Tucked away in a cosy corner on the 2nd floor of International Plaza is Bimi Kaiho Restaurant. That’s right, their food isn’t the only thing that’s authentically Japanese! The moment I passed through the traditional Japanese fabric dividers hanging over their doorway, it felt like I was stepping into another world.

While I was there on a Friday evening, I noticed a majority of customers being Japanese expats. Apart from the multitude of Japanese decorations on the wall, the presence and greetings of the Japanese customers tremendously enhanced the atmosphere and ambience of the restaurant. Nevertheless, there’s no cause for alarm if you do not speak Japanese because the owners of the restaurant speak fluent English and Chinese too!

I tried two set meals at Bimi Kaiho. The first was their Udon Set ($17)! The Udon Set comes with a bowl of Udon (obviously), Chawanmushi, and a choice of 1 of the following as your side dish — Tempura (prawns), Tonkatsu (pork cutlet), Tori Karaage (fried chicken), Yakiniku (beef), Korokke (croquette)!

This was hands down, not even exaggerating, the most delicious bowl of udon noodles I have ever had. The noodles were perfect in thickness and I found its soft and chewy texture so addictive! The broth was light and flavourful, striking a balance between the savoury tonkatsu sauce that I had with my side dish of pork cutlet. The lady boss of Bimi Kaiho revealed that bonito flakes were used to create the essence of the broth. Moreover, the pork cutlet was thick and lean, with only a thin layer of batter, making it less crispy than other pork cutlets I’ve had, but so much more wholesome and worth the money!

Next up, I had the Sushi Chasoba Set ($18)! I usually prefer a warm main course, but the chilled cha soba was extremely refreshing! Before slurping up your noodles, remember to dip them into Bimi Kaiho’s housemade soba sauce which adds a light fragrance to the noodles!

Be careful not to add too much wasabi to your sushi because their sushi is already served with a thin dash of wasabi sandwiched in-between the rice and the key ingredient. It’s the chef’s recommended amount of wasabi for optimal gastronomical pleasure! I got a pleasant surprise when an overwhelming burning sensation from the additional wasabi I added on came rushing through my nasal passages. The sashimi and raw tuna were fresh and smooth!

This set meal also comes with Tempura and Chawanmushi! Although the Chawanmushi was a little watery that day, my friend who had been patronizing the restaurant since he was a child assured me that it’s usually firmer and more fragrant. Maybe the owners were just having a bad day and slightly overcooked this batch of Chawanmushi.

Apart from the two noodle set meals mentioned above, the restaurant also caters to every palate by serving a tantalizing range of homecooked Japanese rice dishes such as Katsudon, Unagi Bento, and Katsukare (pork cutlet with curry rice)! International Plaza is located directly across the road from Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Do check out Bimi Kaiho Restaurant if you’re interested in an authentic Japanese dining experience!

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 Bimi Kaiho Restaurant. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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I usually need something cold in my daily diet to prevent me from going crazy in the sweltering heat. What better way to cool down than with some ice cream! Being a huge chocolate fan, when I saw that there was a new cafe serving all things chocolate, I visited as soon as I could.

The slightly controversial acronym used in their name aside, I was curious to see if their chocolate ice cream was as good as they said. OCD cafe’s specialty is, obviously, their chocolate ice cream, which come in 5 different flavours. Each has a different cacao percentage and unique origin — Madagascar 33% Milk, Ecuador 40% Milk, Belgium Dark 60%, Brazil 72% Dark, Africa 85% Dark. The ice cream was quite reasonably priced at $3.60 per scoop, or $7 for two.

There’s a pretty good variety of flavours. Some are classic, while some like the Buttery Biscoff and Avocado Gula Melaka, are more unique. You can also top up  $4 for a waffle, which can come with sesame and sweet corn.

After tasting a few flavours, we decided to get the Africa 85% Dark and Avocado Gula Melaka on a sesame waffle, and the Buttery Biscoff in a cup. Although the sweet corn waffle sounded like it would be pretty interesting as well, I love sesame so I decided to get that instead!

I loved the fragrance of the black sesame in the waffle, but fans of the fluffy waffle variety might find it a little too dense. To balance out the richness of this waffle, I recommend pairing it with some lighter or more refreshing flavours.

The 85% Dark was pretty decent. It was rich without being too cloying. However, for 85% cocoa, it wasn’t as bitter as I would’ve liked, and for die-hard dark chocolate fans, this definitely can’t replace the actual thing. Although the signature should be the chocolate, my favourite flavour of the three actually turned out to be the Avocado Gula Melaka! I could really taste the avocado, and it had the perfect level of sweetness.

The Biscoff was delicious as well, but could get a little too cloying if you were eating the entire scoop yourself. If you’re a fan of this European biscuit, it’s worth a try.

The store is open till 1am from Thursday to Sunday so it’s good for some late night desserts if you’re in the area. If I visit again, I’ll go for the sweet corn waffle!

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 Obsessive Chocolate Desire (OCD) Cafe. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Being 99% carnivorous, I have always found it hard to enjoy vegetables on their own. I don’t fancy healthy food in general as well. Nonetheless, it is true that healthier foods have always been on the pricier and less tasty end of the spectrum. Strangely, I was drawn to Kenboru’s healthy Japanese Western fusion bowls which are very affordable. Kenboru offers premium proteins and ingredients that are super tasty!

While most undergraduates, like myself, are still sitting around scratching our heads, Samantha has been honing her culinary skills. She’s been learning how to cook from her mom since she was young. Despite graduating with a degree in Economics from SMU at the age of 23, Samantha decided to pursue her passion for cooking, and is now the founder of two F&B establishments located at the basement of SMU’s School of Information Systems – Kenboru, and Bricklane!

With no experience in the F&B industry, Samantha had many doubts and faced numerous uncertainties at the beginning. As SMU is located in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District, it meant that Samantha had the opportunity to reach out to the masses. However, she had to do her own R&D to ensure that her food would appeal to everyone and not just the students of SMU.

Kenboru serves Japanese fusion rice bowls and soba! Taking pictures in the kitchen, I found it fascinating that zero oil is used throughout the entire preparation process in order to keep their bowls healthy and wholesome. After the rice bowls are packed tightly with ingredients that are neatly arranged, a generous serving of Kenboru’s housemade mentaiko sauce is applied!

Presentation-wise, the rice bowls had already fulfilled my aesthetic requirement, but Kenboru takes it one step further by torching the meat on the counter in front of customers! The flame gives both the meat and the mentaiko sauce a glorious charred look, releasing a smokey aroma. At this point, I simply couldn’t wait to dig in!

This is Kenboru’s Smoked Salmon Mentaiko with Fish Roe ($10.90) which is one of the 3 most popular dishes I tried. Samantha mentioned that the housemade mentaiko sauce was created through a series of trial and errors. Their success is apparent from its flavour and texture. Rich and creamy with an acute savouriness, the sauce went perfectly well with the rice, fish roe, and salmon that was slightly charred.

Before you complain that the rice is a little plain, remember to break into the yellow core of their sous vide eggs that are consistent in texture for every bowl. Almost completely liquid, the yolk is held together only by a soft and malleable layer of white. The moment I pulled back the egg white, the yolk burst and a creamy and robust yellow goodness oozed out.

The Grilled Teriyaki Chicken ($6.90) was tender and juicy with the right amount of meat and a layer of fat that had been nicely flamed. Once more, I broke into the egg and mixed it into the rice. Don’t be afraid to make a mess! To strike a balance between healthy and tasty food, Kenboru had to think of an alternative to soaking the entire bowl in the sweet donburi sauce we are familiar with. I found that the egg is a far better substitute! If I had the choice, I’d definitely opt for Kenboru’s egg over any donburi sauce for my future rice bowls.

Lastly, I tried Kenboru’s Smoked Duck Breast ($7.90)! For the same price, you can have either Cha Soba or Romaine Lettuce in either Roasted Sesame or Wafu Dressing for your base! I’ve never been a fan of cold noodles but this was something else. Similar to the previous two rice bowls I had, I released the glorious yolk from the sous vide egg, and everything came together surprisingly well! The soba had a springy texture, was firm to the bite, and the roasted sesame seeds lent a delicious nutty flavour, complementing the overall taste of the bowl.

I appreciated the variety of toppings that are added to every fusion bowl to make the entire dish more vibrant and visually appealing. Apart from looking good, the toppings also serve to balance out the entire meal; they provide a refreshing alternative to the umami of the meat, mentaiko sauce, and egg. The Japanese cucumbers are thinly sliced, bright yellow daikons extremely crunchy, and cherry tomatoes fresh, juicy, and sweet! For someone who doesn’t usually fancy vegetables, I think Kenboru did a pretty good job at tricking me into eating healthy.

What started off as a small goal to dish out good food for the SMU community may now expand into big dreams for the future! When I asked what the next step was, Samantha mentioned that she has possible plans to either open more outlets or venture into new areas of the F&B industry. Whether you’re a student at SMU or in the city looking for a meal that’s both healthy for you and your wallet, do check out Kenboru at the basement of SMU’s School of Information Systems!

In addition to Kenboru, Samantha’s other F&B outlet at SMU called Bricklane serves healthy and customizable salad bowls with proteins like rib-eye steak, chilli and lime tilapia, and grilled chicken. Believe it or not, every salad bowl (including the one with rib-eye steak) goes for under $8! On top of that, Bricklane also has one of the cheapest Sojus in town(3 bottles for $36 nett).

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

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More than halfway through 2019, and I would say the Mala craze is still going strong. Or maybe it’s just my circle of friends who are still obsessed. But anyway, it’s time I introduce my personal favourite Mala Xiang Guo in the whole of Singapore! While many would immediately think of Ri Ri Hong at Chinatown when you mention Mala, I much prefer Wan Xin Mala Xiang Guo along Upper Serangoon Road.

The eatery is brightly lit and spacious, and is packed with customers whenever I visit in the evening. It’s so well-lit that I suspect it might actually feel brighter at night than in the day. Although Wan Xin Mala is open from 11am every day, it’s more of a dinner or supper place and I recommend visiting it during evening time instead! They’re open till 3am every day, making it extremely popular as a supper place.

I’ll say the prices here are extremely reasonable, and even though we got a pretty substantial amount of food, plus a bowl of rice, our bill was only slightly above $20. On top of that, the wide variety of ingredients they offer have been very fresh every time I visited!

I love spicy food, but my family doesn’t, and we usually get the zhong la (medium spicy) to bring home. So when I got the chance to go big on this trip, I, of course, jumped at it. Let’s just say they definitely don’t hold back on the chillis. Even though my companion and I were almost dying from the spiciness, the addictive flavours and fragrance kept us going back for more.

Some Mala tend to be too oily, salty, or numbing without any fragrance, but there’s none of that disappointment here. It’s extremely aromatic, and doesn’t have too much of the uncomfortable numbing sensation that many dislike. If you’ll like your Mala to have less oil and salt, simply ask and they’re more than happy to accommodate!

If you haven’t tried it, do grab a group of Mala-loving friends and give it a try!

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 Wan Xin Mala Xiang Guo. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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I always believe that every part of Singapore, even places as ulu as Tai Seng or Ubi, is bound to have good food. This list is not exhaustive but if you’re working or living in these areas, this guide will come in very handy!

BELOW $10

DA SHENG MINCED MEAT NOODLE

The authentic Teochew Bak Chor Mee (minced meat noodle, $5.50) comes with minced meat (marinated with powdered sole fish), braised mushrooms, meatballs, pork slices and liver, and 2 crispy wantons! The portion is crazy huge (even the guys in the team think so)!

A relatively new dish is the Fried Chicken Chop Noodles ($5.50) which is another must-try. The succulent chicken thigh chunks were extremely savoury and juicy.

MEI MEI ROAST

Mei Mei Roast Meat is actually operated by the younger sister of the former owner of Kay Lee. Madam Lee takes care of the roasting and chopping while her assistant takes orders. Roasted traditionally with charcoal, the duck sports a reddish-brown skin which had a hint of smokiness. The meat was full of flavour.

The char siew stole the show. Slightly charred, the char siew had a thin layer of fat and tender lean meat. I also love their Cantonese-style boiled soups.

TOOK LAE DEE

Looking for quick and affordable Thai food in Taiseng? Took Lae Dee is the place to go! Its name ‘Took Lae Dee’ literally translates to ‘Cheap and Good’. But Took Lae Dee is not only that, it serves really authentic restaurant-quality Thai food. The Pad Krapow (pictured above) is only $3.80! You may choose either minced chicken or pork with a crispy yet runny fried egg on rice.

Your order is cooked only upon order, so you can be assured that your dish comes immediately from the wok. Took Lae Dee also offers other must-try Thai classics such as Thai Tom Yum Spicy and Sour Soup ($6.80), Kang Keaw Wan Thai Green Curry ($7.00), Yum Woon Sen (Spicy Vermicelli Salad) and Som Tum (Green Papaya Salad) at $6.00 each.

PANCAKE KING

Pancake King uses only fresh ingredients such as banana, carrot, pumpkin, walnuts, raisin and prunes, and the best quality butter from New Zealand or Australia to make their pancakes.

Adequately crispy, spongy and moist, the pancake is actually made with no oil at all. Pancake King has been offering a “Money Back Guarantee” since 1998 because it is very confident of its pancakes ($0.90 each). Grab some for tea break, you won’t regret it!

THUNDERBOLT TEA BY BOON LAY TRADITIONAL HAKKA LUI CHA

The rice bowl($4 for white rice, $4.50 for brown rice) here 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. It’s a hearty and earthy dish which resembles a healthy bowl of fried rice with lots of crunchy vegetables! If you’re on a clean diet, the rice bowl here is perfect for you.

INDONESIA DELIGHT GANDIS

It’s not difficult to spot Indonesia Delight Gandis because there’s always a long queue. Annie, the owner, who is from Bandung, recommended its signature dish Ayam Penyet ($5.50). Marinated with several herbs and spices, the tender chicken thigh is smashed before being deep-fried. It was not as oily as I had expected and the skin was crisp. Remember to pair it with the chilli. They have other dishes such as Ikan Penyet ($6), which we absolutely love too, and Mee Rebus ($3)!

UE PRINT FOOD COURT – BAN MIAN

Apart from the usual minced meat, sliced fish, and fried fish noodles, the stall offers seafood, and tom yum noodles. You’ll need multiple visits to try all the different combinations! The dish that we loved the most was the Koka noodles because it was springy and cooked just right.

QUAN LAI KWAY CHAP

Quan Lai Kway Chap’s braised sauce is not too thick, and their duck meat is pretty delicious. We loved the intestines which are deep-fried, and the incorporation of pineapples in the sauce.  Although all the ingredients were cooked well, the meal was quite pricey($28/2 pax).

YONG LAI FA JI SHU SHI

The MSG-free fish head soup ($5) is boiled with fish bones and chicken for more than 8 hours. Mr. Peh selects the best fish at 11pm, washes and chops them in the wee hours to prepare for business. You’ve got to be patient because each order is cooked individually. The meat on the fish head fell off easily and the sweetness of the fresh fish was very evident.

MR LORBAK

The only dish sold at Mr Lorbak is the Braised Pork Belly Rice ($3.50) which comes with a braised egg and crunchy black fungus. The pork belly sits in a stock of about 20 types of herbs and spices for 3 hours before it is braised for 14 hours. You can expect the pork belly to have a good proportion of meat and fat.

CRISPY ROTI PRATA

The prata here is always sold out by the end of the day! You can request for either fish or mutton curry to go with your crispy prata.

HIPPO FAMILY RESTAURANT

Hippo Family Restaurant’s curry fish head($19) was bigger and meatier than we expected. It came with a generous amount of ingredients such as taupok, cabbage, long bean, eggplant and lady’s finger. We really enjoyed the curry and the shrimp paste chicken($6.50/7 pieces)!

LAM BEE CHICKEN RICE

Wanting to try everything, I ordered a serving of roasted pork, char siew, roasted chicken and steamed chicken to go with my fragrant rice (all for $6). The roasted chicken was succulent and its skin was lightly savoury. My colleague preferred the steamed chicken as it tasted fresher. Complete your meal with a bowl of Cantonese-style soup which starts from $3.

JULAIHA MUSLIM RESTAURANT

The Indian rojak ($5) won me over with its sweet and slightly spicy peanut sauce. Every ingredient that I chose was fried well too. My favourite ingredient was the fried vegetable-cake which was crispy and savoury. It was also the first thing to be gone from the plate! Since Julaiha Muslim Restaurant is open 24/7, it is a relatively hot spot for supper. The crowd sure loves the prata here.

HUAY KWANG WANTON MEE

A must-order is the Fried Wantons ($3)! It’s a really simple snack, but it’s so satisfying when done right! Huay Kwang’s handmade Dumplings ($5) were huge and plump! Look forward to well-marinated minced meat, crunchy water chestnut, and sweet firm prawns in each dumpling. The Thai-style wanton mee was pretty decent but the dumplings and fried wanton stole the show!

UBI DMQ EATING HOUSE – HANDMADE NOODLES

The Dry Mee Hoon Kueh ($4) may look plain but it’s anything but. Just mix it well with the dark sauce hidden beneath the noodles, and the runny egg yolk sitting in a separate bowl of soup! There’s even a Lala ban mian($5) ! The Fish & Prawn ban mian($6.50) was a flavour bomb and my favourite dish here!

UBI 325 FRIED CHICKEN & WESTERN FOOD

If there is only one thing I’ll travel from my office to this Ubi coffeeshop for, it is Ubi 325’s Chicken Cutlet ($6.50)! The breaded exterior, which was golden brown and crisp, gave way with an audible crunch, when I cut into it. The Codfish Fillet ($7), which consisted of 2 long fillets of sweet and soft cod, was super value-for-money! It has a better texture than dory and I like that the batter was not too thick.

NIU ZOU LA MIAN MUSLIM FOOD

Niu Zou La Mian Muslim Food does not just serve noodles, it serves handmade Halal noodles! Lan Zhou Beef Ramen ($5) is the signature dish and consists of a decent portion of beef and a flavoursome beefy broth laced with chilli oil. Surprisingly, the dish was not too spicy. It was extremely palatable and I downed the broth really quickly. Other must-tries include the Beef Stewed Noodles ($8) and Beef Cold Ramen ($7). Come after 12pm because that’s when the full menu will be available!

ZAOLEK MALA X LOK LOK

Here comes the first Mala Xiang Guo in Tai Seng! Zaolek Mala X Lok Lok is known for its Malacca Lok Lok steamboat buffet, and now offers mala xiang guo (only $5 for an individual set) in a humble food court. Fans of Zaolek will be pleased to know that they are bringing their famous Lok Lok steamboat buffet back!

THAI SENG FISH SOUP

Many label Thai Seng Fish Soup as THE “Tai Seng Fish Soup” because it is also located in Tai Seng. You should try the Double Sliced Fish Soup Beehoon ($5.50) and Tom yam Soup ($5.50)! Light, milky, and sweet, the fish soup was addictive and was swimming with tender Batang fish. I like the fried egg strips which soak up the broth well. The Tom Yam Soup was light, sour, sweet, and spicy. It was very palatable, if you ask me!

PONDOK PANTAI TIMUR

Pondok Pantai Timur is known for their Ayam Penyet ($5.50) and Ikan Penyet ($6-6.50). They use chicken rice instead of white rice here. The chicken is deep-fried without any batter, while the fish is coated with batter before being deep-fried. I prefer chicken usually but I love the fried fish more!

BELOW $30

WHALE LALA CAFE

Whale Lala Cafe is one of those cafes that not only filled my stomach, but my heart too. The cafe is trying to save the whales through the use of paper straws instead of plastic straws! I know, it’s only a very small gesture, but a small action can still go a long way. I recommend the Chicken Karaage Don ($8.80) which comes with brown-red rice, garlic soy chicken karaage, onsen egg, edamame and cherry tomatoes. The chicken karaage was slightly crispy, and juicy. The marinade hit all the right spots!

ONE BAR CAFE

Previously known as ’23 Jumpin’, One Bar Cafe’ offers innovative and delicious Asian-Western food such as Mentaiko Pasta ($14) and Lak & Roll ($10 for 4 pieces/ $18 for 8 pieces). There are live performances occasionally.

KNOTS CAFE AND LIVING

Knots Cafe and Living is the place to spend a lazy afternoon! I was excited to try the Coriander Prawn Pasta ($17.90), which came with four succulent prawns, coriander, and asparagus in a garlic butter sauce. The taste of coriander wasn’t very pronounced, and could use some work, but the aesthetically pleasing cafe made up for it.

FUZE BY BLEND IT UP

FUZE does a really good Roasted Pork Belly ($23)! I loved the crackling skin and well-marinated meat! FUZE often have 1-for-1 promotions for main courses so don’t miss out!

SATURDAY HOUSE

Saturday House is suitable for all days, not just Saturdays. The Cheesy Baked Mushroom Toast ($12.90), served with snail sausage and greens, promises a thick brioche packed with mushrooms and two kinds of cheeses. Hang out at Saturday House with a bottle of beer because everyday can be a Friday night if you want it to be.

PRODIGAL CAFE

Prodigal Cafe may be a little hard to locate, but the affordable food items make the search worth it. I loved how every single dish was aesthetically pleasing, and delivered in terms of taste too. Go for the Grilled Cheese ($10) and Miso Cheese Tart ($6) if you’re a cheese-lover!

YU CUN CLAYPOT CURRY FISH HEAD

As the name suggests, its signature dish is, of course, the Curry Fish Head ($24 small/ $26 big). The tender sea bream is cooked in a thick and creamy curry. Please don’t stop at only the curry fish head because Yu Cun sends out other yummy dishes too! Go for the Rice Wine Chicken ($10.80) and Mongolian Pork Ribs ($7.80)!

BELOW $50

THE BOILER

Perfect for sharing, the Boiler’s Bombdiggity Bag ($139), which holds a Dungeness crab, prawns, mussels, clams, sausages, corn and bun, comes with 3 sauces (Signature ‘The Works’, Garlic Butter Peppa’ Butter, Sauce of the Month).

The Boiler’s Fish & Chips ($12.90) is voted the best in Singapore by BBC Good Food. And it is still my favourite Fish & Chips in Singapore today!

At times, our team has trouble deciding what to eat when we get to lunch together because there are just so many options in the area. We are sure that there are more than 29 places with good food, but here are the 29 that you should really try!

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

The post Tai Seng Food Guide – 29 Hidden Food Gems in Tai Seng / Ubi / Macpherson appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

This prata stall is not a stranger to many of you. Even though it is located at an unassuming corner of a neighbourhood coffee shop, it still has a snaking queue.

Sin Ming Roti Prata started in 1933 when Almali Faisal’s grandfather arrived in Singapore from India and started selling prata by the streets. When their father, Haji Mohammed, took over, he set up shop in Cluny Road before moving to the current location in Sin Ming in 1993.

Despite the overwhelming demand, Sin Ming Roti Prata still makes their dough fresh daily. I was really looking forward to this meal even though I was watching my diet.

The signature Coin Prata set ($4 for 6) requires a longer waiting time than the other pratas even though it is kosong (containing nothing). This is because the dough has to be flipped, divided into 3, and rolled into round coin-shaped dough by hands. On the other hand, the others only need to be flipped and folded. Even on the grill, the coin prata takes longer to be done as it is thicker.

But let me tell you, the coin prata is definitely worth the wait! It was extremely crispy and fragrant on the outside, but gives way to a soft and chewy centre. Surprisingly, it comes with some sweetness too. Pairing it with the savoury Mutton Curry ($6) was delightful.

Since orders are constantly being delivered, you don’t have to worry that your prata has been left on the shelf. Fresh piping hot prata is what you will receive. The Plain Prata ($1) was slightly flaky and crispy, and a tad chewy. The Egg Prata ($1.60) was quite eggy because Sin Ming Roti Prata spread the egg evenly on the dough. Overall, Sin Ming Roti Prata’s pratas are on the sweeter side, which is great for me because I enjoy both the savouriness and sweetness together. The Fish Curry ($3) is also a must-order!

Sin Ming Roti Prata now holds a spot in my top 3 favourite prata places! Sadly, it operates till 7pm only, so for supper go-ers like myself, I guess I will have to wake up early to enjoy this! And I will!

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 SIN MING ROTI PRATA. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Sin Ming Roti Prata – This Neighbourhood Coffee Shop Stall Sells One of the Best Prata in Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Recently, I came across this new stall in Paya Lebar. I knew it was new because I frequent this coffeeshop! I was expecting the food to be pricier since it’s Japanese cuisine. But lo and behold, the price point was so sweet! Have you heard of any ramen that costs only $4.50?? This is a first for me!

Hmmm, Tonkatsu Ramen ($4.50) was confusing. The name was referring to ramen that comes with deep fried pork coated with breadcrumbs, but the picture shows a bowl of tonkotsu ramen. Probably a spelling error I guess!

The tonkotsu ramen was totally not what I had expected. I was quite pleased with the portion considering that it was only $4.50. However, the extremely peppery broth had no richness or taste of pork at all. The pork belly slices were slightly tough but still fatty. I expected Japanese soft-boiled eggs (just like in the menu’s image), but I was met with a hard boiled egg.

Boy was I glad that the ramen noodles were not those cheapo maggie instant noodles. It was decent, just that it tasted similar to the typical yellow noodles. The thin layer of oil which sat on the surface of the broth made the noodles smoother. It made sense that this was only $4.50, but I thought it would be better if Ho Tin Cuisine replaces the images with a more accurate illustration of the ramen.

I actually quite like the Katsu Chicken Curry ($4.50) even though it was not spicy at all, and only had a touch of sweetness. What impressed me the most is that Ho Tin uses Japanese pearl rice. The potato cubes were also adequately soft and the katsu chicken was really crispy despite being drenched in curry. All these with a bowl of soup for $4.50?! Just take my money already!

The most eye-catching dish on the table was the Salmon Don ($5.50)! The salmon was surprisingly huge and thick, though on the drier side. Remember to mix the Japanese rice well with the runny egg and sweet onions before digging in.  The salmon could be more moist, but other than that, there’s nothing much to complain about.

Again, the image of the Hotplate Curry Beef with Cheese ($6) was misleading.  Instead of curry on the hotplate, black pepper sauce was ladled on the beef. The curry was served in a separate bowl. This is great for those who love black pepper. The thinly-sliced beef was a tad tough, but the portion was generous. The curry was the same as the one in the Katsu Chicken Curry Rice, so it paired well with the Japanese rice.

I was handed a loyalty card by the staff. Order 6 items and get the next item for free! Quite a deal huh?  As Ho Tin Cuisine is nestled within an industrial coffeeshop, note that they’re only open during lunchtime on weekdays.

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 HO TIN CUISINE. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Rong Ji Seafood (荣记煮炒) was a popular zi-char stall in Seletar Hills Market & Food Centre. After the market was demolished, Rong Ji Seafood moved to Northstar, an industrial estate nearby.

We worked in Northstar for 2 years before moving out. Sad to say, I didn’t eat Rong Ji for more than 5 times because it was always so crowded and the wait was always at least an hour. I was very surprised by the crowd because the eatery is surrounded by practically nothing. The sheer number of people who come specially for their food definitely says something. So just before moving out, I enjoyed a good meal with my family here.

The highlight of the meal was, of course, the Crab Beehoon. Our crab was of a modest size but the flesh was succulent and sweet. Unlike Mellben Seafood’s crab beehoon which has a buttery and more flavourful broth, Rong Ji’s milky broth is milder in flavour. The noodles remained springy in the broth which carried a hint of ginger and Chinese wine. The broth was very comforting and one bowl was just not enough. I lost my receipt but this was definitely more affordable than Mellben’s. I believe the affordability is a key reason for the huge crowd.

The roast chicken was decent. Even the chicken breast was tender and the skin was thin and crispy. My grandfather is a fan of fish, so we ordered a claypot braised fish, which comes with cabbage and tofu, to share. The Dong Po Rou featured delicious braised pork belly which just melted in our mouths.

Overall, the prices here are very affordable and there is ample parking space within the building. I even managed to catch a glimpse of the sunset while having dinner here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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AMK Hub is sweetening the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival up with a finely-curated selection of mooncake offerings. From timeless classics to modern creations, AMK Hub is where you can get both baked and snowskin mooncakes which are perfect for family gatherings, or as gifts for business associates.

BREADTALK
AMK HUB #01-01/02

BreadTalk has brought Hang Heung’s Famous Mooncakes to Singapore! From the choice of ingredients to the mastery of time-honoured techniques, Hang Heung has kept to its 100-year tradition of bringing you handcrafted mooncakes with an authentic taste of Hong Kong.

A household name in Hong Kong, Hang Heung is known for their White Lotus Paste Mooncake. Packed with smooth and fragrant lotus paste made from specially selected Hunan lotus seeds, this signature White Lotus Seed Mooncake with Double Yolk is bound to dazzle. The Prestige White Lotus Seed Mooncake with Double Yolk Set(4 pieces) costs $63. Other well-loved varieties such as the Red Bean Paste and Mixed Nuts Mooncake are also available.

MUSANG KING BY FOUR SEASONS DURIAN
AMK HUB #B2-25

It’s hard to fault Musang King by Four Seasons Durian’s famed Pure D24 Durian Mooncakes ($69/4pcs) and 100% Mao Shan Wang Durian Mooncakes ($128/4pcs) as both have been the brand’s perennial best-sellers from day one.

The mooncakes are freshly produced in small batches, and each of them brings together a rich contrast of textures and flavours. Expect creamy durian pulp encased in a soft snowskin. Sweet, luscious, and filled with a tropical fruit punch, each bite promises rich and smooth durian filling that will excite all palates. If you cannot decide which one to get, go for a box of 2 Mao Shan Wang and 2 D24 mooncakes($108).

BENGAWAN SOLO
AMK HUB #B2-59

Bengawan Solo celebrates the festival with a range of traditional mooncakes in a bright red gift box with pink peonies stamping. Apart from traditional classics such as Pure Lotus Seed Paste with Double Yolk, Red Bean, Pandan Lotus with Single Yolk and Mixed Nuts, Bengawan Solo is offering a Shanghai Mooncake with Single Yolk, and Red Date Paste Mooncake. The mooncakes are priced from $9 per piece, or $36 for a box of four.

I enjoyed the Pure Lotus Seed Paste with Double Yolk ($10.50 per pcs / $42 for 4 pcs) which see golden-brown pastry wrapped around a velvety lotus seed paste embedded with savory yolks. If you prefer something more petite, you may like Bengawan Solo’s mini baked mooncakes.

SWENSENS
AMK HUB #B1-25/26

New to Swensen’s mooncake collection this year is the irresistible ‘Mickey Go Local’ series ($69.80 / set of 4, 1 flavour each) which comprises four delicious flavours — the ever indulgent Sticky Chewy Chocolate, Cookies ‘N’ Cream, as well as nostalgic flavours of yesteryear, Bandung; made with old-school rose cordial, and Kaya.

Each mooncake is topped with a white chocolate printed with Mickey Mouse, and an approving, ‘SHIOK’! Sold in sets of four, the ‘Mickey Go Local’ mooncakes are presented in a limited edition cooler bag that’s embellished with cheeky illustrations of the popular cartoon character. It also doubles up as a handy lunch bag!

PrimaDéli
AMK HUB #B2-56

PrimaDéli reimagines your favourite desserts this Mid-Autumn Festival with a unique Royal Gift Set ($52.80) that promises 9 mooncakes of different flavours – Raspberry Vanilla, Mylo, Pandan Lotus, Patcha Red Bean, Yuzu with Chia Seeds, Earl Grey, Cookies & Cream, D24 Durian with Chocolate and Black Sesame Almond.

Enjoy the crunch from the chia seeds when you bite into the new zesty Mini Yuzu. The Mini Mylo Snowskin Mooncake is reminiscent of our favourite childhood chocolate beverage. Enjoy the well-loved Japanese pairing of matcha and red bean in the Mini Matcha Red Bean Snowskin Mooncake. Fans of traditional baked mooncakes can look forward to the new Red Bean Baked Mooncake, and Less Sugar Pandan with Melon Seeds Baked Mooncake.

THE PINE GARDEN
AMK HUB #01-11-13

Meticulously made by hand with recipes passed down from top Hong Kong chefs since 1984, The Pine Garden’s mooncakes sport a kaleidoscope of colourful skins and are stuffed with innovative fillings. This year’s snowskin collection includes Red Bean Hokkaido Milk, Yam Paste, D24 Durian Paste, Green Tea Paste, Lychee Martini White Lotus Paste and Lotus Paste 2 Yolks.

Basking in the spotlight is the all-new Red Bean Hokkaido Milk which is guaranteed to please. Enrobed in the richness of red bean paste is a rich and creamy Hokkaido milk centre. Prepare yourself for a contrast of flavours! I have been, and still am, in love with the Lychee Martini White Lotus Paste which is refreshingly light in texture. Simply irresistible!

STARBUCKS
AMK HUB #B1-65

Gather your friends and feast on delicious mooncakes and freshly brewed coffee at Starbucks! Sink your teeth into the new Starbucks® Coffee with Caramel & Hazelnut mooncake, which sees aromatic Starbucks microground coffee infused with white lotus paste tossed with caramel and chopped hazelnut for an added crunch. There’s also the Honey Earl Grey mooncake which will satisfy tea lovers.

Each Assorted Mooncake Gift Box ($59.90) comes with 2 mooncakes of each flavor (Starbucks® Coffee with Caramel & Hazelnut, Yam Paste, Honey Earl Grey, and Mango). The Traditional Mooncake Gift Box ($59.90) comes with 8 pieces of Lotus Paste with Egg Yolk. All Mooncake Gift Boxes also come with a gorgeous matching gift bag and a set of vouchers.

1A Heritage
AMK HUB #B2-34

1A’s Heritage’s Teochew-style flaky yam paste mooncakes which are made according to a family recipe that has been preserved through generations, are extremely popular. With fillings such as yam, yam sesame, and yam pumpkin, the delicate mooncake is crispy, flaky and tasty.

I enjoyed the Teochew Crispy Yam Pumpkin Yolk Mooncakes ($30 for 2 pcs). The mooncake is savory with hints of sweetness The filling is not too sweet and I like the smooth yam paste within the pastry. They also offer white lotus mooncakes and mao shan wang snowskin mooncakes.

MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL @ AMK HUB

Make sure to pop by the Mid-Autumn Fair at AMK Hub Basement 1 which runs till 13 September! See you there!

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

Sin Kee

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

Nasi SG Power

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

Black N White Rojak

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

Kuai San Dian Xin 块三点心

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

Rasa Istimewa Waterfront Restaurant

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

Melvados

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

Ivan’s Carbina

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

S&W Malay Food Stall

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

Banana Leaf Pork Briyani

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Curry puff is one of Singaporeans’ favourite teatime snacks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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In our current day and age, there are countless different diets — Pesceterian, Keto, Paleo, Vegan, etc. When our dear boss brought up a gluten-free list, I was somewhat apprehensive but also curious. I’m someone who actually enjoys “healthy” things like Thunder Tea Rice, but on the other hand, I also love anything with gluten in it. Since gluten-free foods are getting more popular, I thought I’d take up the challenge to find places that offer dishes which can please our tastebuds. While it wasn’t the easiest task, I’ve found a few places you can visit if you have a gluten-allergy, or simply on a gluten-free diet.

Kind Kones

Kind Kones is a relatively new ice cream establishment in Forum The Shopping Mall and originated from Kuala Lumpur. All their ice cream is made in-house and 100% vegan, with no artificial flavouring or colouring. Although not all the icecream flavours are gluten free, many are! They also offer a gluten-free waffle cone which is made with almond meal, for $1.

We asked for their most popular flavours, and went with Houjicha, and Pink Guava and Lychee sorbet on a gluten-free cone. A scoop starts at $4.90 for a single Standard flavour, and $6.90 for a single Premium. Even though there’s no dairy in the ice cream, it was lusciously creamy and smooth. There’s often the misconception that vegan ice cream is icy, but that wasn’t the case here! As for the cone, there’s a slight nutty fragrance, and I’d say I actually prefer it more than the regular waffle cone.

Grain Traders

If you’re working in the CBD, or not, you should definitely check out Grain Traders. Right smack in the centre of our financial hub, this is a great place for a weekday lunch. Although they’re not fully gluten-free, they have a wide selection of items that are. One bowl costs $16, and is fully customisable. Just go ahead and pick a base, protein, 2 veggies, 1 side, a sauce and topping! I was actually surprised by the generous portion when I received it. Unfortunately, the gluten-free options aren’t labelled, but the staff were extremely helpful in pointing out which ones were.

I wasn’t feeling too hungry so I went with a Salad and Pulled Pork. Based on their recommendation, I added the Smoked Cauliflower and Bean salad and Zucchini with Broccoli Pesto and Roasted Pumpkin for my vegetables. As for the sides, definitely get the Homemade Pineapple Kimchi! They don’t use any fish sauce in it so it’s also vegetarian-friendly! I finally topped my bowl off with some pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and the Beetroot Feta Yoghurt sauce. Amazing value for money!

Delcie’s desserts

Finding gluten-free dessert places in Singapore was the hardest. At Delcie’s, you can find a pretty decent selection, and many of their desserts are also diabetic friendly! Everything is vegan, and allergens are labelled clearly for each cake. It’s nice to see that they have special bakes so that those with dietary restrictions and conditions can still enjoy a sweet treat.

I decided to try their Mud Fudge ($9) and Banana Fudge Slice ($9). On top of being gluten-free, the Mud Fudge is sweetened with Agave Syrup, making it diabetic-friendly! I’d never tried gluten-free cakes before, but research had told me that it’s notoriously hard to perfect. You either get a dense, gummy cake, or something too dry and crumbly. When I finally went to Delcie’s, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. Their cakes are the crumbly version, but to balance this out, they use a larger ratio of ganache which I loved. I recommend you to warm the cake up and let the ganache melt a little, before digging in!

Genesis Vegan Restaurant

Finding Asian food that’s gluten-free turned out to be pretty difficult too, since many dishes contain soy sauce or other gluten-containing products. Genesis Vegan serves up a limited, but yummy variety of Asian and Western options that are gluten-free. I tried their Chicken Rice ($8.90), and the Red Dates Ginger Tea ($4.90).

In place of chicken, fresh yuba sheets are used instead, which is an excellent source of protein. Even though it’s both vegan and gluten-free, it was packed with flavour and I was blown away by how tasty the rice was! It tasted exactly like regular chicken rice, and the homemade chilli alongside it was equally stellar. The Red Dates Ginger Tea was a nice way to end the meal.

Afterglow by Anglow

Afterglow is a raw, plant-based restaurant that works on a farm-to-table concept. For a food to be considered “raw”, it has to be prepared at 45 degrees Celsius and below. While it’s not 100% gluten-free, most of their dishes naturally do not contain any gluten due to the raw concept. In fact, Afterglow labels the dishes WITH gluten. They also support local farms and work with artisan producers from around the world to create their dishes.

Not knowing much about the raw diet, I expected the menu to be pretty limited but there was a surprising variety! There was pizza, lasagne, “nuggets”, various appetisers and more. Of course, all these have been modified to be “raw” so it’s definitely different from what we’re used to. We got the Rice Bowl of the Day ($16) and the Acai Bowl ($15). Although the rice bowl looked small, it was actually pretty filling. I loved the Acai here, which uses the actual berry instead of a powder! I would definitely return again just for the Acai.

Plank Pizza

Plank first gained popularity for their iconic Artisan sourdough pizzas but you’ll be glad to know that they offer a pretty damn good gluten-free crust too (available for an additional $2)! Their gluten-free crust is made with white rice flour, eggs, soya milk, canola oil, polenta, sugar, yeast, xantham gum and sesame seeds. Although it didn’t have that satisfying chewiness as a regular crust does, it had a nice airiness. I actually didn’t mind it.

You may ask, why would anyone go to a pizza place, only to get something gluten-free. Since not everyone can take gluten, this is a good place for them to enjoy a pizza without upsetting their digestion! Although I’d most likely stick to the regular sourdough crust the next time I visit, this is definitely one of the better gluten-free breads out there.

Entre-nous Creperie

Entre-Nous Creperie has been around since 2008 and they serve authentic French crepes, specialising in the ones from Brittany. All their savoury crepes are made with their 100% buckwheat batter, while their sweet crepes are made with a wheat batter (can be changed to buckwheat for $1).

Since all their toppings are homemade and gluten-free, you only have to switch to a buckwheat batter for their dessert crepes to make it gluten-free! For the savoury options, we were told the Ham and Emmental Cheese ($16.90) was a classic. If you have a sweet tooth, the Geraldine’s Favourite ($14.90) — homemade salted butter caramel, cooked apples and homemade vanilla ice-cream — is a popular choice! I would’ve liked the apples to be chunkier but overall, the French crepes are pretty good.

Tiann’s

Being an absolute sucker for gelato, waffles and brunch food, I was excited to give Tiann’s a try after scrolling through pictures of their food. Granted, I was also a little wary about judging it based on appearance alone, but it looked pretty promising. I’d say it’s probably the place I liked best on this list! Despite being 100% refined sugar-free and gluten-free, the food was really enjoyable. Their specialty is the waffles, which is made with a secret mix of almonds, chia seeds, coconut, eggs and rice.

We got one savoury ($16) and sweet waffles with gelato ($19) and I thought both were amazing! The batter used for each seems to be different. The sweet waffle had a denser texture and reminded me of Belgian waffles. The savoury version was more airy and slightly wet, but not in an unpleasant way. I especially loved their housemade gelato and scrambled eggs (such a simple dish but so difficult to master)!

Muchachos

Did you know that Muchachos has gluten-free options too! Muchachos uses corn tortillas for their tacos, and it’s easy to customise a burrito bowl as well. Gluten-free fillings are the Carne Asada (steak) ($5.40), Carnitas (pork) ($4.80), and Vegeteriano ($4.80). Prices indicated are for one taco.

My favourite filling of the three was the steak, which was delicious even though it was just grilled and seasoned with some salt and pepper. The meat was nice and tender, with a slight smokiness that I appreciated. The pork was also pretty decent, even though it could definitely do with some more flavour. Do pair it with the Salsa Verde provided!

The Butcher’s Wife

If you’re looking for a slightly nicer place to take a date, this is definitely the place to go! The Butcher’s Wife is 100% gluten-free, and serves up delicious dishes inspired by modern European flavours. I recommend going during lunch time as they have a special lunch menu($26 for 2 courses, or $29 for 3)! Note that the menu is on a rotational basis. When we visited, we decided to go for a 3-course meal comprising Salmon Tartare, Sea Bass A’la Plancha, and a Ginger & Kaffir Lime Panna Cotta.

Although they call themselves a bistro, the quality of the food served felt closer to something you might get at a fine dining restaurant! The sea bass was seared to perfection, and the skin was marvellously crispy. I was most intrigued by the panna cotta, which tasted unlike any dessert I’ve ever had. It’s a little strange at first but once you take the time to appreciate the smooth custard, it was wonderful! If you get the chance, do try it.

After visiting all these places, I’d say that gluten-free food tastes better than I thought it would! In fact, I would actually go back to a number of places on this list! What do you think of gluten-free food?

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 10 Places With Gluten-Free Dishes appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Michelin today announced that it has awarded 58 F&B establishments with a Bib Gourmand award in the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2019, with 12 new entrants this year!

In a country where street food is an institution, it’s not surprising to find numerous hawker stalls are in this selection. Some new hawker entrants include Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup, Guan Kee Char Kway Teow, Fu Ming Cooked Food and Chef Kang’s Noodle House. Chen’s Mapo Tofu, an affordable alternative to the Michelin 2-star Shisen Hanten restaurant, made it to the list as well. The Bib Gourmand list recognises restaurants and street food establishments offering quality cuisines at a maximum price of S$45.

While there are several new entrants, there are also some which have fallen off the chart. These includes The Coconut Club and New Ubin Seafood. Perhaps they are getting the Star next week? Anyway, let’s have a look at who are the Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore 2019 recipients!

A Noodle Story 超好面

Address: Address: 7 Maxwell Rd, Amoy Street Food Centre #01-39, Singapore 069111

Alliance Seafood 联合海鲜烧烤

Address: 500 Clemenceau Avenue North, Newton Circus Food Centre #01-27, Singapore 229495

Anglo Indian *NEW*

Address: 1 Shenton Way, #01-08, Singapore 068803

Ah Er Soup 阿2老火汤

Address: #01-143, ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre, 6 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 150006

Read more about Ah Er Soup 阿2老火汤.

Balestier Road Hoover Rojak 豪华罗杂

Address: 90 Whampoa Dr, Singapore 320090

Bar-Roque Grill

Address: 165 Tanjong Pagar Road #01-00, Singapore 088539

Beach Road Fish Head Bee Hoon (Whampoa Makan Place) 美芝路鱼头米粉 NEW*

Address: 91 Whampoa Dr, #01-46 Whampoa Makan Place, Singapore 320090

Bedok Chwee Kueh (Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre) 勿洛水粿 NEW*

Address: 207 New Upper Changi Rd, #01-19, Singapore 460207

Bismillah Biryani

Address: 50 Dunlop St, Singapore 209379

Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang 柴船头⽺⾁汤

Address: 115 Bukit Merah View, Singapore 151115

Read more about Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang 柴船头⽺⾁汤.

Chef Kang’s Noodle House 江师傅面家 *NEW*

Address: 11 Lor 3 Toa Payoh, Block A Jackson Square, Singapore 319579

Read more about Chef Kang’s Noodle House 江师傅面家.

Chen’s Mapo Tofu *NEW*

Address: 6A Shenton Way, #02-29 Downtown Gallery, Singapore 068815

Chey Sua Carrot Cake 青山菜头粿

Address: #02-30, Toa Payoh West Market and Food Court, 127 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, Singapore 310127

Read more about Chey Sua Carrot Cake 青山菜头粿.

Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck 全記

Address: 20 Ghim Moh Road, #01-04 Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre, Singapore 270020

Read more about Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck 全記.

Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa 德普路真善美驰名砂煲叻沙

Address: 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-75 Alexandra Village, Singapore 151120

Eminent Frog Porridge & Seafood 明辉⽥鸡粥海鮮煮炒店

Address: 323 Geylang Rd, Singapore 389359

Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa 驰名结霜桥三轮车叻沙

Address: Blk 531A Upper Cross Street, Hong Lim Market & Food Centre #02-66

Read more about Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa 驰名结霜桥三轮车叻沙.

Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle 知味鮮⼤蝦⾯

Address: 56 Zion Rd, Singapore 247781

Fu Ming Cooked Food 福明熟食 *NEW*

Address: 85 Redhill Ln, #01-49, Singapore 150085

Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow 源记鲜蛤炒粿条 *NEW*

Address: 20, Ghim Moh Rd #01-19, Singapore 270020

Hawker Chan Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle

Address: 78 Smith Street, Singapore 058972

Heng 兴

Address: 500 Clemenceau Avenue North, Singapore 229495

Hjh Maimunah *NEW*

Address: 11 Jln Pisang, Singapore 199078

Read more about Hjh Maimunah.

Hock Hai (Hong Lim) Curry Chicken Noodle 福海（芳林）咖喱鸡面 *NEW*

Address: 208 New Upper Changi Rd, #01-58 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 460209

Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee 鸿兴炒苏东虾麵

Address: #02-01 Tiong Bahru Market, 30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898

Read more about Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee 鸿兴炒苏东虾麵.

Hong Kee Beef Noodle 桐记牛肉粿条

Address: 7 Maxwell Rd, #01-42 Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111

Hong Kong Yummy Soup 真之味⾹港靚汤

Address: 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1, Singapore 150120

Hoo Kee Bak Chang 和记肉粽

Address: 161 Bukit Merah Central #01-3735 Singapore 150161 Bukit Merah Central, Singapore 150161

Indocafe – The White House

Address: 35 Scotts Road, Singapore 228227

J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff 驰名香脆咖喱卜

Address: #01-21, 7 Maxwell Rd, Singapore 069111

Ka-Soh Restaurant 家嫂

Address: 2 College Road, Singapore 169850

Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup 许兄弟猪什汤

Address: 80, #02-29 Seng Poh Rd, 168898

Kok Sen Restaurant 国成球记餐室

Address: 30-32 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089137

Read more about Kok Sen Restaurant 国成球记餐室.

Lagnaa

Address: 6 Upper Dickson Rd, Singapore 207466

Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow ⽼夫⼦炒粿条

Address: 51 Old Airport Rd, #01-12, Singapore 390051

Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice 联合本记煲饭

Address: 335 Smith Street Chinatown Complex #02-197/198/199, Singapore 050335

Read more about Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice 联合本记煲饭.

Man Man Japanese Unagi Restaurant 鳗満

Address: 1 Keong Saik Road, #01-01, Singapore 089109

Muthu’s Curry (Little India)

Address: 138 Race Course Rd, #01-01, Singapore 218591

Na Na Homemade Curry (Bukit Merah) 南南家咖哩

Address: #01-47, Blk 115 Bukit Merah View, Bukit Merah View Hawker Centre, Singapore 151115

Read more about Na Na Homemade Curry (Bukit Merah) 南南家咖哩.

New Lucky Claypot Rice 新鸿运瓦煲饭

Address: 44 Holland Dr, #02-19, Holland Drive Market & Food Center, Singapore 270044

Read more about New Lucky Claypot Rice 新鸿运瓦煲饭.

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre) 欧南园炒粿条⾯

Address: 531A Upper Cross St, Singapore 051531

Read more about Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre) 欧南园炒粿条⾯.

Shi Hui Yuan 实惠园

Address: 161 Mei Chin Road, Queenstown #02-33, Singapore 140159

Shirokane Tori-Tama 酉玉白金

Address: 11 Unity St, Singapore 237995

Sik Bao Sin (Desmond’s Creation)

Address: 592 Geylang Rd, Singapore 389531

Sin Huat Eating House 新发餐厅

Address: 659 Geylang Rd, Singapore 389589

Sin Kee Famous Cantonese Chicken Rice (Holland Drive) 新记

Address: Blk 40 Holland Drive, Singapore 270040

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh (New Bridge Road) 松发肉骨茶(新桥路)

Address: 11 New Bridge Rd, Singapore 059383

Tai Wah Pork Noodle (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre) ⼤华⾁脞⾯

Address: #02-16, 531A Upper Cross St, Singapore 051531

Read more about Tai Wah Pork Noodle (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre) ⼤华⾁脞⾯.

The Blue Ginger

Address: 97 Tanjong Pagar Rd, Singapore 088518

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice 天天海南鸡饭

Address: 1 Kadayanallur St, #01 -10/11 Maxwell Food Center, Singapore 069184

Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice 中峇鲁海南起骨鸡饭

Address: Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre, #02-82, 30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898

Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee (ABC Brickworks Food Centre) 中峇鲁益⽣炒福建虾⾯

Address: ABC Brickworks Food Centre #01-13, Blk 6 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 150006

Read more about Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee (ABC Brickworks Food Centre) 中峇鲁益⽣炒福建虾⾯.

To-Ricos Guo Shi 多丽哥粿汁 *NEW*

Address: 51 Old Airport Rd, Singapore 390051

True Blue Cuisine

Address: 47/49 Armenian Street, Singapore 179937

Whole Earth 环界

Address: 76 Peck Seah St, Singapore 079331

Yhingthai Palace 银泰

Address: 36 Purvis St, #01-04, Singapore 188613

Zaffron Kitchen (East Coast)

Address: 137 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428822

Zai Shun Curry Fish Head 载顺咖喱鱼头

Address: #01-205, Blk 253 Jurong East Street 24, Singapore 600253

Read more about Zai Shun Curry Fish Head 载顺咖喱鱼头.

That’s all for Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore 2019! The selection of the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2019 will be officially revealed on 17th of September.

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The post MICHELIN Bib Gourmand Singapore 2019 – 58 Restaurants and Hawkers Made the List appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We then moved on to the Beef Kway Teow soup.

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

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

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

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

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

The post Empress Place Teochew Beef Kway Teow – Comforting Bowls of Bovine Goodness! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post Big Boys Sizzling Hotplate – Air-flown Australia Sirloin Beef in a Hawker Centre?! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.