BEST FOOD DISCUSSION - Palatable, Savory, Delicious Food Found In ASEAN

[ET]

Durian

[ET]

[ET]

Buddha Jump Over The Wall

[ET]

Teochew Porridge

[ET]

[ET]

[ET]

[ask4fj]

Originally Posted by ET

Where is the location bro?

[ET]

Originally Posted by ask4fj

Where is the location bro?

90 Whampoa Drive
#01-81 Singapore 320090

[ET]

10 Best Teochew Porridge 潮洲粥 Stall In Singapore


1. Joo Seng Teochew Porridge & Rice




This is my go-to place for Teochew porridge — just a five-minute drive away from Bukit Timah. The braised duck meat and boiled squid are particularly good and very consistent in quality. A huge variety of dishes including a few non-Teochew delights greet visitors — indeed it is somewhat akin to an “economical rice” stall.

14 Cheong Chin Nam Road, Singapore 599738
Opening Hours: (Daily) 10am – 4am




2. Joo Chiat Teochew Porridge (formerly Teck Teochew Porridge)


For fans of Teck Teochew Porridge, please note that the stall has once again shifted to Bukit Batok Crescent and is now operating as Joo Chiat Teochew Porridge.

This stall is a mix of Teochew porridge and zi char, with fishes displayed out front. Menu items are quite limited with only the braised stuff being standard, and you will need to ask the uncle what they have, since it’s like a zi char but with no menu.

The advantage is that many of items will be made fresh behind the kitchen like the stir-fried cabbage. Remember to order the signature braised pork trotters as well.

31 Bukit Batok Crescent, #01-01, Singapore 658070
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Thu to Tue), Closed on Wed




3. Choon Seng Teochew Porridge




This must be one of the most closely-guarded secrets of Teochew porridge fanatics. Not many food bloggers seem to know of Choon Seng’s existence based on my research, although it’s been around for a really long time and is ostensibly very popular. Do try the pig’s head and the braised pork belly, and remember that coming early is a must as most of the sides are sold out before 2pm.

Blk 43 Cambridge Road, #01-09, Singapore 210043
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 3pm (Mon – Sat), Closed on Sun




4. Curry Rice & Porridge 咖喱饭粥


Walking along Macpherson Road, you will find a simple stall that says Curry Rice & Porridge 咖喱饭粥. This retro and nostalgic stall has a nondescript signboard that is so easily missed unless you looked for it. Awesome curry and homemade otah, both of which aren’t anywhere close to being Teochew, can be had here. Nonetheless, the Teochew-style steamed sea bass is great and can also be had with porridge, making it pretty much modus operandi of a Teochew mui stall.

554 Macpherson Road, Singapore 368230
Opening Hours: 11am – 3.30pm, 5pm to 9pm (Mon – Sat), Closed on Sun






5. Soon Soon Teochew Porridge


Most Teochews will find the sides served here very close to the heart, almost like they came from Mum’s kitchen. Traditional is the keyword here so you will certainly not find the non-Teochew sides commonly found elsewhere.

13 Simon Road, Singapore 545897
Opening Hours: 7am – 10pm (Wed – Mon), Closed on Tue




6. Ah Seah Teochew Porridge




Ah Seah Teochew Porridge is very highly recommended by my Teochew friends but I have to admit that I wasn’t impressed as I found Heng Long and Soon Soon just up the road to be better. However, the prices here were quite some cheaper than the other stalls, so perhaps it’s the Singaporean notion that “cheap is good”. Parking in this area is always a pain though.

31 Teck Chye Terrace, Singapore 545731
Opening Hours: 11am – 12midnight (Mon – Sun), Closed on alternate Mon




7. Ye Shang Hai Teochew Porridge


This seems to be a perennial favourite among taxi drivers, with most stopping by for meals or gatherings, as is evident from the carpark in front being filled with taxis (they have since shifted to Lengkok Bahru). Don’t be discouraged by the long queues during meal times as it clears really quickly. Portions are tapas-sized which allows you to sample a larger variety of sides.

Blk 55, Lengkok Bahru, #01-387, Singapore 151055
Opening Hours: 10.30am – 5am (Wed – Mon), Closed on Tue




8. Soon Kee Teochew Porridge




Somehow the best meals are always in the ulu locations. Not your usual Teochew porridge crowd – you’ll see towkays with their shiny Rolex watches having breakfast, NS boys wolfing down their bowls of mui after days of questionable cookhouse grub, families and a mix of other groups. Soon Kee Teochew Porridge has by far the best braised pork as it simply melts in your mouth, and the spicy lala clams are never sandy.

33 Sembawang Road, #01-04/07, Singapore 779084
Opening Hours: 8am – 2pm (Mon – Sat), Closed on Sun




9. Lim Joo Hin Eating House


This Teochew porridge is so popular, it has seen the likes of Hong Kong superstars Chow Yun Fatt and Andy Lau visit its humble premises. One of the better midnight Teochew muis around Singapore, the braised pork is pretty good while the overall standard of dishes is decent. Prices can be a bit expensive though, as they have increased prices due to their ‘celebrity’ status.

715 Havelock Road, Singapore 169642
Opening Hours: 11am – 5am (Daily)




10. Heng Long Teochew Porridge




Located along the popular midnight eateries of Upper Serangoon Road, the crowded Heng Long is a favourite. They have the usual myriad of Teochew sides but beyond that, they also have sweet and sour pork which goes really well with the porridge. If the queue is too long, there is another porridge stall right beside called Wan Xing which also serves a good Teochew porridge.

1006 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore 534744
Opening Hours: 6pm – 4am (Daily)

[ET]

Kent Thong Turtle Soup 金唐山瑞




Located at Smith Street Food Centre is a humble little stall managed by an old couple who takes turns to mend the stall. The old couple sells the exotic turtle soup, cooked a la minute upon order. Kent Thong Turtle Soup started in Keong Saik street before moving to its current location around 10 years ago.


Claypot Turtle Soup

Cooked in a concoction of Chinese herbs. the Turtle Soup ($12) is known for its high nutritional value which has health benefits for the kidney and blood circulation. I have tried turtle soup before and I find the version at Kent Tong lighter in both appearance and taste. Understand from their owner their version is Cantonese style. The priced item for every bowl of turtle soup is the rear soft shell of the carapace which is rich with collagen.


Turtle Egg

I have been wanting to try Turtle Egg for the longest time. An owner ever told me that it is very hard to get them. I was rather lucky to finally tried it at Kent Thong. You just need to add $1 for a turtle egg. Crack it into the soup to get a fuller and richer flavour.


Mutton Soup

Besides the turtle soup, Kent Thong also sells Mutton Soup ($6) and Black Chicken Soup ($5). The comforting Mutton Soup has a subtle sweetness. The mutton is also cooked to a soft texture that literally falls off the bone. Many people do no like mutton because of its gaminess but I could not detect any trace of it here.


Black Chicken Soup

The Black Chicken Soup ($5) is the star for me at Kent Thong. The used of rice wine and XO perfumed the bowl of comforting soup as well as elevating the whole enjoyment of the herbal soup



Many of us may find the delicacy too exotic. First of all, these are all farmed turtle. If you are afraid of eating the meat, then just drink the soup as they have health benefits for the body.

Kent Thong Turtle Soup
Chinatown Complex
Smith Street Food Centre
Blk 335 Smith Street
#02-188
Singapore 050335
Opening Hours: Daily 10am - 7pm

[ET]

11 Must Try Food Stalls In Beauty World Food Centre






Top 1 Hand Made Noodle
Beauty World Food Centre #04-44, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 11am – 7pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Sun), Closed Wed

Around since 1989, this is one of the few Ban Mian stalls where you can have rather varied permutations, to have your own personalized bowl by picking out the type of noodles and soup with a choice from many delectable ingredients.

Noodles wise, choose from mee hoon kway, you mian (thin noodles), ban mian (flat noodles), mee suah, bee hoon, Hong Kong mee, and cintan mee (egg noodles).

Four choices of bases are available – soup, tom yum, hot & spicy, and dry; to be paired with ingredients of fresh prawn, meat balls, sliced fish, fish maw or abalone.

A bowl without the luxurious ingredients is priced at $4 or $5.

Most people would opt for the dry version which is dribbled with a generous serving of dark sauce.

I had the soup version, which I found to be in between – not too rich or mild, but still flavourful.

BUT, the real magic to me, is that killer chilli sauce which is very shiok to have. Just a little can make a whole lot of difference.








Penang Home Made Beef Ball 槟城自制牛肉丸
Beauty World Food Centre #04-43, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm (Fri – Wed), Closed Thurs

Interesting. While there are beef noodles stalls around Singapore, you don’t find something that is labelled with “Penang”.

What you get are springy homemade beef balls noodle soups.

On the menu are Beef Ball Noodle Soup, Mixed Beef Noodle Soup, Braised Brisket Noodle or Rice, Wet Beef Horfun, and Beef Fried Rice. Every item on the menu in this stall is priced at $5.

While I cannot tell for sure how “Penang” this was, the Beef Brisket Noodles was QQ-springy, matched with the brisket that was well-braised and in scrumptious brown sauce. Quite an under-rated stall.








Jin Li Satay Bee Hoon 锦利沙爹米粉
Beauty World Food Centre #04-04, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Thurs – Tues), Closed Wed

Jin Li Satay Bee Hoon is one of the food legends in Beauty World Food Centre with over 35 years of experience of serving the finest Satay Bee Hoon.

And good Satay Bee Hoon is getting so much harder to find in Singapore due to the complexity in preparing the dish and demand.

There are three serving sizes of Satay Bee Hoon ($4, $5, $6, takeaway $5, $6, $8).

A plate comes with a variety of ingredients like lean pork slices, kang kong, tau pok, cuttlefish, prawn and cockles. (You can inform the stall person if you want to opt out of any ingredients.)

The secret of the irresistible Satay Bee Hoon at this stall lies in the satay gravy, with the bee hoon drenched in complex flavours with a rich and satisfying taste.

One thing you may note is that peanut sauce is nutty, yet smooth and creamy all at the same time, with a light fragrance.








Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle Rice 香港玫瑰油鸡面饭
Beauty World Food Centre #04-51, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)

This stall has a relatively long queue, known for succulent Soya Sauce Chicken with hor fun, rice or noodles of your choice.

Operated by a mother-daughter team, be prepared to wait a while during peak hours.

They also serve Dumpling Noodles, Shredded Chicken with Mushroom Horfun, Wanton Noodle, Char Siew Rice and Beef Brisket Noodle. You will find Chee Cheong Fun, Yam Cake and Glutinous Rice too.
Each noodle or rice plate is priced from $3.00 to $5.50.

I got their Soya Sauce Chicken Noodles with drumstick ($4), with fleshy and tender chicken thigh with springy noodles in a slightly sweet and savoury sauce. If you have some stomach room, add some of those shui jiao dumplings.








Buta Kin
Beauty World Food Centre #04-28, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Buta Kin is one of those unusual stalls specialising in Japanese cuisine and tonkotsu ramen at a hawker centre.

There is a wide selection of dishes, with combinations of ramen/udon and other curry dishes, such as the Special Tonkotsu Ramen ($7.50), Tonkotsu Vegetable Udon ($5), Ebi Fry Curry Rice ($6), and Tonkatsu Chicken Curry Rice ($6.50).

Also look out for specials such as Black King Ramen and Curry Ramen. All affordably priced as ramen can get quite pricey if you order at eateries elsewhere.

Get the Special Tonkotsu Ramen ($7.50) included with char siu slice, nori, black fungus, boiled egg and more, piping hot with light milky pork-bone broth.








Feng Ji Shu Shi Char Kway Teow 豐記熟食炒粿條
Beauty World Food Centre #04-45, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 12pm – 7:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Uncle Tan Lip Hong has over 30 years of experience in frying up Char Kway Teow.

A plate ($4, $5) contains wok-fried kway teow (flat rice noodles) are combined with mee (round yellow noodles) with bean sprouts, egg, fresh cockles, deep fried lard fried with dark soya sauce.

It had the old-school taste with wok-hei, but perhaps some would coming expect a more moist and eggy version.






Hong Wen Mutton Soup 红炆羊肉汤
Beauty World Food Centre #04-20, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 11am – 3:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Not many places sell Mutton Soup anymore, as customers may not like that gamey taste and particular smell.

There are four items here: Mutton Stomach Soup, Mutton Soup, Mutton Tendon Soup and Mixed Mutton Soup. Prices have risen considerably though, to $8, $10, or $15 per portion.

The main thing that sets this Teochew and Hainanese styles apart is the stronger herbal flavour and they do not include deep fried bean curd taupok.








You Peng Mian Jiao Zi Guan
Beauty World Food Centre #04-23, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

You will find a great variety of Chinese Shanghainese delights at this stall. Fulfill your cravings for Xiao Long Bao, Dan Dan Noodles, Guo Tie and Jiao Zi, to even Egg & Tomato Noodles, Dan Dan Noodles, Sour & Spicy Soup and Fried Pancakes.

The queue is not that long during early hours, and everything is fresh and handmade at the stall.

However, prices are considered comparatively on the higher side (for hawker centres), with Fried Dumplings priced at $7.50 (for 10 pieces), Xiao Long Bao at $8, Dumpling Noodles at $5.

The Xiao Long Bao ($8) had skin that was slightly on the doughy and thicker side, though it was filled with sweet tasting broth.

Frozen dumplings are available for sale as well.









Burger House
Beauty World Food Centre #04-42, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 11am – 5pm (Mon – Sun)

Hambaobao may be closed, but there is a new burger stall called “Burger House” just opened in April. Yes, during the challenging “Circuit Breaker” period.

Selection includes Beef Burger ($7.90), Chicken Burger ($6.20), Mushroom Burger ($6.90), Nuggets ($3 for 6 pieces), Truffle Fries ($4.50) and Cheese Fries ($3.90).

Add $2 for additional ala carte fries and lemonade drink ($2.00) to complete the set.

The burger patties are made from quality beef from New Zealand, all hand-made in store.

While the beef patty was rather tasty, I thought that it needed a less generic-tasting bun or sauce of some kind to better differentiate this with a number of burger stalls that are sprouting out in Singapore.

Still a value-for-money Western food stall.








Ye Tang Chendol
Beauty World Food Centre #04-26, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon, Tues

Ye Tang Chendol is a new Cendol stall opened just before the challenging “Circuit Breaker period”. The stall had received quite positive online reviews so far.

The classic bowl with attap chee is priced at $2.00, while you can opt for other options such as Red Bean Chendol ($2.50), Corn Chendol ($2.50) and popular D24 Durian Chendol ($3.80).

What drew me was the fragrant, freshly-made green chendol jelly made with pandan leaves; while the red kidney beans (not the usual red bean used) were quite soft and sweet.








Kopifellas
Beauty World Food Centre #04-67, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 8am – 6:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Kopifellas first opened at Timbre+ and has opened another stall at Beauty World, serving traditional and modern beverages at a hawker stall.

Its Kopi ($1.20 onwards) is made with coffee beans are grinded and brewed on the spot to bring out the best flavour; and they also serve up Black and White Cold Brew ($3.50, $4.50).

For coffee is not your think, under the “Caffeine Phobic” and “Teaholic” sections, there are other refreshing beverages of Honey Lemon, Earl Grey Milk Tea, Lychee Tea, Lime Tea, Honey Milk Tea, Honey Oolong Tea and even Thai Milk Tea.

Hip drinks at inexpensive prices (compared to the usual BBT stores).

[ET]

10 Must Try Food Stalls In Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre















Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon . Cuttlefish Kang Kong
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #02-162, Singapore 588172
Opening Hours: 11am – 1:30pm, 5pm – 10pm (Wed, Thurs), 11am – 2:30pm, 5pm – 10pm (Sat, Sun)

Putting this at the top because decent Satay Bee Hoon is getting harder to find in Singapore, and this stall serves up quite a note-worthy version.

And they are opened for only 4 days a week.

You will find a long queue at this stall at all times, so be prepared to wait at least 20 to 30 minutes for your turn during peak hours.

They have three serving sizes of Satay Bee Hoon ($4, $5, $6), or you can also order the Cuttlefish Kang Kong ($6).

Their take on the Teochew dish was sumptuous, included with thin vermicelli, tau pok, cuttlefish and pork slices, drenched in this luscious rich peanut sauce that had some special spices included.

It is a taste that you don’t get elsewhere.








He Zhong Carrot Cake
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #02-185, Singapore 588172
Opening Hours: 7am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Probably one of the most famous White Carrot Cakes around, though Bukit Timah residents may say that this used to be crispier and better in the past.

This stall is special for many reasons. It isn’t in the usual flat or scrambled style, but chunky blocks that are almost rectangular and piled on top of the other.

The big chunks of white carrot cake have a tempting eggy aroma, generally more to the soft and fluffy side.

For only $2.50 onwards ($3, $4, $5) per serving, you get quite a generous amount of carrot cake. I do enjoy the springy and flavourful chunks, mildly salty chai poh and hints of garlic.








Yong Seng Satay
51 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #02-123, Singapore 588215
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8pm (Wed – Mon), Closed Tues

The Yong Seng Satay stall serves up Chinese-style Satay. They are most famous for their Pork Satay ($0.60 per stick), along with Chicken and Mutton Satay ($0.60 per stick). Ketupat is at an additional $0.60.

The reason being its preparation time which is tedious and time consuming, with the marination itself taking several hours.

It is hard to find tender Pork Satay of late, and this had a good layer of meat with fats, that added to its tenderness and succulence.

The slight hints of smoky, charred flavour intensify the taste, and is complimented well with the chunky peanut sauce added with sweet pineapple mash.








Seng Heng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
51 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #02-177, Singapore 588215
Opening Hours: 11am – 3:30PM (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Sometimes I wonder why no television programme have came to interview the two good-looking sons helping out at the stall yet. Anyway…

This hawker stall may test your patience and love for chicken rice. The wait can be long and the queues never ending.

The stall serves up Hainanese-style Chicken Eice along with soups such as Black Chicken, Watercress, Bittergourd with Pork Ribs.

I thought that the chicken was tender, though I would personally wish that it was juicier with more of that ‘oily’ sauce.

The rice was grainy with fragrant savoury flavours of the chicken stock. Nice chilli too. Overall, not bad.








Terry Katong Laksa
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588172
Opening Hours: 8am – 7pm (Mon – Sun)

This was a surprise find during one of my trips to Bukit Timah Food Centre (there is another outlet at Chinatown Food Centre). Consider this the ‘healthier; version of laksa with still flavorful gravy

This stall serves a healthy variety of Laksa that contains no pork, no lard, no added sugar, MSG or evaporated creamer in its preparation.

Surprisingly, even after taking out all of this, the authentic and delicious flavors and taste still remained, making it a very desirable dish so you can stay healthy while enjoying your favorite meals.

A regular serving bowl of Laksa cost $3.50. You can require for additional cockles, prawns for a dollar; and fish cake for $0.50

The standout ingredient of this dish is definitely their gravy. It ties the whole dish together and blends in well with every ingredient to impart a mild and comforting taste.

They also serve Nonya Otah ($0.60) and Nasi Lemak ($1.60).








Leng Kee
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #02-192, Singapore 58817
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm (Thurs – Tues), Closed Wed

The thing that draws every customer to the Leng Kee Fish Soup stall is that the soup is rather clean-tasting and light (so if you are looking at the rich and heavy kind, maybe this is not for you).

The generous serving size of thick fish slices are also a good reason to come, with each bowl priced at $5, $6, or $8.

They also serve up Fish Porridge ($4.50), Sliced Fish Mee Sua ($4.50), Sliced Fish Bee Hoon ($4.50), Pig’s Liver Mee Sua ($4), and Braised Pig’s Trotter ($4).

For $5 per bowl, the serving size is quite filling, and I loved how the soup didn’t have a typical fishy smell yet every mouthful was packed with fresh fish slices, accompanied with tofu cubes and vegetables.








Xie Kee Hokkien Mee
51 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #02-174, Singapore 588215
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

I suspect this used to taste much better in the past, but at $3 per plate with all those ingredients, effort in frying and wok-hei, we shouldn’t complain much.

The queue can sometimes be painfully long, so I would suggest going slightly before peak lunch and dinner hours.

The noodles were of a flat variety which is a bit different than most Hokkien Mee. In terms of wetness and flavours, this is considered in-between.

While the soup stock and wok-hei could be a tad stronger, the chilli helps to enhance the overall flavours.








168 Beef Hor Fun . White Bee Hoon W/ Clam
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #02-168, Singapore 588215
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Okay, disclaimer: the standard is slightly inconsistent here, I think it depends on who’s doing the actual frying.

This hawker stall serves only wok-fried dishes, including Ham & Egg Fried Rice, Dried Beef Hor Fun, San Lou Hor Fun, Sour & Spicy Horfun, while Beef Hor Fun and White Bee Hoon are their signature dishes.

For the White Bee Hoon itself, there are various combinations including sliced beef, seafood, sliced fish, prawns and lala clams.

The Beef Hor Fun had delightfully smooth rice noodles and had a nice wok hei, on the saucier (generous gravy) though bland side.










Hock Le Xiang Rojak
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #02-152, Singapore 588215
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

This is a shared stall between Popiah ($1.50 per roll), and Rojak ($3, $4, $5). I suspect the Popiah is the more popular side, though I quite liked the Rojak which was a surprise find.

One of the reasons is that the Popiah is inexpensive at $1.50, and filled with juicy turnip and carrot fillings. Was there an X-factor? Maybe no, but certainly above the average.

The Rojak had a thick and delicious sticky sauce, which coated coated evenly around every ingredient such as the refreshing radish and taupoek, added with generous amounts of crunchy peanuts.








Nyonya Chendol
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #02-147, Singapore 588215
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 8:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Where did Nyonya Chendol come from? Out of the ‘sudden’, you see outlets popping all around the island with its distinctive white and green signboard, and menu of 4 Chendol items.

You can find the stalls at Bukit Timah Food Centre, Old Airport Road Food Centre (#01-115), Whampoa Food Centre (#01-17), Blk 85 Redhill Food Centre (#01-57), Albert Street Food Centre (#01-69), and Boon Lay Food Centre (#01-130).

Nyonya Chendol specializes in the sweet icy and milky dessert of Chendol, serving the traditional, plain Chendol ($1.50), Red Beans Chendol ($2), Sweet Corn Chendol ($2) and XO Durian Chendol ($3).

The first noticeable thing was the big mound of shaved ice, which suggested that they aren’t stingy with their ingredients.

The ice was flavored with thick and glossy Gula Melaka and heavy coconut milk with a smooth and pleasing texture. The highlight of course, was the luscious red beans.

[ET]

Must Try Food In Sinagpore


Zai Shu Curry Fish Head

Zai Shun Curry Fish Head is famous for their fish, done a la Curry Fish head style or steamed. The fish is super fresh, no fishy smell and it comes in generous, meaty portions. Their curry fish head is not too spicy but is more on the sour side. Portions are generous, so prepare to order more rice to soak with curry.

Address: 253 Jurong East Street 24, #01-205, Singapore 600253
Opening hours: Thurs-Tues 7AM-3PM (Closed on Wed)




W39 Bistro & Bakery

Not as raved about as other cafes in the West (think D’Good Cafe and Sunday Folks), W39 Bistro & Bakery is one of my favorite cafes. This cozy home-styled bistro and bakery serves up comforting grub. They have brunch, lunch and dinner menus complete with a range of sweets for the sweet-toothed. I especially love their Pan-Seared Lamb Rack ($28).

Address: 39 Jalan Mas Puteh, Off West Coast Road, Singapore 128637
Opening hours: Tues-Fri 11AM-10PM, Sat & Sun 9AM-10PM




Gorilla Curry

As far as comfort food goes, we can never go wrong with a hearty plate of curry. Westies can get their curry rice fix over at Gorilla Curry, which is nestled in Bukit Batok just 10 minutes away from Bukit Gombak MRT station.


This teeny stall was formerly known as Lao Cai’s Curry, but has since rebranded earlier this year to have a more modern appeal. They’re serving up delectable curry with meats like salted egg chicken thigh cutlets and braised pork, along with veggies and a sunny side up egg. Prices for their pre-set meals start from $4 per plate.


Mala addicts, in particular, can satisfy their spice cravings with dishes like the Mala Fried Fillet Curry Rice ($4.50). The spice-coated chicken pairs wonderfully with the creamy curry, leaving your belly full and giving your taste buds that shiok sensation.

You can get it delivered to you regardless of where you live, as islandwide delivery is available via FoodLine.

Address: 323 Bukit Batok Street 33, Singapore 650323
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 8.30AM-3PM




Joo Seng Teochew Porridge and Rice

The variety at Joo Seng Teochew Porridge and Rice beats most Teochew porridge stalls. Although their food is priced higher than usual, the variety and taste more than compensates for it. One of their must-tries is the boneless duck – which is tender, lean and well seasoned.

While not all the dishes are well executed, one plus point is the braised sauce served together to douse your porridge with – which makes it comfort food of the highest order.

Address: 14 Cheong Chin Nam Road, Singapore 599738
Opening hours: 9.30AM-4AM, Daily




Daehwa Vegetarian Restaurant

So aptly named, Daehwa (the sister restaurant of The Boneless Kitchen) is of a rarer breed than a normal vegetarian store – it’s a Korean Vegetarian store! Piqued your interest yet?

Korean vegetarian food is rare in Singapore. Instead of the usual huge communal servings, the owners, NTU grad Rose Tan and her NUS grad pal Wang Xiudian, decided to serve their food in single serving portions so anybody can pop by for a meal by themselves. The Korean hot sauce and kimchi are handmade using vegetarian ingredients.

Address: 1 Fusionopolis Place, Galaxis Building, #01-35, Singapore 138632
Opening hours: Tues-Fri 11AM-9PM, Sat & Sun 12PM-9PM




New Lucky Claypot Rice

At New Lucky Claypot Rice, they still cook their claypot rice using the traditional charcoal, which explains why there’s a minimum waiting time of 15 minutes even during off-peak hours. But the wait is worth it as the rice is well-cooked, fragrant and full of the juicy goodness from the chicken pieces.

They also offer several other dishes like oyster sauce vegetables and soup.

Address: Holland Drive Market & Food Centre, 44 Holland Drive #02-19, Singapore 270044
Opening hours: Thurs-Tues 11AM-1PM, 5PM-8PM (Closed on Wed)




HaiDiLao

The West is now home to the popular Sichuan hotpot chain restaurant Hai Di Lao at IMM, much to HDL’s fans’ delight. This outlet has been a well kept secret amongst West-dwelling Singaporeans and thankfully, the queue is not as daunting as its town counterparts. Plus, the complimentary fresh fruits and manicures provided by HDL help to pass the time as you wait.

Hai Di Lao is known for their numbing spicy soup bases and the freedom to customise your own dipping sauce. Alternatively, cool down with their free flow of fruits and soy bean pudding. Regulars recommend the fresh tasting meat, especially the Gongfu noodles – it’s served along with a performance you don’t want to miss.

Tip: Make a reservation two weeks in advance to guarantee yourself a table!

Address: IMM Building, 2 Jurong East Street 21 #03-01, Singapore 609601
Opening hours: 10.30AM-6AM, Daily




A Rashid Khan

At A Rashid Khan, mee siam comes in two forms – with ($5) and without ($3.50) mutton cubes. This mee siam is so far one of the best I’ve tasted, with its slightly sweet, peanut-ty gravy, orange-tinged vermicelli, and the mutton cubes that are neither too chewy nor gamey. It’s light on the tongue and not too jelat.

Address: Ayer Rajah Food Centre, 503 West Coast Drive, #01-58, Singapore 120503
Opening hours: Daily, 8.30AM-1AM




Chai Ho Satay

At 45 cents per stick, the satay from Chai Ho Satay has got to be one of the cheapest non-halal satay stalls in Singapore.

The pork satay here has succulent meat with a slight sweetness complete with a smoky flavor. Though they can be inconsistent at times with some overly-charred or dry sticks, the fragrant peanut gravy together with the juicy pieces of meat are worth queuing for.

Address: Clementi Central Market & Hawker Centre, 448 Clementi Ave 3, #01-10, Singapore 120448
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 1PM-9PM




Tsukada Nojo

It is hard to find quality Japanese hotpot at affordable prices. But here at Tsukada Nojo, you get to savour their specialty hotpot Bijin Nabe, a chicken collagen hot pot served with organic vegetables.

There’s a catch though: the hotpot is only available for dinner on weekdays and there’s a 2-person minimum order. That said, you get a generous portion of locally-grown organic vegetables, amongst other hotpot ingredients like prawns and enoki mushrooms. Queues snake around the corner for this outlet so be prepared to wait for more than 30 minutes.

Address: Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive, #03-04/04A, Singapore 608532
Opening hours: 11.30AM-3.30PM & 5PM-10PM, Daily




My Cosy Corner

Another popular hole-in-the-wall would be My Cosy Corner. Situated in a corner of Coronation Plaza, their signature dish is the popiah which is chock full of turnip, egg, and peanuts.

I waited close to 30minutes for a single roll of popiah the last time I was there, so expect to wait during peak hours. The chilli they put inside is not for the faint hearted – so be warned.

They also sell a large variety of food from Western to Japanese and even local favorites like Mee Siam.

Address: Coronation Shopping Plaza, 587 Bukit Timah Road, #02-02, Singapore 269707
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10AM-7PM, Sun 11AM-4PM




Joo Siah Bak Kut Teh

I used to frequent this BKT stall when I was young. Occupying 3 stall spaces, they see a constant stream of customers daily. My favorite would be the free flow hot, peppery soup they offer. Some also rave about their soft, melt-in-your-mouth braised pork trotters which is a delight to have with white rice.

Address: 349 Jurong East Avenue 1, #01-1215, Singapore 600349
Opening hours: Tues-Sat 8AM-7.15PM, Sun 8AM-3.30PM




Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak

Its name speaks for itself – this is one “power” nasi lemak which attracts throngs of people. Their chicken wings are freshly fried and served crispy, which are perfectly complemented by the soft coconut rice and kickass chilli.

Address: 221A/B Boon Lay Place, #01-106, Singapore 619332
Opening hours: 6AM-3.30AM, Daily




Richie’s Crispy Puff

Rarely do you find stalls that are open 24/7 – but over at Richie’s Crispy Puff, you’ll find them churning out their delectable puffs around the clock.

Having tried their puffs before, I must say they’re really delicious, albeit a little too oily for my tastebuds. The pastry skin is handmade and freshly fried in the shop, with a medley of fillings offered from sardine to even durian! They’re Halal-certified, so our Muslim friends can enjoy them too.

Address: 349 Jurong East Avenue 1, #01-1201, Singapore 600349
Opening hours: 24 hours, Daily




Carpenter and Cook

If you’re craving for some sweet treats, head over to Carpenter and Cook. Not to be confused with Baker and Cook, this vintage home store and cafe is beautifully decorated where even the food and drinks are served elegantly in cute tea cups and plates.

Though I feel that prices are a little steep for the portion sizes, the taste makes up for it. One of my favorites is the Passionfruit Meringue Tart ($6.50), which is simultaneously sweet and tangy.

Address: 19 Lorong Kilat, #01-06, Singapore 598120
Opening hours: Weekdays 10AM-10PM, Sat 9AM-10PM, Sun 9AM-9PM




Sunday Folks

Sunday Folks is known for their crisp waffles (from $8.80), topped with a smooth soft serve and the choice of additional toppings like fruits and oats. Served up in a neat stack, these waffles are so photogenic that there’s no way you can resist a quick IG story.

Address: 44 Jalan Merah Saga, #01-52 Chip Bee Gardens, Singapore 278116
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1PM-10PM




El Patio Mexican Restaurant and Wine Bar

Looking for some Mexican fare on a Friday night out? El Patio Mexican Restaurant and Wine Bar has you covered with some of the best tacos in Singapore.

Not to be missed is their El Patio’s Tacos de Pescado ($18) for some well-marinated fish wrapped in your choice of soft or hard taco shells. Celebrate the night over their variety of house pours, cocktails and beers.

Address: 34 Lorong Mambong, Holland Village, S277691
Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 12:00 – 23:00, Sat & Sun: 11:00 – 22:30




Kok Kee Wanton Mee

Add another one to the list of good wanton mee in the west! For those who don’t know, there’s also a Kok Kee Wanton Mee branch at Jurong West, no need to travel all the way to Lavender whenever the craving strikes. The queues are pretty long come lunchtime but the QQ noodles with nary a hint of lye smell to them is worth the wait.

Address: Jurong West Food Centre, 505 Jurong West Street 52, #01-14, Singapore 640505
Opening hours: 7AM-12PM or until sold out, Daily




Choupinette

Another of my favorite brunch restaurants, Choupinette is known to sell one of the best egg benedicts in Singapore. True to that, my eggs benedict came perfectly poached with a creamy hollandaise sauce to top it off. The restaurant is pretty small, so go early or be prepared to wait.

Address: 607 Bukit Timah Road, #01-01, Singapore 269708
Opening hours: Mon 9AM-4PM, Tues-Sat 8AM-7PM, Sun 8AM-5PM




ENAQ Restaurant

Aching for some crispy hot off the pan prata? Swing by ENAQ. My advice would be to drive here, as it’s an ulu eatery hidden deep inside the suburbs.

Not only do they serve prata with a special ikan bilis chilli, they also serve a range of other indian favorites like biryani, murtabak, thosai, oothappam and more. They used to operate 24 hours, but it has since been revised due to several noise complaints. What a pity.

Tip: tell them to hold on the oil if you prefer your pratas less oily.

Address: 303 Jurong East Street 32, Singapore 600303
Opening hours: Mon 7AM-10.30PM, Tues-Sun 7AM-11PM




Hock Sin Kee Tze Char

Hock Sin Kee Tze Char has been cooking up such old school delights for decades. Their dishes elicit nostalgia such as the Pork Chop (from $6) tossed in a slightly tangy, thick and sweet ketchup-based sauce as well as a Sweet and Sour Whole Fish (from $19 – $30)

The fried egg omelette is cooked differently than the normal. Usually served dry, Hock Sin Kee does theirs doused in a thick homemade sauce which would go so well with a bowl of white rice.

Address: Alexandra Village Food Centre, 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-02, Singapore 150120
Opening hours: 10AM-9PM, Daily

[ET]

10 Must Try Food Stalls At Berseh Food Centre











Fu Zhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake
#02-34 Jln Besar, 166 Berseh Food Centre Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)

Since this is just a snack item, do yourself a favour and get a piece. They make for a kickass snack that you can munch on while browsing around. BUT you may have to wait a while during peak hours.

These UFO-shaped Oyster Cakes are fast disappearing in Singapore, and you can perhaps find this at few places such as Maxwell Food Centre.

The recipe of these oyster cakes is passed down from generations, and has the same homemade comforting goodness and taste.

Their standard Oyster Cake with 1 prawn costs $2, while the one with extra ingredients and 2 prawns costs $2.50.

Get the special Oyster Cake that had both peanuts and ikan billis on the exterior with a delicious thin crispy crust that wasn’t too greasy or oily.

I was in luck as I got one without waiting. I loved how every bite and mouthful came with both crunchy and tender textures, along with savoury flavours from the oysters and peanuts.





Self-Made Fish Balls 自制西刀鱼圆
#02-60 Jln Besar, 166 Berseh Food Centre Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 7am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

Not many stalls in Singapore offer handmade fish balls, as most get direct from suppliers.

There is typically a semi-long line here, with customers queuing for Fishball Minced Meat Noodles, Mushroom Fish Cake Minced Meat Noodles, Shrimp Dumpling Noodles, and Meat Ball Noodles priced from $3 onwards.

The Fish Ball Minced Meat Noodles ($3.50) had this classic taste matched with bouncy fishballs, but I did find the meepok on the dry side and could do with more flavourful mix of sauces.

The Xi Dao Fishcakes at $1.50 is an additional item you can have, best to have with a touch of chilli padi.





Sheng Kee Curry Chicken Noodle
#01-45 Jln Besar, 166 Berseh Food Centre Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 6am – 3:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This was a surprise find. I ordered it without expecting much as it is not considered famous, but this was one delicious bowl of Curry Chicken Noodles. (I think I actually prefer this to the “Michelin” stall.)

Plus, uncle was very friendly as well. He would ask if which part of the chicken you prefer (like breast, thigh, or drumstick) and you would request for more bean sprouts and tau pok.

The Curry Chicken Noodles ($4, $5, $6) comes in three portion sizes, loaded with ingredients in a bowl of curry soup – large tender chunks of succulent poached chicken, bean sprout, soft potatoes, taupok and fish cakes.

There is this hearty taste from the curry gravy yet not overly rich or oily, with a filling and delicious goodness of tender chicken.

If you want a stronger flavour, add a spoonful of chili and toss it with the noodles.





Mei Xiang Black & White Fish Soup
#02-44 Jln Besar, 166 Berseh Food Centre Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8pm (Mon – Fri), Closed Sat, Sun

First things first. There are some interesting rules here.

Only Mixed Fish Soup is sold here, NO ta-bao (takeaway) only dine-in (this was because the “Circuit Breaker” – I guess they have to change rules now), yet the bowl is served in disposable plastic. haiz

A small portion is priced at $6, while the large bowl is at $8. Mei Xiang stall did lives up to expectations with their fried and sliced “black” (which is fried fish) and white (sliced) fish soup.

You may be surprised to learn that the cloudy soup had no milk added to it. It was just steamy, comforting goodness with fried chunks and fish slices.

The mild sweetness and fresh taste of fish balanced the strong flavors from ginger quite well.

The dish also had deep fried ribbons of fluffy eggs along with sweet napa cabbage that went well with the soup. One of my personal favourites which I do not mind having again.





Fu He Delights 福和
#02-40/47 Jln Besar, 166 Berseh Food Centre Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 11am – 8.30pm (Sat – Thurs), Closed (Tues)

Fu He Delights at Berseh Food Centre may be more known for its Turtle Soups (one of the two stalls left selling this at the hawker centre), but many customers were also ordering their Claypot Rice ($7, $15, $20).

They also serve up many different styles of soups from Herbal Black Chicken, Ginseng Black Chicken, Lotus Root with Pork Ribs, and Shi Quan Duck Soup to pair with the claypot dishes.

After a 25 minutes’ wait or so, the hot piping pot of aromatic rice with sizzling sounds would just whet your appetite.

While I thought that the ingredients such as chicken, lup cheong and vegetables tasted separate from one another, the tantalising factors were the flavourful dark sauce and sweetish-chilli sauce.

One of the better Claypot Rice you can find in this area.





Coffee Hut
#02-43 Jln Besar, 166 Berseh Food Center Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 7am – 1:30pm (Tues – Fri), 7am – 11:30am (Sun), Closed Sat, Mon

The story behind this stall is an interesting one: the owner of this stall learnt how to make kopi by a Hainan coffee master for a price of $3000.

But this is ‘school fees’ well paid.

There is no doubt that the kopi at this stall has that aromatic quality that is not like the average, and you can tell that the owner poured their heart and soul into it.

I loved that smooth, balanced and not overly bitter taste of the kopi, unlike the bland and diluted version present in other places. Even the teh was not bad.

Another great thing about this stall is that every item on the menu seems to have a personal touch, like homemade kaya and peanut butter spread.

They have different sets of breakfast and brunch items to go with the hot beverage for $3, including Kaya Toast, Baguette French Toast, French-Toasted Bread, Kaya Bun or Toasted Kaya Bun.





Tree Coconut 三颗椰子椰浆饭
#02-27 Jln Besar, 166 Berseh Food Centre Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 3pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

This Nasi Lemak got some media attention last year as this is opened by a young hawkerpreneur. Her father used to sell Nasi Lemak at Simpang Bedok, and she is carrying on with his legacy.

The stall is supposedly called “Three Coconut” (note the Chinese name of 三颗椰子椰浆饭, but there was a typo in the signboard, but they carried on with this quirky name.

At $2.50, the Nasi Lemak is quite affordable and comes with chicken wing, egg and sambal on the side, with that homely taste. You can also add on other ingredients such as Ikan Bilis ($0.50) or Otah ($1).





Lim’s Fried Oysters
#01-32 Jalan Besar, 166 Berseh Food Centre Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 7pm – 12am (Mon – Sun)

This is one of those old hawker stalls with a recipe that has been around for more than 40 years.

The homemade batter with secret spices and a perfect balance of flavours is what makes the Fried Oyster Omelette such a hit.

Focusing on one main dish also gives them the chance to pour all their time and attention in the preparation and execution of it, which is always a plus point.

There are three serving sizes of $5, $8 and $10.

Where they got it right: the slightly-charred crispy outer layer contrasted with the gooey starchy middles.

They make the batter themselves along with two types of chilies for the fried oysters and the dip for oyster omelette. Like a symphony of textures and flavours in the mouth.

Only thing is, it is on the very greasy side and may put-off the health-conscious people.





Hock Kee Fried Kway Teow
#01-16 Jln Besar, 166 Berseh Food Centre Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 2pm – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

This stall comes with another name called “Fu Ji Char Kway Teow”, with decades old recipe of Fried Kway Teow that has stood the time of time.

They have three serving sizes of the Fried Kway Teow ($3, $3.50, $4), and the portion size was of course quite generous, with cockles, fish cake, egg and Chinese sausage on a bed of noodles.

Here’s what I liked: there was that smoky taste, wok-hei, and not too oily.

Some people may wish for more of that darker sauce for that more intense taste; also more egg would have been nice.





Special Chilli Yong Tau Foo
#01-17 Jln Besar, 166 Berseh Food Centre Singapore 208877
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 12pm (Sat – Thurs), Closed Fri

While the stall states closing hour of 12pm, sometimes they are sold out by early morning. Say 10plus?

A hearty bowl of Yong Tau Foo with an incredibly unique chilli sauce.

While most Yong Tau Foo stalls are known for their specific ingredients, this is famous for the distinctive chili sauce that is the star ingredient.

You can pick and choose your pieces, such as fish roll, beancurd, bitter gourd, mushrooms, cuttlefish, fishball, ngoh hiang ($0.40 to $0.50 per piece) and cuttlefish head ($1.50), along with a portion of Hakka Mee ($1.50).

Actually 40 cents per piece is very affordable.

At this stall, they have huge buckets filled up to the brim with chili sauce that runs out faster than any other ingredient. There is a tang of sweetness yet a kick of heat and definitely very shiok.