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Kampung Kia – Authentic Malaysian Nasi Lemak at Marine Parade!

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Located at Marine Parade, three-month old Kampung Kia’s Nasi Lemak is definitely eye-catching with its blue butterfly pea infused rice. The stall is run by a dynamic duo of chef-owners who go by Jack and Ann, hailing from Penang and Ipoh respectively. Interestingly, both chefs have an extensive background in Chinese cooking but have no prior experience in cooking Malay cuisine. However, the pair shared a common love for Nasi Lemak and decided to develop their own recipe!

Chicken Rendang Collage

I first tried their Rendang Chicken Nasi Lemak ($5.50). I found that the portion was quite generous given its price! The rice was fluffy and moist, having just the right balance of coconut flavour. Sat atop the rice was a beautifully fried egg – it was not rubbery and the yolk was still runny! Alongside the rice you get a large chicken drumstick that is juicy and well-coated in the rendang. The rendang itself is aromatic with a strong scent of lemongrass. Their sweet and sour sambal chilli, which is made in-house, only has a hint of spiciness and is a lovely complement to the savoury richness of the dish. The dish also came with the typical accompaniments of ikan bilis and some soft curried vegetables.

Curry Chicken Nasi Lemak

I also tried their Curry Chicken Nasi Lemak ($5.50), which instead comes with a drumstick smothered in delicious Malaysian-style curry. The gravy itself is thick and rich with a wonderful blend of spices. A few pieces of potato are also added to the curry to absorb all of its delicious flavour. As a Malaysian living in Singapore, this dish really brings back memories of the home-cooked curry I would have at my grandparents’ house. If you are a fan of Malaysian curry, I think this is as authentic as it gets!

Assam Laksa Side View

Assam Laksa Noodles Lifted

Kampung Kia doesn’t just prepare delicious Nasi Lemak, it also sells Assam Laksa ($4.80)! This enticing bowl of laksa comes topped with a whole sardine, though mackerel is more traditionally used. The thick and white rice noodles, which Kampung Kia imports weekly from Malaysia, are nice and springy in texture. I found that the Assam broth was more subtle in flavour when compared to others that I have tried in Singapore. The broth was mildly sweet but could have been a bit more tart to add more sharpness. The laksa was also topped with sliced bamboo shoots, cucumber, red onion, as well as chopped red chillies for a bit of heat. The sardine was well-cooked and briny, which brought a much needed savoury element to the laksa. Overall, it was a decent and light bowl of Assam Laksa but could have done with a bit more acidity.

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Curry Mee (Pulled Up)

If you are looking for a heartier bowl of noodles, look no further than Kampung Kia’s Curry Mee ($5.50). Their Curry Mee contains a mixture of thin bee Hoon and thicker egg noodles for a combination of textures. The bowl is filled generously with their deep and rich Malaysian curry. The curry was packed with flavour but I found it to be slightly too spicy for my liking. The bowl was also topped with dried tofu, chunks of potato and green beans. The dried tofu had soaked in the curry, providing a burst of flavour once bitten into. The green beans added a bit of crunch to give additional texture to the Curry Mee. In addition to a chicken drumstick, the dish came with a few slices of fish cake and even a few chunks of sio bak (roast pork)! Definitely value for money if you ask me.

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Kampung Kia

Address: 80 Marine Parade Central #01-778, Singapore 440080

Phone: 91875705

Opening Hours: 10:30am to 3:00pm & 5:30pm to 9pm daily

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/甘榜仔椰浆饭-Kampung-Kia-Nasi-Lemak-742336852631043/

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

We have other Nasi Lemak recommendations for you too! You may wish to check out Nasi Kukus or some Nasi Lemak inspired dishes at Nasi Coco!

The post Kampung Kia – Authentic Malaysian Nasi Lemak at Marine Parade! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.


Waker X Oppa – Remarkable Halal Korean Favourites in a Coffeeshop

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Waker Chicken X Oppa Grill at Tampines Street 21 (Block 201C) serves Korean hot favourites such as Korean Fried Chicken and Army Stew in a coffeeshop setting. For the purpose of convenience, I shall refer to Waker Chicken X Oppa Grill as Waker X Oppa throughout the article. A collaboration between Waker Chicken and Oppa Grill, Waker X Oppa is halal and 100% muslim-owned, and has a total of 2 menus – one from each partner. Both menus are prepared in the same kitchen so you do not have to re-queue at all.

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We decided to order from both the Waker Chicken and the Oppa Grill menu so as to try more of their items. We were recommended the Dak’s Cheese cutlet ($8) and Emi’s Briyani ($6) from the former menu, which, according to the stall owner, are perennial favourites. From the Oppa Grill menu, we opted for the Army Stew ($18), in which we picked Seafood (+$7) from the slew of chicken, beef and mutton options.

When we visited around 11am on a weekday morning, operations had not gone into full swing despite opening hours beginning at 10.30am. Unfortunately, the oil had not been heated up, which resulted in the start of a long wait for us, which stretched till 11.45am. As such, if you are planning to make a visit, I would recommend visiting later so as to save on waiting time.

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The Army Stew ($25 for seafood option), also known as Budae Jiggae, was served first. The army stew comprises a plethora of ingredients such as hotdogs, luncheon meat and a variety of vegetables. As we opted for the seafood option, fresh seafood such as dory fish, prawns and mussels were also thrown into the mix. Finally, a special army stew sauce was then added, and the concoction was rounded up with a flood of anchovy soup. Thereafter, the stall owner turned up the fire, allowing the soup to bubble and transform into a somewhat gloopy consistency.

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In terms of texture, Waker X Oppa’s army stew sauce is definitely thicker than the typical army stew. According to my colleague who eats army stew on a regular basis, army stew is apparently supposed to be quite sweet. However, here at Waker X Oppa, we found the army stew rather spicy. If you cannot take too spicy food, I would recommend asking them to scale down on the amount of special army stew sauce. Nonetheless, the sauce was packed with flavour. The seafood was also fresh and meaty, and for the amount of ingredients in the army stew, I would say that the pricing was quite reasonable. This budae jiggae can feed up to 3-4 pax.

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We were pleased when our items from the Waker Chicken menu were finally served. After all, it had been a lengthy wait for the oil to heat up to the optimal temperature. Emi’s Briyani ($6) arrived first, where Waker X Oppa put a korean spin on the traditional Indian dish by replacing the chicken with a korean fried chicken. The korean fried chicken had a light, airy and crispy skin, which was crunchy and satisfying to bite through. I loved that it was not greasy, and oil did not ooze out when i took a bite of the succulent chicken meat. The briyani rice was pretty legit too, Waker X Oppa held true to Indian tradition by using basmati rice with indian spices. I loved that red rice and black rice were also mixed into the grain mix, which made the dish “diabetes-friendly”. On the other hand, the accompanying curry was mild, watery and not spicy at all. To be honest, it was nothing to shout about.

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Next, Dak’s cheese cutlet ($8). Did you know that “Dak” actually means chicken in Korean? Confusing much! I thought that Dak’s Cheese cutlet tasted like a pizza – strong cheesiness with an acidic tomato sauce. That was, until I took a closer look and realised that “tomato sauce” was in fact kimchi. Similarly, the piece of korean fried chicken had a crackly skin. Bite through the crunchy skin and you will encounter tender, juicy meat. The cheese added an extra layer of dimension to the otherwise plain dish due to its sharpness, while the kimchi added some tanginess and spiciness. The rice in this dish tasted quite healthy too, and I’m guessing it was a mix of brown rice and white rice.

Waker Chicken X Oppa Grill is definitely one-of-a-kind, for it is quite rare to see halal Korean favourites being sold in a coffeeshop environment. It is also great that they put little spins on each dish to cater more to the health-conscious. After all, since you are already eating fried chicken and army stew, saving on a little calories doesn’t hurt, right?

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Waker Chicken X Oppa Grill

Address: 201C Tampines Street 21, Chang Cheng Mee Wah Coffee Shop, Singapore 523201

Area: Tampines

Opening Hours: 10.30am to 9.45pm daily

Cuisine: Korean

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wakerxoppa/

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

The post Waker X Oppa – Remarkable Halal Korean Favourites in a Coffeeshop appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

The Asian Makanstall – Yummy-Yummy, Good For Money Delights!

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The combination of selling Nasi Briyani and Fuzhou Oyster Cake is an unusual one. However, that is exactly what Uncle Bobby sells at his stall in Chinatown Complex!

Chinatown Complex is home to over a hundred different hawkers, and The Asian Makanstall is tucked away in a little corner of the maze. Just follow the green pillars, and you’ll reach there easily!

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Opened in March 2018, The Asian Makanstall is run solely by Uncle Bobby. On why he only has two items in his menu, the 65-year-old shared that these two items are things that he can cook fairly well, and received good response when he makes them for friends and family.

Uncle Bobby has been working in the food and beverage industry since he was 50, after he lost his full time job as a quality control officer. He had stints in many restaurant chains, such as Subway, Burger King and even Ya Kun Kaya Toast! He then decided to venture out on his own, and started The Asian Makanstall.

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Fuzhou Oyster Cake isn’t a common item you’ll find in Singapore, and not many hawkers are willing to recreate this old school delicacy. However, uncle Bobby learnt how to make this addictive snack from his friend, and currently sells it at his stall.

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Retailing at $3 per piece, these golden brown UFO discs are stuffed with large, plump oysters, minced meat and coriander. You may think that it is quite expensive for a snack, but the process of making the oyster cake is a highly laborious one. Each cake is made using a special mould, which gives the oyster cake its signature UFO shape. Uncle Bobby has a limited number of moulds, so he can only make 2 oyster cakes at one go. However, he shared that he cooks the oyster cakes in batches, and leaves them in a warmer to ensure that customers don’t have to wait too long to get their hands on a piece.

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These golden discs are so delicious! The crispy batter encapsulates the fragrant and tasty filling, which is really quite addictive. I’m not a big fan of coriander, but in this case, the fragrance of the herb complements the savouriness of the oysters and minced meat. It’s such a delightful snack!

Uncle Bobby shared with us that if diners like to purchase the oyster cakes and have them at a later timing, they can just wrap the cakes in aluminium foil, pop them in the microwave oven, to get the exact same texture as freshly fried oyster cakes. How convenient!

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The plate of nasi briyani may look unassuming, but it is indeed delicious. Each grain of basmati rice is well separated, and the rice has a collective fragrance of Indian herbs and spices, without being too overpowering.

However, what we loved the most was the chicken. Uncle Bobby shared that he marinates the chicken overnight, to ensure that the flavours can fully permeate into the meat. And he’s right, for the meat is very flavourful down to the bone. What’s more, Uncle Bobby is currently having a promotion! Each plate of nasi briyani is sold at only $3.50! I don’t think you’ll be able to find such a steal anywhere in Singapore.

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Although there are only two items on the menu, uncle Bobby has indeed carved out a niche in this area. He shares with us that he wants to offer ‘yummy-yummy, good for money’ dishes to diners, and hopes that they would enjoy what he offers. We know we did, because our tummies were definitely satisfied when we left the stall!

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The Asian Makanstall

Address: #02-81 Chinatown Complex, Blk 335 Smith Street. Singapore 050335

Phone: 9100 1799

Website: https://www.facebook.com/TheAsianMakanstall/?hc_ref=ARS6R9dV7rS4_ShKK90zD13ycoH-p17PesbZ-CORkXGaBMUSiVZEp8aNel48THvN8oQ&fref=nf

Opening Hours: 11am, till sold out. Days off are not stipulated, call to check.

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

The post The Asian Makanstall – Yummy-Yummy, Good For Money Delights! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Casper Seafood – Wok Hei Rich Hor Fun In Whampoa West!

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There’s something about zi char stalls that seem to attract Singaporeans. Although most of the zi char stalls are not located in air-conditioned settings, there are still many people who would brave the heat to have their team lunch at a zi char stall. This is evident from the large groups of office workers who visited Casper Seafood during lunch when we were there.

Founded in 1985, Casper Seafood first started out at Golden Mile Tower selling fish head bee hoon soup, before they became a zi char stall. The stall moved to its current location at Whampoa West in 1994, and is helmed by the husband and wife team, Jee Bah and Xiao Ling.

The brand has two other stalls in Bendemeer Market & Food Centre that sells fish head bee hoon soup, and hor fun, as well as Teochew porridge. The two stalls are run by Xiao Ling’s sons.

Many netizens have raved about the wok hei of the hor fun here at Casper Seafood. In fact, my boss has tried to get a plate of this exclusive hor fun thrice but failed every time as it was sold out.

When asked about their secret to making a good hor fun, Xiao Ling shared that it comes from many years of experience and practise.

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Thankfully, the Hor Fun w/Assorted Meat ($4) was still available during our visit. The charred kway teow isn’t freshly cooked, but instead, taken out from a large container and plated. The gravy, which is cooked with an assortment of meat, prawns and fishcake, is then ladled onto the kway teow, covering it in all its goopy glory.

Being food bloggers, our cameras always get first dibs on the food. After the prolonged photo taking session, we delved into the much raved about hor fun, but was greeted with disappointment. The sauce was bland, and there was absolutely no wok hei from the kway teow.

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The few of us decided that we shouldn’t lose hope, and ordered another plate of hor fun, this time having it hot on the spot. Thankfully, that worked. The kway teow had its beautiful charred fragrance, although the gooey hor fun zhup was still very bland.

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The Sambal Fried Rice ($4.50) was a tasty dish that we ordered. The copper coloured rice was fried with prawns, char siew, egg and spring onion. The homemade sambal did give a good spicy kick, and its flavours were nicely balanced between heat and saltiness. However, there wasn’t much wok hei from the rice.

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We also tried the Hotplate Sambal Sotong ($10/$12/$15) which featured rings of tender squid, cooked in the same spicy sambal sauce as the fried rice. It’s uncertain why, but the sambal fragrance seemed to be more prominent in the sambal sotong as compared to the fried rice. Nevertheless, kudos to the chefs who ensured that the sotong was perfectly cooked, without it being too tough or stringy.

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The stall helper at Casper Seafood also recommended the Pork Chop & Tangy Sauce ($10/$12/$15). Its Chinese translation is Pai Gu Wang, which is a common dish found throughout zi char stalls, but I thought that its English translation was rather unique. The pieces of pork chop had a good balance of lean meat to fat, and every piece was coated with the glistening ‘Tangy Sauce’. The sauce reminded me very much of marmite, with its sweet, salty and slight tart flavour to it. If I were to dine at Casper Seafood again, it would definitely be something I would reorder.

Although we tried a few of their signature dishes, the stall helper shared with us that most customers would order their Tom Yum Fish Head. As we visited in the afternoon, when the sun was blazingly hot, it isn’t the most ideal condition to have tom yum. Nevertheless, I would definitely go back to try that dish during dinner.

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Casper Seafood

Address: #01-67 Blk 34 Whampoa West, Singapore 330034

Phone: 6297 5350

Opening Hours: 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 11.30pm daily.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Casperseafood/?hc_ref=ARSWDkcoKmbuvH3AYwcinCdXJPzOQzYkDez5n_8BWlF4H6IQZCc96xarpRmgXwMj10c

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

The post Casper Seafood – Wok Hei Rich Hor Fun In Whampoa West! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

10 New Delicious Eats at Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2018

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Ramadan Bazaar 2018

Everyone’s favourite pasar malam, Ramadan Bazaar 2018, is back again, now bigger, bolder and better! Our team at Miss Tam Chiak visited the Ramadan Bazaar 2018 at Geylang Serai and would like to highlight some of the unique, interesting and wacky foods featured this year. From flaming beef cubes to the magical unicorn parfait, prepare yourselves to beat the heat and crowds at Ramadan Bazaar 2018 – so let’s go!

Hyde & Co. – Crispy Chicken Rendang

Most of us have heard of the infamous Crispy Chicken Rendang controversy that took place on MasterChef UK. For those who are unaware, Southeast Asian viewers were astonished when a Malaysian-born contestant was eliminated from the quarter-finals of the competition because the skin on her spicy chicken rendang was not ‘crispy’.

The chefs from Hyde & Co. took inspiration from this debacle and decided to challenge themselves to create their own rendition of a Crispy Chicken Rendang at the Ramadan Bazaar 2018! A chicken drumstick is fried until crisp before being coated in a spicy rendang sauce. The chicken is served on a bed of ketupat (rice dumpling) and emping belinjo (crackers).

Priced at $9, I wished that the dish came with more than one chicken drumstick. The rendang sauce was slightly spicy and also robust, with a strong aroma of lemongrass. The skin of the chicken itself was not very crispy, though acceptable given that it’s been thoroughly coated with the rendang! The meat was tender and had soaked up the flavours of the rendang.

Hyde & Co. also offers other inventive local-inspired dishes, such as Chilli Crab Pasta ($9) and Laksa Hae Bee Hiam Pasta ($9)! Overall, I’d recommend giving their Crispy Chicken Rendang a try. However, don’t go in expecting an incredibly crispy skin.

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21 Sliders – The Wrangler

I’ll start this off with a bold statement – 21 Sliders is must-try if you’re heading for the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2018. The stall offers a variety of American-style sliders for just $4! We tried out ‘The Wrangler’, which is one of the sliders offered under their classic menu. This slider features a crispy buttermilk fried chicken patty sat atop a tangy purple coleslaw and a lightly toasted bun. The patty is generously topped with their in-house made buffalo sauce which is a combination of sriracha, tabasco and butter.

This miniature burger might appear small, but its flavour definitely packs a punch. The substantially thick chicken patty is perfectly crisp while still being juicy and succulent. Their zingy buffalo sauce adds a spicy kick without being mouth-numbing. On the other hand, the purple coleslaw adds a welcome amount of crunchiness and freshness to each bite.

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Beef Bro Blow Torch Grill – Singapore’s First Mentaiko Beef Cubes

A newcomer in this year’s bazaar, Beef Bro is owned by local Suria and Channel 5 actor Danial Ashriq and features 100% premium flaming Australian rump beef steak. We hear that Beef Bro is sourcing for a shopfront and aim to open by August this year. Their menu is reminiscent of beef cubes found in Taiwanese night markets and they currently offer the Original Beef Cubes ($12) and their signature Singapore’s First Mentaiko Beef Cubes ($16).

We tried the latter and it was served with generous mentaiko sauce, melted mozzarella cheese (additional $1) and seaweed flakes. Mentaiko lovers will rejoice at the rich and creamy pink sauce which complemented the beef well and provided an innovative Japanese twist to the carnival snack. The beef chunks were well-torched and extremely tender, with each bite bursting with flavour and juice. The fattier chunks of beef also gave a fragrant, melt-in-the-mouth experience.

If the mentaiko sauce becomes too gelat, dip the beef into the stringy cheese for a different texture and mouthfeel. Given its relatively worth-it price point for 200g of protein goodness, Beef Bro is bound to be a hit among all ages and a must try at the bazaar!

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Chef Syed x Meatballs in a Bucket by Sofnade

Before heading to Sofnade, make sure that you’re hungry and up to the task. Their stall name, ‘Meatballs in a Bucket’, is quite an apt description because that is exactly what they serve! We opted to try their Classic Meatballs in a Bucket for ($9), though they also offer Chicken Satay Meatballs ($9). Each bucket is filled with a big dollop of mashed potatoes before being topped with twister fries. Then, you have a choice of either chicken or beef meatballs. To top things off, the bucket is generously (almost excessively) filled with cheese sauce!

This bucket of food is absolutely massive and could easily feed two people. Our beef meatballs were well-seasoned and had the aroma of fresh herbs. Not only did they have a nice springy texture, they were also moist and completely submerged in cheese sauce! The cheese sauce was mild in flavour and hence did not overpower the taste of the meatballs. After everything in the bucket was mixed around, the mashed potatoes served as the base that bound everything together. The twister fries provided textural contrast, which prevented each mouthful from being too gloopy.

If you want something that is indulgent, cheesy and calorie-filled, look no further than Sofnade. Though, I would advise you not to stand on your weighing scale the morning after!

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WORD – Gangster Ribs Cups

This stall is definitely unique with its ‘Gangster’ themed menu. WORD’s Gangster Ribs Cup comes with either lamb or beef ribs, and also either fries or briyani rice as your sides. We opted to have the one portion of lamb ribs with fries ($12). If you intend on sharing with family or friends, you can get half a rack of ribs for $25 or a full rack for $40.

Even though the ribs were not fall-off-the-bone tender, the meat was not too dry as it had a good amount of fat-content. However, it did err towards being a bit too chewy. The glaze was sweet and had a hint of spiciness. However, I felt that it could have been bolder and more robust in flavour. The fries served at the bottom of the cup were soggy, but did absorb some of the sweet glaze, which made them more flavourful.

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Fed By The Ravens – Indian-Style Mexican Tacos!

The Singaporean culinary scene is no stranger to East meets West fusion cuisine. However, have you ever tried Indian-Mexican fusion food?

Fed By The Ravens’ menu features tacos containing Indian-style meat fillings! They have three choices for taco fillings – chicken, lamb and sardine sambal. Their ‘Taco Trio’ set comes in at $7 and allows you to mix and match any of the three fillings. Each taco contains roughly chopped lettuce and is topped with their tangy homemade sauce, which is made with a blend of hot sauce and sour cream. A wedge of lime is served on the sides, in case you want added acidity.

The chicken and lamb tacos did not have any pronounced Indian-influenced flavours but they passed off as decent Mexican tacos. However, the sardine sambal taco was definitely unique! The sardine sambal filling reminded me of pulled pork. The sardine had the same fork-tender ‘pulled’ texture and was also slightly spicy and sour. Unfortunately, the tacos fell apart too easily as the shells were too soft and crumbly.

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555 Thai Tea – One-Litre Thai Milk Tea

Feeling thirsty in the constant hustle and bustle of the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2018? Then the 555 Thai Tea stall is a must visit. The stall sells authentic Thai Milk Tea in a massive one-litre cup. This sizeable cup might be a bit of a hassle to hold, but at just $3 it’s definitely a steal! You’ll also be glad to know that their cups aren’t filled to the brim with ice, so you’re getting your money’s worth.

Their Thai Milk Tea looks the part – it has the signature dark orange colour of the strongly brewed Thai version. This concoction was milky and thirst-quenching, though it was slightly too sweet for my liking. Its sweetness slightly overpowered the actual flavour of the tea. Then again, you’ll probably enjoy it if you have a sweet-tooth.

At the same price of $3, you can also purchase their Thai Milk Green Tea. This is markedly less sweet than its counterpart, which really allowed the taste of the green tea to come through. Its lighter green tea flavour combined with its ice-cold temperature made for a deliciously refreshing relief from the blistering heat in the bazaar. If you had to choose between the two drinks, I’d highly recommend their green tea variant!

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Super Mango -Refreshing Super Mango

The title of Super Mango, or Tai Mang Le, is a homophone played on the Chinese character for ‘mango’ and ‘busy’. Indeed, the owner of Super Mango has been busy in his F&B endeavours as this is his second project in addition to his first Taiwanese bubble tea shop. They are now here at the Ramadan Bazaar 2018!

The stall specialises in its titular Super Mango ($8.90), a mango-based dessert comprising of a layer of mango smoothie made from blended mango puree and ice, a second layer of sinful whipped cream, followed by a last layer of intricately placed Thai mango slices around mango ice cream. Super Mango also uses beads of dry ice in the layer between drink and ice cream as a ‘wow’ factor for pictures. The drink is sizeable and can be easily shared between two to three people, making Super Mango one of the more refreshing ways to beat the sweltering heat and continue exploring the bazaar.

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O.M.G – Thai Ice Cream Rolls

You’ve probably seen the unconventional ‘Thai Ice Cream Rolls’ dessert making its rounds on social media. Now, this popular ‘Instagrammable’ dessert is available here at the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2018! Each cup of ice cream rolls is priced at just $5.00 and is prepared on the spot. They have a wide selection of ice cream rolls on their menu, using ingredients such as Nutella, Oreo, as well as a variety fresh fruit!

We decided to try their Nutella and Banana Ice Cream Roll. With our cameras at the ready, the chef poured milk onto the cold plate. A spoonful of Nutella was added, along with a few slices of banana. He then chopped and stirred the mixture as we watched ice cream harden and crystallise before our very eyes. The mixture is then flattened before being scraped to form rolls of ice cream!

The Nutella added a nutty and chocolatey flavour, while the banana thickened the ice cream. Even though the rolled ice cream had an interesting presentation, its texture did not differ much from the typical scooped version. Regardless, a cold and refreshing dessert is always welcome in the heat of Ramadan Bazaar 2018!

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Rainbow Works – Flaming Unicorn & Edible Helium Balloon

Rainbow Works has two stalls in the massive bazaar and offers a variety of colourful sodas, intriguing fruit juices and pastel sweets. We ordered the highly aesthetic-looking Flaming Unicorn ($10), a premium purple vanilla soft serve ice cream topped with fruity pebbles, marshmallow, whipped cream, fondant, pink balloon and a dash of fire.

This is undoubtedly the most Instagram-worthy dessert in the bazaar and the latest to ride on the unicorn theme trend. Get your phones ready as the lady holds a small flame in her bubble foam soaked palms and quickly places it on top of the drink, fire flickering for a few seconds before burning out — a truly magical experience right before your very eyes. Taste wise, the dessert is guaranteed to set off a sugar rush and perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

The Edible Helium Balloon ($8.90) is another intriguing concoction bound to arouse the curiosity of many. The balloon is made by pumping helium gas through a hose into a container of sugar syrup. It is then gently squeezed out to make a helium balloon encased with sugar. All the customer has to do is quickly suck in and inhale the helium rather than eat the balloon. The sugar leaves a sticky mess afterwards similar to eating cotton candy. This Edible Balloon is not meant to fill up hungry stomachs. Instead, the fun comes in when voices become high-pitched and squeaky. Blurt out nonsensical stuff and record this hilarious memory!

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By Howard, Adrian, Zoe, Yun Xin, Kai & Maureen

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel! Check out what was featured in Ramadan Bazaar 2017 here!

The post 10 New Delicious Eats at Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2018 appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant – A Modern Take on Traditional Chinese Dumplings!

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Celebrate this Dragon Boat Festival with family and friends over a tantalising collection of novel, yet traditional, meticulously handcrafted rice dumplings from the award-winning Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant!

Located at Level 3 of the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant will be serving up four exquisite rice dumplings from 1 June to 18 June. Enjoy a 20% discount when you purchase four rice dumplings that come elegantly packaged in a premium gold box.

Red Vinasse Chicken Rice Dumpling

Making its debut this year, the Red Vinasse Chicken Rice Dumpling (酒香红糟凤仙粽) is a nutritional powerhouse ($16nett/ piece). Chunks of tender chicken thigh are marinated in a piquant red vinasse sauce to impart a burst of rich flavours. Red vinasse is actually created from the fermentation of glutinous rice, red rice yeast, rice wine, sugar and salt. These succulent chicken chunks are accompanied with black-eyed beans, chestnuts and a savoury egg yolk before they are enrobed in glutinous rice from America, and wrapped in fragrant bamboo leaves.

Coconut Dumpling Collage

For those with a sweet tooth, the new Coconut, Brown Sugar, Red Bean & Chestnut Rice Dumpling with Palm Sugar Sauce (椰丝糖心碱水粽) is sure to please your palate. At $12 each, this sweet, locally-inspired creation is a satisfying pop of grated coconut, brown sugar, palm sugar, red beans and chestnuts, wrapped in sweet glutinous rice from America. There are two ways to enjoy this tempting creation — complemented with Palm Sugar Sauce (takeaway orders), or with a scoop of refreshing Coconut Ice Cream as well as Palm Sugar Sauce (for dine-in).

Black Truffle 5-Grain Vegetarian Rice Dumpling

For a splash of luxury and for the health conscious, opt for the wholesome Black Truffle 5-Grain Vegetarian Rice Dumpling (黑松露五谷素粽) which can be brought home at $14nett. This gastronomic East meets West delight which is jam packed with fibre-rich grains and a variety of savoury ingredients such as turnip, carrot, king oyster mushroom, black fungus, vegetarian bak kwah and braised peanuts is elevated to new heights with premium Black Truffle, and a satisfying crunch with the addition of Mountain Jelly Vegetable.

Signature Pork & Salted Egg Rice Dumpling

Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant’s Cantonese-style Signature Pork & Salted Egg Rice Dumpling (蛋黄咸肉粽) is tailored for those who prefer to stick to tradition. Each dumpling ($16nett) is generously stuffed with marinated pork, salted egg yolk, mushrooms, black-eyed beans and chestnuts. Bursting with nostalgic flavours, this rice dumpling has just the right balance of sticky glutinous rice and fresh ingredients.

For pre-orders, call 6831 4605 or visit http://singaporemarriot.com/dining. Note that orders must be made at least three days in advance.

Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant

Address: 3F Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, 320 Orchard Road, Singapore 238865

Phone: 6831 4605

Website: http://www.singaporemarriott.com/dining/

Opening Hours: Weekdays: 12pm to 3pm & 6:30pm to 10:30pm, Weekends: 11:30am to 3pm & 6:30pm to 10:30pm

This post was brought to you by Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel.

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 Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant – A Modern Take on Traditional Chinese Dumplings! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Peach Garden @ Thomson Plaza – 50% OFF A La Carte Buffet at only S$27.50++ (U.P. $55++)!

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Buffets are great because you get to eat as much as you want at a fixed price. Peach Garden at Thomson Plaza has launched their all-you-can-eat A LA CARTE BUFFET promotion. You get a whole array of dishes laid out in front of you, from Steamed Red Snapper to the juicy Stir-fried Kurobuta Pork Cubes, and Fried Prawns with Wasabi to Fried Rice with Baby Abalone, and a whole lot more.

What’s the deal? From now to 31 July 2018, enjoy 50% off their A La Carte Buffet during the weekday (or 30% during the weekend and public holidays) when you dine in a group of four. You won’t believe it, but it is only S$27.50++ per pax (UP $55)!

Quote ‘MISS TAM CHIAK’ to get a pot of FREE DRUNKEN PRAWNS!

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With almost 40 different dishes to choose from, you can pick anything without worrying about hurting your pocket.

As you know, Peach Garden is famous for their dim sum, hence you get to enjoy a range of dim sum dishes during their lunch buffet. This includes Fried Carrot Cake with XO Sauce, Steamed Seafood Dumplings, Steamed Siew Mai with Crab Roe, Steamed Chives Dumplings and Steamed Dumplings in Spicy Sauce.

For the dinner buffet, choose from an exclusive range of appetizers including Chilled Pig’s Shank with Jelly Fish, Roasted Pork Cube (limited to 1 serving per table), Chilled Smoked Duck with Sliced Mango, Crisp Fried Fish Skin with Salted and Pepper, and Fried Carrot Cake with XO Sauce. The XO sauce adds a punch to the normal carrot cake.

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Add a touch of decadence as you feast on their fresh seafood such as Fried Prawn with Wasabi Salad Cream, Stir-fried Cuttlefish with Chilli Crab Sauce, Steamed Red Snapper with Black Bean Sauce, Stir-fried Live Prawn with Black Pepper Sauce, Steamed Sea Bass with Minced Garlic and Superior Soy Sauce, and Deep-fried Soon Hock Fish with Superior Soya Sauce.

The first dish that we wiped out was the Wasabi Prawns where each meaty and succulent prawn was coated with delicious wasabi mayonnaise. The steamed sea bass too was moist with fragrant and light flavours.

The meat dishes were not overcooked or too chewy. Must-tries including Stir-fried Kurobuta Pork Cube with Sliced Garlic, Stir-fried Sliced Beef with Fresh Mushroom and Capsicum, as well as Stir-fried Chicken with Chef’s Special Sauce.

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Stuff yourself silly with Fried Rice with Baby Abalone, Fried Noodle with Diced Seafood in Superior Soya Sauce and Fried Udon with Seafood in Black Pepper Sauce. Double-boiled soup of the day is available as well.

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The best part? Quote ‘MISS TAM CHIAK’ to get a pot of FREE DRUNKEN PRAWNS! The juicy prawns are not just sweet and appetizing; the Chinese Herbs in the dish make the soup tasty with the aromatic scent of the alcohol!

You don’t even have to move from your table to get food – the waiters will come around serving up fresh meats and seafood to your table. Be sure to try the Luo Han Guo with Winter Melon, Chilled Mango with Sago and Ai Yu Jelly as well!

Peach Garden @ Thomson Plaza’s A La Carte Buffet is definitely worth it, given that the menu is extensive and tasteful, and does not leave you feeling the pinch in your wallets. If you choose to binge on their buffet on the weekends, be sure to make a reservation to secure your seat.

Peach Garden @ Thomson Plaza

Address: 301 Upper Thomson Road, Thomson Plaza #01-88, Singapore 574408

Phone: +65 6451 3233

Website: http://www.peachgarden.com.sg/

Email Address: thomsonplaza@peachgarden.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peachgarden

This post was brought to you in partnership with Peach Garden.

The post Peach Garden @ Thomson Plaza – 50% OFF A La Carte Buffet at only S$27.50++ (U.P. $55++)! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

HK Waliti HJ Mazuki – Heartwarming Malay Food at Haig Road

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Many Singaporeans pay pilgrimage to Geylang Serai for the annual Ramadan Bazaar. Aside from the festivities and celebrations, there are also gems to be found at the nearby Haig Road Market & Hawker Centre. Malay Muslim food is its speciality as it is situated in the neighbourhood of Singapore’s oldest Malay settlement.

HK Waliti HJ Mazuki

HK Waliti HJ Mazuki is a 50 year old shop tucked in a corner directly opposite the famous Afandi Hawa & Family. The nondescript storefront features several photos of carb based Malay dishes such as Mee Rebus, Mee Soto and Burbur Ayam. We tried the Mee Rebus ($3) and Soto Ayam ($3) with the top-up of perkedel (potato cutlet) for an additional 50 cents. The friendly macik reminded me to add dollops of chilli to both dishes.

Mee Rebus

The Mee Rebus was a familiar rendition with key aspects done right: sweet, thick gravy coating the generous portion of firm noodles and accompanied by hard-boiled egg, green chilli, bean sprouts and fried shallots.

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The green chilli was largely masked by the much stronger gravy but its crunch contrasted nicely with the noodles, giving it a spicy kick. It might just be me but I thought there was even a hint of mutton in the gravy.

Soto Ayam

The Soto Ayam was my personal favourite. Do not be deceived by the looks of this plain and unassuming dish. The yellow chicken broth was light and flavourful, garnished with chicken shreds and chunks of lontong. By itself, the Soto Ayam might not be enough for most. Top up with a fried potato cutler for a more filling meal. Its texture is similar to hash brown, albeit more crumbly and less crispy. Do finish it quickly to avoid over-soaking the fried cutlet and making it soggy.

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The highlight of this Soto Ayam lies in the chilli padi kicap (small spicy red chilli with soy sauce) which elevated the taste of broth and gave it robustness and depth. Similar to belacan, the chilli was oily and potent which spiced up the broth, making it extremely addictive and almost impossible to stop slurping up the soup.

Overall, HK Waliti HJ Mazuki is a good place to get your fix of Malay food. Its shorter queue and waiting time also makes it more attractive when you’re in a rush during lunch hour. The food is simple yet heartwarming, with its strong soup broth and gravy capable of lifting one’s spirits after a long day.

HK Waliti HJ Mazuki

Address: 14 Haig Road, Haig Road Market & Cooked Food Centre, #01-18, Singapore 430014

Opening Hours: 6am to 7pm daily. Closed on Friday

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

The post HK Waliti HJ Mazuki – Heartwarming Malay Food at Haig Road appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.


7 Affordable Hawker Stalls to Satisfy Your Western Food Cravings!

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Our local hawker scene has always had a different take on western food. Even though they take inspiration from various Western cuisines, they have definitely adapted their dishes to make them uniquely Singaporean. Sure, you can go to a high-end restaurant and order yourself a piece of foie gras or a hunk of Wagyu ribeye steak. But to Singaporeans, nostalgia on a plate is a well-cooked chicken chop doused with a ladle full of warm brown gravy.

However, whenever my friends and I talk about affordable, value-for-money Western food, Astons is always the first place that comes to mind. However, I’m here to show you that there are plenty of alternatives in our hawker centres that are cheaper (and might even be better) than Astons!

Happy Chef Western Food

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Happy Chef Western Food often gets overshadowed by the Tai Hwa Pork Noodle stall, its Michelin-starred neighbour. However, if you don’t have an hour to queue up for your food, Happy Chef is still a solid option! At just $10.00, I ordered the Sirloin Steak which was covered in a delicious brown gravy. The gravy is actually made in-house, using a blend of vegetables and herbs. I could definitely smell the difference as it had a subtle aroma of rosemary!

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At such a low price, you get quite a sizeable portion of steak. The steak had a dark sear on the outside, while still being cooked to a perfect medium rare as I requested. This was very impressive given that this steak came out of a hawker stall! Each mouthful was a delicious combination of juicy tender steak and the warm herbaceous brown sauce. You also get a choice of two sides from their menu. I opted for the mashed potatoes and coleslaw. These were nothing to write home about and were decent at best – the steak was still the star of the show.

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Happy Chef Western Food

Address: Blk 446 Crawford Lane #01-12, Singapore 190466

Phone: 6398 0773

Area: Lavendar

Opening Hours: 11am to 9pm daily, closed on Thursday.

Seasalt – The Seafood Place

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This list would not be complete without the inclusion of a fish and chips place! Seasalt opened four years ago in a small upscale food court, which is just a five-minute walk from Marymount MRT. This little western food stall sells more than just fish and chips though. Their menu also features ‘seafood in a pot’, which includes surprisingly affordable mussels, clams, prawns and lobsters.

There’s quite a wide variety of choices you can go for with your fish and chips. For fish, you can choose between dory ($9), snapper ($13) or haddock ($13). The accompanying sauces cost extra, with options such as lemon butter sauce, nacho cheese, wasabi mayo and even creamy salted egg sauce! I ordered the haddock as it came highly recommended from the chef, together with the creamy salted egg sauce ($3) which I could not pass up!

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The haddock was coated in a thin and crispy batter that was not too greasy. This allowed the flavour of the fish to come through – it was very fresh tasting and was extremely tender. However, I felt that the fish could have done with a touch more salt. The creamy salted egg was the priciest of the sauces but also lacked flavour in my opinion. Despite the food’s shortcomings, I would definitely return to Seasalt as the quality and freshness of their fish is impressive!

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Seasalt – The Seafood Place

Address: 38 Jalan Pemimpin, #01-04, Singapore 577178

Mobile: 8200 5528

Area: Marymount

Opening Hours: 11:30am to 2:30pm & 5:30pm to 9:00pm daily, closed on Monday.

Seasalt – The Stew House

Beef Bourguinon Collage

Many of us have heard of LAD & DAD at Maxwell Food Centre. But did you know that there’s another hawker stall in Singapore that sells rustic meat stews?

Meet The Stew House, which is located on the second floor of Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre. The stall serves up a selection of both Western stews and Asian curries. Their Beef Bourguinon ($6/ $8) is a traditional French classic featuring a hearty bowl of warm brown gravy and pieces of tender succulent beef. The bowl is also filled with a variety of diced vegetables, which made each mouthful more substantial. Though I ordered the $6 portion, I wished that there was more beef in my serving.

Chicken Tikka Masala Collage

I also tried their Chicken Tikka Masala ($5/ $7), which tasted like a westernised curry as it was way too rich and creamy. Though it had a subtle spicy kick, I could not really taste the spices used. Overall, I would suggest ordering the Beef Bourguinon over this dish.

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The Stew House

Address: 110 Pasir Ris Central, #02-07, Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, Singapore 519641

Mobile: 8684 4585

Area: Pasir Ris

Opening Hours: 11am to 9pm daily, closed on Monday.

The Flaming Pan – Pasta & Grill

Having just opened a month ago, The Flaming Pan is run by a young 28-year-old and serves up Asian-inspired fusion pasta dishes! Though, if you are craving for something more traditional, the stall also has a ‘safe-bet pastas’ menu which includes classics such as Carbonara and Beef Bolognese.

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The Thai Style Aglio Olio ($7.50) is a unique twist on the popular pasta dish. The chef uses non-traditional ingredients such as kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, coriander and chilli padi in the making of the sauce! The pasta is also mixed in with mushrooms, prawns, arugula and a wedge of lime.

Pasta Shimp Collage

The pasta was cooked al dente and was slightly firm to the bite. The pasta may look plain, but its flavour packed a punch with the combination of the spiciness of the chilli and the strong aroma of garlic. The prawns were cooked perfectly and remained springy and tender. Fair warning though, you should steer clear of this dish if you are not a fan of garlic! They have loads of other dishes you can try, including their Beef Rendang Pasta ($9.80) and their Chicken Sambal Belacan Pasta ($8.80).

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The Flaming Pan - Pasta & Grill

Address: 110 Pasir Ris Central, Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, Singapore 519641

Area: Pasir Ris

Opening Hours: 11am to 9pm daily, closed on Monday.

Fat Monkeys

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Even though Fat Monkeys is famous for its novel Fried Mac and Cheese, you should definitely give ‘Da Bomb’ a try! This sinful and calorie-filled parcel, which can be found at a coffeeshop in Kovan, will set you back at $13.80. Enclosed in a deep-fried dough casing, Da Bomb is made up of a succulent beef/ chicken patty, caramelised onions, cheddar cheese, crispy bacon and a homemade barbecue sauce.

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Da Bomb is a literal flavour explosion as each of the elements of the dish came together beautifully. The deep-fried dough is crisp on the surface but is slightly chewy on the inside. The beef patty was soft, flavourful and bursting with juices, while the streaks of bacon added a lovely smokiness. The melted oozing cheese had a strong and robust flavour and brought everything together. However, this dish might not be for everyone, seeing that it was almost over-indulgent and oily. A salad is also served on the side. It is dressed with a tangy sesame dressing which added a refreshing lift to the overall dish. The fries on the side were crispy and well-cooked, but a tad too salty.

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Fat Monkeys

Address: Stall 5, 965 Upper Serangoon Rd, Singapore 534721

Mobile: 8380 2555

Area: Kovan

Opening Hours: Fri-Sat 5pm to 2am, Sun-Thur 5pm to 12am

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FatMonkeysSG/

Smokin’ Joe Western BBQ

Smokin’ Joe Western BBQ aims to bring fine-dining quality Western food to the heartlands. The stall’s dishes are primarily prepared using a charcoal grill – an impressive feat for a stall of its size!

We ordered the Honey Sriracha Citrus Norwegian Salmon ($14). This dish features a chargrilled 150g filet of Norwegian Salmon and is served with mashed potatoes, broccoli and additional pieces of fried salmon skin. We couldn’t wait to dig in as we witnessed chef-owner Joseph intricately plating the dish.

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The salmon was mind-blowing from the first bite to the last. The salmon skin was crispy, while the flesh was succulent and tender. The pieces of fried salmon skin served on the side added more crunchy goodness. Though I thoroughly enjoyed the dish, it was on the pricier side. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, you could try their BBQ Boneless Chicken Leg ($7) which is equally as delicious!

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Smokin’ Joe Western BBQ

Address: 51 Yishun Avenue 11, Singapore 768867

Website: ”http://www.yishunparkhc.sg”

Email Address: info@timbregroup.asia

Area: Yishun

Opening Hours: 8am to 10pm daily, closed on Monday.

Salt

Old Airport Road Food Centre is one of Singapore’s oldest, largest and most iconic hawker centres. In this food haven, you can find Salt, a Western food stall run by two young and motivated hawkerpreneurs. Their menu is relatively simple: you have a choice between a fried chicken cutlet or the sous vide grilled chicken (you read that right, sous vide). Then for carbs, you can pick either pasta (Carbonara, Aglio olio, Bolognese) or garlic fried rice.

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Eventually, we decided on the Chicken Cutlet with Carbonara ($6.80)! This dish looked absolutely tantalising with its crispy skin that was cooked to golden-brown perfection. The crispy skin tastes like a heavenly combination between Japanese tempura and karaage, and even trumps any that we’ve eaten at typical fast food chains. The meat itself was delicious too as it was perfumed with salty-sweet soy garlic sauce.

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The accompanying carbonara had a sauce that was less creamy than others out there. According to Salt’s friendly owners, they are not fans of the typical starchy carbonara sauce, which explains the adaptation of their carbonara to a lighter Japanese cream-based style. While the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, we thought it could use a bit more salt.

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Salt

Address: 51 Old Airport Road, #01-128, Singapore 390051

Mobile: 9488 1116

Website: ””

Area: East, Old Airport Road

Opening Hours: 12pm to 2.30pm, and 5pm to 9pm daily. Closed on Tues. Usually, closed for LUNCH only on Sundays too.

Cuisine: Western

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/salt.oldairport

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 7 Affordable Hawker Stalls to Satisfy Your Western Food Cravings! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Ah Nian Duck Rice – Are You Hungry For A Plate of Delicious Duck Rice?

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Whenever we order duck rice in Singapore, there are two kinds of duck rice to choose from. The Cantonese style roasted duck rice, or the braised variety that is symbolically Teochew. Ah Nian Duck Rice serves up the braised duck variant, alongside other braised items such as intestines and pork belly.

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The brand currently has three outlets in Singapore, the newest one located along Balestier Road. We visited their Upper Cross Street outlet on a weekday afternoon for lunch. Even before the stall was opened, there was already a number of patrons waiting to get their hands on a plate of the fragrant duck rice!

You might not already know, but there are a number of stalls in Singapore that get their braised duck directly from the supplier. This way, they minimise the need to cook their own ducks. But at the same time, this makes the ducks very generic, and there isn’t any individuality between the stalls.

Therefore, despite it being additional work, it is heart-warming to know that Ah Nian Duck Rice braise their own ducks. This extra effort does pay off, indeed.

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We got the Braised Duck Rice Set ($4.50), which came with a medley of braised items – duck, peanuts, half a boiled egg and beancurd. The stall serves flavoured rice as well, which sadly, didn’t really have much flavour to it despite its dark brown colour.

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Nevertheless, the braised duck meat was done nicely. We could taste the rich aromas of the spices that went into the braising of the duck, which helped to perfume the meat and musk any gaminess. The meat was not excessively dry, but it did have a bit of stringiness to it.

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We also tried the Kway Chap ($4++). The square sheets of kway were not overcooked, and had a little bite to them which we thoroughly enjoyed. The assortment of ingredients that came with the kway chap include the usual braised pork belly, pig intestines and tau pok. The intestines were lacking in flavour, but a good thing was that it was washed very thoroughly. There wasn’t any funky odour when we ate it.

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An ingredient worth mentioning was the braised pork belly. Cut into thick chunks, the pork belly has a thicker layer of fat as compared to the lean meat. The pork belly was also very flavourful, with the same aroma of spices as the braised duck. However, we felt that the belly was a little more savoury than the duck, which made it very toothsome.

In conclusion, I think it’s comforting to know that there are still hawkers that take pride in their food. Instead of choosing the easier way out by getting ready made stocks from suppliers, they still make an effort to braise their own ducks, sticking to time tested recipes that has garnered a good number of fans.

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Ah Nian Duck Rice

Address: #01-67 Hong Lim Food Centre, Blk 531A Upper Cross Street, Singapore 051531

Phone: 9853 1346

Opening Hours: Mondays to Saturdays: 11am to 8pm, closed on Sundays.

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

The post Ah Nian Duck Rice – Are You Hungry For A Plate of Delicious Duck Rice? appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Ar-Rina Nasi Padang – Bukit Batok Dwellers Love Their Nasi Lemak!

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Did you know that nasi lemak was once dubbed by Time Magazine as one of 10 healthiest breakfast dishes worldwide? It sure came as a shocker to us Singaporeans. But healthy or not, such news would not curb our voracious appetites for the Malay staple food.  We chanced upon Ar-Rina Nasi Padang, an unassuming stall located within a coffee shop in Bukit Batok, which is allegedly home to delicious nasi lemak and nasi padang.  nasi lemak collage

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Ar-rina Nasi Padang starts selling their nasi lemak as early as 6 in the morning. For $3.50, the Nasi Lemak comes with the usual medley of fried ikan bilis & peanut, chicken wing as well as an egg. The star of the show was the fragrant rice. While the grains were not as rich as I had hoped, the coconut fragrance really came through. The short grains remained fairly moist and nicely separate as well. Add a dollop of sambal chilli to give the rice a pleasant, light kick. Second to the rice was the chicken wing, which was seasoned decently. Owing to the fact that the chicken wings were prepared in the wee hours of the day, the outer crust of the chicken did lack that crispiness when it was served to us (we were there at 10am). Portion-wise, Ar-Rina was generous with their servings. Overall, the nasi lemak was pretty ordinary, but hey, it was a good enough breakfast for the folks of Bukit Batok. Next time, we will be sure to head back at 7 in the morning to try their freshly made nasi lemak!

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While some of the Bukit Batok dwellers have raved about the nasi lemak, we could not resist also trying their nasi padang. For $7, we fetched ourselves a pretty decent portion of chicken rendang, stingray fish, curry vegetables atop short–grain rice. Unfortunately, the texture and taste of the chicken rendang was far from ideal. Unlike the fork-tender meat you get in a good rendang, the rendang ($3) here was slightly tough and stringy. The meat and the sauce felt like two separate elements which failed to come together. We were not impressed with the mildly–flavoured stingray as well, which was tough and dry. We suspect that the fish could have been overcooked. The only saving grace of the nasi padang was the curry vegetables, which arrived soft and lemak enough. A word of caution: If you have ordered either the stingray or the rendang, be prepared for a fiery experience. 

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Epok epok served at Ar-Rina Nasi Padang goes for a mere 50 cents. Now, isn’t that cheap? The epok epok here however will qualify as a below average snack. The crust of these Malay curry puff was slightly stale, which might mean that the epok epok – like the nasi lemak – was prepared earlier in the morning. Each epok epok comes either in potato or sardine filling, both of which were unfortunately unmemorable. The former was pretty sweet, while the latter was unpleasantly tart. This version pales in comparison to the one at MakanBoleh, located at Seah Im Food Centre.

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It is difficult to decide whether Ar-Nina Nasi Padang is really worth the visit. However, if you are willing to sacrifice your sleep and drop by to try their nasi lemak early in the morning when the food is freshly made, do share with us your thoughts about this stall!

Ar-Rina Nasi Padang

Address: 155 Bukit Batok Street 11, Singapore 650155

Opening Hours: 6.30am to 9pm daily.

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 Ar-Rina Nasi Padang. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Ar-Rina Nasi Padang – Bukit Batok Dwellers Love Their Nasi Lemak! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

You Peng Noodle Dumpling House – Delicious Hawker-Made Dumplings!

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I’m sure we’ve all had that sudden craving for Xiao Long Bao (小笼包). For me, going out for dim sum is always a meal that is met with eager anticipation – watching the lid of the bamboo basket being lifted off to reveal those steaming hot meat-filled parcels. If someone’s looking for good dim sum, I think it’s rare for them to go looking for it in a hawker centre. However, if you decide to take a trip down to Beauty World, you’ll be surprised to find that there’s a hawker stall there that sells affordable and delicious handmade dumplings!

You Peng Noodle Dumpling House is no stranger to Beauty World Food Centre. The stall has been in business for over 10 years, which is a clear testament to how popular their dumplings are. You might be wondering how a hawker stall can produce dumplings of such high quality. The stall owner actually hires chefs who have had prior experience working in high-end dim sum restaurants!

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I had to dive straight into trying their Xiao Long Bao. I ordered a set of 10 dumplings ($7.50), which came in a stack of two bamboo steamers. The dumplings are steamed just after you make your order, so they come to you piping hot. Given my horrible chopstick skills, I was surprised to find that the Xiao Long Bao did not burst open when I first picked it up. This is because the skin of the dumpling is slightly thicker than usual, though not overly so.

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Bite Xlb

The flavours of the filling were on point – the minced pork filling was succulent and had just the right level of saltiness. Bits of finely chopped spring onions were also mixed in to add a bit of freshness. The black vinegar on the side also added some acidity to cut through the fattiness of the pork. However, I found that the dumpling contained less soup than I would’ve liked. It didn’t have that signature burst of piping hot soup that Xiao Long Bao typically has. This is the only flaw that I can point out though. Given its overall flavour and texture, You Peng’s Xiao Long Bao can definitely compete with the higher-end dim sum places.

Shengjian Bao

My grandparents, who were originally from Shanghai, were huge fans of Shengjian Bao (生煎包). Sheng Jian Bao is actually a Shanghai specialty, which is a pan-fried steamed bun that is filled with minced pork. You Peng makes their own rendition of this bao and it comes in at $5.50 for five pieces. In my opinion, these are a must-order if you pay a visit to You Peng.

Bite Shengjian Bao

These baos are plump and have a perfectly crispy and golden brown bottom. As you bite into it, you get a taste of the savoury and gelatinous pork filling that has slightly soaked into the fluffy bao. The gelatinousness of the pork actually added a ‘creamy’ texture to each bite. In fact, the filling releases so much juice that the Shengjian Bao will actually be served to you with the bottom facing up to prevent the crispy base from getting soggy! The crispy base provides a wonderful textural contrast to the soft and pillowy bao, while the filling provides a springy and meaty bite.

Guotie

Bite Guotie

I also had to try their Guo Tie (锅贴), which are also pan-fried to achieve a crunchy base. At just $6.50, you can get a plate of 10 pieces of Guo Tie. Unfortunately, I found that the skin of the Guo Tie was slightly too thick for my liking, making it quite dense and chewy. This meant that the meat-to-filling ratio was slightly off, making it hard to enjoy and taste the meat filling. Nonetheless, at just 65-cents per piece, I still think it’s a worthy option if you’re a fan of Guo Tie. I would definitely order the other two dishes though!

If you’re looking to throw a party (or if you’re just really hungry), You Peng actually does wholesale of the above-mentioned dumplings and more! Just get in touch with the owner using the contact information below.

Storefront

You Peng Noodle Dumpling House

Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #04-23, Beauty World Centre, Singapore 588177

Phone: 6463 5608

Mobile: 9239 1598

Opening Hours: 11am to 9pm daily.

The post You Peng Noodle Dumpling House – Delicious Hawker-Made Dumplings! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Bing Cheng Mian Jian Guo – Delicious Nostalgic Snacks For Everyone!

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As the years go by, it is getting increasingly harder to source for places that sell old school memorabilia, much less, snacks.

Although I am considered a millennial, I was lucky enough to have enjoyed the times where, internet connection required a dial up, and after school fun meant going to the playground or longkang (drain), to catch fish. I too was also lucky enough to get a taste of some of the nostalgic snacks that our ancestors used to have back when they were my age. 

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One such traditional snack would be the min chiang kueh. Commonly found in Southeast Asia, it is a type of pancake, filled with filling, before being folded into half, and then served. It’s usually eaten out of a bag, unlike their western counterparts, which is eaten with a knife and fork.

Under the min chiang kueh category, you can further split it into two different types. One features a thick, chewy texture, and the other is thinner, and crispier. Bing Cheng Mian Jian Guo serves the latter.

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The stall, which has been around for 10 over years, is run by Uncle Tommy Lee. He shared that he decided to make min jiang kueh for a living as this, too, was his childhood snack. 

Uncle Tommy comes from Alor Setar, which is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. According to him, its located just further up of Penang, which most Singaporeans are more familiar with. He came to Singapore when he was 19, in search for a better life for his family.

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On where he learnt the art of making min jiang kueh, he shared that he learnt it about 20 years ago, from an uncle in his hometown. The uncle was about to retire, and wanted to pass on the tradition to someone. Uncle Tommy decided to seize that opportunity to learn, and soon started selling min jiang kueh in Singapore.

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Diners can choose from a variety of toppings such as peanut ($1.10), coconut ($1.10) and even sweet corn ($1.10) to be sandwiched between their pancakes. The min chiang kueh at Bing Cheng Mian Jian Guo is freshly made upon order, which ensures that everything is piping hot and fresh. Definitely a delicious mid-day snack, or a satisfactory bite for anyone who’s filling a little tam chiak!

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Because everything is made to order, it may take a while for Uncle Tommy to whip up the min chiang kuehs. But trust us on it, it’s definitely worth the wait!

We tried three flavours – chocolate ($1.40), cheese ($1.50) and butter sugar ($1). The min chiang kueh shell was thick and chewy, with a crispy edge that shattered very easily. Talk about a mix of textures!

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My favourite was the cheese version. The square cheese slice reminded me of what I used to eat when I was a child! The pancake was sweet and savoury, and tasted just like good old comfort food.

Out of the lot, I felt that the butter sugar was the most traditional version. It’s a simple and unpretentious pancake, but carries with it so much nostalgia.

Uncle Tommy, who is 66-years-old this year, shared that his son was also running a min chiang kueh stall at Kampung Admiralty. Called Yuan Ge, Uncle Tommy said that he plans to move over to his son’s stall when the lease here is over. I think it’s great to see that there are more young generation hawkers willing to recreate and sell old school snacks, to ensure that the tradition doesn’t fade!

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Tthe min chiang kueh makes for a great afternoon snack. If it’s in between meal time and your child (or yourself) is craving for a munch, why not get a quick bite at Bing Cheng Mian Jian Guo? It will be an enjoyable experience for everyone. 

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Bing Cheng Mian Jian Guo

Address: Marsling Eating House, Blk 168 Woodlands Street 11, Singapore 730166

Opening Hours: Weekdays: 6am to 4pm, Weekends: 6am to 3pm.

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

The post Bing Cheng Mian Jian Guo – Delicious Nostalgic Snacks For Everyone! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Crystal Jade – Introducing the Brand New Mala Rice Dumpling!

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Dragon Boat Festival is just around the corner, and I’m sure everyone is looking forward to stuffing themselves silly with delicious dumplings. This year, Crystal Jade is offering four different handmade rice dumplings. How does a spicy ‘mala’ (麻辣) version sound? Brimming with ingredients, each plump bundle is carefully bound and cooked to perfection.

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The Mala Rice Dumpling (麻辣肉粽) comes in at $8.80 per piece. We’ll recommend going for the bundle sets that are exclusive to their e-store — $24.80/3 pieces or $39.80/5 pieces. The mala dumplings contain succulent pork shoulder and Spanish pork collar pieces marinated in a proprietary ‘malt’ blend comprising Szechuan peppercorns, a mix of dried chillies and chilli oil. The dumplings are studded with sweet chestnuts, salted egg yolk and mung beans.

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The Assorted Mushroom with Pork Belly Dumpling (三姑六婆粽) is also a new addition! Each dumpling is priced at $7.80 but you can get three for $21.80 or five for $36.80 on their e-store. Shitake, king oyster and white button mushrooms have been selected for their flavour and texture, and the mix lends a lovely earthy aroma to the little parcel of joy which also holds sweet chestnuts, salted egg yolk and mung beans.

crystal jade dumplings - Premium Rice Dumpling with Abalone

Crystal Jade’s more traditional offerings include the Premium Rice Dumpling with Abalone (极品鲍鱼囊蒸粽), which can be yours for $19.80. This dumpling is packed with a 10-head braised abalone, BBQ roasted pork, BBQ roasted duck, dried scallops, shitake mushrooms, sweet chestnuts, salted egg yolk and mung bean.

Rice Dumpling with 5 spices marinated pork

Last but definitely not least, savour the Rice Dumpling with Five Spice Marinated Pork (五香咸肉粽) at $7.80, or grab 3 for $21.80 and 5 for $36.80 on the e-store. Moist and savoury, this classic rice dumpling bears the unmistakeable fragrance of five-spice powder.

You can place your order on Crystal Jade’s e-store (http://estore.crystaljade.com) from 14 May to 14 June. Otherwise, outlet sales commence on 28 May and concludes on 18 June.

During this promotional period, Jadeite members, DBS/POSB and Citibank credit/debit cardmembers are entitled to a 10% discount on all rice dumplings. In addition, Jadeite members who purchase a minimum of $40 worth of dumplings via the Crystal Jade mobile app (after discounts have been applied) will receive a bottle of Crystal Jade Signature XO sauce worth $16.80.

This post was brought to you by Crystal Jade.

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

The post Crystal Jade – Introducing the Brand New Mala Rice Dumpling! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Old Chang Kee Opens Their Flagship Outlet at REX – This is where it all began…

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Mention Rex cinema and I am sure many of you will remember the good old days of movie-watching since 1940s. It was then home to an ice-skating rink, a church, even a disco. Movie-goers will have their meals at coffeeshop and restaurant opposite Rex Cinema. And this was the place where homegrown brand Old Chang Kee started over three decades ago. Today, Old Chang Kee opens their flagship store – Old Chang Kee Coffee House @ Rex – at the original location of the first stall.

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Executive Chairman of Old Chang Kee, Mr Han Keen Juan

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The first Old Chang Kee curry puff stall was opened in 1956 by a humble and hardworking Hainan hawker. After 30 years of plying his fare, he was ready to retire and return to Hainan. It was also at this time that Mr Han, a young sales manager and a regular customer at his stall, had thoughts of starting a business of his own and being his own boss.

In 1986, he bought over Old Chang Kee and put in place specific standards of operation to strengthen the foundations for the business. What began as a tiny stall in the corner of the local coffee shop, is now a bigger and brighter 50-seater space that spans three shophouse units. Located at the junction of Mackenzie Road and Niven Road and opposite the renowned Rex Cinema, Old Chang Kee Coffee House @ Rex, exudes old-school charm by way of a myriad of memorabilia and furnishings that reflect a bygone era.

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Fans of Old Chang Kee and affiliated brands, Curry Times, Bun Times and Dip ‘n’ Go can now feast on offerings that include several NEW and EXCLUSIVE menu items and regular favourites – all under one roof.

Counting amongst its exciting offerings is the fluffy Flower Bread which consists of seven freshly baked, pull-apart buns. Nestled in the middle of the golden sesame-topped crust ‘flower’ is an enamel bowl filled with a choice of: Curry Chicken ($11.90); Chicken Stew ($11.90); or Beef Stew ($13.90). The dish also comes with free flow gravy – perfect for sharing!

The ultimate comfort food for me is a bowl of chicken curry with a loaf of bread. This is the kind of food that I grew up eating. Everyone will have their own preference for curry chicken but for me, it needs to be moderately spicy with a good balance of spices that will make you finish a whole loaf of bread. The chicken curry here does it for me. As for the beef stew, a nostalgic Hainanese dish, the beef cubes are tender and served with radish and carrots redolent with the fragrance of spices. For a modern touch, diners can opt for the Baked Beef Stew Rice with Cheese ($10.90) which showcases melted cheese and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

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There is also a wide selection of local delights including the popular Dry Laksa Goreng ($8.50) and Hainanese Chap Chye ($6.20). On the day of my visit, I found the former a little bland with noodles sticking to a lump. The chap chye, on the other hand, features a medley of cabbage, black fungus, carrots and glass noodles simmered in a flavourful broth of dried shrimps, garlic, and chicken stock. The cabbage still retained its crunch.

My favourite is the Nasi Lemak with Dry Curry Chicken ($8.90) with tender, minced chicken coated liberally in curry spices paired with aromatic coconut rice and sides of tangy ‘achar’, fish cake, sambal chilli, fried peanuts and anchovies. A sweet ending comes by way of a hot bowl of Bubur Cha Cha ($5.00), a delicious combination of sweet potato, yam and coconut milk, finished with dollops of red and green tapioca balls. So old school!

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Stepping into the Old Chang Kee Coffee House @ Rex is a throwback to the good ol’ days, fitted with retro furniture and décor like enamelware, marble top tables, rattan chairs and plastic table covers sporting neon pink and green floral patterns. There is an Old Chang Kee counter to get all your favourite Curry’O, Sotong Head OnStik, Crab Nuggets OnStik, Chicken Wings and more. It sits in the precise spot which was once occupied by a giant oil-filled wok that churned out curry puffs by the dozen.

Mr Han reminisces, “I remember when there was not even sufficient space to stand on the inside of the shop to sell the curry puffs and I had to do it from the walkway. This very spot holds many memories for me and marks a full circle having grown Old Chang Kee the past 32 years to what it is today.”

OLD CHANG KEE COFFEE HOUSE @ REX

Address: 19 – 23 Mackenzie Road #01-01, Singapore 228678

Phone: +65 6732 1665

Website: http://www.oldchangkee.com/

Opening Hours: Mon-Thu: 11am - 9pm (last order: 8:30pm); Fri & Sat: 10am - 10pm (last order: 9:30pm); Sun: 10am - 9pm (last order: 8:30pm)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oldchangkee1956/

Note: this was an invited tasting.

The post Old Chang Kee Opens Their Flagship Outlet at REX – This is where it all began… appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.


PocoLoco – Authentic Yet Affordable Italian Food in Ang Mo Kio!

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PocoLoco’s location might surprise you — this authentic Italian restaurant sits right in the heart of a residential estate in Ang Mo Kio. You might be amazed to learn that they offer pretty fine Italian food without pesky fine dining prices! With affordable dishes that are created with premium ingredients such as foie gras and truffle, PocoLoco will delight even the finest of palates.

pocoloco Baked Scallops

PocoLoco serves a variety of mouth-watering appetisers. The Capesante ($13.50) is a baked scallop dish that is served with a capsicum purée and flavoured butter. The flavoured butter imparted a richness, and a strong fragrance of garlic to the scallops. The scallops were tender, while the robust flavours of the capsicum purée added depth to the dish.

pocoloco Mushrooms

The Portobello ($12.90), which is an oven-baked Portobello mushroom dish topped with burrata cheese and truffle essence, is not to be missed. The mushrooms are plump and juicy, and the burrata cheese added a touch of saltiness and a captivating creaminess.

pocoloco Sea Urchin Pasta

PocoLoco also has a plethora of pasta dishes on offer! We first tried one of their daily specials — Tagliolini Pasta served with Fresh Sea Urchin ($20). This dish features a few pieces of fresh sea urchin that are blowtorched just before serving. The creamy and sweet sea urchin went very well with the slightly spicy pasta, which was thoroughly coated with a thick pepperoncino sauce (Italian chilli pepper).

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pocoloco Seafood Pasta

If you’ll like a wider variety of seafood in your pasta, go for the Pescatora ($13.50). This pasta is mixed with a light tomato sauce and is topped with prawns, mussels and clams. The pasta is also flambéed with a touch of white wine to add a hint of acidity. The tomato sauce was slightly sweet and tangy, and did not overpower the natural sweetness of the fresh seafood.

pocoloco Truffle Scallop Pasta

For a more luxurious option, you can give their Hokkaido Scallop and Truffle Pasta a try! This pasta dish sees cold angel hair pasta crowned with sweet and soft Hokkaido scallops. The dish is even topped with a bit of caviar! The pasta carries a strong aroma of truffle oil, so this dish is definitely made for those who love anything with truffle oil.

pocoloco Beef Side

pocoloco Beef Top

If you’re craving for a rich and meaty dish, PocoLoco’s Filleto di Manzo ($27.90) is the dish for you. A fatty piece of foie gras is perched on a slab of pan-seared beef tenderloin which lies in a rossini (red wine) sauce. The medium-rare beef holds quite a strong scent of rosemary which went hand in hand with the sweet and tart rossini sauce. The decadent foie gras added a lovely buttery richness to the dish. The dish comes complete with potatoes, carrots, broccoli and baby corn.

pocoloco Pork Side

If you’ll like to have pork instead, go for the PocoLoco’s Pork Collar ($19.90). A roasted Canadian pork collar is joined by a garlic and shallot confit, which we’re sure that you’ll enjoy. The fatty pork collar wasn’t dry at all, and we loved that the acidity of the tasty confit cut through the fattiness of the pork easily. The dish was made more enjoyable but the lightly crunchy shallots.

pocoloco Matcha Lava Cake

If you have a sweet tooth, you just can’t skip dessert! PocoLoco offers traditional Italian options, and more novel creations such as the Matcha Lava Cake! When cut open, the molten matcha core flows out beautifully. The cake comes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which pairs flawlessly with the warm lava cake.

pocoloco Tiramisu

However, if you need a pick-me-up after all a heavy and satisfying meal, you might want to consider the Tiramisu (Italian Coffee Cheese Cake). PocoLoco employs the more authentic and traditional preparation method — soaking ladyfingers in coffee and a bit of marsala wine. A generous amount of whipped cream is sprayed on top, before cocoa powder is lightly sprinkled on.

pocoloco Storefront

PocoLoco might just be the best place to visit if you’ll like to have authentic Italian food without breaking the bank. Don’t worry about missing out if you live in the west of Singapore as PocoLoco has another outlet in Jurong!

PocoLoco

Address: 408 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 #01-779, Singapore 560408

Mobile: 8436 3363

Website: https://www.pocoloco.com.sg/

Opening Hours: 12pm to 3pm & 6pm to 10pm daily.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PocoLocoSG/

PocoLoco Microbrewery

Address: 21 Jurong Town Hall Road, Snow City Level 2, Singapore 609433

Mobile: 8866 4646

Website: https://www.pocoloco.com.sg/

Opening Hours: 12pm to 3pm & 6pm to 10pm daily.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PocoLocoMicrobrewery/

This post was brought to you by PocoLoco.

Do check out our article on PocoLoco Pizzeria too!

The post PocoLoco – Authentic Yet Affordable Italian Food in Ang Mo Kio! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee & Laksa – An Authentic Taste Of Sarawak!

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If I had to pick two of Sarawak’s most popular dishes, they would have to be Kolo Mee and Laksa. As a son to a Sarawakian father, I always looked forward to travelling to Kuching for an authentic taste of these dishes. Thankfully, Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee & Laksa is one of the few places in Singapore that serves both! The stall had been open in Toa Payoh for three years before moving to Bedok just a few weeks ago. Interestingly, the chef-owner is from Perak, not Sarawak! However, she saw a gap in the market for Sarawak Kolo Mee and Laksa and decided to develop her own recipe.

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I first tried Yun Xiang’s Sarawak Laksa ($5). Unlike Singapore’s Katong version, Sarawak Laksa is less rich and is commonly eaten as a breakfast dish! Their laksa definitely looked the part with its rice vermicelli submerged in an aromatic and robustly flavoured broth. All the typical accompaniments were there – prawns, omelette strips, shredded chicken and beansprouts. The laksa broth was light yet flavourful. Despite it not being a rich broth, I could taste the sambal belacan base and the mixture of spices used. However, I felt that the flavours of the broth could have been bolder and slightly spicier. It had just the right level of acidic tang though, so I felt that there was no need for an extra squeeze of lime.

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yun xiang sarawak kolo mee Prawn

The noodles were cooked just right, so they still had a slight palatable bite to it. The shredded chicken was not dry as it had soaked up the flavourful laksa broth. This added a meaty touch that gave the dish more body, while the beansprouts served to add a refreshing crunch. Overall, this rendition of Sarawak Laksa was very close to the real deal!

Kolo Mee

Char Siew

Next, I had my grandmother’s personal favourite – Kolo Mee. Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee & Laksa serves their Kolo Mee ($4) with a generous amount of minced pork on top, along with their in-house made char siew and a few pieces of fried lard. After being thoroughly mixed in with the noodles, the minced pork made each mouthful of noodles more substantial and hearty. The char siew was moist and tender, though it didn’t have a smokey char. It had a subtle sweetness which complemented the savoury flavours of the pork.

yun xiang sarawak kolo mee Kolo Mee Pulled

When ordering your Kolo Mee, you get the option of either having your noodles white (plain) or red (coated with char siew sauce). I opted for the plain noodles for my Kolo Mee. The wavy noodles were cooked to a perfect springy consistency. The noodles may appear dry, but after mixing them with all the pork, the oil sufficiently coated them to make them smooth and delicious.

Kolo Kway Teow Side

Kolo Kway Teow Pulled

Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee & Laksa had a dish that I’ve personally never seen before – the Sarawak Kolo Kway Teow ($3). This version uses Kway Teow instead! I decided to get the ‘red’ version this time. The difference in the texture of the noodles made this completely different to the Kolo Mee. Unlike the normal version, the kway teow was soft and slightly chewy, while the red glaze added sweetness and tartness. This was definitely an unconventional variation of Kolo Mee, but was still equally as delicious!

Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee & Laksa impressed me with its authentic and familiar flavours – even though the chef isn’t from Sarawak! The stall is currently having an opening promotion, so you can get your Kolo Mee and Laksa at discounted prices ($3.50 and $4.50 respectively). There’s no official end date, so do head down before the promotion ends!

Storefront

Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee & Laksa

Address: Blk 418 Bedok North Avenue 2, #01-97, Singapore 460418

Mobile: 92428846

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 10:30am to 8pm, Saturday to Sunday: 10am to 8pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Yun-Xiang-Sarawak-Kolo-Mee-Laksa-652823034861806/

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 Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee & Laksa. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel! Why not also check out our Paya Lebar Food Guide for the 19 spots that we love there!

The post Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee & Laksa – An Authentic Taste Of Sarawak! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Chai Chee Nasi Lemak – Good Ol’ Nasi Lemak in Hougang

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Ever since I moved to Sengkang, I have been trying to find good breakfast spots around the neighbourhood. I was really happy when I found 327 Fried Bee Hoon. And now I found Chai Chee Nasi Lemak, a family run Muslim stall that sells good nasi lemak!

Started in 1978, Chai Chee Nasi Lemak is currently managed by 2 brothers. Not only do they specialise in nasi lemak, they also serve Nasi Padang dishes, Mee Rebus, Mee Siam and Lontong.

I still remember clearly my favourite nasi lemak stall in the canteen during my primary school days. And I would queue almost every day just to have a plate of nasi lemak at 70 cents. Chai Chee Nasi Lemak’s version is just as classic.

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With this dish, timing is everything. The chicken wings are ferried out from the kitchen in small batches. They are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The rice is well prepared such that each coconut-y grain stood perfectly distinct from the other.

They don’t go crazy with the sides, which makes it easier to order. Accompanied by ikan bilis, cucumber slivers, and dark red sambal that is characterised by a tease of sweetness, the dish was a fine breakfast in itself.

We also had the mee siam. The gravy was on the sweet side though. Don’t forget to add a spoonful of sambal for more depth.

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The food tastes like it came out of a kitchen run by someone who really enjoys cooking for those who love to eat.

Chai Chee Nasi Lemak

Address: Blk 322 Hougang Ave 5, Singapore 419120

Phone: 6241 3841

Mobile: 9105 0254

Opening Hours: Mon to Thur 5am to 8pm; Sat & Sun 5am to 4pm. Closed on Fridays.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chai-Chee-Nasi-Lemak-854225028013940/

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

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel! Previously, we have covered Nasi Lemak stalls such as Kampung Kia in Marine Parade and Pak Mandor in Yishun!

The post Chai Chee Nasi Lemak – Good Ol’ Nasi Lemak in Hougang appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Amoy Street Food Centre – Exciting Finds Besides Michelin Food!

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Amoy Street Food Centre

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Located in the CBD area, Amoy Street Food Centre is a bustling hawker centre which houses Michelin Bib Gourmand awardees A Noodle Story, J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff and Hong Kee Beef Noodles. Other than these highly decorated stalls, we were curious to see how the rest fared in taste. Here are our thoughts on what we tried!

Han Kee Fish Soup

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Sliced fish soup seems to be in demand among office workers, with at least four to five stalls in Amoy Street Food Centre offering similar variations of the dish. We visited Han Kee before it opened at 11am and to our surprise, a short queue had already begun to form. The menu is straightforward: sliced fish soup with the choice of bee hoon, porridge or rice at small ($5), medium ($7) and large ($9) portion respectively. They also do fish head soup which is more expensive by a dollar each.

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We ordered the Medium Sliced Fish Soup Bee Hoon ($7) and the bowl was filled to the brim with many generous pieces of thickly cut mackerel. The fish was fresh and bathed in a light, clear broth that had a hint of sweetness. Personally, I find it harder to get the distinct sweetness in clear sliced fish soup right as compared to the milk version. The fact that Han Kee could nail it spectacularly spoke volumes of their skill in the preparation of fish broth. Being a fan of hot soupy food, I would have this everyday if I worked in the CBD. Do go early to avoid the office crowd as the queue can stretch up to 45 minutes long!

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Han Kee Fish Soup

Address: 7 Maxwell Road, #02-122, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111

Opening Hours: 10am to 3pm daily. Closed on Sundays

Wah Kee Noodles

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Our boss recommended Wah Kee and claimed it to be ‘one of the better wanton mee’ around. Wah Kee priced their Wanton Noodle at $3.50 and offer other staples such as Dumpling Noodle ($3.50) and Mushroom Noodle ($3.50). We all agreed that it was an above average bowl of wanton mee, with the wetness and seasoning of the springy noodles done perfectly.

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Wah Kee’s char siew was on the smokier side and balances the tendency towards dryness in charred meat well.

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The wanton was plump and packed with more ingredients than usual. The next time you are at Amoy Street, why not consider having a satisfying plate of old-school wanton mee at Wah Kee?

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Wah Kee Noodles

Address: 7 Maxwell Road, #02-125, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111

Opening Hours: 930am to 230pm daily. Closed on Sundays

Li Xing Nasi Lemak

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A quick glance around the food centre saw quite a few people eating nasi lemak from Li Xing. Intrigued, we decided to give it a try.

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Our standard Nasi Lemak ($3) came with chicken wing, luncheon meat, fish cake and ikan bilis. The coconut taste in their rice was quite strong, however the rest of the ingredients were lacklustre.

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Mix the sweet sambal into the rice for greater flavour!

amoy street food centre Nasi Lemak stall

Li Xing Nasi Lemak

Address: 7 Maxwell Road, #02-81, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111

Opening Hours: 730am to 1pm daily. Closed on Sundays

Koryori Hayashi

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This Japanese stall offers a decent variety of dons, udon, ramen and pasta starting at $6, with their most popular dish being the Namban Don. The term ‘Namban’ connotes foreign influences as the Europeans originally brought fried food to Japan in the Muromachi and Edo period. Chicken Namban came from Miyazaki province in Kyushu where fried chicken karaage is soaked in sweet and sour namban sauce topped off with tartar. Koryori Hayashi uses mentaiko sauce instead of tartar to make the don more exciting and relevant to our modern taste buds.

amoy street food centre Don_2
The karaage was nicely fried with moist and juicy meat. But the cabbage which came with the don on the side was dry and bland, making it redundant as it did not add to the overall taste of the dish.

amoy street food centre Japanese stall

Koryori Hayashi

Address: 7 Maxwell Road, #01-11, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111

Opening Hours: 11am to 2pm daily. Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Bee Kee Wanton Noodles

Truffle mee_1
Bee Kee prides itself on its signature truffle wanton mee – a rare sight in the local hawker scene. Besides the outlet at Amoy Street, they have another outlet at Serangoon as well.

amoy street food centre Truffle mee_2
The noodles of the Truffle Wanton Mee ($6) were doused with truffle oil, and topped with fried and steamed wanton, char siew and vegetables. The aroma from the truffle was initially appetising, but the strong alkaline aftertaste of the noodles made it less enjoyable.

amoy street food centre Truffle mee_3
The char siew was extremely dry and the wantons were mediocre. I think I still prefer my wanton mee done the traditional way.

amoy street food centre Truffle mee stall

Bee Kee Wanton Noodles

Address: 7 Maxwell Road, #02-129, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111

Opening Hours: 7am to 3pm daily. Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

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!

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel! You may also want to try the Fuzhou Oyster Cake at Maxwell Food Centre which is just a stone’s throw away!

The post Amoy Street Food Centre – Exciting Finds Besides Michelin Food! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Ji Tou Chicken Rice: Surprisingly Good Roasted Chicken!

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As a Westie, I hardly travel to the East side of Singapore. So on one rare occasion that I happened to be in the East, we decided to head to a random coffee shop at Tampines Street 23 for lunch. It was noon when we arrived at the kopitiam next to Blk 201E and the place was already bustling with the lunch crowd. My friends recommended Ji Tou Chicken Rice and gushed about their roasted chicken in particular.

ji tou chicken rice_storefront

Admittedly, I was highly skeptical when I saw the brightly-lit storefront because it seemed like the kind of “chain franchise” at hawker centres and kopitiams. The stall name also sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on where I have seen it before. Nevertheless, we ordered their Steamed Chicken Rice ($3) and Roasted Chicken Rice ($3).

ji tou chicken rice chicken

I am more biased towards steamed chicken in general as compared to roasted chicken. Steamed chicken is usually more tender and smooth compared to roasted chicken, which many places tend to do it too dry. When the food came, I dug into the Steamed Chicken Rice immediately, confident that it would be the better of the two based on past experiences.

ji tou chicken rice Steamed chicken in chili

To my surprise, I was greatly disappointed. The steamed chicken was uncharacteristically dry, saved for the chicken skin, and lacked the usual silkiness that I was used to. I didn’t think it was possible for steamed chicken to taste so mediocre, given that it was normally the method of roasting which leaves the chicken stringier and drier.

I moved on to the Roasted Chicken Rice with tempered expectations. If the standard of the steamed chicken was as such, how much better could the roasted chicken be?

ji tou chicken rice Roasted chicken
ji tou chicken rice Roasted chicken_1

That day, I was gladly proven wrong twice during lunch. The roasted skin was sublime: crispy yet capturing that stirring greasy fragrance from the chicken. The breast meat was surprisingly not as dry as expected, with oil from the skin penetrating the meat to make it juicier. I found myself continuously reaching for more and more of the evenly-cooked pieces of golden brown goodness.

ji tou chicken rice Chicken rice

The rice grains were oily and flavourful, indicative of how the chicken stock has been sufficiently cooked together with the rice. For the best experience, take a small mountain of rice and pile it with a few pieces of roasted chicken.

ji tou chicken rice Sauces

The sauces were however quite ordinary. Ji Tou’s ginger was too watery for me as I prefer my ginger to be more fibrous and pasty.

After the meal, I found out that Ji Tou actually has another outlet in Clementi 448 Market and Hawker Centre. Having patronised the Clementi outlet, I don’t remember it being as good as the Tampines one. I guess that even within the same franchise, there can be substantial differences in the quality of food at different branches.

ji tou chicken rice Eating of chicken

Ji Tou Chicken Rice exceeds what I would expect out of an ordinary kopitiam. The lads tending the stall were also friendly and ready to strike up a conversation. Don’t expect Boon Tong Kee standards from Ji Tou, but it is a stall I will return to if I am in Tampines or around the area.

Ji Tou Chicken Rice

Address: 201E Tampines Street 23, Singapore 527201

Opening Hours: 11am to 9pm daily.

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

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

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel! You may want to check out our articles on Chang Ji Gourmet that serves cheap fried bee hoon and peanut porridge or 2ThumbsUp Hainanese Curry Rice which we think is a hidden gem in Clementi!

The post Ji Tou Chicken Rice: Surprisingly Good Roasted Chicken! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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