If you are in the mood for a mean bowl of prawn noodles, then you have to head to Da Dong Prawn Noodles!

Located in Mellvin Coffeeshop along Joo Chiat Road, Da Dong Prawn Noodles has been around since 1966. Now, at the helm of it all is Watson Lim, a rather dashing 31-year-old 2nd-generation hawker who has decided to take over the reins from his father.

Da Dong Prawn Noodles serves prawn noodles in 3 different sizes: small ($5), regular ($8), and large ($10). It also serves a variant of prawn noodles with larger prawns but, of course, this commands a steeper price that starts at $13 for a small bowl.

I ordered the Big Prawn Noodles ($15) with beehoon and it came with large prawns that have been halved, kangkong and beansprouts. The large prawns were plump and had a good bite. However, I think the star of the show is the prawn broth! The prawn broth was not super rich, but it was lovely and carried a slight tinge of sweetness. I felt that the beehoon soaked up the prawn broth really well.

One should note that the prawn broth is served sparingly and treated like a precious commodity, so soup refills will not be entertained. There was a signage at the front of the store even indicating so! I think that alone speaks volumes about Da Dong’s prawn broth. The soup broth was tasty to the last drop. It was simply irresistible!

I learned from Watson that he wakes up in the wee hours of the morning just to prepare the prawn broth! Preparation for the prawn noodles begin way before the stall opens at 7.30am. Watson told me that he begins making the broth from as early as 4 in the morning!

I also had the dry Pork Rib Prawn Noodles ($8). It comes with a small bowl of the delectable prawn broth, and a few pieces of prawns and pork ribs. Crispy fried bits of pork lard topped the prawn noodles as well.

The pork ribs were also fall-off-the-bone tender and I thoroughly enjoyed every morsel of the pork rib! However, I wished that the pork ribs were slightly larger in size.

The prices of the prawn noodles here may repel some, but if you take into consideration the quality and size of the prawns and how tasty the prawn broth is, I believe you’ll think that the price is justified.

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

The post Da Dong Prawn Noodles – Prawn Noodles that will have You Coming Back for More! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

It’s difficult to find plenty of above-average hawker stalls all located in one hawker centre. Thus, I became a strong advocate for the food at Bendemeer Market & Food Centre after trying almost all the stalls in the hawker centre. Here are the stalls that you absolutely can’t miss!

Min Ji Laksa

Min Ji Laksa ($3) is the one thing that I will get whenever I’m at Bendemeer Market & Food Centre. Firstly, the laksa broth reminds me of my primary school’s laksa — very coconut-y, milky, not really spicy and old-school! Its blood cockles are fresh and plump. I’m glad that Min Ji adds shredded chicken to their laksa too. Additional ingredients start from 50 cents. Trust me, the $3 portion is sufficient, but not shiok enough because you will yearn for more!

Yong Xiang Carrot Cake

Writing about Yong Xiang Carrot Cake excites me! At first, it may look like the stall is split into 2 different stalls selling different things — Chinese Kuehs (bite-sized Chinese snacks such as dumplings, Soon Kueh and Peng Kueh) on the left, and Carrot Cake on the right.

You can actually request to have your Soon Kueh and Peng Kueh (or other kuehs that are available) fried with eggs, exactly in carrot cake-style. The plate of messy yet addictive “special carrot cake” ($3.70) was so fragrant! The dish was quite oily but it was so good!

Hai Sheng Carrot Cake

Now, don’t get me wrong. I still love the usual black and white carrot cakes. And there must be a reason why Hai Sheng Carrot Cake usually sells out within 4 hours. You know how some carrot cake stalls’ white and black carrot cake only differs in colour? Well, Hai Sheng Carrot Cake shows us the distinctive differences there should be between white and black carrot cakes.

The white carrot cake ($2) looked more like a plate of golden carrot cake as it was fried well with crispy eggs. The chili makes the fragrant golden dish beautifully orangey. On the other hand, the black carrot cake ($2) was dotted with scrambled-like eggs. I had a hard time deciding which is better because it was like comparing an apple and a watermelon. Both of them are distinctively different! Give them a try and you will know what I mean.

Heng Kee Lor Mee

Known for their special fried pork belly (instead of the usual Chinese Five-Spice Pork Roll) in its lor mee, Heng Kee Lor Mee ($3) is a favourite amongst many of the patrons at Bendemeer Market & Food Centre. Years ago, patrons suggested frying the typical braised pork belly, and the owners heeded the suggestion and had never looked back since.

If you do not know, the deep fried pork belly is savoury and slightly crunchy, and actually had a texture similar to that of sweet and sour pork. I love that the pork belly was slightly fatty. The fatty layer gave a nice soft contrast to the crunch you experience when you first bite into the morsel of goodness.

Toa Payoh Hwa Heng Beef Noodle

Of the two different types of beef noodles available, I prefer the dry version ($4) which came with thin beef slices drenched in a dark gravy. Although the gravy only has a very mild herbal aftertaste, my colleague discovered that the chilli sauce elevated the flavours with an acidic tang and umami. If you can take spicy food, pile on the chilli!

 Beef lovers will enjoy the palatable small bowl of broth that accompanies the dry noodles. Note that the broth does not taste the same as the broth in the soup version of beef noodles.

Indonesia Curry Rice

You can never miss Indonesia Curry Rice, because there’s always a long queue stemming from it. You may see it as the usual mixed vegetable rice queue, but Indonesia Curry Rice actually serves Indonesian-style nasi lemak which comprises nasi kuning (Indonesian for “yellow rice”) or nasi kunyit (Indonesian for “turmeric rice”).

Unlike fragrant Muslim-style nasi lemak, the rice had a very mild coconut flavour. Get the beef rendang and ask for more gravy!

Casper Seafood

Opened for only 4 years in Bendemeer Market & Food Centre, Casper Seafood is a tze char brand with a few outlets. Most of the patrons go for its hor fun! Known for its strong wok hei, the charred Hor Fun ($4) with its thick gravy keeps regulars coming back for more!

29 Delights

As 29 Delights offers a wide variety of dishes, let me narrow down what you have to get from this stall! First, you have to get the Chicken Curry ($4.30)! To be honest, just that and a plate of rice was actually satisfying enough. The combination of spices, lemongrass and coconut milk was perfect!

Next, go for the Assam Fish Curry ($7). You see where this is going? 29 Delights seems to be a master of curry. The Assam Fish Curry was packed with the characteristic sweetness and tanginess of assam, and the tender and fresh fish was just such a star.

Do be an early bird for this 11-year-old stall usually sells out by lunchtime.

Wah Kee

Having tried many wanton noodles lately, I am actually pleased with Wah Kee’s wanton noodles ($3). Almost every element was above average. The old school springy noodles tasted even better with their chilli. Slurp! Oh, and I love that the wantons are slightly larger than typical wantons.

The star, if you haven’t already guessed, is the char siew which is clearly expertly roasted.

One Ton Mee

One Ton Mee differentiates itself from other wanton mee stalls by using Kolo Mee. Overall, the Wanton Mee ($3) is on the sweeter side — even the char siew is pretty sweet too. The steamed wantons were nothing special but the fried wanton were quite addictive. You may want to get more fried wantons($3) to munch on.

Siang Kee Porridge

Siang Kee Porridge’s Hainan-style porridge is my comfort food. Usually, I will get the pork porridge but I was feeling a little under the weather, so I decided to get the Shredded Chicken Porridge with Egg ($3). Do not expect a flavourful bowl because even with the egg, the porridge is quite plain. However, their porridge is homey and comforting! Be patient with the owners as they are usually super busy.

Nan Rong Chee Cheong Fun

An elderly couple, whom I believe to be at least 70 years old, churns out their well-loved chee cheong fun efficiently. Their smooth and silky plain rice rolls ($0.80 each) with sesame seeds and sweet sauce are a simple treat which make for a quick and yummy breakfast.

I like how the couple works hand in hand to serve their customers faithfully. You can find traditional chee cheong fun, many other dim sum dishes and even traditional Chinese rice dumplings here. They also offer economic beehoon with typical ingredients.

Xiang Ji Gao Dian

Another chee cheong fun stall! I didn’t want to try this because I’m a loyal supporter of Nan Rong Chee Cheong Fun. But I remember that the first time I caved and queued for it, the rice rolls were sold out already, at 10am!! I told myself I must get it the next time I’m here.

I actually prefer Xiang Ji Gao Dian’s chee cheong fun ($1 each, minimum 2 to order) to Nan Rong Chee Cheong Fun’s as the sweet sauce was more palatable!

Singapore Bao

With only 2 items on its menu, Singapore Bao surprisingly does not sell Baos (buns). Purely handmade, Singapore Bao’s Siew Mai ($0.50 each) and Glutinous Rice ($1.80) are worth a try! Similar to those seen in Johor Bahru’s Pasar Malam, the siew mai is unlike those Cantonese siew mai you see in dim sum restaurants.

I highly recommend the glutinous rice as the mushroom is really fragrant despite not being marinated. Don’t forget to add the house-made chili for a sweet and spicy kick!

Granny’s Pancake

Granny’s Pancake actually has multiple outlets all over Singapore, but I only tried it in Bendemeer Market & Food Centre. What’s so special about Granny’s Pancake is that the stall allows you to add peanut butter (additional $0.40) to its pancakes.

The truth is, Granny’s Pancake’s peanut, red bean and coconut pancakes are nothing to shout about. But wow, adding peanut butter to the peanut pancake ($0.80) changes everything! The pancake will blow your mind! I didn’t know that savouriness stacked on savouriness will be a successful move! Before we even finished the pancake, my colleague already ordered a few more to take away. I love it too!

I actually stay quite far away from Bendemeer Market & Food Centre but I visited this centre at least 4 times so that I can share all the gems with you guys!

Sadly, Bendemeer Market & Food Centre will be closed from 2 May 2019 to 1st August 2019 for repair and repainting works. Head over while you still can!

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 Bendemeer Market & Food Centre. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Bendemeer Market & Food Centre – 15 Stalls You Must Try Before the CENTRE CLOSES! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Belle-Ville Pancake Cafe uses only fresh milk in its famous pancakes. The team churns out a consistent pancake batter by first separating egg yolks from egg whites by hand. They then blend the egg yolks with the specially chosen milk and premium wheat flour.

Once an order is received, Belle-Ville Pancake Cafe whips up the meringue component into the batter and grills the pancake. Shaped like a full moon, the pancakes are stacked to make the millefeuille (one thousand sheets or layers).

The Grilled Apple with Homemade Caramel Pancake (4 pieces for $12.20; 8 pieces for $16.20) was my favourite of the 3 that I tried, because I’m not a fan of  extremely sweet desserts. This dish was sweet and slightly bitter. The chilled apples and caramel were just the icing on top of the very fluffy pancakes.

For berry-lovers, the Strawberry and Mixed Berry Pancake (2 pieces for $11.90; 4 pieces for $14.40) is right up your alley! A scoop of vanilla ice-cream that’s sprinkled with crunchy almond slices rested on the pancake stack, slowly melting away. It was a little too tangy for me but the whipped cream balanced out the sourness.

The fluffy, milky and buttery pancakes was packed with blended berries! The texture of the pancakes resembled that of a sponge cake, just that it was much softer.

The Matcha with Rice Ball and Red Bean Pancake (4 pieces for $12.20; 8 pieces for $16.20) turned out to be a savoury pancake. Fans of matcha will definitely fall head over heels in love with this! The dollop of red bean was grainy and strong in flavour. The rice ball (Japanese rice-cake made of short-grain japonica glutinous rice) was chewy and sweet. Everything came together perfectly. I wished the matcha flavour was more intense though.

This instagrammable pancake cafe is definitely worth a visit. Prices are also pretty reasonable. I’ll be dreaming of these brilliant pancakes for awhile, I think.

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 Belle-Ville Pancake Cafe. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Belle-Ville Pancake Cafe – Insta-Worthy Pancakes that are Fluffier than a Sponge Cake! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

JW360° is a spanking new Japanese concept store ensconced in Jewel Changi Airport. Short for Japan Way Three Sixty, JW360° aims to establish a ‘gateway’ to Japan’s lifestyle and culture through the food and retail products in its restaurant, café and retail section.

Entering JW360° feels like stepping into a Japan town. The interior is not superfluous; instead the unpretentious vibe sets the stage for a cosy and intimate session.

The restaurant is operated by Suju Masayuki, a Japanese restaurant running seven stores in Japan and one in Orchard, Singapore. Following the Japanese methods of cooking, its menu boasts a four-season concept provided by Suju Restaurant. Patrons can definitely satisfy their sophisticated palates here.

The Gindara Misozuke Yaki is one of our favourite dishes at JW360°. The cod fish was soused in a homemade miso sauce, and grilled to perfection. The meat remains moist and tender, with a subtle smoky aroma. I took a bite and let the fatty fish melt slowly in the mouth. Wow, I could taste the sweetness and freshness of the cod! The slightly sweet miso glaze really accentuated the natural flavours of the fish.

The aesthetically-pleasing Torimomo Kurozu Itame featured a medley of eggplants, chilli, corn and chicken sautéed in a light but tangy black vinegar. The deep-fried chicken lent a delightful crunch and stole the show.

Hamburg Steak is another specialty of Suju. Seasoned with soy sauce and two kinds of miso paste, the hamburg steak was firm, springy and succulent. Sink your teeth into the steak and you’ll find that the juicy patty, which is drenched with cheese and demi-glace sauce, is extremely delicious.

The Chicken Sauté Cream is a hearty white stew loaded with three different types of mushroom. It’s surprisingly light, and packed with the umami of shellfish.

If you love fried food, the Mixed Katsu, which is a platter of pork, chicken, minced beef, and shrimp croquette will be right up your alley. I liked the pork the most because the meat was really juicy, and the thin batter was so crisp!

The Beef Steak has a smooth velvety texture, and its rich flavours lingered after every mouthful. Each main course comes with rice and miso soup.

Other noteworthy dishes available at Suju include Tempura, various types of Tonkatsu (Japanese style cutlets such as pork, chicken breast / chicken thigh cutlet, shrimp etc), Teishoku, Bento, and Donburi.

Do you know, Suju earns its stripes as an authentic Japanese restaurant because of this staple? This dish incorporates premium Koshihikari rice, which is specially sourced from Iizuka in Nagano. The Koshihikari rice is widely regarded as the caviar of Japanese short-grain rice. Interestingly, the chefs cook the rice in a copper pot, which gives it an incredible texture. Every glistening round pearl grain is moderately sticky and has an excellent bite. Make sure you drizzle the brown sauce from the beef steak onto the rice. One spoonful and you’ll be hooked for sure. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself asking for a second bowl of rice. JW360° is the closest that you can get to Japan, in Singapore.

You absolutely can’t leave JW360° without trying their desserts. You can pick your favourite gelato or a limited edition sakura cake from the JW360° café. Using Japanese ingredients such as matcha and wasanbon in their bakes, JW360° promises decadent sweet treats that will round off your meal on the sweetest note. JW360° is a great spot to enjoy a lovely tea while awaiting your next flight.

Nomono, which is the JW360° retail corner, procures tasty snacks and the best souvenirs from all over Japan. You can get your hands on a range of assorted Japanese sweets, snacks, popsicles, and sake with creative and unique packaging.

You can’t leave JW360° without their zesty Apple Chips. Raw apples are air-fried to retain its natural apple flavours. The crisp chips are exceptionally addictive. Other popular snacks include the soft and fluffy “Hagi no Tsuki Custard Cream Cake” and hand-baked “Mount Fuji Shape Rice Cracker Box” which comes in flavours of the four seasons — spring, summer, autumn and winter.

I am surprised to find Ema in JW360°! In a Japanese shrine, there is always a special area where visitors hang wooden tablets. The tablets are called “Ema (drawn horse)”, on which visitors dedicate their wishes.

At JW360°, you can write your wishes on the Ema and the staff will bring it back to the Shinto Shrines in Japan and dedicate them to God. Such a meaningful way to end my meal here! Needless to say, I’ll be back again!

This post is brought to you by JW360°.

The post JW360° Opens Its Doors at Jewel Changi Airport – Discover Japan’s Way of Life Through Food and Retail appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

What do you look out for in a burger? Ingredients? Size? Burger Labo believes the soul of a burger is the patty. Seriously, you can’t call yourself a burger connoisseur until you’ve tried Burger Labo’s burgers!

Located at Gillman Barracks, Burger Labo, which specialises in burgers(duh) recently opened its doors on 2 April.

The brainchild of Ken Loon, Burger Labo boasts burgers that are products of extensive R&D — from the burger bun right down to the patty.

Ken recommended the Basic Burger ($23), Chicken Burger ($20), and the House-made Naked Chendol ($13).

While the Basic Burger looks basic, as its name implies, its flavor is every bit the opposite. Every component of the Basic Burger is well thought out. That’s not a surprise since it took Ken 12 tries to finally perfect the Basic Burger.

The burger bun is lightly buttered with a house-made bone marrow ‘butter’. Between the bun sits a 170g medium-well patty made from a blend of 4 different types of beef: grass-fed Angus neck, Aomori Gyu ribeye, Toriyama Umami Wagyu A4 tenderloin, and Sendai Wagyu A5 brisket.

The different beef gives rise to a fatty & juicy patty! The burger is also packed with organic lettuce & tomatoes, and a dollop of yummy sauce that provides just enough acidity to cut through the richness of the burger.

Look, the burger comprised the bare minimum of what makes a burger a burger. However, the complex flavours hidden in this simple-looking burger took me by surprise!

Just when I thought that the Basic Burger can’t be topped, the Chicken Burger knocked my socks off.

I really took my time savouring this one, because the Chicken Burger was absolutely delicious! The incredibly tender chicken thigh had a smoky flavor and hints of Mediterranean spice.

But. Check. Out. That. Runny. Egg.

Burgers with runny fried eggs in them? Yes! Who can resist this? I definitely can’t!

Unlike the Basic Burger which is slathered in the decadent house-made bone marrow ‘butter’, the Chicken Burger is lightly buttered with unsalted butter. However, the Chicken Burger comes with a house-made garlic yoghurt sauce and ‘Frenchie’ salsa. I felt that the yoghurt sauce and salsa really brought everything together.

I also had the House-made Naked Chendol ($13) and oh my, there was no better way to round off my meal.

The chendol was refreshing and reminded me of salted caramel; probably because of the gula melaka syrup and sea salt that was sprinkled onto it!

It was quite an experience having such well-crafted burgers and an equally delectable dessert. If you are near Gillman Barracks, you have got to give Burger Labo a try.

The post Burger Labo – Hand-Crafted Burgers at Gillman Barracks(So Good You Have to Try! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Resting in a quiet corner just opposite Serangoon Stadium is an inconspicuous café called Eleven Strands.

At Eleven Strands, western cuisine is the heart and soul of its menu. Here, you can find a plethora of pasta dishes, mouth-watering mains, indulgent desserts and small bites.

Eleven Strands has an al fresco dining area at the back of the café, but we sat indoors to escape the sweltering heat.

One of the dishes that we had was the French Onion Soup ($10) which came with a slice of baguette that’s lined with a strip of gouda cheese.

While I could taste the mild sweetness of caramelized onions, I felt that the soup lacked the depth of flavour and richness that’s characteristic of a good bowl of French onion soup. It lacked that “oomph”.

For mains, we decided to have the Braised Beef Cheeks ($25).

The braised beef cheeks sat in a bed of potato mash that’s drenched with red wine sauce. The beef cheeks were tender and I could cut through every piece effortlessly! I made sure that I coated the beef  in as much red wine sauce as I could, as the pairing was just amazing.

And I thought that the dish couldn’t get more impressive, but I was wrong.

The potato mash was well-seasoned, smooth, velvety and a little creamy. It was the perfect accompaniment to the rich and savoury beef cheeks. The dish also came with sautéed bacon & mushrooms which were a tad too salty.

We also had the Crab Meat Pasta ($25). You have a choice of red or white sauce for your dish, and you can also pick your preferred pasta. There’s handmade tagliatelle (add $4), linguine, penne, spaghetti and fettuccine.

We decided on the white sauce and linguine for our Crab Meat Pasta.

To call the white sauce in the Crab Meat Pasta “savoury” is an understatement — it’s that good! The white sauce was sufficiently thick, and coated every strand of the al dente linguine evenly.  You can find pieces of juicy crab meat throughout the dish! I noticed that the natural flavours of the crab meat had worked its way into the sauce as well, making the sauce so much richer in flavour.

Incorporating cherry tomatoes into the Crab Meat Pasta was a great idea. The sweetness of the tomatoes made the dish even more appealing and appetising.

Lastly, we had the French Apple Tart for dessert.

You can think of the French Apple Tart as a thin crepe enveloping an apple pie filling.

Lightly dusted with icing powder and topped with almond slices and candied pecans, the French Apple Tart was served warm. The warm apple pie filling and  cold vanilla ice cream, which is made from REAL vanilla beans, was simply a match made in heaven!

It’s so difficult to find cafés that serve good food. While I felt that the French Onion Soup could use some work, the rest of the dishes (especially the Crab Meat Pasta) are definitely worth coming back for.

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

The post Eleven Strands – Delectable Café Food Opposite Serangoon Stadium! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Thunderbolt Tea is set up by the team behind Boon Lay Traditional Hakka Lui Cha. Boon Lay Traditional Hakka Lui Cha is helmed by the father, while Thunderbolt Tea in Tai Seng is taken care of by the son who also does deliveries for the Tai Seng outlet. The two stalls follow a recipe that’s withstood the test of time — a century, actually.

Lei Cha, also known as Thunder Tea, is a staple for the Hepo (Hopo in Hakka) Hakka people in Jiexi County in Guandong Province, China. The dish has been around for more than 2000 years.

The Thunder Tea here comes with white rice ($4) or brown rice ($4.50). The rice bowl is filled with leeks, white cabbage, long beans, sayur manis (sweet leaves), firm beancurd, chye poh (pickled radish), dried shrimps and a special tea soup paste. I opted for brown rice.

It was a hearty and earthy dish which tasted very much like a healthy bowl of fried rice with lots of crunchy vegetables. I realised that I did not detest the texture or taste even though I was initially quite skeptical of an all-vegetables rice bowl.

I added fried pork belly (additional $1.50) and it turned out to be an awesome decision!

Traditionally, Hakka people will add in peanuts and the entire soup paste into their rice bowl and eat everything together.

The paste is made by grinding coriander, basil, mint, green tea and peanuts. Hot water is added to the paste to produce the soup or thunder tea.

I preferred the dry version of the Hakka Lui Cha to the traditional way of eating it as I really enjoyed the crunchiness of the vegetables, and being able to taste the differences between the various vegetables. Also, the fried pork belly was such a treat!

If you do not yet know, Lui Cha is extremely effective for health and weight management. It increases metabolism, and helps in detoxification through the draining of surplus body fluid waste. Lui Cha is the first healthy dish to smash my stereotype of health food being boring and not tasty. The thunder tea rice here was appetising, yummy, and also very filling for a low fat and low cholesterol meal..

Thunderbolt Tea also delivers islandwide(minimum order of $30), so you can’t say that healthy food is inaccessible!

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 Thunderbolt Tea by Boon Lay Traditional Hakka Lui Cha. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Thunderbolt Tea by Boon Lay Traditional Hakka Lui Cha – Authentic Healthy Thunder Tea Best for Weight Management! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

It seems like residents in Kovan love minced meat fishball noodles. At Kovan Market and Food Centre, there are three very popular minced meat fishball noodles — Chun Fu Fishball Minced Meat Noodle Laksa (春福鱼圆肉脞面.叻沙, #01-04), Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle (发记肉脞鱼圆面, #01-05) and Yam Mee Teochew Fishball Noodle (炎成潮州鱼丸面, #01-35). Everyday during lunch and dinner, expect to see queues at not one, but all three stalls.

I would have thought that the three stall owners are enemies, since they sell the same dishes. Moreover, Chun Fu Fishball Minced Meat Noodle Laksa and Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle are just side by side. But I was wrong. One day, while I was having lunch here, I spotted the hawkers talking and laughing with each other while cooking the noodles. That was such a rare sight. And to make things even more interesting, the three stalls had purposely plan their off-days to be different from one other, so that residents will get to enjoy fishball noodles no matter what day it is. I love to hear about such camaraderie (or some say kampung spirit) among hawkers.

Just two weeks ago, I dropped by the market to buy breakfast and decided to queue for Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle. To my surprise, it was cooked by 29-year-old Aloysius. He caught my attention because he was really swift in his cooking and my bowl of noodles was really not bad!

I won’t say I frequented the stall but I went there for dinner quite a few times on the weekends but I never met the young hawker. It’s always his uncle who works the evening shift. It’s nice to finally meet Aloysius.

Aloysius is the third generation hawker at Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle. He has been helping out at his father’s stall since he was still in school. His grandmother and father first started selling wanton noodles in Geylang. After the market was demolished, they moved to Kovan Market and decided to sell minced meat fishball noodles instead.

The menu is simple. There’s minced meat noodles, laksa and curry noodles. Singapore’s hot weather deters me from having anything too spicy, so I usually order the minced meat noodles. You can even purchase the handmade fish cake at $1.50.

I think Fa Ji’s chilli and lard make the noodles exceptional. The noodles were not overcooked and retained a pretty good bite. They were tossed in an addictive sauce that’s heavily perfumed with lard and loaded with fiery chilli that carried a hint of sweetness. Fa Ji is quite heavy handed with the seasoning.

The pork slices were tender and the lightly-cooked liver was awesome. The vinegar was not overpowering, and worked beautifully with the chilli sauce. The portion is really generous so big eaters will definitely be pleased.

I hardly order laksa or curry chicken noodles, but when I returned on a wet and chilly day, the spicy noodles called out to me. Tender steamed chicken in a rich curry broth swimming with taupok. What’s not to love? You can add a spoonful of sambal if you want it to be more spicy. The same broth is used for the laksa. What a comforting bowl of noodles!

I have tried all three stalls, and to be really honest (not a PR answer), three of them are really above average. Even though they sell the same dishes, but in terms of seasonings and ingredients, all of them have different recipes and use different suppliers. So it really boils down to personal preference.

For me, I prefer Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle because I like stronger flavours, and Fa Ji’s chilli sauce really won me over.

READ: 27 Bak Chor Mee Singaporeans Love

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

The post Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle – Bak Chor Mee with Super Shiok Lard & Chilli appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

A rainy week calls for some simple and soothing Teochew porridge at Choon Seng Teochew Porridge. Choon Seng’s items are well laid out, there are many colour-coded buttons at the counter, each representing the dishes available. Instead of taking the orders using pen and paper, the staff will collect the buttons according to your order and send it to the kitchen. To be honest, the dishes are not extensive but the popularity is steady as many of their dishes are honest, home-cooked food.

I have heard that this place sells a plate of steamed Soo Mei for $60. My friends wanted to order it but it wasn’t available (HENG AH!). So we had the steamed red garoupa done two ways – one in teochew steamed version, while the other in preserved soy bean. The fish is served with pieces of tofu and strips of salted vegetables that don’t overpower, and still retaining the freshness of the fish. Just drinking the soup from the steamed fish is a joy. If you do not have a big group, there is option for just ordering half the fish, where you can choose with the head or the tail.

The stew items were ordinary. We had a platter of duck slices together with tofu and pig’s skin. The duck slices were not extremely tender but the rice, stained black with pork fat, was delicious. Dip the flesh into the chilli sauce.

The highlight of our meal was the minced pork with fermented black beans. It’s intense and packed with umami, probably from the addition of luncheon meat. It tastes so good with porridge and even as I am typing this, I am salivating. We ordered two portions to share. The stall also sells a very unique prawn omelette that I have seldom seen at other places. The plain porridge is prepared using the traditional earthen pot and in smaller portions.

Teochew porridge is simple but after pairing with soothing dishes, it can taste good. And I am sure now you know where to relive those childhood memories.

If you love Teochew porridge, this is the place to go. The trick is to get there at about 11.30am, just after they open. Because they will be sold out by 2pm, so don’t bother to go for a late lunch.

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

The post Choon Seng Teochew Porridge – That Plate of Minced Pork with Fermented Black Beans is… appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Ask any Commonwealth residents where to eat and they will direct you to Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre. Not because of its proximity but for good reason — it is a food haven that sells cheap and good food that’s comparable to the food at Old Airport Road Food Centre! Here are 7 stalls that you should try in Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre.

1. 牛车水阿婆卤鸭

When it comes to braised duck rice, the zhup (sauce) is everything. Let me just say that the Braised Duck Rice ($4) at 牛车水阿婆卤鸭 hits just all the right spots. The sauce had the perfect balance of savoury and sweet notes and it was more on the watery side (which I love). The meat was also tender.

Unlike other braised duck rice stalls, 牛车水阿婆卤鸭 serves a scoop of hae bi hiam (dried spicy shrimp) with its rice! Trust me, the hae bi hiam makes ALL the difference.

2. Henry’s Chicken Rice

Whenever I am in Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre, I always make sure to buy myself half a chicken ($12) and a plate of rice ($0.50) from Henry’s Chicken Rice! The couple running this stall has been serving the same, consistent plate of chicken rice since 1985! While there are other options such as steamed chicken and roasted chicken, I always go for the roasted option because of its glistening and addictive skin, and the roast chicken (yes, even the breast meat) is always moist and tender!

Remember to get yourself a portion of chilli. Henry’s Chicken Rice’s chilli is so good that I am willing to call it sacred. And you are only entitled to one portion of chilli for each plate of chicken rice! Come early because Henry’s Chicken Rice sells like hot cakes!

3. Hao Hao Noodle House

I have always loved wanton noodles and the Wanton Noodles ($3) at Hao Hao Noodle House really evokes nostalgia. Serving old-school wanton noodles and various other noodle dishes, Hao Hao is helmed by a pastry chef-turned-hawker who has been cooking wanton noodles for the past 2 decades!

Hao Hao Noodle House’s wanton noodles is served with a sprinkling of lard, which I liked a lot. It wasn’t overly salty and I enjoyed the noodles!

I watched the hawker as he was cooking my wanton noodles and he is very skilful! He boils the mee kia, rinses it, then launches it up into the air to aerate the mee kia! The end product is a plate of wanton noodles with super springy & QQ noodles that is ugh, so irresistible.

4. Huang Da Fu 黄大福 Bak Chor Mee

Don’t let the young hawker behind 黄大福 fool you, because he serves great and affordable Bak Chor Mee ($2.70)!

The sauce in the bak chor mee was a mix of chilli and vinegar which coated each strand of mee pok evenly. The bak chor (minced meat) really got me! It was perfectly cooked and was so irresistibly soft and tender!

It’s not the best bak chor mee that I have eaten, but for its price point, 黄大福 definitely deserves some credit, and warrants a visit.

5. Hong Kee Porridge

Hong Kee Porridge has been serving the ultimate comfort food —cantonese-style porridge— for the past 4 decades.

The Pork Porridge with Century Egg ($3.50) and the Fish Head Porridge ($3). were smooth, thick, yet not viscous, and so flavourful! I particularly loved the Pork Porridge with Century Egg; there was a fine mix of pork slices and marinated pork balls that made for a really comforting and filling bowl!

I spoke to the stall owner and he said that he is not getting any younger and intends to retire soon. So make sure to get yourself a bowl of porridge before he closes shop.

6. Milah Hokkaido Curry Puff

While you are here, you should snack on the curry puffs made by Milah Hokkaido Curry Puff. This is no ordinary curry puff stall.

In operation for about 8 months now, Milah Hokkaido Curry Puff uses 100% “Wonderful Traded Flour” from Hokkaido. Milah Hokkaido Curry Puff sells 4 flavours of curry puffs — Potato, Sardine, Mentaiko Cheese, and Cinnamon Banana. A piece of curry puff starts from $1.20, and you can get 3 for $3. I decided to get all but the Sardine curry puff.

*TIP: The curry puffs taste the best when they are fresh out of the fryer. The first batches are ready for sale at 11am.*

The Mentaiko Cheese and the Cinnamon Banana Curry Puff really dazzled my tastebuds! The Cinnamon Banana puff can be likened to an apple pie, and the cheesiness in the Mentaiko Cheese puff was just lovely. You really have to savour the puffs at their best, when they’re piping hot. The puffs here are really  unique and the light crust of each puff is just delightful.

7. ASiP Fresh Cold Press Juice

What better way to end your meal than with a cup of fresh & organic Avocado Milkshake ($3.50) from ASiP Fresh Cold Press Juice!

The avocado milkshake consists of only three premium ingredients: halved avocados, gula melaka syrup, and Greenfield’s UHT Full Cream Milk. They don’t even put ice into their milkshake! Of course, you can request for ice to be added into your milkshake, but I like mine super thick.

On first taste, the avocado milkshake was extremely thick and creamy, just like how avocado milkshakes should be!

But what I like best about this stall is that the auntie asks questions(e.g. whether you want more ice, more gula melaka syrup etc) pertaining to your drink in order to tailor a shake to your liking. It’s a nice touch, especially in a hawker centre setting.

Have I got you salivating already? Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre has so much more to offer! Wait no more, head over to Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre for lunch or dinner today!

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 Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre – 7 Stalls You Should Try! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

A new dessert shop has arrived in Jurong, just a stone’s throw from Jurong East Swimming Complex.

The shop entrance is nondescript and the minimalist shop is completed with floor-to-ceiling windows. Owner-baker Lee Yin Quan graduated with a diploma in French pastry at Ferrandi Paris and worked with many famous Michelin Star chefs such as Jean-François Piège and Nina Métayer.

The stars are the cakes which take a while to be served because each plate is individually plateed. Interestingly, all the desserts here have fun names such as PUCK and JIAO.

Inspired by the hexagonal beehive, the café’s Madu ($8) is a combination of honeycomb and salted caramel. Its decadent and not too sweet. Those who have a sweet tooth will probably appreciate this cake more than I did.

As a lover of lemon and lime desserts, I’m always on the lookout for cakes to satisfy my cravings. The Tart ($8) did not disappoint. No key lime tart is complete without a graham cracker crust. The buttery crust balances out the acidity of the pie and ensures that the tart is not overly sweet.

We love the Puff (S$7), a picture-perfect flaky puff that is filled with a luscious earl grey and kaya cream. Each mouthful was smooth and revealed the subtle earl grey flavour was lovely.

The Jiao (S$8), a banana caramel cake, is light and moist. It is coated with a thin film of white chocolate. The fluffy banana sponge cake sits on an oatmeal crust and is served with dots of salted caramel.

For something more decadent, go for the Puck (S$8). The dark chocolate cake is really rich and is complemented perfectly with sea salt. If you’re a huge fan of chocolate cake, you’ll definitely love this.

One of the most popular cakes is the Dale (S$8). The elegant matcha tart is composed of light matcha sponge, matcha mouse and passionfruit compote. It looks like a mini-floating island. The pillowy-soft matcha sponge, tangy passionfruit compote and buttery crispy crumble made a great combination but I wished that the matcha was more robust.

The cakes are thoughtfully built with flavours that complement each other. The coffee is brewed from beans from Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee. A selection of Ette Tea brews is also available.

It takes awhile for the desserts to be plated individually, so be patient. Even though there are only a few tables and chairs in the small space, the turnover is relatively fast and the cafe is quiet even on weekends.

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

The post Lee’s Confectionery – Dessert Fanatics will Love this New French Patisserie in Jurong appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Welcome to Habitat by Honestbee — the world’s first tech-enabled, multi-sensory grocery and dining experience! It is not just a sophisticated supermarket or an insta-worthy cafe. Habitat by Honestbee promises an extraordinary dining and shopping experience in a 60,000-square-foot wonderland. To enter this exciting space, you will need to download the Honestbee app, and enter with your Bee Pass.

All you need is your phone and the Honestbee app and you’re fully equipped for a fuss-free shopping and dining adventure.

POOFY

Much has been said about the cloud-like pancakes at Habitat by Honestbee. I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard only good things. I was so excited to finally check out these highly-raved Poofy pancakes myself! Secure yourself the best seats in the house and prepare for a captivating spectacle. Witness the skillful staff whip the pancake batter, which is made from Japanese Takaragasa flour and Hokkaido milk, before expertfully cooking the pancakes on a non-stick griddle. The entire process was so fascinating and I was utterly mesmerized. Even after watching multiple pancakes leave the griddle, I still looked on eagerly at the birth of every poofy pancake!

Served with vanilla chantilly cream, maple syrup and fresh strawberries and blueberries, the fragrant pancakes were, undeniably, the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever had. Never have I had such incredibly light, yet wonderfully delicious, pancakes before.

Do be patient, especially over the weekends, as pancakes are made upon order. Each batch of pancakes requires at least 15 minutes to perfect. Good things are worth the wait, and Poofy’s pancakes ($14) are certainly worth waiting for.

You can’t leave Habitat by Honestbee without trying Poofy’s signature pancakes. In addition, you should check out Poofy’s Hokkaido milk soft serve in a cup ($6), or you can have it in Earl Grey waffle cones too!

CAPTAIN SNAPPER

If you have not tried Singapore’s favourite fish & chips, now’s the time! Go for the Barramundi and Dory fish & chips and Little Creatures beer set for just $24.90 (only available every Fry-day 🐟)

I’ll recommend Captain Snapper’s fish and chips. Barramundi, halibut, Atlantic cod, snapper or dory, is coated with a Tiger Beer batter. Pick your fish and pair it with any of their house made sauces. If you want something appetising, go for the classic tartare which is creamy and tangy. If you prefer something sweet and spicy, opt for the Citrus Thai Chili.

Many consider the fish and chips here to be one of the best in Singapore. We have to agree! We especially loved the barramundi ($14.90) and sweet halibut ($18.90). The fish was exceptional. Expect fresh, firm and flavourful fish encased in a thin crisp jacket. You’ll be hooked on the very first bite. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself reaching for more incessantly. Don’t forget to grab an icy cold beer to go along with your fish and chips!

HINOKI

At Hinoki, only the most premium and best Japanese ingredients are used. Think Kyoto-roasted beans and fresh Hokkaido milk. hinoki uses Mahlkonig Peak Grinder to rectify quantitative measurement of coffee, and the team weighs every single shot before extraction.

The matcha latte ($6) is made with matcha powder sourced from Kyoto and sweet high protein milk. Interestingly, the latte was milkier than what I’m used to, but I’m not complaining. Matcha lovers will, no doubt, fall in love with the rich and robust matcha latte at hinoki. Each mouthful is aromatic and comforting. While sipping on your traditional matcha, kick back and relax on the doob Bean Bags at Shufu. While you can’t be in Japan gushing over sakura right now, you can still catch a tiny piece of the sakura season here.

LAZY LOAF

Lazy Loaf specialises in the use of Asian flours such as Ba Ria-Vung Tau strong flour, Nippon Toku Kirin rye flour and Kobe flour (the same flour used for Poofy’s pancakes).

We always get to choose our favourite pastries to take home, or savour in a bakery. But have you ever been asked which type of toaster you’ll like your pastries to be toasted in? At Lazy Loaf, you may choose the type of toaster for your pastry. There are three toasters available — Magimix Vision Toaster, Balmuda (exclusively imported by habitat by honestbee) and De’Longhi – Icona Vintage.

We had the unassuming Himalayan Pink Salt Roll ($2 each) which, honestly, blew us away. The roll is made with just 3 ingredients — Echire butter, Himalayan Pink Salt and Kobe flour. The gorgeous golden roll was soft, fluffy, buttery, and just a tad savoury. You can imagine how awesome it tastes when it’s given a little time in the toaster! The butter roll is so popular that it’s usually sold out moments after it hits the display. Lazy Loaf can’t seem to roll out enough rolls for the butter roll fanatics!

MOSS

We picked a fresh red snapper and were told that we could have it cooked at Moss (Asian-style) or Campfire (Western-style).

The cooking fee is $8 for 500g (one piece). On Fridays (Fish Frydays), the cooking fee for the second portion is just $4.

For our snapper, we decided to have it cooked at Moss. At Moss, all fish is cooked in a banana leaf wrap and served with cincalok and calamansi, while all shellfish is cooked with sambal. Our fresh snapper was cooked on a griddle and it was so beautifully cooked. The succulent fish was slathered with a spicy and fragrant sambal and accompanied by a tangy cincalok dip. This one confirm can rival even the best zichar stalls!

NEW STALL ALERT

Are you a big fan of oysters? If you are, you must not miss this spanking new seafood bar which serves Asian-centric small plates and a seasonal sharing menu. Oysters are the main attraction here. From French to Irish oysters, habitat by honestbee has something for everybody. Relish these little gems with five toppings which include breadcrumbs with mentaiko aioli, and cucumber granita.

SHOPPING TIME

A trip to Habitat by Honestbee is not complete without a stroll through the grocery and snack sections.

Hassle-free grocery shopping? Surely, no such thing exists, right? Well, shopping at Habitat by Honestbee is indeed hassle free! Simply scan the barcode of the products with your phone, and walk away with them (for purchase of 10 items or less) without having to queue at any cashier for payment! Price tags are clearly displayed and the app states the prices too, so you don’t have to worry at all.

Don’t leave Habitat by Honestbee without some premium meats from the butcher. The aged meat here is spectacular.

Have a look at Habitat by Honestbee’s impressive wine stash too! Simply scan and pay for your wine! Habitat by honestbee carries local alcohol and many other beer brands which cannot be found easily in Singapore.

Hidden beyond the Wine and Spirits alley is b bar. Jio your friends for a unique cocktail experience in this secret bar which serves interesting bar bites such as beef cheek nuggets, smoked beef sliders and more. The bar uses gastronomy techniques like fat-washing, sous vide infusion, milk clarification, and even a bee smoker to churn out their cocktails. We’ll not let the cat out of the bag, try it yourself!

Food items are available for delivery through the app (within 3km of Habitat by Honestbee). Free shuttle bus is also available on Saturday and Sunday from Harbourfront and Labrador Park MRT. For private cars, there is free parking for up to 3 hours on Saturday and Sunday too!

This post was brought to you by Habitat by Honestbee.

The post Habitat by Honestbee – Revolutionary Supermarket Where You can Find One of the Best Pancakes and Fish & Chips in Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Our love for Malaysian fare is undeniable. At the newly opened Momo Kitchen in Jalan Bukit Merah, you can find tasty dishes such as nasi lemak and prawn noodles.

Momo Kitchen’s boss, Pauline, was a graphic designer before she ventured into F&B. Her mother-in-law opened Nasi Lemak Pekan Cina (大街咖喱饭) in Kedah and Pauline learnt how to prepare the dishes from her. When asked why she named the eatery “Momo”, Pauline said she loved the name after watching the Korean drama ‘My name is Kim Samsoon’. Momo, the character that Samsoon talks about in the drama, originated from a fantasy novel of the same name by Michael Ende.

The signature at Momo Kitchen is the handmade crystal dumplings. It got its name from the beautiful translucent look of the dumpling wrapper which is made from potato starch. Enclosed in soft and chewy skin is a generous amount of stir-fried shredded jicama and carrots. Diners love it so much that they sometimes order in bulk for events.

Momo Kitchen’s Rendang Chicken Butterfly Pea Nasi Lemak ($5.90) is built with fragant sambal, rendang chicken, cucumber slice and omelette. Pauline wanted to “revolutionise” the traditional nasi lemak. Hence, the fragrant rice is cooked with coconut milk and stained a pretty natural blue with the butterfly pea flower.

The chicken, which was tender and juicy, was simmered with lemongrass, cloves and cardamom. It had a good burst of flavours from the spices. They use fresh coconut milk to prepare the aromatic gravy. The fragrance of the rice was subtle and did not overpower the mildly spicy rendang.

The Bak Kut Teh Set ($7) comes with a bowl of rice, mustard vegetables and fried beancurd rolls. Plenty of spices and herbs are used to cook the bak kut teh but the herbal notes are not overpowering, snd I believe that most people will enjoy it.

Another huge hit is the Prawn Noodles ($5.50). The broth is really rich as it’s been boiled for hours. The addition of chilli gives it brilliant spicy kick. Their prawn mee comes with generous servings of prawns, pork slices, fried shallots and half a hard-boiled egg.

On Wednesday & Thursday, they have a special dish – Jawa Mee ($5.50). I probably only tried it once in Penang so I cannot comment much. The thick broth is made with deliciously roasted peanuts, sweet potatoes, prawns, and topped with Momo’s Prawn Biscuit. I squeezed some lime onto my noodles and mixed everything up for a more balanced flavour. The noodles were lightly blanched, retaining a firm yet springy texture.

There are also desserts available at Momo Kitchen. Pauline’s cousin, Xavier, is a trained pastry chef from Le Cordon Bleu. He came up with an excellent 8 treasures cheng tng, Peranakan pannacotta and earl grey dark chocolate loaf cake.

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

The post Momo Kitchen – New Malaysian Eatery Serving Blue Pea Nasi Lemak and Crystal Dumplings appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I’ve grown up eating kolo mee. My mother and her family originated from Sibu, Sarawak, so we would always fly back over the holidays to visit my grandmother. Every time without fail, kolo mee will always be the first and last dish that I will consume when I am in Sibu.

Due to work and basically just life, I now do not visit Sibu as often as I used to. I really miss having a comforting bowl of kolo mee though. Thankfully, I discovered 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee!

Run by two sisters who are Eastern Malaysian, 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee serves two dishes: Kolo Mee ($4/small & $5/large) & Sarawak Laksa ($6). I decided to have both.

I first tried the Kolo Mee. The Kolo Mee here is different from the one I usually have back in Sibu. Apart from the usual meaty char siew, it has crispy pork lard and simmered minced meat!

Of course, the heart of a bowl of kolo mee is its noodles. At first glance, the noodles may look plain and dry, but looks are indeed deceiving!

While the sauce may only barely coat the noodles, it’s more than sufficient! The fragrant lard oil used makes the bowl of noodles incredibly aromatic.

Next, we had the Sarawak Laksa ($6).

Sarawak laksa is quite interesting. While curry laksa is made from coconut milk and Assam laksa from tamarind paste, Sarawak laksa is made with both coconut milk and tamarind paste!

The Sarawak laksa comes with beehoon, a few average-sized prawns, chilli and lime. The beehoon soaked up all that flavourful broth!

 I can understand why Sarawak laksa may not be especially popular with Singaporeans, as we may not be as accustomed to the broth, which is less rich than the usual curry laksa. I really liked the broth though!

The kolo mee here really evoked nostalgia. I was reminiscing my childhood memories in Sibu, Sarawak, as I was savouring the noodles! I understand why Sarawakians frequent this stall. If you want authentic kolo mee, you can get your fix at 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee.

The post 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee – Kolo Mee that Reminds Me of My Childhood appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

What do you know about Furama Singapore? They have two hotels in Singapore – Furama RiverFront and Furama City Centre, 3 restaurants from these two hotels offering both halal and non-halal dining options!

From 02 May to 30 June 2019, The Square @ Furama (Furama RiverFront), Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant (Furama RiverFront) and Tiffany Café & Restaurant (Furama City Centre) will be launching value-for-money meat buffets. Savour premium roasts and fork-tender meat accompanied with tantalising gravy and sauces. Both non-halal and halal offerings are available.

SPECIAL DEAL FOR ALL READERS
Quote “MEATFURAMAMTC” at the cashier to enjoy 10% discount in conjunction with existing promotions.

Are you itching to sink your teeth into a juicy slab of meat, or barbecued delights? For all you meat lovers, it’s time to put on your best stretchable pants and set aside some time (at least a few hours) to enjoy the gastronomic delights at 3 buffet restaurants in Furama Singapore.

The Square @ Furama
Furama RiverFront, Level 2
Non-halal

Located on the second level of Furama RiverFront, The Square @ Furama promises a slew of Asian and Western delights in the buffet spread. Helmed by Executive Chef Jackson, The Square @ Furama always surprises their guests with impressive gourmet experiences and new creations.

Start your meal with some seafood on ice. Plump mussels and fresh crabs await. Move on to the roast beef next. The succulent marbled slab of Pan-Roasted Angus Beef Tenderloin will dazzle your tastebuds. Marinated with fresh herbs, the tenderloin, which was completed with mushroom ragout, garlic chip and truffle jus, was as tender as it was tasty.

The Salted Egg Crabs were big, and you could taste the freshness in its firm flesh. The golden sauce coating the crab was finger-licking good. Naturally, everyone took their time with this dish.

Equally appealing was the Slow-Cooked Grain Fed Kangaroo Tail. I have eaten roasted kangaroo meat but this is the first time I am having it in a stew. The meat was fork-tender, rich, and flavorful — reminiscent of those cuts of beef and pork frequently used for braising. It was delicious and just melted in my mouth!

All-Day One-for-one promotion (02 May to 30 June 2019)

• Weekday Buffet Lunch and Dinner: S$78++ (Adult) $30++ (Child)
• Weekend Buffet Lunch and Dinner: S$80++ (Adult) $35++ (Child)

Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant
Furama RiverFront, Level 3
Halal

Indonesian cuisine has so much to offer. I have been craving for addictive sambal and aromatic rendang dishes. Furama RiverFront’s halal-certified Kintamani Restaurant is a fantastic place to savour it all. They are the first Halal establishment in a hotel, and provides an authentic Balinese dining experience daily.

To start, we had the impossibly light and refreshing Young Mango Salad with Roasted Walnuts which was extremely appetite-whetting. We then had chilli crabs which evoked sharp intakes of breath, and little gasps of excitement. The incredibly fragrant chilli crab sauce packed a good amount of heat and I mopped up every bit of sauce. Another highlight is the Wok-Fried Spicy Prawns with Wild Petai. The perfectly-cooked stink beans were coated in a robust sambal made with yellow ginger, lime leaves, fresh chilli and garlic.

The beef rendang was braised in coconut milk to and the melt-in-your-mouth beef was amazingly tender. The same could be said of the Broiled Fragrant Beef Tendon Broth and Beef Ren, a heavenly stew. The kitchen does not hold back on the addition of seasoning, spices, and herbs, and every dish is immensely tasty.

Exciting promotion (2 May to 4 June 2019)

• Buffet Lunch: S$26++ (Adult) $15++ (Child)
  

  *Special Lunch pricing is not valid on 11 & 12 May 2019

• One-for-one Buffet Dinner: S$65++ (Adult) $30++ (Child)

Tiffany Café & Restaurant
Furama City Centre, Level 2
Halal certified kitchen

Sporting a new cosmopolitan concept, Tiffany Café & Restaurant, which is decorated in hues of blue, serves an array of international dishes in its buffet line-up. Look forward to signature dishes such Baked Whole Seabass with Sambal and Spices, Roasted Leg of Lamb, and perennial favourite Durian Pengat from their Halal-certified kitchen.

The spotlight was definitely on the Baked Chicken with Coconut and Spices, which was a quirky and interesting chicken dish that’s imbued with a blend of spices including Green Chilli, Chilli Padi, Candlenut, Lemongrass, Lime leaf and Coconut Cream. The chicken was exceptionally tender, and carried a hint of sweetness. The dish is topped off with coconut shavings.

Lamb shanks need hours of slow and gentle cooking for the meat to effortlessly fall off the. The silky and almost-sticky lamb shank possessed a rich and intense flavour that I couldn’t help but fall in love with. From sea to table, the Seabass is marinated with sambal sauce and sautéed for 35 minutes. Tangy and spicy, the seabass was pristinely fresh and utterly palatable.

Don’t forget to round off your meal on a high with a sticky date pudding!

Exciting promotion (6 May to 4 June 2019)

• Buffet Lunch: S$28nett (Adult) $15nett (Child)
  

  *Special Lunch pricing is not valid on 11 & 12 May 2019

• One-for-one Buffet Dinner: S$68.80++ (Adult) $28.80++ (Child)

This post was brought to you by Furama Singapore.

The post Furama Singapore — 3 Buffet Feasts for Meat Aficionados (1-FOR-1 DEALS INCLUDED!) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

The Auntie serving at the counter was extremely jovial and approachable. Born in Ipoh, she came to Singapore when she was 17 and has been in the hawker scene for more than 20 years.

She could tell that it was my first time here and she recommended that I add on dumplings to my $3 wanton noodles.

Although I ordered the dry version with chilli, the wanton mee was more like the KL-style version, with sauce coating the noodles thoroughly. I really liked how the sliced fresh green chilli added a hint of sourness to the savoury sauce. The wanton was pretty average though.

I will recommend getting the dumpling noodles instead of the wanton noodles as the dumplings are really something. You can get 2 additional dumplings for $1. Just look at the smooth skin of the plump dumpling! The filling was really sweet and crunchy, thanks to the incorporation of black fungus and water chestnut. All the dumplings and wantons are handmade while the soup is boiled with anchovies and soy beans.

I also tried the braised chicken feet which was one of the most succulent braised chicken feet I’ve ever had! The skin came off the bone and tendons so easily and the chicken feet were so fragrant! This is the first time I’ve come across chicken feet this big in a hawker centre! It is nothing like the usual chicken feet you see in traditional Chinese boiled soups. It looked really wrinkled and tough but it was actually very soft and moist.

Now, finally on to the mushroom. It was a flavour bomb! All the juices packed inside the mushroom erupted when I bit into it. The braised sauce and natural sweetness of the Shiitake mushroom just came gushing out! I know I will be back for the chicken feet, mushrooms and dumplings!

Auntie remembers her regulars’ orders and sometimes help them decide on the ingredients to go with the noodles if they have a hard time deciding. It seems like the regulars trust her decisions wholeheartedly. Do come before 9:30am to avoid disappointment!

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

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

The post Pin Xiang – Well-Braised Chicken Feet with Fall-Off-The-Bone Skin! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2019 is here!

The past few years of Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar were attracting crowds with greatly instagrammable and colourful food, but for this year, 60% of the food stalls will sell traditional Malay dishes! Hurray to old-school folks like us!

There are approximately 500 stalls this year, focusing on mainly F&B, and lifestyle retail. #TeamTamChiak visited the bazaar on the first day and we observed that the space between stalls has greatly increased, making patronising the stalls much more enjoyable. Besides food and retail, there are also Uncle Ringo rides and claw machines.

OLD SCHOOL CHARM

If you have to wait in line for your food when the Bazaar is not even at its peak period, then you know that you have struck the gold mine. For me, that gold mine was Famous Vadai Uncle! Every batch of freshly cooked prawn vadai ($2.50 for 3 pcs) that came out piping hot straight from the fryer, it was gone by the next minute! Akin to the doughnut, the prawn vadai is soft and chewy, yet it was every bit savoury!

A new face at Ramadan Bazaar 2019, MyLaksa serves Penang-style assam laksa and its menu only contains four items: the Laksa Special ($7), Assam Fishball ($5), Syrup Bandung ($2) and Iced Cincau ($2). The star of the show here is the Laksa Special. There are a lot of ingredients jam-packed into this bowl of assam laksa! Think substantial chunks of sardines, fried fishball, half an egg and the laksa noodles were cooked until springy!

A catering service by trade but no doubt wooed by the prospects of the Bazaar, Masakan Shaik Sabri serves a mix of traditional Malay food fare. The Nasi Ayam Goreng ($6.90) was succinctly savoury; it comes with a fork-tender chicken leg that was easy to rip into, puffy & fragrant rice and a side of achar.

Do not underestimate Ayam Percik’s grilled chicken wing ($2) coated with sweet and spicy sauce! The grillness was done just right to cook through the meat, not drying the meat at all. The sweet and spicy sauce adds a fiery kick only after a while, shiok! Yakuza takoyaki serves halal Takoyaki and Abang burger. If you are craving for satay, head to Opah Satay for some delicious satay goreng.

HIPSTER FOOD

BURP’s Lobster Roll seems like a dream come true at a very affordable price! The London Lobster Roll ($12 for Regular size and $19 for London size) was overloaded with chunks of juicy American Lobster meat in a buttery brioche roll, accompanied by addictive cassava chips. Laksa Lobster Roll is available too. Add a hint of nostalgia with the White Rabbit bucket drink ($8) that brings back those childhood and old school memories, and providing a refreshing respite from hot weather.

The Mala Stop is here to satisfy your mala fix at Ramadan Bazaar 2019. They take it up another notch by selling its dishes in salted egg version as well! You can also choose your level of spiciness. Our favourite is Bee-FF Mala ($10.90) with medium spice. The mala seasoning coated every inch of ingredients & noodles well and it was tongue-numbing and spicy. Thankfully, each mala dish order comes with a drink of your choice (Honeydew, Blackcurrant, Rose, or Lemon Tea) so I was able to put out the flames in my mouth!

For meat lovers, try Tori Katsu and Menchi Katsu from MadBroSG at Ramadan Bazaar 2019. Word Cafe has got an improved version of the halal Rainbow Bagel ($10) which comes with turkey bacon, Angus beef, cheese and egg wrap. Other burger options include Ayam Belado Burger ($8) and Satay Burger ($8). Katoshka ain’t your average french fries. They come in unique flavours such as special cheese, sour ranch, spicy arrabbiata, pepper mushroom and spicy bolognese. Each tub only costs $6.90.

To pair with your savoury dishes, order the Brown Sugar Creme Brulee ($5.30 for medium size and $6.30 for large size) from Alley (Tea & Boba). Remember to stir and mix the brown sugar well to indulge in the drinkable milky “dessert”! Loco Loco has launched a variety of new drinks such as Thai Iced Lemon Tea, Lychee Soda and Taro Milk Tea. Bakes by NY has prepared stuffed donuts in four flavours – Nutella chocolate fudge, cream cheese, Nutella and salted caramel cream cheese. Bill & Bell makes traditional Hungarian chimney cake with soft serve.

My favourite was the murtabak manis from Markozar. Nutella falls ($6.50) was heaven for me! The combination of butter, shredded murtabak cheese (yes, there is really a cheese just for murtabak), drizzled with loads of Nutella chocolate and condensed milk, and finally topped with crushed peanuts, it was totally worth the calories! Pandan lovers must order Putri slide ($6.50), the pandan was really fragrant and not overly sweet.

Regardless of hipster or traditional foods, old or new, Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2019 is a treasure trove of delectable food stalls waiting to be unravelled by bazaar-goers! What are some of your favourite food stalls? Any interesting food that caught your attention? Tell us in the comments below. See you at Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2019!

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

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You can never miss this stall, especially early in the morning, at Jalan Bukit Merah Market & Food Centre. The stall always has the longest queue which doesn’t seem to shorten until its fishballs are completely sold out.

Hia Tsoong Chiau is one of the few hawkers who still makes his fishballs by hand. Here’s his daily routine : he goes to the fish market at 2am to collect the fish, prepare and blend the fish at 3:15am, and shapes the fishballs by 4:15am.

Hia’s son and wife start selling fishball noodles around 4:15am while he mends the beverage stall next door. Around 4pm, he will prepare the ingredients for the following day. He ends his day at about 9pm.

Hia shared that it was tough work, and the team takes a break on Monday and Tuesday.

Hong Yong Chao Zhou Yu Yuan Guo Tiao Mian evoked nostalgia. I remember back before Dover Road Hawker Centre was demolished, I ate $2 fishball noodles for breakfast everyday. Hong Yong Chao Zhou Yu Yuan Guo Tiao Mian’s dry chilli version($2.50) tasted exactly like it. The kway teow mee, which was coated in pork lard oil, was extremely fragrant.

Hong Yong Chao Zhou Yu Yuan Guo Tiao Mian’s handmade fishballs are made fresh daily. Only 2000+ fishballs are made each operating day. The fishballs are made from 黄尾鱼 (Yellowtail, aka 番薯鱼).

Although Hia’s son has been helping him out since a long time ago, Hia is the only one who knows how to make the fishballs, ever since 1969.

I’ll recommend getting the bigger bowl ($3.50) because the smaller version comes with only a small portion of noodles and 5 fishballs.

I managed to know more about Hia as he was extremely open and friendly. He shared that his routine became mundane, and he appreciated that there are people out there who still care about the effort that he puts into each fishball. Kudos to hardworking and disciplined hawkers, like Hia, who give their best to their patrons without fail!

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 Hong Yong Chao Zhou Yu Yuan Guo Tiao Mian. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Hong Yong Chao Zhou Yu Yuan Guo Tiao Mian – Underrated Teochew Handmade Fishball Noodle appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Hippo Family Restaurant is owned by a lady who moved to Singapore from Jiangsu, China, in 1992. Hippo Family Restaurant first started 10 years ago, and has been popular with the office crowd and families.

Understanding that F&B manpower is scarce in Singapore, especially when it comes to skilful chefs, the lady boss was firm on not opening more outlets. So, you can be sure that you won’t find another franchise of Hippo Family Restaurant, and that is what makes this place irreplaceable.

We ordered classic zichar dishes such as curry fish head, shrimp paste chicken wing, sambal kangkong and hotplate tofu to get a rough idea of the standard of the food at Hippo Family Restaurant, since it was our first time here.

At $19, the curry fish head boasted a fish head that was bigger and meatier than expected. Also, a generous amount and variety of ingredients such as taupok, cabbage, long bean, eggplant and lady’s finger were inside the claypot. You just need some rice to go along with it. The spiciness of the curry was just right, while the sourness of the tamarind was satisfying. This will be even better on a rainy day!

Usually, shrimp paste chicken is priced at at least $8 per serving (typically for 8 pieces), but here at Hippo Family Restaurant, it’s only $6.50 (for 7 pieces)! Even though we only had it after a while, it was still very crispy. In the end, everyone was fighting for the last paiseh piece!

The sambal kangkong($5.50) was just enough for 4 of us. Hippo Family Restaurant’s sambal kangkong is moderately spicy so that it is acceptable for most. The kang kong didn’t have a very strong dried shrimp or sambal flavour, but I like how crunchy the stems were.

We ordered the hot plate tofu without looking at the price, so when it arrived we were a little disappointed as the portion looked slightly pathetic. After checking the menu, I was surprised to learn that this dish was only $6.50!

The egg yolk was runny and went very well with rice! Honestly, the amount of tofu was too little for 4 people. If there’s an option to get a bigger portion, I will definitely get that.

The lady boss was very friendly and thoughtful. We actually ordered more than these 4 dishes but she advised us to stop at 4 dishes since we only had 4 people. Thankfully we heeded her advice because we were belly-full and we had leftovers in the end.

I can foresee myself bringing my family here to try the other dishes Hippo Family Restaurant has to offer. The food is good and I don’t have to worry about  burning a hole in my pocket!

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 Hippo Family Restaurant. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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KS Indian Multi Racial Food Stall

If not for random research on the internet, I will never know about UE Print Food Court’s existence. I actually came here for the nasi goreng ayam masak merah (fried rice with chicken cooked in red chilli sauce), but the stall owner of KS Indian Multi Racial Food Stall said there is no such dish and recommended its Mutton Briyani ($6) and Nasi Goreng with Chicken Masala ($7).

We went ahead with his recommendation. Unfortunately, the mutton briyani was disappointing as the mutton was tough and the nasi mediocre. Fortunately, the nasi goreng saved the day.

Firstly, the nasi was huge in portion. Secondly, it was flavourful and had a spicy kick! The chicken masala was thick, just like how I like it to be! The chicken was almost fork-tender and complemented the nasi goreng really well.

I will actually order this if I’m here for lunch again. It was so satisfying and well-loved by all of my colleagues too!

Ban Mian. Fish Soup

This stall had the longest queue in the food court. It has a good variety of handmade noodles, mee sua, and koka noodles.

Apart from the usual minced meat, sliced fish and fried fish noodles, the stall also offers seafood, and tom yum noodles. You’ll need multiple visits to try all the different combinations!

Having tried the famous koka noodle soup at Bukit Panjang, I decided to try the dry version this time, and added beancurd skin to it. It was a match made in heaven! The thin yet chewy beancurd skin made the dry Koka Noodles ($3.50) more palatable! I also liked how the Koka noodles were cooked just right such that it was springy and firm.

I also ordered the dry version of ban mian (Chinese block noodle, $3.50). The sauce is actually the same as the one in the Koka noodles. I enjoyed the Koka noodles more as the ban mian hardened quite quickly.

If you’re looking for something spicy and tangy, do give the tom yum soup a try! My colleague really loved this seafood tom yum ban mian soup ($4.50)!

Look at the sheer number of noodle dishes available! There is really something for everyone!

I can’t seem to find the opening hours of UE Print Food Court, but to be safe, head down during lunchtime on weekdays to avoid disappointment.

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

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

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