It was a bit of an adventure to locate Eastern House of Seafood. The drive there was along a long, dimly lit road flanked by many other F&B options under the void deck. There is only one bus to here and this cze char in the HDB is up on the hill. The signboard of “Eastern House of Seafood” was small and not obvious enough on the road. They have a Bak Kut Teh sign which was bigger and more prominent.

Opened for 2 years, the owner used to run a stall in Kaki Bukit. The chef is from Kuala Lumpur and does pretty good cze char dishes perhaps because the sauces are from Malaysia. So why they have a bak kut teh in their signboard? That’s because they sell herbal bak kut teh for lunch, and cze char OR steamboat for dinner.

It was rather empty when I was there for dinner. That is a real shame because the food is good and the prices are reasonable. Consider dishes such as Dry Roast Sotong ($13). The squid is marinated with celery and soy sauce overnight. Instead of BBQ-ing it as what many other stalls would do, it is bathed in hot oil till it is cooked. What you get is really a tender sotong with nice smokey flavour.

Salted egg is probably the greatest creation on Earth. Haha! The prawns were juicy and that the salted egg sauce added some dimension. There is just enough sauce to flavour it. I have had countless versions of this dish, but the one here has lots more oomph than at most places.

Then we come to the most intriguing dish of all, Assam Fish ($18). Served on the typical fish heating plate, the half red snapper fish they used was absolutely fresh. You will be pleased to know, the fish does not come swimming in a generic gravy from bought from supermarket. Using a secret assam paste recipe which includes ingredients like assam seed, ginger flower and more, the thick assam gravy is a perfect balance of spiciness and tanginess that is strangely yet pleasantly addictive. Lady’s fingers, tomatoes and sweet pineapple chunks add to the allure. Little details matter and the batons of eggplant are lightly charred at the edges which help them keep in shape. I just cannot get enough of this house specialty.

The same cannot be said for French Beans Tempura ($10). Even though it was marinated with prawn paste, I find the batter too thick and the greens were kinda lost in the taste profile. This may work for kids, but for me, I prefer my traditional stir fried french beans.

The Pork Ribs ($16) is a delight to sink my teeth into the meat. Seldom do I see ribs presented as a whole in cze char outlets (like what you would get at Tony Roma’s), usually they are cut up into smaller pieces. The ribs are marinated and steamed with freshly blended garlic to achieve a subtle but distinctive garlicky taste. They are then pan fried with their special sauce, so the meat does not taste as oily.

We shared a plate of Black Pepper Crabs (market price) smothered with a thick and rather pungent black pepper sauce. The crabs come in medium size, but it was enough for us as we tried a whole range of other dishes already. Yeah, the sauce is peppery and honestly, we find it slightly way too spicy for us to say finger licking good. I kinda still prefer Eng Seng’s version, where the black pepper sauce is peppery yet still have a hint of sweetness, which makes it easier to go with mantou. If you want a cold drink to pair with it, go for the balonglong drink.

Towards the end of the meal, we met the boss of Eng Kee Chicken Wings. I asked him what’s his favourite here and he immediately replied “hokkien mee”. So I ordered one plate of hokkien mee to try. I took a look at the menu again, no leh, not inside the menu at all. The owner explained, the hokkien mee takes a long time to cook, and they are not able to accommodate to the requests if the place is crowded, especially on weekends. So it is only available from Monday to Thursday, for regulars who know about the existence.

You know, I am always very afraid to write about dishes which are not available in the menu. And most of the time, I tried to avoid writing it. But this plate of Hokkien Mee ($10) is so good that I must really share. Firstly, let me just put a disclaimer here. If you are associating this with prawn noodles, then it may fall short of your expectations because it doesn’t have any prawn flavour at all. It is NOT prawn noodles.

My grandmother is a traditional Hokkien woman. During my younger days, she would just cook a pot of broad yellow noodles in chicken soup with fishcakes. It’s just one of the staples in our family but it is always so comforting to eat this. Eating this plate of Hokkien Mee just brings back that feeling very much. Prawn broth is not used at all. Instead, its superior broth is cooked with kampong chicken. The recipe is still largely traditional, with the use of some lard, squid, and thin strips of fish cakes. And a kalamansi lime for you to squeeze over the noodles, and dumped a spoonful of homemade sambal chilli on the side.

The best part is really the noodles. The chef would fry the broad yellow noodles and thick Beehoon till they absorbed the rich stock and became slightly gooey. They are moist without being soupy and have the appetising flavour that comes from being tossed about in a hot wok. Excellent wok hei and the flavours are so intense that I don’t really need any chilli nor lime anymore. The gravy holds the dish together and keeps it good till the last bite. Can I say? It is probably the star of the night. So simple, yet so good.

I am still marvelling at our surprise find at the end of the meal. As with all eateries, there are definitely dishes that won our heart and dishes that may not. I must say, I was really impressed with their homemade sauces thus far. The fish head curry comes with excellent assam, and followed by the ribs which come with great tasting sauce! Not forgetting the simple plate of hokkien mee, with so much wok hei and a taste of home. I do see the little efforts in each dish to make it good.

Eastern House of Seafood Delicacy
Address: 55 Chai Chee Drive, Singapore 460055
Tel: 9150 8172
Opening hours: 11am to 10.30pm daily

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Balestier is the hub of bak kut teh, there are countless bak kut teh stalls along the road. Just a few days back, I had my lunch at Ah Hak Bak Kut Teh in Kai Juan Coffeeshop (or some called it Kai Juan BKT). What captured my attention first was the very old school interior. From the rusty gates, to granite floor, patterned bowls and wooden tables, it made me feel like I am living in the 70s.

During my first visit there, I ordered a bowl of bak kut teh for 1 person, together with a bowl of rice and preserved vegetable (cai-beh). It costs me $7.50 in total. The bak kut teh has clear broth and moderately peppery. The taste is somewhat similar to Rong Cheng’s BKT. The pork ribs were not very tender, but I guess the older generation loves it. Cai beh was crunchy and personally, I like it.

During my second visit with the makan kakis, we ordered a bowl of pig trotter and intestines, together with the bak kut teh. One of our makan kaki Philip said that, this is actually Chua Lam’s favourite BKT stall (according to a TVB food programme hosted by him). Unfortunately, both the soy sauce dishes were too salty for us.

Heard this BKT is a hot supper spot at night, especially for taxi uncles. Good thing is, the soup can be refilled. Drinking a piping hot bowl of BKT in such an old school coffee shop makes our lunch very nostalgic. Within the same coffeeshop, there is also yong tau foo and Dalian Teochew Noodles stall. I didn’t quite like the teochew noodles, but I will come back to try the yong tau foo next time!

The stall is open 24hours a day except on Sundays where they close from around 3pm to Monday 3pm. That’s the time when we decided to take our photoshoot around Balestier with Feelim Photography and caught a shot of the rustic gate. Our photographer, Samantha, does analog photography (on film) and is really good at catching moments that tell a story. If you keen, email samantha_annfrancis@hotmail.com and quote “Miss Tam Chiak” to enjoy a promo price of $380 for a 2-hr shoot! Visit www.feelimphotography.com to view her works!

Ah Hak Bak Kut Teh
Address: Kai Juan Coffeeshop, 397 Balestier Road

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In the early 1900s, most immigrants came to Singapore as hard labours. In order to replenish the energy loss through the labour works, they need cheap and nutritious food. During then, enterprising Chinese saw the opportunity and uses Fujian ingredients together with Chinese herbs and pork ribs to brew into a nutritious soupy dish for these hard labours.

They also began to brew Chinese tea in big kettle for the Chinese labours to drink after their meals. This marked the first page of Singapore Bak Kut Teh history and the unique culture of eating pork ribs and drinking Chinese Tea began to develop steadily.

Rong Cheng has been faithfully serving Singaporeans with piping hot bowls of traditional Teochew Bak Kut Teh (潮州肉骨茶) since 1976. Blk 22 Sin Ming Road is the first outlet started by Uncle Lim, while the one at Midview City is managed by his son, Lionel. Both outlets uses the same ingredients and recipe just that one is a stall in a coffeeshop while the other at Midview City is a standalone restaurant which is more spacious and offers a variety of cze char on top of their popular teochew style bak kut teh.

It is an unwavering effort for Rong Cheng to maintain the quality for Bak Kut Teh. Do you know, they are the FIRST to introduce loin ribs (dragon ribs), also known as 龙骨. Dragon ribs are the 16 largest rib bones in a pig. It’s huge in size and has very interesting textures. One loin ribs can give you a variety of meat textures – from the firmer meat to the fatty side. Lionel shared with us that he has an open kitchen and he will cook the doneness of meat accordingly to the customer. He told us the young generations prefer their meat to be tender and fall of the bone while the older generation likes it tougher with a bite.

They are also the first to come up with Sliced Belly Meat Soup ($7). This is the first in Singapore catering to the young and more health conscious crowd. Lionel has also switched to using natural pork for their bak kut teh. Natural pork has no antobiotics, no medicated feed, no growth hormones and no animal protein by-products.

So what is added into their soup? Nothing fanciful, really. The bak kut teh soup is prepared daily in each individual kitchen in the most traitional teochew way – cooking the fresh pork ribs in water with just garlic and pepper. This clear soup is medium bodied and peppery (but NOT too overboard), and you can taste the sweetness of the meat with garlic. Rong Cheng bak kut teh hits the right spot for me.

Besides the bak kut teh, Rong Cheng also offers some side dishes to go with the delicious bak kut teh. During my visit, I got to try the Salted Vegetable ($1/$2), Braised Beancurd Skin ($1/$3) and the Liver & Kidney Soup ($6). The comforting and hearty sides are perfect to the complete the whole meal.

Superior broth and carefully selected meat make a delectable bowl of goodness, but Bak Kut Teh aficionados know that the meal is incomplete without tea; a key component meant to reduce the greasiness after consuming the meat and to aid in digestion. Respecting tradition, Rong Cheng is one of the few traditional Bak Kut Teh shops left in Singapore which serves our customers with traditional Chinese tea; also known as 功夫茶 (Gongfu Cha). Their tea are from one of the oldest tea merchants in Singapore, Pek Sin Choon.

Pek Sin Choon is one of the few in Singapore which blended their own tea leaves using the traditional style. They distribute quality tea leaves to the Commercial Market including Jasmine, Puer, Oolong, Tie Guanyin. The tea leaves are mainly imported from the provinces in China due to the geographical advantages that China has over other countries as far as tea leaves are concerned. The tea leaves are purchased only after rounds of careful selection. When the tea leaves arrived in Singapore, they are further processed and blended, without any artificial flavouring and colours, to suit the taste of the local people.

What’s the best tea to pair with Bak Kut Teh? Go for the “renowned unknown fragrance” (著名不知香). Such a weird name right? When the founder Bai Jin Ou was naming the tea, he found that he just can’t describe the fragrance in words and thus the renowned unknown fragrance became the rightful name for the tea. Because of its uniqueness in taste, this tea has been unsurpassed in bak kut teh. The tea soup is dark red in colour which is luscious at first sip and produce great aftertaste. Sip a cup of 著名不知香 after a bowl of bak kut teh, you will realise that it brings out a subtle sweet ending to the meal.

If you feel intimidated by the different steps in drinking Gong Fu Cha, Rong Cheng’s staff is more than willing to guide and assist you. Or if gong fu cha is not your cup of tea, they also offer floral tea which has a milder taste and has a floral fragrance, hoping that it will arouse the interest of younger generation.

Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh definitely is my favourite to go place for a Bak Kut Teh whenever I have a craving. Uncle Lim and Lionel are still very committed to preserve and promote this traditional Singaporean dish well-loved by both locals and foreigners. The outlet at Midview City is spacious and has ample parking lots. With its extended menu offering cooked food and steamed fish, it is ideal for a family meal together or group gathering.

Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh 榕城(新民路)肉骨茶
Address: Blk 26 Sin Ming Lane Midview City #01-117, Singapore 573971
Tel: 6684 1889
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rongchengbkt
Website: http://www.rongchengbkt.com/

Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh will be taking part for the very first time in this year Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014. They will be serving a bowl of bak kut teh with you tiao and a pot of tea from Pek Sin Choon. This is a fund raising event for the beneficiaries under the care of Touch Community Services. Let’s do a part for charity while at the same time savour of the best bak kut teh in Singapore. See you there!

Singapore Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014
Venue: SUNTEC Convention Hall 401-402
Date: 22 Nov 2014 (Saturday)
Time: 11am to 5pm

PURCHASE YOUR FOOD COUPON HERE: www.ultimatehawkerfest.sg

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This year’s National Day, we had lots of fun! Especially with the free bus and train ride, I brought my grandfather out for lunch at Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh in Ang Mo Kio. Even though it sells bak kut teh, the star for our lunch is actually this huge plate of pig’s trotters ($5) which was tender and very well braised with the dark soy sauce. Just give me a bowl of white rice with pig’s trotters, I think I am happy.

As for bak kut teh ($6), it was nothing much to shout about. The soup was slightly pepperish and sweet, but the meat was tough. Both of us had to kinda rip off the meat from the bone. They also had pig’s stomach soup ($5) which is nothing fanciful, but just a good bowl of light soup with pig’s stomach. Our meal came up to slightly less than $20 for lunch. If you crave for pig’s trotter, be there early as there is always a queue.

Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh
Teck Ghee Court Market & Food Centre #01-04
Blk 341 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1
Opening Hours: Tue to Fri 10am – 3pm, Sat & Sun 9am – 3pm (Closed on Mon)

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Our STB friends from Germany came to Singapore for a meeting, so we met up for dinner during their free time. Asked what they would like to have, one of them said, “Bring us to local food.” Wish granted, Chef Damian suggested his favourite Bak Kut Teh stall in Upper Changi Road.

I haven’t been eating BKT widely to know that there is a Klang BKT stall here. I only knew there is Leong Kee, Soon Huat and Hong Ji that sells Malaysian style Klang bak kut teh in Singapore. Now, this is another new find for me.

Lim Kee serve theirs in a claypot, as is commonly done in Malaysia. Inside, there are pork ribs, bean curd skin and tau pok. The pork ribs were very tender and soft. The soup was mildly-infused with flavours from the herbs; yet with a balance of savoury tinge and a very faint nuance of sweetness. It is not as thick as other Klang BKT stalls in Singapore, so it is more pleasant to drink especially for my German friends. But definitely a call for copious amount of steamed white rice!

What impressed me is the yong tau foo because their owner still makes his own hand-mixed fish paste, whereas these days most of the paste is manufactured by a supplier instead. It’s so soft and slippery, when mixed with the end result is a fragrant, sticky-sweetish, and very appetising dish to go with white rice.

We also ordered the sesame oil chicken which has a slight smoky aroma and great sesame oil flavour. I will be back for their red wine chicken which is also raved by one of the uncle in the coffeeshop. This coffee shop used to be called May Flower Eating House, hence they still have the signboard placed here. I know it’s irrelevant, but I took this photo because I studied in Mayflower (not Changi, but in Ang Mo Kio)!

Klang (Jln Meru Lim Kee) Bak Kut Teh
Address: #01-1260, 59 New Upper Changi Road, 461059
Tel: +65 9060 1289
Opening hours: 11.30am to 9pm, closed every Tuesdays.

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Celebrity-favourite Founder Bak Kut Teh opens its second restaurant at Hotel Boss (500 Jalan Sultan) yesterday. Since 1978, Founder Bak Kut Teh has been consistently dishing out bowls of its delectable Teochew-style pork rib soup to legions of fans. Owner Mr Chua Chwee Whatt, a pig farmer in Seletar in the 60s, loved eating Bak Kut Teh. So he decided to use the pork from his own farm and concoct his own recipe using herbs and spices. After successful testing and tweaking through the feedback of friends and neighbours, he opened a small Bak Kut Teh eatery in Choa Chu Kang in 1978.

Mr Chua eventually moved out of Choa Chu Kang and gave up his pig farm. By 1988, he had transitioned from farmer to restauranteur with the growing success of Founder Bak Kut Teh. Now, Founder regularly ranks as one of Singapore’s top Bak Kut Teh restaurants, and is poised to expand to neighbouring countries.

You may ask, what is the successful formula of Founder BKT? Well, I think it’s the soup that is made using the freshest pork and a blend of pepper and spices from a recipe created by Mr Chua. Using only superior cuts of meaty long ribs or premium short ribs in its clear soup, the peppery soup isn’t as intense as Ng Ah Sio but still gives that solid rush that will wake me up. The long ribs are notably tender, and goes well with the tea from Pek Sin Choon.

A smorgasbord of side dishes makes for perfect accompaniment: Braised Pig’s Intestines, Braised Pig’s Trotter, Pig Intestines Soup, Braised Bean Curd Skin, Salted Vegetables, Lettuce with Oyster Sauce and of course, You Tiao (dough fritters). However, I find the braising sauce a little salty than usual during our visit. Perhaps it’s just the teething issue.

Over the years, Founder has seen not just faithful patrons return again and again for its signature dishes, but a galaxy of stars as well. Through no advertising on its part, the restaurant has won the patronage of celebrities like Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong stars Jay Chou, Emil Chau, Eason Chan, S.H.E, Zhang Zi Yi and local celebrities such as Fann Wong and Stefanie Sun. And they will be launching another new outlet in Jakarta as well, I wish them all the best!

Good news for everyone, they will be opened during Chinese New Year! They are closed from 3pm on CNY Eve and reopen again from 3pm on CNY Day 1. Business will resume thereafter. So if you are looking for meal options during CNY, this may be a good choice?

Founder Bak Kut Teh

Address: 500 Jalan Sultan #01-09 Singapore 199020
Tel: +65 6816 2582
Opening hours: 11 am to 5 am daily
Website: http://www.founderbkt.com.sg/

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Text & Photos by Rae Chan & Maureen Ow

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ye Lai Xiang Laksa
Address: Blk 4A Woodlands Centre Road #02-36 Woodlands Food Centre
Opening Hours: 5 am to 1 pm (Closed on Thursdays)

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

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

And no, there’s no typo in the opening hours. 5 A.M.! So if you are night owl or early bird in need of supper or breakfast, laksa sounds like a good change from Macdonalds or prata. They also sell prawn noodles (which I heard a lot of people order as well), fishball noodles and lor mee.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Although we only have 50 years of history, our multi-cultural background gives Singapore a rich heritage. Being a true Singaporean, how can we forget about the diverse amount of delicious local hawker fare?! We’re pretty sure everyone has their own childhood favourites where you’ll still return to, no matter where the hawker has shifted, despite your busy adulthood lifestyle. Here’s a list of 9 local eats that brings us back to the days of savouring simple and unpretentious delights at an affordable price.

Tao Kwa Pau? Whatever on earth is that? The rare find of a disappearing hawker dish here, this savoury fried beancurd pocket generously stuffed with coarsely chopped cucumbers, fried fish cake, braised eggs slivers and deep fried yam crackers to overflowing have been missed out by many people. The serving is garnished with sprigs of coriander leaves plus a dash of gravy as is used for braised duck rice, which this particular stall also sells. Each serving of tao kwa pau comes with a bowl of sweet and spicy chilli as an appetizing dip. Be prepared for the explosion of flavours and textures as you bite into it, and before you know it, your hand would be reaching out for the second and third helpings!

During lunch and dinner times, huge crowds will swarm into Whampoa, an area where I spent many of my childhood years. I used to go to Whampoa Makan Place as a kid. Back then, I could not tell what tasted really good, just faithfully chomping away at whatever my parents had ordered for me. Noe that I have grown up and under the influence of my parents’ tastes in food, I realize how I have been missing out on the exceptionally good Hoover Rojak in the past! Freshness of the ingredients is one of their selling points, on top of their insistence on tip-top shrimp paste and the refreshingly well-balanced savoury sauce. The components in Hoover Rojak are blended to perfection, with the right amounts of crunchy and zesty flavours. How can I not mention the generous amount of jelly fish strips, creamy century egg and torch ginger shreds? Very few rojak stalls include these three elements in their offerings these days! Remember to include the Hoover Rojak’s special chilli paste for that additional kick!

Hill Street Fried Kway Teow is an irresistible offering and one of the best in this land of foodies! You can smell the aroma wafting in the air as you creep forwards with the never-ending queue. The alluring smoky flavour, seared into the cut flat rice sheets by a fiery wok, ramps up the tastiness of the dish too. The noodles glistening with lard is stir-fried to perfection – soft, moist and not overly greasy. It is simply a magical pleaser with eggs, fresh cockles, crunchy beansprouts, lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and chives. Generous bits of crunchy, sinful pork lard are the game changer here that transforms it into a culinary pleasure – you cannot help sinking your teeth into it! The dish has a good balance of saltiness and sweetness from the dark sauce – definitely a must-try!

Loo’s Hainanese is located within the Tiong Bahru estate, providing the place with a nostalgic charm. Tiong Bahru estate may not be as hyped as Holland Village or Keong Saik Road where many pubs and cafés are sited. However, you’d be amazed by the crazy long queue spilling over to the sidewalk and streets here, especially on weekends. Such queues are not seen, even at the cafés. It seems as if our local hawker fare is still holding its own over the recently booming café culture. So go early and avoid the crowd! The signature Hainanese dishes to order here are the pork chop and chap chye (stewed mixed vegetables). Or have a go at their asam sotong if you are feeling more adventurous!

Despite the more urban feel that Changi Village now exudes, I still feel a sense of nostalgia whenever I pop into this place, where I had whiled away so many lazy weekends during my childhood. Back then, Dad and Mom would always bring the entire family to avoid the maddening crowds in the city. With its interesting historical backdrop during World War II and the colonial era, it would be an educational and yet fun activity to explore landmarks such as Changi Museum, World War II replicas of Johore Battery’s 15-inch guns, or even just drive past the Changi Prison. Its entrance gate, wall and terrets have been collectively gazette as Singapore’s 72nd national monument, as announce by the National Heritage Board (NHB) on 15 February this year. Don’t leave without dropping by Changi Village Food Centre which serves affordable and scrumptious local hawker fare. Everyone who frequents Changi Village would know about the nasi lemak served at Mizzy’s Corner. My family and I love it for its value for money, and we would invariably leave with very satisfied tummies.

Ping Kee Popiah is a stall that my family patronizes regularly. Do take note that the waiting time can be somewhat longer if you drop by during lunch hours. This homely-tsting popiah is moist, yet not soggy. In just a single bite, you can indulge in the juiciness of generous fillings! You can also taste the freshness of the ingredients and feel the crunchiness of the bean sprouts wrapped within all at the same time. The ‘mengkuang” (Malay for shredded turnip) is perfectly marinated. Overall, the popiah has the right balance of sweetness and fragrance and leaves me feeling very satisfied. My parents always request for additional chilli for a higher level of spiciness – just for a good kick!

The names Hup Seng Duck Rice and Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh would light up in our heads the moment the name Sin Ming Road is tossed up. These two stalls are so popular that ridiculously long queues start to build up from 11.30am onwards, a full half-hour before the workers here down their tools for lunch. Hup Seng serves Teochew-styled braised duck rice. Throw in the slurping-good kiam chye tng or salted vegetable duck soup and your meal is complete! Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh is, without any shadow of doubt, the other ‘landmark’ stall. Its superior broth and special ribs make a bowl of delightful goodness, while the comforting and hearty sides such as youzharkway, salted vegetables and braised bean-curd sheets complete the meal perfectly. The price is also more reasonable as compared to other famous Bak Kut Teh stalls.

Punggol Settlement is now getting increasingly popular due to its improved accessibility, latest park connector, numerous seafood restaurants and recreational complex with its multiple facilities for water sports in the vicinity. What a difference world from what my late Grandma said it used to be in the past! The Teochew community was the major dialect groups in this area then. Serangoon River was a busy waterway in an era when the most common mode of transportation in this area was via ferries. Fishermen used to park their vessels alongside the river banks to sell their catch of the day. Unfortunately, World War II in 1942-45 witnessed hundreds of undesirable Chinese civilians massacred in one of the most infamous Sook Ching campaigns in this area.

A heritage site here, open to locals and tourists alike, serves to chronicle the sufferings influcted by the cold-blooded Kempitai on the local Chinese for supporting their compatriots back home. After a tiring day exploring Punggol, why not reward yourself by heading for the seafood here? Punggol Seafood Holdings Pte Ltd is one of the more well-known seafood restaurants that used to be a household name during the 1970s. Today, it still serves the all-time Singaporean favourites such as chilli crab and black pepper crab. They used to serve cheese crabs but they scrapped the idea (although I’m secretly hoping they bring this dish back!!!) You have to try the seafood here yourself as there are too many delectable dishes to name.

Situated within the former enclave for British officers known as Serangoon Gardens, Pow Sing Restaurant has been around for as long as one can recall, even though the F&B players in this neighbourhood have been undergoing rapid changes all this while. Besides the famous Hainanese chicken ric, they serve the entire gamut of authentic and flavoursome Peranakan dishes. Mention “Peranakan” and the image of “Ayam Buah Keluak” immediately jumps up in your head. Do you know that buah keluak is a misnomer: it literally refers to a large poisonous fruit (the “football fruit”) while its otherwise poisonous seed known as Indonesian Black Nut are made edible only through a fermentation process? But I digress. The tender chicken in this restaurant is bathed in a rich “rempah” (pounded spice paste) gravy and is a natural companion to the soft and succulent flesh as you “dig” into this hard nut. Other dishes worth recommending are their well-seasoned Nyonya Chap Chye, heavenly Bakwan Kepeting Soup and of course, their Hainanese chicken rice, which is a staple here.

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You can find more heritage places in “Eat, Muse, Love!”, a book by veteran broadcaster Madam Chua Foo Yong and her daughter, Toh Mu Qin. Catch the duet in their unique collection of 50 musings on foodie haunts that comes with a twist! Featuring 100 Chinese idioms and 50 makan places, Madam Chua waxes lyrical as she loses her way from foodie talk into the world of Chinese culture and shares insights of her own family folks and well-known personalities in the entertainment industry in her time. Mu Qin has meanwhile, in her inimitable way, been rubbing off the artistic DNA from Mom in turn, not just in foodie pursuits, but in the eighth art of photography. She may have chosen a different means of expression, but stays faithful to the same tune – one of LOVE of all that is true, good and beautiful.

“Eat, Muse, Love!” is retailing at major book stores such as Kinokuniya, Times, Popular etc at $24.90. Follow @eat.muse.love on Instagram for more updates.

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JOHOR BAHRU, MALAYSIA – It is difficult to say if Malaysia or Singapore has the best bak kut teh because the two versions are very different. The former has a herbal broth, while the latter is strong in white pepper and garlic.

It’s an open secret that I love bak kut teh. For me, I prefer the herbal kind which has more depth in terms of taste profile. When Hazel told us that she is going to drive us to Kota Tinggi for the famous bak kut teh, it got me really hungry and excited.

Located off Kota Tinggi, Kiang Kee Bak Kut Teh has a attap rooftop which looks like the houses in the 60s. As you walk past the open kitchen, you get to see the staff busy managing many pots of bak kut teh cooked under charcoal fire. While she adds ingredients into one pot, her hands were already preparing to remove another pot from the flame. I think she is a great multi tasker.

We were there about 10.30am, and the restaurant was packed with customers which patronize with locals and Singaporeans! That’s the reason the pork ribs will finish normally almost noon time. Hence, my advice for you is to go early if not some of the popular items may be sold out.

When the star arrived after a 40 minutes wait, the lingering herbal aroma from the bubbling pot almost had me dumped my camera aside and just dig in. Now let’s talk about the soup. Cooked in charcoal, the thick and cloudy soup has a comforting herbal flavour that we drank it all up. There was quite a distinct dang gui taste in the broth, together with a gamut of other flavours.

The naturally sweet pork ribs were slightly firm, cooked in robust herbal broth. While the bak kut is generous, the copious amount of side ingredients can be engulfing. You can exclude the pig’s organs and liver for more bak kut teh if you so prefer.

I think I have found my favourite bak kut teh thus far.

No bak kut teh trip is complete without ordering a side serving of pig’s trotters. The meat is really fatty and juicy. But if you prefer the leaner version, feel free to let them know. A side dish that is worth ordering is their otah otah with a thick layer of fresh minced fish with spices.

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We have always loved the creative brains behind Timbre Group who offers us cool chill-out places, complete with delicious food and great live music. Their latest hipster joint, Timbre+ (Timber Plus), newly opened on 1 April 2016, has transformed the old Ayer Rajah hawker centre into a traditional-meets-modern gastropark.

An array of graffiti and spray paint art are splashed all over shipping containers and vintage Airstream travel trailers transformed into food trucks. Timbre+ is home to 35 dining options, featuring 21 hawker stalls and 14 restaurant brands. An impressive list of culinary names makes up this gastropark so here are 13 noteworthy ones!

Wong Kee Wanton Noodles

This popular wanton noodle from Maxwell Food Centre is not your typical wanton noodle. These mee pok are specially created and imported from a factory in JB, infused with special homemade spinach and tomato flavours. We tried their Char Siew Dumpling Tomato Noodles ($4.50) and Beef Brisket Spinach Noodles ($5.50). The former has a refreshingly sweet aftertaste but we preferred the latter, as it was more savoury and the tender beef brisket complemented the spinach noodles so well. However, the highlight of Wong Kee is actually their wantons, made with tomato and spinach puree. These plump wantons contain generous fillings of turnip, black fungus, crunchy chestnut bits, mushrooms and minced meat. Do note that these special wantons are only available during Chinese New Year and promotional period so you have about another week’s time to rush down to savour it before it’s “gone”.

Teppei Daidokoro

The latest Japanese yakitori concept of Chef Teppei Yamashita, Teppei Daidokoro (‘Daidokoro” means “kitchen” in Japanese) offers yakitori skewers with charcoal-infused yakitori sauce, with a selection of chicken meatball, chicken thigh, pork belly, pork sausages, salmon belly, quail eggs and many more. Chef Teppei spent many months formulating and perfecting his own special charcoal-infused yakitori sauce set to give an intensely charcoal-flavour for yakitori lovers out there. In addition, Teppei fans can also enjoy the signature Kaisen Don ($16, sashimi rice bowl), grilled/deep-fried breaded bentos/dons and Hokkaido croquettes.

D’s Joint

Chef Damian D’Silva of Immigrants Gastrobar and South East Sliders introduces his latest outlet, serving up new surprises. His interest in the kitchen began since young, as he observed his grandparents prepare family meals. He learnt the importance of putting love and effort into his cooking and makes it a point to retain the essence and flavours he experienced as a child. From the time he was a young boy patiently grinding rempah and stirring hot, bubbling kueh dodol liquid over a copper pot, to the time he spent in Europe acquiring new culinary skills, this was a philosophy he stayed true to. At Timbre+, our tastebuds were treated to a delightful experience with Chef Damian’s Limpeh (father) Slider. The powerpack beef rendang filling totally nailed it! This is a definite must-try for anyone who visits Timbre+.

Iskina Cebu

Previously located at Geylang East, friends from the Philippines can get a taste of home from Iskina Cebu, while soaking in the vibrant and chillax atmosphere at Timbre+. Look forward to being treated to Bisdak favourites such as Lechon (suckling/roasted pig) Cebu, Spicy Belly Chon, Liempo Ala Balamban (roast pork belly) and Inasal Nga Manok (grilled chicken). In the past, the suckling pig was imported from Holland but now, you’ll get a taste of Spanish suckling pig, with generous stuffing of lemongrass, spring onion and other secret Cebu ingredients. Chef owner, Chris, is very particular with MSG and insists on not using it so customers get to fully experience the depth of each part of the meat. For Cebu cooking, it’s all about salt so Chris wants to remain congruent yet he lowered down the usage to suit localized tastebuds. The crackling skin and soft juicy fats goes perfectly with fragrant rice. One portion of Spanish suckling pig costs $12.

Two Wings

Having ended operations at its original coffeeshop at Alexandra, Two Wings has found a new home at Timbre+. Owner Jeremy learnt to fry chicken wings from his granduncle and fine-tuned it further to cater to the current tastebuds. Using fatter wings from Brazil, the wings are marinated in a secret formula overnight. You can smell the distinct aroma of sesame oil for the original-flavoured wings. Every morning, Jeremy will meticulously massage the wings to drain off the excess marinade before deep-frying them to a golden hue and presenting them on instagrammable wooden boards. These wings are only freshly fried upon order. Moving together with the current trend, Jeremy has introduced Salted Egg Chicken Wings. This is how salted egg chicken wings should be done, simply perfect! You can look forward to another two flavours that Jeremy will be introducing soon!

Food Anatomy

With the concept of “design meets culinary”, the Food Anatomy people who were from Deli and Daint at Maxwell Food Centre sells layered food in blocks. They believe that dishes should not only be tasty but aesthetically pleasing as well. Every meal is $16 and consists of a choice of 3 dishes where customers are free to mix and match any of the main dishes, desserts or salads. We tried Cold Soba, Organic Lasagna and Pork Cheek with Fragrant Rice. We find the soba jelly very unique but the rest were quite average.

Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh

Behind this bowl of Bak Kut Teh is the inspiring story of Jabez Tan, who once spent 12 years in jail. Being a social enterprise, 80% of workers employed here are ex-offenders and the homeless, as Jabez wants to help them reintegrate back into the community. What makes this Bak Kut Teh special is that it comes with pig innards and the broth is full bodied with a slight sweetness. Argentinean pork is used and you get to taste its natural sweetness and juices. On the other hand, the gooey thick gravy in Dried Bak Kut Teh is cooked by reducing the soup, dark soya sauce and enhanced with dried chilli, dried cuttlefish and lady finger. This is a good complement, especially when paired with a piping bowl of aromatic rice.

Wang Jiao Ban Mian

Ban Mian might not have originated from Singapore but you can get it at most hawker centers nowadays. When it comes to Ban Mian, what makes a stall stands out relates to the perfect egg yolk, the chewiness of the noodles and the level of fieriness in the chilli. Of course, you have to consider its overall taste too. We were ecstatic to chance upon the dry version of Ban Mian ($3.30) here, where the usual hearty broth is replaced with a combination of sauces and chilli. You can expect a plate of handmade noodles heavier in flavour, with an added kick to its taste!

Fishball Story

Douglas Ng, one of the most well-known local hawker-entrepreneur, rose to fame because of his bouncy handmade fishballs recipe passed down from his grandmother. He diligently makes his fishballs at 4am in the mornings, using purely yellow tail fish meat with no flour. He blends fish paste, hand press the fishballs and fishcakes, makes the sambal and lard… so much hard work, isn’t it? At $6 for a bowl of premium handmade fishball noodle, you get handmade fishballs, fishcakes, fried fish skin, mee pok tossed with sambal chilli and lard etc. The fishballs are firm and the mee pok is al dente, with a QQ texture while the fishcakes are soft yet roughly textured and speckled with chilli and scallions. So yummy!

Nam Heng Chicken Rice

This chicken rice stall has been withstanding the test of time, having been a tenant at the old Ayer Rajah hawker centre and subsequently, shifting to the temporary tent when the hawker centre was under renovation and now, moving back into a hawker stall in Timbre+. Although we didn’t find the chicken rice ($3) impressive and there isn’t much to shoutout about this plate of popular local fare, this stall attracts old, loyal customers who have been patronizing them since they started business. There are also a Nasi Padang stall and teh tarik stall that were tenants at the old Ayer Rajah hawker centre.

Dancing Crab Shack

Dancing Crab Shack’s lobster rolls need no introduction. Located near the stage, their first fast-casual concept serves lobster roll, chicken & waffles and all your favourite combo bags. Paired with Cajun fries, the bread was toasted to a great crispiness with generous chunks of lobster meat that’s creamy and tasty.

The World Is Flat by Tanuki Raw

The World Is Flat by the same team behind Tanuki Raw, Standing Sushi Bar and Shinkasen has gone into a “revamped” pizza concept, inspired by Californian deep-dish pizzas, fusioned with Japanese tastes. We had a humongous slice of Fat Samurai ($9/slice, $49 whole pizza), which consisted of duck confit, bacon, prawn, burnt onions, smashed US beef, roasted cabbage, Konbu mayo, balsamic Okonomiyaki sauce, crispy bonito flakes, mozzarella and brie, atop an Umami charcoal crust. Honestly, one slice can be shared among 2-3 people as the toppings are abundant. Furthermore, with such a deep crust, it can be too heavy if you savour it alone.

Bottle Shop

What’s great food without great beer? At Bottle Shop, you won’t find the usual run-of-the-mill beers. Pick up a bucket at the start of the row of chillers and immerse yourself in the world of boutique, seasonal and limited edition beers at Bottle Shop. This is a rotating menu of beers, cheers!

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Besides the good eats mentioned above, you can also expect Kush (modern Singaporean skewers and rice bowls), Portico Platos (Spanish Tapas), Big Bern’s American Grill, Garcons (modern French food) and many other food truck concept stalls at Timbre+. This hawker centre is promoting a good “return-your-own-trays” initiative – the $1 tray return system! All the trays are microchipped here. When you order food and require a tray, you have to pay a dollar extra, which you can get back when you return the tray at the centralized collection unit. There are live music performances from Wednesday to Saturday nights, so grab your friends and family for a “party” at this hipster hawker centre!

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At Tai Thong Crescent, there is a new bak kut teh stall called Rong Shu Xia Rou Gu Cha (榕树下肉骨茶). Yes yes *clears throat* 路边一棵榕树下, 是我怀念的地方 ~~ But this place is not located under the banyan tree. The owners from Perak, Malaysia call it this name because there are always food stalls located under the banyan tree and he would always meet his friends there to makan. Hence, 榕树 resonates with alot of Malaysian.

Started a few months ago, Rong Shu Xia Rou Gu Cha serves cantonese style bak kut teh, which is also known as Malaysian Bak Kut Teh. Unlike our peppery version, spices and herbs are added into their broth. We went for lunch last week and tried a few of their signature items.

First off, the steaming hot Pork Ribs Soup ($5.90). This reminded me of Restoran Shoon Huat BKT in Taman Sentosa. Not as herbal as I expect, the clear and watery broth is vague and a lot less herbal than the Klang style. So if you are looking for a kick in the soup, this is a little mild. Good thing is, the gentle soup does not snatch the limelight from the sweetness of the pork ribs. It’s quite tender and fall-off-the-bone easily. They currently only serve pork ribs now, but I hope they will add more toppings like liver, intestine and pig’s stomach to go with the soup in future.

To pair with bak kut teh, we ordered Preserved Vegetables ($1.90) and Stewed Peanuts ($1.90). The former is not bad, it still retains its crunch and not overly salty. Because of their opening special, they are having 50% promotion on weekdays from now till 1 July 2016 for selected items. On our day of visit, the Special Fried Pork is selling at half price ($3.20), so we ordered as well. Deep fried till golden brown, it is like biting into popcorn – crispy and flavourful with fatty meats in between.

The sizzling pot of Ginger Wine Chicken ($5.90) is tender while the savory sauce goes great on rice. I would prefer the chicken to be braised a little longer so that the sesame oil can be infused further. The Pig Trotter’s ($5.90) decent with a great mixture of fatty skin and lean meat.

Our meal ended with a bang, when the owners serve us a pot of XO Spare Ribs Prawn Noodle Soup ($5.90). This is like the best creation from Rong Shu Xia! The broth is made from shell and heads, added with intense XO sauce to develop a rich and umami laden flavours. Not the big prawns that you find in some other stalls, but the broth won us over.

Don’t expect much service. I called to ask their opening hours and the waitress was talking to someone while answering my phone. Upon reaching there, I had to repeat my orders to the waiter so many times. Well, I guess it is the teething issue that they are still working on. Look forward to better service next time.

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Started from Jurong Point’s food court selling mixed organ soup, owner Mr Ong decided to open a bak kut teh stall in Boon Tat street. After 3 years rental contract ended, he moved to Cecil Street, in a coffeeshop where they sell roti prata. It’s not easy to locate it but if you do, climb up the stairs and enjoy the air condition while enjoying bak kut teh.

The essence of having bak kut teh ($10.50) is to have fresh pork ribs. Like all other BKT stalls, their pork ribs are cooked with garlic and peppercorns. The result is an unassumingly clear bowl of soup that is full-bodied, garlicky and peppery with a subtle sweetness from the pork. The staff will go around to top up the soup for you.

Hwa Ji also serves Dry Bak Kut Teh ($10) where pieces of pork ribs is cooked with dark soya sauce, enhanced with dried chili, lady’s fingers and dried cuttlefish. What makes this dish stand out is the strips of dried cuttlefish that gave the depth and a lovely punchy flavour.

The stall welcomes a lot of Japanese tourists so they have created Katsuobushi Beancurd ($6.50) where the soft beancurd is deep fried and topped with bonito flakes.

Preserved Veg Braised Pork ($7) still comes with a bite and not too salty. I thought the pork ribs were a little on the tough side.

Note: This is an invited tasting.

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

Here are our 7 favourites.

Xing Lou Seafood White Bee Hoon

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

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

Ah Yat Kitchen

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

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

Scotts Hwa Heng Beef Noodles

Being a Hainanese myself, beef noodles is usually one of our staples. It’s real hard work just to prepare the beef stock. Scotts Hwa Heng Beef noodles started out in the 1940s at a humble stall along Bain Street. Dishing up piping hot bowls of Hainanese-style Traditional Beef noodles; dry or soup versions are available, the stall has kept to its original proprietary recipe which has nourished many generations of customers.

We were surprised when we took our first bite of the dry Beef Noodles Combo Set Meal ($7.50). The gravy was thick and starchy, with beefy goodness. The sliced beef adds bite to each mouthful of springy thick vermicelli. Tender and fragrant, the set also served with beef balls in soup. It’s a pity they do not serve with preserved vegetables anymore; but luckily the chilli and chinchalok dip added a comfortable mix of salty-tangy and spicy flavour to the dish.

Great World Noodle House

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

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

Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh

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

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

Lam’s Signatures

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

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

Pepper Lunch Express

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

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

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

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

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

Closing date: 22th September 2016. Good luck!

This post was brought to you by Food Opera.

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

After the major revamp at The Centrepoint, we had our first round of makan in August where we tried Ollie Kitchen & Bar, Chicken Up, Dapur Penyet, Souper Tang and Ministry of Food.

Just two weeks ago, we invited 5 lucky readers with their plus ones to join me on a food trail to savour another 5 new restaurants at The Centrepoint’s brand new food precincts, Gastro+ and Food Hall, which offer over 30 new food concepts across five levels. The trail was a mix of local, Cantonese and Japanese cuisine. We had such a good time eating sooooooo many dishes at different outlets! Which is your favourite?

Tendon (天丼) is the new Japanese food trend in Singapore. It is a type of donburi where crispy tempura is laid over freshly steamed Japanese rice and topped with a delicious light soy dressing. Riding on the wave, MOF has opened Tensho – a Japanese specialty tendon restaurant with wholesome and quality tempura donburi at affordable prices.

They currently only have two items on the menu – Mixed Tendon ($14.90) or Vege Tendon ($13.90). For seafood lovers, go for the Mixed Tendon featuring crispy prawns, dory fish, Onsen egg and vegetable tempuras served on Japanese rice, served together with Chawanmushi and Miso Soup. Made upon order, the batter is crispy but fluffy, and the sauce offers a good balance of sweet and salty.

Vegetarian friends can choose otherwise which works equally well. The addition of soft boiled eggs kind of gels everything together. Especially when you dip the vegetables into the egg yolk, we went like “oooomph!”. You can also help yourself to the pickles on the table. For their opening special, enjoy a free drink with any tendon order!

Kyoaji means “taste of Kyoto”. Newly opened at The Centrepoint, the restaurant exudes a warm Japanese ambience with fresh Japanese cuisine.

Freshness is ensured here because the seasonal seafood is air flown. They even have their own vessel to catch the fish and each supply is stored at an ultra-low temperature storage facility in Singapore. Its Sashimi Moriawase ($88) features a plate of premium assorted raw fish that is fresh. We also had the Shiro Maguro Aburi Maki ($22) with seared white tuna roll which has a subtle sweetness and smoky aroma.

Kani Tofu (Crab Meat Bean Curd, $6) is a Japanese style cold dish which features a soft handmade cold tofu, drenched with a generous dollop of creamy century egg yolk and wrapped with crab meat. The generous amount of Tobiko adds crunch to this dish. Zuwai Kani Tama Mushi ($16) is a smooth bowl of steamed egg served with snow crab meat and salmon roe.

The star of the meal is Gyuniku Fagura Sauce ($35) where the chef pan fried cubes of Australian striploin beef with goose liver sauce. Tender and succulent beef cubes are drizzled with the rich and creamy goose liver sauce. It was so good that we couldn’t stop!

If you wish to enjoy classic Cantonese cuisine with your family at The Centrepoint, the newly opened Crystal Jade Kitchen is a good option. We shared a whole table of dishes including dim sum, HK roast, congee, noodles and classic wok dishes.

Its Roasted Meat Combination ($18.80 for 2 combination; $23.80 for 3 combination) lets you choose from a variety of meat – signature pork belly, roasted pork belly, roasted honey BBQ pork, roasted duck, kampong chicken or soya sauce chicken. The roasted honey BBQ pork is slightly charred, and beautifully caramelized.

The congee is smooth and silky. We had the Classic Ting Zai Congee ($8.80) with sliced fish, cuttlefish and shredded pork. We liked the Handmade Pork Meatball Congee ($9.80) that was incredibly juicy.

Fortune 5 Chicken ($20.80 for whole; $12.80 for half) features paper crisp skin and succulent meat, served with five sauces to enhance the flavours. It was the favourite dish on the table. On top of that, we also had Smoked Chinese Yam with Whole Garlic ($14.80) and Braised Beancurd with Vegetable ($12.80), which went well with rice. I like the crunchy strips of Chinese yam!

From now till 31 October 2016, enjoy 10% off a la carte food bill at Crystal Jade! This promotion is valid on weekday dinners and weekends, full day. T&CS applies.

With a humble beginning since 1969, Song Fa Bak Kut Teh is well known for their peppery and aromatic soup. Today, under the stewardship of the founding family’s second generation, the brand has since expanded significantly with a new outlet in The Centrepoint! The interior of this outlet provides a unique experience, inspired by Glutton’s Square, the popular hawker street of Orchard in the 1960s.

As with all Pork Ribs Soup ($7 / $9), the quality of the dish depends strongly on the quality of the pork. Keeping this in mind, Song Fa uses good quality pork that is carefully simmered with garlic and pepper to achieve the clear and peppery soup. The peppery kick is not overpowering, balanced off with the sweetness from pork ribs. Another signature dish is the Braised Pig Trotters ($7 / $9) stewed with a range of spices to achieve the intense flavour and mouth-watering tenderness.

Song Fa has also launched new dishes in their menu, including the Spicy Pork Belly ($8) cooked with dark soya sauce, and enhanced with dried chili, dried cuttlefish and lady’s fingers. What makes this dish stand out are the strips of dried cuttlefish that gave the depth and a lovely punchy flavour that pleased our palates. They also serve handmade prawn roll ($8.50) filled with marinated minced prawn, meat and vegetables wrapped in beancurd skin. Don’t forget to have some King’s Garden Tea to complement the bak kut teh.

Honolulu Café at The Centrepoint is their first international outlet. Originating from Hong Kong, it is famous for its egg tarts, pineapple buns as well as Hong Kong Milk Tea.

Their egg tarts are famous for its flaky pastry and soft egg custard center. The dough is frozen overnight so that they can fold a total of 192 layers. That is a lot because usually normal egg tarts only fold 100 layers. That’s probably the reason why the pastry is so flaky. Baked fresh everyday, I am more intrigued by its soft and smooth egg custard. Don’t forget to pair it with Honolulu Coffee (Hot $3, Cold $3.20).

In addition, they also serve a range of classic Cantonese dishes such as Curry Fish Ball ($3 for 5), Chicken Wings with Sweet Sauce ($6 for 4), Beef Brisket Soup ($6) and Fish Fillet Curry Rice ($8.50). We like the curry fish balls because they are deep fried before serving with curry, hence creating that bouncy texture. The curry is imported from Hong Kong.

REDEEM $10 DINING VOUCHER AT THE CENTREPOINT’S DINE.POST.REDEEM CAMPAIGN

Surprise! There’s yet another chance to win a $10 Dining Voucher at The Centrepoint! Simply post a picture of your delicious meal when you dine at The Centrepoint’s food precincts called Gastro+ and Food Hall and redeem a $10 Dining voucher! Hashtag with “TCPGastro” or “TCPFoodHall”, “TheCentrepoint” and lastly, don’t forget to hastag the restaurant’s name.

Redemption at Customer Service Level 3 and limited to first 1,000 diners only. Terms & Conditions apply.

A big thank you to The Centrepoint for hosting us! I am giving away another $10 worth of The Centrepoint F&B dining vouchers to FIVE LUCKY READERS!

All you have to do is:
1. Like The Centrepoint and Frasers Centrepoint Malls on Facebook
2. Share this post on Facebook.
3. Share with us any memories you had with The Centrepoint.

Closing date: 29 October 2016, 23:59. Good Luck!

The post The Centrepoint – 5 New Restaurants Opened in Orchard Road + GIVEAWAY appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Our STB friends from Germany came to Singapore for a meeting, so we met up for dinner during their free time. Asked what they would like to have, one of them said, “Bring us to local food.” Wish granted, Chef Damian suggested his favourite Bak Kut Teh stall in Upper Changi Road.

I haven’t been eating BKT widely to know that there is a Klang Bak Kut Teh stall here. I only knew there is Leong Kee, Soon Huat and Hong Ji that sells Malaysian style Klang bak kut teh in Singapore. Now, this is another new find for me.

Lim Kee serve theirs in a claypot, as is commonly done in Malaysia. Inside, there are pork ribs, bean curd skin and tau pok. The pork ribs were very tender and soft. The soup was mildly-infused with flavours from the herbs; yet with a balance of savoury tinge and a very faint nuance of sweetness. It is not as thick as other Klang BKT stalls in Singapore, so it is more pleasant to drink especially for my German friends. But definitely a call for copious amount of steamed white rice!

What impressed me is the yong tau foo because their owner still makes his own hand-mixed fish paste, whereas these days most of the paste is manufactured by a supplier instead. It’s so soft and slippery, when mixed with the end result is a fragrant, sticky-sweetish, and very appetising dish to go with white rice.

We also ordered the sesame oil chicken which has a slight smoky aroma and great sesame oil flavour. I will be back for their red wine chicken which is also raved by one of the uncle in the coffeeshop. This coffee shop used to be called May Flower Eating House, hence they still have the signboard placed here. I know it’s irrelevant, but I took this photo because I studied in Mayflower (not Changi, but in Ang Mo Kio)!

Klang (Jln Meru Lim Kee) Bak Kut Teh

Address: #01-1260, 59 New Upper Changi Road, 461059
Tel: +65 9060 1289
Opening hours: 11.30am to 9pm, closed every Tuesdays.

The post Klang (Jln Meru Lim Kee) Bak Kut Teh appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Celebrity-favourite Founder Bak Kut Teh opens its second restaurant at Hotel Boss (500 Jalan Sultan) yesterday. Since 1978, Founder Bak Kut Teh has been consistently dishing out bowls of its delectable Teochew-style pork rib soup to legions of fans. Owner Mr Chua Chwee Whatt, a pig farmer in Seletar in the 60s, loved eating Bak Kut Teh. So he decided to use the pork from his own farm and concoct his own recipe using herbs and spices. After successful testing and tweaking through the feedback of friends and neighbours, he opened a small Bak Kut Teh eatery in Choa Chu Kang in 1978.

Mr Chua eventually moved out of Choa Chu Kang and gave up his pig farm. By 1988, he had transitioned from farmer to restauranteur with the growing success of Founder Bak Kut Teh. Now, Founder regularly ranks as one of Singapore’s top Bak Kut Teh restaurants, and is poised to expand to neighbouring countries.

You may ask, what is the successful formula of Founder BKT? Well, I think it’s the soup that is made using the freshest pork and a blend of pepper and spices from a recipe created by Mr Chua. Using only superior cuts of meaty long ribs or premium short ribs in its clear soup, the peppery soup isn’t as intense as Ng Ah Sio but still gives that solid rush that will wake me up. The long ribs are notably tender, and goes well with the tea from Pek Sin Choon.

A smorgasbord of side dishes makes for perfect accompaniment: Braised Pig’s Intestines, Braised Pig’s Trotter, Pig Intestines Soup, Braised Bean Curd Skin, Salted Vegetables, Lettuce with Oyster Sauce and of course, You Tiao (dough fritters). However, I find the braising sauce a little salty than usual during our visit. Perhaps it’s just the teething issue.

Over the years, Founder has seen not just faithful patrons return again and again for its signature dishes, but a galaxy of stars as well. Through no advertising on its part, the restaurant has won the patronage of celebrities like Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong stars Jay Chou, Emil Chau, Eason Chan, S.H.E, Zhang Zi Yi and local celebrities such as Fann Wong and Stefanie Sun. And they will be launching another new outlet in Jakarta as well, I wish them all the best!

Good news for everyone, they will be opened during Chinese New Year! They are closed from 3pm on CNY Eve and reopen again from 3pm on CNY Day 1. Business will resume thereafter. So if you are looking for meal options during CNY, this may be a good choice?

Founder Bak Kut Teh

Address: 500 Jalan Sultan #01-09 Singapore 199020
Tel: +65 6816 2582
Opening hours: 11 am to 5 am daily
Website: http://www.founderbkt.com.sg/

The post Founder Bak Kut Teh Opens A New Branch In Jalan Sultan appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Text & Photos by Rae Chan & Maureen Ow

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ye Lai Xiang Laksa
Address: Blk 4A Woodlands Centre Road #02-36 Woodlands Food Centre
Opening Hours: 5 am to 1 pm (Closed on Thursdays)

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

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

And no, there’s no typo in the opening hours. 5 A.M.! So if you are night owl or early bird in need of supper or breakfast, laksa sounds like a good change from Macdonalds or prata. They also sell prawn noodles (which I heard a lot of people order as well), fishball noodles and lor mee.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

***

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

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

Although we only have 50 years of history, our multi-cultural background gives Singapore a rich heritage. Being a true Singaporean, how can we forget about the diverse amount of delicious local hawker fare?! We’re pretty sure everyone has their own childhood favourites where you’ll still return to, no matter where the hawker has shifted, despite your busy adulthood lifestyle. Here’s a list of 9 local eats that brings us back to the days of savouring simple and unpretentious delights at an affordable price.

Tao Kwa Pau? Whatever on earth is that? The rare find of a disappearing hawker dish here, this savoury fried beancurd pocket generously stuffed with coarsely chopped cucumbers, fried fish cake, braised eggs slivers and deep fried yam crackers to overflowing have been missed out by many people. The serving is garnished with sprigs of coriander leaves plus a dash of gravy as is used for braised duck rice, which this particular stall also sells. Each serving of tao kwa pau comes with a bowl of sweet and spicy chilli as an appetizing dip. Be prepared for the explosion of flavours and textures as you bite into it, and before you know it, your hand would be reaching out for the second and third helpings!

During lunch and dinner times, huge crowds will swarm into Whampoa, an area where I spent many of my childhood years. I used to go to Whampoa Makan Place as a kid. Back then, I could not tell what tasted really good, just faithfully chomping away at whatever my parents had ordered for me. Noe that I have grown up and under the influence of my parents’ tastes in food, I realize how I have been missing out on the exceptionally good Hoover Rojak in the past! Freshness of the ingredients is one of their selling points, on top of their insistence on tip-top shrimp paste and the refreshingly well-balanced savoury sauce. The components in Hoover Rojak are blended to perfection, with the right amounts of crunchy and zesty flavours. How can I not mention the generous amount of jelly fish strips, creamy century egg and torch ginger shreds? Very few rojak stalls include these three elements in their offerings these days! Remember to include the Hoover Rojak’s special chilli paste for that additional kick!

Hill Street Fried Kway Teow is an irresistible offering and one of the best in this land of foodies! You can smell the aroma wafting in the air as you creep forwards with the never-ending queue. The alluring smoky flavour, seared into the cut flat rice sheets by a fiery wok, ramps up the tastiness of the dish too. The noodles glistening with lard is stir-fried to perfection – soft, moist and not overly greasy. It is simply a magical pleaser with eggs, fresh cockles, crunchy beansprouts, lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and chives. Generous bits of crunchy, sinful pork lard are the game changer here that transforms it into a culinary pleasure – you cannot help sinking your teeth into it! The dish has a good balance of saltiness and sweetness from the dark sauce – definitely a must-try!

Loo’s Hainanese is located within the Tiong Bahru estate, providing the place with a nostalgic charm. Tiong Bahru estate may not be as hyped as Holland Village or Keong Saik Road where many pubs and cafés are sited. However, you’d be amazed by the crazy long queue spilling over to the sidewalk and streets here, especially on weekends. Such queues are not seen, even at the cafés. It seems as if our local hawker fare is still holding its own over the recently booming café culture. So go early and avoid the crowd! The signature Hainanese dishes to order here are the pork chop and chap chye (stewed mixed vegetables). Or have a go at their asam sotong if you are feeling more adventurous!

Despite the more urban feel that Changi Village now exudes, I still feel a sense of nostalgia whenever I pop into this place, where I had whiled away so many lazy weekends during my childhood. Back then, Dad and Mom would always bring the entire family to avoid the maddening crowds in the city. With its interesting historical backdrop during World War II and the colonial era, it would be an educational and yet fun activity to explore landmarks such as Changi Museum, World War II replicas of Johore Battery’s 15-inch guns, or even just drive past the Changi Prison. Its entrance gate, wall and terrets have been collectively gazette as Singapore’s 72nd national monument, as announce by the National Heritage Board (NHB) on 15 February this year. Don’t leave without dropping by Changi Village Food Centre which serves affordable and scrumptious local hawker fare. Everyone who frequents Changi Village would know about the nasi lemak served at Mizzy’s Corner. My family and I love it for its value for money, and we would invariably leave with very satisfied tummies.

Ping Kee Popiah is a stall that my family patronizes regularly. Do take note that the waiting time can be somewhat longer if you drop by during lunch hours. This homely-tsting popiah is moist, yet not soggy. In just a single bite, you can indulge in the juiciness of generous fillings! You can also taste the freshness of the ingredients and feel the crunchiness of the bean sprouts wrapped within all at the same time. The ‘mengkuang” (Malay for shredded turnip) is perfectly marinated. Overall, the popiah has the right balance of sweetness and fragrance and leaves me feeling very satisfied. My parents always request for additional chilli for a higher level of spiciness – just for a good kick!

The names Hup Seng Duck Rice and Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh would light up in our heads the moment the name Sin Ming Road is tossed up. These two stalls are so popular that ridiculously long queues start to build up from 11.30am onwards, a full half-hour before the workers here down their tools for lunch. Hup Seng serves Teochew-styled braised duck rice. Throw in the slurping-good kiam chye tng or salted vegetable duck soup and your meal is complete! Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh is, without any shadow of doubt, the other ‘landmark’ stall. Its superior broth and special ribs make a bowl of delightful goodness, while the comforting and hearty sides such as youzharkway, salted vegetables and braised bean-curd sheets complete the meal perfectly. The price is also more reasonable as compared to other famous Bak Kut Teh stalls.

Punggol Settlement is now getting increasingly popular due to its improved accessibility, latest park connector, numerous seafood restaurants and recreational complex with its multiple facilities for water sports in the vicinity. What a difference world from what my late Grandma said it used to be in the past! The Teochew community was the major dialect groups in this area then. Serangoon River was a busy waterway in an era when the most common mode of transportation in this area was via ferries. Fishermen used to park their vessels alongside the river banks to sell their catch of the day. Unfortunately, World War II in 1942-45 witnessed hundreds of undesirable Chinese civilians massacred in one of the most infamous Sook Ching campaigns in this area.

A heritage site here, open to locals and tourists alike, serves to chronicle the sufferings influcted by the cold-blooded Kempitai on the local Chinese for supporting their compatriots back home. After a tiring day exploring Punggol, why not reward yourself by heading for the seafood here? Punggol Seafood Holdings Pte Ltd is one of the more well-known seafood restaurants that used to be a household name during the 1970s. Today, it still serves the all-time Singaporean favourites such as chilli crab and black pepper crab. They used to serve cheese crabs but they scrapped the idea (although I’m secretly hoping they bring this dish back!!!) You have to try the seafood here yourself as there are too many delectable dishes to name.

Situated within the former enclave for British officers known as Serangoon Gardens, Pow Sing Restaurant has been around for as long as one can recall, even though the F&B players in this neighbourhood have been undergoing rapid changes all this while. Besides the famous Hainanese chicken ric, they serve the entire gamut of authentic and flavoursome Peranakan dishes. Mention “Peranakan” and the image of “Ayam Buah Keluak” immediately jumps up in your head. Do you know that buah keluak is a misnomer: it literally refers to a large poisonous fruit (the “football fruit”) while its otherwise poisonous seed known as Indonesian Black Nut are made edible only through a fermentation process? But I digress. The tender chicken in this restaurant is bathed in a rich “rempah” (pounded spice paste) gravy and is a natural companion to the soft and succulent flesh as you “dig” into this hard nut. Other dishes worth recommending are their well-seasoned Nyonya Chap Chye, heavenly Bakwan Kepeting Soup and of course, their Hainanese chicken rice, which is a staple here.

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You can find more heritage places in “Eat, Muse, Love!”, a book by veteran broadcaster Madam Chua Foo Yong and her daughter, Toh Mu Qin. Catch the duet in their unique collection of 50 musings on foodie haunts that comes with a twist! Featuring 100 Chinese idioms and 50 makan places, Madam Chua waxes lyrical as she loses her way from foodie talk into the world of Chinese culture and shares insights of her own family folks and well-known personalities in the entertainment industry in her time. Mu Qin has meanwhile, in her inimitable way, been rubbing off the artistic DNA from Mom in turn, not just in foodie pursuits, but in the eighth art of photography. She may have chosen a different means of expression, but stays faithful to the same tune – one of LOVE of all that is true, good and beautiful.

“Eat, Muse, Love!” is retailing at major book stores such as Kinokuniya, Times, Popular etc at $24.90. Follow @eat.muse.love on Instagram for more updates.

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JOHOR BAHRU, MALAYSIA – It is difficult to say if Malaysia or Singapore has the best bak kut teh because the two versions are very different. The former has a herbal broth, while the latter is strong in white pepper and garlic.

It’s an open secret that I love bak kut teh. For me, I prefer the herbal kind which has more depth in terms of taste profile. When Hazel told us that she is going to drive us to Kota Tinggi for the famous bak kut teh, it got me really hungry and excited.

Located off Kota Tinggi, Kiang Kee Bak Kut Teh has a attap rooftop which looks like the houses in the 60s. As you walk past the open kitchen, you get to see the staff busy managing many pots of bak kut teh cooked under charcoal fire. While she adds ingredients into one pot, her hands were already preparing to remove another pot from the flame. I think she is a great multi tasker.

We were there about 10.30am, and the restaurant was packed with customers which patronize with locals and Singaporeans! That’s the reason the pork ribs will finish normally almost noon time. Hence, my advice for you is to go early if not some of the popular items may be sold out.

When the star arrived after a 40 minutes wait, the lingering herbal aroma from the bubbling pot almost had me dumped my camera aside and just dig in. Now let’s talk about the soup. Cooked in charcoal, the thick and cloudy soup has a comforting herbal flavour that we drank it all up. There was quite a distinct dang gui taste in the broth, together with a gamut of other flavours.

The naturally sweet pork ribs were slightly firm, cooked in robust herbal broth. While the bak kut is generous, the copious amount of side ingredients can be engulfing. You can exclude the pig’s organs and liver for more bak kut teh if you so prefer.

I think I have found my favourite bak kut teh thus far.

No bak kut teh trip is complete without ordering a side serving of pig’s trotters. The meat is really fatty and juicy. But if you prefer the leaner version, feel free to let them know. A side dish that is worth ordering is their otah otah with a thick layer of fresh minced fish with spices.

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We have always loved the creative brains behind Timbre Group who offers us cool chill-out places, complete with delicious food and great live music. Their latest hipster joint, Timbre+ (Timber Plus), newly opened on 1 April 2016, has transformed the old Ayer Rajah hawker centre into a traditional-meets-modern gastropark.

An array of graffiti and spray paint art are splashed all over shipping containers and vintage Airstream travel trailers transformed into food trucks. Timbre+ is home to 35 dining options, featuring 21 hawker stalls and 14 restaurant brands. An impressive list of culinary names makes up this gastropark so here are 13 noteworthy ones!

Wong Kee Wanton Noodles

This popular wanton noodle from Maxwell Food Centre is not your typical wanton noodle. These mee pok are specially created and imported from a factory in JB, infused with special homemade spinach and tomato flavours. We tried their Char Siew Dumpling Tomato Noodles ($4.50) and Beef Brisket Spinach Noodles ($5.50). The former has a refreshingly sweet aftertaste but we preferred the latter, as it was more savoury and the tender beef brisket complemented the spinach noodles so well. However, the highlight of Wong Kee is actually their wantons, made with tomato and spinach puree. These plump wantons contain generous fillings of turnip, black fungus, crunchy chestnut bits, mushrooms and minced meat. Do note that these special wantons are only available during Chinese New Year and promotional period so you have about another week’s time to rush down to savour it before it’s “gone”.

Teppei Daidokoro

The latest Japanese yakitori concept of Chef Teppei Yamashita, Teppei Daidokoro (‘Daidokoro” means “kitchen” in Japanese) offers yakitori skewers with charcoal-infused yakitori sauce, with a selection of chicken meatball, chicken thigh, pork belly, pork sausages, salmon belly, quail eggs and many more. Chef Teppei spent many months formulating and perfecting his own special charcoal-infused yakitori sauce set to give an intensely charcoal-flavour for yakitori lovers out there. In addition, Teppei fans can also enjoy the signature Kaisen Don ($16, sashimi rice bowl), grilled/deep-fried breaded bentos/dons and Hokkaido croquettes.

D’s Joint

Chef Damian D’Silva of Immigrants Gastrobar and South East Sliders introduces his latest outlet, serving up new surprises. His interest in the kitchen began since young, as he observed his grandparents prepare family meals. He learnt the importance of putting love and effort into his cooking and makes it a point to retain the essence and flavours he experienced as a child. From the time he was a young boy patiently grinding rempah and stirring hot, bubbling kueh dodol liquid over a copper pot, to the time he spent in Europe acquiring new culinary skills, this was a philosophy he stayed true to. At Timbre+, our tastebuds were treated to a delightful experience with Chef Damian’s Limpeh (father) Slider. The powerpack beef rendang filling totally nailed it! This is a definite must-try for anyone who visits Timbre+.

Iskina Cebu

Previously located at Geylang East, friends from the Philippines can get a taste of home from Iskina Cebu, while soaking in the vibrant and chillax atmosphere at Timbre+. Look forward to being treated to Bisdak favourites such as Lechon (suckling/roasted pig) Cebu, Spicy Belly Chon, Liempo Ala Balamban (roast pork belly) and Inasal Nga Manok (grilled chicken). In the past, the suckling pig was imported from Holland but now, you’ll get a taste of Spanish suckling pig, with generous stuffing of lemongrass, spring onion and other secret Cebu ingredients. Chef owner, Chris, is very particular with MSG and insists on not using it so customers get to fully experience the depth of each part of the meat. For Cebu cooking, it’s all about salt so Chris wants to remain congruent yet he lowered down the usage to suit localized tastebuds. The crackling skin and soft juicy fats goes perfectly with fragrant rice. One portion of Spanish suckling pig costs $12.

Two Wings

Having ended operations at its original coffeeshop at Alexandra, Two Wings has found a new home at Timbre+. Owner Jeremy learnt to fry chicken wings from his granduncle and fine-tuned it further to cater to the current tastebuds. Using fatter wings from Brazil, the wings are marinated in a secret formula overnight. You can smell the distinct aroma of sesame oil for the original-flavoured wings. Every morning, Jeremy will meticulously massage the wings to drain off the excess marinade before deep-frying them to a golden hue and presenting them on instagrammable wooden boards. These wings are only freshly fried upon order. Moving together with the current trend, Jeremy has introduced Salted Egg Chicken Wings. This is how salted egg chicken wings should be done, simply perfect! You can look forward to another two flavours that Jeremy will be introducing soon!

Food Anatomy

With the concept of “design meets culinary”, the Food Anatomy people who were from Deli and Daint at Maxwell Food Centre sells layered food in blocks. They believe that dishes should not only be tasty but aesthetically pleasing as well. Every meal is $16 and consists of a choice of 3 dishes where customers are free to mix and match any of the main dishes, desserts or salads. We tried Cold Soba, Organic Lasagna and Pork Cheek with Fragrant Rice. We find the soba jelly very unique but the rest were quite average.

Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh

Behind this bowl of Bak Kut Teh is the inspiring story of Jabez Tan, who once spent 12 years in jail. Being a social enterprise, 80% of workers employed here are ex-offenders and the homeless, as Jabez wants to help them reintegrate back into the community. What makes this Bak Kut Teh special is that it comes with pig innards and the broth is full bodied with a slight sweetness. Argentinean pork is used and you get to taste its natural sweetness and juices. On the other hand, the gooey thick gravy in Dried Bak Kut Teh is cooked by reducing the soup, dark soya sauce and enhanced with dried chilli, dried cuttlefish and lady finger. This is a good complement, especially when paired with a piping bowl of aromatic rice.

Wang Jiao Ban Mian

Ban Mian might not have originated from Singapore but you can get it at most hawker centers nowadays. When it comes to Ban Mian, what makes a stall stands out relates to the perfect egg yolk, the chewiness of the noodles and the level of fieriness in the chilli. Of course, you have to consider its overall taste too. We were ecstatic to chance upon the dry version of Ban Mian ($3.30) here, where the usual hearty broth is replaced with a combination of sauces and chilli. You can expect a plate of handmade noodles heavier in flavour, with an added kick to its taste!

Fishball Story

Douglas Ng, one of the most well-known local hawker-entrepreneur, rose to fame because of his bouncy handmade fishballs recipe passed down from his grandmother. He diligently makes his fishballs at 4am in the mornings, using purely yellow tail fish meat with no flour. He blends fish paste, hand press the fishballs and fishcakes, makes the sambal and lard… so much hard work, isn’t it? At $6 for a bowl of premium handmade fishball noodle, you get handmade fishballs, fishcakes, fried fish skin, mee pok tossed with sambal chilli and lard etc. The fishballs are firm and the mee pok is al dente, with a QQ texture while the fishcakes are soft yet roughly textured and speckled with chilli and scallions. So yummy!

Nam Heng Chicken Rice

This chicken rice stall has been withstanding the test of time, having been a tenant at the old Ayer Rajah hawker centre and subsequently, shifting to the temporary tent when the hawker centre was under renovation and now, moving back into a hawker stall in Timbre+. Although we didn’t find the chicken rice ($3) impressive and there isn’t much to shoutout about this plate of popular local fare, this stall attracts old, loyal customers who have been patronizing them since they started business. There are also a Nasi Padang stall and teh tarik stall that were tenants at the old Ayer Rajah hawker centre.

Dancing Crab Shack

Dancing Crab Shack’s lobster rolls need no introduction. Located near the stage, their first fast-casual concept serves lobster roll, chicken & waffles and all your favourite combo bags. Paired with Cajun fries, the bread was toasted to a great crispiness with generous chunks of lobster meat that’s creamy and tasty.

The World Is Flat by Tanuki Raw

The World Is Flat by the same team behind Tanuki Raw, Standing Sushi Bar and Shinkasen has gone into a “revamped” pizza concept, inspired by Californian deep-dish pizzas, fusioned with Japanese tastes. We had a humongous slice of Fat Samurai ($9/slice, $49 whole pizza), which consisted of duck confit, bacon, prawn, burnt onions, smashed US beef, roasted cabbage, Konbu mayo, balsamic Okonomiyaki sauce, crispy bonito flakes, mozzarella and brie, atop an Umami charcoal crust. Honestly, one slice can be shared among 2-3 people as the toppings are abundant. Furthermore, with such a deep crust, it can be too heavy if you savour it alone.

Bottle Shop

What’s great food without great beer? At Bottle Shop, you won’t find the usual run-of-the-mill beers. Pick up a bucket at the start of the row of chillers and immerse yourself in the world of boutique, seasonal and limited edition beers at Bottle Shop. This is a rotating menu of beers, cheers!

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Besides the good eats mentioned above, you can also expect Kush (modern Singaporean skewers and rice bowls), Portico Platos (Spanish Tapas), Big Bern’s American Grill, Garcons (modern French food) and many other food truck concept stalls at Timbre+. This hawker centre is promoting a good “return-your-own-trays” initiative – the $1 tray return system! All the trays are microchipped here. When you order food and require a tray, you have to pay a dollar extra, which you can get back when you return the tray at the centralized collection unit. There are live music performances from Wednesday to Saturday nights, so grab your friends and family for a “party” at this hipster hawker centre!

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