Compiled by Mu Qin & Maureen

Singapore, with her plethora of delicious local hawker delicacies, is a foodie’s heaven. We’re pretty sure no one can resist the scrumptious yet artery-clogging char kway teow. Flat rice noodles and egg noodles are often stir-fried over very high heat with eggs, cockles, Chinese sausages (lap cheong), fish cakes, bean sprouts and Chinese chives. Traditionally, hawkers fried the kway teow with generous amounts of delightful lard but in the 21st century where more people are becoming health-conscious, the healthier version of char kway teow is executed with oil and vegetables. Char Kway Teow is a common dish at hawker centres across Singapore but it’s tough to find one that really suits your personal preference. So, here’s a list of 17 Char Kway Teow hawkers for your enjoyment.

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee

Touted by many as one of the best char kway teow in Singapore, this stall is often swamped by crowds during lunch hours. It was first started by Mr. Ng’s father at Metropole Cinema in Tanjong Pagar in the 1950s but is named after their tenure at the second outlet in Outram Park. Mr. Ng helped since the beginning and officially took over about 10 years ago. Each $3 portion comes with cockles, bean sprouts and fried pork lard to complement the tasty egg. The noodles are smooth and thoroughly coated with special black sauce, packed with a wallop of wok hei. Each bite gives a textural crunch from the deep-fried lard. So shiok!

Hill Street Fried Kway Teow

Wok hei is very well-done at Hill Street Fried Kway Teow as you can distinctly taste the smokey flavour of the noodles. Go closer and you’ll notice that the owner uses a very shallow wok which is probably only 5 inches deep to ensure that the kway teow is fried uniformly. A plate of $3 fried kway teow comes generously packed with ingredients. We enjoyed the crunchy bean sprouts and bits of crunchy pork lard, with lots of eggs and sweet dark sauce. Chives are also added to enhance the flavours of the noodles.

Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow

Uncle Teng, the man behind numerous plates of delectable char kway teow, fries each plate individually to ensure the flavours are concentrated and the dish is served piping hot. With more than 40 years of experience in frying char kway teow, his movements are swift and rhythmic. He single-handedly takes orders and fries the kway teow. Fresh prawns and squid are added into the oil before the noodles. Each mouthful of fluffy noodles were well-coated with spicy, eggy goodness, giving it a lovely taste and texture. The dish also had enough wok hei and plump cockles, completed by strips of chives. Instead of the usual sweet finish, Uncle Teng’s char kway teow is more savoury, with a good amount of smokiness.

No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow

Judging by the framed newspaper article of Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hanging proudly at the stall, it says a lot about the reputation of No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow. Despite his fame, owner Mr. Ho is friendly and approachable. He cooks each batch upon order and the portion is one of the most generous in Singapore. The basic $3 plate has everything from Chinese sausages, fish cakes, cockles, eggs to bean sprouts and chives. The noodles were soft and moist and perfectly enveloped in the greasy sauce that was savoury with a hint of sweetness. To be honest, it is still our favourite thus far.

Choon Hiang

Since the age of 12, Ms. Mui Mui has been accompanying her mother and helping out at their stall at MacPherson every day after school. She only took over after their relocation to East Coast Lagoon Food Village and her char kway teow was selected as the Top 10 Char Kway Teow in City Hawker Food Hunt in 2008. Her cooking style differs from other char kway teow hawkers as she started off by cooking the eggs till a little dry before adding the rest of the ingredients for her char kway teow. It was flavourful and contains a strong taste of wok hei, just the way we like it.

食得福 Fried Kway Teow

When a few readers introduced me to the same CKT stall, it made me very curious (especially when it is located in Ang Mo Kio)! I dropped by for lunch at 食得福 CKT opposite AMK Hub and was pleasantly surprised how simple but tasty their noodles were. The aunty has been frying CKT for more than 20 years and even though her ingredients and sauces are nothing special, it all depends on how the hawker controls the fire and makes the noodles come alive. This is a very good plate of char kway teow which is wet enough and smoky enough. Plus, they even have stir fried mee tai mak which has become my new favourite.

Armenian Street Fried Kway Teow @ Seng Kang

Started in 1949 by Mr. Lim’s father back in Armenian Street, this street side stall was well-loved by many char kway teow fans. Mr. Lim helped his father since young and took over in the late 1980s. The moist noodles are well-coated with sweet dark soy sauce and fried to perfect goodness, with sufficient wok hei and small, crunchy pieces of pork lard. Generous portions of Chinese sausages, cockles, eggs, bean sprouts and chives added on the desired flavours to this culinary wonder. We found that it tasted better when chilli is added into it. There are other outlets in Tampines and Sin Ming. Read more about it at http://www.misstamchiak.com/armenian-street-fried-kway-teow-seng-kang/

大众美食 @ Changi Village

The elderly couple works in harmony at this hawker stall – while the wife takes order, the husband whips up a superb plate of char kway teow, with its fragrance and smokiness lingering in the air. He makes it a point to fry only one plate at a time so be prepared to wait for his wonderfully charred kway teow that’s out to tantalize our tastebuds. A plate consists of your usual eggs, cockles, Chinese sausages, bean sprouts and chives. Somehow, this elderly uncle’s char kway teow gave us a tad of homely feel.

Amoy Street Fried Kway Teow

This stall originated from a push cart along Boon Tat Street in the 1960s. Having been in business for over 5 decades, it’s not surprising to see huge office crowds queuing for a plate of this goodness, especially during lunch time. Boasting a nice texture and good consistency, this char kway teow leans towards the more savoury side. The kway teow was moist but not overly wet and the cockles were fresh and plentiful. The standard is not consistent because some days, the char kway teow appeared a little too dry for our liking. But we like that it had a lime to give a tangy dimension to the sweet and smoky dish.

Mr. Chee’s father started the business more than 30 years ago. Mr. Chee used to run a car workshop and only took over the stall about 10 years ago. His char kway teow is a little different. He doesn’t use lard and uses sausage and ham for his char kway teow. His homemade chilli sauce is pretty solid, packing a really good punch. We ordered the $3 and $4 version and found the $4 plate of char kway teow bigger, with an additional big prawn. However, the $3 is good enough with decent wok hei. The reason behind Mr. Chee being labeled as the “Dancing” char kway teow man is because he sways along with his frying movements. He explained that this helps him keep fit. Read about it here: http://www.misstamchiak.com/char-kway-teow-circuit-road/

Lai Heng Fried Kuay Teow & Cooked Food

What makes this stall stands out from the rest is its uniqueness in offering otah that surprisingly complements a plate of char kway teow. Instead of tasting the usual charred and smokiness flavours, you get a super moist and slippery plate of kway teow here. Don’t be mistaken – there’s still a hint of wok hei and the aroma is fantastic! You’ll notice a lady helming the wok and she’s the daughter of Mr. Saw, the original owner and hawker. Sorry, but Mr. Saw’s char kway teow still fares better so when you’re ordering, remember to request for Mr. Saw to prepare it for you.

Katong (Peter) Fried Kway Teow Mee

Owner Peter Lim learned how to make his char kway teow from one of the best char kway teow “masters” in the late 1960s when he was offered a chance to help out at the coffee shop beside Odeon cinema in Bras Basah. Later on, Peter set up his own hawker stall at Jago Close along East Coast Road before moving to Tanjong Pagar Food Centre and roped in his son, Benny, to help whip up tasty plates of local and Penang char kway teow. We tried the traditional black fried kway teow and Penang white fried kway teow. The former consisted of a strong wok hei taste and came with abundant pork fats, yet it’s not very oily. The latter fared really well too. White kway teow is used and it’s more savoury than sweet but we enjoyed the spicy-tangy twist the most. What amazed us was that Peter and Benny use a prawn and chicken stock instead of water during their cooking.

91 Fried Kway Teow Mee

This is perhaps, one of the rarest char kway teow stall in Singapore that has chye sim and ikan billis as toppings. We found the wok hei really gratifying and enjoyed the crunchy texture and savoury-ness coming from the ikan billis. It changed the overall taste of traditional char kway teow. Owner Mr. Tan explained that his char kway teow is stir-fried with a special broth that takes about 10 hours to prepare. He replaces the sinful pork lard with vegetable oil for a healthier choice. It’s quite amazing that we could smell the aroma a few stalls away, while Mr. Tan is frying char kway teow. However, the only downside is that we found his portion too small and ingredients too little.

Meng Kee Char Kway Teow

Run by a father-daughter team, this char kway teow tilts towards the sweeter version. We haven’t tried the father’s version but the daughter is the one who is frequently manning the stall nowadays. Char Kway Teow here is moist and smooth. More sweet sauce is added to enhance the sweetness, as compared to the savoury ones we commonly find in Singapore. We enjoyed the strong wok hei and pork lard flavours and found the noodles to be well-coated with eggs and the highlight was their chilli which gives a good kick. Their cockles are served a little raw and much juicier and larger than usual but we would’ve liked it better if these were cooked longer.

Seah Im Fried Kway Teaw Mee

Run by a very friendly aunty since 1985, Seah Im’s char kway teow serves customers perhaps the most generous portion of noodles priced as low as $2.50. This stall is designed especially for those super health-conscious as she doesn’t use pork lard, yet lesser oil. Ingredients used are the standard Chinese sausages, cockles and eggs. We’re quite contented that she still manages to bring out the wok hei flavour and serve up a decent and delicious plate of char kway teow. Besides, it’s only $2.50 so what have you got to complain about?

Heng Huat Fried Kway Teow

For years, there have been mixed reviews about Mr. Tan’s char kway teow. He has tweaked his recipe many times just to satisfy that tastebuds of those who prefer a guilt-free indulgence. We went on a Saturday evening for dinner and his stall is already lined up with customers. Char kway teow here is stir-fried with bean sprouts, cockles, eggs, chye poh and topped with a mountain of chye sim. It’s so abundant that we had to re-position the chye sim so as to capture the noodles in our photos as well. This is a decent plate of char kway teow but we cannot comprehend why people will queue for it.

Yong Huat CKT

At the modern coffee shop AlibabaR, there is a old school stall Yong Huat that was started since 1949. You can either have the black style or white style (with the sweetened black sauce) which my grandpa usually prefers. But hey, char kway teow is all about the black sauce right? So go for it if you want a plate of CKT. What’s the draw here? That countless amount of pork lard that is added to every plate. OH MAN. So sinful but yet we can’t resist! Besides Fried Kway Teow, they also do Fried Mee Suah, Fried Tong Fen and Fried Mee Tai Mak.

After two weeks of tucking into char kway teow, we concluded that our personal favourites were No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow and the Penang version from Katong (Peter) Fried Kway Teow Mee. Guess it’s time for us to hit the gym!

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

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Hidden behind Boss Hotel, you could easily miss Gills N Shells because it is along Rocher Canel. But it is a great spot to enjoy a cozy meal with its friendly modern ambiance. Inspired by the ocean, the menu features their Chef’s Daily Catch of freshest seafood, together with pastas, burgers and tapas-style appetizers with wines and beers on tap.

We started our dinner with Clams & Mussels ($15.90) cooked with white wine clear broth with herbs, garlic, onions and chilli. It is a simple dish filled with sweet flavor of fresh clams and Focaccia toast. Lobster Roll ($24.90) had lobster meat slathered with chef specialty sauce which tasted somewhat similar to mayonnaise. The creamy sauce kinda covered the freshness of the lobster meat and I wish there was more lobster meat.

There are a few new pasta dishes like Hae Bee Hiam Pasta with Soft Shell Crab ($18.90) and Salted Egg Pasta with Tiger Prawns ($18.90). My favourite is the Hae Bee Hiam Pasta which is coated with fiery hae bee hiam which brings more depth of flavour and topped with soft shell crab. The al dante Salted Egg Pasta with Tiger Prawns, on the other hand, was tossed dry with salted egg yolk and was a little more pepperish. This is quite different from the usual rich and creamy salted egg pasta which I perceived.

An all time crowd favourite is the Truffle Infused Cod ($24.90) featuring succulent cod pan seared then baked to perfection. I thought the truffle was a little overkill in this dish. But the addition of chye poh adds a different texture and crunch to the cod when served with a choice of pilaf rice, fries or mashed potatoes.

Who says u can only have frog legs with porridge?! Over at Gills N Shells, the frog legs are fried and tossed in buffalo sauce, a perfect munchies with your mains. End your meal with Tiramisu ($10.90) or a pint of beer.

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R K Eating House got into the limelight a couple of years ago after the “NO PORK, NO PORK, I CALL THE POLICE, I TELL YOU!” prank someone played on the owner. It goes without saying that this is a Muslim-oriented eatery, so don’t worry, there is no pork in the premise.

They have later became more popular for its humongous Tissue Prata ($5.50) that has to be shared among at least 4 people or you wouldn’t be able to finish this “tower”. You can choose to top it off with strawberry or chocolate sauce, maple syrup or honey. The tissue prata is really crispy, yet fluffy at the same time. The prata dough has been kneaded to perfection before it was cooked to a perfect golden brown. It’s really a value-for-money!

The second highlight that draws the young crowd here is their 5 litres Teh Tarik ($17) and Milo drinks tower! We never thought we could finish so much Teh Tarik in a night but we really have to commend them for using the right amount of powder, water, condensed milk and ice. The last drop of Teh Tarik tasted as good as our very first sip!

Whenever we step foot into a prata stall, we will never miss out on ordering prata! We had an egg prata ($1.70) which was executed really well. The dough had generous portions of eggs spread out nicely within it. Every bite was full of eggy goodness! The prata was really fluffy and chewy at the same time, with a really enjoyable fragrant buttery taste.

We also tried their Chicken Murtabak ($9) which boasted an overwhelming taste of the Indian spices, a little too much for our preference. Nonetheless, the murtabak consisted of plenty of chicken bits and each mouthful was very flavoursome.

The Butter Chicken ($6) complemented the Cheese Naan ($3) wonderfully well. while the chicken has a creamy and tender texture, with a hint of spiciness, the cheese naan neutralized the spices. We really enjoyed devouring the cheese naan and felt that it was one of the better ones we could find around Singapore.

Prata shops that open 24 hours are aplenty across our sunny island but it’s not easy to find a really delicious one that hits all the right spots, just so you can satisfy your midnight hunger pangs. R K House’s menu is extensive and service is efficient. The servers there are also very friendly and jokes with us at times. They’re also good at recommending the right dishes to satisfy whatever cravings you have. This is a prata place that we would return to if we’re in the vicinity.

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By Mu Qin & Maureen

TGIF! These choux puffs pastries, with their rich colours and great tea taste, are perfect for an afternoon tea with friends!

1872 Clipper Tea offers fantastic choux, with flavours inspired by the tea they sell such as milk tea, matcha and earl grey etc. You’ll be attracted to their colourful display of tea choux upon entering the shop. We had the girly baby pink Eternal Garden ($3.20) tea choux made from rose tea. The first bite was heavenly, with a tinge of sweetness that was balanced out by a subtle bitterness of tea. We would enjoy taking away tea choux here as it’ll make a perfect afternoon high tea with girlfriends, as well as, picnics at the park!

Neato is a small cafe located near Bugis but far enough from the bustling and rowdy shopping streets so you can relax in a tranquil surrounding while enjoying a choux and a cuppa coffee. We had Earl Grey Custard Puff ($3.50) which had a really crisp exterior yet fluffy on the insides. The cream was light and enjoyable, not too overwhelming. This cafe has an open-kitchen concept so you’ll be enticed by the aroma of their freshly baked pastries.

This is our favourite cafe for choux! 5cm in diameter, Ollella’s choux are so beautifully decorated and topped with various sweet and savoury ingredients. They serve refreshing fruity flavours such as Apple cinnamon, lemon meringue and raspberry. We had Matcha Azuki Choux ($4.50) featuring a green craquelin choux, matcha chantilly and sweet azuki beans. We couldn’t bear to destroy this gorgeous creation and took plenty of photos before indulging. Every mouthful was full of flavours, with a good textural difference. While the matcha cream was light, the azuki beans was thicker so it’s a good contrast.

Châteraisé is conveniently located along Orchard Road so if you have any Choux cravings, head by Shaw’s Isetan food market. They serve an array of pastries and their display is bound to make you spoilt for choice. We had Double Fantasy Matcha choux ($1.90) which tasted like an ordinary cream puff but still makes a satisfying dessert. It’s perhaps the choux with the most generous amount of cream enveloped within. It makes a great snack in the middle of shopping!

Only available for online order, Les Délices along Kreta Ayer Road serves a range of cakes and choux puffs. Their choux puffs are topped with cookie layers, it’s crispy on the outside and yet soft and chewy in the middle. Available in 7 different flavours, pick from earl grey milk tea, banana milk, nutella, Thai milk tea, Valrhorna guanja chocolate, matcha and Thai green milk tea. We ordered the earl grey milk tea and Thai milk tea. The former has a pleasant earl grey flavour that is rich and milky. The Thai milk tea was a little too sweet for me but it really screams “Thailand”!

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Hawker stalls selling ngoh hiang are pretty common in Singapore. If the past, you could probably see hawkers making their own ngoh hiang, but now most them got it from suppliers so what stall owners have to do is to deep fry them and serve with bee hoon and chilli. Because it is such an easy business, the bee hoon, in my opinion, becomes the one that makes or breaks the entire dish.

A few weeks ago, I was trying to find a good makan place in Choa Chu Kang and my kind friends Edward and Alvin recommended me to try the ngoh hiang behind Choa Chu Kang interchange. Adding to that, Mu Qin also mentioned the same ngoh hiang stall that she would sometimes drop by for supper. Living in Ang Mo Kio since birth, Choa Chu Kang is like a total stranger to me (I don’t even recall when is the last time I have been to Lot One).

So we arrived at the coffeeshop at Blk 302 Choa Chu Kang. It was a busy coffeeshop with the ngoh hiang stall located at the corner. In the morning, the stall sells economic bee hoon. By noon, they are converted into ngoh hiang prawn cracker. Even though we arrived a while after they opened for the day, we could already see some tables enjoying their ngoh hiang.

Doing this for 20 years, the owner is a man with few words. He quietly fries the items and chops them up into small pieces. The variety is pretty huge, not only can you find tau kwa, meat rolls, sausages, fish balls, century eggs etc, there is even fried chicken wings. While most of the items are ordinary, I though the ngoh hiang was tasty and well marinated with five spice power which let the ingredients shine through. The bee hoon was sufficiently moist and manages to hit all the right spots! Prawn fritters were also a popular item here.

It’s hard to find a ngoh hiang bee hoon stall that opens till late but when we stumbled upon this really yummy stall, we were ecstatic! Supper, anyone?

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While everyone is pretty familiar with the cafes along Jalan Dhoby and Jalan Trus across causeway, how about venturing to cafes located in Taman Sutera Utama, Johor Bahru? Taman Sutera Utama is another part of Johor Bahru with shop houses filled with restaurants and cafes. It is easily accessible by public transport from Tuas Checkpoint. We explored the area and found quite a number of cafes that are worth exploring.

Opened last year end, The Bear and Fish is another concept under Just Want Coffee. The huge space combines both indoor and outdoor seating area, with a bar counter where you can witness the barista making coffee. The menu is quite extensive and they also have speciality drinks that are only available in this outlet. Check out their Dancing Bear specialty drink and cold brew when you are there next time!

It’s quite easy to miss Bliss Café as it is located above IT Roo Café. Opened in November last year, the spacious café serves brunch menus, cakes and of course coffee. They also recently launched the matcha lava cake adding in to matcha desserts list (http://www.misstamchiak.com/matcha-desserts-johor/) that we posted sometime back.

My Liberica brand is one of the new cafes in JB. The brand has their own coffee farm in Kulai and they specialize in brew coffee. The outlet here in Sutera is the latest one in the group that serves coffee and desserts. Go for their Green Tea Parfait which uses matcha haagen dazs ice-cream with green tea pudding. We also checked out the Cascara Champagne that is made from dried skins of coffee cherries, hence it has the tint of sweetness. I am sure ladies will love this drink.

Union Fashion Bar’s (UFB) co-owner Mr Yap was the former Chef de Partie at Bakerzin Singapore since year 2000. They operate as a café by the day and bar by the night, with a wide selections ranging from Western cuisine, Japanese cuisine and fusion-style of savoury items. What attracts me here is their rainbow series drinks such as red velvet, blue coral, yam, matcha and piccolo flavours.

Doi Chang Coffee is one of the established international brands with many franchises all over the world. The brand specialises in Thai roasted coffee beans is now available in Taman Sutera Utama, Johor Bahru. This new café specialises in Thai roasted coffee, cakes and some savoury brunch items. And the best part here is that Doi Chaang Coffee does not serve pork or alcohol although they are not halal-certified.

Hidden in between the new shophouses along Pusat Perdagangan Danga Utama, Portafilter is just behind Car Born Café. Its interior was cosy and perfect for instagrammers to work on their photos. They had quite a few interesting churros flavours, including the Churros with Chicken Floss. It’s like having youtiao with mayonnaise.

Car Born Café is a car-themed café that is well-known with its instagram-worthy desserts. The café is furnished with car engines and accessories. They often launch new desserts which are always trending in social media. On top of the desserts that caught our attention, they also serve savoury café foods which we have yet to explore.

Malaysia’s first Selfie Coffee café is at Love Lane, George Town, Penang and slowly expanded to other states of Malaysia. In Johor Bahru, the first Selfie Coffee has landed in Taman Sutera Utama. If you find this familiar, yes there is also an outlet at Haji Lane, Singapore. o, how does the selfie coffee works? There is a photo booth corner where you take a selfie from their ready-phone camera. Once you are done, they will print the selfie photo on top of your order drinks. The whole process inclusive of ordering and waiting time was approximately 20 minutes. It was quite fun seeing our printed wefie on the drinks.

Lequa Café is located just next to Mood Hotel which offers western cuisines and a wide selection of cakes. We decided to check out their savoury dish as well as their beautiful cake and floral tea. The café has indoor and outdoor seating and they have also allocated smoking area too.

Sugar on Top café came to my attention after their highly raved matcha lava cake. Their brunch at Taman Pelangi is always full house. Thankfully, they have expanded their business to Taman Sutera Utama. The café has opened early August and is currently serving coffee and waffles. Go for their signature Charcoal Waffle and spend a relaxing afternoon tea with friends.

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Text & Photos by Hazel. Born in Malaysia, Hazel loves to travel and soaked herself with enrich cultures and food. Follow her food adventures on her blog.

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Kyuu Kei Soba x Udon is the latest Japanese noodle bar in Marina Bay Link Mall. Opened for less than a week, they serve delicious udon and soba either soup or dry with a variety of broths. 26-year-old owner Julius Chen studied in Le Cordon Bleu Sydney and fell in love with Menya Mappen in the CBD area. Hence, he decided to bring the concept back and opened Kyuu Kei with his army friends.

Here’s how it works. First, choose between udon ($1.80) and soba ($1.80). Then, pick from 7 types of broth – Mentaiko ($5), Soba Dipping Sauce ($2.20), Miso Butter ($3), Japanese Curry ($3.70), Creamy Sesame Dressing ($3), Ginger Shoyu ($3.70) and KyuuKei Dashi ($3). While other soba shops only offer a limited variety of broth, I like it that they have a wide variety and all of them were made in house.

My recommendation is to go for the Mentaiko Sauce, Creamy Sesame Dressing or KyuuKei Dashi. The mentaiko sauce i tried that day was a little too thick, but when mixed well with the udon, it gives a creamy and indulgent aftertaste. Another creamy option, the sesame dressing works as it is nutty and smooth. If you prefer something light to go with the soba, KyuuKei Dashi is a good choice. They don’t make their own noodles.

Once you have selected the broth, top the noodles with freshly cooked ingredients under the heat lamps such as Buttered Shimeiji ($3), Edamame Peas ($2), Charshu ($5.50) Kakiage ($3), Sweetened Tamago ($3), Ebi Fry ($2.50), Yakitori Chicken & Leek ($3), Yakitori Bacon Asparagus ($3.50) and Yakitori Bacon Enoki ($3.50). Catering to the healthy lunch crowd, you realized that there are no deep-fried items here but serious cooked dishes. Especially the well-seasoned chashu, it was flavourful and comes with a good bite. The yakitori we tried that day was a little bland, but it’s understandable because it was the first day opening. Nothing remains stationary for long though, so you can ensure freshness in your noodle bowl.

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Far East Plaza, once a highly raved about shopping destination has now become almost like a “dead town”. The only appealing factor that draws the crowd there is this amazing zi char stall and a few other delectable eats. I’ve been frequenting this zi char stall since my secondary school days ‘cause it’s one of the more affordable food you can find along Orchard Road and as a student, I don’t have much savings or allowance for spending. You’ll have to wait in line for 15-20 minutes during dinner time but the servers are really efficient.

Their menu is quite comprehensive but most people flock here for their salted egg pork ribs! The Salted Egg Pork Ribs Rice ($6) is executed really well. The pork rib was tender and easy to chew but we would have been slightly more satisfied if it consisted of a little crispiness. The sauce, on the other hand, was so wonderful, featuring the right balance of rich creaminess and aroma. There were curry leaves which enhanced its fragrance and chilli padi that gave it a good kick. This beautiful sauce didn’t taste gelat at all and we enjoyed every mouthful. We would highly recommend this dish to anyone who’s in town and wants some enjoyable yet affordable food.

We also tried the Claypot Beef Bee Tai Mak ($6.50) which was my personal favourite as I’m a huge fan of bee tai mak! This dish is super satisfying, especially so on rainy days. Usually, bee tai mak is served in a clear soup but who knew it could be so tasty when served in a mini “cauldron”? The wok hei was fantastic, with the slippery mouse-tail noodles full of smokey aroma. Its gravy was very flavoursome with generous slices of succulent beef that soaked the gravy up really well and the vegetables that are cooked within added a good textural crunch to the dish.

Every zi char meal isn’t complete without vegetables and hot plate tofu so we shared a plate of Bean Sprout with Salted Fish ($7) and one Hot Plate (Dou Foo) Bean Curd ($11). While the former was a tad too saltish, we loved the crunchiness of the bean sprouts. The latter, on the other hand, was an eggy goodness as the beancurd was spread over a layer of omelette, together with some prawns and other vegetables. The gravy that drenched these items was savoury and not too starchy. We wanted to order their sambal kangkong but we arrived too late and this item was already sold out but here’s our verdict from previous meals – you need lots and lots of water! The sambal kangkong is extremely spicy that it has to be eaten with rice!

New Station Snack Bar might not look very attractive but the food they serve are really of good standard. You might feel a little uncomfortable though, for they try to assign you seats that are right beside others in order to clear the queues forming in front of their eatery at a faster rate. So, if you’re looking for somewhere to hold private conversations, this ain’t it.

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Just opposite my in-law’s house, the husband told me there is a food stall selling Sarawak laksa and kolo mee at the coffeeshop beside Bedok Library. We finally get to try it out one weekend. They only serve three dishes – Kolo Mee, Sarawak Laksa and Soya Sauce Noodle.

The owner Mr Then Hua San is from Sarawak and he wanted to create the flavours that are familiar to Sarawakians living in Singapore. Unfortunately, he was too busy on my day of visit for me to probe more. But good thing is, he brought in the laksa paste from his hometown.

Let’s start with the bowl of kolo mee which he got a factory to make the egg noodles. It was the highlight because they are really QQ and served with minced pork. Tossed with shallot oil and char siew, there is no alkaline taste in the noodles! For $4, the portion is really generous and I had a hard time finishing it.

I have tried Sarawak laksa twice. First, it was in Laksania where the strong aroma of spices tickle the nostrils. The second time, it was when our dear friend Jackson, who is a true blue Sarawakian, specially prepared Sarawak laksa dinner for us. That was really memorable because he specially use the laksa sauce which he got from Sarawak and it was strong but has a more balanced flavours.

It’s probably not easy to replicate the dish because of the ingredients used in the laksa sauce. Plus, it is a tedious chore because you need to soak the vermicelli, cook the spice paste, shred the chicken, peel the prawns etc. That is really hard work.

Red Hornbill’s Sarawak Laksa ($5) is the lightest Sarawak laksa I have tried. It’s easier to eat, and probably works well for first timers who would like to try this dish. Mr Then brings in the laksa spices from Sarawak. Bean sprouts, sliced prawns, shredded chicken are served in the soup, while lime and belachan chili are served on the side. I suggest you squeeze lots of lime and for better enjoyment. They are too generous with the bee hoon, I was hoping it’s relative to the ingredients added.

It’s quite crowded on the weekends. On our day of visit (Sunday), we got to wait for about 45 minutes.

The post Red Hornbill @ Bedok – Coffeeshop Stall Sells Sarawak Laksa and Kolo Mee appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

After an extensive two-month renovation, Food Opera at ION Orchard re-opens with an impressive tally of 27 stalls and mini restaurants in late May 2016. I frequent this outlet in ION Orchard for its fishball noodles and nasi padang. After renovation, the food heaven has more delicious and heritage dishes from parts of the world, including local hawker delights and traditional street snacks.

Here are our 7 favourites.

Xing Lou Seafood White Bee Hoon

Seafood white bee hoon is recently in trend with many new stalls offering it. Riding on this trend is Food Opera’s latest addition – Xing Lou Seafood White Bee Hoon. Enhanced with shellfish such as “la la” (clams) and crayfish, as well as, prawns, it sounds like a simple dish, but the stock makes or breaks this dish.

The talented Malaysian chef from Xing Lou Seafood White Bee Hoon first wok-charred the vermicelli before braising it with seafood and pork ribs broth. One appeal is the stall front, with an ice bed mount of crayfish and scallops. They are committed to using only the freshest catches ferried into Singapore daily from Endau, a Malaysian fishing port. The all-important stock comes easy on salt with no MSG, so you taste the subtle richness of the seafood. A single portion of white bee hoon with prawns and clams starts from $6.90, and you can add crayfish for $8 or scallops for $4.

Ah Yat Kitchen

Ah Yat has been a household brand since 1970, and is regarded as the master of abalone with its repertoire of abalone dishes and Cantonese favourites. If you want to eat abalone for anything less than $10, that’s quite impossible. But here’s the good news – you can enjoy Ah Yat Abalone Baked Rice for only $8.80 in Food Opera!

Tender baby abalone and mushrooms are basted with a homemade abalone sauce, placed over a bed of aromatic egg fried rice, then baked to perfection. Ah Yat also serves Roasted Chicken Rice or Fries, Baked Spare Rib Rice, Special Braised Shark’s Fin with Rice, and Double-Boiled Spare Rib Soup with Carrot & Corn.

Scotts Hwa Heng Beef Noodles

Being a Hainanese myself, beef noodles is usually one of our staples. It’s real hard work just to prepare the beef stock. Scotts Hwa Heng Beef noodles started out in the 1940s at a humble stall along Bain Street. Dishing up piping hot bowls of Hainanese-style Traditional Beef noodles; dry or soup versions are available, the stall has kept to its original proprietary recipe which has nourished many generations of customers.
We were surprised when we took our first bite of the dry Beef Noodles Combo Set Meal ($7.50). The gravy was thick and starchy, with beefy goodness. The sliced beef adds bite to each mouthful of springy thick vermicelli. Tender and fragrant, the set also served with beef balls in soup. It’s a pity they do not serve with preserved vegetables anymore; but luckily the chilli and chinchalok dip added a comfortable mix of salty-tangy and spicy flavour to the dish.

Great World Noodle House

Many of us know that You Men is best known for his Hong Kong-style roast meats and noodles, which he mastered under the tutelage of Hong Kong chefs in the early years of his career. But at Food Opera, he has challenged himself with the opening of Great World Noodle House.

Their new Fried Pork Chop Noodle ($5.80) is super solid. Tender & juicy meat is marinated and deep fried to yield a juicy and crispy pork chop. Don’t play play ok! They also have Signature Chicken Chop with Noodle, Crispy Pork Chop with Fried Rice, and You Men Noodle Soup.

Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh

I am very surprised to see Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh in Food Opera. This is the only brand that my husband and I always visit during our dating days. Started in 1973 by Madam Gwee Peck Hua, she learnt the tricks of the trade while working at a bak kut teh stall and have created her own recipe since then.

Using only garlic and the finest grade of white pepper from Sarawak, its Signature Prime Ribs ($11.50) is a medium-bodied clear soup that’s just a touch fiery. The chilled ribs are air-flown from Australia and Indonesia. They are boiled for hours to get the maximum flavour and to ensure its tenderness, but also careful to not mask the sweetness of the pork ribs with garlic. Here, you can also enjoy new menu items like Pig Trotters ($9.50) and Claypot Tofu ($8.70) featuring silken tofu with pork balls and egg in claypot… so homely!

Lam’s Signatures

There are many well-respected heritage brands in Food Opera at ION Orchard. Another one is Lam’s Signatures where owner Mr Yap Eng Lam is the man responsible for bringing abalone to the local masses. We first tried his signature Abalone Noodles at a coffee shop in Race Course Road, and later made another positive impact in the food scene when he debuted his Mini Wok Noodles.

Not only can you try the said dishes here, they have other tempting dishes like Salt-baked Chicken Thigh with Rice ($6.90). The moist chicken thigh is freshly marinated with sea salt and herbs before baking it till a beautiful golden brown. That Thai style chilli brought the dish to another level. We tried to ask for the recipe but the manager only said, “Coriander, fish sauce, sugar, chilli padi and other ingredients I cannot say lah…” Ok aunty, you win. I will come back just for the chilli.

Pepper Lunch Express

Hinging on their do-it-yourself concept using a special electromagnetic iron plate, Pepper Lunch has been a crowd-pleaser since it entered Singapore’s bustling food scene. Now, customers at Food Opera ION outlet can look forward to savouring an exclusive Scallop & Chicken Chilli Crab Pepper Rice ($10.80).

Accompanied by a scrumptiously spicy chilli crab sauce made with a medley of spices, it adds complexity of the taste with the spiciness kicking in towards the end. The scallops were plump and works great with the robust sauce and Australian short grain rice. Cook the way you like it to experience the smell and taste. If you like beef, they also have Beef Pepper Rice with chilli crab sauce.

Other popular stalls include Riverside Indonesian BBQ, Thye Hong Fried Prawn Noodles, and Guan Chee HK Roasted Duck.

MissTamChiak.com will be rewarding 5 readers with $30 Food Opera’s dining voucher each.

All you need to do is:
Step 1 – LIKE Miss Tam Chiak & Food Republic Singapore on Facebook
Step 2 – SHARE this entry on Facebook
Step 3 – Comment below: What dish would u like to try in Food Opera at ION Orchard?

Closing date: 22th September 2016. Good luck!

The post 7 Popular Stalls To Try in Food Opera at ION Orchard + GIVEAWAY appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

From a small hawker stall to a coffeeshop, the young hawkers at Truly Test Kitchen are all about curry rice and home-styled dishes. After Deniece and Joel bought over Deniece’s dad’s hawker stall at Telok Blangah Drive, Joshua, Joel’s younger brother, joined the duo to run the business. The duo gave up their bank job and spent 5 weeks learning how to cook the curry rice from Deniece’s dad.

Their dishes were really well received and they soon moved to a coffeeshop situated in an industrial building at MacPherson. I thought it was a brave move because they took charge of all the stalls in the coffeeshop to sell a variety of dishes. Since then, they have proven to everyone that they can do it and now, they have turned the entire coffeeshop into a central kitchen that focuses on doing delivery through Foodpanda, Deliveroo, Ubereats & WhattoeatSG from Monday to Saturday from 11am to 830pm.

Despite shifting to a delivery-only business model, Truly Test Kitchen stays true to its mission of providing quality food at great value to people from all walks of life while preserving a dying hawker trade.

Such an inspiration, thank you for keeping the true spirit of hawkers alive. Watch their story on Tiger Beer’s microsite. This film is produced as part of Tiger Beer’s street food movement to remind Singaporeans to show appreciation to our hawkers, who have worked hard to provide us with our favourite local dishes.

The rice is drenched with excess of chicken and assam curry. It’s thick and sticky but not overpowering in taste, with a spiciness level that is suited for all. You know that a stall serves great curry rice when you don’t need unique dishes to pair it with. Just a plate of pork chop and chap chye is good enough.

We all know that being a hawker is not easy. The long hours they spend to prepare and cook the dishes, coupled with long hours behind the stove or standing to serve, I truly admire Deniece and Joel who are willing to give up their bank job to wake up at 2am daily to do this.

When asked how they felt about being in the hawker business for so many years, Joel said, “We still gain a high level of satisfaction because we know that we are helping to preserve our hawker heritage.”

Being a keen advocate of our local street food and all aspects of our local culture and heritage, Tiger Beer has always been closely associated with Singapore street food. Now, it’s time to show our appreciation to our hawkers. Share a photo of your favourite hawker together with a thank you note to them, and post it on social media with hashtag #uncagestreetfood. I look forward to reading all of them!

ENJOY A MEAL ON TIGER BEER AT COFFEESHOPS ISLANDWIDE

To celebrate our iconic street food and our hawkers, Tiger Beer will be opening up select coffeeshops over the next four weeks, and residents will receive a $5 food coupon courtesy of Tiger Beer.

The first one will be happening tonight! Stay tuned to Tiger Beer’s Facebook page for updates on time and location. While you’re at the coffeeshop, do show our hawkers the appreciation they deserve by visiting their stall and sharing a photo of them with #uncagestreetfood.

The dates of the next few coffeeshop events will also be released on Tiger Beer’s Facebook page closer to the dates.

TIGER STREET FOOD SUPPORT FUND

Following through to its commitment to helping hawkers, Tiger Beer will launch the ‘Tiger Street Food Support Fund’, with funds reinvested from every 6-can pack purchase earlier in the first phase of the street food movement.

The Support Fund will allow all new hawkers to apply for and receive up to S$10,000 in funding from Tiger Beer, which will be given to successful applicants via reimbursement. This is only open to hawkers who have set up a cooked food stall in a hawker centre or coffeeshop within the last three months, or are looking into entering the trade for the first time. The fund can be used to offset costs for any aspects of the hawker’s business, except for rental costs.

The fund is open to all Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Application of the fund will be open till 15 December 2016, and recipients of the fund will then be announced in January 2017.

Application starts from 15 September 2016 on Tiger Beer’s website. To all aspiring hawkers out there, what are you waiting for?

The post Say Thank You to your Favourite Hawker appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Imagine coming home on a rainy evening with the dampness of the air chilling you from head to toe. As you reach your doorstep, you catch a whiff of a delicious aroma in the air. That’s your favorite soup simmering! As you slurp your way through, your mood is lifted and happiness is felt immediately.

Zuppa, the Italian word for soup, has got an uncanny effect on our mood and memory. Sometimes, it may rekindle your childhood memories. Sometimes, it just reminds you of an occasion that makes you happy. Whatever it is, we are all looking at comforting bowl of simple pleasure.

Now, how about adding your favourite pasta into the soup. That seems like the ultimate comfort food, isn’t it?

PastaMania, the casual dining Italian restaurant, has introduced 3 new flavours of Zuppa- Rosemary Lamb, Seafood Tom Yum and Thai Green Curry Chicken. From traditional flavours to fusion creations, the three new zuppas will be able to suit everyone’s palette.

Let’s go with the lightest! Lamb is usually linked to a robust stew. But at Pastamania, the Rosemary Lamb Zuppa ($9.90) is different. A classic but polished Italian dish, enjoy a generous portion of minced lamb rubbed with rosemary, black pepper and olive oil served with a very light tomato based homemade broth. Rosemary helps to lift the brightness of the soup and makes it perfect for anyone who is looking for a balanced soup flavour.

Are you in the mood for Thai zuppa, with that salty, sour, sweet and hot balance? For the adventurous, your spicy challenge here would be slurp up the Seafood Tom Yum Zuppa ($9.90). Tangy and spicy, the tom yum broth gives much flavours to the pasta and complements well with the seafood ingredients.

With fresh seafood and your choice of pasta in an agreeably spicy lemongrass broth flavored with home-grown kaffir lime leaves, you will get that familiar feeling of instantaneous heat followed by layered, lingering flavors.

Another fusion creation, the Thai Green Curry Chicken Zuppa is great for those who enjoys Thai flavours and yet prefer a low level of spiciness. The creamy green curry broth is not overwhelmed with coconut milk and had that subtle, underlying sweetness. At just $9.90, diners will be able to get a bowl of soupy goodness to warm up their hearts and tummies.

While having the zuppas, complement it with Homemade Wings, Calamari, Garlic Bread and Waffle Potato.

Students and families can further rejoice! A special promotion is available for students- simply flash student pass to purchase any of the zuppas, a waffle potato and drink set at $12.90 (U.P. $16.40).

A kid’s meal set includes a kid’s pasta and a dessert or snack. Families also get to enjoy an exclusive family combo comprising 2 zuppas, 2 drinks and a kid’s meal* at only $28 (U.P. $33.70).

SPECIAL DEAL FOR ALL MISS TAM CHIAK READERS!

For restaurant locations, please visit www.pastamania.com.sg or stay updated on their Facebook/ Instagram @PastamaniaSingapore

The post 3 New Zuppa to Enjoy in Pastamania – Quote MISS TAM CHIAK to get a Free Cheesy Garlic Bread Trio! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Many of us are night owls and we stay up really late into the night, either working hard to ascend the corporate ladder or studying diligently for good grades. The best we can do to reward ourselves for putting in the extra efforts is to satisfy our tummies with a good supper, especially when the hunger pangs kick in at ungodly hours. People might find the West side of Singapore a little far and what some may call it – “ulu” (deserted) but there are a couple of universities in the West and large industrial areas and office buildings so, there has to be eateries for these night-owls to enjoy their supper. Here, we bring you 13 delicious supper spots in the West!

Bai Li Xiang

Being a stone’s throw away from NTU and located right beside Pioneer MRT station, we noticed that the queue never stops at this economical bee hoon stall. We were there around 1am on a Monday night and the crowd surprised us as we expected it to be quiet. Bai Li Xiang serves decent fried bee hoon with a large variety of sides, consisting of fried chicken wings, stir-fried beans, fish cakes, luncheon meat, chicken nuggets and sausages etc. It’s not the best fried bee hoon around but being able to sink your teeth into such homely food dead in the night is a real comfort. Besides, the sides remind us of our childhood favourites so perhaps this explains the queue at night.

Ding Ji Teochew Noodle

There aren’t many bak chor mee stalls that open overnight but this bowl of noodles is well-cooked and tasty. A $3.50 bowl of mushroom minced meat noodle comes with plentiful ingredients which have been marinated so well that you can taste its savoury flavours. Unfortunately, this hawker doesn’t add a lot of vinegar so if you love your bak chor mee savoury, this will hit the right spots in the middle of the night. However, if you prefer the version with a strong vinegar taste, we’re sorry to say that this will disappoint your tastebuds.

Teochew Fish Porridge

Not looking for a heavy meal in the middle of the night? Fret not as you can enjoy this mouthwatering Teochew fish porridge. The broth is light on the palate yet tasty enough for you to finish even the last drop. The rice is not too moist and simply perfect, complementing the generous slices of fresh fish. We added egg floss, which enhanced the overall flavour of the fish porridge. We also tried their double fish bee hoon soup which tasted really wonderful but we still felt that the porridge fared better. What impressed us most was the chilli, which contained lots of garlic bits, hence making it super shiok! I guess if we’re staying in the west, this will be a hawker we would return to, especially on rainy days.

Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak

With a snaking long queue of customers eagerly waiting to place their order, it is hard to miss this stall. This stall still maintains the freshness of their nasi lemak ingredients and makes sure that their food is kept sizzling hot. The well-marinated chicken is deep-fried to a nice crispiness but maintains its tenderness on the inside. Fried ikan bilis and roasted peanuts are nicely done too. The otah paste is splendid with add-on coconut milk. It wasn’t too spicy but enough to give a kick. We could feel the enticing coconut aroma rising up from the fragrant rice and the sambal chilli – ooh, it was sensational.

Niqqi’s – The Cheese Prata Shop

As its name suggests, this Indian-Muslim supper spot is famous for its cheese prata. We ordered a Double Cheese ($4.50) prata and was impressed by the creamy richness of the melted cheese enveloped within the crispy prata skin. Each bite was gratifying, especially when you’re a cheese lover! As compared to some other prata stalls that serve cheese prata with ordinary cheese slices, we feel that Niqqi’s cheese prata deserves to be ranked number one cheese prata in Singapore! We also had the egg prata ($1.50) which was prepared very well too. They were really generous with the amount of eggs used so each mouthful was filled with eggy goodness. The prata was chewy on the inside yet crisp on the outside.

Besides prata, Niqqi’s also serves up a plate of superb maggie goreng ($3) that’s not too spicy so you can stomach it down for supper. The maggie noodles were springy, having been stir-fried really well with eggs and vegetables, which gave the overall dish a good crunch. We suspect curry powder has been added to enhance its flavour. If we stay around the area, we’ll make the effort to head out for Niqqi’s maggie goreng, rather than make our own instant noodles at home when supper cravings kick in at night.

Fong Seng Fast Food Nasi Lemak

On the same stretch of eateries where Niqqi’s Cheese Prata shop is located, lies a delightful nasi lemak stall. It specialises in selling nasi lemak with the usual sides such as chicken wing, ikan billis, peanuts, otah and egg etc. We found the chicken wing fried to a perfect crisp golden brown while still retaining its tender, succulent meat within. The otah was fiery hot, with a hint of coconut milk to neutralise its spiciness. However, the rice served was normal steamed rice which Fong Seng makes up for by serving a plethora of other sides that can be paired up according to your choice, which gives you a plate of hearty “cai fan”. There are vegetables, curry, various meats and if you aren’t that hungry, you can opt for their bee hoon instead of rice. Now, we’re kind of disappointed that we aren’t staying nearby or we’d be able to pack some sides back for dinner every day. It’d be so convenient!

G7 Sin Ma Claypot Live Bull Frog Porridge

It’s the perfect time to have frog porridge when the temperature cools down or when it starts raining in Singapore. This is an unforgettable dish for both locals and tourists alike and it’s something you have to try at least once to determine whether you’re gonna have it again. Honestly, I used to shun away as the visual of those jumping amphibians turned me off but I gradually learnt how to appreciate it and now, I enjoy this scrumptious delicacy for supper once in a blue moon. Frog meat has a smooth texture and a tender bite and I personally feel it’s better than chicken. Frog Porridge is priced very reasonably here and what you get will be a combination of hot, smooth and not overly watery porridge and succulent frog meat that’s juicy and has soaked up the thick and sweet sauce really well. It can get quite addictive trying to use your teeth to pick the meat apart from the bones.

Al-Azhar

This is a popular supper spot for west-siders, even on weekday nights. It was full house when we went around 12am on a Monday but perhaps, it could be due to the “Pokemon Go” craze as we noticed many young and old walking around trying to catch pokemons. We shared a Butter Naan ($2.50) which is a crispy Indian bread roasted in a clay oven with the heat of burning charcoal, generously stuffed and topped with slabs of butter. Thankfully, the butter was not too overpowering and oily. It complemented the naan, giving the naan some moist and flavours. We also had Chicken Roti John (4.50) which is kind of like an omelette sandwich with chicken and onion atop a baguette-type loaf and drenched with tomato-chilli sauce. We recommend sharing this dish as it can get quite “gelat” after a few mouthfuls. Nonetheless, we still enjoyed this sinful indulgence.

Boon Tong Kee

It all started in 1979 when Mr. Thian Boon Hua ran a small stall at Chinatown selling Cantonese chicken rice. As his stall started to receive numerous compliments and saw rapid increases in the number of customers, he decided to rope his family members in to start Boon Tong Kee’s first restaurant at Balestier Road in 1983. Mr. Thian’s silky white sauce chicken received overwhelming responses so much so that he decided not to serve roast chicken and focus only on his white sauce chicken. A plate of Boon Tong Kee’s Signature Boiled chicken costs $4.50. We found the rice to be decent and with a good consistency but lacking in the aromatic flavours while the chicken was tender and moist but not fantastic. The chilli was not bad and had a tanginess to it. Boon Tong Kee has diversified its operations in 1999 to include “zi char” dishes, making the menu more extensive.

Mr. Prata

We realised that the supper spots available in the West mostly serve Indian-Muslim food and prata choices are plentiful. Mr. Prata stood out from the rest by offering customers a contemporary-meet-traditional kind of prata flavours like the highly recommended Italian prata ($8) we had. It was generously filled with mutton, mushroom, capsicum, onion and cheese! Some bites were more creamy while others gave a good crunch. Such great textural difference combined in one prata. We actually thought we were having pizza instead. People with a sweet tooth can go for French & Ice Cream Prata ($5) where your traditional prata filled with banana slices are topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and lots of chocolate sauce. This makes a really good dessert!

Siam Square Mookata @ Bukit Batok

Mookata is a common sight island-wide nowadays and this stall at Bukit Batok opens till the wee hours. They have quite a wide variety of ingredients, affordably priced between $1.80 to $2.80. Pork belly, sliced pork, chicken and even liver only costs $1.80! More expensive items like pork neck, smoked duck, prawns, squid, oysters etc are priced at $2.80. Big eaters can opt for their buffet at $29/pax. There’s nothing much to shout out about their marination as there are better ones out there but for the pricing, “mai hiam buay pai”. The highlight is their homemade Thai chilli sauces which many places fail to offer. They have three types of chilli sauces in varying levels of spiciness and perfectly complements both seafood and meat. The most spicy one is the best due to its good spicy kick and a citrusy after-taste. We found their fish paste noodle quite interesting as well but do cut down on the broth as it’s filled with lots of MSG.

海鲜煮粥 (Koka Noodles)

It may look like a simple dish of instant noodle yet this particular Koka instant noodle is what makes this stall stand out! Koka instant noodle here is available in two flavours – the original and the seafood. With prices beginning from as low as $2.50, the ingredients that come with the Koka instant noodle soup are generous. We had the big size of the original flavour of Koka instant noodle with an egg ($3.50). The portion consists of liver, minced meat and vegetables. Their broth, which did not consist of MSG, has the sweetness that came naturally from the meat. This stall also sells porridge, crispy noodle, e-mee, mee sua, bee hoon and mee hoon kuey. Be prepared, the wait can be 30 minutes or more.

Choa Chu Kang 302 Foodhouse Ngoh Hiang Bee Hoon

It’s hard to find a ngoh hiang bee hoon stall that opens till late but when we stumbled upon this really yummy stall, we were ecstatic! We love indulging in fried items and the traditional ngoh hiang consisted of four classic items such as the meat roll, liver roll, pink sausages and egg slice. Later on, prawn fritters were also added and have become one of the best-selling items. Nowadays, you can even find tau kwa, fish balls and our favourite – century eggs – and other items that hawkers have added on to provide customers with a more extensive range to choose from. Most items here were very fresh and well-prepared. The sausage was bouncy and had a good balance of lean meat and fats. The meat roll was tasty and aromatic while the prawn fritters had a crispy crust that gives a good textural crunch. The bee hoon was the star! It was sufficiently moist and manages to hit all the right spots! Pairing ngoh hiang items with this bee hoon is the perfect combination! Read more about it here: http://www.misstamchiak.com/choa-chu-kang-ngoh-hiang/

We know that there are some other prata stalls on the west side that opens 24 hours but we’re bringing you the best few in our listing and we hope this listing will help when you crave some comfort food in the middle of the night in future!

The post 13 Amazing Supper Spots in the West Worth Sacrificing Sleep For appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Having a row of hawker stalls dedicated to Malay food at every hawker centre in Singapore is a very common sight. However, you seldom find dishes such as Nasi Rawan nor Nasi Ambeng at hawker centres. Selera Menanti Traditional Malay Cuisine offers quite a number of delicious authentic Malay dishes and we were ecstatic to be able to try most of them due to exploring the Northern part of Singapore in a group of four.

Opened since 1993 in one of the shophouses along Balestier, they have later moved to Wet Market Hawker Centre in Marsiling and served more varieties of dishes for breakfast. Its new dishes, Laksa Chap (Laksa Siglap), Lontong Kering, Nasi Rawon, Nasi Sambal Goreng and Nasi Ambeng have also become famous over the years. They have also D’ Selera Menanti that manages catering.

Besides winning many of its customers’ hearts with its famous Mee Rebus (sold out during our visit), the Soto Ayam ($3) features thick yellow Hokkien noodles and a generous portion of tasty shredded chicken soaked in a spicy chicken broth. The broth is made from chicken cooked with rempah and turmeric. Many ingredients are used to prepare the rempah including ginger, galangal, cumin, fennel, nutmeg etc. We really enjoyed this soto ayam as the chilli gave it a spicy edge.

We also tried their Lontong Kuah ($3.50) and Laksa Siglap ($3). The former consists of fork-tender rice cakes which we found too mushy but still fragrant and manages to soak up the broth really well. The latter, on the other hand, differs from the usual ones we get in Singapore. Laksa Siglap has a super strong coconut aroma and more herbs are added. The noodles are thick and springy, which is different from the rice vermicelli. In this case, raw beansprouts and a big dollop of hot chilli paste are added. It had a little tanginess which reminded us a little of Assam Laksa.

We wanted to try Nasi Ambeng too but unfortunately, it was sold out. Hence, we shared a plate of Nasi Rawan ($4.50) instead. We could choose between chicken and beef rendang and we took the latter. This is a hearty plate of beef rendang with rice, accompanied by achar which was so appetizing it whets your appetite for more, potato, toufu, long beans, aromatic fried coconut and mutton bits. The whole package was simply irresistible and really value-for-money.

Although this neighbourhood is quite hidden and not that accessible, it was worth our time traveling for the food served here. Furthermore, the lady who tended to us was really friendly and helpful. She knows what to recommend when you tell her what you’re craving for. We are already planning our next visit as we really want to try their Mee Rebus, Mee Siam and Nasi Ambeng.

The post Selera Menanti Traditional Malay Cuisine – Excellent Malay Breakfast in Marsiling appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Owner of Cafe De Hong Kong, Mr Francis Mak, opens XIAN Seafood White Bee Hoon in a Ubi coffeeshop together with two other partners. The Hong Kong restaurant along Balestier has always been serving white bee hoon with starchy soup. Riding on the trend for seafood white bee hoon, Francis felt it was time to venture out and focus on doing one dish well.

One appeal is the stall front, with a stack of crayfish in the small fridge display. They are committed to using fresh seafood.

The light milky broth is made using chicken feet, old mother hen, pork ribs and cooked for about 3 hours. The cook first quick fry the bee hoon to give it a little smokiness and set aside. Then, the stock is cooked with fresh seafood and bee hoon.

Crayfish is sliced into half to absorb the essence from the broth as well as to release the crustacean flavour. We had the crayfish white bee hoon which ones in three different sizes – $15, $20, or $25. I like that the meat is firm and fresh, with slurpy bee hoon that has the flavours all combined together. It’s great especially during rainy days. They also have la la white bee hoon or flower crab bee hoon. Oh ya, those pork lard… so generous!

READ: 9 SEAFOOD WHITE BEE HOON YOU SHOULD TRY

The post XIAN Seafood White Bee Hoon – Opened By Owner of Cafe De Hong Kong appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Newly opened for a week, Now Noodles + at Square 2 serves noodles with local and Asian tastes from tried and proven recipes. 

The noodles menu here are mostly stir fried with their homemade rempah. The signature Dry Laksa ($9.80) is a simple dish with beansprouts, fresh prawns and beancurd. The noodles soak up the laksa flavour fully and the sliced cucumber cuts the oiliness. My husband loves the Dry Mee Siam ($9.80) with a distinct tang. You can up the zest quotient with a good squeeze of fresh lime before tucking in. 

If you miss the mee tai mak at The Canteen by Les Amis which was at Shaw Centre, good news for you! Because you can taste the mee tai mak at NOW! I have tried it once before their opening and today, when I went to visit them again, I was surprised because THIS IS DA BOMB!

It turned out really well. The mee tai mak is stir fried with century egg and their homemade belacan. When it reached our table, we were all screaming “很香” and got really excited! The texture is fabulous with excellent wok hei. Their homemade belacan went through many rounds of trials to get it right, it has got the right punch and spiciness. Order this and I am sure you will thank me for it.

Many of us are familiar with Heng Hwa Lor Mee. Here, they have Heng Hwa Noodle Soup ($9.80) which looks like an ordinary clear broth but it has got that strong ginger flavour brimming with chicken and black fungus.

I am not a fan of their Churros ($3.80), to be honest. Because it’s too thin and dense, while I prefer thick, airy and crispy churros. But the dips are impressive, there are three flavours for you to choose from – kaya, orange marmalade and milk tea. I still prefer the kaya as it is soooo smooth and fragrant. Another option is the Malasada ($3.80) – egg-sized balls of yeast dough that are deep-fried in oil and wrapped with kaya.

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Two-weeks old Mercado Spanish Food Market has hit the CBD with a splash of colours, lifting up the dull and stressful working atmosphere. Head there for a quick breakfast with their cold-pressed juices that are limited in stock as they get the bottles fresh daily. You can choose to have a healthy lunch at Mercado as well – with its plethora of attractive food items you can feast your eyes on. You can also unwind after a hard day’s work pairing your Spanish rice bowls with Chef-Owner Jean-Philippe Patruno’s (fondly known as JP) own concoction of Sangria Punch!

Mercado is a Spanish word for “market” so the interiors of this restaurant is designed to align to the traditional markets in Spain. The food display counters boast vibrant colours of daily fresh and cooked ingredients, all tinged with the typical Spanish flavours of smokey paprika, hot chilli peppers, saffron, garlic and other assorted herbs and spices. Mercado stands out for us due to its cuisine-specific rice bowls as compared to other healthy rice bowl places where items are somewhat similar. It’s really easy to order so read on for our “step-by-step” guide.

Step 1 – Choose one base. There is the option of paella, coucous and some other bases. Paella flavours change everyday and Mercado offers squid ink paella, mixed meat paella and seafood paella.

Step 2 – Choose one protein. Meats will change on a daily basis but the only constant item is their beef meatballs.

Step 3 – Choose one hot vegetable.

Step 4 – Choose two cold vegetables.

Step 5 – Choose one topping (raisins, walnuts etc.) and one sauce (spicy tomato, garlic aioli, Asian dressing, ginger mayonnaise etc.)

The mixed meat paella very filling, it finishes with a tinge of spiciness. Chef JP is very generous with the amount of meat in the paella and we managed to devour huge chunks of tender, well-marinated chicken meat. We also enjoyed the meatballs, which consisted of a juicy interior that gives a burst of flavours with every bite. At $16.50, you get to create your own bowl of happiness! For those on the go, you can simply take any of Mercado’s ready-made Hola bowls, freshly curated on the day, priced at $14.50.

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

When a few readers introduced me to the same CKT stall, it made me very curious. Especially for someone like me who lives in Ang Mo Kio, I didn’t even know there is a good char kway teow stall till today!

So I dropped by for lunch at 食得福炒粿條 located opposite AMK Hub and was pleasantly surprised how simple but tasty their noodles were. Mr and Mrs Tan started in 1989 in Toa Payoh Central and they have later moved to Ang Mo Kio. Mrs Tan was a housewife before that and decide to become a hawker after Mr Tan left his car mechanics job.

With the same ingredients throughout all char kway teow, you can still get varying taste based on different cooks. Mrs Tan mixes her own black sauce for the dishes. I stood there as she fries her noodles and she controls the fire very well which makes the noodles come alive.

I ordered a plate of mee tai mak and char kway teow. The fluffy noodles that were coated with spicy, eggy goodness and crunchy bean sprouts. It was slightly wet and coated had enough wok hei that goes with it. They also have stir fry bee hoon. Each plate of noodles cost $3.

READ: 17 Char Kway Teow You Should Try

The post Shi De Fu Fried Kway Teow (食得福炒粿條) at Ang Mo Kio appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

Tanglin Halt was developed in the 1960s where many of the blocks were ten storeys tall. That is why, it is also known among the locals as chap lau (十楼; “ten storeys” in Hokkien). Most places are still the way it is, while some of the HDB have been placed en bloc. Nonetheless, Tanglin Halt is still a place that is filled with many foodie spots and even a celebrity-owned café! So here’s 11 local food hunts that you can find around the old-school Tanglin Halt.

Two Chefs Eating Place

Two Chefs Eating Place first started at Commonwealth before opening another branch at Sin Ming Avenue. As it tends to get very crowded during dinner time, it is highly advisable to arrive early with everyone present. Only then, you would be given a table. The Drunken Cockles ($7) consist of cold cockles served in vinegar, wine, garlic, chili padi and spring onions. The sauce is very appetizing with a tingling sensation from the garlic and chili. Another signature is the Butter Pork Ribs, which is coated with sweetened milk powder. The pork ribs were succulent. The milk powder gives it an interesting texture and can be quite addictive. We also had the Salted Egg Sotong, where the salted egg really gives the oomph and the batter was really crispy! Just remember to order the dishes along with the portion, otherwise the aunty would decide and end up serving a way bigger portion.

D’Life Bistro & Café – Vegetarian

Located in the corner opposite of Two Chefs Eating Place, D’Life Bistro & Café serves vegetarian food. The place exudes a cozy feeling, with rustic touch. Old-Fashioned Vinegar Stew with Rice ($7.90) stirred my curiosity. The vinegar stew was surprisingly good and appetizing, with a strong ginger taste. Hence, it can be quite spicy for some. Instead of having our usual pork trotters, it was replaced with fungi. There was mushroom, black fungus, lots of ginger and a generous amount of beans. Personally, the stew itself was good enough to go with the rice.

Henry’s Chicken Rice

Having been eating this since young, I was told by the aunty that they have opened for 30 over years! Other than the increase in price, Henry’s Chicken Rice has been maintaining their quality. It tasted the same as when I had it 20 years ago. I prefer the Roasted Chicken Rice ($2.50), as the roasted chicken has a slight savory touch to the skin. The chicken is also tender. The rice is cooked in chicken stock and very fragrant. Nonetheless, what keeps me going back is the chili sauce. It is so good that if you want extra to takeaway, you would have to pay for it! The Chicken Feet ($2) is another love of mine. The “lor” is full of flavors as the chicken feet is braised in spices and dark sauce over time. Be sure to beat the crowd or be prepared to queue.

The Milky Way

A celebrity opened a café at Tanglin Halt! Campus Superstar 2006 alumni, Renfred Ng, was the initial owner behind this café. Subsequently, it is now run by his brother Alfred Ng who is very friendly as well. We got ourselves Half Waffles with Ice Cream ($8), and felt it was actually quite pricey. Nonetheless, the waffle was piping hot, crispy and not doughy. We paired it with Salted Caramel ice cream, which was not too sweet as well. There are also other interesting flavors such as Mao Shan Wang and Smurf!

No.1 Western Food

No.1 Western Food, run by two elderly, serves western food with special sauce. The Chicken Cutlet ($5.50) was served on a metal plate, with fries and beans. They were quite generous in the portion of the chicken. It was also crispy and best dipped in the special sauce. The sauce tasted almost like the tomato sauce from the beans, except that it was more appetizing.

Ru Yi Yuan Vegetarian

Ru Yi Yuan starts their business very early, and you will see the queue streaming in as early as 8.30am. Thankfully I’ve gotten there early, as the people behind were buying multiple packets of vegetarian food. The Vegetarian Beehoon ($3) has springy white beehoon, drizzled with thick and savory brown sauce. The sauce kept the beehoon moist and easy to eat, especially when it’s in the morning. There were French beans, beancurd and fried beancurd skin. The fried beancurd skin is crisp on the outside while soft on the inside. No wonder so many people are buying it just the way it is.

Maria’s Corner

After touring around the neighbourhood, the hidden gem at Tanglin Halt is finally found! Although surprisingly not many reviews of this place, yet some were tagged with different addresses; even the stall itself is not labelled! As the nasi lemak was sold out, the friendly aunty suggested Nasi Sambal Goreng ($3.50), which is super sedaplicious! Interestingly, sweetened shredded coconut was put on the rice. It added sweetness onto the dish, without being too overwhelming. The tahu tempe was flavorful and beef rendang was not too tough. There are also two types of sambal given. One of it was slightly sweet and spicy, while the other was super hostile! It sent a burning sensation down my throat!

Wei Yi Laksa & Prawn Noodle

Opening at 5.30am, Wei Yi Laksa & Prawn Noodle has an interesting menu for its laksa and prawn noodles. The menu displayed different combinations of ingredients that you would want in your laksa, for example, chicken, cockles and taupok or prawn, chicken, cockles and taupok. I tried the common Prawn, Cockles and Taupok combi ($3) topped with a teaspoon of chilli. The laksa gravy was thick, spicy and filled with hae bee (dried shrimp) flavours. Wei Yi Laksa & Prawn Noodle is also not stingy in their cockles, which were fat and juicy. Nonetheless, the queue took quite a while even with just a few customers before me.

Delicious Duck Noodle

Delicious Duck Noodle had been operating since 1969, and till date, there’s still always a queue before the stall. The Duck Noodle Soup ($3) came with slices of duck, noodles and a duck liver/heart. The soup tasted quite salty, almost like it was made from mainly dark soy sauce, but with a slight herbal taste. What I really liked were the slices of duck meat which was tender, surprisingly not tough.

Jiu Ye

What I like about Jiu Ye was that the chee cheong fun was always freshly made upon order, which meant that it would be served piping hot. No doubt it would take a longer process that could result in a queue. Nonetheless, the skin was thin and silky smooth. The uncle was very generous with the ingredients, maybe a little too generous. We had a lot of char siew in our Char Siew Chee Cheong Fun ($2.50), and it became too overwhelming. The char siew was also quite tough. We preferred the Fresh Prawn Chee Cheong Fun ($2.80) as the balance between the skin, the prawns and the vegetables were just nice.

Edmund Chicken Rice – Halal

We travelled all the way to Queenstown to try halal certified Edmond Chicken Rice-Halal. Chicken is juicy and tender, goes well with the mildly-flavoured rice. Don’t be fooled by the pale looking chilli sauce. Their chilli sauce is really power, gives you the kick immediately. Very shiok. Priced at $3.50, it is slightly more expensive than usual chicken rice at coffeeshop. I would recommend you get the drumstick version for 50 cents more. They also have roast chicken.

NaNa Curry

The Curry Fish Head ($18 for half) is the best seller at Na Na Homemade Curry. As the uncle lifted up the claypot cover, the aromatic smell of curry immediately filled the air. Within the bubbling hot curry, not only was there a generous portion of fish head, there were also ladies’ fingers, yam, tomato and taupok. The sauce was rather thick but it also brought about a slight powdery texture. The freshness and the tenderness of the fish was also a selling point for this dish. With good control over the fire, the fish head was not overcooked, keeping the fish meat soft and moist. Other than the fish bones, we truly enjoyed the Curry Fish Head such that not even a drip of the curry sauce was left.

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In my impression, Woodlands is ulu. Even though I used to give tuition to a student who lives in Woodlands, I find it difficult to find good food after my tuition. Thankfully, my good friend Rae lives in Woodlands and she offered to write 11 Delicious Cheap Eats To Try In Woodlands. Amongst the list, there is Al-Ameen Eating Corner which serves decent Indian food for 24 hours. So we went to check it out last week!

This place was previously at Woodgrove and had only just moved to its current location. 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. We ordered a whole load of prata for breakfast, including prata kosong, egg prata and prata with egg and onion. The prata is not super crispy, but more on the doughy side.

What we enjoyed is the coin prata with mutton curry. The prata dough is shaped into a circular coin and pan fried till it is crispy. The mutton cubes were tender and not gamey, with shiok curry sauce. Service is friendly and they even acceded to my request to make the prata fresh. It is opened for 24 hours, so if you are living near Woodlands and want to have supper, you know where to go!

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