Food – Singapore – DanielFoodDiary.com

“The cheapest Michelin meal in the world” Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle has gone on to open its 2nd restaurant.

The humble hawker stall at Chinatown literally received stardom when it was awarded one Michelin star in the Singapore Michelin Guide 2016.

This time, “Hawker Chan” can be found at 18 Tai Seng Street, a few steps away from Tsuta Ramen, opposite Tim Ho Wan. You can literally eat 3 different stars a day, in a way.

Prices still remain very affordable, with most items $5.00 and below, making it a suitable place for the family for a casual meal out.

The signature Soya Sauce Chicken Rice is priced at $3.80. Other offerings include Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle ($4.50), Soya Sauce Chicken Hor Fun ($4.50), Roasted Pork Rice ($4.50), Char Siew Rice ($4.00) and Pork Ribs Rice ($4.00).

A whole Soya Sauce Chicken is priced at $25.00, while half cost $13.00.

I add the disclaimer that perhaps you shouldn’t come here expecting “Michelin” quality food. After all, it was the hawker stall at Smith Street that received the star, not the air-conditioned eateries.

Ordering works on a self-service electronic system, and I thought the placement of tables made the space cramped, and hard for walking at certain sections. Do not sit near the entrance if you have the chance.

While I was blown away by the food at the hawker stall, mass production and diversification might have affected quality here.

The Soya Sauce Chicken Rice $3.00 (I added char siew for $3.00) wasn’t as tasty, lacked that aromatic oily scent, and rice was cooked slightly wet.

I read some reviews commenting that the Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle ($4.50) was too salty, and I had to agree with them. Like, what happened?

To be fair, the meats still retained about 60 – 70% of the quality I experienced last year, with the chicken still being slippery on its skin, with a tender yet firm bite.

Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle – Tai Seng
18 Tai Seng Street #01-02 Singapore 539775
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 9:00pm

Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle – Smith Street
78 Smith Street Singapore 059872
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 9:00pm

Hawker Stall: Blk 335, Smith Street #02-126, Chinatown Food Complex, Singapore 050335
Opening Hours: 10:30am to 7:00pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Fri), 8:30am to 7:00pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Wed

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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Remember the days when Singapore’ Satay Club was at Clarke Quay? I used to dine there as a teenager, when the group of us had the occasional class outings at The Satay Club. Nostalgia. That was 2005.

It seems apt that local Peranakan cuisine restaurateur Violet Oon has decided to open a satay grill restaurant right at Clarke Quay, paying homage of sorts to the popular food place during its heydays.

After Violet Oon Restaurant Singapore at Bukit Timah, and National Kitchen by Violet Oon at National Gallery, Violet and her children Su-lyn and Yiming seem to have put their experience and expertise well together, with this newest outlet appearing more polished in terms of décor and selection.

No expenses are spared in doing up the interior, and I enjoyed sitting near the glassed-in open kitchen where you can see the meats in full grill, I mean view.

It got rather warm though, so you could just imagine the heat the chefs have to endure within the enclosed kitchen while grilling.

Satay options include Chicken ($14), Pork done Hainan style ($16), Angus Beef ($18), Prawn ($20), and Tripe ($15).

Prices are definitely higher than the average satay you can get at the food centres, but I believe this can be a place you can introduce foreign guests to our local food, IF hawker centres are not their thing.

The grilled Angus Beef Satay is a must-order, surprisingly juicy and deliciously marinated in spices. Have a bite without additional sauce first, and savour that sweet spiced outer layer with smokiness.

The sticks are served in a sweet peanut sauce topped with grated pineapple – like how I remembered I had my satays.

One sauce, tons of flavour. I think it is about time that our local style of satay gets more international recognisation.

While I haven’t tried many items on the menu yet, those recommended and ordered were worthy of mention.

The Nasi Goreng Nyonya ($22) of fried jasmine rice with prawns, dried shrimps, sambal belacan, with fresh cucumber served with sambal ikan bilis hijau, was a pleasantly sumptuous dish full on in wok hei.

I find many restaurants are capable of decent rendition of fried rice, but few can rise beyond that with fragrance, flavour, distinct grains.

In Chinese, we call it ”li li xiang” which literally means every grain is fragrant. A dish where grains are separate enough to appreciate the texture, yet not being overly oily.

The dish of Garam Assam Barramundi with Pineapple and Ginger Flower ($32), reminded me of what my grandma would have cooked.

Every bite of the grilled local farmed barramundi had a multi-layered yet balanced taste of tangy pineapple, spices and sweet freshness of the fish.

If there is something to nitpick, other than the prices, it would be there making reservation was challenging hard. Messages went unanswered after their first reply; calls were mostly not picked up. Once it went through, but the person on the line was in another conversation.

There will be diners with higher spending power who would be willing to fork out more at restaurants such as these, because some of these nostalgic tastes are indeed hard to find in modern day Singapore.

When you think you lost something, but have it again, it can be something you will treasure.

Violet Oon Satay Bar & Grill
Clarke Quay 01-18-B, 3 River Valley Rd, Singapore 179024
Tel: +65 9834 9935
Opening Hours: 6:00pm – 12:00am Daily

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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Wok Hey, which is usually spelt as “Wok Hei”, literally translates to “breathe of the wok”.

It is what we as diners usually pursue in zi char dishes, and can be used to distinguish between outstanding stalls, and the not-so-impressive.

Not all chefs are able to achieve fullness of that, and can be a test to their skills especially in the field of Cantonese wok cooking.

Located at the basement of Bugis Junction Food Street, it is not difficult to miss the stall from its huge yellow signboard which screams “WOK HEY”.

Wok Hey is a takeaway kiosk, and its menu showcases zi char staples in cylindrical shapes, which I initially thought was a ‘cousin’ of Food Anatomy.

Until I noticed the text in italic fine print, “Pictures are for illustration purposes only”.

Here’s what I am skeptical about: Wok hei is usually achieved in restaurants and zi char eateries under conditions of intense heat. Can they do this within a kiosk of space constraints?

There are four items to choose from, and available in basic form:
– Egg Fried Rice ($5)
– Shanghai Fried Rice ($5.50)
– Fresh Ramen ($6)
– Fresh Udon ($6)

For meat lovers, simply add $0.80 for Grilled Chicken and $1.80 for Braised Beef or Seasoned Prawns option. Additional toppings are also available at $1 top-up.

Interesting to note, the range of toppings ingredients spans from Sous Vide Egg, Thai Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Tobiko to “Lap Cheong” (Chinese sausage). This could add a notch of premium-ness to ordinary egg fried rice.

While waiting for your order, you can also find entertainment in observing the wok masters doing their stir-fry tricks. Like imparting “qigong” which embed the smoky wok fragrance into every order.

So, WOK HEY got WOK HEI or not?

It was evident that all four items had an alluring wok hei aroma. I also liked how the usage of Japanese rice gave an additional bite texture to the fried rice.

However, taste turned out to be bland, and lacked the robustness expected from fried rice. Perhaps it was also because the combination toppings didn’t work out well.

The fried ramen and udon had a stronger savory note, though could be on the sweet side. Also not too sure about the texture this time.

While waiting for my orders, I overheard a couple who went:
“Looks interestingly leh, want to try?”
“Don’t want lah, so expensive for fried rice and looks so little.”

True that, you can easily get wok hei fried rice from zi char stall at half the price and twice the portion.

Good to announce Wok Hey has ’Wok Hei’.

It is still enjoyable to customize your own zi char staples with varied ingredients, which should gather some love from the nearby office crowd which would like easy take-away convenience.

Without the heat.

Wok Hey
200 Victoria Street #B1-K3, Bugis Junction, Singapore 188021
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Daily
https://www.facebook.com/wokheysg/

* Written by Lewis Tan @juicyfingers, a self-proclaimed coffee addict. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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After a short break, Wild Rocket by Chef Willin Low has returned, offering freshly-made pasta dishes.

In between, the lawyer-turn-chef Willin has reflected and rejuvenated with travels from Japan to the Northern Lights, to get further inspirations on both food and life.

He probably needed that rest, after being involved in many projects from urban contemporary local dishes with PO at Warehouse Hotel, home-grown Roxy Laksa at Timbre+ to curry puffs at petrol stations. Add the occasional appearances on television shows and movies.

Willin was kind of everywhere.

When asked why he would introduce pastas in his Mod-Sin restaurant Wild Rocket, ”Our Mod Sin pasta have been very well received so we thought how else to make it better. Since my sous chefs and I came from Italian restaurants background we thought, let’s do it.”

He added that he loved freshly made pasta, but it was hard to find that in Singapore even at some Italian restaurants.

”We are probably the only non-Italian restaurant making fresh pasta.”

You can experience the pasta from the ala carte menu ($29 – $30++), as part of the dinner four-course meal ($73++), or the Omakase meal ($128 for nine-course).

The 3 new signatures include Spanner Crab Ravioli & Daun Kesom Ravioli In Laksa Broth ($30), Thai Red Curry Duck Confit Fettuccine ($29), and Har Ji Spaghetti with Bottarga (cured fish roe), Prawns and Kaffir ($30). There would be some occasional specials, so you may like to check with the staff.

My favourite was the Thai Red Curry Duck Confit Fettuccine ($29). After a trip to Italy, I could attest that you almost cannot turn back after having so many types of freshly-made pasta – the bite, the chew, the mouthful is just different.

It managed to marry the richness, intensity and spiciness of this Thai dish well into the pasta, still full of flavours but not overly fiery. (Though some might still feel that notch of heat.)

I liked that there were Thai pea eggplants within, one of my favourite components in the Thai green curry, this time soft and easy on the bite.

Wild Rocket also has great affinity with Laksa. They always open the restaurant with a new Laksa dish, from Laksa Pesto Linguine to Laksa Uni Risotto.

This time, you get to experience Spanner Crab Ravioli & Daun Kesom Ravioli In Laksa Broth ($30). A tad pricey, but there are two types of hand-hand ravioli in a single dish – one with crab and prawns, the other with laksa pesto.

The broth was light yet lemak (coconuty-rich), as though as you are having a more delicate version of Roxy Laksa.

The other two pasta dishes that I tried, a Har Ji Spaghetti ($30) and Rendang Oxtail Pappardelle ($28) bordered on being more ordinary.

While inspired by the Hong Kong style shrimp egg roe noodles, the Har Ji Spaghetti felt ‘limp’, and the roe somehow couldn’t ‘lift’ up the taste as what I would have imagined.

Desserts can bring you back to childhood with Milo Dinosaur with Chocolate Tau Tew Tempeh Crunch Ice Cream ($16) and Pisang Cekodok Banana Kueh with Pineapple Sorbet & Salted Caramel ($16).

Wild Rocket
The Hangout Hotel, 10A Upper Wilkie Road, Singapore 228119
Tel: +65 6339 9448
Opening Hours: Lunch 12.00pm – 3.00pm Last Seating 2:00pm (Tues – Sat)
Dinner 6.30pm – 10.30pm Last Seating 9:30pm (Mon – Sat, Closed Sun)
Reserve Online Now – Wild Rocket

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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Popular prawn noodle stall Wah Kee Prawn Noodles from Pek Kio Food Centre which opened its 2nd branch at The Esplanade, is doing an unexpected.

Its 3rd outlet will be a kopitiam stall at Beach Road, back to more humble roots.

Wah Kee will price its their basic Prawn Noodles at $5, the same as the hawker stall at Pek Kio.

There are many fans of the signature Wah Kee Prawn Noodle With Large Sized Prawn (Dry/Soup), which will be priced at $20.

Good news is there will be no GST or service charge.

If I were to recommend, get the mee kia.

The noodles are specially made for Wah Kee and all base sauces such as the sambal chilli sauce and special spicy sauce are made in-house daily, using Wah Kee’s 65-year recipe.

For their 3rd outlet, the key feature will be a Wu Xiang Plater which will feature a medley of mainstays.

The stall is anticipated to open early April.

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles
Blk 1 Beach Rd #01-4757 Singapore 190001

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When some of my friends who were hardcore fans of Song Kee from Upper Serangoon heard of news of their closure in July last year, they were sad, devastated and lost appetite towards all fish ball noodles. No kidding.

This may bring light for those missing Song Kee’s signature herh keow (fish dumplings)… the shop has reopened.

Not the other one, but the original.

Song Kee Fishball Noodles, managed by 3 siblings, has relocated to 128 Tembeling Road, in Joo Chiat, right outside the main gate of Haig Girl’s School.

Do not be confused with Finest Songkee’s Fishball Noodle (which took over the space once occupied by the one-and-only Song Kee Fishball Noodles), or the one at Toa Payoh, or the one in Ang Mo Kio or even at Eunos.

ALL of which are run by their relatives, and not related to the original store.

For first-timers, just follow the person in front of you in the queue. Head towards the back of the shop (in front of the kitchen) to make your order, payment, grab a table number, find a table, sit down and wait.

I waited for one hour at the table before food came.

Fishball Noodles are available in Small ($4), Medium ($6) and Large ($8) where you get to choose from 6 different types of noodles: Mee Pok, Mee Kia, Yellow Noodles, Mee Tai Mak, Kuay Teow and Bee Hoon in either Dry or Soup version.

Opt for the Fishball Dumpling Soup if you crave for additional fishballs, HERH KEOW and tau pok are available at $6/$10.

So what’s the difference after Song Kee’s relocation to Joo Chiat?

Firstly, there will be two chefs instead of one to cater to the crowd.

One of them is the second brother and also the previous chef, recognised by his stylo gelled hair and the other is their younger sister.

Our hardcore friend (who ate as often as 2-3 times weekly at their Upper Serangoon outlet) was a tad disappointed with the noodles that day, the texture being on the softer (and soggy) side.

On further ‘investigation’, the gelled hair brother was cooking for takeaways, whereas the sister was the one handling the dine-in orders that day.

Suggestion: Enquire on the chef on duty for both dine-in or takeaway orders before making your decision.

Fans of their signature herh keow need not worry if the standard differs, because it doesn’t disappoint.

Prepared by the same youngest brother, the texture was amazingly smooth, slimy and slippery that it literally glides down the throat followed by bursts of juices after every bite.

Hand-made using Malaysian yellow-tail fish and a bit of tapioca flour for the flattened fish skin, a mixture of minced pork, shallots, fried garlic and flat fish bits were folded into dumplings.

The reward from this 50 minutes of hard work to create 80 dumplings is definitely worth the queue.

Secondly, there’s an ice cream counter named “Sng Gor” which means ‘ice cream’ in Teochew within the shop.

This is where traditional meets hipster, attracting the younger crowd (cues Haig Girl’s School students) to patronise them.

With 25 flavours (it’s no joke) such as Thai Milk Tea, Coconut, Gula Melaka and cones in 4 different colours (but not flavours) such as black, green, red and brown just because it’s “Instagram-worthy”.

Priced at $3.80 for a single scoop, $7 for double scoop, additional $1 for premium flavours such as D24 Durian and $0.80 for the cone, I enjoyed the texture which was creamy, with that obvious flavour.

One downside was that the ice cream melted really fast. It was really “Kang Kor” (“hassle’ in Hokkien) to eat at “Sng Gor” when the ice cream started dripping within a minute.

Thirdly, their operating hours had changed from 6pm – 1am to 11.30am – 9.30pm, serving lunch and dinner instead of their dinner and supper crowd.

Which means instead of queueing in the cooling evening weather, people in queue will probably have to tahan the afternoon heat.

Good food is always worth the queue, and Singaporeans won’t mind travelling and queuing for good food.

Go early as there’s a limited quantity of 800 – 1000 herh keow daily.

Parking can be a problem with a few parking slots along the narrow Tembeling Road and on weekdays where kiasu parents will stop their cars outside Haig Girl’s School to pick up their child.

Put enough carpark coupons, taking into account the queueing time, waiting time and photo-taking time before you start the (fish)ball rolling.

Song Kee Fishball Noodles
128 Tembeling Rd, Singapore 423638
Tel: +65 9336 2745
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 9.30pm (Mon-Sun)

* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW].

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The humble Nasi Lemak is getting ‘upgraded’ and atas with eateries such as The Coconut Club, Revolution Coffee, Crave and Folding Rice doing modern spins on the dish.

Village Nasi Lemak has joined the pack with an outlet opened at 57 Circular Road, a short distance from the heart of Raffles Place.

It has moved from Simpang Bedok, and you would be forgiven if you think it is a hipster pub with its colourful walls and mood lighting.

It has been re-branded to be an Asian tapas bar, with locally inspired ‘tapas’ such as Fried Chicken, Rendang Beef, and Sambal Sotong available at night from 6pm onwards.

The signature Nasi Lemak ($7.80) had to be ordered from a vending machine. One of those that was slow to react, and the staff could be too busy (napping) to help.

What I appreciated about this Nasi Lemak was its attempt to be different from others, with the inclusion of a truffle poached egg, cucumber cut in thin strips, and addition of deep fried crispy flour on the top of the rice for crunch.

It was a matter of getting used to a runny sous-vide egg instead of the typical sunny side up, but the truffle possibly went MIA – both in smell and appearance.

The coconut rice was soft and fragrant, delicious when mixed with the home-made sambal.

I imagined that the wings could have been juicer and crisper. Perhaps they were fried some time before hand in anticipation of the lunch time crowd.

Village Nasi Lemak Bar
57 Circular Road Singapore 049412
Tel: +65 6443 0400
Opening Hours: 10:00am – 10:00pm (Mon – Thurs), 10:00am till late (Fri), 12:00pm – 9:00pm (Sat), Closed Sun

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[New York City] Guilty. I haven’t heard of a Chomp Chomp restaurant at NYC until the video from Insider Food went viral, featuring ‘Singapore’ dishes such as Roti Jala, Chilli Crab Cheese Fries, Crab Omelette and Lamb Rendang Mee Pok.

My foodie friends went, ”What is this?”

So our foreign friends, you could find Chilli Crab Cheese Fries in some hipster cafés in Singapore, but not quite in the food centres. As for Lamb Rendang Mee Pok, I am waiting for someone here to sell it (Let me know if you do.)

I decided to take a look at the menu online, and saw that Chomp Chomp NYC featured more familiar dishes, such as Popiah, Orh Luak, Murtabak, Nasi Lemak, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Gu Bak Koay Teow, Sarawak Laksa, Char Kway Teow and Fried Hokkien Mee.

Now, I am tempted to fly over to try their version of Singapore food.

The name “Chomp Chomp” came from one of Singapore’s most popular food centres, located at Serangoon Gardens.

The NYC restaurant’s décor is not hawker-centre-ish though.

It has a Chinese-Peranakan looking design, with bamboo blinds, dark-wood bar and sepia-toned lighting. (No wonder the Criminal Minds Beyond Borders team would have thought Singapore was filled with red Chinese lantern and ching-chong music.)

Owner-Chef Simpson Wong first opened Café Asean in the West Village way back in 1996, and has decided to show New Yorkers an ‘authentic’ taste of Singaporean hawker food.

Here are some of the food you can expect from Chomp Chomp:

Popiah (USD$8.50)
Singaporean summer rolls with shrimp, jicama and snow pea

Oh Luak (USD$12.00)
Oyster omelet with garlic chives, chili vinegar sauce

Hah Zheung Gai (USD$10.50)
Shrimp paste chicken wings, Chinese celery, crispy garlic, chilies

Char Kway Teow (USD$14.00)
Wok fried rice noodles with clams and shrimps

Fried Hokkien Mee (USD$15.00)
Stir fried noodles with seafood and Yu Choy in seafood stock

BBQ Stingray (USD$15.00)
Grilled skate wrapped in banana leaves, calamansi sambal

I know some of the food items served do not quite look like the actual dishes served in the hawker centres in Singapore (perhaps 60% resemblance), especially the rather pale-looking Stingray in need of a tan.

Still, I think it is a good effort to provide such an extensive menu.

By the way, Chomp Chomp NYC was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand last year (insert *shocked* emoticon).

Let us wait for the day it gets a star. If there is Lamb Rendang Meepok, anything is possible. Never say never.

Chomp Chomp NYC
7 Cornelia Street (Between Bleecker Street & West 4th Street) New York, NY 10014
Tel: +1 212 929 2888
Opening Hours: 5:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Thurs, Sun), 5:30pm – 11:00pm (Fri – Sat)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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Chatterbox at Mandarin Hotel Singapore used to be the epitome of high-end chicken rice in Singapore.

It was considered a benchmark that many chicken rice eateries back then wanted to achieve, priced at 4 or 5 times more than the normal chicken rice. When I say “back then”, it could be in the 1970s and 80s.

Come 2017, the reverse may have just quite happened.

Chatterbox has started an “Express by Chatterbox” concept at Downtown Gallery Shenton Way, serving this classic Singapore dish and other local favourites at mostly $10 or below.

You must know that I heard so much about “Chatterbox Chicken Rice” during my teenage years, but could finally bear to afford a plate during adulthood after working. I had it a few times ever since. While standards have been slightly differing, there were all sumptuous.

So from $27++ to $8.00.

Accordingly, the method of preparation and the source of ingredients for Signature Chicken Rice and Signature Laksa Noodle with Prawn are the same as how they are served at Mandarin Orchard Singapore Chatterbox Café.

Expectedly, the presentation came a lot sadder looking (the very orangey lighting didn’t help), but give and take.

Well, I must say I still liked the chicken pieces, and had that gloss of oil wrapping around the slippery meat. I wished the portion was bigger.

The other supporting stars, in the roles of the chicken rice (perhaps slightly dry but still flavourful) and condiments of chilli and dark sauce, were note-worthy.

But it was something not quite the same anymore. I think a large part is also because other chicken rice eateries have been upping their game.

I was also recommended the Kolo Mee ($8.00) which unfortunately didn’t hit a home-run, marred by very soggy noodles.

Other local dishes to expect include Signature Laksa Noodles ($8.00), Yang Chow Fried Rice ($10.00), Wanton Mee ($8.00), White Curry Noodles ($8.00), and a couple of sides such as Crispy Lemon Chicken ($6.00) – which was not so crispy, Baked Honey Winglets ($5.00) and Chicken Ngoh Hiang ($5.00).

The “Chatterbox” branding may attract curious diners during the initial days, but I think a lot more has to be done I marketing and positioning it right, and moving beyond the chicken rice.

Express by Chatterbox
Downtown Gallery #01-04, 6A Shenton Way, Singapore 068815
Tel: +65 6220 0758
Opening Hours: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm, Last order 9:15 pm Daily

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[Updated June 2017] Kok Sen Restaurant is listed in Singapore Michelin Bib Gourmand 2017 and 2016.

Kok Sen Restaurant 國成球記菜社 on 30 Keong Saik Road has consistently been one of my favourite Zhi Char places in Singapore.

Bring on the Big Prawn Bee Hoon and Claypot Yong Tau Foo.

With a history of more than 37 years, it is known to serve different-from-usual wok-fried zhi char, with some dishes unique to this restaurant.

The regulars know the restaurant as “Kau Kee” – the name of the founder, while “Kok Sen” is his son. It is currently helmed by the third generation in the family.

Before being listed in the Singapore Michelin Bib Gourmand Guide, it was already very popular with locals.

Ever since it was recognised by Michelin, queues and waiting times have gotten longer, and prices seemed to have been adjusted even further upwards.

For tourists going to Kok Sen for the first time, do not expect a fancy restaurant, but a Singapore coffee-shop style eatery sans air-con.

Chinese words which are names of the signature dishes are written on orange paper, pasted in straight rolls across the wall, reminiscent of what the Hong Kong old-school eateries would have done.

Reservations are highly encouraged. If not, you got to wait anything from 30 minutes to an hour during peak hours. Bring more friends to share the food and calories, as dishes come in relatively sizable portions.

The signature dishes include Big Prawns Horfun ($16, $32, $48), Big Prawns Bee Hoon Soup ($16, $32, $48), Crispy Noodles with Shrimp Omelette ($12, $18 $36), Kung Pao Frogs Stir Fried with Dried Chilli ($20), Cereal Butter Squid ($14, $21, $28), Sambal Kangkong ($10, $14, $18), Black Pepper Beef ($14, $18, $24), and Thai Style Fried Rice ($6.50, $13, $19).

These are not your ordinary coffeeshop prices.

Know not what to order? Ask the friendly auntie.

This Cantonese-style restaurant most famous dish is its Big Prawns Bee Hoon Soup, costing a pricey $16 for the smallest portion in a seemingly humble zhi char place.

Yes, 16 bucks for hae mee!

But quoting a beauty brand, it is worth it. I have been ordering it almost every single time I come. My tip is to share the bowl with a friend, though as it is quite heavy and rich in taste.

The Big Prawn Bee Hoon arrived steaming hot with two huge fresh prawns, partly de-shelled so it is easier to eat.

The soup was thick, red, spicy, grainy with hints of belacan. So tasty that I would always finish it till the last drop. Some may find the stock a tad too thick and flavoursome though and may need to down some water.

HOWEVER, I must say that during the most recent meal, I thought that the broth somehow tasted more diluted than usual, as though something was missing.

Kok Sen’s Big Prawn Crispy Noodles ($16) which looked like the typical ‘shen mian’ also had a unique style unseen in other zi char restaurants. The noodles looked wrapped with the fluffy egg like a pillow-case.

Other than the fact the prawns were larger than large, the noodles remained crisp, fried in delicious starchy – spicy gravy with a nice wok hei flavour.

In the latest revamped menu, I couldn’t spot the signature Claypot Yong Tau Foo anywhere. (Did I miss it?) As though it is now part of a *secret* menu. (Another *secret* dish is the Boneless Chicken stuffed with Seafood Paste, available only during the weekends.)

Anyway, it is most often sold out. 7 out of 10 times I was there, it was already not available.

Arriving sizzling-hot with thick gooey sauce in a claypot, Kok Sen’s version is quite unlike others.

The pieces tasted more ‘luxe’ than normal, due to the inclusion of fish, prawn, and squid which would give them a better bite. Also the brown sauce was so addictive, simple pleasures when poured over plain rice. (MSG alert).

Common feedback about Kok Sen is while the dishes are generally appetising, they tend to be on the saltier side.

Perhaps due to the popularity and crowd, Kok Sen didn’t taste as magical as it used to be, but still remained reliable.

Kok Sen Restaurant
No 30 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089137
Opening Hours: 12.00am – 2.00pm, 5.00pm – 11.00pm (Mon – Sun)
Note: Closed on alternate Mondays

Read: DFD Singapore Michelin Bib Gourmand Reviews

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There seemed to be more tourists than Singaporean locals queuing for Song Fa Bak Kut Teh at the flagship unit of 11 New Bridge Road.

You can hear a spattering of different languages of people in the queue… Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English in all sorts of accents.

Some were looking at their mobiles, many armed with guide books, and there were times when a busload of tourists would just descend all of the sudden. They looked excited, they took selfies with the menu and signboard.

It was almost like a place of interest.

Bah Kut Teh literally means “meat bone tea”, consisting of tender pork ribs simmered in a complex broth of herbs and peppery spices. The dih can be considered as one of Singapore’s iconic local street food.

I used to dine at Song Fa at 11 New Bridge Road during the good old days quite regularly, because my office was just nearby.

Then it expanded, tourists starting coming, and everything started becoming more commercialised.

Not that it is any bad, it is just an inevitable step for F&Bs to survive in an ever-evolving Singapore.

You would notice two queues here. The 2nd at 17 New Bridge Road would lead to an air-conditioned space, whereas the other side would be slightly warmer.

A bit of Song Fa Song Fa Bak Kut Teh’s history, founded in Singapore in 1969 by a Mr Yeo Eng Seng who learned his skills as a stall assistant.

He subsequently opened a shop at Victoria Street selling a clear peppery Teochew take of this dish and complementary side dishes, and found popularity. His son eventually took over, modified the recipe by having more tender pork ribs.

I think the 2nd generation did quite a good job as the restaurant is brought to greater heights.

The queue system was fast and efficient: take a number, read the menu, make your orders, once you get the seat the food would come very soon.

During the ‘good old days’, I would have to wave multiple-times to get attention from the service staff to fill up my soup.

Now, they do it automatically and repeatedly. Service with a smile.

Song Fa sells a variety of items from Premium Pork Ribs Soup ($11.50), Pork Ribs Soup ($7.00), Pig’s Kidney Soup ($7.50), Pig’s Tail Soup ($6.00), Pork Tenderloin ($6.50), and Sliced Fish Soup ($6.50).

Side dishes include Braised Pig’s Trotter ($7.00), Braised Pig’s Intestine ($7.00), Braised Pork Belly ($7.00), Braised Chicken Feet with Beancurd Skin ($4.00), Groundnuts ($1.50), Salted Vegetable ($1.50) and various vegetables such as Cai Xin, Xiao Bai Cai and Kai Lan ($4.00).

They have recently introduced a new side of Homemade Ngoh Hiang ($8.50) which I thought was not too bad.

I asked what the difference was between the Premium Loin ($11.50) and normal Pork Ribs Soup ($7.00). The server recommended me the normal, cheaper version. Strange.

The pork pieces had differing qualities, one fell off the bone easily, the other two pieces were tougher. So some inconsistency there.

I still liked the clear peppery and garlicky aromatic soup, when hot and piping, would give a high as you sipped the broth down.

Compared to some other brands which would be overly-peppery, I think Song Fa ranks 6.5 out of 10 for pepper-level.

I have grown a liking for the Sliced Fish Soup ($6.50). While the fish was not the freshest of all, it made a decent, comforting meal if you won’t want to have something too heavy.

Bak Kut Teh fans would tell you there are better brands out there, and certainly this same dish had sprout many versions, many variations.

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh happened to be at an iconic tourist spot (opposite Clarke Quay), with sound marketing, and a taste that most would find acceptably-pleasant.

Being listed in the Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore was also a mark of some quality assurance.

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
11 New Bridge Road, #01-01 Singapore 059383 (Upper Circular Road)
Tel: +65 6533 6128
Opening Hours: 9:00am – 9:15pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Other branches:
Clarke Quay: 17 New Bridge Road #01-01 Singapore 059386
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 10:00pm (Mon – Sun)

Chinatown Point #01-04, 133 New Bridge Road Singapore 059413
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 9:30pm, Last order 9:15pm (Mon – Sun)

UE BizHub East (North Tower Office)
6 Changi Business Park Ave 1 #01-38 Singapore 486017
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 9:15pm (Mon – Sun)

The Seletar Mall, 33 Sengkang West Ave #01-39/40/41
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

JEM, 50 Jurong Gateway Road #B1-09 Singapore 608549
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Read: Singapore Michelin Bib Gourmand – DFD Reviews

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That McDonald’s Nasi Lemak Burger got me all craving for REAL Nasi Lemak.

Fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, accompanied with deep-fried chicken wings, otah otah, ikan bilis and peanuts, eggs, cucumber slices, and sambal chilli.

The popular places to get this iconic local dish include Power Nasi Lemak (Boon Lay), Selera Rasa (Adam Road Food Centre), Fong Seng (Clementi), Chong Pang Nasi Lemak (Sembawang), Market Street Nasi Lemak (Golden Shoe), and Mizzy Corner (Changi Village).

I usually just go to the ones at Tanjong Pagar Food Centre and Qiji (because it is nearby and convenient).

There are a few more modern eateries where you can get Nasi Lemak. Here are 7 of them:

The Coconut Club
NO. 6 Ann Siang Hill, Singapore 069787 (Chinatown MRT)
Tel: +65 6635 2999
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 3:00pm, 6:00pm – 9:30pm (Tues – Sun)

$12.80 Nasi Lemak At Ann Siang That Got People Queuing
The Coconut Club got into the foodie limelight with their $12.80 Nasi Lemak, served at the hipster district of Ann Siang Hill.

Here is what’s so special about the rice: Old crop Thai Jasmine Rice is used. Coconuts are from one specific plantation in Sabak Bernam, and type is called the MAWA (The Malaysian West African strain).

This coconut milk is squeezed in-house, and has a creamier, richer texture.

Like the rice – it was lovely and fluffy. The chicken was the other tasty element, rubbed with lemongrass, galangal and turmeric, carrying with it Asian flavours rather than just a generic fried chicken. After all that hype, some say ”over-rated” though. The Coconut Club (Ann Siang)

Village Nasi Lemak Bar
57 Circular Road Singapore 049412
Tel: +65 6443 0400
Opening Hours: 10:00am – 10:00pm (Mon – Thurs), 10:00am till late (Fri), 12:00pm – 9:00pm (Sat), Closed Sun

Humble Hawker Food Gets ‘Upgraded’ With Truffle Egg
Village Nasi Lemak has opened an outlet at 57 Circular Road, a short distance from the heart of Raffles Place.

It has been re-branded to be an Asian tapas bar, with locally inspired ‘tapas’ such as Fried Chicken, Rendang Beef, and Sambal Sotong available at night from 6pm onwards.

Revolution Coffee
Infinite Studio, 21 Media Circle #01-03A Singapore 138562
Tel: +65 6777 2110
Opening Hours: 9am – 6pm Daily

$4.90 Nasi Lemak In A Hipster Café
A plate of Crispy Fried Chicken Nasi Lemak at Revolution Coffee is priced at a friendly $4.90.
Options with Crispy Pork, 5 Spiced Pork Confit, Beef Rendang or Chicken Rendang are still at a wallet-friendly $7.90 to $9.90.

The fragrant rice is painstakingly cooked by twice steaming over a three-hour period, ensuring a fluffy texture and a lemak taste which is not too heavy.

Compared to the hawker centre ones which are generally oily and richer in taste, I like how delicate this is, complete with light aroma.

CRAVE @ ION Orchard
Ion Orchard #B4-58/59, 2 Orchard Turn Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 6238 7181
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 9:30pm

Originated From Adam Road Nasi Lemak
CRAVE houses both the popular Adam Road Nasi Lemak by Selera Rasa, as well as the Amoy Street Teh Tarik by Rafee’s Corner in the same place.

A normal Nasi Lemak set would be between $4.90 and $5.90, while a Royal Rumble with Chicken Wing, Bergedil and Kuning Fish is at $6.90. Top up $1 for Otah Otah.

The current owner attributes it to the family recipe that emphasizes on the 4 key ingredients: basmati rice, sambal chilli, chicken wing and otah otah.

The winning element to me was the Sambal Chilli, specially cooked with both Indian and Japanese chillies. Crave (ION Orchard)

Ponggol Nasi Lemak
371 Jalan Besar #01-01 Singapore 2089998
Tel: 65 6293 0020
Opening hours: 12:00pm – 11:00pm Daily, Closed Thurs

Supper Haunt At Jalan Besar
Ponggol Nasi Lemak goes upmarket, like a local version of a fast-food restaurant.

For convenience, there are four sets. I foresee many would order the Set 3, a double chicken wing and ikan bilis (anchovies) plate at $5.

There are some house specialities which can also be found at this Jalan Besar outlet – crispy chicken skin with curry leaves ($1.50 per serving), ngoh hiang ($1.50 per piece) and seafood dumpling ($1.60 for 2 pieces).

Thai Hom Mali grain is used for the rice, which did give it an edge – long grained, aromatic, resonating with flavours of coconut milk.

The overall feel was dry, compared to some other nasi lemak rice which could be more moist and fluffy. The winner is really in its home-made sambal chilli sauce, which brought the chicken wings (and other items) to another level. Ponggol Nasi Lemak (Jalan Besar)

Food Anatomy
Tanjong Pagar Centre, #B2-04, 1 Wallich Street, Singapore 757492 (Near Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Opening Hours: 7.30am – 10:00pm (Mon – Fri), 11:00am – 10:00pm (Sat – Sun) (may close earlier on Sundays)

Nasi Lemak In A Cube
These deconstructed savoury cake-sized items from Food Anatomy are Instagram-able down to each colourful layer.

Prices are 2 cubes for $6.80, 3 cubes for $9.90, 18 cubes for $39 or 24 cubes for $75.

The Nasi Lemak – complete with chili and ikan bilis topping – was beautifully constructed with otah, coconut rice and egg. A sumptuous and fragrant treat which could be a hit if marketed properly.

Additional note: After the Nasi Lemak cube still tasted not too bad after takeaway and microwave. Food Anatomy (Tanjong Pagar Centre)

(Photo credit: @juicyfingers)

Route 12
No 12/13 Pahang Street, Singapore 198613

Nasi Lemak With Giant Sotong
Route 12 famous for their Nasi Lemak Sotong King ($18) with a ‘giant’ deep fried squid will be moving from 45 Sam Leong to Pahang Street at the Kampong Glam area.

And that Nasi Lemak Burger which triggered this post…

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If you find yourself at Ka-Soh Restaurant, also known as Swee Kee Fish Head Noodle House at College Road, you may find yourself walking back in time.

”Are we at the right place? You sure” As my friend parked with that suspicious look at Alumni Medical Centre (which is near Singapore General Hospital).

We walked into the clubhouse, feeling like it never changed since the 1980s, and found Ka-Soh Restaurant on the furthest right hand side.

Compared to the Amoy Street outlet, the College Road branch felt like a throwback to Chinese restaurants of yesteryears, with simple furniture and old-school tablecloths.

The chain also has 2 outlets in Malaysia and 1 in Indonesia

Ka-Soh has been featured on the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2016 and 2017, and is one of the few restaurants that can count various celebrities from Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and even the USA as its customers. Perhaps the last point was more relevant in the past.

Some of the signatures include the Sliced Fish Noodle Soup ($7.50++ for a single serving, $24++ for 3-4 persons, $38++ for 5-6 persons), Prawn Paste Chicken ($15.50++), Spare Pork Ribs (18.5++), Deep Fried Frog with Ginger (22++), Sambal Cuttlefish (18++), Beef and Fresh Crab Meat Hor Fun with Black Bean Sauce and Egg (18++), Fried Yam (8++).

The restaurant still cooks its signature Fish Noodle Soup in a traditional style.

The kitchen would first deep fry the snakehead fish bones, cook the stock for hours till it forms a white, almost-milky base. Many fish soup stalls now use the short cut by adding evaporated milk to give that creamy mouth feel, but Ka-Soh still use the labour-intensive way.

The soup is paired with simple ingredients of white rice noodles and crunchy vegetables, and you could taste traces of wine that made it more uplifting.

I was a fan of the soup which wasn’t too intense or ‘fake-tasting’ (as they don’t add evaporated milk), like it was full of natural goodness.

However, I thought that the fish slices could have been thicker and fresher – was it because I usually go during dinner times?

The other highlight of the meal was the Prawn Paste Chicken ($15.50++), better known as Har Cheong Gai.

I would consider the plate I had as one of the top 10 in Singapore, where there was an obvious prawn-paste flavour and aroma. The pieces were deep-fried golden brown and crisp, considered relatively juicy.

Two of my other recommended stir-fried noodles would be the Fish Slices with Tossed Hor Fun and Bean Sprouts or San Lou Hor Fun ($10), and Hor Fun with Dark Sauce Yue Guang He ($9).

The former was a comforting dish of soft rice noodles with crunchy bean sprouts. I also liked that it had sufficient wok hei and not too salty. (Perhaps they were also giving consideration to doctors working in the vicinity?)

Most reviews would comment that Ka-Soh used to taste much better in the past, standard has dropped, and there are other zi char places around Singapore with similar or better quality.

I suspect so as well. With that said, the staff here was helpful (during less busy dinner times) and it is still worth a visit for its Sliced Fish Soup and Prawn Paste Chicken.

Just wondering: Would the millennials of Singapore want to visit a heritage restaurant like Ka-Soh (without parents asking them to)?

Ka-Soh Restaurant
Alumni Medical Centre 2 College Road, Singapore 169850
Tel: +65 6473 6686
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30am – 2:30pm, Dinner 5:30pm – 9:30pm
http:// www.facebook.com/KaSohSingapore

96 Amoy Street Singapore 069916
Tel: +65 6224 9920
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:45am – 2:30pm, Dinner 5:30pm – 10:45pm

Read: Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore – Other DFD Reviews

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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A claypot rice shop at the top of Dempsey seems novel, and a step forward to spreading the local food culture to the more upmarket side.

Good to find some hearty local sar poh fan at Dempsey anyway – known for many of its bars and restaurants, but few of such humble nature.

Chef-Owner Justin Foo looks like he has it all, 20-something, good-looking (think most will agree, I wonder what skincare products he use. Care to share, Justin?), with cooking experience at Restaurant Par Andre (current JAAN), Le Saint Julien, Senso Ristorante and Bar, and was also F&B Manager with Sodexo Singapore. (Sorry, think my photo didn’t do him justice. He looks better in person.)

He is helped by follow co-owner and Head Bartender KC Rahmat with 14 years of experience in the industry.

Provisions brands itself as Singapore’s first Skewers & Claypot Rice Cocktail Bar. The place is dark (horrid for food instagrammers, so perhaps time to leave cameras aside), and music is loud. Think whoever is in control of the playlist has a penchant for Beyonce.

There is some nostalgic factor as as kachang puteh and other old-school titbits are left around. You can take some and choose to “Tip-Bits” the staff as there is no service charge.

There is also FREE kopi-o from a kettle, next to where they place the utensils and chilli sauces.

The restaurant-bar focuses in Claypot Rice, and its highlight include Seafood Rice ($16.00), Mixed Pork ($14.00), Oyster Omelette Rice ($18) and Oyster & Uni Rice ($28).

This is complemented with small plates of Muar Otah aka Mackerel Fish Cakes ($6), Oyster & Omelette ($8); KFC – Korean Fried Cauliflower ($10), and Pig Ear Fritters ($12); and skewers of Chicken Thigh, Octopus and Pork Jowl priced between $4 – $10.

I ordered a Mixed Pork Rice ($14), and I do need to highlight claypot rice does need some time to be cooked properly.

While portion is meant for one, it was still comforting with generous ingredients compared to the proportion of rice. Pork jowl, pork belly and intestines were in the mix – don’t think there was salted fish.

The dark sauce was already poured in for you – half the fun omitted, but I still enjoyed the fragrant charred bits at the bottom.

Not to be missed is the KFC ($10), actually Korean Fried Cauliflower, made to taste like Fried Chicken. The pieces were piping hot, soft on the inside, crispy batter coated with sweet-soy sauce.

Who would have known cauliflower could be this addictive?

The recommended Oyster & Omelette ($8) however, had parts that were unevenly salty, and oysters didn’t taste THAT fresh.

I liked the whole premise and concept of Provisions – it was both promising and fun.

However, I wished to see more local food being incorporated, such as Satay or a fusion of it, rather than yakitori-type skewers which was half-too burnt.

Provisions
7 Dempsey Road Singapore 249671
Tel: +65 6250 7090
Opening Hours: 4:00pm – 1:00am (Tues – Thurs), 4:00pm – 2:00am (Fri – Sat), 10:30am – 3:00pm (Sun), Closed Mon

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”Legend has it that there is a Makcik with chicken rice skills second to none.”

Kudos to the Makcik Chicken team for their superb social media marketing, that gave me laughs for their hilarious videos and photo captions.

I am not sure if Makcik is even there (“Makcik” is an affectionate term for an older woman.) They claim that Makcik would prefer to serve from the premises of her kitchen, and stay away from the celebrity spotlight.

However, this secret character got me curious enough to want try her/their food.

Makcik Chicken is a Muslim-owned takeout shop co-owned by a husband and wife team who used to work in advertising firms.

As to how to get a box of their ‘legendary’ Confirm Steeemmm Chicken Rice ($9.50), you can find them at certain food festivals, or order via their website, Deliveroo, Ubereats or Honestbee.

The brown cardboard packaging was already quite-win already, with wooden utensils, and accompanying sauces within the box.

Ah… the fragrance of chicken rice.

Eh, eh, instead of the usual long-grained rice, Makcik used the shorter-grained Japanese rice cooked with chicken stock, ginger, garlic and pandan leaves.

The rice wasn’t too greasy or overly flavourful on its own. However when you pour the combination of three sauces in – red chilli, green chill and dark sauce, the rice would absorb them better.

I didn’t have intention to finish the rice (carbs, carbs, carbs), but was pretty sedap that it became hard to stop eating. Maybe I was hungry.

The sous vide chicken garlic-infused chicken thigh was moist and in good portion. Then I realised ”Hey, no bones” and Makcik Chicken would be suitable for the ‘lazy’ people who could also dislike dirtying their fingers.

Other than sweet cherry tomatoes, another commendable inclusion was the Hanjuku egg. While the yolk was runny, I though the flavours was lacking, and Makcik could perhaps try-try to learn how the Japanese ramen shops do theirs.

I also ordered a Makcik Magic ($10), supposed a specially brewed Jambu Jampi (guava) juice. It arrived in a bottle in deep green colour and sparkles. Makcik also become hipster!

Makcik Chicken
77 Aliwal Street Singapore 199948
(Note: Made available to order via Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Honestbee)
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 8:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/makcikchicken

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Beach Road Scissors Cut Curry Rice 美芝律剪刀剪咖喱饭 was one of the pioneers of Scissor Cut Curry Rice, somewhat like your chye png stall with ingredients cut up for easier consumption, drenched with various gooey sauces.

The Hainanese shop has opened a new branch at Upper Thomson, taking over the space left behind by dim sum eatery Hua Nam.

Somehow while this is a NEW shop, the interior looked like it has stood through the test of time… anyway…

I believe some of my food has yet to try this ‘uninstagrammable’, combination which looked unappetising with dark braising sauce卤汁, Hainanese curry, and other types of sauces drenched all over rice.

The Hainanese curry is said to be cooked with over 20 different ingredients, with sweet-spicy taste and moderately slimy texture.

The cutting of the meat with the traditional scissors created a ‘click-clack’ sound, and also the signature branding to this popular supper hunt.

Some of the recommended must-tries included the Braised Pork, Crispy Pork Chop, Fried Cabbage, Prawn Roll, and Fried Egg.

However, the worrying thing for new customers is there are no labels or price tags, and you never really know how much you are going to pay till you reach the cashier.

Also, the price I paid in the end (almost $15) was more expensive than what I remember this was. It was more or less $10plus for similar items the last time I had this at Beach Road.

My personal favourite dish was the Braised Pork, sliced into thin rectangular shapes, of tender meat braised in a dark greasy sauce. The cabbage was cooked till pale green and squashy, but tastefully soft.

While deep fried items are typically tempting, the chicken chop I had was dry and cold, possibly left on the shelves for a very long time.

The combination somehow lacked of the “wow” factor I had remembered fondly years back.

Beach Road Scissors Cut Curry Rice (Thomson)
244F Upper Thomson Road Singapore 574369
Opening Hours: 11.00am – 11.00pm Daily

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A noodle house has opened at the corner unit of the shophouses along River Valley Road, previously occupied by GREAThai and Teochew Cuisine Restaurant.

Lao You Xuan Noodle Kitchen 老友轩 specialises in Fishball Mee Pok, Sliced Fish Soup, Nasi Lemak and Laksa.

I have been there a number of times, because it was that hard to find decent local noodles in that area.

Other eateries along the same stretch include Spize and Boon Tong Kee, typically crowded, but not every shop there enjoys the same popularity. A friend urged me to write about Lao You Xuan because … One Night Only a few shops away has closed.

The food is not expensive, considered this is an air-conditioned eatery with some form of service.

The Mee Pok Dry is priced at $4.50, while the Signature version is $7.50. The difference is the inclusion of a bigger bowl of soup with sliced fish and deep fried fish roll.

I find the Mee Pok above average when compared to other hawker stalls in Singapore, tossed in a sauce similar to Bak Chor Mee but without that vinegary taste.

The main draw for me was the soup which was tasty and not overly salty, with a good mix of ingredients.

The Fish Roll was similar to deep fried tau kee, more appetising when it absorbed some of the soup and sauces.

However, the signature may lack of the unique X-factor that would draw people from all parts of the island here.

I must have tried all the side dishes over time, and think they deserve some special mention.

The Deep Fried Joint Wings ($6.00 for 6 pieces) were well-marinated and juicy; and Ah Mah Vege ($3.80) usually fresh and crunchy.

Lao You Xuan Noodle Kitchen is a humble family-run place, with not-bad food at affordable pricing. The eatery is not always crowded, and staff would take time to explain the dishes.

Lao You Xuan Noodle Kitchen 老友轩
413 River Valley Road Singapore 248311
Tel: +65 6235 1533
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 10:30pm (Mon – Fri), 9:30am – 10:30pm (Sat – Sun)

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People have asked me when the next food trend is, and I said Singaporeans would likely go back to “heritage food” and “back in the roots”.

It wasn’t surprising to find Folklore full-house on a weekend evening. I saw large families, groups who brought other ang moh friends, all gathered in anticipation of a feast.

Folklore is helmed by Chef Damian D’Silva, in which the menu constitutes a nostalgic homage to the food he grew up with as a child of Eurasian-Peranakan parentage – Eurasian on his father’s side, Peranakan on his mother’s.

The dishes he cooked up were reflective of the major racial cuisines of Singapore, made from scratch, using largely manual kitchen methods.

The restaurant is located on Level 2 of Destination Singapore Beach Road, a new hotel managed by the Park Hotel Group. I didn’t know of its existence previously, and it is found right next to ‘mini-Thailand’ Golden Mile Complex.

Peranakan food has always been a part of my growing up years, as I remember fondly pounding chillis as my ah-ma wanted to make rempah, and she would make several things from scratch, including kueh pie tee shells.

Recommended dishes at Folklore included Singgang ($20), a long-lost Eurasian dish of wolf herring, de-boned and cooked in a non-spicy paste; Mulligatawny ($14) – an Anglo-Indian dish of shredded chicken and spices in a chicken broth; Hati Babi Bungkus ($18), a Peranakan dish of minced pork and liver wrapped in caul fat then grilled; and Pork Leg with Salted Vegetables ($16) stewed till meltingly soft.

I was intrigued by the Sambal Buah Keluak Fried Rice ($22), a signature dish Chef Damian created in 2001.

It featured the labourious ingredient of Buah Keluak in which the pulp of the nut has to be extracted by hand one at a time. I find not many dishes can serve up a mean version of Fried Rice. It may look easy to cook, but very difficult to present an impressive one – a test of the chef’s wok skills.

This version was wonderful – fragrant, almost every grain evenly cooked and flavoursome, complete with the much-needed wok-hei.

I loved the Ayam Lemak Chilli Padi ($20), which reminded me of my ah-ma’s cooking.

The chicken pieces were cooked till tender-soft, and the curry-like thick gravy was rich with spiciness that went so shiok with rice.

The only dish I did not fancy that much was the Ngoh Hiang ($14) of minced pork, prawns and water chestnut wrapped in beancurd skin. Perhaps the flavours were too subtle and fillings could be juicier. I am saying this in comparison to the other dishes.

I was already about to leave after a fulfilling meal, but decided to add in a dessert order of Kueh Bengkah with Ice Cream ($10).

No regrets!

After having so many so-so versions elsewhere, this baked golden-yellow tapioca cake had a slight crisp on the outside, with semi-soft and moist texture. Absolutely pleasurable with ice cream. (Was it coconut ice cream though?)

Without intention to sound old, I think Folklore will appeal to people my generation and above, because you really cannot find such dishes so easily in Singapore anymore – the type that grandma will cook so lovingly and put on the family table. Because it is good for you.

Folklore
Destination Singapore Beach Road, 700 Beach Road, Level 2, Singapore 199598
Tel: +65 6679 2900
Opening Hours: Lunch 12:00pm – 2.30pm Last order 2.15pm,
Dinner: 6:00pm – 9.30pm Last order 9.15 pm

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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2017 can be the year of Mod-Sin. Restaurant Labyrinth won a Michelin Guide; Nasi Lemak became a burger; and Lobster Nasi Lemak getting a 2-hour queue.

Is Jiakpalang Eating House, the new makan spot at Alexandra going to be next in line?

The name “Jiakpalang” is a playful take on the Singlish term “chapalang”, referring to a coming-together of seemingly unrelated things. Anything goes.

It serves up Singapore food and zhi char fare with a modern and playful take, all at affordable everyday prices.

I was surprised to see Executive Chef Nixon Low behind the counter, previously from Portico – and he did some fanciful yet tasty dishes there in the past.

Some of the dishes you can expect from Jiakpalang include Bak Kut Teh Jelly with You Tiao ($9), Charcoal Katarosu Pork Collar ($16), Yuzu Lala Clams ($12), Salted Egg Soft Shell Crab ($12), ‘Ang Ji Kao’ Stout-Braised Beef Cheek ($17), and Low’s unique take on the iconic Milo Dinosaur ($8).

Overall, I think that Jiakpalang is promising, but it needs some fine tuning here and there, especially in terms of its identity and the naming of some of the dishes.

In terms of décor, I wasn’t exactly sure what it was trying to achieve with its two entirely different look.

The front was skewed towards a comfortable bistro setting in earthy colours; while the back part with red chairs retro posters cheekily printed “Where’s my Lontong” and “We can Tarik” was a lot more casual.

The dish of Har Cheong ($13) demonstrated the possible potential of the restaurant. It was unexpected, and I liked it very much.

A deconstructed Prawn Paste Chicken of sorts, with chicken roulade having that distinct aroma associated with the zhi char dish, was presented with shredded purple cabbage.

It was tasty, it was also fun.

The Charcoal Katarosu Pork Collar ($16) came in a plate of brown ‘soil’, drizzled over with Kopi-C sauce, wok-fried with garlic chives.

The combination of slight-bitter-sweet coffee and savoury meat worked well, though the presentation alone wasn’t the most inviting. Don’t judge a dish alone by its look.

I also had the “Bak Kut Teh” with You Tiao, though this was the dish that turned out to be disappointing, as it didn’t capture the essence of the local pork rib dish in terms of pepperiness and robustness.

Diners enjoy Mod-Sin food because it is both familiar yet playful.

By and large, most of the dishes on the menu seemed to be quite experimental, so I think they can afford to up that element of familiarity to appeal to a larger crowd.

Jiakpalang Eating House
456 Alexandra Rd #01-06 Fragrance Empire Building Singapore 119962 (Next to Alexandra Retail Centre, Labrador Park MRT station)
Opening Hours: Lunch 11.30am to 3pm Last order at 2.30pm,
Tea 3pm to 6pm
Happy Hour 3pm to 8pm
Dinner 6pm to 10pm
(Mon – Fri), Closed Sat – Sun

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Jiakpalang Eating House – Local Zhi Char Dishes Modernised. Expect Har Cheong Roulade, Kopi C Pork Collar, Yuzu Lala appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

ABC Brickworks Food Centre is one of the first hawker centres to be built in Singapore in 1970, and is located at 6 Jalan Bukit Merah.

In terms of location, it is about a 10 minutes’ walk from IKEA, Queensway Shopping Centre, and there is another food centre Alexandra Village diagonally opposite.

The origin of its name is an interesting one, said to be named after “Archipelago Brewery Company”, the first commercial brewery in Singapore.

10 Must-Try Stalls At ABC Brickworks Food Centre

Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng Fried Hokkien Mee
Unit #01-13
Opening Hours: 3pm – 10:45pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Sun) Closed Sun

40 Years Old Hokkien Mee Stall
This stall has been around for close to 40 years, and is run by the second generation Mr Toh (who is often seen wearing goggles). His father used to sell the noodles on a pushcart, and moved to this food centre in the 80s.

While there are other Hokkien Mee stalls in the same hawker centre, Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng seems to get the longer queue BUT auntie serving may be grouchy at times. Don’t step on her toes.

The noodles comes with a sizeable amount of toppings including prawns and pieces of pork belly. What makes it special is the sambal chili with bits of ikan bilis. It is generally drier with good wok-hei.

Havelock Rd Blk50 Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee
Unit #01-100
Opening Hours: 10.30am – 10.30pm (Wed – Mon), Closed Tues

Hokkien Mee with Shiok Sambal Chilli
Actually, I usually order from this stall because the queue is shorter, has more zhup (sauce), and I liked it with fresh cut chillis.

The stall sells Hokkien Mee in 3 sizes ($3, $4, $5), with each batch cooked fresh to order.

The stall started out close to 50 years ago at Havelock Road Blk 50 as has been run by the same couple. However, as uncle and auntie are growing old, I noticed that they do not open the stall as often as before, and is often closed.

Yong Kee Famous Fish ball Noodle
Unit #01-121
Opening Hours: 7am – 2am (Mon – Sun)

Handmade Fishballs with Bouncy Texture
If I need to look for food late at night here, this is my go-to-stall (other than Gu Zao Ren opposite). Yong Kee Famous Fish ball Noodle has been in operation for more than 20 years and opens until 2am daily.

The stall sells typical noodle dishes including Bak Chor Mee and Fishball Noodles ($3, $4). The noodles are relatively springy, but the handmade fishballs and meatballs are definitely the highlight.

Before the two, I liked the juicy meatballs better which include a mix of ingredients.

Fatty Cheong Roast
Unit #01-120
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 8.30pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed Thurs

Char Siew Cooked In Traditional Charcoal Oven
Fatty Cheong Roast serves some of the best Char Siew around in Singapore – nicely char, good balance of lean meat and fats, and melts in your mouth.

The stall sells all three of the typical roast meats: char siew, roast pork belly and roast duck, price reasonable from $3 onwards.

The thick gravy added to the fragrant rice complements the flavour of the meats.

Fatty Cheong has trained his two sons in the art of roasting meat in order to take over the family business and they have also opened two other outlets in Toa Payoh and Hougang.

If you want to try Roast Pork Noodles, another Fatty Cheong stall can be found at the back of ABC Brickworks Food Centre.

Wow Wow West
Unit #01-133
Opening Hours: 10.30am – 9pm (Tues – Sat), Closed Sun, Mon

Quality Western Food With Huge Portion
Wow Wow West which started as a school canteen stall, employs a number of ex-offenders in order to provide them a second chance to give back to society. (Christian Hokkien and Mandarin songs can often be heard playing in the background.

Their signatures include the Chicken Chop and Chicken Cutlet, which is massive for just $6. The gravy and coleslaw used is also prepared on a daily basis and is not mass produced.

I also usually add on an extra order of jumbo Cheese Sausage.

Jin Jin Hot / Cold Dessert
Unit #01-20
Opening Hours: 12.30pm – 10.30pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed Thurs

Liu Mang aka Durian and Mango Dessert
The star dessert at Jin Jin is the Liu Mang, otherwise known as Gangster Ice. It is a clever play of the words “Liu Lian” (Durian) and “Mang Guo” (Mango) where you can shaved iced with mango cubes and a scoop of durian puree.

The other must-try dessert is the Power Chendol. Priced at $2, you get generous servings of ingredients, drizzled with thick gula Melaka syrup imported from Indonesia and cooked daily by the stall owners.

The stall is helmed by Calvin and Ewan, two folks who originally did not know anything about making desserts but proceeded to revive the stall when the original owner wanted to close it down. Prices of the dessert are about $1.50 and $2.00 on average.

Yuan Yuan Claypot Rice
Unit #01-38
Opening Hours: 4.30pm – 10.30pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Sun), Closed Wed

Fragrant Claypot Rice Cooked Over Charcoal Stoves
Yuan Yuan Claypot Rice sells authentic claypot rice at $10 for a 2 person portion.

The rice comes with tender meat (depending on which one you order) that is marinated in a special spice mix over 5 hours, and other generous amount of toppings including Chinese sausages and salted fish.

Each claypot is cooked to order over a traditional charcoal stove which may explain why there is a long wait at all times at the stall.

Jason Penang Cuisine
Unit #01-113
Opening Hours:11am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Under The Radar Authentic Penang Cuisine
he stall is helmed by Penang born Jason Khaw and his wife. Jason was also the British High Commissioner’s Resident Chef for 14 years, assuring a high quality in his food.

The stall’s specialty is the Assam Laksa ($4) which comes with a sour and spicy broth, with a hearty amount of ingredients including fresh prawns.

Bao Zai
Unit #01-135
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed on Thurs

Handmade Char Siew Paos
Bao Zai’ signature is the Char Siew Pao, made traditional style by hand on a daily basis.

The buns cost 70 cents each, are smaller than other factory made ones, but they don’t lose out in terms of quality.

The char siew fillings are sweet and juicy, and the meat is roasted fresh in a traditional charcoal oven which allows the full flavour of the meat to come out.

Before making paos, the owner had also previously sold roast meats which explains why the char siew is of a certain standard.

Ah Er Soup
Unit #01-143
Opening Hours: 11am – 2pm, 5pm – 8pm (Mon – Fri, Sun), Closed Sat

Michelin Bib Gourmand Traditional Chinese Soups
The stall sells many different soups at affordable prices including Buddha Jumps Over The Wall ($6.50) and the Herbal Ginseng Black Chicken Soup ($5.50). The soups are said to be cooked using everything using fresh ingredients and do not use added MSG.

The soups all come with a generous amount of ingredients, including expensive ones such as chucks of fish maw and abalone. Quite value for its money, and nothing is over $7.

The stall has been included in the
Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore 2017, a testament to the quality of the soups.

ABC Brickworks Food Centre
6 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 150006

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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