Bak Chor Mee is a perennial favourite. It seems to be a very simple dish, but not many can whip up a perfect bowl. Da Sheng Bak Chor Mee has been passed down through four generations and is currently manned by 36-year-old Bai Yong Sheng, who’s spent 21 years acquiring the skills necessary to produce excellent Teochew bak chor mee!

It’s easy to spot Da Sheng Bak Chor Mee as the stall has a bright blue logo and a snaking queue. There were about five people in front of me and the total waiting time, from queuing to receiving my food, was around 15 minutes. No one likes waiting this long for their food. But good things, or rather good bak chor mee, are always worth the wait.

Do yourself a favour and try their signature Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle ($5.50). This dish is the reason why there is a long queue. It comes with bak chor, braised mushrooms, meatballs, pork slices, pig’s liver and two crispy wantons. Oh, how I love hawkers who are this generous with the ingredients! The bak chor is marinated with powdered sole fish which made it even tastier. The owner was quite heavy-handed with the vinegar, but I absolutely loved it as it really whetted my appetite. The chilli sauce provided a kick of heat and intensified the flavours altogether. For those of you with a penchant for spicy food, this is created for you. If you can’t handle spicy food, inform them to reduce the amount of chilli added, or to not add any, because it is really quite spicy!

Every strand of mee kia was coated with the vinegar-chilli sauce. The stewed mushrooms were sweet and juicy. The rest of the ingredients were pretty average but I liked that the addition of dried sole fish elevated the taste of the entire bowl .
I must warn you though, that this is a huge bowl of noodles. This hawker is very generous when it comes to the amount of ingredients.

After they relocated to Ubi, a new dish sprung up on their menu  — the Fried Chicken Chop Noodle ($5.50). Are you a chicken breast or chicken thigh kind of person? Well, I’m all for chicken thigh! The uniformly thick chicken thigh chunks were juicy, and were armed with a light tinge of spice. So good!

The dishes served here are really value for money. Prices might be dear to some, but you’ll receive good quality ingredients and generous portions!

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

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

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel! You may also wish to check out our article on Shi Xian, a food stall that sells love Mee Siam and Mee Rebus!

Join us on our Telegram channel!

The post Da Sheng Bak Chor Mee – Excellent Teochew Bak Chor Mee by a 4th-Gen Hawker appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Hidden in a little coffee shop in Toa Payoh, Macpherson Teochew Bak Chor Mee dishes out its signature Bak Chor Mee ($5.00), and Popular Macpherson Bak Chor Mee ($3.00), amongst other favourites, to loyal fans and hungry diners.

Many years ago, the stall was located at Jackson Market which was unfortunately demolished. The stall then moved into a coffeeshop behind Yishun Swimming Complex, before relocating to the current space.

I was pleasantly surprised by the huge portion of noodles. The Signature dish consists of nicely cooked noodles and tons of liao such as wontons, fuzhou meatballs, minced meat, liver, mushrooms, as well as bian yu. I certainly got my money’s worth!

The Macpherson Bak Chor Mee is slightly different from the signature bowl as it has lesser ingredients. Despite the difference, this dish is still pretty good! The Macpherson Bak Chor Mee dish is slightly more flavourful because it is tossed with more vinegar. For those who love their bak chor mee with more vinegar, this will suit your taste buds more.

After speaking to the stall owner, I found out that his wife makes the wantons and Fuzhou meatballs by hand. No wonder the Fuzhou meatballs tasted different from the ones I usually have! Besides the ball of meat found in the centre, I was greeted by a burst of soup when I first bit into the meatball. It’s like a “xiao long bao” meatball! Just the meatballs alone warrant a trip to the stall, really!

I had to take photos before trying the bak chor mee, so I was afraid that the wantons would be soggy and soft by the time I could taste it. To my surprise, the wantons held their crunch despite sitting on the warm noodles for a long while.

Despite moving so many times, Macpherson Bak Chor Mee still receives long queues and is ever so popular. If you love a good hearty bowl of bak chor mee, you need to make a trip here.

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

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel! You may wish to check out our article on Che Rose Nasi Padang, it probably serves the best Nasi Padang in Toa Payoh!

Join us on our Telegram channel!

The post Macpherson Bak Chor Mee – Hidden Gem in Toa Payoh! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

This is one of those 1 or 2pm-can-close-already kind of stall.

While there were plenty of excellent options at Tampines Round Market & Food Centre, I opted for noodles for breakfast.

I placed my barang-barang in front of the stall which had a relentless queue. Teo Kee Minced Pork Noodles is no stranger to media coverage. They have been on local television several times and have even been covered by Korean media companies. It was no wonder that owner, Jimmy Lim, was not at all camera-shy.

Teo Kee offers quite a variety of ingredients to go with their noodles. It was apparent from the number of slow cookers that they had at the counter. I learnt from Jimmy that each slow cooker held a different ingredient (pork ribs, chicken leg, chicken wing and egg) and each of the stews were prepared using a different recipe. I would have thought that they will use one braise (卤) for everything, but I would be wrong.

I had the Pork Ribs Noodle, Dry ($3.50), Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles, Dry ($3.50) and Set Noodle, Dry ($5). The set comes with a piece of each ingredient on a separate plate — great for someone like me who wants a little bit of everything.

The signature Pork Ribs Noodle ($3) carried an earthy and herbal flavour, and an obvious hit of 5-spice. The dish was very hearty and satisfying, and that was before we even picked up the pork ribs.

At first, I was slightly uncomfortable with the idea of having to tear through pork ribs equipped with only a pair of chopsticks. But I didn’t need to worry because the tender pork ribs graciously gave way to my chop sticks. The pork rib hid soft bones which you can just bite off as well. I especially loved the sticky exterior.

The Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles ($3) was very different from the usual ba chor meee. Instead of the common combination of light sauce, chilli and vinegar, Teo Kee’s version featured a deep earthy flavour that was similar to that of the Pork Ribs Noodle. Fans of braised mushrooms will absolutely love this dish.

The Set Noodle ($5) seemed like great value. For 5 dollars, you get a rather big piece of pork rib, a chicken mid-joint, a huge chicken feet and a chicken egg. The chicken mid-joint was so tender and smooth, I could easily eat 20 in one seating.

Not an ingredient everyone appreciates, but this will surely be appetizing to those who do.

And I actually could have polished off 20 mid-joints, since Teo Kee sells just their ingredients as well. You can buy just the stewed items should you have a dinner party or potluck.

The various stews did taste different, but I couldn’t quite place my finger on the ingredients that caused the differences. The stews shared a common denominator though — the earthy flavor.

I left the place thinking about dabao-ing a whole bunch of ribs for a small gathering, or maybe just for myself.

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

Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Teo Kee Minced Pork Noodle. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Teo Kee Minced Pork Noodles – Hearty Noodles at Tampines Round Market & Food Centre appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Fishball Noodles is something I can have any day of the week, any meal of the day.

I recently discovered yet another place for delicious noodles – Yong Seng Teochew Fishball Noodles.

On top of just fishball noodles, Yong Seng offers side dishes such as Handmade Fishcake ($1.50/pcs), Popiah ($2.50/2 pcs) and Big Ngoh Hiang ($2.50/2pcs). I ordered Fishball Noodles ($3.50), Laksa ($3.50) and Fish Dumplings Soup ($3.50).

The Fishball Noodles ($3.50) came with slices of fish cake, lard, pig liver and 3 different kinds of meatballs(fish, mixed and pork). The texture of the fishball really impressed me. It was firm, bouncy, and had a clean flavour.

The mixed fishball was made with fish, pork, some cut vegetable and chilli. It was less QQ than the fishball but was significantly tastier.

The pork ball was, expectedly, tougher than the other two, but it still was great.

The al dente meepok was seasoned beautifully. I always love the sauce that goes along with this dish, especially with added vinegar and chilli.

The fragrant Laksa ($3.50) was also enjoyable, and spicier than I had expected. The bowl also came with a good dollop of hum (cockles) which I really enjoyed.

The Fish Dumplings Soup ($3.50) came with 9 pieces of small fish dumplings. The dumplings had a gelatinous filling which was light and tasty, a perfect accompaniment to my noodles.

We were actually introduced to Yong Seng Teochew Fishball Noodles by one of our readers while we were doing a food review at another hawker centre. Regrettably, I didn’t get his name but hey, if you’re reading this, thanks for introducing us to Yong Seng!

Good food must share, so please share your recommendations with us ah!

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

Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Yong Seng Teochew Fishball Noodle. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Yong Seng Teochew Fishball Noodles – Delicious Noodles in Hougang appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Spoiler alert: it’s not from Bedok 85.

We chanced upon Liang Haus Noodle Bar in Bedok Marketplace. The stall spans across a wide space that’s usually occupied by 2 different stalls. While the stall looked new, I felt like I’ve seen this stall somewhere before. Chef-owner, Richard, then shared that they used to occupy a smaller stall in the corner, just a few units away.

With the new addition, Bak Chor Mee Soup, to the menu, Richard needed more space to fit another cooking station — wanton noodles and BCM share different soup bases and have to be cooked separately.

I ordered the Famous Wanton Mee ($4), Favourite Minced Meat Noodles ($4), Signature Chicken Feet Noodles ($4) and a side of Fried Wanton ($3).

Heads-up! The Famous Wanton Mee ($4) is pretty spicy if you ask for chilli in your noodles. The combination of heat and springy noodles made me go through the noodles really quickly.

My wanton mee came with 2 fried wantons, and 3 wantons in the soup. I liked that I got both versions of the wantons when stalls usually only give you one or the other. The fried wantons were crispy and had a substantial filling.

Mayonnaise makes everything better.

The homemade char siew was enjoyable as well. The meat was obviously well-marinated and still considerably tender.

I did not expect the chicken feet from the Signature Chicken Feet Noodles ($4) to be so big. Some people do not take chicken feet, but for those who do, you’ll fully appreciate the thick gelatinous meat that just slides off the bone with ease. The unassuming chicken feet, which were spicy and had a strong mushroom flavour, left a deep impression.

Time for the the headliner, Bak Chor Mee ($4). Not to be confused with the usual dry version, this soup version is similar to the popular ones in Bedok area. The sweet flavour of pork was so rich! The soup was made by boiling pork bones amongst many other ingredients, and had no MSG.

Slurping the noodles with the soup reminded me of ramen. If you can, eat fast! The noodles do get “fat” quite quickly in the broth.

Good food always gets me curious, so I asked Richard about the dish. He divulged that it was actually his father’s wish to sell this noodle dish. Richard’s father believed that this dish will be a popular hit as it is rare these days. Richard, however, didn’t have anyone to learn the recipe from. He had to tap on his memory of the taste of a BCM he had from a Chai Chee market growing up. I listened as he enthusiastically told me the stories about that certain hawker stall.

The BCM has been sold at Liang Haus Noodle Bar for no more than 3 months, and I expect it to improve as operations get smoother and the recipe gets refined. I’m honestly excited for my return visit to Liang Haus Noodle Bar and my next bowl of soupy Bak Chor Mee.

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

Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Liang Haus Noodle Bar. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Liang Haus Noodle Bar – Best Bak Chor Mee in Bedok appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I stay in the North East so travelling all the way to Jurong is not something I look forward to. But when Deon from 58 Minced Meat Noodles agreed to an interview, I gladly made my trip to Jurong without any complaints.

58 Minced Meat Noodles Taman at Jurong Food Centre is very popular. It was started in 1973 by Deon’s father and Deon has been helping out since his teenage years. Deon took over the business about 15 years ago and continues serving hundreds of bowls of noodles daily.

I was curious about the “58” in the stall name. Deon explained that in the past, Taman Jurong Food Centre was known as liu shi tan (六十摊), which means  “sixty stalls” in Mandarin. As you might probably have guessed, there were exactly 60 stalls in the hawker centre. And his father’s minced meat noodles stall was stall number 58. After the food centre was rebuilt, Deon’s father decided to name it 58 Minced Meat Noodles.

Nothing much has changed even after Deon took over. He took 2 years to master the art of cooking noodles and even when his father’s friends were complaining about the dip in standard, he never gave up. “My father’s friends would come up to me and tell me straight in the face that my noodles cannot make it. I take their criticism seriously and keep practising to get it right.”

READ: 27 Bak Chor Mee Singaporeans Love

Deon says that the cooking time for every batch of noodles differs. With just a quick touch, he is able to determine how long he needs to cook the noodles. His helper will take the orders, and prepare the ingredients, while he cooks every bowl swiftly. I sat in front of his stall for an hour and all I say is, this man is very serious about his craft.

Each bowl of Bak Chor Mee (from $3) includes minced meat, pork slices, pork lard, mushroom and pig liver. The lightly cooked pork slices and liver pieces were tender. The noodles, which were not too soft and had a nice bite, were dressed in an addictive sauce that comprised pork lard and chilli sauce. The noodles were then topped off with sliced mushrooms. Deon still sticks to using porcelain bowl to serve all their noodles.

Bak chor mee is definitely a staple for all Singapore foodies. If you are here in the western part of Singapore, drop by Taman Jurong Food Centre for a good bowl of bak chor mee.

The post 58 Minced Meat Noodle – Best Bak Chor Mee in Jurong appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

When I heard that Soon Heng Pork Noodles was serving soup-based bak chor mee, I knew I had to come right down and try it for myself.

Most of us, myself included, are accustomed to the dry version of bak chor mee but I’m sure many of us have also tried the soup bak chor mee at Bedok 85. Westies don’t have to travel across the island just for the famous soup bak chor mee for Soon Heng has brought the “Bedok-style bak chor mee” to Neil Road.

Soon Heng Pork Noodles sits in a corner of a quaint little coffeeshop along Neil Road. You can easily spot the stall as there’s always a queue stemming from it. Soon Heng Pork Noodles only serves one dish and that is the Bedok-style bak chor mee.

The bak chor mee stall sells their noodles in two portions — small ($4) or large ($5). Diners can choose from mee kia, mee pok, mee tai bak, and kway teow.

According to Andrew, the stallowner, the mee kia here is quite popular among regulars. It is made by a supplier who has been producing mee kia for nearly 3 decades. I decided to opt for the mee kia. (By the way, Andrew’s mother has a stall in Blk 538 Bedok North)

Each bowl of noodles comes with meatballs, bak chor, wanton and a side of fried pork lard. I really loved the bak chor and wanton that accompanied the bowl of noodles. The bak chor was soft and flavourful, and the wanton had a good bite. I later learnt that Andrew makes the wanton by hand, and marinates his own bak chor every night.

While I found the mee kia to be a little undercooked for my liking, the soup broth was simply irresistible!

Soon Heng’s Bedok-style bak chor mee is quite special. The broth here is not the clear type, like many other Bedok-style bak chor mee. Instead, the broth is murky, and is sinfully rich, yet light!

Think something along the lines of a ramen tonkotsu broth, but not surfeiting at all. Pork bones are gently simmered overnight to produce a broth that is milky, light, and intensely flavourful.

While I am a sucker for dry bak chor mee, I think I might be a convert after my visit to Soon Heng Pork Noodles.

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

The post Soon Heng Pork Noodles – Authentic Bedok-Style Bak Chor Mee at Neil Road appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

It seems like residents in Kovan love minced meat fishball noodles. At Kovan Market and Food Centre, there are three very popular minced meat fishball noodles — Chun Fu Fishball Minced Meat Noodle Laksa (春福鱼圆肉脞面.叻沙, #01-04), Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle (发记肉脞鱼圆面, #01-05) and Yam Mee Teochew Fishball Noodle (炎成潮州鱼丸面, #01-35). Everyday during lunch and dinner, expect to see queues at not one, but all three stalls.

I would have thought that the three stall owners are enemies, since they sell the same dishes. Moreover, Chun Fu Fishball Minced Meat Noodle Laksa and Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle are just side by side. But I was wrong. One day, while I was having lunch here, I spotted the hawkers talking and laughing with each other while cooking the noodles. That was such a rare sight. And to make things even more interesting, the three stalls had purposely plan their off-days to be different from one other, so that residents will get to enjoy fishball noodles no matter what day it is. I love to hear about such camaraderie (or some say kampung spirit) among hawkers.

Just two weeks ago, I dropped by the market to buy breakfast and decided to queue for Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle. To my surprise, it was cooked by 29-year-old Aloysius. He caught my attention because he was really swift in his cooking and my bowl of noodles was really not bad!

I won’t say I frequented the stall but I went there for dinner quite a few times on the weekends but I never met the young hawker. It’s always his uncle who works the evening shift. It’s nice to finally meet Aloysius.

Aloysius is the third generation hawker at Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle. He has been helping out at his father’s stall since he was still in school. His grandmother and father first started selling wanton noodles in Geylang. After the market was demolished, they moved to Kovan Market and decided to sell minced meat fishball noodles instead.

The menu is simple. There’s minced meat noodles, laksa and curry noodles. Singapore’s hot weather deters me from having anything too spicy, so I usually order the minced meat noodles. You can even purchase the handmade fish cake at $1.50.

I think Fa Ji’s chilli and lard make the noodles exceptional. The noodles were not overcooked and retained a pretty good bite. They were tossed in an addictive sauce that’s heavily perfumed with lard and loaded with fiery chilli that carried a hint of sweetness. Fa Ji is quite heavy handed with the seasoning.

The pork slices were tender and the lightly-cooked liver was awesome. The vinegar was not overpowering, and worked beautifully with the chilli sauce. The portion is really generous so big eaters will definitely be pleased.

I hardly order laksa or curry chicken noodles, but when I returned on a wet and chilly day, the spicy noodles called out to me. Tender steamed chicken in a rich curry broth swimming with taupok. What’s not to love? You can add a spoonful of sambal if you want it to be more spicy. The same broth is used for the laksa. What a comforting bowl of noodles!

I have tried all three stalls, and to be really honest (not a PR answer), three of them are really above average. Even though they sell the same dishes, but in terms of seasonings and ingredients, all of them have different recipes and use different suppliers. So it really boils down to personal preference.

For me, I prefer Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle because I like stronger flavours, and Fa Ji’s chilli sauce really won me over.

READ: 27 Bak Chor Mee Singaporeans Love

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

The post Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle – Bak Chor Mee with Super Shiok Lard & Chilli appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Ask any Commonwealth residents where to eat and they will direct you to Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre. Not because of its proximity but for good reason — it is a food haven that sells cheap and good food that’s comparable to the food at Old Airport Road Food Centre! Here are 7 stalls that you should try in Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre.

1. 牛车水阿婆卤鸭

When it comes to braised duck rice, the zhup (sauce) is everything. Let me just say that the Braised Duck Rice ($4) at 牛车水阿婆卤鸭 hits just all the right spots. The sauce had the perfect balance of savoury and sweet notes and it was more on the watery side (which I love). The meat was also tender.

Unlike other braised duck rice stalls, 牛车水阿婆卤鸭 serves a scoop of hae bi hiam (dried spicy shrimp) with its rice! Trust me, the hae bi hiam makes ALL the difference.

2. Henry’s Chicken Rice

Whenever I am in Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre, I always make sure to buy myself half a chicken ($12) and a plate of rice ($0.50) from Henry’s Chicken Rice! The couple running this stall has been serving the same, consistent plate of chicken rice since 1985! While there are other options such as steamed chicken and roasted chicken, I always go for the roasted option because of its glistening and addictive skin, and the roast chicken (yes, even the breast meat) is always moist and tender!

Remember to get yourself a portion of chilli. Henry’s Chicken Rice’s chilli is so good that I am willing to call it sacred. And you are only entitled to one portion of chilli for each plate of chicken rice! Come early because Henry’s Chicken Rice sells like hot cakes!

3. Hao Hao Noodle House

I have always loved wanton noodles and the Wanton Noodles ($3) at Hao Hao Noodle House really evokes nostalgia. Serving old-school wanton noodles and various other noodle dishes, Hao Hao is helmed by a pastry chef-turned-hawker who has been cooking wanton noodles for the past 2 decades!

Hao Hao Noodle House’s wanton noodles is served with a sprinkling of lard, which I liked a lot. It wasn’t overly salty and I enjoyed the noodles!

I watched the hawker as he was cooking my wanton noodles and he is very skilful! He boils the mee kia, rinses it, then launches it up into the air to aerate the mee kia! The end product is a plate of wanton noodles with super springy & QQ noodles that is ugh, so irresistible.

4. Huang Da Fu 黄大福 Bak Chor Mee

Don’t let the young hawker behind 黄大福 fool you, because he serves great and affordable Bak Chor Mee ($2.70)!

The sauce in the bak chor mee was a mix of chilli and vinegar which coated each strand of mee pok evenly. The bak chor (minced meat) really got me! It was perfectly cooked and was so irresistibly soft and tender!

It’s not the best bak chor mee that I have eaten, but for its price point, 黄大福 definitely deserves some credit, and warrants a visit.

5. Hong Kee Porridge

Hong Kee Porridge has been serving the ultimate comfort food —cantonese-style porridge— for the past 4 decades.

The Pork Porridge with Century Egg ($3.50) and the Fish Head Porridge ($3). were smooth, thick, yet not viscous, and so flavourful! I particularly loved the Pork Porridge with Century Egg; there was a fine mix of pork slices and marinated pork balls that made for a really comforting and filling bowl!

I spoke to the stall owner and he said that he is not getting any younger and intends to retire soon. So make sure to get yourself a bowl of porridge before he closes shop.

6. Milah Hokkaido Curry Puff

While you are here, you should snack on the curry puffs made by Milah Hokkaido Curry Puff. This is no ordinary curry puff stall.

In operation for about 8 months now, Milah Hokkaido Curry Puff uses 100% “Wonderful Traded Flour” from Hokkaido. Milah Hokkaido Curry Puff sells 4 flavours of curry puffs — Potato, Sardine, Mentaiko Cheese, and Cinnamon Banana. A piece of curry puff starts from $1.20, and you can get 3 for $3. I decided to get all but the Sardine curry puff.

*TIP: The curry puffs taste the best when they are fresh out of the fryer. The first batches are ready for sale at 11am.*

The Mentaiko Cheese and the Cinnamon Banana Curry Puff really dazzled my tastebuds! The Cinnamon Banana puff can be likened to an apple pie, and the cheesiness in the Mentaiko Cheese puff was just lovely. You really have to savour the puffs at their best, when they’re piping hot. The puffs here are really  unique and the light crust of each puff is just delightful.

7. Hammee’s

Selling just 2 burgers initially — Classic Beef Cheeseburger ($6) and Fried Chicken Burger ($5.50) — Hammee’s has been consistently experimenting with new flavours to develop a larger menu.

Hammee’s Premium Beef Cheeseburger ($8) has been well-received by its patrons. The burger is a solid outfit of lettuce, tomato, slow caramelised onions, American cheese, chopped pickled jalapeños, homemade sauce and a 120g handmade beef patty. The difference between the Classic Beef Cheeseburger and Premium Beef Cheeseburger is that short ribs are used in the Premium Beef Cheeseburger, making it juicier.

Surprisingly, I actually prefer the chicken burger to the Premium Beef Cheeseburger (despite the fact that I am a fan of anything beef). Fried to a golden crisp, the chicken thigh was tender and juicy! The spicy kick from the cubed jalapeños was lovely and it kept me coming back for more. I will probably order the spicy version again because I really enjoyed it!

8. Xi Le Ting 喜樂亭,

For homey traditional desserts, Xi Le Ting is the stall to go. This traditional Chinese dessert stall at Commonwealth Crescent Food Centre is run by a granny who has been making desserts using the same recipes for almost half a century.

There are four types on offer here: green bean soup, red bean soup, cheng tng and sweet wheat porridge – all served hot. I like the sweet wheat porridge with coconut cream in it. It is not too sweet and the wheat pearls come with a nice chewy bite. The green bean soup is also fragrant and cooked with sago and coconut milk. For something refreshing, get the cheng tng. It comes with longan, barley, dried persimmon, white fungus and more.

9. ASiP Fresh Cold Press Juice

What better way to end your meal than with a cup of fresh & organic Avocado Milkshake ($3.50) from ASiP Fresh Cold Press Juice!

The avocado milkshake consists of only three premium ingredients: halved avocados, gula melaka syrup, and Greenfield’s UHT Full Cream Milk. They don’t even put ice into their milkshake! Of course, you can request for ice to be added into your milkshake, but I like mine super thick.

On first taste, the avocado milkshake was extremely thick and creamy, just like how avocado milkshakes should be!

But what I like best about this stall is that the auntie asks questions(e.g. whether you want more ice, more gula melaka syrup etc) pertaining to your drink in order to tailor a shake to your liking. It’s a nice touch, especially in a hawker centre setting.

Have I got you salivating already? Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre has so much more to offer! Wait no more, head over to Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre for lunch or dinner today!

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

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

The post Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre – 9 Stalls You Should Try! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

When you think of ‘Hong Lim’, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the Speakers’ Corner at Hong Lim Park. Hong Lim Market and Food Centre may not be as popular as Maxwell, Chomp Chomp, and Old Airport Road but this two-storey food centre near Chinatown MRT actually serves a plethora of Singapore’s finest delicacies!

Here are just 19 stalls out of the hundred over that stood out to me! Some of which you may already know, such as Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee, Ma Bo Lor Mee, Teo Heng Porridge Stall, High Street Tai Wah Pork Noodles, oandSungei Road Trishaw Laksa. Nonetheless, I hope to have uncovered a few hidden gems in this listicle!

Hiong Kee Dumplings

Hiong Kee Dumplings has two stalls at Hong Lim Food Centre! The one on the ground floor is used purely for the production of their dumplings before they are brought upstairs to be cooked and sold! Their Zongzi (粽子) or Bak Zhang is one of the best!

This is their Pork Dumpling ($4.20) consisting of salted egg, mushrooms, chestnut, and chunks of pork belly! I remember feeling cheated after biting into dumplings that did not have enough meat I am glad to report that the dumplings from Hiong Kee Dumplings have chunks of lean pork meat which are huge, tender, and chunky!

You have to try their Nonya Dumpling ($3.50)! It’s sweeter than the normal dumplings as its lean pork fillings are cooked with diced winter melon strips!

基记面家 Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist

There’s always a snaking line at Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist during lunch hour, but you’ll realise that the noodles are definitely worth the wait! There are more than 7 types of noodles to choose from. I ordered the Fresh Prawn Dumpling Noodles ($3/$4/$5/$6/$7/$8)!

For $4, you get a bowl of springy noodles tossed in a homemade sauce, and a separate bowl of soup comprising three homemade dumplings. Value-for-money? Yes! Sources have stated that the stall owners have arranged for the supplier to manufacture a special type of noodles for their stall, which might explain the noodles’ exceptional texture. This has to be one of those few wanton mees that I can down easily, even without any accompanying ingredients.

The star of the prawn dumpling noodles is definitely the prawn dumplings, which are gingerly prepared and wrapped by hand. Each plump dumpling is filled with a generous amount of pork and shrimp.

The Char Siew Wanton Noodles ($3/$4/$5/$6/$7/$8) comprises the same delicious noodles tossed in the extremely palatable sauce. You can top the noodles off with a dose of Ji Ji’s chilli, which lends a smoky and spicy punch to the dish. Like the prawn dumplings, the wantons are packed with a generous amount of pork filling too! I also noticed that they use larger-than-average slices of char siew and mushrooms!

Hainanese Curry Rice

This is one of the most severely-underrated stalls! Normal set meals cost $3.80 and come with rice, meat, a fried egg, and vegetables! The set meals available are the Fried Fish Set, Pork Chop Set, Braised Meat Set, and the Chicken Wing Set.

I purchased the same Pork Chop Set with an added portion of Braised Meat for $5.30 twice in the past week! The lady boss mentioned that these were her two most popular types of meat, and it’s not hard to see why.

The Pork Chop was crispy and tender while the Braised Meat was soft and juicy!  Overall, it may look like one huge sloppy mess but trust me, this simple dish soaked in delicious and flavourful curry was not too spicy, nor too salty or jelak. The lady boss was very generous with the tasty vegetables too!

Ma Bo Lor Mee

Opened in May 2013, this outlet of Ma Bo Lor Mee is just one out of six islandwide! Although they serve laksa too, the stall’s signage suggests that lor mee is their speciality so I ordered their Fried Fish Lor Mee ($3/$4)!

The stall has a no MSG policy. All their flavours come from natural ingredients. Made with seven herbs, the gravy is prepared the night before. Flat yellow noodles, thick gooey gravy, five pieces of deep-fried battered fish, and half an egg — what more could I ask for?!

The gravy was lovely. It wasn’t too starchy, or too thick. I loved how the fresh chilli and cilantro brought life to the dish. Don’t forget to spoon in some house-made chilli sauce and chopped garlic for more heat and flavour! The flesh of the fish, which was encased in a crisp golden brown jacket, was sweet and tender too!

I also tried the Laksa ($2.50/$3.50). I was surprised to see fried fish in my laksa, but I’m not complaining of course. The consistency of the broth was perfect, and I loved that the hae bi and coconut flavours were strong. I helped myself to more chilli as the heat was quite mild. The cockles were really fresh and slightly bigger than what I’m used to getting in my laksa.

All in all, Ma Bo Lor Mee whips up pretty great lor mee and laksa. You will most likely witness a long queue, but good food is always worth queuing for, right?

Kaya Kaya 咖爷咖爷

This kaya toast breakfast stall on the first floor of Hong Lim Market & Food Centre was an unexpected find!

I ordered the Vanilla Butter Kaya Toast with Teh Ping for $3.20! The bread was toasted to a nice crisp and I loved the vanilla flavour. It’s something different from the ordinary kaya toast, and was delicious!

Kaya Kaya also serves Honey Vanilla Butter Toast($3)! Two halves of a mini loaf of bread are slathered with butter, drizzled with honey, and popped into the oven. Condensed milk is then drizzled over the toasted bread. I heard that even though the vanilla flavour isn’t as prominent, all the ingredients come together beautifully!

Dong Sheng Beverage (东生咖啡)

Dong Sheng Beverage (东生咖啡) is another breakfast stall at Hong Lim Food Centre that serves hot and cold drinks. They also sell affordable breakfast food such as toasts and half-boiled eggs!

I started my Tuesday morning with a cup of their aromatic coffee! The Nanyang Kopi from Dong Sheng Beverage stays true to its roots with an old-school taste that appeals to both the young and old.

The kaya toast was warm and crispy, but the soft-boiled eggs were a little overcooked this time. I’ll be sure to order a cuppa Nanyang Kopi from Dong Sheng Beverage the next time I’m at Hong Lim!

Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee

There are two famous stalls that sell curry chicken noodles at Hong Lim Market and Food Centre. One is Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee at level 2, while the other is Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee at level 1. The latter, I must say, is quite impressive.

Don’t judge the stall for its messy display of Hainanese-style poached chicken. .

At $4, each bowl comes piping hot with large pieces of Hainanese-style poached chicken, potatoes and juicy curry-soaked tau pok. The greasy curry was so addictive that I almost emptied the entire bowl. It was aromatic, quite sweet, slightly savoury, and just mildly spicy!

Tai Wah Pork Noodle

High Street Tai Wah Pork Noodle is one of the proud recipients of the Michelin Bib Gourmand award 2018! Tai Wah Pork Noodle is helmed by Mr Tang, who also happens to be the younger brother of the boss of Hill Street Tai Wah Pork Noodle (the ever-popular 1-Michelin star minced pork noodle at Crawford). Although both stall owners inherited the same recipe from their father, they have each tweaked it differently.

While both stalls incorporate sole fish into their recipe, the preparation methods are slightly different. Our beloved boss astutely pointed out that the Hill Street stall tosses the noodles together with the ingredients but the High Street stall tosses the noodles before adding in the ingredients.

I decided to order the dry version which is more popular with the customers and is what the stall is famous for! It comes in two sizes, either $6 or $8!

Upon receiving my food, I dived straight into the perfectly cooked mee pok/ mee kia that’s been mixed well with an irresistible concoction of chilli, vinegar and lard oil. I especially liked the texture of the springy noodles, and the chilli really made it exceptionally delectable. Generous portions of meatballs, bak chor and wanton — a real steal for the price that we’re paying.

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee

Located directly opposite Tai Hwa Pork Noodles, Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee is another awardee of the Michelin Bib Gourmand award 2018! Many consider this to be one of the best char kway teow in Singapore. And, it’s no surprise why. While many char kway teow stalls tend to pre-fry their noodles before re-frying it when you order, Outram Park Char Kway Teow does not. Despite the long queue, the uncle is actually very fast and cooks the char kway teow in batches. We ended up waiting for a shorter time than expected.

To me, a solid plate of char kway teow must be packed with wok hei. And you can definitely expect that from this stall’s char kway teow which is coated in a dark sauce and fiery chilli, and completed with bean sprouts, cockles and fried pork lard to complement the tasty egg.

Diners have the option of adding cockles for $2, or a beaten egg for 50 cents. I especially love the bits of moist beaten egg that’s stuck to the kway teow. Overall, the char kway teow offered an excellent balance of sweetness, umami, spiciness and smokiness. What a delicious meal for just $4!

The Old Stall Hokkien Street Famous Prawn Mee (老檔著名福建街虾面)

Located on the second floor near the linkway to the multi-storey carpark is The Old Stall Hokkien Street Famous Prawn Mee (老檔著名福建街虾面)! A mouthful right? I know. The stall makes their own chilli powder, and does not use MSG in their food.

I ordered the Pork Ribs Noodle with Prawns($5). Although the prawns were not exceptionally big, they were generous with the noodles and the pork ribs were cooked to perfection! For me, when it comes to prawn mee, the broth is always the highlight of the meal.

The stall’s broth is what I believe to be old-school and traditional, in the sense that it does not have a very strong and intense prawn flavour. It was cloudy, thick, and rich, with a slightly alkaline aftertaste! It wasn’t really for me but the lunch crowd seems to think otherwise!

Hokkien Street Bak Kut Teh (福建街肉骨茶, 炖山瑞)

There are two Bak Kut Teh stalls on the first level of Hong Lim Market & Food Centre. In the corner, there is Morning Bak Kut Teh, and right in the centre of the hawker centre is Hokkien Street Bak Kut Teh (福建街肉骨茶, 炖山瑞)! I decided to try the latter because it had a longer queue!

Apart from Bak Kut Teh, the stall also offers a variety of side dishes! The lady boss suggested that I have the $5 portion of Pig Trotter to accompany my $4 portion of Bak Kut Teh!

The Bak Kut Teh is as the stall’s signage suggests, Hokkien style! This meant that they use a variety of herbs and soy sauce to create a more fragrant, textured, and darker soup. True enough, it had a rather strong and slightly bitter herbal taste.

The Pig Trotter’s meat was tender and juicy with the right amount of fat and lean meat! The gravy was not too salty either, and paired well with my rice.

Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sah Ho Fun

We seldom see crayfish in hawker centres except at some cze char stalls. I ordered the Crayfish Hor Fun($6.50)!

This stall really knows how to spoil its customers! The crayfish is cut into half and the prawns are deshelled. Not only were the crayfish and prawns easy to eat, they were really fresh!

The hor fun was very smooth. Unlike the usual thick hor fun which we see in cze char stalls, the Ipoh style hor fun is thinner.

If you don’t feel like having crayfish, you can go for other options such as hor fun with just prawns, or even chicken hor fun!

Dong Fang Hong Sotong Ball Seafood Soup

Besides sotong (squid) balls, the stall also has meatballs and fish balls up for grabs. If you are wondering what’s so special about the balls here, you’ll be glad to know that each and every ball is painstakingly handmade!

They have only one item on the menu, which is the Sotong Ball Seafood Soup. This comes in three different sizes ($4.50, $5.50, $6.50). You can add noodles, such as ee mian, mi tai mak, kway teow, mee sua or bee hoon for $0.50, or have it with a bowl of white rice($0.50).

The $4.50 bowl of seafood soup comes chock full of ingredients. There are about 5 balls in the bowl (a mixture of squid, fish and meatballs), herh kiao (fish dumplings), seaweed and fried garlic chips. The portion was extremely generous!

When I sank my teeth into the sotong ball, I finally understood what the hype was all about. The sotong ball was very springy, well-seasoned, and definitely addictive. The fish balls were slightly different from the usual factory made ones. It had little chunks of fish meat studded throughout the ball instead of being just smooth and springy. The meatballs were great as well.

The light fish stock broth was tasty too! Although not as heavily flavoured as the balls, its delicate and subtle savouriness complemented the sotong, fish and meatballs perfectly.

Do get here early, because the stall closes once they sell out! (And they usually sell out quite fast, so I’ve heard)!

Tang Kay Kee Fish Head Bee Hoon

Tang Kay Kee brings traditional and modern zi char together.

The Mixed ($5), which features hor fan stir–fried with garlic tender pork slices, fish slices, battered enoki mushrooms, and sous–vide egg, really won me over. I was hooked on the battered enoki, which was made using 4 different flours and salt. The result was a uniquely salty and crispy mushroom which was extremely addictive!

Next, I opted for the Cai Po as part of the fried rice menu, which comprised fried rice with eggs, chinese sausages, crab meats, spring onions, preserved radish as well as a sous–vide egg. Unlike the Mixed hor fun, the wok–hei in this dish was much milder. Like good zi char–style fried rice, the grains were sufficiently oily.

Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa

Being a Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee is huge. Established in 1997, the Bib Gourmand is awarded to eateries that serve good and consistent food at moderate prices. Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa has won the Bib Gourmand award for three years in a row! I guess the word ‘famous’ in the stall’s name is there for a reason.

The Asia Delight Laksa ($4/$5) looks absolutely mouth-watering. My eyes were immediately drawn to the two sizeable halves of crayfish that sat atop the thick bee hoon. I haven’t had a laksa with crayfish in it, so this was definitely an interesting creation for me! The dish also featured a few pieces of prawns and cockles. As for the laksa broth, Mr Soo actually simmers it with dried scallops and dried oysters.

One whiff of the deeply aromatic laksa broth had me salivating. By using less coconut milk, the broth is less rich and sinful, allowing the flavours of the scallops and oysters to come through. The scallops and oysters added a tinge of sweetness and a strong hit of umami to the broth. However, the broth is really mild in terms of heat, so adding the spoonful of sambal chilli is a must if you prefer a spicy kick in your laksa.

I loved the freshness of the seafood. Even those who aren’t normally fans of cockles should give it a try at this stall. Each toothsome morsel added a burst of briny flavour. Although not mind-blowing, the crayfish had a decent amount of flesh and gave the laksa that ‘premium’ edge. This dish is well-worth the $4 price-point!

Teo Heng Porridge Stall

Teo Heng Porridge Stall is one of those places where you can find homey comfort food such as soups, stews, and porridge! Perfect for rainy days or when you’re feeling under the weather!

The star was none other than the fish. They serve three types of fish, but the aunty recommended the bai du yu (rabbit fish). It’s smaller than the other two fish, but the serving was perfect as I was alone. The fish was cooked in a huge pot of salted vegetable soup, then served with a generous sprinkling of salted vegetables. It might look plain to you, but it looked immensely appetizing to me.

The fish wasn’t seasoned before it was cooked, but just a mere five minutes of soaking in the salted vegetable soup allowed the flavours of the soup to penetrate the flesh of the fish. The fish was slightly sweet and very tender. Just this and plain porridge, and it’s a perfect meal for me. Moreover, the salted vegetables had just the right amount of sweetness and saltiness, which made the entire combination even tastier.

The squid at Teo Heng Porridge Stall deserved a notable mention too. One bite and you’ll know that it was skillfully executed. It was soft and easy to chew through.

The braised pork and duck meat were tasty, but a little dry. But just pair them with a spoonful of porridge and condiments, and all’s good. The fish cake was so delicately soft and bouncy — almost like tofu, but firmer. I dipped it in the chilli and boy, was it good!

Cantonese Delights

The stall’s famous Curry Chicken Cutlet Noodles ($4) is a must-order! You can choose between fried chicken cutlet or curry chicken drumstick. For those who do not appreciate spicy food, you are in for a treat. The fragrant and thick curry is slightly sweet, not very spicy, and rather “lemak”.

I also ordered their Chicken Feet Noodles ($3.50) which came with huge chicken feet! What makes this chicken feet different from what you get elsewhere is the generous amount of meat clinging onto the chicken claw! This is pretty rare — I haven’t seen chicken feet so meaty before! For just $3,50, the portion is pretty value for money!

Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee

If you are a fan of Teochew-style Bak Chor Mee, you need to try Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee! The stall has been around for more than 60 years. They started from Hill Street and moved to Hong Lim a few years back. It is now managed by 2nd generation brothers who have been trained by their dad, Ah Kow.

Ah Kow uses the best and freshest pork, wanton skin, mushrooms etc.

The al dente noodles are blanched well and tossed with special vinegar from China. Deep fried pork lard, mushrooms, fresh pork slices, dumplings and fried flatfish are then added to the noodles. There is a good balance of savoury, sour, and spicy flavours. Each bowl of noodles costs $3.50.

Ah Nian Braised Duck Rice Kway Chap Noodle

Ah Nian Duck Rice serves up braised duck, and other braised items such as intestines and pork belly!

Ah Nian Duck Rice braises their own ducks, despite the process being extremely tedious and time-consuming. The extra effort pays off, indeed!

I got the Braised Duck Rice Set ($4.50), which came with a medley of braised items – duck, peanuts, half a boiled egg and beancurd. The braised duck meat carried the fragrance of the spices that it was braised with and I enjoyed it very much.

I also tried the Kway Chap ($4++). The thin square sheets of kway were not overcooked and had a little bite to them.

The assortment of ingredients that came with the kway chap includes the usual braised pork belly, pig intestines and tau pok. There was nothing particularly fantastic about the intestines, but a good thing was that it was washed very thoroughly. There wasn’t any funky odour or sandy texture.

Hong Lim Market & Food Centre is the perfect stop for a quick breakfast, a sumptuous lunch, family dinner, or even a fuss-free takeaway! Instead of heading to the more popular food centres in the area such as Chinatown Complex or Maxwell Food Centre, consider Hong Lim Market & Food Centre instead!

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

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

The post Hong Lim Market & Food Centre – Exercise Your Freedom to Eat (& Love) at These 19 Hawker Stalls! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

For better or worse, in sickness and in health, this is one hawker stall that will never betray you. Located directly behind Lot One Shoppers Mall and Choa Chu Kang Interchange, Seng Huat is one of the few long-established hawker stalls at CCK 302 Foodhouse that have withstood the test of time.

One must wonder, “how do the uncles and aunties ever get any rest when the stall is open 24/7?”

This is Ah Ling, and he is 65 years old this year. Ah Ling is one of three hawkers who work on rotation at Seng Huat to ensure that no matter what time of the day it is, every Bak Chor Mee craving can be satisfied. Having grown up in the neighbourhood, I first fell in love with BCM here.

As with all local noodle hawker stalls, Seng Huat offers different types of noodles. I like my Bak Chor Mee with the yellow and flat mee pok noodles. Some may prefer mee kia, which is a lot thinner. Whether I add tomato or chilli sauce depends on the weather, but most of the time, I like to add both! I think it gives the overall dish a balanced flavour that is both sweet and spicy.

I am not sure about the other two hawkers, but Ah Ling’s shift is from 3PM to 11PM, and the noodles in this bowl of Bak Chor Mee($3.50) cooked by him were springy with the right amount of moisture, which prevented them from drying up or getting stuck together. Most people usually sprinkle a spoonful of soup onto their noodles in order to loosen them up before eating, but I didn’t have to. The noodles already had a glistening layer of moisture (as you can see from the picture above) when I started to dig in.

What I love the most is the generous amount of ingredients! The bowl came with minced meat, 2 meatballs, mushrooms, liver, and crispy bits of pork lard. Although the liver slices were cooked just right, such that they weren’t too tough, they had a pretty strong metallic taste that lingered. If it’s not for you, just remember to tell the staff to leave it out!

Next, I had the Signature Mee Sua Dry ($3.50). It was not as dry as I had expected it to be. Despite being coated in a slightly gooey sauce, the noodles were still firm! Once again, there was a pile of ingredients heaped on. The earthiness of the mushrooms helped to balance out the flavours of the bowl.

Last, but not least, I had a delicious bowl of Laksa ($3.50). The Laksa from 302 was the dish I craved the most while I was in Europe for 5 months. It was just as I had remembered! The broth was thick, creamy, and robust. The first few mouthfuls were so satisfying that I couldn’t help but smile to myself. On its own, I would hardly even consider the Laksa spicy. So if you like your food with a spicy kick, don’t forget to stir in the sambal chilli!

The noodles were smooth and easy to slurp up, and the tao pok, having absorbed a wonderful dose of broth, was lovely to bite into. The Laksa comes with fishcakes, cockles, and beansprouts. The slight taste of the sea that burst out from the occasional cockle enhanced the overall flavour of the Laksa. Despite this bowl of Laksa not having prawns or chicken, I did not feel like anything was missing!

More than 20 years ago, I was coming to this stall for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner with my family. Nowadays, it has become my go-to supper destination. Whatever the reason for my visit, this stall has been one of the constants in my life.

The fact that all the staff are so bubbly and friendly also makes coming to 302 feel exceptionally homey all the time. If you happen to be seeking comfort food in the West, don’t hesitate to drop by Seng Huat for a delicious and affordable bowl of noodles!

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

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

The post CCK 302 Foodhouse – This 24-Hour Hawker Stall Sends Laksa (Lotsa) Love with Their Bak Chor Mee & Mee Sua appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

It was Gordon Ramsay’s battleground during the SingTel Hawker Heroes Challenge in 2013. Its name is also commonly brought up by adventurous tourists looking to savour true blue Singaporean grub. And yes, it was also one of the signature filming locations of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’. That’s right, I am talking about the legendary Newton Food Centre!

I know Newton Food Centre gets a bad rep for being a tourist trap and that hawker centre with higher-than-normal prices. However, look beyond the prices and you will find yourself surrounded by an eclectic mix of cultures and fuss-free hawker food. It’s time to grab a couple of close buddies, order a few pints of ice cold beer, and dine like a few crazy rich asians at Newton Food Centre!

1. Soon Wah Fishball Kway Teow Mee

When I say the fishballs and her giao from Soon Wah Fishball Kway Teo are the best, I mean it. That’s because it is all painstakingly made by hand daily. Really, just how often do we come across hawkers who still make fishballs by hand?

Order a bowl of fishball noodles (we went for meepok) for $4 and welcome a serving portion that’s a bang for your buck! For $4, you get a sizeable bowl of meepok and 7 plump fishballs that tick all the criteria of a good fishball — firm, springy, fresh, and tasty. Seriously, this is something you need to try to believe!

Of course, the key to a good bowl of fishball noodles lies not only in the fishballs, but in the noodles as well. Soon Wah’s meepok is really one of the best around. The meepok had a great bite, and each strand was coated in the well-balanced chilli-vinegar sauce. Slurp-worthy indeed!

Don’t forget to order a bowl of her giao ($4 / bowl of 10 pieces). Just like the fishballs, the her giao served here is made fresh daily. Each piece of her siao had the perfect skin-to-filling ratio. The filling is made of fresh meat and graced with dried sole fish for added fragrance and flavour.

2. Hajah Monah Kitchen

Let me tell you, Hajah Monah Kitchen serves some seriously delectable nasi padang! Nasi padang is essentially the equivalent of cai fan. Here, just point to what dishes you want to go along with your plate of rice and you are all set!

My recommendation? Go for the beef rendang/assam fish/sambal goreng/bergedil combination! Each dish was impeccably superb. The beef rendang was rich, creamy and spicy and oh my, fork tender!

Hajah Monah Kitchen also managed to achieve the perfect balance of sweetness, spiciness and sourness in their assam fish. Throw the tangy sambal goreng; a mix of tempeh and tau kwa, into this combination to cut through the richness of the meats and round it off with a bergedil. For $7.60, this certainly makes for a filling meal!

3. XO Minced Meat Noodles

You know what’s good? Bak chor mee. You know what’s even better? A 24-hour bak chor mee stall!

XO Minced Meat Noodles has a number of outlets islandwide, but the outlet at Newton Food Centre is particularly outstanding. If you are here, I highly recommend the Handmade Meatball Noodle ($5) and the XO Minced Pork Noodle ($4.50)!

We ordered the Handmade Meatball Noodle with kway teow and it came sporting a few slices of fish cake, lettuce and five deep-fried meatballs! While the kway teow drenched in the sweet-vinegary sauce was nothing to rave about, the handmade meatballs definitely were!

If there’s one way to describe the taste of these handmade meatballs, it would be that they taste like a well-seasoned ngoh hiang. Sinking my teeth into the meatball revealed a slightly crunchy exterior and a soft, mouthwatering interior. Each globe of meatball had that familiar savouriness reminiscent of a ngoh hiang with a nuanced saltiness. I also loved the meat-to-fat ratio. My only gripe was that the meatballs lacked texture.

The XO Minced Meat Noodles is a pretty solid contender for “Most Filling Bak Chor Mee”. Think a bowl of al dente meepok, loaded with fried beancurd skin, minced pork, sliced pork, a juicy Fuzhou fishball & fishballs. Quite a number of ingredients for a $4.50 bowl of noodles!

4. Newton Authentic Song Kee Teochew Fish Porridge

Look, I get it: porridge probably doesn’t belong in an article that’s introducing food for crazy rich Asians. But hey, it’s some serious comfort food! Hear me out on this one.

Maybe I’m just biased towards Teochew-style porridge, but there is something alluring about the simplicity of the Sliced Fish Porridge ($6) served here. Think slices of fresh batang fish swimming above a sea of firm rice grains steeped in mild, fishy broth. The freshness of the sliced batang fish also played a huge role in imparting sweetness to the broth. While the serving portion may be somewhat small, this, to me, is as close as it gets to the epitome of comfort food!

5. Guan Kee Grilled Seafood

What’s a Newton Food Centre listicle without Guan Kee Grilled Seafood? Trust me on this one: Guan Kee Grilled Seafood makes one of the best sambal stingray in Newton!

The glistening sambal that is slathered atop the stingray had a spicy kick with a subtle lingering smokiness, which I thought was simply sublime. The chilli coated and clung onto each piece of stingray so perfectly. Remember to squeeze some lime onto the sambal stingray ($20 for largest portion)!

You might have had lala dishes with shrivelled up lalas that look so unappetising, but that won’t be the case for Guan Kee’s Lala ($15)! Not only is the lala cooked just right, the viscous chilli crab sauce also pairs superbly with the lala.

6. Hup Kee Oyster Omelette

If the waiting time to get a plate of food is indicative of how good the food is, then many must find Hup Kee Oyster Omelette to be brilliantly delicious. Mind you, I had to wait close to 40 minutes for a plate of their Oyster Omelette ($6)! So was it worth the 40 minute wait? Yes. Every. Single. Minute.

Hup Kee’s oyster omelette is eggier than most oyster omelette, and they cook it for slightly longer! This results in a soft, starchy interior which juxtaposes with a satisfying crunchy exterior. The oysters touch the sizzling hot skillet for just a few seconds to ensure that they are creamy and plump, and not cooked to death.

7. TKR Honey Chicken Wing 大家乐烧烤鸡翼

Ask any Singaporean which is the best food to accompany some beer and most will say that its satay!

On top of the usual types of satay such as chicken, mutton and beef, TKR also offers pork. The satays go for $0.70/stick and you can mix and match. I especially loved how each stick of satay has been slightly caramelised, adding another depth of flavour to the well-marinated meats. While the satay sticks were great, I can’t say the same about the ketupat. Avoid the ketupat if you can and savour the satay with the thick and savoury peanut sauce that it comes with!

8. Bee Heng Popiah

You can’t say that you are a fervent lover of popiah if you hadn’t tried Bee Heng Popiah.

The popiah here is on the pricier side — each roll is $2.20 and there is a minimum order of at least 2 rolls. That is $4.40 for popiah! The price caught me by surprise, as did the taste of the popiah!

Think well-stewed turnip, crunchy beansprouts, diced boiled eggs encased within skin thin popiah skin! It’s sauced up with some bean paste and a very potent chilli sauce (optional, but I highly recommend it) that elevates the flavours in this roll of wholesome goodness. There are many stalls which make good popiah, but only few can make popiah so delicious that you will come back/think of coming back for more. Bee Heng Popiah is one of these stalls.

9. 88 San Ren Cold and Hot Dessert

After gorging yourself with a ton of greasy food, how about wrapping up your satisfying meal with some cheng tng?

The Cheng Tng ($2.50) from 88 San Ren Cold and Hot Dessert is full of ingredients, even barley! I ordered the hot version and oh my, the natural sweetness of the red dates and dried longans really shone through. A lightly sweetened soup chock full of ingredients at only $2.50? What a deal, what a steal! Be sure to try out their other desserts such as Strawberry Snow Ice, Red Ruby and Mango Ice Kachang.

With so much good food and stamp of approval from Crazy Rich Asians, how to say no to Newton Food Centre? Look beyond its flaws (ahem, it’s kind of harsh on the wallet), call your buddies, and spend the evening laughing over good food at Newton Food Centre!

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

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

The post Newton Food Centre – Eat Like a Crazy Rich Asian at These 9 Stalls appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

BELOW $10

DA SHENG MINCED MEAT NOODLE

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

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

MEI MEI ROAST

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

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

TOOK LAE DEE

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

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

PANCAKE KING

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

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

THUNDERBOLT TEA BY BOON LAY TRADITIONAL HAKKA LUI CHA

The rice bowl($4 for white rice, $4.50 for brown rice) here is filled with leeks, white cabbage, long beans, sayur manis (sweet leaves), firm beancurd, chye poh (pickled radish), dried shrimps and a special tea soup paste. It’s a hearty and earthy dish which resembles a healthy bowl of fried rice with lots of crunchy vegetables! If you’re on a clean diet, the rice bowl here is perfect for you.

INDONESIA DELIGHT GANDIS

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

UE PRINT FOOD COURT – BAN MIAN

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

QUAN LAI KWAY CHAP

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

YONG LAI FA JI SHU SHI

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

MR LORBAK

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

CRISPY ROTI PRATA

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

HIPPO FAMILY RESTAURANT

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

LAM BEE CHICKEN RICE

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

JULAIHA MUSLIM RESTAURANT

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

HUAY KWANG WANTON MEE

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

UBI DMQ EATING HOUSE – HANDMADE NOODLES

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

UBI 325 FRIED CHICKEN & WESTERN FOOD

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

NIU ZOU LA MIAN MUSLIM FOOD

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

ZAOLEK MALA X LOK LOK

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

THAI SENG FISH SOUP

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

PONDOK PANTAI TIMUR

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

BELOW $30

WHALE LALA CAFE

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

ONE BAR CAFE

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

KNOTS CAFE AND LIVING

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

FUZE BY BLEND IT UP

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

SATURDAY HOUSE

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

PRODIGAL CAFE

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

YU CUN CLAYPOT CURRY FISH HEAD

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

BELOW $50

THE BOILER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post Wei Wei Noodle Stall – 807 Yishun Noodle Makes a Comeback at 664 Yishun appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Tired from a day out shopping at Bugis Street? Well then, treat yourself to a good meal at Albert Food Centre, wherein lies a few stalls that you absolutely must give a go at least once. Here are 11 stalls that you should visit!

Pondok Makan Indonesia

Pondok Makan Indonesia is a Michelin recommended Malay food stall, and for good reason. Everything here is praiseworthy, from the flavourful mee rebus ($3), to the smoky satay ($0.60 per stick; 10 pcs minimum), to the sweet tahu goreng ($3). The mee rebus had a perfectly thick, nutty gravy and it could honestly be one of the best mee rebus I’ve ever had.

As for the satay, we ordered chicken, beef and mutton. The meat that impressed me the most was the mutton, which did not have a gamey smell. However, my best takeaway would be the Tahu Goreng. The sweet nutty sauce just paired so well with the lightly fried tofu.

They offer so many different dishes, and each one seems like it had been cooked by a pro!

Si Ma Lu Goreng Pisang

Goreng pisang stalls are a dime a dozen. So, what makes Si Ma Lu Goreng Pisang any different? Well, the banana inside the goreng pisang ($1 – $2.50) is basically custard. I don’t know how else to describe it. Words failed me the moment it entered my mouth. It was so soft, and so creamy. The sweetness came purely from the banana. The outside was so crispy, which gave a lovely contrast to the melt-in-your-mouth fruit inside.

The quality of the banana used determines the price. What I had was the cheapest one at $1 a piece. What would the $2.50 one taste like? I’m drooling just thinking about it.

Si Ma Lu Goreng Pisang sells one of the best goreng pisang ever and I highly recommend it.

Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee

Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee was awarded a Michelin Plate in 2019, with their comment focusing on the handmade meat balls. Each bowl of bak chor mee costs less than $5! They’ve changed the prices slightly starting from 2020, but they are still affordable nonetheless.

As recommended, I added extra meatballs, which were made from a mix of fish and pork, to my noodles. They came in a separate bowl of soup. I liked them because they’re really soft, which might be disappointing for some, as meatballs are usually harder. The bak chor mee was coated in a house-made sauce and the meat was tender.

Hock Lee Fishball Noodles

Hock Lee Fishball Noodles is one of THE stalls to try here. One of the reasons is because their fishballs are handmade. Finding stalls like Hock Lee Fishball Noodles is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

The fishballs were so QQ and bouncy. They came sans the fishiness as well, which showed how fresh they were.

The noodles ($4 each) came in a tasty, but slightly spicy sambal chilli sauce, which gave me a good jolt to start off my morning. Delicious as these noodles were, they were also quite greasy, so a bowl would be enough to fill you up for a while.

Guan Kee Fried Carrot Cake

The fried carrot cake here, I feel, would be the bench mark of decent fried carrot cakes in Singapore. Both plates of white ($2.50), and black ($3) carrot cake were sufficiently wet enough, and was filled with flavour. I preferred the black carrot cake as it comes with an additional sweetness from the black sauce.

Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu

Another stall that comes to mind when Albert Food Centre is the topic of discussion, is Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu. Their rendition of yong tau foo consists of a mix of pork, fish, and prawn paste. I really like the prawn roll, which was soft but had that distinct texture of prawns.

The hot soup was clear and clean tasting, perfect for a chillier day. The noodles had a nice bite to them too!

I was surprised to discover that they sell fried chicken as well! The chicken was juicy and tender, but the extra crispy batter was what made me so hooked onto them. Who would’ve thought that you could find good fried chicken here? You can add them to your bowl of yong tau foo as a set for a price of $6.30! Totally worth it, if you ask me.

Angel Horse Teochew Fish Soup

I heard good things about the fish soup noodles so I decided to give it a try. I arrived just as the stall opened, but found myself getting beat by the queue in front of me. “This should be good,” I thought.

The fish soup ($4) comes clear, without the usual addition of milk. The soup was very light, and yet flavourful from the fish stock which is made with salted fish and pounded fish bones. Maybe it’s because of my preference for richer soups, the soup unfortunately didn’t impress me that much as I felt that it was kind of bland.

On the other hand, I appreciated the slices of fresh batang fish that were oh-so-tender. It’s too bad that there were only a few pieces in the bowl. So, if you would like a simple bowl of fish soup noodles, do give this a try!

Traditional Wanton Noodle

Come to Albert Food Centre if you are craving for a plate of Traditional Wanton Mee! ($3) This unassuming stall sells some plump wantons and dumplings! The noodles were springy and eggy, but the chilli sauce made it a little difficult to eat with its rather spicy nature. So, I suggest ordering the noodles without the chilli sauce.

Thong Kay Delights

Pop by Thong Kay Delights for some old school breakfast items. Expect homemade yam cake, glutinous rice, and pumpkin cake ($1.50/$2)! Even though the chee cheong fun wasn’t made by them, the sweet sauce certainly was. Pinkier and thinner than most places, the sauce doesn’t come across as overwhelmingly sweet like the usual brown sauce. So, if you’re ever craving for some homey tasting breakfast foods, you can satisfy your cravings here!

Lor Mee GHS

Lor Mee GHS is opened by the son of the original owner. His version of lor mee comes with substantial chunks of fried sea bream, rather than the usual salted fish. He stressed that getting fresh fish was the utmost importance to him, so if the supplier doesn’t have any available stock on a particular day, he will not open his shop.

Each strand of noodle was coated in the thick spiced-infused gravy. While the fish wasn’t the most tender, it gave a satisfying meaty bite! The bowl of lor mee also came with pork belly, ngoh hiang, and half an egg. You’ll be surprised to know that a bowl only costs $4!

Zheng Xing Mei Shi

they’re open only four days a week! but they’re so good they sell out quickly too.

To end off your meal here at Albert Food Centre, have some dessert from Zheng Xing Mei Shi. They sell only 4 types of desserts — Tau Suan ($1.60), Bubur Pulut Hitam ($1.60), Bubur Teringu ($1.50), and Green Bean Soup ($1.50). Coincidentally, they’re only open for four days a week, so make sure you come on the right day to try these delicious hot desserts!

Now, if you ever run out of places to eat at Bugis, make your away to Albert Food Centre for a multitude of good food!

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

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

The post Albert Centre Market and Food Centre – 11 Underrated Stalls You Have To Try appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

While Bak Chor Mee is loved across the island, Little India is one of the last places I would expect to find a great bowl of these noodles. Tucked away in a coffee shop on Veerasamy Road is Mui Siong Minced Meat Noodles, which dishes out bowl after bowl of awesome Bak Chor Mee!

Upon placing my order, I was told that there was a 15-20 minute wait for my noodles. This showed me that Mui Siong has a loyal following, despite its relatively obscure location. If so many people are willing to wait for this bowl of noodles on a Tuesday morning, Mui Siong has to be doing something right! I ordered the Medium Bak Chor Mee and Fishball Noodles (both $4).

The key to a bowl of great Bak Chor Mee lies in its sauce. A sauce that is not well balanced can ruin the dish. Mui Siong’s savoury sauce is brightened by chilli sauce, and lightened by the acidity of black vinegar. The oil from the crispy pork lard added a nice richness and smoothness to the sauce as well.

Many Bak Chor Mee stalls tend to overcook their ingredients, resulting in tough and dry pieces of pork, so I was really pleased to find tender and soft pieces of pork in Mui Siong’s Soup! Pork liver is especially hard to cook well, but Mui Siong’s pork liver was soft and creamy and a delight to bite into.

Mui Siong also sells a special Pork Ball ($0.7 each, 3 for $2), which I simply couldn’t resist trying. The meatball was soft and tender, with a surprise hidden within! At the core of each meatball is a special minced meat which was packed with flavour!

The Fishball Noodles had a generous portion of fishballs, with my medium order having 6-7 fishballs. The fishballs were bouncy and had were not fishy at all. The soup had a cleaner and lighter taste compared to the Bak Chor Mee soup, probably due to the lack of sweetness that the pork brings. That being said, both soups were still spectacular, containing much more flavour than the soup from your run-of-the-mill noodle shop. Even though it was a warm day, I couldn’t help but slurp spoonful after spoonful of soup!

This is one of the better Bak Chor Mee I have had, and I would definitely come here again if I am in the area. If you consider yourself a Bak Chor Mee connoisseur, then head to either this location or the other outlet at Bukit Merah!

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

For more food videos, check out and subscribe to our official YouTube channel!

Stay up to date with our recommendations by joining us on our Telegram channel!

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

The post Mui Siong Minced Meat Noodles – Bak Chor Mee in Little India?? appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

We compiled a list of stalls in Ang Mo Kio to dabao from, and we have not forgotten our friends in the West! So here is a list we have specially curated for those living in Jurong.

Lee’s Confectionery

I wouldn’t mind a slice of cake and a cup of coffee to perk me up in the middle of the day! Offering a selection of interesting cakes, Lee’s Confectionery also serves coffee brewed with beans from Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee. Some of their interesting cakes include the Jiao and the Tart. The Jiao is a light and moist banana caramel cake coated with a thin film of white chocolate. The Tart, on the other hand, is a lime tart with a fragrant buttery crust. Just thinking about these sweet treats puts a smile on my face, DM them to get yours now!

58 Minced Meat Noodles

Does a bowl of flavoursome Bak Chor Mee for lunch sound good to you? This bowl of goodness from 58 Minced Meat Noodles comes with minced meat, pork slices, pork lard, mushroom and pig liver. The noodles have a nice bite and are dressed in an addictive sauce! Do check out their FB page for updates before heading down.

Butternut

Are you craving for some Italian food? Whether you are looking to indulge or to eat clean for the day, Butternut has all the options you need! Prepared from scratch, the Butternut Chicken Pizza is topped with Greek marinated chicken slices, roasted butternut chunks, and rosemary. Looking for a lighter meal? Try the Butternut salad which comprises fresh vegetables, sautéed shimeiji, and white mushrooms tossed in their delicious homemade dressing. They offer islandwide delivery service, so visit their website to place your orders now.

Jenggood Jom Makan

Fans of Malay cuisine can give Jenggood Jom Makan a try! They have an ever-changing selection of Malay dishes with a modern twist. Their signature Laksadon features a thick laksa soup base filled with bits of fish, shreds of egg, and cucumber slices. They replaced the usual rice vermicelli or yellow noodles with udon, which soaks up the curry even better. Jenggood Jom Makan also sells delicious Roti Kirai which makes a great afternoon snack. You can WhatsApp them to place your orders and have their delicious food delivered right to your doorstep.

Xing Yun Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice

Hainanese Chicken Rice is one of Singapore’s famous local dishes and friends in Jurong can get their Chicken Rice fix at Xing Yun Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice! Their chicken is juicy and succulent, and the sauce they drizzle over the chicken rice is just awesome. Best part? It only costs $2.50 for a regular plate! Beat the queue by calling them before heading down.

Jiao Cai Hotplate BBQ

If you love a good sizzling pan of BBQ stingray, you’re in luck! The owner of Jiao Cai Hotplate BBQ spent almost a third of her lifetime delivering remarkable seafood dishes to her customers. They offer a wide variety of seafood dishes including the BBQ Stingray, Sambal Sotong, Sambal Lala just to name a few. What makes their food so delicious is definitely their homemade spicy sambal chilli sauce. They now offer free delivery services to a few locations, so text them to find out more!

Qi Lin Xuan Chicken Rice

Haven’t had the chance to try the famous Chicken Rice Balls from Malacca? You don’t have to travel all the way to Malacca anymore, because Qi Lin Xuan Chicken Rice in Jurong sells them at an affordable price. These fragrant chicken rice balls are painstakingly hand-pressed individually while they are still hot in order for them to maintain their shape when served. You can choose to pair the balls with their tender and juicy Roasted Chicken, Soy Chicken or Steamed Chicken. The sweet and savoury gravy really complements the chicken and rice!

Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh

Feeling a little under the weather and looking for something soupy? Give Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh a try! The Spare Ribs Soup has intense peppery notes, and promises tender lean meat which detaches easily from the ribs. You might want to add on a side of You Tiao, which is absolutely addictive, as well as the Pig’s Trotter which is exceptionally tender and well-braised. Remember to send in your orders at least 1 hour in advance if you want the food delivered to you.

Traditional Hakka Lui Cha

Looking for a healthier option for lunch today? Perhaps you will like to be a little adventurous and have a bowl of 擂茶饭 (Thunder Tea Rice) from Hakka Lui Cha Fan? Their 擂茶饭 is generously topped with an array of vegetables, tofu, chye poh and peanuts. The highlight of this dish is the flavourful green soup that is served along with the rice. This soup has a nice minty flavour which is really refreshing.

Take a break from cooking and support some of our hawker heroes today. With all these options, I am sure you will be well fed, and have one less thing to worry about!

The post 9 Places in Jurong To Dabao From! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

We have covered a few places in Jurong, Ang Mo Kio and Bedok where you can taboo from so do check them out if you are running out of ideas for mealtime. This week, we returned to the West in search of some delicious food in Clementi & West Coast. Read on to find out more especially if you reside in the West!

2ThumbsUp Hainanese Curry Rice

I am not sure if it’s just me, but being cooped up at home during this Circuit Breaker somehow got me craving for curry a lot. And 2ThumbsUp Hainanese Curry Rice sounds like the perfect meal to have right now. Located in a coffee shop near Clementi, 2ThumbsUp is well known for their Hainanese Curry Rice. You can either choose your favourite ingredients to go with your white rice, or opt for the Curry Sets on offer. The food here is pretty affordable. For $4.80, you can expect a heap of white rice topped with 2 meat dishes, vegetables, a fried egg, delicious curry and braising sauce. Ingredients available include curry chicken, Hainanese pork chop, chap chye, braised pork belly, meatballs, and more.

Hani Food Stall

Hani Food Stall has been serving delicious local favourites such as lontong, mee rebus and nasi lemak for about 30 years. Originally located at Alexandra Terrace, they moved to West Coast Market Square about 20 years ago. The food here is not only delectable, but also very pocket-friendly! With just $3, you can get a plate of Mee Rebus or Lontong. The Mee Rebus noodles were cooked to perfection and well coated with a thick fragrant gravy which was absolutely irresistible. The fried shallots added a lovely aroma and crunch, while the green chillies kept the dish refreshing with an occasional spicy kick. While you’re there, try their Lontong too! It has a strong coconut aroma and I’m sure the dish will not disappoint. If you are a fan of Mee Rebus and Lontong, you definitely need to pop by and dabao some now.

Skinny Chef

Looking for a surprise treat for your kids who are diligently doing their Home Based Learning assignments? Skinny Chef will definitely cheer all your little ones up! Which kid wouldn’t like a plate of fried chicken all to him or herself? The signature XXL Chicken Cutlet with Nacho Cheese and Sous Vide Egg is definitely a must try. Expect extra crispy skin and tender and juicy meat. The nacho cheese definitely added more flavour to the dish. For the adults seeking a healthier option, you can go for their grilled meats. All of their meats, other than the fried chicken cutlet, are cooked using the sous vide method. Although this method is very time consuming, they do so to ensure your meats are cooked perfectly every single time. Does this sound like a good idea for a surprise treat? Head over to dabao some kickass fried chicken for your kids now.

Brothers Rojak

If there’s anything I can’t get used to during this Circuit Breaker, it is the lack of snack options. I was so glad to learn that Brothers Rojak is still in operation during this period! A plate of rojak here consists of freshly cut fruits, tau pok and youtiao. To give it a crispy texture, the tau pok and youtiao are toasted just before the dish is served to you. This ensemble is then tossed in a sticky, sweet and slightly pungent fermented shrimp paste. The sauce is dark and flavourful, and is lifted by the flora notes of ginger torch bud. Crushed peanuts are sprinkled all over for that extra crunch. You have an option to add on more ingredients such as stuffed taupok (taupok pau), century egg and pressed cuttlefish. I would suggest that you dabao two portions lest you regret by the time you get home!

Ah Ma Lor Mee

Would you agree that anything cooked by Ah Ma is the best comfort food in the world? At Ah Ma Lor Mee, the recipe used is passed down from the owners’ grandmother. If you’re in the West and crave good lor mee, you must pay Ah Ma Lor Mee a visit. A bowl of lor mee here comprises braised pork slices, white fish flakes, egg and fried meat ball. The fried meat ball replaces the usual ngoh hiang you would typically get. The meat ball is crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. When coated with the fragrant gravy, this meat ball is simply delectable. While you are there, you might also want to give their Prawn Mee a go!

Joo Chiat Prawn Mee

The cloudy weather in the past week got me craving for soupy dishes. I decided that a heartwarming bowl of Prawn Noodle Soup will do the trick, and Joo Chiat Prawn Mee definitely did! They are known as the Masters of Prawn Mee because they are relatives of the owners of Blanco Court, Jalan Sultan and Beach Road Prawn Noodles. On top of that, they also taught the founders of 545 Whampoa Noodles how to cook prawn noodles! Joo Chiat Prawn Noodles’ murky soup was hearty and comforting. It boasted a good balance of savoury flavours and sweetness of prawns and pork bones. The broth is definitely flavourful enough on its own, but you can choose to add on some chilli powder for a spicy kick. You can add Pork Ribs or Pig’s Tail as well. They definitely live up to their name of being the Master of Prawn Mee because their soup is really good!

Tokyo BBQ Seafood

If you are a fan of spicy food, this stall will definitely live up to your expectations. Don’t be fooled by their stall name, Tokyo BBQ Seafood doesn’t serve any Japanese cuisine. Instead, they are well-known for grilling a really good plate of BBQ Stingray. Rather than the usual wide and flat stingray fins you would get from other stalls, Tokyo’s BBQ Stingray is rather thick and elongated. The tender and succulent flesh peels off easily from the cartilage, and is absolutely delicious when eaten with the sambal paste. This dish comes along with cinchalok. Tokyo BBQ Seafood also offers a wide variety of Seafood dishes including the Oyster Omelette and White Clams Lala which were both very appetising!

Li Yuan Mee Pok

As we know, Bak Chor Mee is a famous local dish in Singapore. Here at Li Yuan Mee Pok, this local delight is prepared and cooked with precision by a Japanese, Naoji-san. In a bid to pursue his passion for cooking, Naoji-san gave up his finance job and started a Japanese stall beside another stall selling Mee Pok in the current coffee shop. He was fascinated by the way Mr Eric Chia cooked his mee pok and started learning from him for half a year before taking over the stall. Naoji-san cooks our local BCM like a pro, and is very meticulous in ensuring each bowl of noodles is cooked for a certain time. Each bowl comes with an abalone slice, meat ball, minced meat and fresh big prawns atop al dente and springy noodles. I highly recommend the soup version as the cabbage brings a subtle sweetness to the cloudy and satisfying broth.

Wong Kee Wanton Mee

I was really impressed to find out that Wong Kee Wanton Mee makes all their ingredients from scratch. From the noodles, to wanton skin, to the chilli, you can be assured that you’re getting a high-quality plate of mee that is value for money. The noodles offered here are made with all natural ingredients such as eggs, flour, spinach and tomatoes. I really love the green and orange noodles. Their signature Beef Brisket Noodles sees light spinach noodles drenched in a rich beef sauce. The extremely soft and tender beef is cooked with more than 20 different spices and stewed for more than 10 hours! The tomato-flavoured mee pok comes with big wantons, a generous portion of kailan, homemade chilli and house-roasted char siew. The wanton skin is made with either spinach or tomato, then loaded with generous amounts of minced meat, black fungus, chestnuts and mushrooms. You can even buy their fresh noodles, wantons and dumplings home to assemble your own plate of wanton mee!

We have put together a list of food options for all three meals and even some options for a good mid-day snack. Just a gentle shoutout to encourage all of you to lend some support to our hawker heroes during this difficult period. Here’s hoping everyone is staying home and staying safe too!

The post 9 Stalls in Clementi & West Coast You Can Dabao From! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I first tried MacPherson Minced Meat Noodles last year when I was filming CHIAK LOCAL web series as this is one of Speaker Mr. Tan Chuan Jin’s favourite hawker stalls. Used to be located in a coffee shop along Upper Serangoon Road where Tian Wai Tian Fish Head Steamboat is, they have recently moved to Marsiling Mall!

So happy to see Uncle Yap again! It is like meeting old friends! I thought he has retired but not so soon, I guess we are still able to enjoy his bak chor mee! Whenever I see him at Upper Serangoon coffeeshop, he is always very tensed up because there are too many orders he has to fulfill. Here at Marsiling, he is so cheery and I even had the chance to make conversation with him!

As usual, Uncle Yap makes everything from scratch. His stall opens at 7am in the morning so he is here in the market in the wee hours to boil the soup and prepare ingredients. His broth is boiled with old hens, soybeans and anchovies for 3 to 4 hours. No wonder that bowl of rich and cloudy soup is so tasty with a hint of sweetness. Oomph…

When it comes to noodle options, common varieties include either mee pok or mee kia. I usually order mee kia dry so the thin noodles can soak up all the sauces. Cooked till al dente, each bowl of minced meat noodles ($4.50) is served with sliced pork, minced meat, pork liver, braised mushroom, and slices of fishcake. Though the combination of ingredients is simple, they work terrifically well.

Uncle Yap adds his braised mushroom sauce at the end before serving to customers. His mushroom sauce is like his secret weapon, which makes his minced pork noodles outstanding.

When I visited him that day, he decided to cook me a bowl of mee sua instead. This has become my favourite.

The mee sua looked seemingly plain but packs a punch. Tossed around in a vinegar and chilli mixture, every bite was a flavourful hit of comforting savouriness with a prominent sourish piquancy. We liked that the Mee Suah was cooked just right (similar to what you find in zi char stalls) unlike many others which tend to be soggy and overcooked.

If you have stomach space, order the 小碗面 for $6.50 where you get all the ingredients in the soup with a bowl of dry noodles. Now, it’s time to head over for your BCM fix!

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel!

Join us on our Telegram channel!

The post MacPherson Minced Meat Noodles Has Moved to Woodlands! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Throughout the years, we have always been talking about how to keep Singapore’s hawker culture alive. Of course, manpower is always the biggest issue here. As our elderly hawkers retire, there are far fewer young people willing to carry on Singapore’s street food tradition. A good example is the recent closure of famous hokkien mee stall Yong Huat.

Some hawkers are luckier because their children are willing to quit their jobs to help out at the stalls. And there are other veteran hawkers who prefer to withhold knowledge from the younger generation which means that no one gets to benefits in the end.

Mention “Bedok Bak Chor Mee” and I am sure what comes to your mind immediately is a soupy bowl of minced meat noodles with meatballs and minced pork. If you are a fan of Bedok-style bak chor mee or have been living in Bedok since childhood, you will probably recognize Mr Tan Poh Chye.

His grandfather started the business in 1923 along the streets of Chai Chee and he inherited the trade from his father. This 65-year-old hawker has retired from his original stall Tian Nan Xing Minced Pork Noodle at Blk 511 Bedok North. His son and wife run the stall now. (P/S not related to chai chee noodle village)

But there is this saying — once a hawker, always a hawker. Even though Mr Tan has retired for a few years, he is still very much interested in the trade. While he was doing volunteer work, he got to know Mr David Tan who is the owner of this coffeeshop.

David has been a fan of his bak chor mee and encouraged him to make a comeback to guide the younger generation. Now, you can enjoy the good old traditional Chai Chee Bak Chor Mee at a coffeeshop in MacPherson Lane!

As we progress, things change and a lot of things have been lost. For many of us, we probably cannot really understand how much flavours have changed. That’s why we always hear our parents telling us “taste is different already”. Mr Tan shared that they used to cook the soup over charcoal fire. But it is almost impossible to do it now. “I hope, we can still preserve what is being left. If not, the traditional taste will eventually be forgotten.”

While the challenge of scarcity of manpower for succession might not be easily solved, Mr Tan has managed to train a few young and aspiring hawkers to run the stall. “You mostly get to enjoy a soupy bowl of bak chor mee in the East, I hope I can train up more young hawkers to open more stalls around the island.”

The stall in MacPherson Lane offers the dry and soup version of bak chor mee. A bowl of bak chor mee soup starts from $3 (without meatballs). I recommend the $4 or $5 portion where you get a combination of meatballs and dumplings floating in a bowl of pork bone broth.

I have eaten at Mr Tan’s original stall for many years. To be honest, I think it is still a work-in-progress in terms of the taste of the soup. Still lacks a bit of oomph, I wish they added more shallot oil into the soup. Their bak giao (meat dumpling) is made in the stall. It is similar to Mr Tan’s original stall’s. Fried sole fish is added to make it more tender & juicy. You can get quite full eating just the dumplings. For those who prefer the dry bak chor mee, it is available from $4 onwards.

I am really happy that at least the seeds are now being sowed. And I hope Mr Tan continues to share his skills with the younger generation and preserve his tradition. This, is what I consider the continuity of our precious street food culture. Or in Chinese, we called it “传承”.

The post Authentic Chai Chee Bak Chor Mee Opens in MacPherson Lane! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.