Photos by Nathanael Chan

Weekends are a time for feasting after a long week of eating sub-par takeaway lunches at your workstation. If you’ve been racking your brains over where to bring your parents or partner for breakfast on weekends, check out this list of 7 yummy hawker stores at Tampines Round Market that will leave your tummies satisfied on a weekend morning. 

While the queue may get a little long for these stores, we promise they’re worth the wait!

Xing Ji 星记

A traditional wanton mee stall, Xing Ji’s Wanton Mee ($3/$4/$5/$6) includes two wantons, a few stalks of vegetables, and slices of char siew. The egg noodles are springy and a mixture of ketchup and chilli are tossed with the noodles. When eaten hot, the gravy accentuates the fragrance of the noodles and it feels somewhat similar to Kok Kee Wanton Mee. The skin of the wantons were thin enough for the fillings to spill into my mouth on the very first bite, which was satisfying.

Chai Chee Pork Porridge 菜市猪肉粥

A few stores down from Xing Ji is Chai Chee Pork Porridge. Cantonese-style porridge is known to be gooey and smooth. While I could still discern the individual rice grains from this bowl of porridge, it still felt silky and all so satisfying to slurp down.

We tried the sliced fish porridge ($4), which arrived with a sprinkling of youtiao (fried dough). They could have been more generous with the portion of sliced fish, but I liked that their porridge was flavourful even on its own. Pork or chicken porridge ($3) is available as well.

Sarawak Kolo Mee 云吞面。砂劳越哥捞面

Perhaps one of the most well known stores in Tampines Round Market is the Sarawak Kolo Mee. The infamously long queue moves pretty quickly though, so no worries about your dining partners having to wait an eternity for you to return.

Their Signature Sarawak Kuching Kolo Mee Set Meal ($4/$5/$6/$7) comes with boiled and crispy fried wantons, char siew, vegetable and pork ribs. Nope, those aren’t maggi mee noodles. These noodles are prepared in the same way as wanton noodles, but without the use of alkaline water.

The springy noodles, made with only egg-white, are lighter in colour and supposedly healthier. It is dry-tossed with an array of sauces, leaving it tasty and palatable. I liked that their wantons came with crunchy water chestnuts as it added an interesting texture and an unexpected crunch to the wantons. Sweet caramelised char siew goes perfectly with the qq texture of the noodles. 

137 Lor Mee Prawn Noodles 卤面虾面

A bowl of Traditional Lor Mee ($3/$4) comes with an extremely generous portion of pork belly, ngoh hiang, fish cake and eggs. Unlike other hawkers, 137 Lor Mee Prawn Noodles serves up a mean fried fish along with their noodles. The fried fish remained crispy despite being submerged in the savory sauce. I liked that the sauce remained appetizing and didn’t feel too jelat, despite being thick in nature. Note that they usually sell out by 10.30am, so go early to get your Lor Mee fix!

Yi Le Shu Shi 伊乐熟食

This insanely popular store, known for their Nasi Lemak ($2.50-$2.80), frequently runs out of their signature dish by 8am, one hour after they open. We were there at 10am, and they had already run out of sambal chilli! If you can’t peel yourself off bed on a weekend morning, fret not. They still sell various dishes, making a quick switch to a caifan store. 

We tried the spicy green beans with a fried chicken wing and stir-fry potatoes. The chicken wing was smaller than I expected, but had a satisfying crunch without being too oily. Will try to come back earlier to get a plate of their elusive Nasi Lemak!

Pig’s Viscera Pork Ribs Prawn Noodle 老李猪什排骨虾面

Made out of a mixture of yellow noodles with bee hoon, the Pig’s Viscera Noodle (Zhu Zha Mian) ($3.50) comes with a large selection of viscera, ranging from pig tail, handmade meatballs, pig kidney, or even intestines and liver.

Having the bee hoon mixed in with the yellow noodles ensures that the alkaline taste of the yellow noodles does not overwhelm your tastebuds. 

Rajarani Thosai

I always get excited whenever I see places selling the elusive appam ($1.50 for egg appam). It might take awhile for you to get your hands on your breakfast, but trust me, its worth waiting for. Note that their egg is cooked through fully, instead of the runny egg that some stores do. Orange coloured palm sugar, commonly used in the Indian style of cooking, was sprinkled liberally on the top. The heat of the freshly cooked appam left it half-melted, helping to blend the neutral base of the appam with the sweet sugar.

The sides of the thosai ($1.50) were crisp and cooked evenly. It came with 2 different dipping curries and coconut chutney.

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

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

The post 7 Favourite Hawker Stalls for Breakfast at Tampines Round Market appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Located at an unassuming coffeeshop near Thomson Medical, Bee Kia Restaurant has been serving an amazing standard of zichar dishes for many years. There’s no menu for your perusal here, and the variety of dishes served is quite limited. But, that’s the advantage of being focused, as the high standard of their dishes are maintained. The dishes are prepared according to the number of people you dine with, and the following pricing and portion applies for 2 persons.

Bee Kia’s Signature Beef Hor Fun ($8) boasts velvety smooth noodles that are cooked to a nicely charred flavour, complemented with succulent slices of beef, and generously drenched in a luscious black bean and chilli gravy. They are not stingy with the beef, and there is distinct wok hei in the hor fun, coupled with the robust gravy making each mouthful very satisfying. It’s no wonder we see this dish being served at every table.

Prawn Paste Chicken ($8) is fried till a nice golden brown. You’ll first sink your teeth into the super crispy batter before savouring juicy and tender flesh. The flavour of the prawn paste is just right and each piece whets our appetites for more.

Pork Ribs ($8) served at Bee Kia have a nice bite, and are well coated with the tangy, sweet sauce. This dish will go perfectly with fragrant white rice, and we believe it’s a hot favourite among kids.

Bee Kia Restaurant also serves Hong Kong style steamed fish, seafood claypot, and deep-fried prawns. This place certainly warrants a second, or even third visit! Plus, it wouldn’t burn a huge hole in your pocket if you’re organising a birthday meal gathering with friends and family.

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

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

The post Bee Kia Restaurant – One of the Best Beef Hor Fun in Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

This hidden gem situated at a corner coffeeshop along Tai Thong Crescent is easily missed out on, as people usually head to the area for River South (Hoe Nam) Prawn Noodles and Lao Zhong Zhong Ngor Hiang. Well, it’s time you try Zheng Yi’s slurp-worthy beef noodles!

You can either choose the dry or soup version, which comes in different sizes. We had the Dry Mixed Beef Noodle ($8 large), which isn’t well presented, as all that you’ll see is a thick, gooey gravy drenched over the noodles, with toppings like spring onions, peanuts, and fried shallots. But, don’t be deceived by its unappetising appearance! Just give the bowl a good toss, let the savoury gravy coat the strands of noodles totally, and you’ll enjoy a flavoursome bowl of noodles with a nutty finish from the peanuts. Moreover, you’ll find generous servings of beef slices, beef tripe, beef tendons, and beef balls buried underneath which give the dish some textures!

Mixed Beef Noodle Soup ($8 large), on the other hand, is a must on rainy days. The broth is light, and flavoured with the sweetness of the beef. As compared to the dry version where the flavour of the beef is overwhelmed by the rich and thick gravy, you’ll get to savour the flavour of the beef more for the soup version. However, we still prefer the dry mixed beef noodle for its stronger flavours.

Zheng Yi’s beef noodles certainly warrant a second, or even third visit. Next time you’re in the vicinity, do give this a try.

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

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

The post Zheng Yi Hainanese Beef Noodles – We Love The Dry Mixed Beef Noodles appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

A good ol’ bowl of handmade noodles is comfort food for most of us Singaporeans. Despite the swelteringly hot weather, I’ve conquered many a bowl of ban mian in humid hawker centres. Here, I bring to you 10 Ban Mian Places which are worth the sweat stains that you’ll earn from slurping down those delicious egg noodles.

Grandma Ban Mee

Expect a super long queue during lunch time at Grandma Ban Mee! While I have not tried Kin Kin to make a comparison, the noodles here are springy with a moderately spicy chilli paste, egg, ikan bilis and minced meat. You could feel a little heat, but it keeps you going, perhaps due to the fragrance from the shrimps. Before you know it, the bowl of noodles is gone!

Grandma Ban Mee’s clear soup version was lighter than many other ban mee stalls but it’s filled with ingredients like mushrooms, black fungus, ikan bilis and vegetables. My dining partner finds that it lacks depth, which is understandable. But for me, it has a similar taste to what I eat at home. I call it “comfort”.

L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles

Okay this is IT. This is officially my new favourite banmian store. 

The Dry Pork Banmian ($4.30) contains both sliced pork and minced pork, a nice touch which justifies the (slightly) higher price of their noodles. The pork slices used here was of the leaner variety, making it a bit tough. Perfect for the more health conscious crowd though. I liked the addictive savoury-sweet dark sauce that coated the noodles. It might not be as strong as the one at Greenview, but it showcases the quality of the noodles better, since it is not as overwhelming. The homemade noodles and broth which is boiled for more than 10 hours is definitely worth sweating for. Be prepared to wait, especially during the dinner rush!

J99 Coffeeshop Toa Payoh Ban Mian

Despite staying a fair distance away, this might be one of my new favourites and I’ll be sure to make another visit to try their famed dry version. We got the soup Ban Mian ($3.50) from this popular store at Toa Payoh. Situated in a coffee shop, we spotted most of the patrons slurping down noodles from their iconic red bowl. The noodles are done just right, with a nice bite.

Unlike some places have a cloudy soup base, the soup here is extremely clear. With the generous serving of lettuce, we felt healthier just by eating this bowl of goodness.

Greenview Cafe @ Far East Plaza

Looks can be deceiving. Don’t judge a bowl of noodles by its appearance! Made to order, the thick and chewy Dry Mee Hoon Kueh ($4.50) here is to die for. The dark sauce that coats each chunk of noodles is deliciously sweet, with a tinge of saltiness. It is also tossed together with chilli, bringing you an explosion of flavours with just one bite. The sauce comes mixed in with the noodles, instead of like how other places let you mix in the sauce yourself. Well, that just means we can dig in even sooner!

I like that the clumps of minced pork were well seasoned and especially fragrant after being coated in the sauce. However, if seafood is more up your alley, opt for the version which comes with prawns instead. 

Top 1 Home Made Noodles

This place gets a little confusing for first timers. You start by choosing your type of noodles, followed by your soup base and finally, the type of ingredients you want to top your noodles with. Their special black sauce is more savoury than sweet, but is nothing much to shout about. The real kick comes in after you add in their killer chilli sauce and toss your noodles again. Their mee hoon kueh is thinner than usual and not too starchy. Makes for easy slurping! Nicely seasoned minced pork and meat balls are included as well. 

Do try their mala mee, which comes with flat noodles, fresh prawns and well seasoned minced meat. The heat will kill you but it might just turn out to be a love-hate relationship.

China Whampoa Homemade Noodles

A clear and light broth that is only cooked with ikan bilis and soya beans instead of pork bones is served here at China Whaompoa. Unlike other ban mian stalls, no eggs are added. In addition, they add the old-school mani cai (马尼菜 or sweet leaf) into the soup which helps to give a little sweetness to the soup. 

Their more popular dry version is tossed with their premium dark soy sauce and homemade chilli sauce. The texture of the noodles stand out much more when you order the dry version. The sauce used is flavourful, but some may find it a tad too sweet. 

They have two variations of chilli for you to pick from. One is sweet with pineapple, while the other is a more savoury one. Do ask for the chilli to be placed separately because it sure packs a punch!

Xuan Miao Vegetarian @ Paya Lebar Square

Labelled simply as ‘Vegetarian Food’, this unassuming store in Cantine Food Court at Paya Lebar Square has its own crowd of healthy fans. We tried the U-Mian Dry ($6.50), Banmian Soup ($6) and Bak Kut Teh Soup ($7). I would recommend the Dry U-Mian, which comes with a blob of xiang chun sauce, a type sauce made with Chinese toon leaves. Grainy and green in colour, it reminded us of pesto sauce and coats the noodles evenly after a few tosses. It has a strong garlicky taste, which some may find too overwhelming. Black sauce which had more savoury than sweet notes sealed the deal the for us, complementing the xiang chun perfectly. 

The other dishes taste a little too bland for most, and would be best reserved for when you’re feeling a little under the weather.

Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle

Located at the food court of City Plaza, Poon Nah serves 8 different kinds of noodles. From ban mian to you mian, mee sua, bean flour noodle etc, you’ll be spoilt for choice! Furthermore, there are so many permutations. You can either pair it with prawns, fish, kidney, clams etc. Its kinda like ‘DIY Banmian’ if you think about it. Poon Nah serves chewy and soft noodles. Along with the tasty clear soup that contains wolfberry leaves in their dishes, the combination is mouthwatering! Their chilli sauce gives a punch to the entire flavour of the dish, as it may get a bit plain for some.

Seletar Sheng Mian & Mian Fen Guo

In the dry version of this dish, the owner mixes in the sauces before pouring it to the noodles. The umami flavour that hits you after the chilli sauce is mixed with the mee hoon kueh is irresistible! While the savoury sauce is tasty, the chilli does not carry much heat. The fried shallots and crispy ikan bilis makes for a satisfying bowl of handmade noodles. Do add an extra 50 cents for some extra ikan bilis crunch. The minced pork in the soup makes it extra tasty. This place is extremely popular with the elderly and a perfect spot to dine with your grandparents! His brother owns another outlet in Blk 210 Lor 8 Toa Payoh.

Marsiling Handmade Mee Hoon Kueh

At $2.80, this is definitely one of the cheapest bowls of Banmian you can find in Singapore. With extremely early opening hours, starting from 3am daily, you can be sure of getting a hearty bowl of noodles for breakfast, if the craving ever arises. However, we thought that the soup was too salty and the noodles were overcooked. While the portion was generous (we even spotted a lone fishball in our bowl of noodles!), this place is best left as a cheap fix instead of a regular haunt. 

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

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

The post 10 Awesome Ban Mian Places Worth Sweating in the Scorching Weather For appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Starting from June, low-cost carrier Scoot will be launching their first-ever long-haul flight between Singapore and Athens. With this new addition offered by the airline, Scoot is launching a whole new menu to celebrate the big step, and to cater to the needs of passengers. Not surprisingly, they have included Greek meal options on this route. YAY!

Getting a good meal on a flight is, surprisingly, difficult. However, Scoot is a game-changer as they take their in-flight meal catering process seriously. With the first long haul flight (11 hours non-stop) happening soon, they have come up with a new type of menu to meet the needs of the passengers on flights to and from Athens.

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GREEK FOOD

Surrounded by the Mediterranean sea, Greece is home to some of the finest ingredients in the world. Using mainly Mediterranean vegetables, olive oil, lemon juice, various types of fish and meat, and grains, Greek food is flavoursome and packed with a variety of fresh and dried herbs.

Prior to travelling to Greece, I was totally clueless about Greek food. However, after spending a few days exploring Athens, I started to love it as my days were filled with moussaka and spanakopita. If you are travelling to Greece for the first time and are totally clueless Greek food, like me, here’s an introduction for you.

• Moussaka
  Moussaka is one of the best known Greek dishes and is also my favourite. This oven-baked dish is filled with layers of eggplant and spiced meat filling topped with a creamy béchamel sauce.
• Keftethes
  Savoury Greek meatballs are served as an appetizer or as a main course at any table in Greece. They are usually lightly flavoured with parsley and olive oil.
• Choriatiki
  Greek salad is a must have for Greeks. Choriatiki is made up of tomatoes, olives, cucumber and a large piece of feta cheese. It is served without any dressing. Diners have vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil at their disposal and can choose how they want to flavour their salad.
• Spanakopita
  What the Greeks do with filo is what the Italians do with pizza. The Greeks love their pies and you can find numerous varieties. They can be made with enriched dough or filo pastry, and filled with anything from meat, to greens, to cheese. The most classic pie has got to be the spanakopita – filo pastry layered with feta cheese and spinach, and flavoured with dill.

Scoot’s Greek meal options on the Athens-Singapore route are prepared by locals, so you get a real Greek experience up in the air. Expect dishes like Greek salad and Moussaka when you are onboard. I can say, the dishes are comparable to the ones I tasted in Athens. In fact, the Moussaka was particularly memorable because it was rich and flavourful, just like how the Greeks do it.

WHY YOU SHOULD ORDER PRE-PURCHASE MEALS

Scoot is offering a pay-per-meal plan. Passengers can order their meals from an exclusive menu 72 hours prior to the flight’s departure time.

Prepaid meals are prepared on demand, so Scoot can cut down on food costs and prevent unnecessary waste. They are thus translating the savings to higher quality meals made from even fresher ingredients. These meals are prepared closer to the time of the flight and once prepared, they are blast chilled and loaded onto the aircraft.

The flight to/from Athens is a long haul flight (around 11 hours direct!), so one is bound to get hungry. So, Scoot is offering a special meal bundle on this route (at S$50) to ensure that you are well-fed throughout the flight, comprising:
– 1 x Premium Meal Combo which includes a deluxe meal, 2 sides and a drink
– 1 x Light Meal Combo which includes a light meal, 2 snacks and a pre-cupped juice

Meal bundles come in non-vegetarian (no pork no lard) and vegetarian versions.

While Scoot’s current menu focuses primarily on stronger-flavoured Asian cuisines on the short/medium haul routes, featuring dishes such as Nasi Lemak and Cardamom Butter Chicken, the Athens menu looks into Western and Greek cuisine options.

We had a chance to meet the Scoot team in Singapore, as well as in Athens, to understand more about their meal planning for this long-haul flight. It is a rigorous selection process undertaken by the team to guarantee you of tasty and delicious mealtimes in the air. Questions raised during the food tasting includes the range of dishes offered, different ovens on board, the size of the tray, and even the aircraft type and configuration were taken into consideration.

Singapore to Athens Meal Bundles for Pre-order

We joined the Scoot team’s meal tasting session at SATS Inflight Catering Centre, organised by SATS. Scoot is working with their strategic inflight services partner SATS, to collaboratively research and develop a unique inflight food and beverage bundle for this long haul flight.

The flight bound for Athens is scheduled to depart Singapore at 2.45am and arrive in Athens at 8.45am. A light meal service will commence first.

Depending on your choice of meal bundle (vegetarian or non-vegetarian), you will be served the Greek Salad Wrap or the Turkey Pastrami with Cranberry Sauce & Roasted Pumpkin Mushroom Wrap. While both wraps are delightful, the Greek Salad Wrap is a clear winner. Inspired by the typical Greek salad, this wrap consists of crunchy lettuce, roasted bell peppers, couscous, black olives, and a citrusy lemon mayonnaise. Each bite is refreshing and gives a mix of textures!

The light meal service comes with a cookie, apple juice and a pack of cashew nuts. Great for a quick bite before a nap or to munch on while watching some streaming inflight entertainment on ScooTV.

During the main meal service, you have a choice of Moshari Kokkinisto (Beef Stew with Buttered Linguine) and Psito Kotopoulo Lemoni (Herb Lemon Roasted Chicken with Pilaf Rice) for the non-vegetarian meals. Beef is first stewed with Mediterranean herbs and spices, before it is paired with an olive oil-infused tomato sauce and served with buttered linguine, cheddar cheese and an assortment of vegetables. The beef stew looks appealing and tastes as good as it looks. The roasted chicken, on the other hand, is marinated with lemon and Mediterranean herbs, and served on a bed of fragrant pilaf rice.

The vegetarian main meal is a breakfast dish of Vegetable Frittata, with rosti potatoes and baked tomato.

The main deluxe meal comes with a side salad, 2 deluxe sides and a cup of water, as well as a choice of Evian Mineral Water or Coca Cola.

Athens to Singapore Meal Bundles for Pre-order

At the catering office in Athens, I had the chance to try a variety of Greek food. You will be happy to know that at least 1 Greek-style option is available in the prepaid menu. There are 3 options (including Greek options!) available – 2 non-vegetarian and 1 vegetarian. Do note that meals and sides are subject to change.

Scoot’s flight departs Athens at 11.30am and arrives Singapore at 3.55am (+1). Meal service will begin with lunch.

Greek salad is a must have with almost every meal. A mix of tomatoes, olives, cucumber and feta cheese, the salad is a staple side for all deluxe meals on flights from Athens.

From Athens to Singapore, I will suggest that you go for the Greek Moussaka – a creamy and palatable dish with luscious layers of juicy minced beef and eggplant. I enjoyed this pasta-free lasagne the most. Another dish that was shortlisted was the Chicken Giouvetsi (Chicken with Orzo Pasta. This tomato-based dish is served with tender chicken pieces.

For the vegetarian option, Fusilli Pasta with Ratatouille Sauce will be served.

Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian hot meals will be served with a side salad, 2 sides, and water. The meal also comes with a choice of Evian mineral water or Coca Cola.

Before you arrive, there will be a light meal service. On this flight, there are two baguette versions for the light meal combo – Turkey & Cheese for the meat option and Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables for the vegetarian option. I find the Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables Baguette to be a great choice.

The baguette will be served with a snack and a drink.

FYI, Scoot reserves the right to change the menu without notice if required. If the meal you pre-ordered is not available, you will be served a delicious alternative instead.

SCOOT TO GREECE!

Scoot’s inflight meals offer passengers a wide variety of choices that are affordable, and there’s truly something for everybody. They are constantly introducing new additions to their selection of flight meals so passengers can look forward to new dishes each time they fly with Scoot.

Passengers are strongly encouraged to pre-purchase meals, as these meal bundles with deluxe and light meals are available for pre-order only. Buying your meals in advance ensures that you will be served with meals through the flight. There will only be a limited quantity of food and beverages available for sale onboard, subject to availability, so it is best to plan in advance to avoid any disappointment!

The Singapore-Athens route will be serviced by Scoot’s fleet of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. The planes are fitted with eight crew bunks and a total of 329 seats, including 18 in ScootBiz.

There will be three to four flights from Singapore to Athens per week (depending on the season), taking off at 2.45am (Singapore time) and arriving in Athens at about 8.45am (Athens time). To book, visit Scoot’s website for more information.

This post was brought to you in partnership with Scoot.

The post A Look at Scoot’s Long Haul Inflight Meals to Greece appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I was introduced by my Jin Hua to visit Tony Cafe. This unassuming chap chye peng eatery is located at a corner of The Adelphi. I am surprised by the crowd, considering that the mall is relatively quiet. He then told me,”They have chicken wings on Wednesday!”

Right, so the place serves fried chicken wings every Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and apparently many diners come here specially for it. The Fried Chicken Rice scored on every aspect. Nicely seasoned, the wings were immensely tender and juicy! Adapted from corona chicken recipe, the skin was beautifully golden and addictively tasty. No wonder almost every table ordered it.

The owner of Tony Cafe, Shirley, was working upstairs and heard this cafe was letting out so she took over the whole space in 2002. So why doesn’t Tony Cafe sell their Fried Chicken Rice everyday? “We don’t want to do it everyday, otherwise people will get so sick of it.” That’s such a great marketing idea. It reminds me how I would always queue for nasi briyani at this particular Indian stall because they only cook it once a week!

I added some curry vegetables and achar to go with the wings. Don’t forget to dip the wings with their homemade chilli sauce. Similar to what you get in chicken rice stall, but definitely tastier because of the chicken wings.

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

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

The post Tony Cafe – Crispy Chicken Wings at The Adelphi, Available Only 3 Days A Week! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

“Pasir Ris nothing to eat la… Come over to town, I’ll bring you for good food.”

Sounds familiar? Us East Siders don’t have to be forced to leave our cosy abodes for good food anymore! Jio your friends over to the east side so you don’t have to travel. *winks* Here are some affordable places in Pasir Ris which will satisfy your rumbling tummies and save your wallets from the exorbitant prices in town.

Herbs Bistro

Herbs Bistro is brought to you by the people behind Chapter 55 at Tiong Bahru and Ice Edge Cafe. With low hanging lights indoors and fairy lights outdoors, the rustic wooden tables and spacious interior made us forget that we were in Singapore. The place filled up pretty quickly, perhaps due to their 1-for-1 Student Lunch and Executive Set Lunch. With the latter including a main course and a drink while going for just $9.90+, its a steal. Available daily from 11.30am to 3pm. We tried the Claypot Laksa Pasta ($16.80++), the chef’s unique recipe of laksa pesto with linguine, clams, prawns and tau pok. It comes in a cute little claypot, topped with egg shavings and crispy bits.

There is an alluring display of gelato in a wide assortment of flavours (think: Durian, Salted Caramel, Salted Yolk, Nutella, etc.) is available for $5 a scoop. Get yours with a freshly made waffle for the ultimate chill day.

Mukshidonna

Mukshidonna means Eat (Muk), Rest (Shi), Pay (Don), Leave (Na). So, what’s the hype? A bubbling sweet and spicy stew that will make your eyes sparkle. Rice cakes and fish cakes will be included for sure, but choose from a variety of soup bases which includes beef and mussels ($13.90 per person). You may also add on ramyun noodles ($3) and savoury toppings ($3) to make your pot look as appetising as possible. Fresh mussels were aplenty in our stew, along with chewy rice cakes!

Get the cheese on top, and watch as the cheese slowly melts and engulfs the noodle strands. If you have space in your stomach for more, order a serving of fried rice ($5) to soak up all the leftover juices – it’s the best part.

Binggo – Bingsoo On the Go

They have quite a few items marked as best sellers ranging from Strawberry Cheesecake to Cookies and Cream here at Bing-go, which is short for ‘Bingsoo On the Go’. I shocked the waitress when I asked her for the “Best Selling of the Best Selling”. She recommended the Injeolmi (rice cake) Bingsoo for $6.90, which arrived with a sprinkling of soy powder, Korean rice cake, almond slices and a few tiny bits of cranberries. The condensed milk was poured in for us, so mix it well if you can.

While it was a refreshing pick-me-up on a hot day, the shaved ice was not fine enough compared to other Korean dessert places selling the same dessert. I would recommend getting the flavours which come with a scoop of ice-cream on top to get the most bang for your buck. After all, all flavours go for the same affordable price of $6.90.

Basil Inn

A Thai eatery is only as good as its Pad Thai. We tried Basil Inn’s rendition for an affordable price of $6.50. The noodles were drenched with zhup and wetter than usual, and came with small cubes of fried tau kwa, egg, prawns, chicken, spring onions and bean sprouts. The noodles were coated with a sweet sauce and has dried shrimp mixed in for that extra oomph. Tamarind sauce was probably added, resulting in a tangy taste.

If you’re coming in a bigger group, do try their signature dish, the Steamed Lemongrass Fish ($30). Note that this restaurant only accepts cash.

Cottage Pie Cafe

Stationed right beside the taxi stand of Whitesands Mall is Cottage Pie Cafe. You can smell the pastries being baked fresh on-site while walking past! The founder, Dennis, honed his pie baking skills in New Zealand as an apprentice, and has been baking these New Zealand-style buttery pies for the last 18 years.

Mini pies ($1.30 for 1, $3.60 for 3) are perfect for a mid-day snack or breakfast in the morning, especially since they open at 7am and have their pastries out by 7.45am on weekdays. 

We tried the Original Chicken Pie, Curry Chicken Pie (triangle) and Black Pepper Chicken Pie (diamond). While the pies were promisingly buttery and flaky on the outside, the insides were too dry. Your best bet would be the Curry Chicken Pie, which came with curry potatoes. Perhaps you should skip the mini pies for the larger pies, like the Steak and Mushroom Pie ($4+)

Ministry of Rojak

Ministry of Rojak is an expansion of Abdhus Salam Rojak, a popular Indian rojak stall in Ayer Rajah hawker centre. Giving traditional Indian hawker food with a twist, they are the first to introduce “The Rojak Fondue” platter where you get to share a variety of ingredients with your friends. Their famous sweet potato dip has a smooth nutty touch that is flavourful and rich in taste. Orders are prepared a la minute, meaning they will deep fry the items only upon order. They also serve prata and teh tarik.

The Tree Cafe

The Tree Cafe has been open for close to a year. With an eye-catching tree right smack in the middle of the cafe, you’re sure to notice this halal cafe. We tried the Chic & Waffles ($7.50) which includes waffles, maple syrup, butter and fried chicken. The waffle was a too doughy for my liking.

The Tree Cafe is great for your #OOTDs. Without any service charge or GST, the prices are great for a student budget though. Where else can you get smoked duck with homemade cream sauce and spaghetti for $6.50?

Coolman Frozen Yogurt

Opened in November 2016, this froyo joint imports its yogurt from Italy. Getting a parfait (think: Llao Llao’s Sanum) for $6.90 gets you a choice of 3 fruits ranging from kiwi to dragonfruit, 1 crunch and 1 sauce of your choice. For the month of May 2017, one extra topping of fruit is given with every purchase of their parfait!

We selected the mangoes, strawberries, blueberries and kiwis, maple pecan granola and dark chocolate sauce. The frozen yogurt has fruity undertones and tastes slightly like peach. Their fruits are definitely fresh though, since they also serve up fruit juices and smoothies!

Mala Xiang Guo @ Pasir Ris MRT

Right opposite Koi Whitesands is an unassuming Mala Xiang Guo, which blends in perfectly with the other stores in the row. The pricing is calculated based on the ingredients you choose instead of the weight, which can get a little pricey if you’re a meat lover. 

We chose the tofu, luncheon meat, enoki mushroom, broccoli, oyster mushroom and meatballs, which came up to a total of $8. The xiao la was not spicy enough for us, and it tasted more like spicy yong tau foo instead of Mala. When your tongue isn’t numb and your lips aren’t fiery red, you know its time to ‘level up’. I’ll be getting the zhong la the next time! 

One thing that I liked was that it wasn’t oily. You know that pool of oil that after you finish the top half of the dishes that threatens to drown the bottom half? Yeah, none of that here! 

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

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

The post 9 Affordable Places to Makan in Pasir Ris appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

“SHIOK” is a colloquial term that almost all Singaporeans are familiar with. Similarly, the Shiok Maki at Koh Grill & Sushi Bar has earned a spot in the heart of Singaporeans for years. This place is a MUST TRY for fans of the Japanese maki!

There are 2 ‘generations’ of the Shiok Maki, the original with Unagi and avocado and the ‘2nd generation’ with fried ebi and wakame seaweed. We tried the original ($16.80), which had firm yet tender slices of unagi nestled together with avocado within the rice rolls. The aburi salmon pieces were placed on the top, along with a generous scoop of tobiko for extra crunch.

To complete the whole package, the entire maki is drenched with their secret sauce, which tastes like a cheesy blend of mentaiko and mayonnaise. The sauce is REALLY shiok, it is creamy and savoury-sweet, the perfect accompaniment to the maki.

By the way, each maki roll is made to order here. We could take apart the individual rice grains easily – it’s definitely not the cold, pre-made Japanese sushi rolls.

The Crabby maki ($18) also caught my eye because of its punny name. It has soft-shell crab with swordfish slices on the top. If the sound of the creamy mayo-like sauce turns you off, order this instead to get a more distinct taste of the individual components on its own.

Personally, I can’t do without my carbs. The Yaki Udon ($10) is a simple unassuming looking plate of stir-fry udon. My dining partner even commented that it “looks like Hokkien Mee”.

The plate of Udon comes with spring onions, carrots, chicken and bonito flakes. There is an extremely generous portion of eggs here – we had eggy bits in almost every bite. The sauce that coated each noodle was slightly sweet. The whole plate felt very ‘wet’ and satisfying. However, they could have been more generous with their portion of chicken.

Agedashi tofu ($4) is a classic Japanese dish of warm tofu coated with potato starch or cornstarch before being deep fried. Koh’s version was not greasy and remained warm on the inside even though we attacked the Udon and Maki before moving on to it. Perhaps we should have gotten the Pitan Tofu ($4), chilled tofu with century egg paste. The older crowd should love this, so no worries when bringing your parents or grandparents for a meal here.

The perpetual queue at Koh Grill & Sushi Bar can seem intimidating, but the wait time is shorter than it looks. Go at non-peak hours to enjoy people-watching along busy Orchard Road at the window seats!

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

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Koh Grill & Sushi Bar – The well loved Shiok Maki (That is really SHIOK!) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Step into this dainty cafe marked by a fine serenity and calm. Nesuto means “nest”, which is really a testimony to their generous use of eggs in their picturesque desserts.

Following the success of their phenomenal choux puffs back in SHUU by KOKI Tamagoyaki, pastry chef Alicia Wong desired the creation of a series of dessert mused by her choux puffs. With the birth of Nesuto, the talented pastry chef finally realized her dream of having a home built to house some of her finest Japanese-French inspired desserts.

Exclusively made in house, pastry chef Alicia Wong names each of her choux-based desserts inspired by the ingredients used for each dessert. The highly acclaimed Suzette ($9.80/pc) possesses an ethereal texture, with every bite that is light and fluffy. Relish in the orange flavoured liqueur mousse filled with crunchy varlhona chocolate pearls, going deeper into the layer of orange caramel goodness that coats a flavourful santiago almond tart.

The Noisette Rocher ($10.50/pc) is a less sweeter counterpart of the famed Suzette. Bite into the first layer of bittersweet ganache encasing a combination of sweet velvety hazelnut praline mousse with a crunch caramelized hazelnut feuilletine. Finally, bite into the almond dacquoise layered with light meringue and cake.

Alcohol lovers may like Tiramisu ($9.80/pc), which is essentially a mascarpone mousse topped with cocoa powder and chocolate shavings. Displayed alongside is a mini pipette filled with coffee liqueur, rum and marsala wine which diners can take delight in squeezing into the mousse for that alcoholic burn.

Nesuto also offers specialty tea selections to pair with your desserts. We ordered the Lychee Oolong Tea ($9/pot), which exudes a fragrant lychee aroma. Whether it is time for high tea or for small gatherings, this homely nest is designed for all occassions.

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

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

The post Nesuto – Ushering in An Era of Decadent Desserts appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Mention Tan Yong Kang (previously Tan Yong Hua) and you will probably remember him as the chef who beat Thailand’s Chinese cuisine Iron Chef in the Iron Chef Thailand cooking competition. We last visited his Restaurant Home when it was still at the Railway Mall. But since then, he has moved to Cosford Road, taking over the premise of Catch Seafood.

Because of the bigger space, chef has lots of creativity to play with. He is growing herbs and vegetables in his own food garden and can also do barbecue at the back of the restaurant. We first had a platter combining BBQ prawns, BBQ white snapper with salt, BBQ sliced beef BBQ sliced pork belly and poached la la with chef spicy chilli. The tender meats are coated with a sweet marinade. When grilled, they are tasty and had a smoky aroma.

At the previous location, we tried some of Chef Tan’s signature dishes including Peking Duck Barbecued with Lychee Wood and Baked Marble Goby in Claypot. This time round, the tasting menu revisited the traditional cooking methods that our forefather used during the old days. It reminds Chef of the kampung days of his childhood in Singapore.

A good example is the Baked Golden Snapper Fish with Sea Salt ($7/100g). Both covered with salt, it forms a hard crust during cooking, hence sealing all the moisture in the fish. Don’t worry about the overly salted food. Being an accomplished cook, Chef Tan ensures that the salt creates a crust and cooks gently but does not overly permeate the skin. When served, the crust breaks away in big pieces, releasing the most delicious aroma and you’re left with a really juicy fish to eat.

Likewise, Baked Spring Chicken with Herbal Sea Salt ($24 per bird) had the chicken marinated overnight for the flavours to be absorbed into the tender chicken meat. It is baked for another 1.5 hours wrapped in lotus leaf and cooked with herbal sea salt before serving. Some things in life need to be enjoyed in their simplest form.

The new Hot-Stone Sauteed Pig Liver with Ginger and Onion ($14) is done well, it’s tender without any unpleasant taste. Cooked in a rich gravy seasoned with oyster and soya sauces, eat it immediately when it’s served or else the liver may be overcooked.

If you are a huge fan of seafood, go for the Black Pepper Crab ($58/kg). It has not much gravy but the pepper was definitely strong, which made the crab very tasty. End the meal with a hearty pot of La La Crispy Rice ($10/pax). Add the crispy rice into the comforting hot stone of clam broth, perfect for rainy days.

This was an invited tasting.

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Ask any of your family members or friends if they know any Korean BBQ restaurants in Singapore, and I bet they will be able to name at least 2 or 3. Here’s the thing: Singaporeans love Korean BBQ, but do they know the stories behind that sizzling charcoal grill or prime meat cuts? We headed to SEORAE to find out more for you guys.

Fans of Korean cuisine rejoice! Popular Korean Charcoal BBQ SEORAE sizzles up its mouth-watering selection with exciting new additions, sets for sharing and a merry array of soju cocktails and makkoli mixes that guarantees good times all round. Inspired by her love for Korean dramas and BBQ, Managing Director Wilyawati Tjiu left her previous corporate position to bring the brand to Singapore.

Although not the biggest fan of alcoholic beverages, I marveled at their newly created Pineapple Cocktail ($22.90) which features a whole pineapple that’s spiked with soju. Get ready to fall in love with this refreshing drink armed with a nice alcoholic punch. For diners who prefer Soju, original and grape-flavoured ones are available. If you prefer non-alcoholic beverages, like me, you can opt for Barley Tea.

Used to grill its signature meats, such as the galmaegisal, to perfection, SEORAE’s special ‘circle grilling’ technique also allows you to dig into silky steamed egg and fiery grilled kimchi at the same time. While diners can pay a small price for 4 additional rounds of velvety-smooth cheese ($2) on grill, diners will receive 4 complimentary rounds of fluffy steamed egg with every grill set.

We can’t stop dipping our meats into the layer of melted cheese. The creaminess is hard to resist. You’ll be glad to know that SEORAE uses authentic top-notch white charcoal which gives a stronger smoky flavour to their meats.

SEORAE’s signature Galmaegisal Pork skirt meat ($21.90) is simply divine! According to Tjiu, SEORAE is the first to bring Galmaegisal into Singapore. Also known as pork skirt meat, the Galmaegisal is a unique 250 grams cut found between the ribs and the belly of the pig. Said to have been served exclusively to the Royal Family of Korea in ancient times, SEORAE now offers this highly prized meat to all.

Tjiu shared with us that each Galmaegisal is marinated and massaged in-house exclusively for 30 minutes under cold temperature to retain its moisture and juicy goodness. Not only was the marination of the Galmaegisal well balanced, every bite of this premium meat was also consistently juicy and succulent.

We also had the Spicy Samgyeobsal Pork belly ($17.90). With just the right amount of meat and fat, each piece of meat nicely charred and tender. This is one dish that you must not miss.

Rivaling the Woosamgyeob beef cut is my personal favourite: the La Galbi Prime beef short-ribs ($29.90). The La Galbi is so tender and moist, and the sweet marinate on this thinly sliced beef is simply heavenly!

Feast on this melt-in-your-mouth goodness that is the beautifully marbled Jinkkotsal Wagyu beef boneless short-rib ($29.90 for Prime, $37.90 for Wagyu). Don’t forget to coat the short-rib with cheese.

Remember to enjoy the Woosamgyeob Beef shortplate ($22.90) in a Korean Ssam style by dipping it into the sauces and wrapping the mix all up with a piece of crunchy fresh lettuce.

If you’re craving for a good army stew, why not try the Budae Jjigae Army stew ($35.90 for ala carte, $26.90 with a minimum order of 2 grill meats at regular price) which comes with a choice of pork or beef! Though recommended for 2 persons, you can easily share the generous serving with a party of 3 or 4. Indulge in a spread of fish cakes, tteokboki rice cakes, beans, fresh vegetables, sausages, spam and bacon cooked in SEORAE’s special Gochujang Red Chilli paste sauce for a belly good time!

Also new to SEORAE’s menu is the Cheese Mandu Tteokbokki sharing set ($35.90 for ala carte, $26.90 with a minimum order of 2 grill meats at regular price), which offers glutinous Korean rice cakes and fried fish cake cooked in a spicy, thick hot sauce. I’d definitely recommend the interesting corn-cheese dumplings, which has a creamy corn filling encased in a crunchy shell.

A recent addition to SEORAE’s menu is the Kkochi Platter ($21.90 for ala carte, $14.90 with a minimum order of 2 grill meats at regular price), which serves up an assortment of meat and vegetable skewers inspired by charcoal grilled Korean street food. With an array of addictive fillings such as melted cheese, kimchi and spicy enoki wrapped in samgyeobsal (premium pork belly) or woosamgyeob (US prime beef shoortplate), the Kkochi Platter is perfect for sharing.

What’s more, diners can now enjoy a fuss-free lunch in affordable lunch sets (starting from $10.90 with free drinks and side dishes) of popular Korean meals such as Kkochi Platters, Budae Jjigae, Seoul Bulgogi and Dolsot Bibimbap that are perfect for sharing. BBQ meats are 20% off during lunch, and the best part is, you can even ask their friendly servers to grill your meats, so rest assured that you’re able to head back to your office without smelling of smoke. Moreover, the side dishes are free and refillable!

GIVEAWAY: Five lucky readers will walk away with $100 dining voucher. Take Part HERE.

My personal experience at SEORAE has been nothing but exceptional! From the perfectly grilled meats to the oh-so scrumptious choices of Korean cuisine, and even the smallest gestures like offering diners Febreze to eliminate the smoke scent before they leave. Just take note of their break time (no Grill) on weekdays from 3pm to 5pm!

This post was brought to you by SEORAE Korean Charcoal BBQ.

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Hawker centres these days are teeming with third generation hawker-preneurs who innovate dishes with a grandiose façade that might sometimes be off-putting. Keeping it real is Burgs, the pioneering outlet by Project Warung which is helmed by three budding chefs Ridz, Syafiq and Shah. I was lucky enough to have stumbled upon the newly opened Halal eatery within Golden Mile Food Centre. To accommodate the growing needs of Halal burgers in Singapore, Burgs serves up quality gourmet burgers at extremely affordable prices.

First seared with Burgs’ logo, the buns were so satisfyingly warm and soft when eaten immediately. Each burger set comes with thick cut fries that, to my delight, can be swop to onion rings for a mere buck!

Delicious burger sets for less than $10? You better believe it. For less than 6 bucks, the Mushroom Burger ($5.50) comes with a beef patty, caramelized onions, american cheese, crispy oyster mushroom, tomato sauce and nacho cheese sauce. I thought the patty was slightly overdone on that day, but it was still palatable when enjoyed with the combination of savoury cheese, tangy ketchup and sweet caramelized onions.

Like it’s name suggests, Burgs deliver a literal rendition of sandwiching a perfectly fried portion of fish and chips between their soft buns. The Fish & Chips Burger ($4.50) has a pollack fillet fried in their homemade batter, which was tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. What stood out was Burgs’s ingenious use of nacho cheese and their homemade tartar sauce which enhanced the taste of the fish. Their homemade coleslaw sure added a crunchy texture to the burger too.

My personal favourite was the Terriyaki Chicken Burger ($5.50), which came with a char grilled marinated chicken thigh, sesame coleslaw and sunny side up egg with bonito flakes. The lingering barbeque aroma had me digging into the best-seller without hesitation. The grill on the chicken was almost perfect, with the skin slightly charred and the meat inside still juicy. The terriyaki sauce was lightly sweetened to compliment the charred aroma of both the bun and patty. Quickly break the still-runny yolk of the egg over the chicken thigh for an egg-cellent time!

Having the burgers alone just wouldn’t be enough for your family and friends. Burgs also offers various sides, such as the Honey Soy Chicken Wings ($4.90 for standard, $9.90 for large). The honey soy adds a touch of sweetness to their moist chicken wings to guarantee a mouthwatering experience.

Big eaters like me can also choose to upgrade their burgers with Burg’s add ons, such as the American Cheese ($0.50), Scrambled Eggs ($1.00) and Beef Bacon ($1.00).

Burgs’s take on their comfort western style food is indeed unassuming, what with their affordable prices and range of burger options. If you’re visiting them during the month of Ramadan, do take note of their change in operating hours in the evening which starts from 5pm to 9.30pm.

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

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

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Hor Fun is not exactly an iconic Singapore dish, but these tantalizing plates of stir-fried/wok-fried noodles with tender beef slices or seafood sell out like hotcakes across our island. To whip up a good plate of hor fun, one has to control the temperature of the fire, as well as, the cooking time very well. If the meat/seafood is cooked too long, the texture will not be nice; if the sauce isn’t flavourful enough, the entire dish will taste bland … Therefore, cooks have to take many factors into consideration for a plate of charred goodness. Here are 7 of our favourite stalls to have these delightful noodles!

Bee Kia Restaurant

Bee Kia’s Signature Beef Hor Fun ($8) boasts velvety smooth noodles that are cooked to a nicely charred flavour, complemented with succulent slices of beef, and generously drenched in a luscious black bean and chilli gravy. They are not stingy with the beef, and the slices are thick. The distinct wok hei taste of the hor fun, coupled with the robust gravy make each mouthful very satisfying. It’s no wonder we see this dish being served at every table.

Kee Hock

Kee Hock is also famous for their Signature Beef Hor Fun ($4.50), and the kway teow is stir-fried beforehand. The owner will only start cooking the sauce when an order is placed. The gravy for the beef hor fun is very dark, and every piece of kway teow is smeared with the luscious gravy together with a slight charred taste. It’s a tad too savoury for our liking, but the stall has a good bunch of loyal followers. The highlight here is the huge and tender slices of beef.

Nam Seng Noodles

88-year-old Madam Leong Yuet Meng has been whipping up plates of scrumptious Venison Hor Fun ($5) for more than half a century. Honestly speaking, this is one of the best hor fun we’ve tried – velvety smooth and very soft. The venison meat is tender, and has soaked up the thick, savoury gravy really well. It’s almost impossible not to finish slurping down the last mouthful of gravy.

Kok Sen Restaurant

You can spot the Big Prawns Hor Fun ($16 / $32 / $48) on almost every table at Kok Sen. It’s quite unusual to find large prawns in your hor fun, but what we love more is the delectable gravy that is slathered over the slightly charred hor fun. With red chilli added to the shiok brown sauce, it is thickened with raw egg and so good on its own. Each ribbon of hor fun has some smoky flavours of wok hei, and soaks up the gravy well.

Keng Eng Kee Seafood

Moonlight Hor Fun ($5 / $8 / $12 / $16) has been part of KEK’s menu since the 1960’s when they were still at Havelock Road. The star here is the wok hei – so excellent! If you take a peep into the kitchen, you can see the chef tossing the hor fun under big fire until it gets nicely charred. The flat noodles are also stir fried with lard, Chinese sausages, prawns, squids, and dark sauce. Add the egg yolks in the middle, mix it up with the noodles, and you get an amazing plate of smooth, yummy hor fun.

CAI (财) Hor Fun

This stall sells a variety of hor fun, from beef, to fish, and seafood. The beef hor fun ($4) consists of generous portion of beef slices laid atop the soft kway teow strands, and the dish is complete with the rich starchy gravy. The gravy has a hint of sweetness that balanced well with its savouriness, but we preferred it with a stronger wok hei aroma. The beef fares better than the kway teow, as each slice is well seasoned, and nicely absorbed the essence of the gravy. Add some green chilli and white pepper to give the dish a little spice.

Geylang Lorong 9 Beef Kway Teow

While some still firmly agree that this stall serves the best beef hor fun in Singapore, others have said that the standard has dropped over the years. Perhaps, the standard here has been inconsistent, as sometimes, the sauce would stay thick throughout, but at other times, it turns diluted after awhile. Furthermore, the hor fun is nicely charred on some days, yet bland at other times. It’s also hard getting a parking lot here, so we don’t visit this stall so frequently anymore.

We were really on cloud nine after savouring so much hor fun! How many good hor fun have you tried in Singapore, and which is your favourite? Do comment and let us know!

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

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

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Good loaves of bread are hard to come by – more so if they are all made individually with love and care, without any added preservatives nor artificial ingredients.

The couple, Chalith and Nur, began kneading doughs 3 years ago and hasn’t stopped since. Both had started out as engineers, but found their true love and passion in making bread instead. Till now, they have yet to look back.

Naturally leavened using wild yeast – which requires more patience compared to commercial yeast in its slow development process – The Bakery’s rustic sourdough bread carries a range of sweet, earthy and nutty flavours that beautifully balanced out the subtle sour-ishness of the sourdough bread. Wonderfully moist and chewy, their bakes are probably one of the best artisanal breads I’ve ever come across.

With so many spreads and toppings you can choose to go on top of your sourdough slices, we recommend the Hummus and Za’atar ($4), Sage Cream Cheese and Berry Compote ($4) and the Nut Butter with Honey ($4). No Skippy’s or any other commercially-made toppings are used here, except homemade peanut butter made from real peanuts. What’s great about these homemade goodness is that the flavours are more complexed and nuanced – anyone would be pleased by their nutty fragrance which supersedes those you can easily get off the self.

Our favourite has got to be the Sage Cream Cheese and Berry Compote, which had a nice tang balanced out by the sweetness of the berry compote and the savouriness of the sage.

Indeed, the toppings did help to accentuate the beautifully baked sourdough slices. Although the choice of toppings are nothing crazy, nothing over the top, each are done exceptionally well; it’s just simplicity at its best.

Besides toasts, they also offer sweet desserts (cookies, brownies, teacakes, etc), muesli ($7), granola ($6), pizzas (only on Sundays!) and real awesome coffee sourced from Cata Coffee, a small local roastery. Prices for coffee starts from $3, with the most expensive on the menu priced at $6.

Making a good sourdough bread is a challenge and takes real commitment. Undoubtedly, The Bakery by Woodlands Sourdough has topped the bread game in Singapore. With each loaf beautifully handcrafted with love, this is the place you should add to your list for good quality toasts and coffee.

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

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

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Tampines is known for its plethora of food choices, but it is still a world of its own for Singaporeans who are foreign to the East side. Having been in this side of Singapore for both work and leisure, it can sometimes be vexing for the unfamiliar to navigate around Tampines especially if you are looking for a fuss free lunch, dinner or even a quick bite. My knowledge of eateries around Tampines are at best humble, so do bear with me as I go through a list of eateries located near Tampines MRT that are unique to the heartlanders of Tampines.

April’s Bakery Singapore

The opening of April’s Bakery might be kept hushed, but words of its tasty soft pies from Thailand spread like wildfire. The pies are made in their central kitchen back in Thailand before being shipped over to Singapore and reheated for our pleasure.

Each pie features an amazingly buttery crust that melts in your mouth. I would recommend the Thai Milk Tea Pie ($2.00), which delivers a filling that has a smooth custard-like texture. The flavour and the sweetness of the milk tea essence is also nicely captured. On the other hand, the filling of the Custard Pie ($2.00) has a more milky and eggy taste that is just right. It sounds as though the pies would be awfully sweet, but you would be surprise how most of the pies aren’t that sweet.

Ban Mian @ Kapitans by Kopitiam

With its humble beginnings at Geylang selling Ban Mian as the famous L32 Handmade Noodles, the store has since opened a second outlet in Tampines One that greatly appeals to many East-siders. This stall embraces an open kitchen concept, so you can watch how the Chinese chef gingerly pulls each portion of noodles by hand. You’ll get a choice to choose from a variety of homemade noodle type, such as U-Mian, Mee Hoon Kway or Mee Sua.

I got the Sliced Fish Noodle Soup ($6.50), which consists of U-Mian steeped in a broth that is topped with pieces of sliced fish, minced meat, anchovies, a soft boiled egg as well as some leafy greens. While the taste of the broth didn’t impress, I really enjoyed the texture of the noodles, which is super springy with a delightful, toothsome bite to it.

Fu Yuan Teochew Bak Chor Mee

Did you know that the owner of this unassuming establishment was formerly working as an assistant with Hill Street Tai Hwa’s Bak Chor Mee? I’m glad he did. With more than 30 years of experience, the owner of Fu Yuan has finally created his own take on the traditional Bak Chor Mee that East-siders can call their own.

For a very affordable price, you can enjoy a satisfying bowl of Bak Chor Mee ($3.00) that will make that imminent food coma worth it. You might first noticed that the portion of Bak Chor Mee here is bigger, which makes it really value for money. Go on and slurp on that springy noodles that is topped with an array of classic bak chor mee ingredients, such as minced pork, liver, pork balls and fried sole fish. Finally, take pleasure in mixing the noodles in their vinegar-based sauce, which is a seriously addictive mix of sweet and tangy flavours. Their dumpling soup ($4.00) is worth a try too!

Saffron’s Cafeteria

Spicy food lovers will rejoice at this 24 hours Halal eatery, which whips up one mean, spicy plate of Mee Goreng ($4.50). The stir-fried noodles had a good spicy kick to it, but I was not fond of the mushy texture of the noodles, which was slightly overcooked. Fortunately, little bits of eggs, tomato and potato were added to the noodles to enhance its palatability.

Diners should order a portion of their famed briyani served on a huge banana leaf. Do take note that their briyani is only available after 11am, which explains why I was not able to get it as I arrived too early. If you’re lucky (or if you do commit to memory), you could try to order the Bee Hoon Briyani which is specially available on Fridays after 2pm. Saffron’s Cafeteria has another outlet near the Siglap area too.

Tampines 802 Carrot Cake

Hidden in an unassuming coffee shop is the Tampines 802 Carrot Cake shop, which has been operating for over 20 years. Stories about their divine carrot cake and hokkien mee have travelled far and wide, but I couldn’t prove it until recently. Yes, this shop does one of the best white carrot cake in my opinion.

The carrot cake is served with bite sized portions of radish cake that is nicely moist. It embodies a certain natural sweetness, which is enhanced by the small bits of carrots added to the radish cake. The fire on the stir fry is also well controlled, which really sears in that wok hei charred taste into the Chai Tao Kway. The chilli was alright, but it did its part to enhance the wok hei of the carrot cake. Remember to order a plate of their Hokkien Mee which is also well received by diners!

Al-Azhar Eating Restaurant (Tampines)

Having visited both Al-Azhar restaurants at Cheong Chin Nam road and Tampines, I would have to say Al-Azhar Tampines serves up one of the best tasting naans in Singapore. Made exclusively in-house, their rendition of the South Asian flatbread has a texture that is soft and moist. The garlic Naan ($2.80) had a subtle garlic aftertaste which was just right.

Behind every successful naan is a delicious bowl of curry gravy. Al-Azhar’s murgh makhani, or commonly known as butter chicken curry ($7.50) had me drooling with their rich concoction of yoghurt, cream and spices. Swimming in the smooth curry were huge chunks of chicken, which were well marinated with their in-house spices to deliver a slight spicy kick. Perhaps, it could have been nicer if the texture of the chicken is more consistent.

Al Mahboob Rojak Restaurant Pte Ltd

If you are a fan of Indian Rojak, get ready to be blown away by one of the best Indian Rojaks in Singapore! Al Mahboob delivers a concoction of irresistable peanut sauce that is to die for. Made from over 10 ingredients and spices such as root vegetables, the peanut sauce had a smooth texture that erupted into a tangy-savoury mix of flavours. What’s more, the peanut sauce is refillable.

Pick from an assortment of ingredients to add to your Indian rojak, especially the Big Prawns ($2.10/pc) and Flour with Potato ($1.10/pc) which the chefs will fry to a golden crisp. Indulge in classic ingredients such as the hotdog ($0.90/pc) and the fish fillet ($1.60/pc) for a good time! You should order a plate of Mee Goreng ($5.00) to start, as the wait for Indian Rojak can be quite long. This stir-fried noodles might be mediocre, but the spicy seasoning on it left me feeling shiok!

Alt Yard

Who doesn’t enjoy a good bowl of churros from time to time? Sweet tooths like me might rush to queue for these fried dough pastries at crowded pasar malams or night markets, but queue no more! Alt-Yard is a desserts and specialty coffee bar co-founded by the people behind Penny University and Fluff Bakery. Made only upon order, Alt-Yard creates medium sized churros sticks ($3.80) that are coated lightly in fragrant cinnamon sugar. It is crunchy on the outside, and moist and airy on the inside. Choose from a selection of three house-made dips (addition $1 – $1.50), including chocolate ganache, liquid cheesecake or salted caramel.

Alt-Yard also puts a spin on traditional flavours with their ondeh ondeh flavoured churros ($3.80 for 7pc) covered in shredded coconut, which also comes with a gula melaka dip. Caffeine lovers can grab a cup of Joe to go along with these toothsome pastries.

Amelia’s

Health advocate Amelia’s is a small pastry shop offering diabetic friendly pastries that are personally designed by Amelia herself, whose father’s diabetic condition inspired her muse. As a budding patissier, Amelia was galvanised into baking healthier pastry treats using key ingredients that are low in glycemic index, such as wholemeal flour, coconut sugar and Gala Apples which helps to regulate blood sugar levels.

Do look out for their signature Apple custard pie ($2.80) and Nacho Cheese Pie ($3.80), which promise a guilt free treat for diabetics and everyone alike. Amelia’s also offers non-diabetic products, including their adorable cat donuts ($3.80) which are popular amongst kids and cat lovers.

In lieu of the month of Ramadan, Amelia’s is also offering Hari Raya goodies that are low in GI as well. Yes, Amelia’s is currently awaiting their Halal certification which will be administered end May or early June. If you’re a student or a pioneer, enjoy 10% off your total bill. For a limited period only, Amelia’s is offering a deal of $10 with any 4 selected pastry pies.

Bebek Goreng Pak Ndut

Opened since October 2016, the second outlet of the Halal-certified Bebek Goreng Pak Ndut has waddled its way into Tampines after the rising success of their main branch in Lucky Plaza. The signature Original Crispy Fried Duck & Rice ($9.90) is a plate of traditionally deep fried crispy duck marinated in a blend of spices, served along with tofu, tempeh, Kang kong side salad and chilli padi. However, the meat on the fried duck was slightly tough, and the skin was not nearly as crispy as I thought it would be.

Meet & Melt

Tucked away in a small corner is Meet & Melt, a dessert cafe offering their famous Lava Toast that comes in a myriad of flavours. The cafe only offers outdoor sitting but the shop owners were really considerate in having fans placed near our tables to cool us off.

We had to get the classic Lava Original Toast ($14.90), which is a sweet toasted bread encasing a flavoured lava flow of your choice, such as Thai Milk Tea or Green Milk Tea. The taste of the lava flow was actually not as sweet as I expected it to be. The Lava Original Toast also comes with a scoop of ice cream, so we had the Valrhona Dark Chocolate that has a strong cocoa taste. It is comforting to learn how their products are all actually homemade with less cream and sugar, which makes it a healthier alternative.

Out of the Cake Box Tampines

Out of the Cake Box offers a specially curated cake selection that is really, well, out of the box. Inspired heavily by their childhood sweets, kueh and desserts, the owners-cum-good friends duo Dana and Yu Zhong puts a new spin on delectable cakes that personifies traditional Singaporean desserts such as Chendol or Burbur Cha Cha.

Residents and visitors of the east side can now enjoy these delightful treats at Tampines Hub. The Burbur Cha Cha ($5.50) is made up of purple sweet potato mousse deliciously smacked between two crunch ice cream wafers. Layered within the mousse is a chewy tapioca jelly that complements the smooth, light mousse really well. Diners can also enjoy the classic Chendol Fudge ($5.50), which is a gula melaka sponge cake layered alternately with coconut-gula melaka fudge topped with chendol fillings such as red bean and green rice flour jelly strips. We were amazed by the creamy and fluffy texture of Chendol Fudge cake that has a natural sweetness to it.

Saap Saap Thai

It is tempting to book a plane ticket to the land of smiles for some good Thai food, seeing we are so near Changi Airport. Why not settle for a quasi-Thai experience at Saap Saap Thai, a halal-certified Thai eatery serving affordable Halal Thai food.

Start off with a cup of their Original Thai Iced Tea ($3.00), which is thick and rich without being overwhelmingly sweet. I do recommend their signature Australian Beef Boat Noodles ($7.90), which has Thai glass noodles in a sweet beef broth topped with tender beef slices that is slurp-worthy. In a group of 3 or more? Get their Succulent Wings and Drumettes ($6.90) that is coated with their tangy-savoury saap saap sauce. Finish off with a plate of signature Mango Tango ($5.50), which serves half a slice of mango together with sweet sticky rice and coconut milk. Add a splash of coconut milk to the sticky rice and mango slice for that Aroy mak mak goodness!

Tampines is known to be a paradise for foodies, and we’re pretty sure there are many other delicious eats around the area. However, for your convenience, we have sourced out the ones that are near the MRT station. Hope you’ll enjoy as much as we did.

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

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

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Sapporo has long been hailed as the birthplace of the famous miso ramen. Helming the kitchen at one-month old Men-ichi Sapporo Ramen is Chef Kanji Fujine who honed his skills at one of Tokyo’s most renowned ramen stores. What makes this ramen stall unique is its focus on Sapporo-style ramen, unlike the usual Kyushu-style ramen you commonly find elsewhere. Furthermore, the chef has ingeniously combined miso with tonkotsu broth and stir-fried it with vegetables in a larded wok to create the distinctive Sapporo style and taste.

Two types of Nishiyama noodles, a signature noodle hand-picked from Hokkaido, are used to bring out the hearty flavour of Men-ichi’s miso broths. You can choose either the thick curly noodle or thin springy noodle. The former brings out the authentic taste of Sapporo ramen while the latter adds another dimension to the Sapporo experience.

Look forward to slurping down the authentic and richly flavoured Sapporo ramen here. We recommend pairing the thick curly noodle with richer broths such as the Sapporo Miso or Miso Tonkotsu. On the other hand, the thin springy noodle is best paired with lighter broths like the Sapporo Shoyu and Sapporo Shio. These noodles are packed in a Japanese cypress wood box – the cypress wood helps retain the moisture of the noodles – before being transported from Japan to Singapore.

Men-ichi’s Signature Tokusen Sapporo Miso Ramen ($19.50) features 2 slices of charsiew, potato wedges, minced meat, onion, egg, bamboo shoots, leek, beansprouts, corn, and seaweed, all soaked in a miso-based pork bone broth. Pork shoulder which is leaner and healthier is used for the char siew here. The char siew is roasted and immersed in sauce, before being cooked sous vide style to produce a sweet porcine taste, while retaining its tenderness. The robust broth is simmered for 12 hours with onions, pork bones, and vegetables.

For those who fancy a fiery kick, go for the Sapporo Spicy Miso Potato Ramen ($17.50 / 1 piece of char siew, $19.50 / 3 pieces of char siew). It’s a spicy version of the previous ramen, made with chef’s special spicy sauce. This is perfect for rainy days.

The broth of the Sapporo Shoyu Ramen ($14.90 / 1 piece of char siew, $16.90 / 3 pieces of char siew) is made by bringing together a carefully selected soy sauce and seafood extracts. Pamper yourself with a perfect union of thin springy noodles and slurp-worthy broth.

The highlight of the Sapporo Shio Ramen ($14.90 / 1 piece of char siew, $16.90 / 3 pieces of char siew) is undoubtedly the salt-based broth which has a thick, sweet and sour taste. The noodles absorb the broth well, and has a wonderful bite. The flavour of the salt-based broth isn’t as strong as the soy sauce-based broth, but it certainly warms the heart and soul.

Besides the Sapporo ramens, which were the star of our meal, we found another hidden gem: the Ebi Miso Tonkotsu Ramen ($16.90 / 2 pieces of char siew, $18.90 / 4 pieces of char siew). The use of fermented soybean paste adds a hint of sweetness and nutty flavour to the slightly creamy broth. This miso-based sweet prawn and pork bone broth is full-bodied, and is best savoured with Men-ichi’s thick noodles.

Diners should most definitely order the Ramen Set, which allows you to choose your desired ramen broth – Sapporo Miso, Sapporo Shoyu, and Sapporo Shio. Pair it with side dishes such as Gyoza ($19.90/set), Tori Karaage ($19.90/set), and Aburi Charsiew ($20.90/set). Each set also comes with a mini corn salad.

If you’re ordering other flavours of ramen, you can also get side dishes like the Hokkaido Crab Cream Croquette ($5.90 for 2 pieces) to go along with your noodles. Boasting a crisp exterior and a creamy interior, we believe this dish will win the hearts of both the young and old.

Men-ichi also serves a range of rice dishes made using the finest crop of Nanatsuboshi rice specially imported from Hokkaido. This rice is resistant to the cold climate, and its premium quality is cultivated through the use of pristine water and fertile soil. Plump and glossy, this Grade A rice is not just an A on its grade card but it will score an A with you too.

With such a good selection of authentic Sapporo ramen at Men-ichi Sapporo Ramen, there’s bound to be something for everyone. Remember to add the special pepper from Japan into your broth! Our favourites are the Ebi Miso Tonkotsu Ramen and Men-ichi’s Signature Tokusen Sapporo Miso Ramen. Give them a try and let us know what you think!

This post was brought to you by Men-ichi Sapporo Ramen.

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Chomp Chomp Food Centre might be smaller in size as compared to other hawker centers, but the place is packed like sardine almost every evening. I’ve personally spent half a decade of my life dining at Chomp Chomp Food Centre, so going back to this place for a meal evokes a sense of nostalgia in me. The food centre has just reopened after renovation, and it’s the first time we’re back after their revamp for a feast!

Ang Mo Kio 409 Fried Carrot Cake

Though the stall is called “carrot cake”, we noticed many diners ordering their fried oyster omelette (from $5), hence we followed suit. As compared to other stalls elsewhere, the oysters here are more plump and juicy, with a very subtle raw taste. The plate of eggy goodness is well prepared, featuring a gooey texture that’s nicely flavoured. The punchy chilli sauce completes this dish.

Ang Sa Li Satay

10 sticks of chicken satay cost $6 here, and you get chunks of well-marinated lean pork with bits of sinful fats in between. It’s not fantastic but good enough to satisfy our satay fix. The meat is tender, boasting a little smokiness without being too greasy so we ended up happily chomping down stick after stick.

Ah Hock Fried Hokkien Mee

This is the stall to visit for a sinful supper fix. Expect to wait at least 45 minutes before the plate of delicious Hokkien Mee appears in front of your eyes. The broth is simmered with tip-top quality prawns and pork bones for 3 hours hence, bringing out the sweetness of the prawns. The owner fries the noodles till each strand has fully absorbed the broth. We love the aromatic plate of goodness, you should pair it with their secret recipe chilli sauce for the ultimate satisfaction.

Hai Wei Yuan BBQ

There are more than 3 stalls selling BBQ seafood at Chomp Chomp. We’ve tried all and our favourite is the first stall that’s located at the entrance of the food centre. On weekends, you need to wait at least 30 mintues for your order. Sambal Stingray ($12) is served on a piece of banana leaf, and topped with slices of onions to enhance the flavour. The sambal chilli is spicy, and the meat is fresh and tender. This goes well with a bowl of fragrant rice (50 cents).

Chong Pang Chicken Wings

What’s a feast at Chomp Chomp without chicken wings? We love the ones from stall 28. The BBQ chicken wings ($1.40 per piece, minimum order 2 pieces) are marinated with a secret recipe before being grilled. You’ll be enticed by the glistening oil dripping down from the chicken wings when they’re on the grill. Each wing contains juicy and tender meat, with a smoky exterior – so good!

Carrot Cake

There are a few stalls selling carrot cake at Chomp Chomp but the black version ($3) from stall 36 won our tastebuds over. It is sweeter than most we’ve tried, but the sweetness is well balanced out by the salty radish bits. The carrot cake isn’t too greasy, and you get some charred flavours in every mouthful.

Satay Bee Hoon

This is the only stall selling satay bee hoon and Hainanese beef noodles at Chomp Chomp. We heard about how good the satay bee hoon is so we wanted to see how it really fares. Unfortunately, the satay peanut gravy is too bland for our liking. We prefer it to be thicker and richer. That being said, the ingredients are still fresh and well prepared. The cuttlefish and pork give the dish a nice chewy texture.

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

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

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Fishball Story isn’t just another ordinary hawker story. It is about a successful story of young hawkerpreneur Douglas who first ventured out from a small hawker stall to earning Michelin Bib Gourmand award and eventually owning a coffeeshop. After moving out from the cafeteria in National University of Singapore, Fishball Story is now operating (and co-owning) in a new coffeeshop in Geylang called Hungry Bee, together with Char Grill Bar and 818 Seafood.

Sucess doesn’t happen overnight. Using his grandmother’s fishball recipe, this 26-year-old hawker is serious about what he does.Over the years, I have followed Douglas through his journey of how he started from a small stall to growing his brand till where he is today.

His fishball recipe is simple – 100% yellow tail fish meat with no flour added. Douglas now has a central kitchen to make fishballs for the two outlets. He blends fish paste, hand press the fishballs and fishcakes, makes the sambal and lard… so much hard work! But it’s his never-give-up spirit to reach where he is today.

At $6 for a bowl of premium handmade fishball noodle, you get handmade fishballs, fishcakes, fried fish skin, and fried bean curd with fish paste. What you get is real fishballs that are firm, with mee pok cooked till al dente and tossed in sambal chilli and lard. The fishcakes are roughly textured and speckled with chilli and scallions, making them as attractive as well. As compared to the last time I had it, Douglas fishball noodles tastes better now and the chilli packs a punch. If this is too much for you, go for the standard bowl at $4.50.

At the new outlet in Geylang, Douglas will open from 10am to 2am. He has another outlet in Timbre+. Young hawkers like Douglas are what we need to preserve our Hawker culture. His insistence to make his own fishballs by hand shows his dedication and gives light to our vanishing hawker heritage. Thank you and all the best, Douglas!

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

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Having first started from a humble branch in Ang Mo Kio, this relatively new restaurant has earned a reputation for bringing hearty Italian fare at affordable prices to the masses. Situating themselves in the heartlands might make it a bit difficult to get to if you’re not staying in the area, but the cheaper rental lets them keep their prices down. For 2 mains and a dessert, our bill came up to less than $40. What a steal!

Since their Golden Mile Pizzeria specialises in Pizzas, we tried the Proscuito e Rucola ($15), a pizza with parma ham, rocket salad, and mozzerella cheese tomato sauce. The dough used to make the pizza changes every few days. It is homemade and has a few different ‘flavours’, including squid ink (black), saffron (orange), beetroot (red) and seaweed (green).

Our crust was lightly coloured green – we almost didn’t notice it! The 10-inch pizza arrived promptly with a crisp crust and doughy insides. While there is a bit of a seaweed aftertaste, it was overpowered by the toppings, and we hardly noticed it except when it was eaten on its own.

High quality ingredients is used here. The parma ham had no stringy pieces of fat, and was drizzled with a heavy hand of olive oil. The olive oil left the pizza a bit soggy, as the rocket salad was drenched with the oil.

This flavour is a classic, perfect for families and date nights. If you want something more unique, get their Mentaiko Pizza ($13), a combination of Japanese pollock roe and Italian pizza.

Expect a smaller selection of pastas here compared to their branches at Ang Mo Kio and Jurong East, which specialise in pastas. We tried the Granchio ($12), tagliatelle pasta with crabmeat tossed in pink sauce. I spoke with the waitress who told me that they make fresh batches of the tomato sauce from scratch, instead of buying store bought ones.

The pasta was al dente with a nice bite, and the thick nature of the tagliatelle held the creamy sauce well. The sauce was neither too creamy nor too diluted. To combat the potential jelat-ness, little cubed onion pieces were included alongside the silvers of crabmeat. For the price point of $12, a smaller portion of crabmeat is to be expected.

Altogether a satisfying main to order! A usual here recommended the Manzo ($12), pasta with beef in truffle cream sauce. Another one of their signature dishes, it is a more filling alternative to the Granchio for our meat-loving friends.

PocoLoco features a special menu that changes weekly (sometimes shorter/longer, depending on the popularity of the item). Do check with the service staff as it is not printed on their main menu and is easy to miss.

For a sweet end to our meal, we tried a spin on the usual Chocolate Lava Cake ($10), the Matcha Lava served with Vanilla Gelato ($10). Made using white chocolate with matcha powder mixed in, it contains more lava than cake and is EXTREMELY fragile. We waited approximately 30 minutes for our desserts because it kept breaking while being baked!

The melty goodness was worth it, as the green coloured ‘lava’ oozed out immediately after using a spoon poke at it lightly. It wasn’t overpoweringly sweet, but the taste of the matcha did not come through so well.

If you don’t see this on their special menu of the week, the original is highly recommended, alongside their Tiramisu which goes for just $6.

On the whole, PocoLoco is an affordable option for fans of the Italian cuisine. Remember to make a reservation beforehand, as the place only sits around 40 pax. It was full at 6.30pm on the Saturday night we were there. While they accept payment through credit card, the minimum spending is $50.

This is a hidden gem in Golden Mile Tower (note that it is not at Golden Mile Complex) serving great food with excellent service!

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

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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There’s a spread of BBQ dishes found everywhere in our little red dot, but a good sizzling pan of BBQ stingray might just take a few decades to master. Not possible? Mdm Neo has done it. Slogging away what could possibly be a third of her lifetime to deliver remarkable BBQ seafood dishes embodying the Singaporean culture is by no means an easy feat.

At Neo BBQ in Yuhua Village, Mdm Neo gives us a peek to what goes on in her kitchen before the BBQ delicacy gets served on our table. Everyday, she grabs the freshest catch from her usual group of suppliers and brings it back in stall.

The stingray (Small $12, Regular $15, Large $17) is first placed on a grill and covered with a lid to cook long enough for it to retain its moisture. Mdm Neo then moves the stingray to a hotplate placed over a charcoal stove and slabs on their homemade fiery sambal chili over the stingray. The grill sears in the barbeque aroma, right before it’s served to us sizzling hot.

Brace yourself for coughs and watery eyes as the aromatic sambal chili tickles your senses. Mdm Neo contends that their spicy sambal chili is what differentiates their BBQ stingray from other competition, but what goes into the spicy sambal chili remains a secret. I enjoyed peeling off the white chunks of flesh from the stingray, which was succulent and moist.

The BBQ squid (Regular $10, Large $12) is first given a light stir fry, followed by a splash of Mdm Neo’s homemade sauce that consist of basic condiments such as Hua Tiao Jiu and soya sauce. The sotong is then placed on a hotplate, which is again heated over a charcoal stove. Again, Mdm Neo coats the squid with her aromatic sambal chili before being served.

“Grill only for a while, if not the sotong becomes very tough!” Mdm Neo exclaims in Mandarin. Sure enough, she controls the fire well enough to ensure each squid ring is chewy. Unlike the usual sambal squid, we’d notice that Mdm Neo offers a generous portion of the thickly cut squid rings that is worth the price. The stir fried onions gives an added sweetness to the BBQ sotong.

Mdm Neo uses the same spicy sambal sauce to whip up a good plate of stir fried kang kong with garlic (Regular $6, Large $8). Get a whiff of the garlic-sambal aroma before digging into the greens. If you prefer it to be less spicy, just inform Mdm Neo and she’ll adjust the spiciness for you.

The spicy savoury combination is best paired with their homemade cinchalok to give that perfect balance to each dish. Though the shrimp paste has a more watery texture than usual, I assure you of it’s amazing sweet, tangy flavors. Mdm Neo reveals that one of the key ingredients used in her almost perfect cinchalok is freshly squeezed lime juice, which she prepares by hand every morning.

If you’re lucky, you can get a glimpse of a young man helping out Mdm Neo. 25 years old Zijie is the son of Mdm Neo. After quitting his corporate job, he took an interest in the art of BBQ seafood as inspired by his mother. Currently, he is undergoing training by Mdm Neo herself. Once approved by Mdm Neo, Zijie plans to change the name of the store. If you’re looking to find the store “Neo BBQ” as advertised online, chances are you won’t find it because the name isn’t actually officially announced. Look instead for “Hotplate BBQ Fish” under the signboard Hong Chang Cooked Food.

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

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