The secret to every good steamboat is the broth. We usually dunk the ingredients either in clear soup or mala broth. But at the newly-opened Congee Legend Hotpot (绝世好粥), you can cook crabs, prawns, meat, and vegetables in a porridge broth!

Congee hotpot originates from Shunde in Guangdong Province. Guangdong people are known for their love for congee, seafood and beef. And Shunde people enjoy all their favourite things in one hotpot. The congee base used in the hotpot is called wumizhou (毋米粥), which means that there’s “no concrete rice” in it.

One of Congee Legend’s owners, Keith, shared that the porridge broth was the product of months of research and experimentation. They wanted to make sure that it tastes good, and it’s packed with nutritious ingredients that promise a myriad of health benefits. “We use premium rice grains and boil them over a small heat for hours,” Keith revealed.

Served in a claypot over a mini table top stove, the porridge is laced with a lovely sweetness that only gets stronger with the addition of steamboat ingredients. Of course, you can choose how you want to cook the ingredients. But at Congee Legend, they recommend a 3-step cooking method.

STEP ONE: ADD THE SEAFOOD

Soups that drive you wild usually have a beautiful stock. The delectable spread of ingredients features fresh seafood which comprises clams ($5), prawns ($6), seabass ($8), red garoupa ($18), oyster ($5), prawn paste ($6), squid ($6), crab (seasonal price), among others. Once added, the broth becomes delightfully sweet and tastes similar to a bouillabaisse.

The rice liquid won’t contaminate the seafood’s original taste, but enhances the fragrance of the ingredients. At the same time, the soup picks up the sweetness of the seafood. The juicy crab meat that’s bathed in the porridge is the highlight of our satisfying meal.

STEP 2: ADD IN THE MEATS

Dish out all the seafood once the porridge broth boils, and add meat into the broth. Some of the highlights at Congee Legend include Kurobuta Pork ($12), Beef Karubi ($20), Beef Shortplate ($8) and Pork Belly ($6). Kurobuta is known for its rich flavor and wonderful texture so you can expect the pork to be nothing short of amazing. The Beef Karubi will melt in your mouth effortlessly! The signature dipping sauce is a superb accompaniment to the fresh ingredients.

STEP 3: ADD THE VEGETABLES

Vegetables and fungi are placed into the congee last to soak up the essence of the incredibly flavourful porridge broth. Fresh Corn ($3), Chinese Cabbage ($3), Tang Oh ($5), Quail Egg ($4), Cheese Tofu ($4), You Tiao ($2), Lobster Ball ($4) and many other ingredients can be added into the silky porridge soup.

HERE’S THE FINALE – SIGNATURE PRAWN PORRIDGE

After boiling all the different ingredients in your hot pot, you’re left with this intensely savoury congee, which will be the best bowl of congee you’ve ever eaten!

When I was already rubbing my tummy, Keith brought out a plate of prawn heads, prawns and porridge. The umami-packed broth is used to make their Signature Prawn Porridge ($4/pax, minimum 2). The prawn heads are first stir-fried with their own seasonings and was added into the broth together with porridge and fresh prawns. I like that they cook the rice grains until they are almost dissolved. If you’re a true congee connoisseur, you don’t need an excuse to enjoy a steaming bowl of comfort food. The team really makes sure that your meal ends with a bang!

Congee Legend is taking comfort food to a whole new level! Even if the weather is hot, you’ll still enjoy this congee hotpot for sure. Happy moments are guaranteed! Best part? They open till 5am daily!

This post is brought to you by Congee Legend.

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After learning how to make the dish from a shifu in Chongqing, China, Jenny, the owner of Qi Wei Ji Bao, brought the dish over to Singapore. She then opened Qi Wei Ji Bao in Kovan in June, 2009.

Due to the different taste preferences of the locals, Jenny modified the recipe to suit the local palate. A typical chicken hotspot consists of chicken, green capsicums, onions, spring onion, chinese parsley, garlic, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, salt, oil, and chicken essence.

Qi Wei Ji Bao only uses broiler chickens in their hotpot. To ensure quality, William, co-owner and Jenny’s husband, told their long-time supplier the specific kind of chickens they are looking for. All of their chickens must be of a certain weight and size. Additionally, the meat has to be tender.

We ordered the Half Chicken Hotpot ($27.90). There’s also a full chicken ($38.90) version and two drumsticks version ($26.90) available. You can choose how spicy you want the chicken hotpot — xiao la, zhong la, or da la. We chose xiao la because I am a coward when it comes to spicy food.

Before Jenny brought the hotpot to us, I could already smell it from across the room.

I took a sip of the savoury soy sauce-infused chicken broth. A wave of spiciness hit right after and took residence at the back of my throat. Boy, was I glad we chose xiao la. Have the soup with rice to mitigate the spiciness.

Each piece of chicken was delightfully plump and juicy. Unfortunately, because of the way the chicken was cut, it was rather difficult to get all the meat off of the bones.

If you’re not satisfied with the ingredients in the hotpot, do not fret! You can get extra ingredients from the fridge. Each coloured plate is priced at ($3.90) and each meat plate at ($5.90). While they are rather pricey, each plate gives you an ample amount of your desired ingredients. We chose the recommended tau kee, a plate of xiao bai cai, and a plate of pork strips. If you are impatient, and do not want to wait for your tau kee to soften, you can always ask the cook to fire up your hotpot with the tau kee in the kitchen.

You should definitely try this chicken hotpot if you are looking to experience something new. It is suitable for all ages, so do bring along your friends and families to share it with!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He revealed that by evening time, the braised pork would be at its best. When we visited during lunch time, the pork was already strong in flavours in my opinion. As compared to the Taiwanese version, Home Flavours’ braised pork rice was less fatty and oily. However, I wished that the pork was more tender. You are strongly encouraged to eat the crunchy preserved vegetables and flavourful braised pork together with the rice as they complement one another. The runny ramen egg was such a treat!

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

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

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

MissTamChiak.com 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 HOME FLAVOURS. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Michelin announces the selection of the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2019 tonight, in which two restaurants – Odette and Les Amis, are honoured with three stars.

This year, there are five two-star establishments. Alongside Shisen Hanten, Shoukouwa and Waku Ghin, who were already honoured at this level last year, Saint Pierre and Zén made it to two stars for their quality dishes.

37 restaurants in Singapore are awarded one star. 7 of them are new entrants in the MICHELIN Guide. Basque Kitchen by Aitor, Jag, Lerouy, Table65 and Vianney Massot, all of European inspiration, as well as Cheek Bistro and Meta with their Australian origins, join the prestigious circle of MICHELIN-starred restaurants. Buona Terra and Terra were awarded with a Plate last year got promoted to one star in this 2019 edition:

This is the full selection of the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2019:

MICHELIN ONE STAR:

Alma (Scotts Road)

Basque Kitchen by Aitor *NEW*

Béni (Mandarin Gallery)

Braci (Boat Quay)

Burnt Ends

Candlenut (Dorsett Residences)

Cheek Bistro *NEW*

Chef Kang (Mackenzie Road)

Corner House (Singapore Botanic Gardens)

CUT (Marina Bay Sands)

Garibaldi (Purvis Street)

Hawker Chan

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle (Crawford Lane)

Iggy’s (Orchard Road)

Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine (Orchard Road)

Jaan (by Kirk Westaway) (Stamford Road)

Jag *NEW*

Labyrinth (Raffles Avenue)

Lei Garden (Chijmes)

Lerouy *NEW*

Ma Cuisine

Meta *NEW*

Nouri

Putien (Kitchener Road)

Rhubarb (Duxton Hill)

Shinji (Bras Basah Road)

Shinji (Tanglin Road)

Summer Palace (Regent Singapore)

Summer Pavillion (Ritz Carlton)

Sushi Ichi (Orchard Road)

Sushi Kimura

Table65 *NEW*

Terra *NEW*

The Song of India (Scotts Road)

Vianney Massot *NEW*

MICHELIN TWO STARS:

Saint Pierre *NEW*

Shisen Hanten (Orchard Road)

Shoukouwa (Fullerton Road)

Waku Ghin (Marina Bay Sands)

Zen *NEW*

MICHELIN THREE STARS:

Les Amis (Scotts Road)

Odette (National Gallery Singapore)

MICHELIN had previously unveiled the list of 58 Bib gourmand establishments. The selection of the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2019 also awards 139 Plates, for a total of 241 award-winning addresses.

By Maisie & Zoe

The post Michelin Guide Singapore 2019 – The Full Winners List appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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What truly makes up a Paella? No one, except the Valencians, can be a hundred percent certain. Paella, a famous Spanish rice dish, originated in Valencia, the third largest city in Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona. It has a population of around 1.7 million to 2.5 million. Paella comes from the Latin word “Patella” which means pan – a cooking pan or a saucepan. The dish is so well loved by the natives that they set aside a day for it. They call it World Paella Day.

On 20 September 2019, Valencia will reveal the recipe for the ORIGINAL Paella. However, Valencia is also inviting the rest of the world to make their own versions of Paella with any ingredients of their choice. As the creators of Paella, it is time for them to loosen their reigns on the dish and, in the spirit of fun and friendship, resolve the eternal dispute surrounding what makes up an authentic Paella. The dish has become so popular globally, that you can enjoy it in almost every country. World Paella Day has been added to the international calendar to honour the well-loved dish.

Paella is an important key point in the Spanish gastronomy. For Valencia it is also a symbol of culture and is also a key highlight in another local festival called the Falles, which takes place usually in March. 

Where better to try Paella and learn more about this dish than at its origin, Valencia? Visit the Central Market, the largest fresh produce market in Europe, and adore this beautiful stained-glass building while you pick your ingredients. You can go on a tour of the Albufera lagoon and natural park to see the paddy fields where rice, especially the bomba variety which is most suited for Paella, is grown. If you want to try cooking a pan of Paella yourself, you can join a half day masterclass at the school of Rice Dishes and Paellas. You can enjoy this while discovering the city’s beautiful contrast of history, tradition and modern architectures present.

You’ll learn that the original Paella did not contain ingredients such as chorizo or seafood.  These popular ingredients are modern additions started by other countries. So what was in the original Paella? Ingredients that farmers in rice fields could easily obtain such as chicken, rabbit, and even snails. It is a dish that is eaten strictly during lunchtime. Only tourists or non-natives eat it for dinner.

If you’re not heading to Spain anytime soon, or if you’re worried about not being able to make it for World Paella Day in Spain, you can pop by El Tardeo and FOC Pim Pam, right here in Singapore, for an authentic plate of Paella on World Paella Day!

FOC Pim Pam

On 20 Sept 2019, Chef Javi of FOC Pim Pam will be cooking a gigantic pan of Valencian Paella in the early evening, and the Valencian Paella, which is not usually on the menu, will be served as a special dish all night long. From 8pm onwards, there will also be Spanish Live Music to add to the ambience of the Spanish celebrations!

We spent an afternoon with Chef Javi to learn how to cook his signature paella using traditional ingredients. He cooks it with chicken, saffron and local beans. It is left to simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is plumply al dente. It is not as creamy as risotto and each grain remain intact. As it cooks, it develops a deep golden crust on the bottom. That is the best part.

I have never tried such good homemade- like paellas, I believe this is as good as the ones they have in Spain. Chef Javi is incredible as well. We can’t wait to see what he will be serving on 20 September!

EL TARDEO

El Tardeo, an urban Tapas bar situated on Craig Road which prides itself on its vibrant atmosphere, will be dishing out Special Paella Plates at just $5++!

Note that these promotions will run on 20th September 2019 only. 

Valencia invites the rest of the world to make their own versions of Paella on World Paella Day 2019! Make it the centrepiece of your gathering, just like how it is done in Valencia, and in FOC PIM PAM and El Tardeo. Be sure to take pictures of your very own Paella and post them on social media with the hashtag #WorldPaellaDay to join many others all over the world in celebrating this special day! 

This post was brought to you by Spain Tourism Board

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 TOH SOON CAFE. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Bedok Chwee Kueh. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow – 50-Year-Old Old Char Kway Teow Stall in Ghim Moh! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

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

Leng Kee Fish Soup

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

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

Bukit Timah Eating Hut

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

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

Terry Katong Laksa

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

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

He Le Seafood White Bee Hoon

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

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

粥品

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

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

Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon

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

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

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

Genesis Kitchen & Grill

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

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

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

捷记 Boneless Braised Duck

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

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

Seah Family Braised Duck Rice

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

Song He Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice

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

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

Yong Seng Satay

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

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

100% Pure Sugar Cane Juice

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

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

133 Penang Authentic

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

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

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

莲合炒粿条 Fried Kway Teow

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

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

He Zhong Carrot Cake

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

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

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

Hong Wen Mutton Soup

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

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

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

Xie Kee Hokkien Mee

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

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

Old Airport Road Wanton Mee

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

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

Nyona Chendol

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

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

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

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

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If you have been to the restaurant previously, you probably remember their robatayaki counter where seasonal produce is displayed beautifully. Unfortunately, that has been removed. Head into the newly-renovated Tamashii and immerse yourself in an intimate Kappo dining experience. You can still watch the chef prepare fresh seasonal ingredients and cook them in front of you.

During our invited dinner tasting, we had the chance to try the Chef Tasting Menu ($128 for 6 Course / $168 for 8 Course). We kicked off our meal with a trio of snacks which includes Hokkaido King Crab tossed with Honey Miso and served in charcoal cone, Tuna with Yuzu Sesame, and Lady Finger with Wasabi Vinaigrette.

I slurped down the creamy oyster from Okayama which is served with balsamic vinegar pearl and sea grapes. The freshest sashimi, which is flown in directly from Japan, is sliced and plated at the sashimi counter. We had the Tuna Belly, Flounder, Saba and Sea Water Uni. The flounder was marinated with salt and konbu for a day while the lightly seared saba fish was marinated with salt and vinegar.

It was really the next few courses that shone. Chef Patrick serves the popular foie gras monaka — an airy, crisp Japanese biscuit filled with creamy foie gras and served with pickled radish and 15-year-old balsamic vinegar. The refreshing radish and tangy vinegar help to cut through the heaviness of foie gras. I love their homemade Satsuma Age where the fish cake is made using a mixture of white fish paste, prawn and squid. Biting into bouncy deep-fried fish cake revealed a layer of seasonal clams. It’s such a beautiful dish with distinct crustacean flavours. I was hoping for a second serving of this.

Another highlight was the grilled beef tongue. The especially tender parts of the tongue are selected, sous vide, and lightly salted before being grilled. It’s superb.  The smokiness and flavor of beef grilled over charcoal are hard to beat.

If you come in a group of 4 or more, share a plate of Bincho-Grilled Blue Fin Tuna Char Kama ($138). Remember to order in advance. If you get a tuna collar, you’re in for an even bigger treat! Just a tiny squeeze of lemon is all it needed to be perfect. All that fatty, gelatinous goodness is going to make you crave for more. Even the bones release their juices. Every slice of meat is so soft and flavorful (but don’t be greedy and order the beef tongue as well because it may be too oily for you).

Focusing on the freshness of the ingredients, Tamashii only lightly seasons the ingredients to bring out their original flavours. Besides the beef tongue and tuna collar that are lightly salted and grilled to perfection, another recommended dish is the Spanish Carabinero Prawn. Similar to ebi fry style, this striking red deep-sea prawn is coated with bread crumbs and deep-fried. You start off by removing the prawn head, and pouring out the roe onto the meat. Then, savour it. It’s so good!

Before fruits are served, we had the Abalone Rice. Cooked in a pot similar to claypot, the rice has that crispy charred layer at the bottom of the pot. The rice is mixed with abalone liver sauce and served with shaved truffle.

Rather than sticking to elegant, refined Japanese food, Tamashii has come up with a new menu that’s more like an elevated, and deeply personal take on Japanese home cooking. I really like the fish cake and beef tongue! But with the new open kitchen concept, it also means that your shirt is going to smell, so get your fabric refresher spray ready!

Note: This was an invited tasting.

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The Flame Cafe is a Halal steamboat restaurant. You’ve probably seen dual steamboats and steamboats that come with grilling hotplates. But have you seen a steamboat that allows you to cook your food in 2 different soup bases, grill your food, steam your seafood, and also holds dips for your meats? Well, The Flame Cafe is where you can find this amazing invention.

Make sure you come hungry and eat your fill at this steamboat buffet (Deluxe starting from $19.90+,  Premium $25.90+, Supreme $35.90+)! We chose the Premium option ($29.90+) which includes all meats and certain seafood.

The Flame Cafe has an extensive range of vegetables, mushrooms, and processed items such as sausages and meatballs.

Also on offer is a wide variety of marinated chicken, beef and mutton. I really enjoyed the black pepper chicken!

To my delight, The Flame Cafe even has a DIY (do-it-yourself) mini-pizza station where you can make your own miniature pizza with ready-made pizza dough and ingredients such as capsicum, pineapple, and mozzarella cheese. It was quite thrilling to bake my very own pizza in the cute little oven and watch the cheese melt.

As we picked the Premium buffet, we are entitled to mussels, prawns, gong gong (conch), scallops and crayfish. The prawns, gong gong and crayfish were very fresh! I especially love the seafood when they are steamed or grilled. Note that you are not allowed to take the seafood directly from the station where they are kept. Order via the chit given, and the staff will serve the seafood to you.

The Flame Cafe also has a condiment station where diners can get chilli padi, parsley, garlic, soya sauce, and more. You can be creative and create your own combinations. For me, garlic, parsley and some cut chilli is the perfect combination!

The Flame Cafe is awesome for large gatherings! Some have even held their wedding here! The staff were extremely friendly and approachable, and we loved how attentive and efficient they were! The next time you can’t decide what kind of steamboat you want, just head to The Flame Cafe to enjoy the best of all worlds!

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

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

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Fried chicken lovers, have you heard? Taiwan’s famous fried chicken brand Monga (艋舺ㄟ雞排) is now here in Singapore!

The brand is created by Nono, a well-known Taiwanese artiste and comedian known for his charm and quick wit. Established in Taiwan, the brand boasts over 45 outlets in its home country and has even ventured to Canada, the U.S.A, the U.K., Philippines and Malaysia.

Fried Chicken is one of the most renowned street snacks of Taiwan, and Monga was established to promote it. Prepared exactly the way it is in Taiwan, Monga’s fried chicken fillet is known to be extra thick. Every piece is precisely sliced and has a thickness of at least 2cm. This ensures that the chicken fillet remains firm and satisfyingly juicy even after being deep-fried.

Honey is used to marinate and tenderise the meat. Each fillet is then coated with the optimum amount of flour before being double-fried, giving it its characteristic crust-like crunch with no greasiness. Every piece is made fresh and served piping hot!

Expect three different flavours of fried chicken fillet in Singapore — The King S$6.90, which is dusted with original salt and pepper seasoning; Hot Chick S$6.90, which is dusted with chilli paprika powder hand-made from Anaheim peppers; and The Taiker S$6.90, which is dusted with Japanese sauce and seaweed powder imported from Okinawa. You can complete the set with a drink and/or fries, and choose from different combo upgrades available.

There are also sides such as Monga Nuggets ($5.90 for 6 pcs | $7.90 for 9 pcs), Fried Chicken Skin ($3.90), Signature Fries ($2.90), Seaweed Fries ($3.50) and Sweet Potato Fries with Plum Powder ($3.50). There’s also Fried Broccoli S$3.50 and Fried King Oyster Mushrooms S$3.90 for those who fancy something different! To celebrate its grand opening in Singapore, Monga will be giving out free limited-edition Monga merchandise to the first 40 customers daily on the first 7 days of operations (28 Sep – 4 Oct).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post Beautea – Cheap Bubble Tea and an Eyecandy(?!) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Singapore Food Masters 2019 is back! In appreciation of our local food culture, you can now vote for your favourite local dishes whipped up by Singapore’s passionate hawkers and culinary chefs.

The participating 120 stalls and restaurants will compete against each other with hopes of garnering the most number of votes from the public. They are categorised by zones in Singapore – North, Central, East and West.

The top ten dishes from each zone will then move on to the finals where the judges will choose the top 3 dishes from each zone. The top three finalists will then be crowned based on the following criteria – taste, service, cleanliness, value for money and healthier choice.

CENTRAL ZONE: For those working in the CBD area, you should be very familiar with some of the nominees in this zone. There’s Huay Kwang Beef & Beer, Jia Bin Klang Bak Kut Teh, Jiak Modern Tzechar, Kei Kaisendon, Komala Vilas Restaurant, Tamaya Udon, Wan He Lou, Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ and more. I am happy that Whampoa Keng Steamboat Restaurant, Soon Heng Pork Noodles, and Wok Master are in the list too!

EAST ZONE: Easties, it’s time to vote for the dish that left your taste buds in awe! Some of the eateries that caught my eye include House of Happiness by Mr Lorbak, IM Thai Kitchen, Koung’s Wanton Noodles, Loyang Way Big Prawn Noodle, Nimman Soi 9, Olden Street Bak Kut The, Seng Kee Black Chicken Herbal Soup, Tan Ser Seng Herbs Restaurant, Yu Cun Claypot Curry Fish Head, YUN NANS and You Kee XO Pte Ltd.

NORTH ZONE: Crowd favourites such as Hanwoori Korean Restaurant, which has been one of the top three finalists in the north region for the past three years, will also be returning. There are also many international cuisine such as Jai Thai Restaurant, Feng Food, Ishiro, Jeju Kitchen, Takagi Ramen and more. For some comforting local food, there is Yan Ji Seafood Soup, Tian Wei Seafood, Ten Points Porridge, Qi Xiang Chicken Hotpot, Sembawang Traditional Claypot Rice, Bossi Ban Mian, Lee Fun Nam Kee Chicken Rice and more.

WEST ZONE: Yes, we didn’t forget our westies. There are a few Thai options such as Chickata Makan Place, Lotus Garden, Soi Thai Kitchen, Thonglor Thai Cuisine & Seafood and Yaowarat Thai Kway Chap. Of course, there are many local food nominees as well. This includes West Coz Café, Wow Wow West, Tanjong Rhu Wanton Mee, Hilltop Seafood Kitchen, Eng Kee Chicken Wings and 58 Minced Meat Noodles.

Voters can look out for the zone code to cast their votes. Those who voted for any of the top 3 finalists of each zone stand a chance to win a $100 shopping voucher each in a lucky draw, with 12 winners to be selected. Voting ends on 31 October 2019, hurry!

How to vote:

Simply SMS to 9118 8980 by 11.59pm, 31 October 2019, the zone code of your favourite stall. For example: N01 to 9118 8980

Or vote online at http://www.sgfoodmasters.sg

The post Vote for your favourite Singapore Food Masters and Stand to Win Up To $1,200 Worth of Shopping Vouchers appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Craving for Japanese food, we decided to order a feast from the newly-opened Tora Kitchen — a Japanese catering service by K Food Holdings. We ordered the 8-course takeaway buffet to feed our small but hungry team.

Everything looked great and we didn’t know where to start but our eyes naturally gravitated to the mountain of Snow Beef. The shabu shabu beef has been stewed in a sweet sauce and blow-torched. We poured the cheese dressing over, and watched excitedly as the cheese slowly cascaded down the beef. Who would have thought that the creamy cheese will go so well with the delicious beef?

Another dish that we couldn’t get enough of was the Century Egg Tofu. Smooth silken tofu is topped lavishly with a mixture of chopped century egg and tobiko. Think it looks good? Well, you’ll be pleased to know that it tastes better than it looks!

If you’re a carb-lover, you’ll definitely enjoy the Garlic Fried Rice which is fried with a copious amount of minced garlic, eggs, and chicken. The dish is then topped with a handful of garlic chips to make it even more fragrant! For those who prefer a lighter carb, go for the refreshing chilled soba. 

How can we forget Tora Kitchen’s crispy tempura prawns and flame torched yakitori? The tempura prawns have been deep fried to a light golden hue, and carried the perfect crunch. The flame-torched yakitori skewers were sweet and savoury, and carried a lovely smokiness. Trust me, you won’t be able to stop at one. They were so addictive that I kept going back for more!

What’s Japanese food without sushi? We added on the Party Tora Premium Set (27 pcs, $48), which promises an assortment of sushi, to get our fix of fresh seafood! I really liked the unagi as the slightly sweet eel was grilled to perfection. I was quite amazed by the generous amount of scallops packed onto the bite sized parcels of rice. For the amount of premium ingredients given, the Party Tora Premium Set is well worth every penny.

Alas, all good things must come to an end.. Tora Kitchen makes sure that the feast is rounded off on a sweet note. Their Sweet Azuki Soup with Mochi appealed greatly to my sweet tooth. The red bean soup was cooked using lightly pureed beans so this rendition is a thicker and richer version of the red bean soup that we are used to. I loved the chewy dango, and was secretly scooping more into my bowl. I’m not going to reveal how many bowls I had, but you just have to know that it’s more than two.

There are two buffet options, both of which include a choice of beverage. The 8-course Takeaway Buffet, which comes with disposable cutlery and condiments, is tailored for a minimum of 10 pax to a maximum of 25 pax (from $16.50 each). The 10-course Buffet Line, which includes buffet set-up and tear-down services, is made for 25 pax to a maximum of 100 pax (from $18.50 each).

You can also add one or more Sushi Party Sets from a selection of five pre-fixed sets ($48 to $58 each). 

You can place your order at www.torakitchen.sg, email torakitchen@kfood.com.sg or call +65 8786-8988 for enquiries. Door-to-door delivery costs $20 per location(additional charges may apply for CBD, Sentosa and Jurong Island). Self-collection from the central kitchen at Admiralty Street is free. 

Hosting a party soon? Let Tora Kitchen handle the food aspect for you while you worry about the other details!

Miss Tam Chiak Promo
Enter <ToraMTC10> at checkout to enjoy 10% off all Takeaway Buffet and Buffet Line-up orders.
Valid for orders placed between 2 to 31 October 2019.

This post was brought to you by Tora Kitchen.

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

The post Tora Kitchen – Enjoy a Japanese Feast in the Comfort of Your Home! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.