ridge for a good lunch. Just remember to wear covered shoes and long pants. A highly recommended dish is the Nasi Goreng ($9.90), which consists of sambal prawns, chilli chicken, mutton rendang, as well as keropok, achar, fried anchovies, and rice. The sambal prawns are delish! I also enjoyed the chilli chicken and mutton rendang which were both very savoury. However, the meats were a little too tough. 

Indian Food @ Food Clique, University Town

This stall is super popular. The queue is unbelievable, especially during lunch hour. Reviews from my lecturers and peers about this place have been largely positive. For $3.30, I got a Mushroom Prata and Plaster Prata. The plaster prata was a tad disappointing, because the yolk of the egg was cooked through instead of being runny. The mushroom prata, on the other hand, was decent and comes with a generous amount of cut mushroom. The prata was not as crispy as I would have like, but I thought the curry was decently thick and well spiced.

Ban Mian / Fish Soup @ Food Clique, University Town

Week 13 is the most stressful week, and also the most exhausting time of my academic life. If I get too sleepy or restless while studying in UTown, I’ll go for a bowl of Tom Yum Fish Soup Noodles ($3.20) and request for a spicier version to wake myself up. The thick-cut and chewy noodles are topped with minced meat, crab sticks, egg, vegetables, anchovies, and sliced fish. It might be too spicy for some, but it’s excellent comfort food for me. 

Astons Express @ Food Clique, University Town

When I was still a freshman living in UTown, one of the first things I ate was Aston’s. Quality wise, the dishes are adequate, but what really makes it stand out is the affordable pricing. For $6.90, I get to savour the Chargrill Chicken which comes with 2 complimentary sides of your choice. I opted for the garden veggie and pasta salad, both of which were yummy. Be prepared to wait up to an hour during peak hours.

Hwang’s Korean Restaurant @ University Town

For a fuss-free Korean food fix, try the Doeji Bulgogi ($5.50) –  a basic assembly of spicy marinated pork, rice, and side dishes, on a hotplate. You can always add an egg for just 50 cents! The pork is nicely marinated, and carries a slight fire. While the pork isn’t too oily, it can be slightly dry. The onions add a sweet crunch to the dish. Scoop a mouthful and eat it while it’s hot!

There is something for every student in almost every part of NUS. Apart from the wide variety of food choices, there are also beverages that you must try – soya milk from Technoedge, and fruit juices from the Deck. There is also McDonald’s near the School of Engineering. I hope you discover more delicious food in your 3 or 4 years here!

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

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

The post An NUS Freshman’s Guide : 17 Memorable Food Stores in NUS appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Opened on 7 June, Lickety is the next new concept store by the people behind Fika and Konditori. Our  cries for desserts by the popular Fika have finally been heard.  

Their famous Halal egglets are actually a modern rendition of Belgian waffles. Each egglet is packed in a pretty box with shades of white and pale sea foam. Before you tuck in, you should expect a buttery and fluffy texture similar to that of Belgian waffles, instead of the usual eggy fragrance and crispy interior. You can customise your egglet by adding ice cream and toppings of your choice. Toppings include rainbow sprinkles, gem biscuit, pocky stick, oreo biscuits and more (50 cents/topping)!

We opted for the buttermilk and red velvet flavoured egglet. We loved the fluffy and moist interior of the warm egglet, which pairs excellently with a scoop of ice cream. As mentioned earlier, the taste and texture resembles that of Belgian waffle instead of the Hong Kong Egglets.

You can even choose up to three scoops of ice cream for your egglet ($4.50/scoop, $7.90/2 scoops, $8.90/3 scoops). We tam chiak right so we just swoop up three big scoops – Cookies & Cream, Dark Angel and Bubblegum ice cream. The sweet cookies and cream and bubblegum flavours delivered a stark contrast to the bittersweet Dark Angel, which is a homemade dark chocolate concoction.

Lickety may be dressed in a girly, pastel theme but this snug spot will please even the boys. Be prepared to get your hands dirty as you reach the bottom of the egglet. I hope you love Lickety’s egglets as much as we did.

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 Lickety. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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The owners of Sheng Yi Fa Lor Mee, Mr Yao and his wife, manned the stall (which was previously located at Clementi) for more than a decade before Mr Yao decided to retire due to health issues. Fortunately, Mr Yao’s son, Thomas, took interest in the business and decided to open a new stall, with a friend, at West Coast Drive. Even though Mr Yao and his wife have retired, you can still see them at the West Coast outlet supervising Thomas.

Each bowl of lor mee costs $4. You can add extra ingredients for a dollar. We got two bowls – one regular, and one with added ingredients. There really is a stark difference in the amount of ingredients between the $4 and $5 lor mee. Don’t forget to top up 70 cents for an extra egg! Patrons can also choose from thick flat yellow noodles, kway teow or bee hoon for their lor mee. Having tried both the yellow noodles and kway teow, I prefer the former as it is able to soak up the gravy better.

Mr Yao blends a variety of herbs, such as luo han guo, to concoct the thick and flavourful gravy. The gravy contains a generous amount of ingredients – egg white, fish bits, ngoh xiang, lor bak, fried you tiao pieces and fried chicken pieces. Their fried dumplings, lor bak and ngoh xiang are all made in house. The ingredients remain crispy and fragrant despite having been soaked in the thick gravy for awhile.

A good amount of pork and water chestnuts lie in the core of the savoury fried dumpling. The ngoh xiang is equally flavourful, and pairs excellently with the viscous gravy. Again, you’ll find bits of chestnuts in the ngoh xiang which give it a subtle sweetness. The you tiao bits are highly addictive – each piece crunchy and savoury. “We enhance the taste of the you tiao by mixing in our homemade mix”, explains Thomas.

Every bite carries different textures and flavours, which makes their lor mee very very satisfying! Try slurping the lor mee with their homemade chilli, which has a pleasant charred taste. For all those serious garlic lovers out there, go crazy on their garlic, like I did, and you won’t be disappointed.

Sheng Yi Fa serves up bowls of lor mee that truly embodies the taste of tradition. Every aspect of the lor mee was just perfect. My only complaint is that the stall is located in a pretty remote corner in the western part of Singapore. Still, I’ll definitely be back for their lor mee!

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 Sheng Yi Fa Lor Mee. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Armed with years of experience in F&B, Andrew aims to bring European artisanal breads to the heartlands of Singapore. “Artisanal breads are usually available only in town, so we want to make it more accessible to people in the neighbourhood,” Andrew said.

Interestingly, the A in AM Bakery was derived from the first alphabet of the names of both owners – Andrew and Anson. The M was derived from both their zodiac signs – Monkey and Mouse. AM also reflects their desire to start customers’ mornings with fresh bakes and warm smiles.

Opened on 23 July 2017, the bakery embraces a takeaway concept. French influences can be detected in their bakes – from the ingredients to the fermentation process. “The flour that we use is a type of flour commonly applied in French bakery. For the butter, we use AOP butter. It is really well received in France,” Andrew explains.

We couldn’t help but grab their bestselling Almond Croissant ($2.50) – a straight form croissant laminated with AOP butter. A sugary white almond paste and crunchy almond flakes coat the flaky and crispy croissant. The croissant boasts an ethereal interior, with alternating layers that are moist and light. It’s classic counterpart, the Croissant ($2.30), is as flaky and crispy. Unlike the almond croissant, the buttery fragrance is more distinct. I enjoyed the almond croissant more since there is more going on in terms of texture and taste.

Unlike commercially-produced bread, where yeast is directly added into the bread recipe to streamline the process, the bread here is made using French Levian aka Mother dough, which is a pre-ferment or sourdough starter. “Subjecting the pre-ferment under longer fermentation gives the bread more taste.” The natural fermentation stretches the bread out, creating a thick exterior while helping the inside remain soft and moist.

Andrew recommended the Banana and Pecan Nut Bread ($3.80), which is a whole round bread. The aroma of banana and roasted pecans will strike you immediately when you bite into it.

One of AM Bakery’s special items to celebrate National Day was their SG52 Banana Cake ($5.20). It was absolutely delicious! The exterior is crumbly and crisp while the inside is moist and aromatic. The whole cake is so huge, so it definitely is worth every penny. 

For a savoury option, you could try the Cheese Twist ($1.80) – a bread stick filled with cheese filling. I would have liked it better if there was more cheese. Remember to toast it before eating.

Unfortunately, the tasty banana cake is not available anymore. I hope it does make a comeback because it is really yummy! AM Bakery recommends all breads to be consumed within 3 days from the day of purchase. The breads are good for 5 days if they are kept in the refrigerator. It is best to consume the pastries by the next day.

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 AM Bakery. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Donya Japanese Cuisine stall is run by Keat Hwee, Andrew, and John. Following the success of their restaurant, Tenryu, at Bukit Panjang, they decided to set up Donya in a coffeeshop to cater to residents living in Toa Payoh. All three of them spent their childhood in this estate, so they wanted to return to a place where they’re familiar with, and offer customers premium food at affordable prices.

Donya Japanese Cuisine focuses on Donburis and Makis, and all items are priced below $10. The Salmon Mentai Don ($8.80) consists of deep-fried Norwegian Sashimi Grade Salmon, slathered with mentai cream. The dish is torched before serving. Unfortunately, the flesh is a tad too dry for our liking. Keat Hwee explained that due to many constraints, they have no choice but to deep fry the salmon, which results in its dry flesh. The team is still looking for a way to improve the texture of the salmon.

The Unagi Tama Don ($8.80) fares better, due to its nice eggy flavour. They are not stingy with the portion, and the dish features just the right amount of savouriness. The skin of the unagi is quite silky, and we enjoyed the tender flesh. You might think that this dish is too pricey for a hawker stall, but you’re tucking into premium grade unagi that is shipped from Taiwan or Japan.

Makis are the signature items at Tenryu, so the partners decided to offer makis at Donya too. The special Donya Maki ($5.80) is drenched in a Tama-Miso sauce, which is made slightly sweeter by the trio. The sweetness balances out the salty flavours from the bonito flakes and miso that’s added in the sauce.

The Mentai Maki ($5.80), on the other hand, is too salty. The texture is alright, with some creaminess from avocado slices, and a nice crunch from little chunks of cucumber, but we would’ve preferred it to be less salty. This maki is also torched before serving.

There are hits and misses at Donya Japanese Cuisine, but they’re still really young and I am sure it will get better. We really like the Unagi Tama Don, and we’re pretty sure it’s hard to find premium grade donburis and makis at such affordable prices.

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 Donya Japanese Cuisine. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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The owner of Genesis Vegan Restaurant was 9 when she turned vegan. A huge advocate for a wholesome lifestyle and healthy eating, she believes that vegan food can be just as flavourful and delicious as any meat dish. Her proof? 80%-90% of her regular customers are non-vegans.

It must be really good, I thought. Maybe after my meal, I’ll be a convert. Maybe, just maybe.

I had high hopes of changing my impression of vegetables.

Famed for their dumplings with some even claiming that “it’s better than the meat variety”, this is definitely a must-try.

Encased in the smooth dumpling skin is a filling made from mock meat, mushrooms and spring onions. The filling is made fresh in the morning daily. For $6, you’ll get 6 plump looking dumplings and a small serving of chili sauce that tasted similar to our chicken rice chili. The fillings were sweet and had a strong mushroom taste. So, if you detest the taste of mushrooms, stay away from this dish! Otherwise, these dumplings are indeed flavourful.

If they were more tender and juicy, I would have given it 10 out of 10 stars.

While the cracked top may look unappealing, it is actually a layer of vegan cheese sauce made from nutritional yeast. Underneath this ugly betty lies layers of creamy cashew cream and brown lentils. At first glance, it looked like bits of minced meat. Taste and texture wise, it was anything but. The lentils had a soft, mushy texture; it was perhaps more like a vegetable stew that was braised until thick, lumpy and soft.

The flavours of this lasagne ($9.90) is characterized largely by tomatoes and the top layer of “cheese”; nothing complex. Like a plain old classic tomato lasagne but meatless, some may find the taste of this dish comforting. I have to admit that this tomato-based dish had a nice balance of acidity and sweetness.

Bak Kut Teh without pork? Yes, and it’s just as good as the porky version. Savoury and aromatic, you will be surprised that no pork bones were used to make this soup. Flavourful and light on the stomach, this piping hot bowl of delicious herbal bak kut teh soup is akin to the Malaysian herbal bak kut teh, apt for any day. It’s best enjoyed with a bowl of brown rice and lightly boiled bakchoy for a complete and satisfying meal ($8.90).

This tofu cheesecake ($4.50) is creamy and smooth, mildly sweet and had a nice tang from the addition of lemon juice. Its base is made out of oats and some dried cranberries. The “cheese” has a texture relatively similar to the real deal. And that is impressive, because obviously cream cheese isn’t used at all.  

Genesis Vegan Restaurant is true attestation that vegan food can be delicious too. I was certainly impressed. 

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

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The concept of infusing elements of traditional national dishes into modern cuisine has been trending.  Even McDonalds has jumped onto the bandwagon with their Nasi Lemak burger. Forget trends, for I have here with me a hidden gem that sells delicious Chinese Style Nasi Lemak! Opened in 2002, Hi Leskmi Nasi Lemak had its name derived from the Hindu goddess of wealth, health, fortune and prosperity, Lakshmi. On behalf of Carol, older son Jonathan explained that the family-run Nasi lemak hawker stall was inspired by the belief that people should have access to delicious food at affordable prices.

“We do remember faces and try to engage with returning customers by remembering their likes and dislikes. It’s pretty personal in that sense, where customers actually turn into friends.”

With a friendly demeanour, Hi Leskmi Nasi Lemak welcomes patrons with an array of scrumptious ingredients, including stir-fried brinjal, grilled otah and crispy fried chicken wing.

If it’s your first time here, be prepared to brave the queue that would have already formed even before the store opens. All good things must wait right! While waiting, you can decide if you want to get set A, B or C, or build your own dish. I love to customise my Nasi Lemak, so I chose to pair my rice with stir-fried cabbage, grilled otah, crispy chicken wing, egg, and tahu goreng with long beans ($5).

Remember to ask for their sambal chilli, which is to die for. Every mouthful of sambal is delicious. You can definitely almost taste a subtle wok hei in the chilli. The family adds tamarind paste to the chilli, which gives it its sweetness! And the best part? The chilli pairs excellently with every ingredient, adding a sweet and spicy note to each. “The sambal chilli is also a huge favourite of our customers. More often than not, our customers tend to tell us to give them more,” said Jonathan.

The cabbage is light, yet crunchy and sweet, and isn’t too oily.

They make a delicious tahu goreng with long beans. Though I’m not usually a fan of fried tofu, the tau goreng, which is fried to perfection, had me at hello. Add a dose of their chilli and be amazed by the combustion of flavours. This ingredient alone made all the difference for me.

The fresh and soft otah has a strong char and is definitely something you must try! The chicken wing is slightly on the drier side, but the skin is still nicely crisp and the meat well marinated.

This is definitely one good nasi lemak that will put all other nasi lemak-inspired dishes to shame. The family also runs the minced meat noodles stall (#01-69) and the economical rice stall (#01-67), which are opposite the nasi lemak stall. Now that’s hawkerpreneurship. Jonathan and his younger brother, who are working full time at the stalls, have also shared with us their dreams of taking over the stalls in the future. We wish Carol and her family all the best in their upcoming ventures!

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 Hi Leskmi Nasi Lemak. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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One week in Tanjong Pagar. Three meals a day. Fifty dollars. Is it possible?

You can get affordable and tasty meals at Maxwell Market and Amoy Street Food Centre, but did you know that Tanjong Pagar Plaza and International Plaza offer pocket-friendly options too? Read on to find out if we managed to complete our challenge!

Huh? Monday again…

Breakfast: SL II Muffin

Back to work… How about a sweet treat for breakfast before work? Since they open at 8.30am, SL II Muffin is the perfect place to grab a bite before your work day starts. We decided on the Banana Walnut ($1.70) which was studded with walnuts. We liked that the dense muffin wasn’t overly sweet, and that there were small banana slices embedded within. The Aunty told us that they do not use butter or margarine in their muffins. Ooh, healthy. These muffins can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. Do grab a few of their coconut tarts or egg tarts, which cost just $1-$1.50, for your colleagues back in the office!

Lunch: Maxwell Fish Soup 家潮州鱼粥。鱼汤

This stall is no stranger to those who work in Tanjong Pagar. It has one of the longest, if not the longest, queues in Maxwell Food Centre. The snaking queue is well worth joining. Unlike other stalls which give thin slices of fish, this stall gives extremely thick ones.  The flavourful broth does not contain any MSG and this is definitely a healthy option. Although they supposedly close at 3.30pm, they were already running out of fish slices around 1.30pm. Their fish soup is priced at just $3.50 (with rice). It’s no wonder they have such a long queue!

Dinner: Blue Star Fishball Minced Meat Noodle

The long queue at Blue Star Fishball Minced Meat Noodle at Tanjong Pagar Plaza caught our attention immediately. We quickly joined the queue (which moves fairly quickly) and were rewarded with a satisfying bowl of Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles ($3). They serve lots of other typical noodle dishes such as Dry Fishball Noodles and Mee Tai Mak soup, as well. Although each bowl costs just $3, Blue Star definitely doesn’t skimp on ingredients. You get 2 meatballs, a sizeable portion of minced meat, pig liver, and delicious braised mushrooms. Pro-tip: add more braised mushrooms. The juicy and thick mushrooms are super tasty!

Let’s Get This Engine Started Tuesday

Breakfast: Good Morning Nanyang Coffee

Power up with a hearty breakfast! The unique thing about the kaya toast at Good Morning Nanyang is that it comes with ORANGE CIABATTA toast. The usual kaya and butter spread is sandwiched between two crispy ciabatta toasts. Here, the Orange Ciabatta Toast ($2.50) has orange peel mixed within the ciabatta dough. The tanginess of the orange peel gives the bread a delicious and zesty aroma. By the way, their kaya is not too sweet and is slightly more grainy, as they are using a recipe that originates from Segamat. If you’re not so into orange, get the original ciabatta toast or the classic steamed bun with kaya.

Lunch: Pepper Bowl

If you spot a snaking queue at Amoy Street Food Centre, it probably stems from Pepper Bowl. This humble stall specialises in Black Pepper Beef Hor Fun. With every bowl cooked to order, it might take awhile for you to dig in, but we promise the good food is worth the wait! We recommend the Black Pepper Beef Hor Fun ($5 + $0.60 for an additional onsen egg) which has piping hot and silky smooth hor fun drenched in strong black pepper-infused gravy. If you’re an Asian who can’t live without rice, get the Black Pepper Beef Rice ($5) or the Spring Onion Pork Rice ($4.50) instead.

Dinner: Issan Thai Food 泰国东北美食

Treat yourself to a satisfying plate of Pad Thai ($4.50) from Issan Thai Food at Tanjong Pagar Plaza. They open till 8pm and serve perfect comfort food for after-office hours. Their Tom Yum Soup with Seafood seems to be a popular option as well. The Pad Thai is cooked on the spot and comes with 2 prawns, eggy bits and firm tofu cubes. 

Hump Day Wednesday

Yummi Chiffon

Yummi Chiffon is especially popular among OLs who want to grab a quick bite during tea time. Their circular chiffon cakes come in a wide array of flavours, ranging from the classic Pandan ($1.60), to more unique flavours such as Cranberry Soy ($1.60) and Oreo Cookie ($1.60). We tried the Chocolate Cheese ($1.60) and liked that it was moist enough. Note that the chiffon cakes can keep up to 3 days in the fridge (2 days for Pandan).

Lunch: Hainanese Curry Rice 中国街咖喱饭

The Hainanese Curry Rice from Maxwell Food Centre draws large crowds during lunch hour. We actually managed to get a decent portion of curry-soaked rice, egg, pork chop and stewed vegetables for just $3.20! We especially loved the thin and crispy pork chop!

Dinner: Crunch Salad

Since we had a heavy lunch of curry png, let’s have a light and refreshing salad for dinner. Located at Tanjong Pagar MRT, this shop boasts a plethora of eye-catching and brightly-coloured toppings. A premium (protein) and 3 toppings OR a box of 5 toppings costs $5. This is one of the cheapest salads in Tanjong Pagar, so don’t miss out! We went for the smoked duck, corn, purple cabbage, carrots, and my all-time favourite Japanese sesame dressing.

So-Close-Yet-So-Far Thursday

Breakfast: Rickshaw Noodle 中国街热食 拉车面

Rickshaw noodles is a dish that is fast vanishing. It used to be the staple of rickshaw pullers in the olden days. Fortunately, you can still grab a bowl at Maxwell Food Centre. The stall, which is in its 74th year of operation, is manned by Madam Soh, who is 71 this year. A small bowl of rickshaw noodles goes for just $1, while a bigger portion goes for $1.50. A selection of ngoh hiang is also available. We got a small bowl of noodles (rickshaw noodles & mee sua) in a starchy gravy with a prawn fritter, a deep fried vegetable pancake and ngoh hiang for just $2. Their ngoh hiang is small, but is super flavourful and satisfying! Note that they are only open from 6am – 1pm.

Lunch: International Plaza Mee Siam

$3.20 might not seem like much, but it’s enough to get you a plate of mee siam! The mee siam gravy has an extremely tangy taste and is slightly nutty. Perfect to perk you up before you head back to the office. The noodles come with fried taukwa and a hard boiled egg. While it is definitely not the best bowl of mee siam around, the generous portionis sure to keep you satiated.

Dinner: Earth Kitchen

$5.50 here gets you 4 prawns, a generous portion of noodles, and some vegetables. Unlike other places which mix the noodles with thin beehoon, the prawn mee here only comes with yellow noodles. We thought that the broth was surprisingly robust, and especially flavourful after adding fried onions (shallot) inside. However, we would have preferred the prawns to be fresher. Other than prawn mee, Earth Kitchen serves econonic bee hoon as well.

Thank God… It’s Friday!

Breakfast: J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff

Bet you didn’t expect a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner to be on this $50 challenge list! Two-time winner (2016 & 2017) of the Michelin Bib Gourmand, J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff looks rather unassuming. Look out for the stall owners at the front of the stall who are probably making them curry puffs by hand. They have 3 items on their menu: the Crispy Black Pepper Chicken Puff ($1.50), Crispy Curry Chicken Puff ($1.20) and the Crispy Sardine Puff ($1.20). All 3 have the same flaky crispy skin that comes apart with a light prod, and is served piping hot (take care of those fingers!) The flaky deep-fried pastry is filled with curry potatoes and chicken bits. We love that they believe in doing everything from scratch. They even peel the potatoes themselves. How’s that for effort?

Lunch: Taste Affair

Taste Affair serves up Italian food at affordable prices! It is set up by Saveur’s co-founder, Joshua. We got a decent serving of Chicken Leg Angel Hair Pasta for $5. The pasta is coated with a chilli oil-based sauce, and comes with a tender chicken leg and a golden poached egg. Another popular item is the Clam with Sauté Mushroom & Angel Hair Pasta ($6) which is cooked in a clam soup base.

Dinner: Jewel 7 Prata

Made to order, the prata at Jewel 7 Food Court in International Plaza will arrive warm and toasty at your table. We got 2 plain pratas ($2.40), which is the minimum order. The prata did not have the usual gleaming sheen of oil on its surface, and was lightly browned. We like that it was not too oily and it feels quite light on the palate. It is the doughy sort of prata that is more filling that it looks, but we would have loved for it to be a little crispier! However, we rather enjoyed pairing the thick curry with the doughy pratas. 

SO DID WE DO IT?

Yes we did! We spent a total of

$49.90

during the week. Talk about cutting it close. There’s probably a lot more delicious hawker food such as Hua Kee Fish Soup at Amoy Street Food Centre and Shanghai Dumplings at Maxwell Food Centre, but we hope that we managed to feature some stalls that weren’t on your foodie radar (yet). Let us know if there’s anymore affordable food around Tanjong Pagar that we should check out!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal 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 Did We Survive A Work Week in Tanjong Pagar With Just $50? appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Located at SuperBowl Jurong, Rong Guang BBQ Seafood is run by a mother and son team. The place is not easily accessible, but the interesting marinades they use for the seafood is worth trying. This stall was started in 1980 by Joe’s mother. She used to serve chicken rice, but realized that her BBQ seafood dishes are more profitable. So, she decided to do away with chicken rice, and focus on serving BBQ seafood at Bukit Merah Food Centre in 1985. Two months ago, they decided to move to SuperBowl Jurong.

The menu is quite extensive for a hawker stall, and all the dishes are economically priced. This allows customers to order more variety for sharing. The BBQ Stingray ($5.50) can be prepared with sambal, assam, or curry marinade. We went for the usual sambal stingray, and this is probably one of the meatiest stingray we’ve come across, albeit a tad too tough. The sambal is not too spicy, but still has enough kick. Squeeze the lime for that tangy finish.

The BBQ Lala ($5.50) can be cooked in 4 different ways here, namely sambal, ginger & onion, gong bao, and gan xiang. The gong bao lala is surprisingly pleasant on the palate. We were skeptical initially, as we didn’t think that gong bao sauce suits shellfish, but were proven wrong. The lala is fresh, plump, and juicy. If we had more stomach space, we would’ve gone for the sambal lala too.

Rong Guang BBQ Seafood also serves a range of vegetables such as baby kailan, fried kang kong, fried potato leaves, and more. The Stir-Fried French Bean ($5.50) comes with either garlic or sambal seasoning. The garlic version is so aromatic, and the French beans are fried just right – not too mushy, with a nice crunch.

Crabs are also served here at a very reasonable pricing for the size. We can’t wait to introduce this stall to our friends and family. Despite its location, we will return for the food, as the dishes taste quite decent and are super value-for-money.

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 Rong Guang BBQ Seafood. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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We seldom explore the Northern parts of Singapore, but work took us to Yishun sometime last week, so we decided to have breakfast at Chong Pang Market & Food Centre. Many people have been raving about the nasi lemak served and kway chap. Let’s see what else is there!

Wan Xing Nasi Lemak

Serving light green-coloured rice, probably from the juices of pandan leaves, and infused with the aroma of coconut milk, Wan Xing Nasi Lemak has no lack of supporters. The rice looks good, but was sadly, not as aromatic as we expected. However, it is neither too moist nor too grainy, maintaining a good consistency throughout. You can either order their standard set menu, or select your own ala carte items. Mind you, the portion is HUGE.

Ho Heng Kway Chap

We were told that the wait can be close to 45 minutes to over an hour on weekends. Lucky for us, there wasn’t much crowd on a Monday morning. Each piece of silky kway chap is well prepared, and soaked in a pretty decent savoury gravy. It comes with your choice of braised pork belly, braised egg, tau pok, and even braised innards.

Tian Ji Shu Shi

We saw a crowd lining up in front of this stall, and joined in the “fun”. There are prawn noodle, pork ribs noodle, and noodle with a combination of prawn and pork ribs offered here. We went for the ultimate combo, but thought the broth would’ve been better if it’s richer and deeper in flavours. Perhaps, the dry one might have been better.

Super Penyet

As its name suggests, Super Penyet is famous for Ayam Penyet. A plate comes with aromatic nasi lemak rice enhanced by coconut milk. The chicken is well marinated such that its flavours went into the tender meat. It’s also fried to a crisp golden brown and we couldn’t help but finish the crispy skin first. The homemade sambal sauce, consisting of a blend of chilli, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, tamarind and lime juice, packs a really good punch!

Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck

We prefer braised duck to roasted duck, and chancing upon this stall excites us. The braised rice has a nice bite and isn’t too mushy. Coupled with slices of tender and flavourful duck, every mouthful tickled our tastebuds. Each slice of duck has a layer of skin, making the meat even more delicious.

Lu Xiang Ji

The fishball noodles, minced meat noodles, and chicken feet noodles are reasonably priced here. For the price of $2.50, you get a very generous serving. The noodles are a tad softer, yet still retains a nice bite.

Taiwan 8 Treasure Tau Huey

While flavoured tau huey is nothing new, this stall stands out by serving 8 treasure tau huey, with ingredients such as mung beans, green beans, peanuts, and sweet potato, just to name a few. While some of you might find the contrasting textures pleasant, we thought otherwise. In our opinion, it’s hard for the smooth tau huey to complement the crunchy peanuts.

On weekdays, market-goers will visit this food centre, but on weekends, be prepared to jostle around with big families who are out with their children. There will be long queues forming at certain stalls here too. Chong Pang Market & Food Centre is a great place to satisfy your hawker fix.

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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The family-run business Nasi Padang Indonesia Bandung has been operating for 4 years. We spoke to Chef Cicih, an Indonesian Muslim lady who wakes up as early as five in the morning to prepare the ingredients. All the Indonesian dishes you see here are cooked based on recipes from the 59-year-old cook.

The stall boasts an impressive repertoire of dishes, but one of the more unique dishes is the Nasi Rawon. Originated from Surabaya, Indonesia, the Nasi Rawon is essentially rice served with Indonesian beef black soup. Chef Cicih’s rendition of Nasi Rawon ($5.50) is similar, but with discernible traces of beef trimmings. There is also Beef Lungs, Begedil, Tempeh, Sotong Sambal, Coconut Shavings as well as Sambal Chilli. Beyond its seemingly tough leather exterior, the lungs are actually quite easy to chew through! Note that Nasi Rawon is available only on weekends and public holidays!

I found the Mee Siam ($3) packed with flavor. Perhaps one of my favourite, each mouthful of rice vermicelli carries sweet and tangy undertones. 

There are other dishes worth trying too. The Mee Rebus ($3) is a simple assembly of egg noodles drenched in a viscous gravy that is slightly sweeter than that of other bowls of mee rebus I’ve tried. The Lontong ($3) isn’t the best, with a mild tasting curry that contains ketupat (compressed rice cakes). Pair the sweet sambal with the lontong to spice things up!

You can also grab a bowl of Mee Soto ($3) for a satisfying breakfast.

To determine whether a plate of nasi lemak is good, we scrutinise the rice. Here, the rice in their Nasi Lemak ($3.50) exudes a subtle coconut aroma. I would prefer the rice to be more lemak, though. Accompanying the rice is a portion of crispy fried chicken ($1.50/pc), ikan kuning, egg, as well as sambal chilli. The crispy fried chicken stands out, with a crispy, albeit slightly oily, batter.

Here are a couple of nasi padang dishes to try when you visit. The Beef Rendang ($3) may lack consistency, with contrasting tough and soft textures, but you might enjoy the spice and herbal flavours that slowly develop as you chew on the beef. The Ayam Merah ($3 – $3.50) which sees tender chicken meat coated with a sweet and tangy sauce, is a must-try too. 

Found in a coffee shop within Sengkang, Nasi Padang Indonesia Bandung serves authentic Indonesian cuisine that is definitely value for money. I’ll be back for the mee siam, and the variety of mouth-watering nasi padang dishes!

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

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Having been around for almost 5 years, Mr Baguette has amassed a huge following with hoards of people pre-ordering their baguette buns. They often sell out nearing the end of the day so contact the owner, Kent, beforehand to avoid disappointment! Their full list of products is available on their Facebook page at mrbaguette.singapore.

Although the minimum order is 4, we couldn’t resist getting more!

The Baguette Tart (Double Volume) ($2) has a French Egg filling and is their most popular item. Imagine an egg tart with its buttery crust replaced by a warm, freshly baked baguette. The buttery and light egg pudding is made from milk, eggs, sugar and whipping cream. It is slightly lighter in taste as compared to normal egg tarts.

We also tried the Baguette Lava ($1.80) which is their classic chocolate flavour, and one of their best sellers. Perfect for chocoholics, grainy chocolate oozes out after you take a bite into the crispy baguette. Kent definitely does not skimp on the filling here. It will get messy, so get your plates ready. The buttery chocolate ‘crust’ at the top is the best part. The slightly salty  ‘lava’ helps to ensure that the baguette ball does not get overwhelmingly sweet.

The Apple Lava ($1.80) has Apple and Cinnamon inside. I tasted some chopped walnuts in the flowy lava, but it was quickly overpowered by the creamy insides. The ‘lava’ in this bun is more viscous as compared to the one in the Chocolate Baguette Lava. The apple filling is rather generous (there’s more inside apart from that apple cube on top!) and it is a sweet treat best saved for dessert or tea.

Azuki Lava ($1.80) sees the classic Japan red bean and green tea combination. The texture is not as runny, despite us heating it up for the same amount of time, at the same temperature. Despite sounding like a milder flavour, the red beans made the baguette a tad too sweet for my liking.

Moving on to the savoury flavours, the Cheese Lava ($1.80) is crafted from 4 different types of cheese. It has a slight sweetness but did not have the strong cheesy taste that we expected. It would be better if the taste came through more strongly. Although it sounds filling and heavy, it is perfect as a light snack.

If you’re looking for a quick grab-and-go meal, Mr Baguette’s Bowl Pasta Products are a good option. Their Carbonara Bowl ($2) has carbonara sauce, cheese, chicken ham and macaroni within the baguette. The substantial amount of ingredients means that it is rather filling. The topping has a smooth texture and is not too salty. Don’t worry about making a mess because the creamy filling is thick and will not spill when you bite into it.

Mr Baguette has an interesting take on baguettes and is probably the only shop in Singapore selling this innovative snack. Being a chocolate lover, my favourite is the Chocolate Baguette Lava with the Egg Tart coming in a close second.

If you’re bringing the baguettes home for your family and friends, remember to heat it up with a toaster, oven or air-fryer. Kent recommends heating it up at 180 degrees celcius for 1 minute. If possible, eat it on the spot as having a freshly baked baguette means it is softer and easier to bite into, making it less of a messy ordeal.

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 Coocaça. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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As its name suggests, Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow stall specialises in both dry and soup beef noodles. There are over a hundred hawker stalls at Old Airport Road, and it’s time to find out why Hock Lam beef noodles knocked our socks off. 

You can choose from kway teow, thick bee hoon, and yellow noodles. We selected thick bee hoon to go with the Supreme Mix ($6.50/$7.50), which consists of sliced beef, beef balls, beef tendon, beef tripe and beef shank, slathered with thick gravy. Although thick, the gravy isn’t too starchy. It is smooth and flavourful. The beef is cooked just right, boasting a tender texture. Crushed peanuts and pickled vegetables are also added to give the dish a nice crunch.

We tried the soup version of Sliced Beef & Beef Shank Noodles ($5/$6), and chose kway teow to go along with it. The broth features an intense beefy taste, with a hint of herbal flavour. A combination of seasoning has also been added to spice up the broth. We enjoyed the slippery kway teow which went well with the beef and broth. You can also add their homemade chilli sauce with cincalok for a tangy twist!

The next time you pop by Old Airport Road Food Centre, remember to go for this tasty and comforting bowl of beef noodles!

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 Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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