Tau kwa bao is a disappearing hawker dish that many of us love. You probably can find it easily in many teochew duck rice stall in the past. But now, you can hardly find it. It is a pocket of fried bean curd stuffed with delicious mix of roughly chopped ingredients and served with teochew braised sauce. The most talked-about one is Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau.

Founded by Khoo Buck Teck in 1959, Khoo Buck Teck started off selling braised duck in Katong. He noticed that the Peranakans love to gamble, so he created tau kwa pau as his winning bet. As the shape of tau kwa pau looks like a golden purse, that attracted many customers.

They set up their first stall at Hock Ann Eating House, at the junction of Joo Chiat and East Coast Road, where Alibabar is currently located. The son has been running the shop when the father retired in 1989. They subsequently moved to Tanjong Katong Road in 2012 and now, they have relocated at Dunman Food Centre (they took over the homemade kueh shop).

The signature tau kwa bao is still selling at $1.50 each. Each fried beancurd is horizontally sliced in the middle and stuffed until it is overflowing with fried fish cake, cucumber, braised egg and fried yam – all coarsely chopped. Here, the beancurd is deep fried in advance, so it’s not served piping hot nor crispy.

Garnished with coriander leaves and slathered with the same gravy used for braised duck rice, it is served with a bowl of sweet and spicy chilli to dip. Have a bit of everything, from the crunchy cucumber, to the crispy yam, and the soft beancurd, there is a burst of flavours every mouthful.

Apart from tau kwa bao, the stall also sells braised duck rice. The offerings are very hearty with ingredients like pig’s tongue, pork belly, fish cakes, eggs, etc, and their own made chilli sauce is da-bomb! The texture of the skin is soft yet springy to the bite and the meats are juicy enough. The thick braising sauce packs a loadful of flavours from the soya sauce and various herbs used, it worked magic on the braised items.

Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau
Address: Dunman Food Centre, 271 Onan Road #01-05, Singapore 424768
Tel: 90685188
Opening Hours: Tue to Sun, 8am to 5pm, closed every Mondays.

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Last year, Malaysia Famous Fried Porridge located in a coffeeshop along Macpherson Road rocked Singapore’s hawker scene with a huge bang. They have now moved to Jalan Besar and renamed as “Royal J’s Seafood”, with a much bigger space and ready to serve more delicious cze char items.

Previously only known as Fried Porridge (炒粥) in Macpherson, they used to only serve 6 different kinds of porridge – Seafood Porridge, Promfret Porridge, Red Grouper Porridge, Prawn Porridge, Minced Meat Porridge and the Signature Fried Porridge. Now in Foch Road, they only sell their Signature Fried Porridge together with a whole range of different zichar items.

We visited Royal J’s Seafood tonight on their first day of operation and honestly, it was a mess. We waited one hour for our food even though there were no big crowd. They were busy taking orders but there was no queue cards given, so they were not sure which order belongs to who. But well, considering that it’s their first full operation service, a little glitch is understandable.

Originated from Ipoh, Owner-Chef John Ng brings multiple ingredients, styles and flavours together to their new menu. After an hour’s wait, the golden fragrant chicken finally reached our table. Also known as kam heong chicken ($12), this dish has a fusion of Chinese, Malay and Indian flavours. With the combinations of dried shrimps, chili, curry powder and curry leaves, it has an inviting aroma with a little spicy kick and great flavours.

I had lots of curious thoughts whenever my foodies friends mentioned about fried porridge ($6 small, for 2 pax). Finally, I get to try it and it was really sedap. While many porridge stalls served soft and clean porridge, Royal J’s Seafood literally “fry” the rice with an abundance of savoury ingredients: yam cubes, pork lard fritters, dried cuttlefish, dried shrimps, chives and shredded crab. Using superior broth, Japanese pearl grains and his homemade brown sauce, the chef fries the rice with gruel as though he is dancing. It’s thicker and starchier, so it gets heavy after a bowl. But that thin strips of fried cuttlefish and pork lard… OH MINE…

Adding some greens to the sinful meal, we ordered a plate of crunchy you mai cai ($8) which is interestingly stir fried with green chilli, garlic and onions.

We went back for the second visit on the same week to try different dishes. One of them which is worth recommending is Tasty Fried Pork ($22 large). Well caramelized and coated with special sauce, this is really tender and tasty.

< The Thai Style Pork Knuckle ($20) didn't quite meet our expectation though. It wasn't crispy and tender enough, and the flavours are quite mild. Probably because the foodies has already found the best pork trotter somewhere else.

Golden Yellow Salted Egg Sotong ($28 large) was not bad but I would prefer to have more salted egg taste.

Royal J’s Seafood
Address: 30 Foch Road, #01-02, Singapore 209276
Tel: 9357 3993

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For those of you who are looking for the crispy sio bak that we were raving about last year… Here’s the good news, they are back in action! From “Cross Way Bay Sio Bak” in Tampines to “Tong Tong Hong Kong Delicacy” in Johor Bahru to “Hong Kong 88 Roast Meat Specialist” in Bukit Batok and now at Jalan Besar, we have managed to track him down again at his new place in Foch Road (same coffeeshop as fried porridge shop).

As many of you know, the boss Martin does one of the best sio bak in town! All foodies fell in love with its biscuit-like sio bak skin that we kept going back for more. Unfortunately, Martin only served a short stint in Bukit Batok last year. The new stall owners that took over the business re-use his brand name. So don’t be fooled okay, same same name but the sio bak quality is erm… way different.

How good is their sio bak? Well, you really want the skin to be crispy. I think Martin has got the right formula. The skin is crispy brittle to the point that it is almost breaking. You can hear the crackling sound when you bite the skin. It is dry and tastes like biscuit, with the first bite producing a noisy crunch from the skin before it gives way to the juicy layers of well-seasoned tender and moist meat under it.

Just look at the fatty layers of pork belly, I think you can literally count the different layers. When you bite onto it, oh man, the juices… I can’t resist… Our foodie friend John was asking for sauce to pair with the sio bak. I told him, the sio bak is soooo good on its own that it doesn’t even need any sauce. After eating it, he agreed and didn’t stop at one.

The other meats were pretty okay. We went today where the char siew was quite decent. It is tender and not too sweet. The roast duck was similar as well. I should try the chicken next time, I remembered it was drizzled generously with sesame oil the last time.

Glad that the real sio bak master is back in action and I hope he doesn’t move anymore. He says he will be serving wanton mee from next week onwards, I am looking forward to that! Oh yes, don’t say I never remind you, please go there early if you wish to have the best cuts of the roast meat!

Hong Kong 88 Roast Meat Specialist
Address: 30 Foch Road, Singapore 209276
Opening hours: 10.30am to 9.45pm daily, closed on Mondays on alternate week

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I arrived at Serangoon Nasi Padang on a early Monday morning, hoping to escape the afternoon lunch crowd. Tucked away in a coffeeshop in Bishan Street 11, Mr & Mrs Tan has been selling nasi padang since 1983.

We can’t get enough of Nasi Padang – steamed white rice served with an array of pre-cooked dishes. The dishes are generally robust with spices and curries made rich with coconut milk, which made it very addictive. The whiff of mouth watering spices aroma could be captured even as I approached the owners at the stall. This usually means good news but I was agonized by the attractive and colourful range available. I was spoilt for choice and I wanted a taste of everything.

Back in the kampong days, Malay wedding would be held at open spaces where Mr Tan would help out. That’s where they learn how to cook nasi padang from their Malay neighbours. They started their first stall in Serangoon and later moved to Bishan in recent years, that explains the name of the signboard.

I got a chance to chit chat with Mr Tan. He said the choice of ingredients is important, and insisted upon using only the freshest ingredients. Even the coconut cream has to be freshly squeezed. They have got more than 30 dishes prepared daily, ranging from curry fish, grilled sotong, fried chicken to sambal brinjal, stinky beans etc. You pick what you like to eat but we know that isn’t always easy with the big selection. Therefore, we have narrowed down to some dishes that you need to try.

The achar has added orange (perhaps it was because during CNY period), hence it’s sweeter with the aroma from the oranges. The grilled sotong is tender and full of smokey aroma. The petai was not fiery enough, but had a good crunch with anchovies. The curry fish was drenched in thick and creamy gravy, which is good with rice. Not in the picture is a bowl of Lor (braising sauce) which we requested, and the combination of lor with curry is a perfect marriage in heaven.

One of the annoyances eating at a Nasi Padang place is that food is usually served cold. Over here, Mr and Mrs Tan cook the dishes in small batches so as to ensure the warmth of their dishes. Hence, you will always see either one of them busy cooking in the kitchen. We like that the food is reasonably priced and the staff friendly. Even though it is located in a non air-conditioned coffeeshop, it’s not too humid and still very enjoyable to have my nasi padang here.

We are in love with the homely ayam goreng (fried chicken), which is lightly spiced, tender and juicy on the inside while the skin was crisp and thin. There is a good turnover for this item, that’s why you always get it piping hot.

The gorgeously-coloured grilled chicken is perfect for us, which my eating partners prefer it much more than the deep fried version (I think otherwise). But I guess the magic was in the char-grill method. It intensifies the flavor and releases that attractive smoky aroma with a hint of lemongrass flavour. It went very well with their sambal belacan. The same charcoal grill treatment is applied also on the Ikan panggang but unfortunately, it didn’t elicit “wow”.

I was too engrossed with the mini banquet on my table that I didn’t realize I was missing out rendang in my nasi padang. Not sure if they sell it but I shall check it out the next time. The stall is not halal-certified but they practise no pork no lard policy. So they do get some regular Malay guests.

I really had a nice meal there and won’t mind going back again.Here’s a tip: arrive before noon if you want the option of choosing from the full menu.

Serangoon Nasi Padang
Address: Blk 150A Bishan Street 11, Singapore 570150
Opening Hours: 10am to 3pm, closed every Tuesday.

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Coronation Shopping Plaza, like Katong Shopping Centre or Beauty World, is “born” in the 1970s and 1980s. Even though the place is filled with many educational centres now, it is a place filled with memories for many residents.

At the corner of level 2 stands My Cozy Corner, a homely and no-frills eatery. Mr Leong has been serving up his popular popiah at Coronation Shopping Plaza since 1988. They serve excellent nonya-style laksa, mee siam, mee rebus, popiah and kueh pie tee.

Using a recipe from his famous aunt – the late cookbook author Leong Yee Soo, his popiah ($2.50) comes in big fat roll, cut into four pieces. The skin is very soft and cafeully kept in a special air-tight contain so that it doesn’t lose its moisture. Each popiah is made to order, and served to you fresh and piping hot. What makes this particular popiah special is the generous amount of crispy bits made from parboiled rice that adds an additional crunch and interesting texture. The Peranakan owner uses Nyonya-style fiery and aromatic chili sauce that promises to leave you craving for more!

An alternative version of popiah is the Kueh Pie Tee ($4.80) which allows you to DIY yourself. A tray of empty pie tee with braised turnips, chilli and greens are served. While my partner prefers kueh pie tee, I like the popiah better!

My Cozy Corner’s Mee Siam ($5) is a joy to devour with piquantly sweet, spicy, and tangy gravy! The gravy was unabashedly bold with dried shrimp, taucheo, and coconut milk. We liked how they deep fried with tau pok (beancurd puff). They also have laksa.

We went early to avoid the lunch crowd but in the end, we were stuck there because our drinks, kueh pie tee and popiah order were forgotten. The only thing that arrived quickly was our mee siam. Well what to do, good food are worth the wait.

MY COSY CORNER
Address: Coronation Shopping Plaza, 587 Bukit Timah Road #02-02, Singapore 269707
Tel: 6463 8286
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10.00AM – 7.30PM ; Sunday & Public Holidays: 11.00AM – 4.00PM (Popiah not served on Sunday)

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Text & Photo by Hazel & Maureen

Johor Bahru, Malaysia – Thinking of making a quick trip to Johor Bahru for some cheap and delicious food? Read this post to find out where you can find cheap and good food near Johor Bahru Checkpoint (or Johor Bahru City Square). There is no need for bus nor taxi, start your food adventure by foot!

Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory 协裕面包西果厂 (Halal)
Address: 13 Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru
Operating Hours: 8:00AM – 6:00PM (Closed on Sundays)

Hiap Joo Bakery is one of Johor’s oldest and best known traditional bakery offering good fresh malt-flavoured breads and aromatic banana cakes. If you are here for their banana cake like us, go earlier to queue even though the banana cakes will only be ready by noon. This bakery shop is established since 1919 and still uses hole-in-the-wall wood fired oven to make fresh cakes and breads. This is the best banana cakes I have ever tasted. It’s moist and fragrant, and very reasonably priced. As there is limited space in the shop, customers have to queue in a row to get into the shop. The moment they open, you will see the queue forming up and waiting to purchase the banana cake.

Restoran Kin Wah (锦华餐室)
Address: 8 Jalan Trus, 80000 Johor Bahru
Hours: 7am to 12pm

If you want a traditional breakfast, head to Restoran Kin Wah (锦华餐室) near Jalan Tan Hiok Nee “Culture Street” (文化街). This is an simple, no-frills kopitiam selling old school breakfast. This place serves one of the best coffee and half-boiled eggs in my opinion. The coffee is nicely thick with the right balanced of sugar and milk. When you bring it close to your nose and take a deep breath, you can smell the distinct aromatic coffee smell. Restoran Kin Hua uses kampung chicken eggs for it’s half boiled eggs. These are free range hens that are injected with growth hormones. It is done perfectly and also firmer in texture. A great breakfast to start with!

Roti Canai Bukit Chagar (Halal)
Address: Junction of Jalan Bukit Chagar and Jalan Ungku Aziz (next to Pine View Apartments and PDRM Apartments)
Opening Hours: 6am to 11am (breakfast only, roti canai often sold out by 10am)

One of the most memorable breakfast I had in Johor was the Roti Canai at Bukit Chagar . I like their prata because it is thick, crispy outside, softer inside, and not-too-oily. The prata goes very well with their dhal which is mild and not too spicy. For those who like it hot, you can add a dab of curry for that extra oomph. We had 5 good pratas and it costs less than RM8.00!

Kok Yow Yong 霍有用
Address: Junction of Jalan Trus and Jalan Pasar , Old Downtown Johor Bahru
Opening Hours: 6:00AM – 1:00PM (Closed on Sunday)

Located at Jalan Dhoby, there is a herbal tea shop which is more than 100 years old. Run by two sisters, you can enjoy a glass of freshly brewed herbal tea with a choice or bitter or sweet version at RM1.00. If you cannot take bitter herbal drink, try their chrysanthemum tea. They will separate the chrysanthemum flowers manually and uses other herbal powder to brew the drink. Other than these two drinks, the lady boss makes energy booster drink or what we call “special tea”. Give it a try if you are nearby.

Ah Hua 亚华 kway teow soup (Restoran Sekee 司機)
Address: No. 30 Jalan Segget, 80000 Johor Bahru
Opening Hours: 7:30AM – 2:30PM (Closed on Saturday)

Ah Hua Teochew Kway Teow is known as one of the oldest kway teow soup shops in town. There are many branches around, but the one nearest to Singapore is just a few minutes walking distance from Johor Bahru checkpoint. The uniqueness of this stall is that they still use charcoal to boil the broth. Their recipe has been passed down from generations to generations. But, be prepared to pay as a bowl of kway teow soup here costs RM16.00. You will get a bowl filled with luxurious ingredients such as liver, kidney, abalone slices and more. Although the price is a bit steep, regular customers will be back to fix their cravings. My dad used to have it when he was young and stepping into the coffeeshop does give the nostalgic moment.

Salahuddin Bakery (HALAL)
Address: 26, Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru
Opening Hours: 8:00AM-2:00PM

Another bakery shop in Jalan Dhoby is Salahuddin Bakery which has been in business since 1937. This is a family business that passed down to generations. They use the traditional coal-fired oven to bake fresh breads as well. All the bakeries are displayed on the table instead of shelf just like the old times. If you look at the surroundings, there are black and white photos of the owners and featured articles hanging on the shop. These are all the precious memories passed down in years. The owner Salahuddin tends the shop while waiting for customers to pick their choice. Try their triangular shaped curry puff. It is loaded with generous fillings inside.

Tody’s Wine Shop, Kedai Tuak Awam
Address: Along Jalan Sulaiman, Downtown Johor Bahru
Opening Hours: 10:00AM – 4:00PM

Fancy for some coconut wine? Located just behind the Shell Petrol Station (across Jalan Wong Ah Fook) that faces Komtar JBCC is Tody’s Wine Shop. Toddy is an alcoholic beverage that created by Mr Maniam from the sap of the coconut palm. Containing alcohol level ranging from 2 to 10%, Toddy is said to help relieve cold, just like our Chinese herbal tea. This old rustic shop only has two big tables one at each left and right. I ordered a mug to try which costs RM3.00. The colour of the drink looks similar and taste like barley water too. The kick will gradually start after taking a few sips. It would be best to served with ice cubes during hot weather.

Sang Heng Coffee Shop
Address: 7 Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Bandar Johor Bahru (Next to OCBC JB Branch)
Opening Hours: 7:00AM – 1:00PM (Closed on Saturday)

Located near to OCBC Bank, you will find another traditional Teochew Kway Teow shop run by an elderly uncle. The uncle always wears a formal short sleeve shirt at the stall preparing the orders for the customers. If you are there during weekdays, be prepared to queue as most of the office people will be patronizing the shop for breakfast and lunch. Sharing table is highly possible as the old shop house has limited space.

We tried a bowl of Teowchew Kway Teow soup (RM6.00) and dry fishball noodles (RM6.00). The Teochew Kway Teow Soup comes with pork balls, fish balls, beansprouts, tiny prawns and minced pork in it. The soup broth tasted light and best for anytime. The dry fishball noodles has springy mee kia with fiery and tangy chilli tossed in.

IT Roo Cafe
Address: 17 Jalan Dhoby, Johor Bahru
Business Hour: 10am – 9.30pm

Awarded the “Best Chicken Chop in Malaysia” title by The Star newspaper in 2003, IT Roo operates in the pre-war building which has attracted many locals and tourists. There are two types of halal-certified chicken chop at IT Roo – grilled or deep fried. The Grilled Chicken Chop (RM14.00) is my favourite. Using thick and juicy chicken thigh, the chicken chop is grilled till perfection and generously drizzled with either black pepper sauce or mushroom sauce. Some of us preferred the Fried Chicken Chop (RM14.00), with a thick beautiful sauce (but not too much). When you slice it open, what you get is the white and tender meat which goes very well with the chilli sauce. It’s not very oily.

Restoran Ya Wang 鸭皇药材烧腊大王
Address: No.28 Jalan Segget, 80000 Johor Bahru
Opening Hours: 8:00AM – 6:00PM (Daily)
Tel: +60 7224 8624

You will never miss this huge fat duck icon hanging outside the restaurant and located within few minutes walk away from City Square Mall and JB custom checkpoint. Ya Wang is one of the pioneers that sells herbal roast ducks in Johor Bahru. They are also the advisor for Dian Xiao Er herbal roasted duck in Singapore. As you stepped into the restaurant, the friendly servers will greet you with a smile and take your order. The restaurant is air-conditioned which is perfect for the humid weather.

Try their signature herbal roasted duck with char siew and roasted pork. The duck meat and skin are lean and soft. The herbal flavour gravy is subtle and comforting. Pour the gravy over the rice and you would probably need another plate soon. If roasted duck is not enough to fill your stomach, Zi Char is served in Ya Wang as well. There are set meals available based on numbers of people in a group. Double boiled soups are available here as well which changes everyday. All prices and dishes name in group are stated on the white board attached on the wall. If only they can solve the houseflies’ issues, the dining experience would be more pleasant.

Kam Long Curry Fish Head (金龙咖喱鱼头)
Address: 74, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru
Tel: +6 016-752-8382 / +6 016-796-2228 / +6 016-205-1610
Opening hours: 8:00AM – 4:30PM (Monday to Sunday)

Curry fish head for breakfast? It may seems heavy for many of us, but Kam Long Curry Fish Head is probably one of the locations you want to skip lunch crowd. All you need is a 5 minutes walk from City Square Mall and you will see Kam Long Curry Fish Head. Having been in business for over 30 years, Kam Long only sells curry fish head and it is well known by the locals and Singaporeans.

The tender flesh of the ang ko li (red snapper) came off the fork easily. The flesh is so soft, absorbing the curry flavours really well. The spices from the curry enhance the natural flavour of the head without overpowering it. Together with tofu skin, ladies finger, long beans and cabbage, it’s a complete meal on its own. What I really enjoy is the tau pok (deep-fried beancurd) that soaks up the delicious gravy thoroughly. If you want to visit Kam Long, I suggest you to come before 11.30am as the queue is shorter. The curry is pretty much sold out by 2:30 pm.

Restoran Hua Mui 华美茶餐室
Address: 131 Jalan Trus, 80000 Johor Bahru
Opening Hours: 8:00AM – 6:00PM (Daily)
Tel: +607 – 224 7364

Hua Mui Kopitiam started here since 1948 and has expanded to having a few outlets in Johor Bahru. This 2-storey coffee shop has super retro furnitures and sells traditional Hainanese style breakfast and signature hainanese chicken chop. Due to its long history and certified halal status, Muslims/ Malays will also dine here. Having freshly made toasted kaya butter bread using charcoal and soft-boiled eggs and chit chatting with old friends are commonly seen in Hua Mui. The coffee here is excellent – thick and fragrant, which is best paired with the kaya bread. If you are passing by in the morning, you will see many elderly uncles having traditional breakfast.

Restoran Reaz Corner
Address: No.24A , Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru
Opening Hours: 24 HOURS
Tel: +60 13-744 0089

Mamak are Malaysians with Tamil Muslim origin. Mamak stall offers different varieties of roti canai, nasi lemak, maggi goreng (Fried Maggi Noodles), masala and many more. In Reaz Corner (just few steps away from Salahuddin Bakery), they offers great mamak dishes for over 30 years.

Although their signature dish is nasi briyani Bombay, many come for their roti canai and masala for breakfast. They have many regular patrons dropping by for breakfast before going to work. With RM1.00, you will get a plain roti canai (roti kosong) and RM3.00 for their Tosai Masala. Customers will order and enjoy the food first and only pay when you are leaving. This is how most of the mamak stall works in Malaysia.

Read about my JB Food Trail here and here

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

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An “offally” good, gastronomic adventure for some; an alternative dining experience for others. Whatever the case, the opening of new and unpretentious 50-seater restaurant Dehesa sparks a new outlook for Singapore’s ever-evolving food scene.

For serious and curious foodies, and perhaps those seeking something different from the mainstream food offerings, Dehesa (which in Spanish means “grasslands” – home of the Iberico pig) is an escape from the ordinary, with its commitment to whole animal usage (alternative cuts, offal and not forgetting the well-loved classic cuts) to create distinctive, made-from-scratch and robustly flavoured delicacies.

The restaurant itself is laidback and welcoming in its air, a place where diners can not only expect complete nose to tail eating, but an original and personalised experience. At the helm of this innovative, long-awaited venture is Chef-Owner Jean-Philippe Patruno (affectionately known as JP), whom highly skilled and proficient in the culinary art of preparing and cooking alternative cuts, is set to unleash a unique repertoire of food and service that is at once unexpected and welcome with unadulterated glee.

The restaurant now welcomes diners for lunch from 11.30am to 2.30pm from Mondays to Fridays featuring some of chef’s bestsellers, alternative delicacies, wet rice and sandwiches served with homemade salty chips. Items that are exclusively served for lunch and not featured on the dinner menu include the pulled pork sandwich; sardine, poached egg and pancetta sandwich; pequillo peppers and aioli sandwich; seafood or chicken and chorizo rice; beef onglet with bone marrow; and pork belly with coco beans.

Chef JP’s upbringing in France by his Italian father and Spanish mother is the foundation of his culinary talent. From his humble beginnings 29 years ago as a kitchen apprentice, much of his career was spent in London over 22 years where the city’s famous food scene thrived with innovation and glorious variety. During the two decades, he trained under legendary three-Michelin-starred Nico Ladenis. However,
it was his tenure at highly acclaimed Quo Vadis under the tutelage of undisputed “Kings of Soho” Sam and Eddie Hart that his love for alternative cuts and offal flourished. It is from here that chef’s inspiration for Dehesa is definitively drawn.

The sumptuous menu waves goodbye to convention, with Dehesa’s signature platter of cold meats ($25) featuring delights such as pig’s head, scratchings and fifi pate, as well as milk- fed lamb sweetbreads and Iberico jowl set to be certified favourites. “At Dehesa, there is no half-way in the food we offer. Our rebellious nature against food of the norm will keep diners addicted and coming back for more. If we choose to cook a particular meat, whether a pig, cow, lamb or fish, we use the whole animal to honour this ingredient.” JP proclaims and adds: “This is an opportunity to show what real food is all about. At Dehesa, what you see is what you get – no hidden gimmicks, no tricks, just skill and pure passion for food and cooking. It’s as simple as that!”

Duck hearts on toast is a popular favourite at this new restaurant. Pan-fried in a wine reduction to create the flavouful sauce, the duck hearts is cooked till perfect with bursts of flavours. There’s frit mallorquin too, a classic Majorcan dish that features morsels of lamb liver, kidney, heart, and lungs, all served alongside silky potato purée.

While the restaurant does beckon one and all to come dine with the alternative cuts, diners can also savour a range of JP’s classic dishes, including suckling pig membrillo, salt-crusted sea bream and octopus lardo ratte. I know chef for his signature paella at UNA, so I was little disappointed to know that they don’t do it here. However, their Seafood Rice ($22) will make you happy. Using short grain Cebolla rice, it has the ability to absorb flavors and remain firm. Filled with prawns, mussels, and clams sourced from Pulau Ubin, every grain of rice was infused with the umami-rich flavour from the sea.

Served with homemade salty chips, the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($18) features delicate shredded pork sandwiched in fluffy soft bun that is homemade as well.

For those with a sweet tooth, chef also adds a surprisingly delicious flavour combination of Caramel Flan ($5) with smoked pancetta for a winning dessert to keep the day going. The slightly bitter caramel compliments sweetness of the custard wonderfully, boosted with the intriguing flavor of smoked bacon, making this a dessert that will have you coming back for seconds!

Nose-to-tail dining is not new but Dehesa’s offerings are a great way to introduce the world of animal innards to the uninitiated. The dishes here are simple yet well executed. For those wanting to stretch their lunch into a leisurely afternoon affair, pair your meal with a good wine from Dehesa’s delectable wine list.

Dehesa

Address: 12 North Canal Road, Singapore 048825
Tel: +65 6221 7790
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 11.30AM to 2.30PM; and Monday to Saturday dinner from 5.30PM till late.

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Say hello again to that famous Borsch soup, oxtail stew and shaslik skewers from Shashlik!

Shashlik – a restaurant set up in 1986 by 9 Hainanse migrants after their previous workplace (the legendary Troika Russian restaurant) closed down. The jobless cooks, waiters and bartenders decided to name the restaurant Shashlik, a tribute to the famous dish in Troika and their bonds as ‘brothers and sisters’ in the business.

When Shashlik announced in July 2015 that they were closing at the end of the year, there was a sudden rush of diners trying to book a table, including us. Sadly, it was difficult to book a table of 10 because the restaurant was full everyday. But guess what, after the restaurant shut its doors in December, good news came. The two sons of late Captain and Head Waiter, Mr Tan Niap Hin, have taken up the mantle at Shashlik to continue the legacy.

To keep the heritage, the owners re-hired the older workers and majority of them agreed to continue working, so you can expect the signature gruff from them, which is part of the experience here. 76-year-old Mr Foo Sek Chuan still runs the floor; while Madam Tan Kai Buay, who at 78, is still adept in the kitchen and specialises in their signature Egg Millionaire starter, featuring chopped eggs tossed in bacons bits, parmesan and crispy bread crumbs stuffed in halved egg shell. 

Walking into the restaurant located at level 6 of Far East Shopping Centre is like turning back the clock. The iconic yellow-mustard colour on all the tablecloths and napkins remains. The waiters’ uniforms remains – white shirt, black bowtie, maroon vests. Mr Foo was setting up the table, arranging the utensils and folding our napkins in front of us. I wanted to tell him that we can just use the napkins, but it was interesting to see how he folds them so swiftly, something he has been doing for the past 30 years. 

Starting with appetizers, the Borshch soup ($7) here tasted nothing like the beetroot-heavy Russian soup, more like the classic minestrone. Soup was not as robust and beefy as I wished it should be. Beef chunks were alright, the texture of the softened cabbage leaves, carrot and potato complemented each other. Beef was less beefy but that’s not an issue to me. A dollop of sour cream thickened the soup and added a creamier dimension to its flavour. 

Available only on weekends, the Oxtail Stew ($32) was braised for 24 hours, hence the meat was sooooo tender that it melts in your mouth and fall off the bone easily. The husband didn’t quite like the thick, wine reduction beefy and savoury sauce, perhaps he finds it difficult to dip it into the traditional burger buns. But it was robust with rustic flavours. 

Here comes the star – Shashlik beef skewers ($32), a dish which the restaurant is named after. The marinated tenderloin has first been grilled and then placed on a hotplate when served, together with Russian salad that was served separately. It doesn’t look too appetizing on first site but it was a different story on first bite. The meat was very tasty and full of beefy flavour, that’s why you don’t even need any sauce. My medium was also just right, mildly bloody on the inside yet retaining the moist and juiciness. 

Meals are still served via wood-and-steel pushcarts, and you can still see the old staff providing tableside service. The famous Baked Alaska ($24, serves 2), made with vanilla ice-cream and sponge cake covered with meringue, was still prepared by the table as the staff pushed out a little stage, carefully lighting up the flaming dark rum and pouring it slowly for you to snap some shots. Another worthy dessert that I would like to try the next visit is the Cherry Jubilee as the staff flambéed the cherries in liqueur and butter before sitting it with a blob of ice cream. 

I am unable to compare the dishes like those who have dined at Shashlik through the years, but it’s an experience as a younger diner to see the senior waiters and waitresses holding on to a brand dearly for so many years. Food was secondary, being served by them already formed the major part of the experience. 

The post Shashlik Re-opens – Say hello to borsch soup, oxtail stew and shaslik skewers again! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Yaowarat Road is the home of Bangkok’s Chinese community, just like our Chinatown. By day, it doesn’t look any different from other parts of Bangkok, but this big street has some hidden gems waiting to be explored. When night falls, the neon signs blazing with Chinese characters are turned on and many eateries spill out onto the streets filled with foodies. There are many articles about Yaowarat but mostly are just on the surface. We decided to go in depth to explore a few hidden gems, sat down with the owners to hear their stories.

No trip to Chinatown is complete is you haven’t visit Yi Sheng coffeeshop. THIS IS MY BEST KEPT SECRET. Opened since 1927, this is one of the oldest coffeeshop around Chinatown and even the princess of Thailand came here to make coffee as well. To be recognized by the palace is really something (just like the pad thai I have previously written).

Every morning, the coffeeshop is very crowded with old uncles having their morning break, reading newspaper while sipping coffee. Some of them gathered here for small gamble. This time round, we decided not to fight with the morning crowd and arrived after lunch, where it’s quieter and good for small talks. Rich and aromatic traditional coffee is what they are good in, have it together with some toasted kaya bread slices and watch the world goes by.

Interestingly, each uncle loves to have a table of their own but they would just converse with each other by speaking Teochew really loudly across the shop. Just a few units down the same street, there is another Yi Sheng coffeeshop which is owned by the brother. Well, I don’t dare to ask if they are on good terms anot.

P/S Totally not appetizing to say this, but it is kinda cool that their male cubicle is just a corner behind the wall.

There are alot of kway chap shop in Chinatown. This is the famous one that everyone loves visiting. But…

We prefer the one at the junction of Yawarat Road and Yaowa Phanit (opposite White Orchid Hotel, beside 馬利興金行).

Its kway chap in mixed organ soup is peppery, but not overly peppery as compared to the famous one that everyone was raving about. Fresh and bouncy offal and thinly sliced sio bak make it good. The aromatic garlic oil adds the depth. They also sell pig trotter and double-boiled soup.

 

A video posted by Maureen Ow (@misstamchiak) on Feb 28, 2016 at 5:54am PST

Watch the video on my Instagram!

Just beside the kway chap shop, there is a dessert shop selling all the traditional dessert. Juan learnt from her aunty and eventually set up her own dessert shop. Specialty? Well, they mix sticky rice and tau suan, drizzle some coconut cream and eat it together!

This shop sells traditional kuehs made with turnip and chives. They also have very good chee cheong fun flavoured with mushroom broth.

Just a few units down from chee cheong fun stall, there is a stall selling fresh fruit juice. Well, there are so many fruit juice stalls in Yaowarat, why did I pick this to feature?

While I was having my plate of chee cheong fun beside this fruit juice stall, I sat there for a good 30 minutes and watch her squeeze the orange juice. At her age, she is really swift while doing this. She said she has been doing this for 20 years, that explains the quick movement. We bought a bottle of pomegranate juice and orange juice. I love their pomegranate juice because it was so sweet. She said to me proudly,”I don’t add any sweeteners unlike other stalls.” I guess it is because of her belief in real good juices that’s why she can have a physical shop in Yaowarat (most fruit juices here are push carts).

There are many shops selling sharks fins and bird’s nest in Yaowarat Chinatown but our favourite is Plaeng Nam Shark Fin-Bird’s Nest（義福巷燕窩). Recommended by well-known Hong Kong travel columnist Roger Wu, Plaeng Nam Shark Fin-Bird’s Nest is very popular shop among Chinese.

I am not a fan of sharks fins, but their bird’s nest in coconut has got to be my favourite. It’s juicy, healthy and not too sweet. Putting it into the coconut gives it a subtle aroma, the perfect guilt free dessert served hot or cold. We had the 3rd class bird’s nest in coconut. Guess how much is it? 250 baht only, which is less than 10 SGD! They also have other stir fry dishes like crabs and oyster omelette. The owner is very friendly, you can speak mandarin to her, not a problem. Check out for Miss Tam Chiak’s certificate when you are there!

If you ask, how do we know where to eat in Bangkok? Honestly, most of the time we are as clueless. Of course I do my own research, and I get recommendations. But whenever we eat in a eatery, we get recommendations from the stall owners themselves what else is good to eat in the area. That’s how we eat in Thailand. After having a delicious bowl of bird’s nest in Yaowarat, the stall owner recommended us to eat wanton mee at the junction of Yaowarat Road and Yaowa Phanit. She says,”Nothing beats this stall’s wanton mee, but very little, I need to eat at least 3 bowls.”

She is so right. This bowl of wanton mee is only about one huge tablespoon, with little crab meat, we finished like 3 bowls of it? Never mind about the portion, at least they are very friendly owners unlike SabX2 which is totally not worth the hype and too expensive (read my complaint about SabX2 here).

At Mung Korn Khao Noodle, it is her HK style thin egg noodles that won the hearts of many. She tosses the noodles in hot boiling water, put it in ice water and returns for final toss in the hot water. What you get is reall QQ baa mee. And that lonely wanton, mixture of prawns and minced pork, juicy juicy lah! It’s quite easy to find that stall because they are the one with a huge crowd and long queue.

We concluded this trip with a video of the ultimate street food nazi. Located in Chinatown market, this char kway teow uncle fries his noodle USING A SPOON under hot charcoal fire. Yes I am not kidding, a small metallic spoon. And why call him a food nazi? Because he doesn’t allow photos. His wife or himself would constantly be looking around and scolding people when any customers take photo of them.

So we carried out a “secret operation” to try to take as close up as possible. Don’t ask us how we did it, we just did. But it has to go through massive editing because half of what we shot are scenes of the wife scolding customers. Well despite being a food nazi, he has a good stream of crowd queuing for this CKT. Just how good is his small packet of CKT? The kway teow is springy, packed with wok hei flavor and chewy cuttlefish. This has got to be the CKT with the strong wok hei I have ever tried. 够力!

The post 8 Things Everyone Needs To Eat In Yaowarat Chinatown, Bangkok appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Call me sua-gu (mountain tortoise, a term used to describe someone as ignorant), but the only Char Kway Teow stall I know in Old Airport Road is Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow. However, I was never impressed so CKT was never in my list whenever I visit that hawker centre. Until recently, when the foodies gathered for Roast Paradise, I was then introduced to Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow which is just opposite the stall.

The queue was more than 20 minutes during lunch time as the owner fries each plate of CKT individually. No complaints at all man, Uncle Teng please take your time to fry! The owner does everything single-handedly, he takes the order and fries it. With more than 40 years of experience in frying CKT, his movements in front of the hot wok says it all. I see how he “dances” with his frying movement, adding fresh prawns and squid into the oil before the noodles.

As I savour my first mouthful, I am impressed. The kway teow seems to come to live. The fluffy noodles that were coated with spicy, eggy goodness, giving it a lovely taste and texture. The dish also had enough wok hei, the right amount of char and a spice level that was perfect. The cockles were plump and some crunchy beansprouts were scattered among the noodles. Strips of garlic chives completed the dish. It’s not like the typical CKT which gives a super black and sweet finish. Here, it is more savoury and good amount of smokiness, just the way I like it.

Their CKT comes in two sizes – $3 and $4. Our version was the $4 one, and this is one of the more generous plate of CKT I have ever tried.

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This April and May, 10 at Claymore at Pan Pacific Orchard takes you on a Penang culinary tour as they present the best of Penang’s street food. Together with his team, Executive Chef Andy Oh presents a range of original creations from his hometown, Penang, and serve up an ensemble of dishes the Malaysian town is famous for.

Starting from appetizers, we get to DIY our own Penang Rojak with different fruits and vegetables. We were very excited about their lor bak made with kurobuta belly and century egg but it was way tooooo salty on the night I tasted. The XO Seafood Popiah, on the other hand, was better with some sprinkle of the sesame seeds. The addition of crab meat was a nice touch really, as it made the popiah felt premium.

The mains much better than the appetizers. In fact, they were impressive. First, the king prawn noodle soup is slightly spicy, sweet, and savory. It has a beautiful orange hue with rich prawn flavour. The addition of king prawns wins the game. Their assam laksa was well executed as well. Enjoy the thick, pungent taste of the soup while slurping the white noodles. You can add as much vegetables as you want. The broth is thick because of the amount of shredded fish. The only pity was the use of white noodles instead of the soft laksa noodles that they use in Penang. If you are craving for Malaysian style bak kut teh, you may like this herbal style Bak Kut Teh with kurobuta belly ribs. It is not as thick so as to cater to the local palette but definitely got “liao” one. Pick the ingredients you want and the chefs will always be ready to cook you a piping hot bowl of BKT. The star arrived last – Penang Char Kway Teow. The slightly chewy noodles were lightly coated with fragrant fried egg, giving it a lovely taste and texture. The dish had enough wok hei, the right amount of char and if we increase the spice level a little more, that would be perfect.

We also had other dishes in the buffet line such as freshly chucked oysters, pig trotter in black vinegar, Itek tim (Duck and salted vegetable soup), garlic fried rice, beef cheek, New Zealand silver fern beef tenderloin, pure south free range rack of lamb etc.

Desserts were quite extensive. Besides the range of nonya kuehs and chocolate fondue, you MUST TRY their durian pancake which they only make ala minute. The goreng pisang can be crispier and goes well with salted caramel ice cream. Hands down for their Penang chendol. The green chendol strips is piled atop shaved ice and mixed with gula melaka, coconut milk and kidney beans. Don’t forget to complete your dinner with Penang-inspired drinks like Milo XL, Bandung and Calamansi juice at $6 nett.

Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta is happening from 1 April to 31 May 2016. Lunch is priced at $42 from Monday to Friday; $48 on Saturday & Sunday. Dinner is priced at $68 from Monday to Sunday.

They have also introduced Authentic Flavours of Penang Set Lunch at the lobby lounge. Enjoy 3-course menu featuring chicken lor bak, a choice of assam laksa with barramundi filler, king prawn noodle or award winning Penang char kway teow before ending the meat with a refreshing Teochew Chendol for dessert. The 3-course lunch is priced at $16 nett or $19 nett with a choice of drink.

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After 2 years, I am back at Platypus Kitchen for dinner. This casual Italian and american inspired restaurant serves up contemporary cuisine in a fun, lively and convivial environment. They have shifted to Level 1 of Bugis Junction and have introduced new gourmet bowls and grilled chicken. To be honest, I am very impressed with what I had that night.

The newly renovated Platypus Kitchen is more cozy with a semi-private space that can seat up to 14 persons. Platypus also hosts Project Dingo, their bar concept with amazing craft cocktails and perpetual ‘Good Lobang’ promotions, serving up your first drink at $6. Go for the Coco-crusted strawberry daiquiri!

Our dinner started proper with Roasted Pumpkin Soup ($8.90) and Chilli Crab Asian Buns ($10.50 for 3pcs). They slow roast pumpkins for 2 hours before making it into a rich puree for the delicate yet robust pumpkin soup. We love the chilli crab buns with an impeccable combination of spiciness, sweetness and savouriness, complementing with the steamed buns.

The Salmon & Ikura Gourmet Rice Bowl ($25.90) looks unassuming but it has risen to be one of your favourites! The perfectly sous-vide salmon with generous ikura sits on top of a bed of furikake seasoned Japonica rice. Pour the matcha dashi broth over the gourmet bowl, rounding out the flavours and making this dish even more delicious! Those amazing fish eggs just burst in your mouth and oozes super savoury nectar.

The Ribeye & Truffle Gourmet Rice Bowl ($26.90) is another great option not to be missed. The char-grilled marbled ribeye beef with shaved truffles is delicious and served with a perfect onsen egg on a bed of Japonica rice, drizzled with honey truffle soy sauce. The ribeye is tender with very strong truffle aroma, say YES to the onsen egg to coat the rice and beef in its oozy, yolky glory.

Did I mention how juicy and tender their Cast-Iron Grilled Chicken (half chicken $21.90; whole chicken $39.90) is? Marinated in a brine for 24 hours then cooked sous-vide at a precise temperature, the chicken is finished à la minute on a 350 degree cast iron grilled before being served to us. They use birds which are ethically treated and are delivered fresh everyday. We heard the team took 9 months of hard work to perfect the method, with precise temperatures and timings. Choose from Mexican Lime & Thyme, Italian Rosemary Garlic, or Korean Spicy Sesame. The end result is soft yet not losing the springy texture, with flavours seeping through every layer of meat that just tickle our tastebuds. No wonder it is one of the nicest chicken in town!

I have been to Platypus Kitchen so many times (read here and here) that I think I have tried almost all the pastas in the menu already. But something that I would always return for, is the Spicy Diablo Crab & Prawn ($19.90). The best seller for the past 4 years, their handmade fresh tagolini is tossed in a piquant spicy garlic cream, served with char-grilled prawns and crab claw meat. It is a rich combo of tangy, savory, creamy and spicy all tossed into one.

I don’t really have sweet tooth but we were recommended to try their perfectly-wobbly Molten Lava Dark Chocolate Cake ($12.90) baked without using flour. Shake it a bit, coat your spoon with the chocolate goodness and have it together with the vanilla ice cream. I felt it was too nua (soft) for me, but well, the husband likes it.

If you are dropping by here for brunch, you got to try their signature Salted Caramel French Toast where you get an entire piping bag of freshly whipped vanilla creme for you to DIY your own decorations on the plate! There are also new and interesting dishes such as linguini of prawns, rocket and lime, and Sous-vide Eggs Shakshuka – their rendition of a classic north African breakfast staple.

The post Platypus Kitchen at Bugis Junction- New Gourmet Rice Bowls In The Menu appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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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Opened in August last year, CATO is a restaurant-bar serving up Asian fusion food and craft beers in an edgy industrial setting. It occupies a two-storey conservation building in Chinatown that used to house the very first OCBC Bank in Singapore.

This dining establishment has an extensive array of craft beers from around the world served on tap, and includes favourites such as Crew Republic’s Drunken Sailor Indian Pale Ale and Black House Modern Times Coffee Stout. CATO also has a range of spirits, making it a pretty good watering hole to unwind after work.

We came here for the food though. CATO has a good selection of modern Asian style small plates good for two to share, and a range of main dishes.

We started with the tapas first and began with the Crispy Squid in Thai-style Glaze ($14). It is battered lightly and crispy, and I can understand why it is one of the best sellers here.

The Prawn and Spinach Wantons ($12) is a recent addition to the small plates menu. The first thing that attracted me was the fried wanton skins that were shaped like flower petal deep dishes. The wantons make good comfort food with the slightly spicy prawn and spinach fillings. Meanwhile, do try the Sizzling Hotplate Octopus ($22) and Mini Braised Beef Sandwiches ($21) too.

However, give the Korean Fried Chicken ($18) and the Mentaiko Mac and Cheese ($17) a pass for the time being. The Korean fried chicken did not have the usually thin and crisp skins, and is a little on the salty side – somewhat reminding me of our local har cheong gai instead. As for the mac and cheese, there were chunks of salmon on top but the mentaiko were perhaps unevenly spread out.

The mains however were what wowed me during this dinner, and I recommend dropping by here for a satisfying meal with your alcohol fix. Be prepared to shell out a bit though!

CATO’s signature Bangkok Lobster Risotto ($36) comes with a sous-vide lobster served on a tom yum flavoured risotto and drizzled with lobster butter. I enjoyed the tender lobster meat that came off the crustacean’s shells easily, and matched well with the comforting risotto.

The Pineapple Pork Curry with Baked Rice ($28) is an interesting new creation. Served in a pineapple, this dish comes with slow cooked pork belly in a traditional Eurasian pineapple curry and baked rice under a melted cheese layer. This dish was inspired by the culinary director’s girlfriend’s family dish, with belacan added into the curry, giving it a little savoury-sweet flavour.

The Seared Barramundi Fillet with Homemade Curry ($30) is another comforting creation. Pan-seared barramundi is served on a bed of grilled okra and eggplants, and drizzled with a flavourful traditional Indian curry. Don’t forget to mop down the remainder of the curry with the bread.

Speaking of flavourful dishes, the Tea Smoked Chicken with Spicy Japanese Noodles ($24) is one that left a strong impression. The chicken was infused in Chinese tea and had a really smoky fragrance that I enjoyed. The noodles provided another dimension – they were tossed in a ghost chilli dressing, and I loved that kick the spiciness gave.

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JOHOR BAHRU, MALAYSIA – We cook bitter gourd soup quite often. I am sure this is the same for many Chinese homes. I don’t hate it but I wouldn’t crave for it. But when Hazel brought me to Restoran Kah Kah Loke (佳佳乐苦瓜汤) to eat their bitter gourd specialties, that changes my whole perspective of bitter gourd.

Restoran Kah Kah Loke has been around for closed to 20 years in Johor Bahru. They now have 9 outlets all over Johor, including Johor Jaya, Tun Aminah, Taman Sutera etc. We arrived at Taman Sutera outlet for an early dinner. Having completed so many meals prior to this, I was really full to the brim and almost wanted to give this a miss. But I am so glad that I didn’t, if not I would be missing out on good staff.

One of the signatures at Restoran Kah Kah Loke is their Bitter Gourd Soup (RM7/10/13/16/20). We all know that bitter gourd soup has got cooling properties and good for detoxification. You can choose if you want the innards to be in the soup or just have plain sliced pork. We went for the latter and what arrived was simply a comforting bowl of soup filled with generous bitter gourd slices. It is very homely with a mild bitterness from bitter gourd. They have a crunch and the lean pork is well marinated. You can refill the soup if you want.

To pair with the soup, we ordered other dishes such as Beancurd with Minced Meat (RM7/12). Like Mapo Tofu, the soft beancurd is drenched with minced pork that is stir fried with soy sauce. This is best eaten with rice.

What impressed me is the Bittergourd with Egg (RM5/9/11). The lard oil that is used to stir fry the eggs with crunchy bitter gourd gave it that umami flavours and fragrance that we love. And of course it changed my friends’ perception of bitter gourd.

We also ordered a plate of Salted Egg Yolk with Wings (RM12) where the rich salted egg sauce is served with crispy chicken wings. #anytingalsosaltedegg but well, it is not bad lah.

The most memorable dish was Deep fried Pork (RM4 per piece). The pork loin was very well marinated with red fermented beancurd and deep fry to golden brown colour. Each piece is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This is the killer for our dinner!

Our total bill came up to RM53 including drinks and white rice. I am happy with my meal at Restoran Kah Kah Loke at Sutera outlet. I am not sure if other outlets serve up equally good soups and dishes. Service is quick, so expect your food to be ready within 10 minutes or so. It is no wonder business is very brisk and the restaurant is always flooded with customers during meal time.

The post Restoran Kah Kah Loke @ Johor Bahru – You Will Fall In Love with Bitter Gourd After This appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

The 3rd installation of the World Street Food Congress 2016 (#WSFC16) is happening now in Manila! 25 top street food chefs and vendors/hawkers from over 10 cities have flown into The Philippines, some for the first time, to showcase and serve tasty heritage recipes at the Food Jamboree that will be open to the public on Wednesday, 20 April from 4 pm to 11 pm. It’ll continue until Sunday, 24 April 2016.

This year, the selection of mouth-watering Southeast Asia recipes include Asam Laksa, a mouth-puckering noodle dish that put Penang on the world map after being ranked 6th by CNN Travel; Sate Maranggi from Indonesia – charcoal-grilled satay accompanied by an Asian salad of cucumber, onions and chilli; Triple Sauce Seafood Tempura from Singapore with delicious dips like salted egg yolk, chilli crab and black pepper, among many other tempting Asian specialties. Here are 13 must try stalls in World Street Food Jamboree 2016!

Keng Eng Kee (Singapore)

Keng Eng Kee is run by the Liew family and a third-generation, helmed by Paul, Wayne and Geraldine. The siblings inherited and expanded their parent’s zi char business to open KEK Seafood at Pandan Gardens, a modern day zi char. In working with Makansutra, they have developed a trendy fried seafood platter with three dips for the adventurous eater- tempura squids, soft shell crabs with crispy brinjals in a platter delivered with three dips- chilli crab, black pepper and salted egg yolk sauces. Read about it here.

Pepita’s Kitchen (Philippines)

Lechon is given a new comforting twist here as this iconic roasted suckling pig is now stuffed with spicy truffle paella. This is definitely my favourite dish in the Jamboree. The piggies were roasted till it is golden and shiny. We stood in the queue for a long time before getting a portion it. The incredibly crackling skin gives a nice crunch in the mouth. The meat was soft and very flavourful. What blew us away was the soft and very fragrant truffle oil paella. I think many paella chefs need to learn how to cook paella from Ms Dedet. Note: It was sold out within 3 hours yesterday. So drop by early to avoid disappointment.

Nam Bo Sticky Rice Banana (Vietnam)

An architect by profession, Ngo Thi Bich Thuy calls it quits and started to sell sticky rice banana to earn more to upgrade family livelihoods. From a small food truck selling to passer-by on the road, they have relocationed into a shop – the Nam Bo Sticky Rice Banana. Khao Tom Madt is a popular dish in the south of Vietnam, the soft and cured banana is typically encased in sticky rice, then wrapped in banana leaf, and grilled over wood fire. There are two ways to eat it, plain or with the addition of roasted sesame seeds drizzled with sweetish coconut milk.

Wan Dao Tou Penang Assam Laksa (Malaysia)

Lim Ee Quen gave up her comfy beauty salon business to manage this decades-old family recipe Penang Laksa in a frill-less and hot coffeeshop stall in Penang, Malaysia. Her hard work paid off when she was crowned the Assam Laksa Champion in the Battle of Penang Hawkers 2011. Wan Dao Tou’s assam laksa has fresh fish flakes sitting in the broth with a dollop of hae ko (sweet prawn sauce) and tamarind blended with their family’s sambal recipe. Not as thick as I have expected but the spicy-sour broth is still dangerously addictive.

Martabak Markobar (Indonesia)

Martabak Markobar is a recent wildly popular variation of sweet martabak or the Chinese mee chang kueh. They make this death-by-chocolate pancake much like a pizza, where dough in poured onto a special pancake mould. It comes out with crispy edges and soft gummy body, and has up to 8 versions of chocolate toppings. It is a very popular midnight snack. Martabak Markobar is different from the normal Martabak Manis because it is extensively chocolatey and is an open face pancake with the variety of chocolates, ranging from Toblerone, Tim Tams, Kit Kat, Nutella etc.. even green tea and cheese.

Ayam Taliwang Bersaudara (Indonesia)

Warning: this is the spiciest grilled chicken dish known to Indonesians. Ms Baiq Hartini is the lady who brought this Lombok Taliwang Chicken (Ayam Taliwang) dish to Jakarta 25 years ago. She started selling the dish as a side business while juggling her main job as a midwife. Since then it has expanded into a restaurant, Ayam Taliwang Bersaudara. The Ayam Taliwang is famous for its secret marinade, which includes the mind-numbing, spicy-stingy bird’s eye chili from Lombok (chilli in Indonesian parlance). Typically a whole chicken is marinated and then grilled on charcoal fire for a smoky, roasty and spicy aroma. The locals eat it with Plecing Kang Kong, a water spinach salad with a savoury sweet peanut sauce.

102 Private Kitchen (China)

The Zhu Hou Chicken, a rendition of the popular salt baked chicken, is a representative dish of Foshan, Guangdong in China. The unique feature of the dish is its robust Foshan specialty sauce. The sauce is made from a combination of soy bean, salt, sugar, sesame seed and light soy sauce. Chef Xu Jing Ye is a graduate of the culinary faculty of Foshan School of Higher Learning. A Foshan native, he is the chef and owner of 102 Private Kitchen, a renowned private kitchen in Foshan since 2006.

Hoy Tord (Thailand)

Hoy Tord or seafood omelette is an all-time favourite Thai dish, it was even chosen as one of the best snacks by Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, the national convention hub in Thailand. Tapioca flour, rice flour, lime and water are mixed together to create the flour batter. It is then fried over an iron pan over gentle fire with eggs. Toppings and dressings include seafood, coriander, spring onions, bean sprouts and a dusting of white pepper. The result, a crispy on the outside and soft, chewy on the inside, eggy pancake.

Churros Locos (USA)

Churros Locos is a food truck set-up founded by Daniel Huerta and Isabel Sanchez and is originally situated in Portland, Oregon. Growing up with churros, the couple was hit with a brainwave to venture into the churros business after a stroll along the coast of Oregon. The Churro Sundae is served with old fashioned vanilla ice-cream before drizzled with your choice of toppings like nuts and sprinkles, which includes an alluring Singapore favourite, Gula Melaka (palm sugar), making it the perfect dessert to sweeten up that moment.

BánhCăn 38 (Vietnam)

Another talented hawker with architecture degree, Ms Phan Thi Thu Loan decided to follow her heart, and sell traditional Vietnamese snack in her quest to promote and preserve her country’s food culture. BánhCăn 38 is a street style cafe based in Ho Chí Minh City in Vietnam. A stickler for old school traditions and methods, their Banh Xeo (crispy seafood pancake) is cooked the old fashioned way over wood fire using very traditional claypots and pans. This form of cooking method had gained them recognition from the United Nations for their effort in preserving this culture. They blend and pound pre-soaked rice to make the batter for the light and crispy seafood pancake.

Jin Ji Kway Chap (Singapore)

Melvin Chew inherited his family’s 35 year old kway chap (soy braised and stewed pork, offals and duck with rice or noodle sheets) stall in Chinatown, when his father passed on suddenly in 2014. Aside from the old version, Melvin came up with a Japanese bento style Kway Chap that resonated with a new generation. Slices of braised duck meat were still succulent, retaining a bite but adequately tender. Their braising sauce is light but good enough to coat the meat and offals well. Read about it here.

Donald & Lily (Malaysia)

Peranakan couple Donald Tan and his wife Lily Lee set up what is known to be the first food push cart offering mee siam and other authentic Nonya fare, in Malacca in Malaysia. Today, they have expanded their business to a restaurant, and their daughter took over the business. The key to a good mee siam is in the art of making and frying the sambal, a chilli paste unique to this dish. The result is a tangy, sweet and spicy gravy base that’s very moreish. Their bee hoon is fred with marinate for flavour, texture and colour before the addictive gravy is introduced over.

Chey Sua Carrot Cake (Singapore)

Ever since taking over the wok from their mother more than 30 years ago, sisters Shirley and Grace Tay have never looked back. Everyday, they insist on making their own radish cake. Shirley says factory made ones may be too soft or too hard sometimes, so by making her own, she can ensure consistency in the cakes. Bits and pieces of radish can be found in the carrot cake and it is pan fried to crispy yet soft perfection. Read about it here.

The World Street Food Congress Jamboree is open to the public from April 20 to 24 at Federacion Drive corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City. It is open from 4pm to 11 pm from Wednesday to Friday, 12pm to 11pm on Saturday, and 12pm to 9pm on Sunday. For more information, visit http://wsfcongress.com

The post 13 Must Try Stalls in World Street Food Jamboree 2016 appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Now that I am on my own, I have been trying to practise four-day week, turning Thursday as the new Friday. It is not easy as there are always so many things to be done. But guess what, Xing Yun Kway Chap opens only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday – THREE DAYS PER WEEK! #ultimatewin

We visited last Sunday after hearing about it. Since they are only open for 3 days a week, expect long queues forming at the stall as foodies satisfy their kway chap craving. I knew standing 45 minutes in queue is all worthwhile when I was served with a glorious plate of perfectly braised kway chap.

The braised pork belly, pig’s intestines and tau pok are well flavoured with the savoury braising sauce. Balanced in flavour, the braising sauce has got a good consistency and is not too thick nor watery. The ingredients are stewed long enough for the spices to penetrate into them.

Don’t worry about the interestines as they are tender and absorbed the sauce without any odour. Since we are in the queue for so long, we ordered a portion of pig’s tongue which makes the aunty brimming with joy. They also have huge pig trotters. Dip the morsels into a tangy spicy chilli sauce for oomph.

The translucent kway is slippery smooth and do not break easily in the broth. Pork rib’s broth is first added into the bowl of noodles before flavouring it with just a little of their rich gravy for braised meats. It has got a very mild sweetness and very aromatic.

Go early because they are usually sold out about 1pm.

The post Xing Yun Kway Chap @ Tampines – Opens Only 3 Days Per Week appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

CRAVE recently opened its fourth outlet in ION Orchard, bringing the popular Selera Rasa nasi lemak from Adam Road Hawker Centre and Rafee’s Corner teh tarik formerly from Amoy Street Hawker Centre all under one roof.

Operated by Pezzo Group which has Pezzo Pizza kiosks all over Singapore, this also marks CRAVE’s first venture into the city area, after setting up shop in the heartland malls of Hougang, Bedok and Punggol.

The award-winning Selera Rasa nasi lemak counts the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, as one of their fans, who requests it for breakfast every time he visits Singapore.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo also had the chance to savour this dish when he was in Singapore for his youngest son’s graduation ceremony in November 2014, when he had breakfast with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana.

So how did the partnership between Selera Rasa, Rafee’s Corner and Pezzo come about? According to this Straits Times article, the co-founder of Pezzo Pizza, who is also a regular Selera Rasa customer, broached the idea of a joint venture to owner Abdul Malik bin Hassan. In this arrangement, Pezzo takes care of the outlets while Selera Rasa ensures the quality of food.

On the other hand, Mr Abdul Malik, who was around at the tasting session, told me that he is a good friend with Rafee’s Corner’s owner Mohamed Rabeek. They got to know each other when they previously participated in Singapore Day, where they brought their beloved classics to Singaporeans based overseas together with other top hawkers and restauranteurs.

CRAVE’s mouthwatering nasi lemak is prepared using a family recipe that has been passed down over generations, with a winning combination of basmati rice, fried chicken wing, signature sambal chilli and fresh otah-otah. Almost everything is prepared in-store. The nasi lemak come in various combinations with sides of ikan bilis, sliced cucumber and sambal chilli, and are priced very affordably between $4.90 and $6.90. Try everything at one go with the Royal Rumble ($6.90), which comes with chicken wing, egg, fried ikan kuning, begedil (Malay-style spiced potato patties), and top up $1 for the otah.

The piping hot basmati rice is light and fluffy with a whiff of coconut milk fragrance. Usually found in biryani, the long basmati grains are a welcome change from the typical short grain rice found in other nasi lemak, as they absorb water well but do not become overly wet and clumpy. The chicken wings make use of a secret recipe that involves overnight marination, and are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 

Meanwhile, the sambal chilli is made with a combination of Indian and Japanese chillies and is cooked for five hours, resulting in a sweet-spicy-savoury concoction that goes well with the other ingredients. The otah-otah are made every morning with ground quality mackerel fish and wrapped with banana leaves – so moist and good that other diners have ordered a few of them separately at $1.80 each!

But for me, the winning side dish was the begedil ($1.20). Good begedil are hard to come by and I asked for even more to munch on, though Mr Abdul Malik was meek about the preparation details. He only shared that the potato patties were mixed with a bit of pepper and other spices, and covered with a layer of egg before frying.

Rafee’s Corner’s Mr Mohamed Rabeek was around too and I got to see him in action, preparing the fragrant and smooth teh tarik in perfect motion. Making use of a blend of tea dust, his teh tarik has a nice flavour that makes a good pairing with the nasi lemak. 

Besides teh tarik, other drinks like kopi tarik, teh c and kopi o are available at $1.80 (hot) and $2.20 (iced). Two other non-coffee/non-tea options in the form of bandung and calamansi are available too at $2.50 (iced).

Other outlets are at Hougang Mall #B1-11, Bedok Mall #B2-22, Waterway Point #B1-K7 and Parkway Parade B1 (Food Republic Stall 18).

The post CRAVE brings Adam Road Nasi Lemak to ION Orchard appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Text & Photos by Jinhua & Maureen

As one of the oldest satellite towns in Singapore, Toa Payoh has a wide range of dining options spread across the estate, ranging from iconic food stalls and hidden gems in hawker centres and coffeeshops, to restaurants and cafes carving out niches for themselves.

I grew up in this estate and saw the transformation of the food scene here. Gen X-ers may remember a Toa Payoh Garden Restaurant at the town park  (which used to be a popular wedding photo spot in the 1970’s and 1980’s), while 90’s kids like me could find cheap bubble tea shops (first gen) opening up almost everywhere. At one point, McDonald’s even had five outlets in this relatively small town – almost one for each neighbourhood!

So besides the dragon playground, do check out these 31 cafes, hawker stalls and restaurants the next time you swing by Toa Payoh. Why did I pick 31, you may ask? Hint: take a look at the postal code. Also, find out how you can learn more about Toa Payoh at the end of this post!

West cluster (Lorongs 1 and 2)

Trendy cafes and bakeries have set up shop in Toa Payoh in recent years, giving the quaint parts of the estate a new lease of life. To me, Creamier is one of the “pioneers” here when they opened in 2011, attracting people from all over Singapore to enjoy their handcrafted ice cream and waffles. This outlet is almost always crowded! Personally, I would always go for their classic Plain Ole Chocolate Ice Cream for its smooth, rich and creamy textures.

Located right next to Creamier, Niche Savoureuse began as a boulangerie in June 2014, serving up intricately handcrafted cakes, scones and savoury dishes. They pride themselves in ensuring quality by a process of refining their original recipes and taking no shortcuts. Do try the Truffle Cabonara ($14.90) while you are here – while the portion may be a little small, the flavour and fragrance makes up for it. 

Niche also makes a good rendition of the Niche Mont Blanc ($7.50) chestnut Swiss roll. Pureed chestnuts, Ferrero Rocher wafer and chocolate are used in the making of this dessert, and the end-product is mildly sweet and comforting to the palette.

Uggli Muffins caught my attention a few years ago when I was having lunch at the hawker centre – firstly, it was churning out angmoh muffins when the signboard above clearly shows a Chinese zi char stall, and secondly, true to its name, their muffins looked a little unusual, different from those with perfectly rounded crowns. Then I found out that the owner used to help his parents to run this zi char stall, which he inherited, and later began to make muffins in the day. Muffins eventually became the main product, but he respected their wishes and kept the zi char signboard.

The muffins come in various flavours such as banana and walnut ($1.40) and sweet potato ($1.10), and you can buy 10 and get 2 for free. They may look unphotogenic and appear to be a little burnt, but the slightly moist texture and distinct fragrance are what keeps the crowds coming back for more.

Two friendly sisters, Grace and Shirley, run this stall, and they took over the business from their parents from more than 20 years ago. They are perhaps among the few who insist on making their own carrot cake to ensure its consistency, then pan-fried to crispy yet soft perfection. It is no wonder that they have been invited to participate in various food events overseas, such as the recent World Street Food Conference.

Started since 1993, second generation hawker Richard gave up his mechanical engineering job to continue this family business. The winning formula has to be its delicate skin as it puffs up nicely to a wonderful fluffy and soft finish. A lot of work goes into hand making such beautiful and smooth paus. Richard and his dad are very particular with the balanced proportion of flour, water and sugar. Their big bao (pork filling) makes a good snack. The meat inside is juicy and the dark sauce coats the interior of the bao perfectly so you do not get the feeling of dryness at all. Read more about it here.

Located at the other HDB block flanking the hawker centre and market, The Daily Press serves an extensive range of gourmet handcrafted sandwiches, pastas and specialty coffee. Apple, Bacon and Cheese Sandwich is among their customers’ top choices, while I enjoyed another crowd favourite, the mushroom sandwich. Within the bread contained caramelised onion, mushroom and cheese, and the entire package is a good balance of flavours. Alternatively, grab a pasta set which comes with a soup of the day and a drink. Try the seafood Port Pasta, which is available right now for a limited period only.

At the end of the same HDB block is a self-service frozen yogurt brand from Melbourne, Frozen by a Thousand Blessings. This outlet is their very first venture in Singapore. Six froyo flavours – soy and strawberry, mango and soy, lemon and ginger, natural, passionfruit and pomegranate – are available here at $3.80 per 100 grams, and you will be spoilt for choice with the wide range of toppings here!

Hua Fong Kee Roasted Duck has two outlets in Toa Payoh itself and both stalls sell a wide range of roasted meat dishes. If you are spoilt for choice, just go straight for their duck rice. The duck is roasted to perfection with pleasuring fattiness to it, and the rice served with a flavourful bowl of soup on the side. Their chilli is good too!

North cluster (Lorong 3 and Toa Payoh North)

Just a few minutes’ walk from Braddell MRT station, Shrove Tuesday serves up really light, crispy and fluffy waffles with homemade gelato ice cream in various flavours. They also have a small selection of hot dishes. Dig into their creations in their cosy cafe setting! 

Nepali chef-owner Tom Shrestha came to Singapore nearly 20 years ago and opened this restaurant in 2006. Named after his son, Tims Restaurant and Cafe serves Western dishes and a small selection of Nepali dishes such as momos (which look like xiao long bao, but are drier and have more texture) and Nepali chicken salad. Nepalese herbs are used but the spiciness levels have been adjusted to suit the local palette. 

93 Wu Xiang Xia Bing is located in the hawker centre (which has a beautiful wall mural, by the way). It is one of my childhood favourites and I enjoy having the wide range of ngoh hiang here every now and then. Besides dipping these pieces of fried delicacies into the slightly spicy chilli sauce, you can also enjoy the pink, slightly-sweet dip that is not as often seen nowadays.

Mr Lee Eng Keat has been in and out of prison countless times for the past 20 years. He turned over a new leaf and opened his Toa Payoh stall last year. His Claypot Hokkien Mee ($10/$15/$20/$25/$30) was cooked twice – first stir fried, then cooked over fire. The noodles absorbed the superior broth, resulting in a gooey pot of goodness. Each claypot comes with a few pieces of sio bak, prawns and squid.

Visible from the main road, Lee Fun Nam Kee is famous for its soya sauce chicken rice ever since it opened in 1968. The tender and fresh chicken is prepared with a secret formula that has been perfected over the years, which also includes a blend of herbal ingredients. Go for the whole chicken and enjoy it with the fragrant rice!

Bernie Utchenik, who previously founded the Botak Jones chain of western food in coffeeshops (he later sold his shares), has made a comeback last year with Big Bern’s American Grill. Located in an industrial estate food court (just next to SPH), Big Bern’s serves up signatures such as Fish & Chips ($7.90) that makes use of higher grade fish and served with a milder tartar sauce, satisfying juicy sirloin steaks and cajun chicken.

And I must say, after several years of disappointing Botak Jones fare in their later days, I’m glad to enjoy the good ol’ quality taste I remembered from Bernie again.

Central cluster (Lorong 4, Toa Payoh Central and HDB Hub)

Fans of traditional Cantonese style dishes will definitely be familiar with Gen Shu Mei Shi Shi Jia (根叔美食世家). Having retired as the head chef of Mouth Restaurant, Gen Shu was bored stiff at home. That was why he opened a hawker stall to sell his brand of Hong Kong cuisine. My favourite at Gen Shu is definitely the yam cake. It wins hands down. Making it can be tedious, but it’s worth the effort. The yam paste is made freshly daily at 4am, so the result is a smooth and melt in your mouth yam cake. You won’t find the commercial variety of cake packed with this much yam. Gen Shu’s Lor Mai Gai is also impressive. Steamed in a rectangular shape, the steamed glutinous rice is very flavoursome and has a al dente texture. Take a spoonful of it, you get the delicious fillings of well seasoned chicken and Chinese sausages, the rice is cooked till perfection. Such a humble stall, but produces extraordinary flavours! Read more about it here.

Established in 2010, Swatow Seafood Restaurant offers handmade Hong Kong dim sum in the day and Teochew style seafood delicacies in the evening. Don’t miss their Teochew cold crab, crispy oyster omelette with plump and juicy oysters, and their chilled jelly pork knuckles.

Classic fish dish is one of the best representations of Teochew cuisine. At Swatow, the silver pomfret is huge with shiny white flesh, decorated with plum, tomatoes and pickled vegetables. The saltiness of the pickled vegetable subtly plays up the savoury notes of the ginger, and acts as a layer of protection to seal the moistness and sweetness of the fish.

Crispy Oyster Omelette uses more eggs than flour, they are deep fried to a crisp exterior and served as an accompanying sweet and sour sauce with juicy oysters. Because of the sauce, I would reach for Blue Lion which can cut through that richness while grabbing onto the savoriness and matching the touch of sweetness.

A recent entrant to the food scene here, Oppa! Choo Choo brings together two brands – Oppa! Bingsu and Choo Choo Chicken – in one comfy restaurant space. Now Toa Payoh residents don’t have to head to the city for their Korean fried chicken and bingsu fix! I usually go for their garlic and spicy fried chicken flavours, all eight pieces on my own. They are well-marinated, crispy and flavourful. Meanwhile, their bingsu is served in a takeaway bowl with a cup base at the bottom. Be sure to dig all the way to the bottom to enjoy the shaven ice!

Located in a coffeeshop near the library, Toa Payoh Lucky Pisang Raja is another of my childhood favourites. Their goreng pisang and sweet potato balls are the must-try items here – thick and fresh bananas are used for their goreng pisang, which is crunchy and comfortingly sweet to the palate. Their sweet potato balls come in three different fillings, with a good balance of flavours – the fragrance from sesame seeds coated on the outside, the mild sweet potato and the rich filling of red bean, mung bean or yam paste. 

Mention “Yellow Submarine” and perhaps the tune from the Beatles will come to mind, but that’s how Yellow Submarines Cheesesteaks calls their Philadelphia cheesesteaks. Their classic submarines make use of thinly sliced beef sirloin, melted blended cheese and caramelised onions in a bread roll. My personal favourite here is their Mala cheese steaks, which has peppercorn added to the beef to give a mildly spicy kick. I usually order it as a set with a soft drink and Torpedo fries, thick-cut fries served with a generous dollop of their blended cheese. For non-beef eaters, Yellow Submarines also has other options like tuna and chicken.

Located at a comparatively quieter stretch of Toa Payoh Central shophouses (in the direction towards Courts), JQ Chef Cafe is the brainchild of chef-owner John Quek, formerly the executive chef of the Singapore Flyer’s Sky Dining experience. This cafe serves a good selection of brunch items such as Big Breakfast, Eggs Benedict and Eggs Royale. If you love waffles with your brunch, go for the ultimate indulgence in Wicked Waffles ($14.90) – eggs Benedict and smoked salmon served on top of fluffy waffles, served with hash browns, cheese sausages and a mixed fruit and veg salad on the side.

Expect to queue for at least 20 minutes before you can sink your teeth into the flavourful rojak here! Available in $3 to $6 portions, the rojak contains crispy you tiao, crunchy cucumber, turnip, pineapple, bean sprouts tossed in a very sweet sauce. The chef then finishes off this snack with generous dollops of crushed peanuts.

Also located in the basement food court, Hougang 6 Miles Famous Muah Chee has two types of muah chee, coated in peanuts (white) and black sesame. The muah chee here ($2.50/#2.50/$5.50) are all made on the spot, with the stall owner constantly twirling the delicate dough and proportioning the dough into small balls by hand.

Oasis Bay Taiwan Porridge used to be at the old National Stadium area before it shifted to Toa Payoh in 2008. The restaurant serves unlimited porridge in small tumblers and has a wide selection of dishes such as chilli crab and herbal kampong chicken. Diners can enjoy the picturesque scenery of the Toa Payoh Town Park through its glass panels while dining.

East cluster (Lorongs 5 to 8)

I have been eating ban mian from He Jia Huan Ban Mian Mee Hoon Kuay for many years, usually ordering the soup version with clams added. The springy noodles come in good hearty portions with minced meat and vegetables, while a dark soya suace is added to the dry version. Try mixing in the light soya sauce with chopped chilli to enhance the flavour. This stall almost always has queues, and sells other items such as u-mee and mee hoon kuay, mixed and matched with various seafood items.

Song Kee Fishball Noodles is not a stranger to many. Having been around for 16 years, many food lovers will come by this stall in Toa Payoh for their fish noodles. Most of the time, I preferred to have mee kia but for Song Kee, the mee pok tastes so much better without the strong alkaline taste. I ordered a spicy version, with every strand of mee pok coated with their homemade spicy sauce. The generous amount of fried shallots and chili paste make every mouthful of noodles drool-worthy. Priced at $3 a bowl, the noodles come with a generous serving of fishballs and tau pok. Using fresh yellow tail fish (番薯鱼), the handmade fishballs are firm, springy and very fresh with a nice mild fish flavour. Read about it here.

Uno Beef House is one of my go-to places for coffeeshop style Western food, such as crispy fish and chips, fried chicken cutlet and chicken wings. Do try their black pepper sirloin steak ($13). The steak is served smoking hot on a hotplate, but don’t tuck into it immediately – while you take photos to post on your social media, the hot plate allows the steak to be cooked to required perfection, and the steak goes well with the slightly sweet and spicy pepper sauce that is drizzled on top. Unlike other dishes, the steak is served with a potato ball that has a buttery fragrance.

Many people head to the coffeeshop next to Uno Beef House for the Lai Heng bak chor mee, but I prefer the old school Hong Shan Ang Ku Kueh located at the front of the coffeeshop. The ang ku kueh here are made fresh onsite, with traditional flavours such as sweet tau sar (red bean paste), salty tau sar and peanut, and more modern flavours – mango, durian and green tea – to choose from.

The soon kueh and png kueh here ticks all the right boxes for the half-Teochew in me – often I had disappointing, tough-to-chew png kueh, but Hong Shan’s has a soft skin and a rice filling that is close to perfect to me. The soon kueh has a turnip filling that is not too wet and still had the satisfying crunchiness.

Used to be in South bridge Road, this zi char stall has now moved to Toa Payoh (they have another branch in Joo Seng Road). Although the signboard shows that it’s known for their fish head steamboat, they are more famous for their claypot mee tak bak. With a brilliant wok hei, it is a clear winner on hands with slippery mouse-tail noodles full of smokey aroma, thick umami gravy spiked with raw egg, prawns, minced meat and crunchy vegetables. It makes for a great comfort food this rainy season. Guess what, it’s only $5 per claypot, seriously worth every penny.

Century egg is a delicacy of acquired taste. I used to offer it to my overseas friends but the idea of having black egg that has smells like ammonia turn them off. Here, the chef deep fried the century egg to give it a mild crisp. Sweet & spicy sauce is drizzled over the century eggs which helps to cover up the ammonia odor and perfectly balances the rich, unctuous egg. It’s interesting to see century eggs ($8) being deep-fried, you can the subtle crunch with creamy yolk. This is great for those who do not have the guts to savour it plain. Read more about it here.

The Little Prince Creamery pays tribute to the classic Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and has a comfy interior with hand-drawn paintings on its walls and floors. Their gelato items are said to contain 8% fat and eggless, and are milky and creamy. Waffles wise, give the ham and cheese waffles a try – actual ham and cheese bits are added into the batter, then more ham and cheese are sandwiched in the waffles. Feels a little sinful but just so good.

Uncle Tan has been selling Fried Oysters in this hawker centre for more than 40 years and is was featured as one of the Hawker Legends in Makansutra in 2005. The difference between this stall and the rest is the batter. It has got the right mixture of flour to get the perfect texture of chewy and crispy starchy bits. The plate I ate here is moist and a little touch of crispiness. Not too oily nor dry, which makes me feel less guilty for eating such a sinful dish (ok, I’m just consoling myself). The plump and succulent oysters here came from Korea, not as big as I expected but definitely juicy and fresh. Each plate is topped with loads of coriander leaves, dipping it into the watery chilli sauce, shiok! If you don’t fancy oysters, the boss also has prawn omelette. Each plate of fried oysters starts from $4 onwards. Read about it here.

Guan Kee Kway Chap has been invited to participate in Singapore Days previously, bringing their flavourful kway chap to Singaporeans based overseas. The intestines are thoroughly cleaned and do not have an odour and goes well with the smooth kway. They also serve pig trotters here.

*****

Besides the wide range of dining options, Toa Payoh also has a rich history hidden in various spots around the town. In fact, this satellite town is celebrating its 50th anniversary in May this year, but its story go all the way back.

As part of Jane’s Walk 2016, I will be co-leading a walk – Dragons, Temples and Queens: Toa Payoh Past and Present on 8 May 2016. Jane’s Walk is a global movement of citizen-led walking tours inspired by urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs. While the walk will not cover the 31 dining spots featured in this post, we will drop by landmarks such as the famous Dragon playground and the VIP Block that was graced by Queen Elizabeth II herself. Learn more about Toa Payoh’s evolution through the decades and see how it correlates with the larger Singapore context.

Sign up for the morning session here (the afternoon session is fully booked).

The post The Really Local Food Guide in Toa Payoh appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Fried carrot cake, or chai tow kway, is a dish that I will definitely introduce to my overseas visitors whenever I do food tours with them. That’s because the savoury radish cubes are so different from their carrot cake which is usually eaten as dessert.

I have a soft spot for carrot cake because my grandfather would always buy it back for supper or tea break when I was still a child. Till now, I still eat it very frequently. Especially the black version, it’s so irresistible. Guan Hin Homemade Carrot Cake (元兴自制菜头粿) has been under the radar for too long. I have been seeing it on my friends’ feed for a few months but every time I went to the hawker centre, it’s closed. No luck.

When I went there last week, I am so happy that they are opened and I finally get to try it! Run by a old couple, they still make their own rice cake in the shop. If you visit them at the right time, you will see the 83-year-old uncle busy making their own radish cake in the stall. That’s the reason why you get to eat thick and chunky rectangular radish cake instead of the thinly sliced ones which are mostly factory made.

We tried both black and white version. I prefer the former because the addition of black sweet sauce makes the soft carrot cake moist, sticky, sweet, and savoury. When it is done well like this, it is super addictive with aromatic charred edges! They are very generous with eggs too! My friend says it taste much better when you do take away, so give it a try and let me know. The white version are not bad too, you get the mild crunch from the preserved radish.

The quest to find good black carrot cake continues… So far, I have Song Zhou Luo Bo Gao in Bedok and Fu Ming Cooked Food in Redhill in my favourite list. Guan Hin is my new favourite for now and if you have any recommendations, leave a comment for me!

The post Guan Hin Homemade Carrot Cake @ Geylang Bahru Food Centre appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.