Used to be located in Changi Airport T1, Mazni’s Family is known for its Ayam Penyet. Sadly, its ayam penyet is no longer available after their move to Amoy Street Food Centre. They now focus on classic Malay dishes such as mee rebus, mee siam, mee soto and lontong.

When I came at 10am, a lot of stalls were still setting up. Yet, Mazni’s Family was ready to serve customers. Its Lontong ($3) was extremely lemak. The fragrant gravy complemented the nasi himpit (compressed rice) very well. This bowl was extra satisfying as the vegetables (cabbage, long bean and carrot) had been simmered till they were very soft. It got even better when mixed with the sambal chili.

Although the Mee Rebus ($3) was not extraordinary, I liked that the gravy was gooey and thick. It would be much better if it had more flavour to cover the alkaline aftertaste of the yellow noodles.

My friend loved the broth of the Mee Soto ($3). The yellow chicken was hand-shredded upon order and the portion was decent. It’s an above-average mee soto, but I still prefer the legendary mee soto from Inspirasi in Bedok.

Probably my favourite dish of all, Mazni’s Family’s Mee Siam ($3) was so appetising that I devoured everything despite being already pretty full. The mee siam was tangy, and sweet at the same time. Mhmmm, I couldn’t stop at just a few mouthfuls. I added a begedil (additional $0.60) which had just the right texture, and its savouriness paired well with the tantalising dish.

The truth is many people come to Amoy Street Food Centre already knowing what to eat. For those who have yet to try Mazni’s Family, why not give this tidy Muslim stall a try? Don’t forget to add their sambal chili to your dishes!

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 MAZNI’S FAMILY. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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There’s a new hokkien mee in town and everyone is crazy about it. And that’s Hokkien Man’s Hokkien Mee, which is whipped up by a former Les Amis Chef.

I paid my first visit on two Sundays ago at about 11.30am but didn’t get a chance to try it because it was “sold out”. So we went to the nearby hawker centre to have our lunch instead. After my lunch, as I was walking back to the carpark, I walked past Hokkien Man again and saw a queue. Puzzled, I joined the queue and see diners buying hokkien mee again (I thought it was sold out?). Once again, I was disappointed because it was sold out before I could place my order.

I wasn’t sure how the queue system works, but decided to go back the following Tuesday morning to try it. When we reached at 9.50am, there was already a queue. We stood in the queue for 45 minutes before we finally could place our orders, and waited for another 30 minutes to get our food. Apparently, the chef was busy cooking advance orders before taking new orders.

The Hokkien mee here costs $4, $5 or $6. We ordered four plates of noodles which arrived in two batches. My girl friend and I each ordered the $4 portion. Oh man, the portion was really generous. But because we probably received the last two plates from the wok of noodles, the noodles had kinda dried up and it was sticky and gooey. To be honest, I enjoyed a wetter version so this wasn’t what I like.

The boys in our group ordered the $5 and $6 portions. Theirs took longer to arrive because it was from a fresh new batch. It was so much better and I wish there was better consistency in the noodles. I reckon because it takes time to scoop out every plate of noodles, so by the time it reaches the end of the batch, the noodles are all dried up already.

The new batch of noodles was wetter, and tasted better (you can probably see the difference in the texture in the images above). According to 8days, the prawn stock is simmered for three hours with garlic-fried prawn heads, pork bones and squid. Chef prepares the prawn stock using the same method of cooking lobster bisque.

Each plate of noodles was loaded with wild-caught grey prawns, sliced pork belly, beansprouts and chives. The noodles, which soaked up the rich and sweet prawn stock, were served with a homemade sambal chilli. I find the chilli a little too sweet and heavy for the Hokkien mee.

This plate of hokkien mee is above average, but chef probably needs more time to work on the consistency of the noodles. He also probably has to work on the queue system. I don’t think he should take advance orders now, because it is unfair to those waiting in line.

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

The post Hokkien Man – Hokkien Mee by Former Les Amis Chef, the Queue is … appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Woodlands may sound really far away (it is, actually), but there’s actually quite a number of hidden food gems here! Here are 9 eateries that are worth travelling to “almost Malaysia” for.

Sin Kee

Found adjacent to the popular Hong Ji Bak Ku Teh is Sin Kee Seafood Soup, which serves seafood that bears a striking resemblance to Yan Ji Seafood and Shun Feng. The Crayfish With Batang (mackerel) Fish ($12) is packed with minced pork, mackerel fish slices, and two halves of baby crayfish. The separate elements were well-executed. The batang was fresh and clean-tasting, and we enjoyed the savoury minced pork which is made by hand with solefish , pork and dried scallops. The crayfish was firm but not tough. If you desire a nutritious soup to treat yourself, go to Sin Kee!

Nasi SG Power

When we discuss supper spots in Woodlands, Al-Ameen and Mr Teh Tarik are some of the usual suspects that come to mind. Talk to anyone working night shifts and they’ll share otherwise. Nasi SG Power, which sits in a secluded corner, is well loved by many cab drivers and police officers roaming the streets of remote Woodlands. The Mee Rebus ($3) was coated with a luscious gravy that we all loved and the Nasi Lemak ($3) was a hit! The rice isn’t as lemak as expected, but it’s great for supper since it isn’t as rich. Just a heads up : Nasi SG Power is purely a takeaway concept, so don’t expect any seating.

Black N White Rojak

Who doesn’t love a good rojak? It’s a good snack to have anytime of the day. All them northern heartlanders are aware of 515 KPT Eating House, which is home to one of the best rojak stalls. However, it only opens in the evening. Don’t fret, for Black n White is opened in the day to satisfy our cravings for the Singaporean salad. There’s a black (shrimp paste), and white (plum sauce) version, and we opted for the former ($3/$4/$5). The mark of a delicious rojak lies in its black sticky dressing, and Black n White Rojak’s sweet, tangy and spicy sauce was ace.

Kuai San Dian Xin 块三点心

$1.30 for EVERY dim sum? Unbelievable. Nestled in Primz Bizhub’s coffee shop, the stall specialises in dimsum. We liked the Ha Gow which had a good amount of shrimp. We thought that most of the dim sum options were quite mediocre in terms of quality and taste. But hey, what it lacks in taste is made up for by its affordability. The queue here can get really long during peak hours, so if you don’t want to queue, come for supper because it’s open 24/7!

Rasa Istimewa Waterfront Restaurant

Rasa Istimewa Waterfront offers a unique seaside dining experience. The journey here may deter interested diners, but I promise you that the view is worth the occasional visit. Rasa Istimewa serves Halal Chinese cuisine. They have a la carte options and set menus as well. We opted for the set menu 2 ($88++), which comprised my favourite Rasa Istimewa Curry Fish Head. The delicate flesh of the snapper head was complemented beautifully by the thick, milky, and spicy curry.

Melvados

Melvados is your one-stop shop for Halal meals and desserts at wholesale prices. Four slices of luscious brownies for $11? A pint of premium Mao Shan Wang ice cream for only $9? It is THAT affordable! Melvados regulars love the Blueberry cheesecake ($11.50). For a decadent treat, grab a pack of Double Chocolate Brownies ($11.50). When microwaved and eaten with ice cream, these babies are amazing!

Ivan’s Carbina

For those who do not live in Woodlands, you will need lots of help finding this place. The coffeeshop is situated in the middle of a block of flats (Block 354/355). Tons of choices are available, and we eventually settled with the Rosti with Cheese sausage ($7.20) and Fried Chicken Cutlet ($6.50). The mains come with 2 sides — choose from garden salad, french fries, butter rice etc. We chose the butter rice and fries as accompaniments to the chicken cutlet. Read more here.

S&W Malay Food Stall

The working crowd around Causeway Point considers Fairview food court a lunch haven. One of the coffeeshop’s pull factors has to be the Nasi Goreng Ayam ($4) from S&W Malay Food Stall. Do not be fooled. Although the fried rice looks basic, it’s delicious. Look forward to a combination of extremely flavourful rice, savoury chicken drumstick and fiery sambal here,

Banana Leaf Pork Briyani

Woodlands is home to the ONE AND ONLY pork briyani ($8). Pretty unusual, eh? While the pork rib was huge, it was cooked well and was soft and tender.  The special Rainbow Prata(from $1.50 onwards), which is available only between 8am – 11am and 4pm – 8pm, is very unique. It may not be the best-tasting prata but it was at least crispy.

There are actually a lot of hidden food gems in Woodlands. Why not skip the day trip to Johor Bahru, and come try some of the delicious food here for a change?

READ MORE: 11 Delicious Cheap Eats To Try In Woodlands – Below $10, Tried & Tested!

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 Another 9 Reasons to Visit Faraway Woodlands! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Charlie Chang, 58, was a hotel chef for more than 3 decades before he opened this stall 3 months ago. When asked why he ventured into specifically porridge, he admitted that he loves porridge. Using only special premium rice grains, Charlie explained that the starchiness of these grains helps bind the grains together.

We managed to learn some eating tips from Charlie too. He taught us that porridge shouldn’t be stirred too many times, especially if there’s a lot of meat within. 5-6 stirs will do the magic. This is so that the moisture from the meat doesn’t dissipate into the porridge. And always always stir from the side, not from the centre.

Charlie believes that every spoonful of porridge should have a variety of ingredients. Thus, the creation of Premium Porridge (only $5!!) which is his specialty. The bowl promises mixed pork, intestine, liver, fish, cuttlefish, century egg and abalone. No soya sauce was needed because the mixed pork was well-marinated. The fish, cuttlefish and abalone added a slight sweetness too. The star ingredient was the chewy intestine which was extremely clean, with no stench at all. This premium bowl was filling and worth every penny!

Another special creation was the Triple Egg Porridge ($3.50). Charlie came up with the idea of incorporating a poached egg, century egg and salted egg yolk (first steamed, then flattened to a round shape by a hammer) into a piping hot bowl of porridge. The dish looked so good and I couldn’t wait to dig in! In terms of flavour, this was more palatable than the Premium Porridge. This was how I did it — I broke the poached egg to mis the runny yolk into the porridge, cut the century egg up with my spoon, and mashed the salted egg yolk such that every spoonful had this grainy texture. We all know that eggs are amazing. They are simple but delicious. And you can really see how brightly the eggs shone in this comforting bowl of goodness.

The Century Egg with Vinegar and Ginger ($2) was appetising and good for sharing!

There are more than 300 other stalls in this food centre and Charlie realised that this green zone, also known as 幽灵山庄, is a ghost town at the end of lunch time. Hence, Weng Kiang Kee Porridge only operates from 7am to 2pm daily.

When we went at 1pm, he had to reject orders after us because his porridge has been sold out by then. Lucky us! So, remember to come early to avoid disappointment!

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 WENG KIANG KEE PORRIDGE. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Wei Wei Noodle Stall announced its closure in March this year, much to the dismay of its loyal fans. However, they have made a comeback! The stall has been around for 32 years, and you can imagine just what a large fan base it has.  Fans who have grown up eating the noodles make special trips for Wei Wei’s noodles, even after having moved away from Yishun. Mr Lin has been told multiple times that it’s a pity that Wei Wei has ceased operations. Mr Lin forged deep friendships with many of his regulars, and decided to reopen Wei Wei. He plans to impart his skills to his son over the next five years, and eventually hand the stall over to him.

Although the Dry Fishball Meepok ($3) and Dry Minced Meat Meekia ($4) were pretty average, the portion was decent. I prefer the springy meepok to the meekia as it had a firmer bite.

This Chicken Feet Meepok ($4) was pretty good. The chicken skin was soft and could be pulled off from the bone easily. I’m not complaining about the 3 huge chicken feet for sure. You may be interested in Pin Xiang if you’re a big fan of braised chicken feet noodle.

I will probably pop by for the chicken feet noodle if I’m in the area. If you’re a huge fan of carrot cake, you must not miss the one from 618 Sim Carrot Cake! Many of Wei Wei’s regulars love Wei Wei’s carrot cake as it offers a comforting and familiar taste that evokes nostalgia.

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 WEI WEI NOODLE STALL. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Curry puff is one of Singaporeans’ favourite teatime snacks.

Sitting in the basement of Golden Mile Tower, ErJie Curry Puff (娥姐咖喱卟) sells very good handmade curry puffs. The stall is extremely popular with the office crowd in the area, but has been kept a secret from the “outside world”.

What started as a dessert place has evolved to an eatery selling chap chye peng for lunch; and curry puffs and coffee for tea break. Owner, Er Jie, who is known for her signature chicken curry puff, is friendly and soft spoken and always greets customers with a smile.

Er Jie loves to eat curry puffs and always make it at home for her family. It has received nods of approval so she started selling it at her stall after 3.30pm every day. Everything here is made from scratch. She makes the skin at least one day before, and after the lunch crowd clears, she will start wrapping the curry puffs.

There was a unanimous chorus of approval from our team — we couldn’t stop praising the filling as well as the pastry. The filling is made with a mix of potatoes, as well as chicken and egg. Er Jie doesn’t cook the rempah together with the chicken cubes. Instead, she cooks the chicken separately and adds it to the curry in small batches so as to ensure that every puff gets a good amount of chicken cubes.

Making about 200 curry puffs a day and with only a small deep-fryer at the side, Er Jie fries the curry puffs in small batches. As with every deep-fried curry puff, the worry is always about biting into an oil-filled curry puff. You can be assured that Er Jie’s version is nothing of that sort. Deep-fried in hot oil until golden brown, the flaky and buttery pastry crumbles easily with each bite.

I couldn’t resist tucking into a fresh, piping hot puff. The rempah was fragrant and moderately spicy. This was a curry puff that I couldn’t get enough of.

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“Jon ah, I’m going to send you to Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap (金记潮州卤鸭) to be a hawker for a day,” said Maureen. It really quacked me up at first because I thought she was joking.

I believe I was chiefly chosen because I was the most ‘kantang’ intern in the office. The term is used to describe Singaporeans who are deemed too Westernized, due to the fact that they can only speak in English, having never learnt to speak their mother tongues fluently. This is true as a part of me had completely forsaken Chinese (not to mention my dialect) after enrolling as an English Literature Undergraduate at NTU.

Armed with a GoPro, DSLR camera, and a retro good morning towel that screamed “I’m a hawker”, I was given no further instructions other than to report to Chinatown Food Complex at 730am. This was considered early because, on a normal day, I was only required to reach the office at 10am. It would take me about an hour and a half to reach Chinatown from where I lived, so I woke up at 515am to play it safe. I was keen on being a model employee on my first and only day at work. Who knows? What if the Duck King turned out to be a ruthless tyrant who would hook me up with his other ducks for being late? The sky was still dark and gloomy by the time I left the house — a heavy foreshadowing of the fatigue the day would bring.

I arrived at Chinatown Food Complex at 715am. 15 minutes early. I munched on a hotdog bun for breakfast while waiting for the Duck King to arrive. The Duck King shall henceforth be known as Melvin. So I waited anxiously, anticipating Melvin’s arrival… I waited for almost 45 minutes.

It was a Thursday morning. Melvin and his mother looked tired and worn out as they lugged bags of supplies and equipment for the day. After speaking to Melvin and finding out more about his morning ritual, I felt that the hardest part about being a hawker is the routine that you have to follow through every day. Being your own boss and running your own business sounds like a dream come true to many young entrepreneurs nowadays, yet, I believe that no matter what business you choose to venture into, there will always be mundane and obligatory tasks to complete in order to keep things running like clockwork.

Melvin, his mother, and his sister wake up in the wee hours of the morning to get ready before his older brother sends them to Chinatown Food Complex. Upon reaching the stall, Melvin and his mother follow a set of standard operating procedures to set up the stall. The preparation processes include washing all the ingredients thoroughly to remove impurities and any gamey taste or smell, preparing the braising liquid, and cooking the duck, steaming the rice etc.

Entrails such as the large and small pig intestines, pig stomach, and pork belly have to be soaked in vinegar and salt before being blanched in hot water. It is a tedious and tiresome process that takes about 2-3 hours and has to be done every morning. The process is essential because Melvin cares about the quality of his food.

Apart from laying out strips of tau pok above a steaming pot of soup, I was also tasked to stack and arrange tau kwas and braised eggs on the display tray in rows of four. That was pretty much everything Melvin entrusted me with in the morning. In my defence, the tau kwas had a very soft and fragile texture and so I had to handle them with extreme care and precision! I suppose he and his mother knew the entire routine by heart and didn’t want to bother me with all the menial tasks (who am I kidding, they probably just didn’t want me getting in the way).

By the way, there is a reason why hawkers always have a towel around their neck — it is A THOUSAND DEGREES inside the stall!!! Halfway through setting up the stall, I noticed that the back of Melvin’s t-shirt was already soaked (in spite of the towel over his neck), and it was only 9am. I guess that’s why his mother prepared 5 huge Tupperware bottles for the day! I only brought a tiny bottle, and so I received a lecture from her about the importance of staying hydrated.

When the lunch crowd hit around 12pm, Melvin, his mom, and his sister were taking orders and serving food non-stop for almost 2 hours! Melvin’s mom told me after that no matter how tired she got, she had to push through during lunch hour. Her strategy is to ensure that she gets enough rest (coming out of the stall to sit down) whenever she can. As I wasn’t certified to be working in the kitchen, I mainly helped with the delivery of food and collection of money. I was also in charge of placing tiny mixtures of sambal chilli, vinegar, and garlic into saucers for customers! If you ask me… I think I did a pretty good job?! Didn’t drop any trays at least.

Whilst Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap (金记潮州卤鸭) uses traditional ingredients and methods of cooking, they serve their duck rice in a Japanese bento-style to attract younger customers! The only difference is the replacement of a normal braised egg with an ajitsuke tamago, and instead of scooping his yam rice directly onto a plate, Melvin serves 3 yam rice balls. However, throughout my time there, I noticed that the majority of customers who patronized the stall still belonged to the older generation.

We could only settle down for lunch after the crowd had dispersed. By then, it was approximately 3pm. I was tired but mostly hungry and excited to try the food from the stall I had been working at! Melvin’s mother prepared rice and a little of everything for me — small and large pig intestine, pork belly, tofu, pigskin, duck meat and braised egg! The food tasted so delicious that I gobbled everything down in under 10 minutes.

Later in the afternoon, we began our preparations to cook a whole new batch of sambal chilli! Ingredients such as oil and chilli powder had to be added periodically while the contents in the wok was constantly stirred for more than an hour. If the temperature was too high or if the stirring wasn’t strong enough, sediments would get stuck to the bottom of the wok and get burnt, potentially ruining the entire batch of chilli.

Also, if stirred too vigorously, the oil from the mix may spill out of the wok and scald your forearm. Usually, Melvin and his mother would take turns, but today, they had an extra helping hand! The toughest part was when the chilli powder was added. Do you know that choking/ suffocating feeling you get when you inhale powder by accident? Yeah, this was chilli powder, in a large quantity, in an enclosed area. We had to cover our mouths and noses with our towels to continue stirring!

Both Melvin and his mother could stir the wok consistently without complaining but for me… In the 20 minutes that I was left with the wok, my arms started to ache after just a few rounds of stirring and I couldn’t stay still in one position for long. Watch the timelapse in the video and you will know…

As I sat in front of the stall after the day was over, I was exhausted, but I felt slightly accomplished. I noticed a look of nonchalance on the faces of Melvin and his mother. Then it hit me. I was only attached to the stall for a day. They have been doing this for as long as they can remember, and will continue doing this for the rest of their lives. Upon enquiry, I found out that while I would be resting at home the following day (National Day), they would be right here, going through the same routine, only this time with a more challenging and demanding crowd, as it was a public holiday. Being a hawker is about understanding and accepting the daily routine, and the long and tiring hours it entails. Being a hawker is more than a commitment, it is a way of life.

The post Duck Tales – A Day in The Life of a Hawker! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Maxwell Food Centre is known to house some of the most legendary stalls that are no stranger to snaking queues formed especially during lunch time. I am glad to say that joining its collection of legendary stalls is none other than the famed Empress Place Beef Kway Teow!

Empress Place Teochew Beef Kway Teow has been serving comforting bowls of beef kway teow to the masses for a long time. It recently made the move to Maxwell Food Centre from LTN Eating House at East Coast Road. At the helm is David Lim, who is accompanied by his daughter, Melissa, who recently joined her dad in running the stall. She recently left a decade long career in teaching to learn and wield the tools of the trade from her father.

As I don’t usually eat beef kway teow, I asked David to recommend a couple of dishes. My colleague and I got the Mixed Beef Kway Teow with Tendon (Dry) ($6/Large) and the Beef Kway Teow (Soup) ($6/Large). I first tried the Mixed Beef Kway Teow with Tendon.

The Mixed Beef Kway Teow with Tendon comes with a fine mix of beef parts. For $6, you get a bit of the flavourful tripe (stomach), soft chewy gelatinous morsels of beef tendon, a beef ball, some thinly sliced beef brisket and beef slices scalded to a pinkish-grey hue. A few slices of  salted vegetables and a dollop of chilli sauce are then added. All of these sit atop a mound of kway teow doused in soy sauce and sesame oil.

To get the best out of this bowl, I first tossed everything together.

With each slurp of the kway teow noodles and beef parts, I was met with a satisfying clash of beefiness tamed by the spiciness and tang from the chilli! Adding a few spoonfuls of the beef broth into the bowl of noodles certainly did mellow the chilli out a little, but the intensity and richness of this bowl of bovine goodness was still very pronounced. The slices of salted vegetables was the cherry on top because it help to cut through the beefiness of the dish.

I also thought that Empress Place’s chilli was sublime. David told me (and showed me) that he adds finely minced pineapple and lime to his chilli. The result is a piquant chilli which pairs very well with the beef.

We then moved on to the Beef Kway Teow soup.

If the Mixed Beef Kway Teow dry version is a bouncer trying to strong-arm me into submission, then the Beef Kway Teow soup is a mother’s loving caress.

Unlike the dry version, the soup version of Empress Place’s Beef Kway Teow feels like comfort food. The soup version evoked a sense of nostalgia in me, coupled with the warm fuzzy feelings and happy thoughts that homecooked food elicits.

The beef slices were pink and soft, and I absolutely loved the added texture from the blanched beansprouts. Every bite was so flavourful.

Because I had never tasted beef broth with this depth of flavour ever before, I enquired further. David told me that the secret to his broth is by using the same exact broth “as a base” to build from. Everyday, he “feeds” it fresh beef bones and cooks the brisket and tripe in that same exact broth to allow the flavours to build up over the course of the day.

With a dish that has withstood the test of time(over four generations), David and Melissa are carrying on the legacy of sending out comforting bowls of beef kway teow the Hock Lam way. I have more reason to frequent Maxwell Food Centre now.

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This is probably the most affordable western food you can find along Upper Bukit Timah Road.

Jansen, 31, once worked in The Ritz-Carlton as a chef. He went through lots of ups and downs before getting to where he is today. At Big Boys Sizzling Hotplate, he promises good quality Western food at affordable prices. The most expensive dish in the stall is only $13.90!

You should definitely try the Air-flown Australia Sirloin Beef ($13.90) which is cooked evenly with a special technique.

The beef was not tough to cut through, and beautifully cooked it was. The lightly-seasoned steak was lean but decently juicy. To be honest, this won’t be something that I will always order at Big Boys because the price tag is a tad steep for someone popping by the hawker centre for a simple meal. But if you’ll like to treat yourself, definitely go for it!

Next, we had the Big Boys’ best seller — the Signature Cornflake Chicken ($7.90). I requested for the mentaiko sauce (additional $1.50) to be on the fries. Even though I only had it after awhile, the exterior was still extremely crispy and the chicken was very tender and juicy. I would totally be back for this!

Jansen revealed that for everything that requires frying, it must be coated with this outstanding batter which he took 6 months to perfect. So yes, the cornflake chicken and fries are coated with the same batter. These were the best fries I’ve eaten recently. Incorporating touches from 3 different cultures (Western, Myanmarese and Indian) in his R&D process, Jansen found the method to ensure his fries still remain incredibly crispy even after hours.

As someone who is constantly trying to innovate and improve his products, Jansen believes that he has to continue this process to better his menu.

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 BIG BOYS SIZZLING HOTPLATE. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Beach Road Fish Head Bee Hoon nabbed a spot in the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019 list. The popular stall is no stranger to long queues, and the owners remain unfazed as they churn out bowl after bowl of fish soup. We ordered a bowl of Fried Fish Bee Hoon Soup with milk ($4.50), and a bowl of the Special Tom Yam Soup ($4.50) with rice ($0.30).

The owners wake up every day at 5 am to prepare the ingredients and they open for business at 9am. I can definitely taste their labour of love in the soup. The soup was mild, but just flavourful enough. The milk added a nice creaminess to the soup.

The thick bee hoon was so soft and silky that it just glided down my throat.

The fried fish remained crispy despite sitting in the soup for a while. The lightly battered fish was flaky, and tender on the inside.

The Special Tom Yam Soup was sour but had a tinge of sweetness. The soup, which packed a nice heat, was filled generously with ingredients. It warmed up my stomach immediately after I took a sip.

This is certainly one of, if not the best, fish soup that I’ve tried. The regular customers who queue close to half an hour each time can definitely attest to that. Beach Road Fish Head Bee Hoon most certainly deserves its spot in the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019.

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 Beach Road Fish Head Bee Hoon. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Just a few months old, Home Flavours is a promising new stall that only has 2 items on its menu.

Pei Shen has very supportive parents who encouraged him to pursue his passion for cooking.

This simple bowl of Braised Pork Rice ($4.50) is inspired by Pei Shen’s love for Taiwan’s braised pork rice. A few hours before closing time, he will start braising the pork for the following day. To prevent the pork from getting burnt due to a lack of stirring, Pei Shen has to stop the braising process when he leaves for home. He returns at 7:30am the next morning to continue braising the pork for at least another 6 to 7 hours.

He revealed that by evening time, the braised pork would be at its best. When we visited during lunchtime, the pork was already strong in flavours in my opinion. As compared to the Taiwanese version, Home Flavours’ braised pork rice was less fatty and oily.

However, I wished that the pork was more tender. You are strongly encouraged to eat the crunchy preserved vegetables and flavourful braised pork together with the rice as they complement one another. The runny ramen egg was such a treat!

Let’s not forget the house-made chilli! It’s probably the biggest reason why I’ll revisit Home Flavours. It’s the kind of chilli that you would want to have with every meal, and with every dish you order.

Following a recipe handed down from his grandmother, Pei Shen created a house-made seasoning powder for the fried chicken. He will first fry the chicken to thoroughly cook it, and fry it again upon order to ensure that the batter is crispy. The chap chye (mixed vegetables) in the Fried Chicken Curry Rice ($4.50) could do with less salt and could be simmered longer so that it’s softer. The curry and braised sauces tasted great with just rice!

I believe that Pei Shen’s passion will be the key to his success. He revealed that he wishes to add Bao Cai Fan (cabbage rice) to the menu in the future. I was pleasantly surprised because this is the first time I actually heard someone mention this dish — I thought I can only have this back in my own home. I’m excited to see what Pei Shen launches next!

MissTamChiak.com paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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When asked about their latest achievement, one of the staff, who was grinning from ear to ear, exclaimed, “Wow, how did news of us making the Michelin’s Bib Gourmand 2019 list spread so quickly?” Once she said that, the two other staff lit up and said, “We totally did not expect it!” I could sense how much the achievement meant to them..

Judging from how proud these guys were, you might think that they are the owners, but the owner actually works at a separate venue and manages the back-end operations. The original stall, which was actually located near Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre for more than 20 years, was helmed by someone else. The original owner then handed the business over to the current owner 6 years ago.

Every day without fail, the staff prepares pots of curry and satay sauce before the stall officially opens for business. Along the years, they have tweaked the recipe after receiving feedback from regulars. They understood that rather than keeping to the original recipe, they have to modify it to cater to changing tastebuds. I’m glad that they took feedback into consideration, or they might not be where they are today.

Hock Hai’s Curry Chicken Noodle ($4) left a deep impression on me when I first ate it. I remember being impressed by the generous amount of ingredients. The strips of tau pok (fried beancurd) were as soft as sponge. Be careful not to burn your tongue as the curry broth will squirt out when you bite into the tau pok. Although the tau pok had been soaked in the pool of curry for hours, you can still taste the savouriness of the tau pok. The potatoes were also adequately soft..

I saved the best parts of this dish for last — the chicken and curry. Everyday, more than 20 whole chickens are boiled, and chopped. I was given chicken breast and boy, was it moist, tender, and firm.

The curry was nothing like Heng Kee Curry Chicken Beehoon Mee‘s curry. Hock Hai’s curry was very lemak, lighter in flavour, and carried a slight sweetness. To put it simply, the broth was extremely palatable. Halfway through my meal, I find myself needing more broth to pair with my beehoon mee. Most of the time, when I eat curry chicken noodle (I loveeeee them), I don’t finish the curry as it’s usually quite filling, but I couldn’t get enough of Hock Hai’s curry. Don’t forget to add Hock Hai’s house-made chilli sauce (only meant for the curry chicken noodle and not the satay beehoon)!

When I asked the staff which dish (curry chicken noodle/ satay beehoon) was more popular, he said “both are around the same”. So, I decided to try the satay beehoon too! I love how savoury and nutty the gravy was! They certainly are very generous with the amount of gravy, which coated the beehoon, crunchy kangkong, beansprouts and smooth cuttlefish adequately! This dish was definitely above average.

So, does Hock Hai deserve to be awarded a Michelin’s Bib Gourmand? I’m raising both of my hands up in agreement! The staff shared with me how much they went through to get to where they are today, and I think that this award is a timely motivation for them to keep up their good work and do what they do best.

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

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Just when I thought that there is no place where I can get my Teochew-style beef kway teow fix but at Maxwell Food Centre, I was proven wrong by MooTeow Chilli Beef Kway Teow.

Meet 37-year-old Ruben, the man behind MooTeow. If you have not noticed, MooTeow serves dishes similar to what Empress Place Teochew Beef Kway Teow churns out. There is a mention of Empress Place Beef in its signboard as well. That’s because Ruben took an apprenticeship under David, the owner of Empress Place, to learn the intricacies of making Teochew-style beef kway teow.

So how does MooTeow’s beef kway teow fare against Empress Place’s? How similar are they? With the memory of eating Empress Place’s beef kway teow still fresh in my mind, I tucked right into Ruben’s rendition of Teochew-style beef kway teow.

The Mixed Beef w/ Tendon ($8) was up first.

Suffice to say, it really did hit the spot for me.

MooTeow’s Mixed Beef w/ Tendon sports flavourful slivers of beef tripe, beef brisket, soft beef tendon and a couple of beef balls. Just like Empress Place’s version, all the ingredients sit on a mound of kway teow that’s drenched with soy sauce and sesame oil, accompanied with a dollop of tangy chilli sauce at the side.

The ritualistic mixing of kway teow, sauces and chilli, followed.

One slurp of the noodles and a bite of the beef parts confirmed that my fond memory of eating David’s beef kway teow has not been defiled. MooTeow’s chilli is piquant and provides a satisfying kick to whatever beef part it coats. I also enjoyed the crunch of the lightly blanched beansprouts.

While the beef tendon was soft and easy to bite into, I noticed that its size pales in comparison to that of Empress Place’s. Not a dealbreaker in my books though. Moving on!

I had the Mixed Beef Soup ($7) next.

A spoonful of the slightly murky beef broth revealed a savoury and lingering sweetness that I knew could only be achieved by boiling a mixture of beef parts continuously for hours! Letting the beef parts steep in the beef broth also helped to bolster the overall flavours of this comforting bowl of noodles.

While MooTeow’s beef broth was good, I felt that the beef broth served was slightly lacking in terms of depth of flavour. Of course, this is in comparison to Empress Place’s beef broth which is in a league of its own.

There was the Sliced Beef Dry ($6) as well.

Ruben cooks the sliced beef quickly, to a greyish-pink hue, in the boiling pot of beef broth. He makes sure that the sliced beef are of the perfect doneness! I can’t stop emphasising this, but don’t forget to toss the kway teow and chilli together!

While MooTeow’s beef kway teow dishes reminded me of Empress Place’s beef kway teow, it certainly wasn’t the same and didn’t evoke the exact same feelings in me as Empress Place’s version did. But it doesn’t mean that MooTeow’s rendition is not good. Ruben is trying to modernise the Teochew-style beef kway teow and make this dish his own, and that’s very commendable!Ruben shared that another outlet is in the works and is set to open later this year!

If you want to have yourself a comforting bowl of Teochew-style beef kway teow but don’t want to make the trip down to Maxwell Food Centre, let MooTeow at Wild Market serve you a bowl!

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Stepping through this huge rustic gate of Medan Lebuh Campbell made me feel like I’ve entered a different part of Penang. Tourists are great in number here, especially at Toh Soon Cafe.

Although hidden in a narrow alley, Toh Soon cafe is flooded with people so it’s impossible to miss. The queue never stops. The ordering system is very messy. Thus, even when people are seated, they may not have their orders taken until one of the staff notices them. And the orders are sometimes mixed up. So, the ordering system does not help the queue at all. Fortunately, the food compensates for all the waiting, provided your orders are delivered correctly to you, of course.

When a Penang friend brought me to Toh Soon Cafe, I was amazed the moment I reached the open kitchen area. A staff toasts the white bread, 6 slices at a time(no wonder need to wait so long). It is definitely not an easy job having to squat beside the charcoal, flipping the toasts occasionally to prevent them from getting too burnt.

The crisp toast, together with the fragrant kaya, was a small slice of heaven. I love the charred bits especially!

This is Toh Soon Cafe’s specialty. Lightly overcooked soft-boiled eggs lying atop charcoal grilled buttery toasts — what a combination! This is a simple, yet utterly satisfying, treat. We need this in Singapore!

Do the eggs look especially good to you? Toh Soon only uses eggs from kampung chickens! The egg yolk was rich and carried this lovely taste that made me fall head over heels in love with it.

Packs of nasi lemak(1 RM) can be spotted on every table. I decided to devour this while waiting for my toast and eggs. I finished this within minutes! It was a really small portion but the appetising sambal, fried ikan bilis, hard-boiled egg and fragrant rice made a winning combo. I can’t believe it’s just 1RM! What a steal?

The mural along the corridor accurately depicted the operations in the kitchen. Our orders were mixed up and not everything came, but we made do with what was served and we just paid whatever amount we were told to pay. They only churn out 6 toasts every 10 minutes, so the wait can be really long and frustrating. Recently, Toh Soon opened a second outlet with a proper operation system, so I’ll probably pop by the next time I’m in Penang.

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

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My grandmother used to get Chwee Kueh for me when I was in primary school, especially during the school holidays. She always got it from the same stall, which is the Clementi 448 branch of Bedok Chwee Kueh. As an ardent fan of their chwee kueh, I was excited to try the chwee kueh from the Bedok branch — the only chwee kueh stall to earn a place in the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019 list.

After opening the packet, my eyes immediately zeroed in on the oily chai poh  covering the four huge white discs. They sell their chwee kueh in two pieces ($1.00), three pieces ($1.50), and four pieces ($2.00). If you want the ingredients to be separated, you need to order a minimum of four pieces.

You know a Chwee Kueh is good when it is so soft that you can practically swallow it without chewing. This particular one was sooo fragile. It broke into pieces no matter how careful we were. My companion had to pick this piece up oh-so-gingerly in order to get a full mouthful of this wonderful goodness.

The chai poh was slightly crunchy and salty enough to brighten the taste of the rice cakes. As with all chai poh, it can’t be eaten on its own. My grandmother would always reserve a portion of the chai poh to make chai poh omelette, but that’s a story for another day.

To all the Chwee Kueh lovers out there, you should definitely try this. For such a timeless dish that has been around for so many generations to be in the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019 list, you know it has to be a cut above the rest.

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

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I’m going to be honest with you — I’ve never had kway chap. Sure, I’ve seen my parents eat it before, but they’ve never allowed me to get it for myself. “Wait till you’re older,” they said. Well, here I am, older, and about to step into the world of pig offal and flat rice noodles. To-Ricos Guo Shi, which holds a spot in the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019 list, should be a good start. They were also awarded a Michelin Plate in 2018.

To-Ricos runs two units, and each unit has a different name. The main stall has the name Blanco Food Court Centre on it because they used to operate their business there. However, the food court was shut down to make way for Raffles Hospital. As for why their name is To-Ricos, it’s because the owner used to sell fried chicken under the Brazilian franchise name To-Ricos. So, when they started selling kway chap, they reused the name.

When asked about their thoughts and feelings on receiving the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019 award and the Michelin Plate 2018, the owner replied that he feels really happy to get them. To him, who’s already had a successful business before the accolades, the recognition was a bonus. However, he also feels pressured because of it. “Last year I got one. This year I also got one. What about next year?” He asked.

Well, let’s see if this kway chap can match up to the hype surrounding it. We ordered two sets of kway chap ($9.20). You can choose which parts you want and don’t want in the set. Since it was my first time, I tried everything.

I LOVE rice noodles, which is part of the reason why I’ve always wanted to try kway chap. The noodles kept falling apart as we tried to pick it up though. I wouldn’t call the soup flavourless, but there wasn’t much taste or depth to it. The noodles themselves were soft and smooth.

The distinctive smell of innards was present, but surprisingly wasn’t off-putting. They did a good job in cleaning the parts.

The large intestine was tender. Biting into it kind of felt like munching on a thicker version of chicken skin. The small intestine was creamier and had a funkier taste to it. But, it wasn’t overpowering at all.

Now, the pork belly. JUST LOOK AT THAT FAT-TO-MEAT RATIO. It’s practically 50:50!! The whole piece was easy to chew, especially the fatty layer. So sinful, but so good.

Their chilli was quite mild. It could use a little more kick. And, this is coming from a person who does not usually take much chilli.

I can conclude that my first kway chap experience was very pleasant. The best part about it was the innards. Some people might prefer stronger tasting innards, but, for someone who was just introduced to this dish, they were perfect.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the restaurant 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 To-Ricos Guo Shi. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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No matter what time of the day you visit Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow, you will always see a long queue. Be prepared to wait around 45 minutes for your plate of char kway teow as the uncle cooks each plate to order.

This uncle has been frying char kway teow since 1969. Which means, this year is his golden jubilee! His wealth of experience is what got him a place in the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019. He sure has come a long way from learning how to make this dish himself  as a street vendor.

What sets him apart from other hawkers is that he fries each portion individually. After frying up a huge batch, he will divide them into separate plates for further frying. This ensures that each plate gets enough ingredients and equal attention to quality.

After an agonising wait, we finally got to try it! We bought two plates ($4 each). The noodles were flavourful and were packed with wok hei. I would’ve like a tad more sweet sauce though. The darker the better — my personal motto.

The noodles were “wet” enough to eat comfortably for a dry noodle dish, which earned a stamp of approval from me.

This char kway teow was LOADED with lots of crispy lard, cockles, lap cheong, fishcake, and other ingredients. The amount of lard inside explained why the char kway teow was so fragrant! I know some people might not like that much lard in their char kway teow due to health reasons, but I feel that it is what makes the dish this tasty. I will definitely eat this again when I swing by the hawker centre with my family.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the restaurant 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 Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Singapore is known for being a metropolis. But we also have Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, a favourite spot for those looking to get in touch with our nation’s flora and fauna. Bukit Timah is also a place where you can get up close and personal with some of our nation’s favourite hawker food!

With over 80 hawker stalls, Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre is located just a short 1-minute walk away from Beauty World MRT Station. Here are 19 stalls which stood out to me over the course of 4 visits. There’s even a POSB ATM located directly below the main staircase leading up to the food centre, so whether you’re looking for a bite after a hike or simply in the vicinity hunting for cheap local food, this might just be the place for you!

Leng Kee Fish Soup

On my first visit to Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre, I was craving for something warm and soupy to kickstart my day, so I decided to try Leng Kee’s Fish Soup! When I asked what their speciality was, I was recommended the sliced fish!

I ordered the smallest portion of their Fish Soup ($5/ $6/ $8) and added on a bowl of rice for $0.50. While I expected the soup to contain a somewhat strong and savoury taste of fish-sauce, its flavour actually turned out to be quite light and mellow. Some may describe it as bland, but I appreciated the lightness. What really took my breath away was the generous portion of sliced fish! If you decide to turn up the heat, dip your fish slices into their chilli or just drizzle it into your soup.

Bukit Timah Eating Hut

On my hunt for a stall with unique characteristics that could possibly stand out from the rest, I chanced upon Bukit Timah Eating Hut! The stall owner told me that she does not believe in the artificial fattening of chickens, so she recommended her Kampong Steamed Chicken, which is supposed to be less oily, sweeter, and healthier than normal chicken meat. She mentioned that hawker stalls seldom use Kampong Chickens because they are skinnier and thus have less meat.

I ordered breast meat as I prefer my chicken meat boneless. The meat was sweeter than usual, and very tender too. The portion of springy noodles was also generous! The stall serves herbal soup instead of the conventional chicken soup which turned out to be surprisingly flavourful. This made my meal extra healthy, yet tasty, at the same time!

Terry Katong Laksa

The owner of Terry Katong Laksa stall shared that the stall’s laksa recipe has been handed down for 3 generations, and that his grandmother had always emphasized on hard work and authenticity. She always said, “To be a laksa chef is to be in control of your ingredients.” Thus, instead of turning to MSG or preservatives, fresh ingredients are purchased from the market daily and used in very specific proportions to achieve Terry Katong Laksa’s unique taste.

The broth of the Laksa($3.50)is thick, creamy, and robust! After mixing in half a spoonful of chilli, I began to feel the heat, yet I couldn’t stop myself. The amount of coconut milk was just right, and I loved that the broth wasn’t too oily.

He Le Seafood White Bee Hoon

As its name suggests, He Le Seafood White Bee Hoon only serves white bee hoon. They do so, however, with a variety of different seafood: sliced fish, la la (clams), prawns, crayfish, squid, and red grouper. Also, every dish comes in 3 sizes.

I ordered the $5 portion of the Lala Sliced Fish White Bee Hoon! Initially, the broth appeared a little light and murky, but it turned out to be extremely flavourful. I really loved the texture of the firm bee hoon, which was similar to al dente spaghetti! Although I think the fish slices from Leng Kee are chewier, He Le’s fish was still fresh and delicious after absorbing the broth.

粥品

This porridge stall stood out to me because of the variety of porridge options plastered all over the stallfront. What’s more interesting though, is the fact that every bowl of porridge comes with a youtiao!

I ordered the Century Egg with Pork Porridge($3). The fried shallots were so so crispy, I couldn’t believe my tastebuds. They had to have been freshly fried that morning. The century eggs were bouncy with a firm bite and the youtiao… oh my goodness.. The youtiao was thick and crispy, and so good with the porridge!

Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon

Satay Bee Hoon may not be as pretty as other hawker dishes, but it definitely deserves more attention! If you’re looking to try one of the best Satay Bee Hoon in Singapore, you’ve come to the right place.

Sin Chew Stay Bee Hoon features thin rice vermicelli that’s smothered in a fragrant chilli-based peanut sauce. I ordered the smallest portion of their Satay Bee Hoon ($4/$5/$6) and received a sizeable plate of rice vermicelli practically drowning in satay sauce (as it should be!). There was a generous amount of ingredients including tau pok, pork slices and cuttlefish.

The combination of bee hoon and the luscious satay sauce was a match made in heaven. The nutty aroma was pronounced but the overall dish wasn’t too rich, allowing me to gobble down the entire plate with ease. All in all, this dish was hearty, satisfying, and incredibly addictive!

Genesis Kitchen & Grill

Genesis Kitchen & Grill was opened by two friends who saw an opportunity to enter the F&B industry in March 2018. It’s not often that you come across a Western stall in a hawker centre selling unique dishes such as Prawn or Bacon Mushroom Aglio Olio ($7), Shrimp Burger ($6), and Peanut Butter Beef Burger ($8)!

I tried the Signature Peanut Butter Beef Burger. Peanut butter in a burger may sound weird but it actually complemented the savoury beef patty very well! They were generous with the chunky and creamy peanut butter.

The fries were crispy, and the burger bun was toasted to a crisp. It may be a little pricey for hawker food but I suppose that’s just the way it is with Western food.

捷记 Boneless Braised Duck

If you’ve been here during lunch hour, you will notice that the queue at 捷记 Boneless Braised Duck is one that never dies down! After my 3rd visit, I decided to order their Duck Rice Set Meal ($3.50) to find out what was so special.

The meat was tender and soaked in a generous portion of flavourful gravy, portioned just right with a serving of rice that had just the right amount of moisture. The soup tasted a little diluted to me at the beginning, but I began to appreciate it as its light taste did not overwhelm the flavour of each spoonful of rice, meat, and gravy I ate. Instead, it complemented the overall taste and coated my throat with a warm and soothing sensation!

Seah Family Braised Duck Rice

Albeit $0.30 more pricey than 捷记 Boneless Braised Duck’s, this stall’s Duck Rice Combo ($3.80) could be the meal for you if you’re at Timah earlier in the morning or simply looking to avoid the queue. Although the set contained lesser meat than 捷记’s, I found the soup more flavourful. The stall owners did not allow me to take a picture of their stall front, but if I remember correctly, I think they serve kway chap too!

Song He Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice

Song He Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice is run by a Chinese family and is another one of the stalls at Bukit Timah Food Centre which consistently has a snaking long queue during lunch hour! When I got to the front of the queue, I asked the son of the family what made their Chicken Rice so special. To that, he simply replied with a smile: “just try and you’ll know!”

Having paid just $3.50, I was pleasantly surprised by the portion of roasted meat I received (I had even added a hard-boiled egg)! I never thought that there could be anything very special or outstanding about such a simple dish as Chicken Rice, but upon biting into the meat, I knew. Compared to most chicken rice stalls I know that flatten a small portion of meat out before cutting them (to make the portion seem larger), Song He’s chicken meat which was neatly packed on a plate was soft, juicy, and thick!

Yong Seng Satay

Yong Seng Satay Stall’s satay is priced at just $0.60 per stick! What a deal what a steal. They have chicken, pork, and mutton satay and the minimum order is 10 sticks ($6).

Imagine chunks of well-marinated lean pork with bits of sinful fats in between. Just heavenly! Notice the extra ingredient in the peanut sauce? The owner explained that the Hainanese mash slightly over-ripe pineapples and add them to the peanut sauce. If you’re an onion lover, remember to request for onions!

100% Pure Sugar Cane Juice

I don’t know about you but sugar cane is always my go-to drink whenever I have a meal at a hawker food centre! This sugarcane drinks stall is the next-door neighbour of Yong Seng Satay.

Do give the refreshing and 100% natural sugar cane juice($1.70 – $0.10 cheaper than a couple of other sugarcane stalls situated near the entrance) a try if you come across his stall!

133 Penang Authentic

The Penang Prawn Noodle, a speciality dish from Penang, is slightly different from the local prawn noodles. The broth is cooked for more than 5 hours with pork bones, prawns, and secret ingredients!

The soup was spicy, savoury, and sweet. The prawns used at 133 Penang Authentic were firm and sweet. Together with chewy meat, fish cakes, eggs, fried shallot oil and other ingredients, this dish is simply delicious. Don’t forget to add the stall’s 叁辣椒 chilli if you want to turn up the heat! The Penang Prawn Noodle is available in two portions — $3.50 and $5.

In addition to Penang prawn noodles, the stall also sells delicious Penang Char Kway Teow ($4/ $6/ $8). The boss mentioned that temperature control is essential to achieve moist noodles and eggs that aren’t too oily and an overall aroma that is both delicate and refreshing. 133 Penang Authentic is a definite must-try if you’re looking for good Penang dishes!

莲合炒粿条 Fried Kway Teow

Apart from 133 Penang Authentic, there are 2-3 stalls at Bukit Timah Food Centre which specialize in Fried Kway Teow. I decided to give this one a try because it was hidden, and the auntie was very cheerful and friendly!

When I received my $3 portion of Fried Kway Teow, the first thing I did was flip over some noodles to count the number of cockles there were in the dish. That was when it hit me — an intense wave of wok hei guaranteeing that I was in for a treat! I immediately abandoned my cockle count and dug in. There was a generous amount of fishcakes, an ample amount of egg to complement the overall texture of the dish, and crunchy fresh vegetables! Affordable and just the right portion to fill my stomach! P.S. I think there were 3-4 cockles.

He Zhong Carrot Cake

This family-run carrot cake stall has been in Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre since 1973. You might be thinking, what makes them so special? First of all, the stall only does white carrot cake. Secondly, the stall makes their own kueh daily according to their own special recipe. You can see it from the piles of stainless steel trays that sit beside the wok in the kitchen! And thirdly…

The carrot cake($2.50, $3, $4, or $5) comes in big, springy and flavourful chunks (unlike the usual flat pancake style) with a strong garlicky aroma. The generous amount of chai poh studded throughout the cake also provided a sweetness that complemented the savouriness of the dish perfectly.

The relatively large pieces of kueh were glued together by an adequate amount of egg. The well charred and crispy exterior, and the springy and eggy interior made this carrot cake so addictive!

Hong Wen Mutton Soup

There are two stalls that sell mutton soup at Bukit Timah Food Centre, and Hong Wen Mutton Soup is one of them!

This bowl of Chinese-styled Herbal Mix Mutton Soup ($5) contains Mutton Tendon + Mutton Tripe + Mutton Ribs! Compared to the Indian-Muslim mutton soup which has a very strong gamey taste, this version was tastier and much more refreshing (is it because I’m Chinese?).

The use of Chinese herbs captures the essence of the bone, creating an aromatic and light broth. Although I felt that they could be a tad more generous with the ingredients, the tendon was really soft and tender while the slices of tripe were firm bite and not too rubbery!

Xie Kee Hokkien Mee

Xie Kee Hokkien Mee opens later than most of the stalls, but it still never fails to garner a long queue during lunch hour!

Unlike most of the Hokkien Mee stalls that use the normal cylindrical-shaped yellow noodles, Xie Kee uses flat wide yellow noodles similar to the ones found in Lor Mee! For just $3, my plate of Hokkien Mee came with two prawns and bits and pieces of chopped up squid. The noodles were also coated in the good old moist gooey goodness that I know and love!

Old Airport Road Wanton Mee

I was lured to this stall by its name and the fact that it was emblazoned on a grand black and gold signage. Was it previously from Old Airport Road? If not, I wondered if it could be a match to the famous wanton mee stalls at Old Airport Road Hawker Centre that I’ve heard so much about.

I ordered their Dry Signature Wanton Noodle ($4). It came with 1 crispy wanton, 3 boiled wantons, and a generous portion of char siew! I would have preferred to have more crispy wantons… If you feel the same, maybe you can try negotiating! Also, there wasn’t much sauce, which left the noodles a little dry after I mixed everything together. But nonetheless, the noodles still retained its springy texture.

Nyona Chendol

What better way to end your gastronomical adventure than with a yummy bowl of icy delight! The chendol I had at this stall was one that left a lasting impression. While I was there, there were unfortunately only 3 options available — the Original Chendol without red bean ($1.50), the Red Bean Chendol ($2), and Sweet Corn Chendol ($2). I had heard about the durian topping on the 4th option (Durian Chendol) being extremely fresh! Some say they used actual hand-peeled durian instead of artificial flavouring to make their paste.

I ordered the Sweet Corn Chendol because I’m not a fan of red bean. I was absolutely fascinated by the artful construction of the chendol While the sweet corn had a firm and juicy bite, the pandan jelly was soft. Absolutely delicious!

Nyona Chendol has various outlets all over Singapore. When I asked if the durian flavour was only temporarily unavailable, the auntie manning the stall replied: “全部一样没有了” (all the same, no more already). I guess all the other Nyona Chendol outlets do not have the durian flavour anymore too.

Our hawker culture faces the same threat of extinction that our wildlife faces. I fear that our future generations may not have the same good fortune of indulging in cheap and affordable local delights in a hawker centre setting. Do support our local hawkers before it’s too late!

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If you ever wanted the definition of a snaking queue, this is it. People who were just passing by were all curious about the long line of people as well. Was it the allure of cheap bubble tea? Or the promise of a handsome young man serving it to you? I was about to find out for myself.

After queueing for about an hour, I finally reached the front of the line. There, the Song Joong Ki lookalike, Mr Zhou Zhen Yang, stood before me making cup after cup of bubble tea. This picture captured the last cup of brown sugar fresh milk available that day, which I wasn’t lucky enough to enjoy.

Beautea has an enticing variety of bubble tea, and I couldn’t decide which to try. In the end, I ordered four different flavours. I ordered the special Dirty Mango Fresh Milk ($2.50), Chocolate Mint Milk Tea $2.50), Peach Green Tea ($1.80), Pearl Milk Tea with White Pearls ($1.60) (from right to left). Their daily special changes every fortnightly or monthly.

Made with mango syrup, fresh mango puree, and chunks of mango, the dirty mango fresh milk was really tasty. I loved chewing on the soft pieces of fruit which lent a nice contrast to the QQ pearls. Everyone enjoyed this very much.

The chocolate mint milk tea sounded so interesting that I just had to get it. As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of mint chocolate, this drink made me a convert. It received a thumbs up from me.

Beautea has fruit teas as well. The peach green tea was really fragrant, but I felt that the peach flavour was too mild.

The milk tea was simple yet delightful. The white pearls were firm and had a nice bite. I will definitely buy this again if I’m ever in the area.

Judging from the endless queue, it’s safe to say that Mr Zhou’s inexpensive and delicious bubble tea is a huge hit. It’s a bonus that patrons receive an award-winning smile from the charming owner, on top of the yummy beverage. Have you tried Mr Zhou’s creations? If you haven’t, it’s high time you do so!

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

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Hai Nan Hometown Curry moved into Ghim Moh Food Centre a few years ago, and my family has become a big fan of their curry ever since. True to its name, the stall whips up curry that has a very homey taste. I guess this is what attracts people to their stall.

The Curry Chicken($5) is a fan favourite! The chicken drumsticks were really big and they were cooked perfectly. Even though we got the smaller bowl, a generous amount of ingredients and gravy were given.

You could choose either bread ($1) or a bowl of rice ($0.50) to pair with your curry. I prefer dunking the thickly sliced bread in the gravy to fully enjoy the flavours. The spiciness is quite manageable, so you definitely can soak up as much curry with your bread as you want, without feeling the need to get a drink.

While the curry chicken is the bestseller, the curry pork ribs ($5.50) is my family’s favourite. It tastes really similar to how my ah ma cooks her pork rib curry, and that alone entices us to go back for it again and again.

The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender. That’s how you know they were done right. I thoroughly enjoyed eating this fatty piece of pork with my bowl of rice.

The gravy was THICK, creamy, flavourful, and packed a subtle heat. I am not ashamed to say that I drink this curry like it’s soup every time I get it. Children, please do not learn from me.

If you ever miss the taste of home-cooked curry, pop by Ghim Moh Food Centre to get yourself a nice warm bowl from Hai Nan Hometown Curry.

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 Hai Nan Hometown Curry. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Hai Nan Hometown Curry – A Taste Of Nostalgia & Home appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.