[HONG KONG] In my early memories, salted egg was used in porridge, mooncakes or dumplings. Today, it has become the latest trend where you can find salted egg dishes all over the menu. In Hong Kong, the most popular restaurant that served the salted egg dish is Urban Bakery. Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to try their famed salted egg croissant during my last visit in Hong Kong. However, I managed to visit Chau Kee to eat their salted egg french toast!

Located at the corner of Water Street, one of the older residential areas in Hong Kong, Chau Kee is probably considered one of the hippest char can teng in the neighbourhood. They served freshly made dim sum with a twist all day.

We tried some of their popular items including the fancy “yin yeung siu mai” which comes with two flavors: one cod roe and one topped with truffle oil. It’s juicy and generous, but of course, the price is more expensive than your usual old school cha can teng.

Piping hot french toast on its own is already divine. It’s buttery, it’s lightly crisp, it’s golden on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. When you gently slice the Salted Lava Custard Toast into half, the salted egg filling flows out like a golden lava lake. The salted egg so easily harmonises with the toasted bread, as its savoury taste is light and understated. According to one of the taste test done by a Hong Kong magazine, this french toast even came in first. They beat other famous cha can teng like Moment Cafe and Paris Ice House. No wonder it draws so much crowd all day long. So sinfully good.

You can also round out your meal with a plate of “silver needle” noodles stir-fried in XO sauce. Just like our chee cheong fun, it has a good amount of smoky wok fragrance when stir fried with bean sprouts and addictive XO sauce. Also delicious is the shrimp toast which is filled with crunchy shrimp and covered in toasted sesame seeds.

Here’s a tip on how to skip the queue: go early on a Sunday morning, say 9am. You can walk into the restaurant almost immediately.

Chau Kee
Address: Shop H1, G/F, Tung Lee Mansion, Water Street, Sai Ying Pun, Western District
西環西營盤水街東利大厦地下H1號舖
Tel: +852 2559 2389
Opening Hours: Tue to Sun 8am to 6pm, closed on Mondays

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Keng Eng Kee has its beginnings from rented stall along Old Havelock Road, they made its name when it moved to Alexandra Village. Wayne, Paul & Geraldine inherited and expanded their parent’s zi char business to open KEK Seafood at Pandan Gardens, a modern day zi char. While most of the dishes at Pandan Green are new, Wayne has decided to keep some of the signatures like Moonlight Hor Fun ($6), Chilli Crab (seasonal price) and Black Pepper Crab (seasonal price). 

New in Pandan Gardens is KEK Crunch Greenery ($8) – a green combination of baby pak choy, cashew nuts, button mushrooms, fried lotus roots and black fungus. Served with crunchy crackers and boiled prawns, this is their interpretation of Yu Sheng. The baby pak choy was very crunchy and fresh, plum sauce and sesame oil were tossed to uplift the flavours. Kids will love Mustaard Orange Prawns ($15). The deep fried prawns has the sweetness of orange and mild spiciness of mustard. It was a refreshing start to our lunch.

Sandwiched in thin slices of toast, the Prawn Toasts ($8) has a thick and solid layer of prawn and sotong paste, with water chestnuts and Taiwan sausage bits to give it a little contrast. Served with the sweet chilli sauce, it’s crisp on the outside and not too oily. A great starter before our mains!

Har Cheong Kai (Prawn Paste Chicken) Spaghetti ($10) is my favourite, probably because I had too much salted egg creations lately. Instead of just pasta and sauce, the spaghetti is wok fried with a slight spicy and tangy sauce before serving for additional texture bite and wok hei. Although they deep fry the chicken, they are still able to maintain the moisture of the chicken. It is so addictive and not too oily as well.

Salted eggs alert! Keeping up to the trend, KEK’s Salted Egg Yolk Crab Spaghetti ($15) is a hit among foodies. The pasta are given a light toss and coated with grainy but not too cloying salted egg sauce, curry leaves and topped with salted egg soft shell crab. I prefer to enjoy the salted egg soft shell crab on its own, without the pasta. There is also Salted Egg Squid ($12) and Salted Egg Prawns ($14).

Great to see our young zi char chef like Wayne coming out with innovative dishes! I am looking forward to try their marmite chicken and and popcorn crabs next time. Read about Keng Eng Kee here.

KEK Seafood
Address: 200 Pandan Gardens #01-12, Singapore 609336
Opening hours: 11.30am – 2.30pm; 5-10pm daily
Tel: 6694 3044

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Tau kwa bao is a disappearing hawker dish that many of us love. You probably can find it easily in many teochew duck rice stall in the past. But now, you can hardly find it. It is a pocket of fried bean curd stuffed with delicious mix of roughly chopped ingredients and served with teochew braised sauce. The most talked-about one is Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau.

Founded by Khoo Buck Teck in 1959, Khoo Buck Teck started off selling braised duck in Katong. He noticed that the Peranakans love to gamble, so he created tau kwa pau as his winning bet. As the shape of tau kwa pau looks like a golden purse, that attracted many customers.

They set up their first stall at Hock Ann Eating House, at the junction of Joo Chiat and East Coast Road, where Alibabar is currently located. The son has been running the shop when the father retired in 1989. They subsequently moved to Tanjong Katong Road in 2012 and now, they have relocated at Dunman Food Centre (they took over the homemade kueh shop).

The signature tau kwa bao is still selling at $1.50 each. Each fried beancurd is horizontally sliced in the middle and stuffed until it is overflowing with fried fish cake, cucumber, braised egg and fried yam – all coarsely chopped. Here, the beancurd is deep fried in advance, so it’s not served piping hot nor crispy.

Garnished with coriander leaves and slathered with the same gravy used for braised duck rice, it is served with a bowl of sweet and spicy chilli to dip. Have a bit of everything, from the crunchy cucumber, to the crispy yam, and the soft beancurd, there is a burst of flavours every mouthful.

Apart from tau kwa bao, the stall also sells braised duck rice. The offerings are very hearty with ingredients like pig’s tongue, pork belly, fish cakes, eggs, etc, and their own made chilli sauce is da-bomb! The texture of the skin is soft yet springy to the bite and the meats are juicy enough. The thick braising sauce packs a loadful of flavours from the soya sauce and various herbs used, it worked magic on the braised items.

Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau
Address: Dunman Food Centre, 271 Onan Road #01-05, Singapore 424768
Tel: 90685188
Opening Hours: Tue to Sun, 8am to 5pm, closed every Mondays.

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Meta, a stylish restaurant serving Contemporary Asian dishes, has opened along the vibrant Keong Saik Road. Short for metamorphosis, the restaurant represents its culinary team’s evolutionary approach to the menu. Helming the kitchen is Sun Kim who hails from a family of South Korean restaurateurs. He combines his culinary training with his rich heritage to produce Asian-inspired dishes with a creative modern twist.

The space offers two seating options. The counter seating dominates the long restaurant and affords an up close view of the action in the kitchen. Parallel to the counter is a line of low-top tables for two which provide a more intimate setting.

At present, the restaurant offers a choice of three set dinner menus, namely five-and eight-course Tasting Menus and a five-course Vegetarian Menu. All menus will change according to the seasons. The 8 course menu ($128++) started with appetizers such as the Oyster with Pomelo, Lemon and Ginger and Amaebi with Yuzu and Apples. The former is a freshly shucked oyster seasoned with a lemon and ginger dressing, and finished with a sprinkle of pomelo flesh for bursts of sweetness. The amaebi dish on the other hand, features deshelled Japanese sweet shrimp served with a dashi jelly, trout roe, slivers of pickled beetroot stems and carrot, as well as a crunchy charred prawn head which is to be eaten last to provide a smoky finish to the dish.

My favourite is the Wagyu Tartare with Egg Jelly and Korean Pear Kimchi. Here, Chef Sun draws upon the traditional Korean beef bulgogi and reinvents it as a steak tartare. The cubed Wagyu beef is mixed with sweet and savoury bulgogi sauce (a combination of mirin, soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil) while the julienned pear is seasoned with Chef Sun’s homemade kimchi dressing. The creamy droplets of egg jelly help balance the acidity in the dish and a topping of puffed rice adds crunch to it. You get a textural contrast between the ingredients – the tenderness from the beef and crunchiness from the pears. Love it!

The Hokkaido Scallops didn’t impress. Served with shaved bottarga, sweet korean miso, endive and squid ink cracker, it looks good but the flavours were a little on the mild side. I didn’t quite like the combination of scallop and squid ink cracker. However, Sea Bass with Clams, Fregola and Basil is a comforting dish. Fish may change according to the catch of the day. Our sea bass was seared till you get a beauitfully crispy skin and moist white meat. It is presented atop a trio of clams in a clear broth and finished with drops of basil oil.

Equally toothsome is the Slow Cooked Tasmanian Grass-Fed Beef Short Rib with Parsnip. The beef is cooked sous vide for over 30 hours at 62 degree celsius to achieve the desired tenderness. It is then paired with pickled oyster mushrooms, charred spring onions and a smooth parsnip puree.

Vegetarians can look forward Korean Pancake with Seasonal Vegetables and Potato Gnocchi with Sweet Corn and Parsnip.

The delicious desserts also reflect the restaurant’s evolutionary culinary philosophy. I was awed by pastry chef Tammy’s Citrus Cheesecake with Blood Orange Bon Bon. Her interpretation of the classic cheesecake is creatively presented as a sphere with a gilded outer layer of citrus gel that encases citrus cheesecake and a dark chocolate shell with a blood orange liquid center.

Another standout is the White Chocolate Wasabi Cream with Sesame Sponge and Yoghurt which consists of black sesame sponge, yuzu sabayon and wasabi spiked white chocolate cream. Chef Tammy’s knack for fun desserts is similarly apparent in The Rock, a nitrogen-led surprise to end your meal with.

To complement the well-executed menus, the restaurant boasts a list of signature cocktails, including Metamorphosis, a concoction that changes every few weeks. Also noteworthy is the refreshingly crisp Whiter Than Pale. The floral, gin-based drink is made with elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, egg white and dried roses.

Meta
Address: 9 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089117
Tel: +65 6513 0898
Website: metarestaurant.sg
Opening Hours: Mondays to Saturdays 5.30pm – 12.00am. Closed on Sundays.

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Chingay, the largest street performance and float parade in Asia is back to wow Singapore on 19 & 20 February at F1 Pit Building this year! With vibrant floats, dancing dragons, prancing lions, stilt walkers, wushu masters, performers of different races in their traditional costumes and many, many more… This yearly street parade has truly become a uniquely Singaporean tradition that we look forward to every Lunar New Year.

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What is Chingay?

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Whether you have joined Chingay as a spectator, watch it from home with your family, or even joined as a performer, Chingay is definitely no stranger to Singaporeans. However, how much do we know about Chingay? Have you ever wondered what does the word Chingay actually means?
Chingay is actually equivalent to the Mandarin word ‘Zhuang Yi’ (妆艺), which means “the art of costume and masquerade” in the Hokkien dialect. You might also be surprise to know that Chingay was first mooted by the then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew who was also the chairman of the People’s Association (PA) to compensate for the ban on firecrackers, a customary New Year practice to drive away evil spirits with its noise and gaiety.

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Theme: “Lights of Legacy, Brighter Singapore” 智 慧 灯 海, 璀 璨 新 加 坡

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The official theme for Chingay Parade 2016 is “Lights of Legacy, Brighter Singapore” As the theme suggests, Chingay 2016 will be the brightest ever with the biggest full-scale illuminated show. The 44th Chingay parade marks the ‘beginning of our new chapter to SG100’. The theme is also inspired by the legacy of our Founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, and the values embodied by our Pioneers such as Racial Harmony and Social Cohesion, Caring Community, Resilience as a Nation, Can-Do Singapore Spirit and Uphold high moral values. This is a people’s parade where we come together to celebrate! There are a total of 8,000 performers from 150 organisations. It represents our first step towards SG100 after our milestone SG50 celebrations.

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Because we are different, we are one

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During the segment called “Because We Are Different, We Are One”, we got to see for the first time in Chingay’s history, an item presented by the lnter-Religious Organisation (IRO) and their collaboration with 30 religious groups. We will also see various Special Effects Dragons including the “Lighted LED Flying Dragon” and Multi-cultural performances – Chinese, Malay and Indian Cultural performances.

From performers to spectators, Chingay celebrates as one where age, race, language and creed are no barriers. To keep it an inclusive event, PA will be inviting 5,500 beneficiaries from Voluntary Welfare Organisations and their caregivers to the Parade.

Every year, I look forward to Chingay as there is always something new – from the costumes, performances to the theme. This year, the audience can look forward to the 8,000 ‘Sky Lanterns’ which will be used as performance props to light up the evening. Each spectator will also be given hand-held light bulb.

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United & Vibrant Community

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Chingay Parade could well be a treasured glimpse into the different cultures of Singapore and it is the people like you and me that play a part in building a cohesive and harmonious society that we live in today. Through the segment “United and Vibrant Community”, we are able to see performances put up by communities from diverse background, showcasing the vibrancy of our community through various performing arts and dance genres.

My aunt will be participating in Chingay as part of the Women’s Executive Committees’ (WEC) performance. She has been doing this since the beginning of time and every year without fail, she will take part in Chingay and NDP with her fellow WEC mates. She especially loves all the dazzling costumes!

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Miss out on Chingay 2016? You can catch Chingay @ Heartlands and Chingay Night Fiesta which is happening on 21 Feb (Sunday) 6.30pm at Bishan-AMK Park. The month-long celebration will consist of the Main Parade at the F1 Pit Building and Heartlands Celebrations from February to March 2016. For more information on Chingay Parade 2016, please visit www.chingay.org.sg or visit PAFrenz Facebook and @PAFrenz Instagram for the latest updates.

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Once a major Southeast Asian trading port in the 16th and 17th centuries, Hoi An is a living museum featuring a unique mixture of East and West in the form of its old-town architecture and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. In the face of all the hurrying modernization, Hoi An somehow still retains its quiet serenity. Life just seems to flow by at an uneventful rate. People seem to slowly enjoy things as they are.

If you’re a foodie, trying all local street food is a must do activity in Hoi An. During our recent trip, we hired a local guide from Hoi An Food Tour to take us take us around Hoi An to find the best local street food and snacks. Our tour guide, Lucy, leads us through real neighborhoods to indulge in Hoi An’s best foods at places that have been making these food for generations. Each of our unique food tastings is combined with fun insights and anecdotes on food culture and local traditions. Below are some of the highlights of our food tour of Hoi An.

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White Rose Restaurant
Address: 533 Hai Bà Trưng, Cẩm Phô, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam
Opening Hours: 10am to 9pm

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Our first stop is the white rose cafe at 533 Hai Ba Trung Street. The recipe for these dumplings is secret, held by one family in Hoi An who supplies all the restaurants. Tran Tuan Ngai is a third generation secret keeper of the traditional white rose recipe. Known locally as Banh Bao Vac, it was initially created for family dinner but became so popular that the owner started selling to the neighbours and eventually set up a bistro in his house. Why is it called “white rose”? Well, a french reporter was mesmerized by the beauty that he named it “white rose”.

The dumplings are made from two small 2″ rounds of rice paper that is steamed to get the soft and chewy texture. The dough is made with rice comes from Mekong Delta and the filling is made with minced shrimp with spices, wraps into the shape of a rose. It is simply dumplings in its glorified manner. But well, it is a specialty of Hoi An and you can’t it anywhere else. It is said that if visitors have not eaten White Rose dumplings they have not yet enjoyed the taste of the ancient town.

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Banh Mi Phuong
Address: 2B Phan Chau Trinh street, near the crossroad of Phan Chau Trinh and Hoang Dieu
Opening hours: 6am – 10pm

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The most popular food stall in Hoi An is none other than Banh Mi Phuong. In “No Reservations” travel show, famous American chef Anthony Bourdain’s came to Hoi An, ate banh mi Phuong and then claimed that it is a symphony in a sandwich.

Phuong has been serving up the most delicious banh mi in Hoi An for more than 20 years. She gets up at 3am every morning to prepare the pork and condiments ready for her first customers of the day while her younger sister baked the crispy banh mi. Soon, it became one of Hoi An’s busiest food stalls. So what makes banh mi here so special? I think the crucial part is the banh mi Madam Phuong bakes next door. It is crispy outside, soft and airy inside.

Her original bahn mi kep thit heo is the most popular choice. When all the ingredients – pork liver pate, handmade mayonnaise, pork floss, grilled pork, head cheese, pork patty, pickled papaya, long sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, cilantro, spring onion, mints – all combine together, it is really tasty. The secret dressing she created will leave your taste buds singing with joy.

Another good recommendation for Banh Mi is MADAM KHANH THE BANH MI QUEEN which is located at the north of the Thu Bon river. 80-year-old Madam Khanh makes banh mi with passion. Each sandwish has pâté, pork char siu, sausage, fried egg, homemade pickles, papaya, carrots, parsley, chili sauce, soy sauce, and her secret sauce. The result is a well-balanced sandwich that’s sweet and salty, spicy but basic, crunchy yet creamy.

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Cao Lao
Address: Stall E035, Food Court, Hoi An Market Trần Quý Cáp tp. Hội An Quảng Nam Vietnam

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If you are a foodie like me, you will not be disappointed by the Central Market in Hoi An (Nguyen Hue and Tran Phu Streets). So much is going on, everything left and right will be catching your attention. In the food court down the middle aisle, there is a stall that sells Cao Lau that is run by a lady called Ms. Ha. Cao Lau is made up of the signature cao lầu noodles, slices of barbecue pork, pork crackling, bean sprouts, lettuce and herbs, finished with a spoonful of stock. The noodles are carefully made from local fresh rice (not older grains of rice).

What make Cao Lau so special? The dish cannot be replicated outside of the town because the water used in the dish must be drawn from a well in the nearby Ba Le well. The lye solution used to prepare the noodles comes from trees grown on Cham Island. This water is then mixed with ashes from certain trees, to give it its particular yellow tinge and slightly firm texture.

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Banh It La Gai
Address: Hoi An Market Trần Quý Cáp tp. Hội An Quảng Nam Vietnam

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The central market is a must visit because it is a great combination of foods and shopping as well as interesting local lifestyle experience. Besides Cao Lau, there is an old lady at the entrance that sells Banh It (black) and Banh Phu The (yellow).

The former is like our ang ku kueh as it is made from sticky rice and mung bean. It has become meaningful offering in the traditional lunar new year ’s festival, ancestors’ anniversary, funeral, wedding ceremony. It is not exclusive in Hoi An but here, they use the water from Ba Le well.

Bánh phu thê (literally “husband and wife cake”) is a Vietnamese dessert made from tapioca, shredded coconut with mung beans stuffing wrapped in a box made of pandan leaves. The dessert was traditionally given by a suitor but is now part of many wedding banquets.

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Xi Ma
Address: On Nguyen Truong To Street, about 50 meter away from the crossroad of Nguyen Truong To Street and Ly Thuong Kiet Street (near to Hoi An Centre for Orphans and Disabled Children)

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Sitting on a stool along Nguyen Truong To Street, I am enjoying a small bowl of Xi Ma – a dessert made from black sesame, sugar, pennywort, and a kind of Chinese medicine. It may not have an attractive colour but it tastes really good and you should not miss it!

Opens from 7am daily, this roadside stall started about 70 years ago and is opened by Mr Ngo Thieu. He is now 100 years old and is no longer able to run this business at this age, hence the daughter took over. They make just enough to sell out every day, so be sure to get there earlier rather than later. Each bowl of sesame paste is sooooo smooth and nutty, costing only 5,000 VND/bowl. Super love this, I so regret that I didn’t have the second bowl.

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Visitng local home

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We ended the tour in a local home as we learnt how to wrap Vietnamese rolls and have desserts. Wrapping Vietnamese rolls is not a problem for me as I have done it quite a few times. The family is friendly!

Here’s a video I did for the tour

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Thank you Hoi An Food Tour for such a wonderful tour. If you need hotel recommendations in Hoi An, read our reviews of the Hyatt Regency in Danang.

The post Hoi An Food Tour – Discover the best local street food in Hoi An appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Following the successful opening of a suite of F&B and nightlife concepts, The Privé Group breaks new ground with a new flagship concept, EMPRESS at the recently re-launched Asian Civilisations Museum.

Designed by interior design firm, Takenouchi Webb, EMPRESS features a modern design carefully balanced with Chinese elements and the historical reference to the museum’s façade as its stunning backdrop. The restaurant boasts a high-ceiling indoor dining area complete with an intimate private dining room, as well as an outdoor dining terrace with a waterfront view of the Singapore River.

True to its Cantonese roots, one of the signatures at Empress is the Triple Roast Platter ($28), which highlights the Spanish Grain-Fed Duroc pig breed. Dig into the Crackling Roast Pork, EMPRESS Char Siew, and EMPRESS Sweet & Sticky Pork Ribs, and savour the rich marbling, natural juiciness, tender texture and delicious flavor. My favourite is the crackling roast pork which has a biscuit-like skin with juicy layer of well-seasoned meat. The skin is crispy brittle to the point that it is almost breaking. The char siew was very very fatty, they managed to roast it till the fats just melts in your mouth. Pork ribs were tender and rich in flavours.

To whet the appetite, the Deep-Fried Tofu & Salted Egg Yolk ($10) and Crispy Cod “Bi Feng Tang”-Style ($12) will start the meal on the right note. The Bi Feng Tang cod is packed with fragrant zing of caramelized shallots and chilli that makes me go for more.

A step away from the ordinary, EMPRESS also offers a selection of Western-style salads with both traditional and modern flavour combinations like the Crispy White Bait Salad ($18) finished with a smashed young ginger-palm sugar vinaigrette and the Crispy Aromatic Duck Salad ($18) served with a plum-citrus dressing. The duck salad was a refreshing start with crunchy cucumber slices, baby spinch, pomelo, nashi pears, goji berries, Chinese figs and spring onions. The plum citrus dressing reminds us of yu sheng.

No Cantonese meal is complete without soup, so EMPRESS offers a good selection including the King Prawn Dumpling in Supreme Broth ($14) as well as the Japanese style Teapot Soup ($14) made with supreme broth with pumpkin, seafood dumplings and crispy spring rolls. Both has similar soup base and it’s really hard to pick a favourite.

Follow this with a tangy Sweet & Sour Pork ($24) with lychee and aged vinegar and Wild-Caught Whole Red Grouper ($138) served boneless which makes sharing a whole lot easier. Another standout is the restaurant’s solid selection of tofu such as the Seafood Spinach Tofu ($22) with housemade tofu, as well as the bubbling Lobster ‘Mapo’ Tofu ($28) pot. What’s interesting is, the sweet & sour pork comes in large pieces instead of our usual small cubes. The lobster mapo tofu that we had was towards the spicy side, I would prefer it to be a little sweeter.

We round off our savouries with Dragon’s Breath Angus Beef Hor Fun ($22) which had enough wok hei to finish it a smoky finish. But the one that we had that night was a little too salty. Perhaps a lime would also help to cut the oiliness. There is also Singapore-Style Noodles ($22) and vegetarian Fried Brown Rice Medley ($20) which carefully balances taste with health.

End the meal on a fun note with a dessert selection that is completely unexpected in a Chinese restaurant. Whimsy and fun are the main inspirations behind the Western- style creations, including a Cempedak Crème Brûlée ($13) topped with fresh and dried jackfruit. This is my favourite dessert amongst all because of the thick aroma of chempedak in the creamy pudding. Sticky Date & Longan Pudding ($12) with goji berry swirl ice cream is another hot favourite. The sponge cake like texture is different from the stick date pudding that we had in other places, but I am not complaining. Logan added the natural sweetness into the dessert. Other options include Peanut-Coated Black Sesame ‘Mochi’ Balls ($12) with black sesame ice cream and Steamed Molten Egg Custard Buns ($5.80).

Dining here is a casual yet elegant, relaxed yet vibrant experience. The alfresco area offers breathtaking views of the Singapore River and a casual setting for after-work socializing over Asian-inspired cocktails and scrumptious bar bites under a blanket of stars.

For large gatherings, EMPRESS offers a range of set lunches and set dinners starting from a very affordable $18 and $88 respectively. Those looking for a lighter lunch can also opt for a selection of Dim Sum (starting from $5.20) which is served daily.

EMPRESS
Address: 1 Empress Place, Asian Civilisations Museum, #01-03, Singapore 179555
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday Lunch: 11.30am – 3pm. Dinner: 6pm – 11pm
Website: www.empress.com.sg
Tel: 62388733

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When it comes to Penang food, usually a plate of steaming char kway teow springs to mind. I miss the char kueh teow I had when I was in Penang, but I don’t have the time to travel back to the food heaven these few months. While we were going around hunting for food in Johor Bahru, Irene recommended us to try her favourite duck egg char kway teow in Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre. Bring it on! It got me very excited because I have been craving for it the longest time.

So we arrived at Stall 54. With a choice of chicken egg or duck egg, the cook will cook each plate from scratch upon order. The noodles were well fried and nicely tinged with a scent of smokiness. The bean sprouts combined well with the al-dente texture of the noodles, giving it a contrast between the springy noodles and crunch bean sprouts when you bite into them. The quick frying plus the skilful handling of the heat from the stove, resulted in a pleasing plate of delicious Char Kway Teow. The use of duck egg accentuated the flavours more, giving it a rich finish.

 

Any Char Kway Teow stall in Malaysia is always better because they use charcoal and duck eggs! The aroma and taste of the duck egg gives a rich sensation to a smoky plate of char kway teow. In Taman Sentosa, we visited this stall to satisfy our craving for duck egg CKT, it’s good enough to make my belly happy but I am sure there are better ones. Where do you usually have your plate of duck egg CKT?

A video posted by Maureen Ow (@misstamchiak) on Jan 17, 2016 at 12:07am PST

Add a little chilli and you get a beautiful balance of the savory and the sweet. Nothing to praise about the prawns though, it’s not as crunchy as those I had. Presentation wise, it is not the neatest, but who cares! The chives bring a nice dash of color to the plating. It’s a joy to have such a plate of char kway teow. And if you are in Taman Sri Tebrau, do try it. Let me know where else do you go for Penang style char kway teow in Johor Bahru.

Penang Char Kueh Teow Stall 槟城炒粿条
Address: No 54, Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre, Johor Bahru.
Business hour : 5pm – 10pm

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Verre re-opens with a new chef and a new direction. Now called Verre Modern Bistro & Wine Bar, its progression from wine bar to a fully-fledged restaurant marks a new chapter in Verre’s story. Verre means ‘glass’ in French, hence you can witness a multitude of wine glasses, bottles and wine paraphernalia throughout the restaurant.

At Verre Modern Bistro & Wine Bar, the goal is to craft a cuisine that does justice to the superb wines in its collection. Housed in a 70-year-old heritage warehouse with a lofty ceiling, the environment is relaxed, hence you can afford fine wine and good food without having to put on a tie. The outdoor, al fresco riverside terrace with its European chic, is made for relaxation and people watching.

Heading the kitchen at Verre is Consultant Chef Masashi Horiuchi. Trained in classic French technique, Chef Masashi has more than 20 years’ experience in Michelin restaurants in Switzerland, France and the UK, working with the top names in the industry. Before arriving in Singapore, Masashi was Chef at the 2-Michelin-star L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in London for 5 years.

At Verre, Consultant Chef Masashi brings to the table Modern French, featuring modern interpretations of classic French flavours and focusing on authenticity and artisanal methods. The food is individually plated and more importantly, the ability of dishes to pair with and ‘lift’ the wine, raising the meal to another level. Chef Masashi Horiuchi has crafted an exciting menu to pair with wines. Its appetisers get you going with a range of excellent Carcuterie plates perfect for sharing. The Chicken Liver Parfait ($24) is smooth and has amazing flavours. If you fancy a smaller bite to go with your glass of wine, Tarte Flambee Forest ($22) is great for sharing. The thin bread dough is topped with button mushroom, gruyere cheese, espellete pepper, creme fraiche with raw egg yolk mix and caramelised onion.

There is The Half Lobster Salad ($38) featuring maine lobster cooked in court-bouillon broth and served on a smooth guacamole base. The dish is served under a large glass cloch, releasing the most enticing smells when it is lifted. Each piece of fresh lobster is thick and tender, with delicate avocado base that matches surprisingly well.

We all know the benefits of black garlic. The plate of thick and aromatic Black Garlic Soup ($19) is ladled over a ratte potato slice, dill bread, bamboo buckwheat flour crisp and black garlic clove. Served on a bed of shells, Papillote Octopus & Clams ($30) containing tiger prawns, white and bamboo clams, and octopus will entice all seafood lovers. Baked over the oven for 4 minutes in a parchment paper, each crustacean retains the moisture when tear open.

Other tantalizing mains include the Suckling Pig, slow roasted up to 5 hours and served with Pork Confit from pork shoulder slow-braised for 12 hours. The skin is not just moderately crisp, it has reached a glass crackling state. By now I am too full for the mash.

Meat lovers will also find irresistible the Lamb Chop with Moroccan Couscous and Mint Sauce ($46) or Fillet of Wagyu Beef ($62) served with truffle fries. The more impressive one is the wagyu beef made with Australian wagyu tenderloin that is pan fried to a beautiful pink.

Meanwhile lovers of seafood could indulge in Pan Seared Scallop with Sweet Corn ($38). There is too much sauce, in my opinion. But the garnish of kombu seaweed, Hokkaido corn puree and oven-baked Parmesan tuille, and a parmesan foam creates a depth in flavours with the plump and juicy scallops.

Finally, it’s dessert time! We always have extra stomach space for sweet treats! Among the plated desserts is the Apple Mille-Feuille ($16) served in an elegant martini glass; the light and refreshing Vanilla Cheesecake ($17) served with house-made raspberry sorbet or banana-passion fruit sorbet; and Jasmine Tea Verrine ($16), perched in an stylish coup glass, served with Marmite crumble and milk sherbet. The Canelé ($4) and the Saint-Honoré ($10) with its choux of puff pastry filled with vanilla cream has displayed the culinary experience of Chef Masashi Horiuchi who is trained in classic French technique.

Verre boasts unrivalled specialist wine expertise via leading fine & rare wine merchant, Wine Culture. Verre’s cellar contains the crème de la crème of French viniculture, namely 750 fine labels mainly from Bordeaux and Burgundy, including the best of Bordeaux classified growths, premier crus and grand crus. There are some 30 wines by glass; and a selection of distinctive, much-sought-after wines from top vineyards and artisanal producers – all at very strong value points.

Verre Modern Bistro & Wine Bar
Address: 8 Rodyk Street #01-05/06, Singapore 238216
Tel: 6509 1917
Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 4pm – 12midnight; Fri-Sat 4pm – 1am; Sun 4pm – 11pm

The post Verre – New exciting menu for the gourmet and the wine lovers appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Congratulations to Ramen Champion Chef Keisuke Takeda on the opening of his 10th ramen outlet in Singapore within a span of 6 years! Ramen Keisuke has been establishing itself in Singapore’s food scene since the first outlet in March 2010. Located in the heart of the vibrant and lively Clarke Quay, this new outlet, Ramen Keisuke Lobster King, has 62 seats, including 16 seats for alfresco dining. Before introducing this new outlet and the four unique bowls of ramen, here’s a little juicy scoop on Chef Takeda.

Fond of cooking as a child, Mr. Keisuke Takeda began his career as a chef at a French restaurant at the age of 16 where he worked for 12 years. He then moved to a Japanese restaurant and worked for 5 years before opening “Bimisenryu Tanka”, a modern Japanese cuisine restaurant in 2004. In 2005, he went into the then stagnant ramen culture where he felt there was potential for ramen to be developed into both an international cuisine and as a business.

He believed that ramen has much more free space to be innovative and creative compared to other cuisines thus he came up with different approaches to create innovative recipes for ramen which nobody has tried and tasted before. Since then, his ramen was well-known as artistic and visually perfect and loyal customers have praised him for revolutionizing the traditional Japanese ramen. Mr. Keisuke Takeda’s persistence in achieving perfection in his culinary creations had him winning the title of Ramen champion at Tokyo Ramen Championships in 2011 among 30,000 ramen chefs in Japan. His popularity grows beyond Japan in 2010 when he opened his first overseas outlet in Singapore!

Fast forward till today, Chef Takeda is introducing his first-ever Lobster Stock Ramen to mark the opening of his 10th outlet in Singapore. Ramen Keisuke Lobster King will officially open its doors to the public from 20th February onwards!

Leaning on his expertise and knowledge in French culinary method, Chef Takeda continues to showcase his exceptional culinary skills in this new outlet where the all-new Lobster Stock Ramen is available in four different styles namely, Lobster Broth Ramen with Clear Soup ($13.90), Lobster Broth Ramen with Rich Creamy Soup ($14.90), Miso Lobster Broth Ramen ($14.90) and Spicy Miso Lobster Broth Ramen ($15.90) which comes with melt-in-your-mouth tender pork belly and chicken char siew, black pepper prawn wontons and topped with crunchy bamboo shoot. You can also choose to customize your own ramen and add-on your favourite toppings from the menu.

At Ramen Keisuke Lobster King, the winning formula lies in the meticulous culinary approach that takes inspiration from the French culinary style behind the famous French lobster bisque. Chef Takeda also uses French rock lobsters specially imported from France. Carefully selected for its characteristic rich and abundant roe and flavour, the shells of rock lobsters are first pan-fried, crushed into fine bits and subsequently simmered for 6 hours with a special blend of herbs and vegetables to create the Lobster Broth Ramen with Clear Soup.

To create the creamy texture and unique depth in flavour for the Lobster Broth Ramen with Rich Creamy Soup, the stock brewing takes an additional 4 to 6 hours. We really enjoyed the richness and creamy texture of the broth from the latter. The velvety smooth broth slides down your throat so comfortingly. It’s so addictive that you can’t resist not slurping down even the last drop.

As for the Miso Lobster Broth Ramen, the unique lobster broth is boiled with a special blend using three various types of miso while the curly ramen noodles served in this lobster creation are pan-fried by order. Chef Takeda is very particular about the standard of authenticity therefore he is very strict with regards to the kind of ramen noodles used for the differing flavours.

They have a kitchen where all the noodles are handmade in-house. For the local-inspired creation, the Spicy Miso Lobster Broth Ramen is created with blended spices and chilli such as spicy oil, Japanese Ichimi and Sichuan Sansho, making this set to be a more flavourful and aromatic broth designed for local taste-buds. Don’t worry, it isn’t extremely spicy as compared to our local chilli padi. We felt that the level of spiciness was just right and it doesn’t overwhelm the taste of the lobster broth.

Besides the four Lobster Stock Ramen, Ramen Keisuke Lobster King also offers side dishes such as Chicken Nanban with homemade tartar sauce ($9.80), Pork Gyoza (5 pieces for $8.80) and Prawn Gyoza (3 pieces for $8.80). We were impressed by their homemade tartar sauce which consisted of radish, hard-boiled egg, tartar sauce and their secret sauce! By itself, it gives a burst of flavours. When the chicken is dipped into this sauce, this is a match-made in heaven! What an amazing combination! However, if you aren’t that into salty dishes, this might be too much. The other side dish that captured our attention was the Prawn Gyoza. The prawns were very fresh and fried to perfection, crispy on the outside yet soft and chewy on the inside.

The final item on their menu worth recommending is their Green Tea Cola ($4). We’ve never seen this beverage elsewhere and this was our first time trying. Well, all we can say is, SHIOK!!! We aren’t huge fans of carbonated drinks but this Green Tea Cola has changed our minds. It doesn’t taste very fizzy and the taste of cola is still dominant but the subtle lingering taste is that of fragrant green tea.

This affordably-priced, value-for-money restaurant is bound to attract night owls, especially when it’s opened through the night and located among numerous clubs and pubs. Ramen fans, it’s time to look forward to a hearty and indulging ramen dining experience like none other!

Ramen Keisuke Lobster King
Address: 3C River Valley Road, #01-07, The Cannery, Singapore 179022
Opening hours: 6pm – 5am daily
Website: http://keisuke.sg/

The post Ramen Keisuke Lobster King – A Slurp-Worthy Twist from the Ordinary Ramen appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Due to popular demand, Brizo Restaurant & Bar in Park Hotel Clarke Quay brings back an extended run of its scrumptious seafood delicacies at the ‘Ultimate Seafood Feast’ buffet dinner. This round, refreshing the patrons’ dining experiences are new additions to the seafood buffet – a barbecue station offering meat and seafood delights, a new cook-to-order star dish ‘Claypot Herbal Prawns’ alongside delectable meat dishes, available from 1 January to 31 March 2016.

A whole range of tempting appetisers beckons with the Prawn & Melon Brandy Cocktail, Squid with Orange & Fennel Salad in Raspberry Vinaigrette, and Prawn with Green Apple & Honey Pear Salad in Fresh Mint Plum Dressing. Adding variety to the starters are the freshest catch on ice such as freshly-shucked oysters, Chilean scallops, white clams, blue flower crab and Alaskan snow crab leg, together with fresh salmon sashimi and assorted Sushi and Maki.

Taking centerstage is a nourishing soup based specialty Claypot Herbal Prawns that boasts the goodness of Chinese herbs and ingredients including succulent fresh tiger prawns. Brewed to perfection for three hours with seven types of herbs, this piping hot claypot delicacy is sure to warm the tummies of diners before they begin with the buffet spread.

On the buffet spread, highlights to look out for include the aromatic White Peppercorn Crab, NZ Mussels & Clams in Garlic Cream Sauce, Braised Boneless Lamb with Red Wine & Shallot and Red Snapper & Potato Au Gratin. Other noteworthy dishes with a more distinct Chinese flavour include the Braised Pork Knuckle with Red Chill and Roasted Duck with Homemade Sweet Plum Sauce. At the noodle live station, diners will get to enjoy piping hot bowls of the Singapore-style Laksa. A perennial crowd-pleaser; Brizo’s notably spicier rendition of Singapore-style Chilli Crab with Fried Mantou, and Seafood Paella will be available in the buffet spread as well.

Fans of barbecue can indulge in fresh-off-the-grill barbecue delights without going through the hassle of basting meat over hot coals. BBQ favourites such as the Cajun Spice Tiger Prawns, NZ Angus Beef Steak with Dijon Mustard and Turmeric Spice and Chilli Arrow Squid, accompanied with assorted vegetables and grilled potato will be prepared a la minute for the diners.

Adding a sweet conclusion to the night’s meal is an array of desserts such the Crème Brûlée, New York Cheese Cake, Bread and Butter Pudding with Vanilla Sauce, and their signature Durian Pengat. A Chocolate Fountain with condiments together with mini Cornetto & Magnum are also available.

The Ultimate Seafood Feast buffet dinner in Park Hotel Clarke Quay is available from 1 January to 31 March 2016 every Thursday to Sunday, from 6:30pm to 10:30pm, at $55++ per adult. Children aged 6 to 12 years old at $27++ per child, complimentary for children under 6 years.

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BRIZO SEAFOOD DINNER GIVEAWAY

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MissTamChiak.com will be rewarding 3 readers with a pair of Ultimate Seafood Feast dining voucher (worth $120) each.

All you need to do is:
Step 1 – LIKE Miss Tam Chiak on Facebook
Step 2 – LIKE and SHARE this entry
Step 3 – Comment below: Who will be your date for the Ultimate Seafood Feast?

Closing date: 24th February 2016. Good luck!

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Brizo Restaurant & Bar
Address: 1 Unity Street, Level One of Park Hotel Clarke Quay
Tel: 6593 8855
Email: brizo.phcq@parkhotelgroup.com

The post Brizo’s Ultimate Seafood Feast Returns (PLUS GIVEAWAY) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

When Chef Jimmy Chok shared his views on why he hates food bloggers, I can totally understand. While I don’t agree on the part that “we are all doing it for money”, but I do feel him when he says he doesn’t need a young 20-year-old chap to tell him if his food is great or not when he has spent more than 20 years learning how to cook. It’s just sad that bloggers are always the target group, when in true honesty, many writers in traditional media may not be experienced foodie as well. Oh wells.

When it comes to F&B owners, I guess it’s the same case. Many of them, especially the experienced ones, don’t welcome changes nor new ideas. Today, I met Randall and Kai, owners of the newly opened Roast Paradise in Old Airport Road Hawker Centre. Both in their 20s, they gave up their jobs at the integrated resort, took on significant pay cut to set up this small roast business of theirs. Some experienced hawkers may question, “what do these youngsters know about roasting meat?”

Well, Kai’s Uncle owns Famous Seremban Favourites, one of the top roast shops at Petaling Jaya in Kuala Lumpur (KL). These guys have spent 4 months at the shop learning how to roast KL style roasted meat. They start their day as early as 5am so that their first batch can be ready by 11am.

What do you get? Classic KL style char siew that is well seasoned and caramelized. When served, you see that glistering layer of skin smiling at you. Put a slice in, the first taste is that sticky texture with a pleasant sweetness. As you bite onto the chunky pieces, you get the well charred edges. Using the part near the armpit, you are guaranteed the right proportion of leans and fats in the meat. Served with chicken rice, it’s tender and moist, with a significant smokey fragrance. The little plate of sauce was redundant, in my opinion.

While the KL style char siew is excellent, their sio bak probably needs more work. It wasn’t neatly sliced, some pieces were too thin and you can’t really taste the crispy skin. Yes you do get the crackling but I find the meat a little too dry.

Their Hakka style noodles came surprisingly good. It’s rare to find it here in Singapore, I remembered I had it when I went Ipoh. Drizzled with pork oil, sesame and onion oil, the lye-free noodles are cooked till al dente. The spoonful of minced meat makes it more delectable. Or you can add the signature char siew too.

The two youngsters are really humble and they have been continuously seeking feedback from customers to make their food better. That is commendable and my friends who have been here a few months ago said that standard has improved since then. Honestly, this plate of caramelized KL style char siew is already outstanding. What they need now, is to improve on their sio bak and provide more roast items for them to become a truly roast paradise.

Roast Paradise 烧味天堂
Address: Stall #01-122, Old Airport Road Food Centre
Opening Hours: 11am to 4pm or till sold out. Closed on Monday
Tel: 97867396 / 91891017

The post Roast Paradise – Caramelized KL Style Char Siew at Old Airport Road Hawker Centre appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Just like many of you, we often related Yun Nam Hair Care to the problem solver for hair loss. When they first approached me last year to offer a sponsorship program, my first reaction was, “What? Why do I need to go Yun Nam? I don’t have hair loss!”

But the truth is, Yun Nam Hair Care not only provides solution for those battling with hair loss, they have also treated many customers on other hair problems. For me, it’s a longstanding issue that I always choose to ignore – itchy & flaky scalp.

It’s not just dandruff. It’s a little more serious that that because there’s infection and torn skin at the back of my head from the constant scratching. But I see it as a common problem because of the weather, the products used, the diet or even the lifestyle.

When I first visited Yun Nam Hair Care late last year, I went through a hair analysis and have seen how bad my scalp was. I wanted a remedy but to be honest, I was really skeptical if it really works. After 3 months of treatment, I am proud to say that my scalp is soooo much healthier now. Yes, I have finished the sponsorship program but because I have seen how my hair and scalp has changed for the better after the treatments, I decided to sign a package with them out of my own pocket.

When you go to A slimming centre, you won’t expect to lose 10 kg after a session. Similar to that, you cannot be expecting your hair condition to change drastically within a session. But yes, you definitely see the progress.

Since its establishment in 1984, Yun Nam Hair Care firmly believes in using premium ginsengs, exquisite Chinese herbs and advanced hair growth technology to improve hair health effectively.

For both men and women, treatment programmes at Yun Nam are customised to provide the assurance of looking good again and overcoming the insecurities of dandruff, itchy scalp, oily hair, hair loss, balding, thinning hair and premature greying or white hair issues.

During the first half of my hair treatment, I did deep cleansing which helps to control oily scalp problem and remove oil clogs on hair pores. This is needed to be done primarily because any nutrients can go in.

So after a few sessions of deep cleansing, I am now at the regrowth stage where nutrients are penetrated to my hair roots and besides maintaining a healthy scalp, it also help to grow more new-born healthy hair.

To begin, I was given a light wash to remove excess oil and dirt. The products are infused with natural herbs to replenish lost nutrients in hair and revive their lustre.

After a quick hair wash, the bowl of herbal treatment is served. Not to be eaten, but to be applied to my scalp treatment to unclog and repair damaged hair follicles, stimulate new hair growth and eradicate the dandruff once and for all! Using premium herbal formula, Yun Nam’s products has no side effects and is scientifically prepared for thorough absorption into your hair and scalp.

Then they wrapped my head up like the ajumma in Dae Jang Geum TV series, gave me a light massage and put me under a steamer food to seal in the nutrients. Honestly, I look really funny with the hood but when the therapists massages my head, I can feel the cooling sensation from the herbal treatment and it was absolutely rejuvenating.

We finished the treatment by applying a protein lotion to strengthen the strands and a hair tonic with Ginseng essence to eliminate itchiness, dandruff and to balance pH in hair naturally. This is important as our hair and scalp oil, sebum, has a pH balance of between 4.5 and 5.5. This natural hair acidity prevents fungi and bacteria in the hair and scalp, and keeps the cuticle closed and healthy.

What I like about Yun Nam is their one-to-one consultation and close monitoring of my progress. Michelle was assigned to me and we cliqued off really well (because her cousin is my friend!). She monitors my treatment closely and every session she will change the herbal formula according to my needs for that day.

After 10 sessions, we did another computerised scalp scan analysis to see if my scalp has improved. I apologise for the rather gross picture of my flaky scalp, that was taken on the first session. Now after my 10th session, it’s all swee swee liao! Got improve? Of course lah! This one cannot lie one!

I believe a good consultant will make the treatmentS enjoyable. I am really thankful to have met Michelle as she is really friendly and professional. That’s why even though I have completed my sponsorship program, I decided to go ahead to pay for another 10 sessions just to get my scalp and hair back in shape, soothe the scalp further and prevent the dandruff from returning.

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FREE TRIAL PACKAGE! (Click here to sign up)
– 1 Comprehensive Scalp Analysis
– 1 Herbal Hair & Scalp Treatment
– 1 Set of Hair Care Products (3pc)

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No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are honest and are my own. For the list of Yun Nam outlets, please visit www.yunnamhaircare.com.sg

The post Yun Nam Hair Care Part 2 – My Scalp Condition Improved! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

After months of renovation, the popular buffet restaurant Greenhouse at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore has re-opened with a new concept called “Colony”. Drawing inspirations from the rich heritage of Singapore’s colonial history, vintage maps and postcards adorn the walls to evoke the feeling of nostalgia.

We had a chance to try their afternoon tea with some local twist, in line with the restaurant’s concept. We were first served with a plate of soft and fluffy savoury pancake, topped with eggs, sour cream and a luxurious scoop of French caviar.

And there was a plate of plain scones and raisins version, baked in house. Served with kaya, clotted cream and lemon curd, the scones are best paired with their signature Colony Tea, a custom blend of black and white Sumatran tea leaves from Tea Bone Zen Mind. The most unique part of this afternoon is, you can add flavored syrup such as French Rose, Ginger, Lavender, Palm and Cinnamon, Pandan and Pineapple to enhance the tea. So therapeutic! The second deck and third deck feature an assortment of sandwiches and sweet pastries.

Colony’s Champagne Afternoon Tea will be served from Mondays to Saturdays with a traditional British-styled three-tier set that comes with a glass of Louis Roederer NV Brut (priced at $49).

Colony
Address: The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, 7 Raffles Ave, Singapore 039799
Tel: 6434-5288
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 3.30pm – 5.30pm (Last Order 5.15pm)

The post Champagne Afternoon Tea at Colony, The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

The sisters who own the successful To-Gather Cafe in Bedok has opened a new concept “Souperstar” located at the basement of Eastpoint mall! Though they may be relatively young, all three of them have a considerable amount of experience in F&B, having spent a lot of their childhood helping out at their family’s Fortune Food Popiah hawker stall. This new concept is closely related to their childhood as they have put a new twist on traditional soup and popiah.

Fortune Foods has been specialising in popiah skins and kueh pie tee since 2004. From its humble beginnings as a small hawker stall focusing only on retail sales, the brand has since expanded to wholesale and home delivery. Using the traditional popiah skin which the sisters are familiar with, they jazzed it up at Souperstar to serve a few interesting popiah with a twist.

The Seafood Wasabi Mayo ($4.10) is a great combination of fresh shrimps, seasoned tuna and crab sticks, wakame seaweed, coral lettuce, light wasabi mayonnaise. Resembling a salad bowl but wrapped in popiah skin, it is something light and refreshing. It was a challenge for me to put the huge popiah into my mouth, but I recommend you to do it as well because you will taste how all the flavours come together. Best paired with the refreshing Summer Fruit Tea that is made with homemade pineapple honey instead of raw sugar.

For those who are watching your diet, the Sesame Chicken Popiah ($3.80) is a good option as you can tender slices of roast chicken with juicy cherry tomatoes, coral lettuce and creamy white sesame sauce. I like something more tangy, then the Sweet Thai Chicken ($3.80) was a great option with roast chicken, fresh mango, cilantro, coral lettuce, sweet thai chilli mayonnaise. No complaints about the popiah skins, they are so thin. Perhaps a little too thin for these popiahs because it broke when they wrap it. Or perhaps they were being too generous.

If you still prefer the old school popiah like me, go for The Traditional ($2.50) which has a beautiful harmony of more than 10 ingredients skillfully wrapped into a full-flavoured traditional chinese popiah. I cannot resist the slow-cooked turnips with chopped peanuts, crispy bits, boiled eggs, shredded cucumbers and cilantro. Add a little sweet sauce, minced garlic and shrimp sambal, it’s still the perfect combination.

Stews and soups available too, such as Beef Brisket & Red Wine Sauce ($9.50), Golden Curry Stew ($8.50), Creamy Tomato Basil (from $3.20), Hearty Corn Chowder (from $3.20), Sunny Carrot (from $3.20), Classic French Onion (from $3.20) etc. Stews are served together with their signature three-grain rice (pearl barley, brown rice and Japanese short-grain with carrots) for the hungry ones.

Souperstar
Address: East Point Mall #B1-K6, 3 Simei Street 6, Singapore 528833

The post Souperstar @ Eastpoint Mall – Popiah with a Twist! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

We travelled very frequently and stayed in a lot of hotels. Some of them one star, some five star, but most in between. Often, it is those little touches that make the difference between an ordinary stay and a great stay. Slated to open with full facilities in June 2016, Montigo Resorts Seminyak is the newest hotel in Bali. An oasis in the heart of the city, the resort is well-equipped for a comfortable stay and ideal for 3 generations of the family – grandparents, parents and children.

Mr Dalip Singh, Managing Director of KOP Limited mentioned, “This is an area which is up and coming, because currently it is underserved. A lot of hotels and resorts are for couples, but not family kind of concept. And I think travel trends has changed a lot, with the increase number of airlines coming in. We notice that there are increased number of people who travel with the entire family, including myself. This segment has been underserved, that’s why we come up with products that are designed for this segment.”

Here are 10 reasons why we love Montigo Resorts Semniyak.

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1. Personalised Welcome

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After checking in, we were pleasantly surprised when we entered our room. They had printed our wedding photo and gifted us a cute CONY plushy. AIYO SO SWEET! When I checked out TripAdvisor, there were also other guests who compliment them of such personalised welcome. On the table, we were served with some complimentary savouries and sweets which was perfect after our flight. Towels were folded to resemble animals. They’re great playthings for kids and just bring a smile to our faces.

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2. Spacious Room

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Montigo focuses on a lot of things that matters, from safety, security to cleanliness and comfort. Blue hues blend perfectly with earthy tones creating a comforting environment. “Being the newest kid in the block in Bali, the challenge for us is to look at how we position and come up with a product in order to meet the needs of our guests. In designing this entire resort, we took a lot of things into consideration,” Mr Dhalip explained.

Even though the point of a vacation is often to get away, it’s still nice to get in touch with the office and home if need be. That’s why we love hotel rooms that are up-to-date with tech-savvy amenities such as free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TV that can put on swivel with multiple channels so that nothing is more than a click away. Instead of having three pin plug by the bedside, they replaced it with USB. So thoughtful because for many of us, we would charge our phones by the bedside or use it as an alarm.

We would come back every evening to find our room prepared for bedtime, lights dimmed, cushions removed from the bed and slippers & fresh water bottle’s at either side. Not to mention how wonderful our room smelled from the oil burner they would light each evening.

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Book by 15 March 2016 and quote “TAMCHIAK” to enjoy:
– 30% off Best Available Rate
– Complimentary Breakfast for 2 guests
– Late check-out up to 4pm (Subject to availability)
– 20% discount at TIIGO (Exclude alcoholic beverages and special promotions)
– Complimentary use of floats at the pool

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3. Marshmallow Bed

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Gone are the days of rock-solid, bed bug-filled (too soon?) hotel beds. Nowadays, hotels are making sure that all of their guests have a great night’s sleep, with bedtime-friendly accoutrements such as pillow menus and fancy linens with high thread counts.

“Where Bali is concerned, I am very confident we have one of the best beds, if not the best sleep experience in the world. Everyone who tried our beds, they love it.”

All rooms and suites feature signature Montigo beds complete with the softest down feather liners and the smoothest of sheets for a most memorable sleep experience. The beds are specially imported in, same thing for the resort in Batam. Patented by American Down and Feather Council, it’s so soft and fluffy. Together with the pillow contruction and linen, you can ensure it’s controlled standard. That’s why we love it! Normally king size pillow is 24 inch, but at Montigo, the pillows are 36inch long, so you can even use it as a bolster. The pillow molds itself to the sleeper’s head and neck cradling them in comfort and support. Ahh, we’re dozing off just thinking about it! Call me a pillow snob, but life is too short to sleep on a waffle.

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4. Their toiletries… BVLGARI!

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When you’re on vacation you want to feel like you’re being pampered, and it’s nice to enjoy things you wouldn’t normally splurge on at home. In Montigo’s bathrooms are Bulgari’s latest Blue Tea amenity range, a new scent derived from Oolong Tea and signed by master perfumer Daniela Andrier. These designer toiletries makes our shower experience feel extra special. The large bathroom is well appointed, it’s well-lit and there is big bathtub or rain shower.

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5. Local & western dishes in an air-conditioned setting

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“At Tiigo, we are strong in asian concept in serving authentic balinese food in comfortable environment. I realised most of the restaurants here are al fresco, very dark. Taking these into consideration, the restaurant here is fresh and not dark and air conditioned. These are small little details they look out for.”

While many restaurants serve babi guling, if you want to eat in comfort, Tiigo serves it too and Chef does it pretty well. His Babi Guling (Rp250m000) features generous chunks of tender roasted pork served with thick, crispy skin stuffed with a secret blend of Balinese spices and roasted for hours. Served with steamed rice, urapan, sata lilit, sambal matah, sambal goreng and sambal ulek, take time to slowly savour the porky goodness.

If local breakfast is not your thing, Tiigo also offer typical western breakfast such as Grilled Bratwurst Sausages (RP 88,000), The Big Breakfast (RP 130,000), American Breakfast (RP 95,000), Continental Breakfast (RP 78,000), Healthy Breakfast (RP 80,000) etc.

During dinner, the resort initially planned it for us to have our meal by the swimming pool. But unfortunately, it was raining that night and we had to shift it into the restaurant. Not a bad thing actually, because it was quite cozy and comfy at night. Chef Alit’s grill dishes never fail us. My Lamb Chop (RP 125,000) is certainly tender, and they are truly great with red wine sauce. Some other dishes that we tried include the melt-in-your-mouth Pork Belly (RP 125,000) with cajun pears, cauliflower puree and apple sauce; Lobster Bisque (RP 80,000) with prawn wonton and coriander foam; and Chocolate Decadence (RP 80,000) with 70% cocoa mass flourless dark chocolate cake, chocolate sauce, chocolate macaron and chocolate chantilly cream.

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6. Pool that makes a splash

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Montigo Resorts Semniyak‘s swimming pool is located right at the entrance, just beside the pool. On cooling days, you can order your meal from the restaurant and dine just right in front of the pool.

Mr Dalip Singh added, “We added a swimming pool beside the restaurant, a unique concept that you cannot find it often in Bali. People love to order some food and go to the pool and relax. We have seen an increasing demand, and we have tested it out on New Year’s Eve at the foam party.”

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7. Interactive Cooking Class

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Gain new culinary skills as you learn to cook delicious Balinese food on this half-day cooking class. Under the guidance of Chef Alit, we get to visit local market, choose local ingredients and try our hands at Balinese cuisine in a cooking class. Then enjoy your lunch together!

Our class begins with a market tour to a local market nearby where you can get ingredients from food stalls filled with the mouth-watering aromas of specialty dishes as well fresh vegetables, meats, sweets and spices. We learnt about various ingredients, including herbs and spices used, and start collecting produce for our cooking lesson.

After the market tour, we are back in the resort for a hands-on lesson in Balinese cuisine. All of the equipment and ingredients are prepred and we have plenty of opportunities to interact with the chef and our fellow cooks. It really fun and Chef Alit has been very kind, letting us do simple chores like cutting garlic and onion. I had so much fun making pancakes!

We tried our hands on Balinese Ayam Betutu which is a whole steamed balinese spring chicken with a whole lot of spices. The aroma of this Balinese chicken dish alone will you have swooning. And it pairs so well with sambal matah. We also cooked papaya salad and pancake with grated coconut. At the end, each of us got a certification of completion and two happy tummies.

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8. 24-Hour Room Service

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At hotels with 24-hour room service, we can have their pick of tasty treats no matter the time of day or night. On our last day, we were feeling lazy so we decided to order room service instead. Selecting from Tiigo’s menu, we decided to go asian this time with dishes like Nasi Goreng Bali Bumbu Rajang (Rp74,000); Semniyak Breakfast (RP 87,000) featuring egg noodles soup with shredded chicken in rich chicken broth; Nasi Jinggo (RP74,000) served wiith yellow rice with shredded chicken in chilli spices, soya bean cake, egg and sambal ulek.

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9. Romantic private garden dining

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Each suite has a private garden where families can spend time together or have romantic dinner there. We were treated to an exclusive garden BBQ dinner with a mobile live station where the chef specially cooked for us. How cool is that.

Starting with appetizers, we were treated to Sate Lilit, mixing a Balinese spicy paste with mnced chicken and then moulding it around sugarcane sticks. Served with Balinese spicy condiment (sambal matah, it adds a unique depth of flavour to the smoky meat. The prawn bisque was rich with a tang, and there is a huge crispy seafood dumpling in the middle.

It’s quite meditative to watch chef grill our steak and prawns on the charcoal grill. Flip and Flip, what came was beautiful piece of wagyu beef tenderloin cooked to perfection: rare in the center, charred on the outside and dripping with salty, smoky, brawny juices. You know you already want a glass of red wine with steak. We were given a few choices of mustard and salt to pair with the steak – paprika mustard, fresh coriander mustard, herb mustard, black sea salt, rosemary salt and lemon skin salt. Honestly, I didn’t go with any because I like it as it is, with red wine sauce.

With a personalized waitress to serve us the whole night and music playing at the background, what more can I ask for?

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10. Service that goes beyond

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The most incredible feeling comes over you when a hotel embodies a destination on arrival. Right from the time we arrive till we bid goodbye, Montigo has displayed exceptional service. The driver was really friendly and chat with you like a friend (everyone of them speaks English fluently). Upon arrival, we were offered a glass of cold lemongrasss tea. The feeling continues when we spent our time at Tiigo restaurant. They even offered to drive us to a nearby shop when they don’t have to. It’s moments like this that fill you with an immense gratitude simply because you are there.

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The whole experience at Montigo was extremely personal, from the moment we arrived to the day we checked out. The staff were super helpful and friendly, catering to all our needs. It has great location as well, only less than a 10-minute walk to the beach, lots of little shops and restaurants nearby and we took a leisure walk to get to Seminyak Square.

The hotel is still in the soft opening, so some of the facilities such as the gym and spa are not ready yet. But even so, we still enjoyed every moment of our stay at Montigo. By June 2016, you will have everything ready, including the spa which focuses on water treatments with a range of water pool facilities.

Montigo Resorts Semniyak is about 40-55 minutes’ drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport. The nearest shopping mall is Seminyak Square, which is about a 5 minute drive or 20 minute walk from the resort.

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PROMOTIONS

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Book by 15 March 2016 and quote “TAMCHIAK” to enjoy:
– 30% off Best Available Rate
– Complimentary Breakfast for 2 guests
– Late check-out up to 4pm (Subject to availability)
– 20% discount at TIIGO (Exclude alcoholic beverages and special promotions)
– Complimentary use of floats at the pool

CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW!

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No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are honest and are my own.

The post 10 Reasons Why We Love Montigo Resorts Seminyak appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Like many great food stalls and restaurants in Taipei, Ah Cai Shi Mu Yu 阿财虱目鱼 standing on Neijiang Street is easily missed by tourists. It is famous throughout many locals in Taipei, and the lines outside can run to more than 20 people.

We only found the stall because we stayed in one of the Airbnb apartment right above the eatery. Every night when we come back, we would see the queue outside this eatery. It got us really tempted, so we decided to join the queue.

Milkfish is very popular in Taiwan, and the fish can be used to make many different dishes. Almost all parts of the milk fish can be used, no wonder some call it the fish of champion. Sometimes, it can be garnished with slices of ginger and cooked into a broth. Sometimes, it can be used in congee. Here, they are either braised or pan fried.

Our favourite is the pan-fried version of milkfish belly (NT$200). With macks of lime, it is guaranteed to whet the appetite especially during winter. The fish is flaky, slightly sweet, and has a texture similar to cooked salmon. By pan frying it, you can can taste the moist, intense and buttery flavour.

Another option is the braised version (NT$200). As the fish cooks, the soy sauce turns it a beautiful golden brown. The reduced liquid intensifies the flavor and in the end, you are left with a kind of glaze that coats the fish and serves as a sauce for the rice that you should definitely eat with it.

Instead of the usual three-cup chicken, they serve three-cup clams. Cooking in claypot, the clams are fat and succulent, with basil to bring out the fragrance of the dish. Sesame oil is kept in a minor key. The clear seafood soup is my favourite with fresh prawns, squid and clams, garnished with fried garlic.

I had been told that lu rou fan is another dish to try. True enough, the pork belly was so soft that it literally melts in your mouth. But it was too soft and lacks the bite to have it in the middle of the night.

On the other hand, the omelette is awesome. With a dull shade of yellow, this is one of the thickest and tastiest omelette I ever had. It’s a heavy pancake made out of eggs alone, I think our local chap chye peng should learn from them.

Ah Tsai Milk Fish (阿財虱目魚)
Address: 53 Neijiang St., Wanhua District, Taipei City (台北市萬華區內江街53號)
Tel: (02) 2370-3378
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 10pm to 5am

The post Ah Cai Shi Mu Yu Du 阿财虱目鱼肚 – Legendary milkfish belly that only opens at 10pm! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Last year, Malaysia Famous Fried Porridge located in a coffeeshop along Macpherson Road rocked Singapore’s hawker scene with a huge bang. They have now moved to Jalan Besar and renamed as “Royal J’s Seafood”, with a much bigger space and ready to serve more delicious cze char items.

Previously only known as Fried Porridge (炒粥) in Macpherson, they used to only serve 6 different kinds of porridge – Seafood Porridge, Promfret Porridge, Red Grouper Porridge, Prawn Porridge, Minced Meat Porridge and the Signature Fried Porridge. Now in Foch Road, they only sell their Signature Fried Porridge together with a whole range of different zichar items.

We visited Royal J’s Seafood tonight on their first day of operation and honestly, it was a mess. We waited one hour for our food even though there were no big crowd. They were busy taking orders but there was no queue cards given, so they were not sure which order belongs to who. But well, considering that it’s their first full operation service, a little glitch is understandable.

Originated from Ipoh, Owner-Chef John Ng brings multiple ingredients, styles and flavours together to their new menu. After an hour’s wait, the golden fragrant chicken finally reached our table. Also known as kam heong chicken ($12), this dish has a fusion of Chinese, Malay and Indian flavours. With the combinations of dried shrimps, chili, curry powder and curry leaves, it has an inviting aroma with a little spicy kick and great flavours.

I had lots of curious thoughts whenever my foodies friends mentioned about fried porridge ($6 small, for 2 pax). Finally, I get to try it and it was really sedap. While many porridge stalls served soft and clean porridge, Royal J’s Seafood literally “fry” the rice with an abundance of savoury ingredients: yam cubes, pork lard fritters, dried cuttlefish, dried shrimps, chives and shredded crab. Using superior broth, Japanese pearl grains and his homemade brown sauce, the chef fries the rice with gruel as though he is dancing. It’s thicker and starchier, so it gets heavy after a bowl. But that thin strips of fried cuttlefish and pork lard… OH MINE…

Adding some greens to the sinful meal, we ordered a plate of crunchy you mai cai ($8) which is interestingly stir fried with green chilli, garlic and onions.

Royal J’s Seafood
Address: 30 Foch Road, #01-02, Singapore 209276
Tel: 9357 3993

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Text & Photos by Rae Chan & Maureen Ow

I’ve lived in Woodlands for 20 years, but most of my study and work life was spent outside Woodlands. I would usually be at a loss when people asked me about Woodlands. While I was in between jobs, misstamchiak asked me if I wanted to take on the challenge of coming up with a list of 10 things to try in Woodlands, I gamely took up it up! After recommendations from friends and family and some of my personal favourites, here goes the list of 10 things to try in Woodlands! (I won’t exaggerate to say that you should come from Tampines to eat them. If you are around the area, just know that there are other options other than Causeway Point!)

Ah Keat Pig’s Organ Soup. Kway Chap
Address: Blk 211 Marsiling Crescent Lucky Star Eating House Singapore 730211
Opening Hours: 7am to 9pm (Closed on alternate Wednesdays)

I’ve seen this Kway Chap ($3.50) appear on some list of kway chap to try in Singapore and didn’t think much about it. Then as I was asking for recommendations on what to include in this list, my father suggested this kway chap stall.

For $3.50 a portion, you get big intestines, small intestines, fish cake, pig’s skin, braised egg and pig’s stomach. This is a lot more than what many stalls give nowadays given the amount work needed to prepare all these ingredients to make sure that they are clean and do not taste gamey.

What is important to me is that the organs had to be well braised, clean, fresh and soft to the bite, which in this case, it was! The braising sauce at this kway chap stall was nothing spectecular but it was a delicious bowl of kway chap where the efforts of the owner could be seen in the preparation of the individual ingredients to make it come together harmoniously. What is worthy of mention is that the kway did not become mushy even after I took forever to take photos of the food.

My personal favourite used to be the kway chap at block 93 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 until the taste changed quite dramatically and I’ve since been looking for a new favourite. I will keep this in mind when I have a kway chap craving next time!

Ye Lai Xiang Laksa
Address: Blk 4A Woodlands Centre Road #02-36 Woodlands Food Centre
Opening Hours: 3 am to 1 pm (Closed on Thursdays)

I was at Woodlands Food Centre to try the Yan Ji Seafood Soup for the second time, but unfortunately, we were too early and it wasn’t opened yet. But at the corner, I was attracted to a queue (like all Singaporeans do) for Ye Lai Xiang Laksa. While in the queue, I heard the auntie in front of me commenting that she would have given up queue-ing if not for the fact that her son only eats the laksa from this stall (maybe only this laksa stall in Woodlands lah~).

At first, I ate the laksa without the chilli. It was very lemak (rich in coconut milk). Then I requested for chilli to be added. On my! That added a new dimension to the laksa. The chilli was fragrant and dried shrimps were used to make the chilli. This gave the laksa unami. For $3, the stall was generous with ingredients like fish cake, egg, beansprouts, blood cockles (hum) and tofu puffs (tau pok). Laksa with no hum is a big no no to me.

And no, there’s no typo in the opening hours. 3 A.M.! So if you are night owl or early bird in need of supper or breakfast, laksa sounds like a good change from Macdonalds or prata. They also sell prawn noodles (which I heard a lot of people order as well), fishball noodles and lor mee.

Wei Wei Shi Pin Yan Ji Seafood Soup
Address: Blk 4A Woodlands Centre Road #02-11 Woodlands Food Centre
Opening Hours: 11 am to 4 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Misstamchiak told me that Yan Ji Seafood Soup was a must try to be included in the list (nope, never heard of it until now). I finally managed to try it on my 3rd attempt on a cool rainy afternoon.

For $6, the soup was rich in flavour (from the Hokkaido scallops as stated on the signboard I suppose). The seafood used (prawns and fish) was also fresh and they were also generous with amount of fish and prawns. The seafood soup here comes with minced meat balls. The minced meat balls were flavourful and falls apart as you put them in your mouth. All in all, a comforting meal to have on a rainy day. My only grouse was that they could have been more generous with the soup.

The Crowded Bowl
Address: Republic Polytechnic, Level 3, The Lawn Food Court
Opening Hours: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm (Closed on public holidays and weekends)

The Lawn Food Court is pretty well hidden, so you may need to ask around before you can find it. You can sit by the ceiling to floor window, enjoy the air conditioning and the view of the lawn outside the food court. The Crowded Bowl is a vegetarian salad stall, so you will not see the choice of meats to be added to the salad like most salad joints. Instead, they have sides like vegetarian goose, vegetarian meat, vegetarian fish, etc for the protein to be added to the salad. In case you are wondering, some of the vegetarian meats are soy based and not gluten based!

For $3 a regular bowl, you get greens + 2 regular sides + 1 premium side. As for the dressing, you can choose from balsamic vinaigrette, Japanese seasame or orange marmalade. As I visited this place after lunch hours, there were limited choices available. So I chose cherry tomatoes, vegetarian goose and pasta in tomato sauce (premium side) tossed in Japanese seasame. Other premium sides available were pumpkin salad, olive rice, pasta in olive oil. You may wonder if the chinese vegetarian dishes goes well with the salad. Surprisingly it does! The combination was really yummy and the crispy vegetarian goose really provided a nice change and contrast to the usual salad offerings.

Delisnacks
Address: Block 20 Marsiling Lane Market & Food Centre #01-17
Opening hours: 6am to 1pm

My father will on some days buy dough fritters (you tiao, $0.70) on his morning walks. I never knew where it came from. All I knew was that even when I woke up (in the afternoon), the dough fritters was still light and airy even though it was cold. It did not become doughy and oily like many.

So I got my father to bring me there one morning to try it piping hot! It did not disappoint me! It was crispy and airy and was not too oily. They also sell other fried dough snacks like hum chee pang, fried sweet potato balls, fried butterfly, etc. They also carry the same trademarks of the you tiao. This stall is also vegetarian.

Al Ameen Eating Corner
Address: Block 35 Marsiling Industrial Estate Road 3 #01-11
Opening hours: 24 hours for prata and drinks, other stalls close around 4pm

I saw rather good reviews of the prata and thought I should go and try it out after my first attempt at visiting Yan Ji Seafood Soup was not successful. This place was previously at Woodgrove and had only just moved to its current location when I visited. Even though the address has the word industrial estate in it, it is really by the road side of Woodlands Ave 5, less than 10 mins walk from Woodlands MRT station. Service was friendly and they even acceded to my request to make the prata fresh instead of giving me the ready made ones.

I ordered the Prata Kosong and Prata with Egg (total $2.40) to try. The prata was crispy and fluffy even after I took forever to take pictures of the food. As the prata and drinks stalls are 24 hours, it is a good alternative for all the Woodlanders! No need to travel all the way to Sembawang or Thomson to satisfy your prata craving!

Soon Long Sin Vegetarian Food
Address: Blk 883 Woodlands Street 82, Woodlands North Plaza, 02-472 Stall 2, North Singapore, Singapore 730883
Tel: 97518300
Opening Hours: 6am to 9pm daily

As the same coffeeshop as the duck rice stall, there is a vegetarian stall which is quite popular. The beehoon here is delightful. It is soft, which makes it a joy to eat with the side dishes. You can pick from a generous selection of dishes such as mock meats, fried beancurd and vegetables. They also have a huge range of other vegetarian options like vegetarian kway chap, vegetarian fish head curry, vegetarian bak kut teh etc.

Hong Ji Claypot Bak Kut Teh
Address: Blk 19 Marsiling Lane #01-329 Singapore 730019
Opening Hours: 8 am to 9.30 pm

Hong Ji Bak Kut Teh adopts the Malaysian style of herbal Bak Kut Teh ($5.50). You can choose whether you want only pork ribs or mixed bak kut teh with pork offals. My family’s preference is for the mixed bak kut teh with pork offals. The taste of the herbs was distinctive in the soup and yet not overpowering. The pork ribs and offals are already cut into bite size pieces for convenience.

The braised Tau Kee ($1.50) when braised well is really flavourful and soft. There were a few times when the tau kee was not as well braised as I would have liked it to be. Fen Chang ($5), was chewy and well braised. The portion was generous. It is a good company to rice. For me, I may even add it to plain noodles. The Braised Pork Trotters ($4) was well braised, but I do prefer my meats to be on the softer side. I believe that there are others who would lik their meat braised this way so that they can chew and enjoy the flavours of the meat!

Tze Char at 834 Eating House
Address: Block 834 Woodlands Street 83 #01-89 Singapore 730834
Opening hours: 11 am to 2 pm, 5 pm to 11.30 pm
To reserve: 91474425 / 9692 8284

This is my family’s usual haunt for dinner. It is a very popular place for dinner and the wait for the food to be served on weekends can be up to 45 mins! Their fried dishes and stir fry are really well executed. Now, before you say, “aiya, anything fried sure nice mah”, you must admit that it is a skill to deep fry such that the food retain its crispiness on the outside and yet retains its moisture on the inside and does not taste overly oily.

I like the Golden Sands Prawn ($16) with deep fried mid sized prawns in a mount of pork floss fried with curry leaves, salted egg and other spices. The pork floss is crispy, salty, fragrant, with a little sweetness originally from the pork floss. This is really addictive and is a change from the usual cereal prawns.

The Nonya Fish Head ($22) uses the red snapper and the sauce is sour, sweet and spicy at the same time. More rice please! The stall owner has tweaked the level of spiciness of the sauce so that it is more acceptable to families. There was an instance when we ordered this dish and the aroma of it tempted the next table to order it too!

The Omelette with Garlic ($6) may seem unassuming. This is actually not in the menu and they only make it upon our special request. Our order is always, egg omelette with lots of minced garlic. The trick to making a good omelette is that the thickness of the omelette must be just right so that it’s brown and crispy on the outside with a very distintive wok hei and cooked just right on the inside. The addition of the minced garlic makes it very fragant without the garlicky taste. Not forgetting the fragrant french beans with sambal ($9).

Xin Yang Thai Food
Address: Blk 806, Woodlands St 81
Opening hours: 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 8.30 pm ( Closed on Thursdays)
Tel: 9737 6985
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/xinyangthaifood

This stall has moved to various locations in Woodlands over the years. Yet, there is still a loyal following of customers following its move. Be sure to follow their facebook page to see when they would be closed or travelling! Their popular dishes include their tom yum soup, pineapple rice, pad thai, etc. They are generous with their portions and the ingredients used are fresh.

We ordered the Tom Yum Soup ($5). It was a messy bowl of goodness. The tom yum was sour, (not too) spicy and had prawns, chicken, squid in it. The Basil Minced Meat Rice ($4.50) was generous with the meat and the basil, a little more of the sauce would have made it tastier.

Ah Di Braised Duck Rice. Kway Chap
Address: North Plaza, 883 Woodlands Street 82 #02-472
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 8:30 am – 1:30 pm; 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm

We saw an article from an online citizen news portal about a “hidden gem” in Woodlands so we gave it a try. Misstamchiak likes the mild herbal gravy used in duck rice and soup. Even though it was not as tender as we expect, it has attracted diners from across the island.

The kway chap that we tried was another matter altogether. The pig innards were well braised. Chewy to the bite. The kway was smooth and the broth used was light the herbal taste was not too overpowering. This was the second time I had tried their kway chap. Give it a try if you are in the area and let me know if the queue is worth it! I say give their kway chap a try if you are intending to join the queue!

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The list above may not be comprehensive, please let me have your recommendations so that I can explore more of Woodlands!

The post 11 Delicious Cheap Eats To Try In Woodlands – Below $10, Tried & Tested! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

For those of you who are looking for the crispy sio bak that we were raving about last year… Here’s the good news, they are back in action! From “Cross Way Bay Sio Bak” in Tampines to “Tong Tong Hong Kong Delicacy” in Johor Bahru to “Hong Kong 88 Roast Meat Specialist” in Bukit Batok and now at Jalan Besar, we have managed to track him down again at his new place in Foch Road (same coffeeshop as fried porridge shop).

As many of you know, the boss Martin does one of the best sio bak in town! All foodies fell in love with its biscuit-like sio bak skin that we kept going back for more. Unfortunately, Martin only served a short stint in Bukit Batok last year. The new stall owners that took over the business re-use his brand name. So don’t be fooled okay, same same name but the sio bak quality is erm… way different.

How good is their sio bak? Well, you really want the skin to be crispy. I think Martin has got the right formula. The skin is crispy brittle to the point that it is almost breaking. You can hear the crackling sound when you bite the skin. It is dry and tastes like biscuit, with the first bite producing a noisy crunch from the skin before it gives way to the juicy layers of well-seasoned tender and moist meat under it.

Just look at the fatty layers of pork belly, I think you can literally count the different layers. When you bite onto it, oh man, the juices… I can’t resist… Our foodie friend John was asking for sauce to pair with the sio bak. I told him, the sio bak is soooo good on its own that it doesn’t even need any sauce. After eating it, he agreed and didn’t stop at one.

The other meats were pretty okay. We went today where the char siew was quite decent. It is tender and not too sweet. The roast duck was similar as well. I should try the chicken next time, I remembered it was drizzled generously with sesame oil the last time.

Glad that the real sio bak master is back in action and I hope he doesn’t move anymore. He says he will be serving wanton mee from next week onwards, I am looking forward to that! Oh yes, don’t say I never remind you, please go there early if you wish to have the best cuts of the roast meat!

Hong Kong 88 Roast Meat Specialist
Address: 30 Foch Road, Singapore 209276
Opening hours: 10.30am to 9.45pm daily, closed on Mondays on alternate week

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