If you know your Vietnamese food, then you’ll know that banh mi is a staple in Vietnam. It’s cheap, tasty and evokes nostalgia. Most banh mi stores in Singapore serve good banh mi, but there is one particular stall which does it best.

Located along Geylang Road, Banh Mi Thit is an inconspicuous store that specialises in authentic Vietnamese banh mi, and they only serve banh mi.

At Banh Mi Thit, there are 4 types of banh mi — beef, chicken, ham, and pork. The banh mi here is really affordable. Each banh mi costs just $3.80(ala-carte), and $4.80 if you choose to have it as a set meal! According to Jetroth, the supervisor of Banh Mi Thit, the Beef Banh Mi and Pork Banh Mi are the most popular. I went for these exact two options.

Something really outstanding about Banh Mi Thit is that it bakes its own loaves of baguette! While other banh mi stores source their baguette from bakeries, Banh Mi Thit bakes its baguette loaves fresh daily.

I first tried the Beef Banh Mi ($3.80/ala-carte) and it was delicious. Each banh mi is first buttered with egg-based margarine and slathered with an interesting sweet-savoury sauce. The Beef Banh Mi came with slices of onions, cucumbers and thinly shaved beef! The beef was still pink and oh so tender and the vegetables provided a refreshing crunch to the beef. You have the option to add sliced chilli to your banh mi and I strongly recommend that you do!

Between the two, I thought that the Pork Banh Mi ($3.80/ala-care) was far better. Like the Beef Banh Mi, it comprises freshly baked baguette loaf, onions and cucumbers. Instead of beef slices, of course, the Pork Banh Mi was loaded with pork pate and slices of pork. Cilantro was also included, which I thought injected a bright flavour to the banh mi.

What really stood out was the freshly baked baguette! Wow, the baguette was light and crispy. Each time I took a bite, there was a loud crunch. Ah, music to my ears.

I decided to inquire further about the special sauce. It turns out that this special sauce which is put into every banh mi is made by the Vietnamese wife of one of the partners who co-owns the restaurant. She comes in to the restaurant to make it every afternoon.

Apart from the usual soft drinks, Banh Mi Thit also serves Authentic Vietnamese Coffee ($1.50/ala-carte) and Authentic Thai Milk Tea ($1.50/ala-carte) in both iced or hot versions. I decided to have the hot Authentic Vietnamese Coffee as part of one of my banh mi sets.

The coffee came in a styrofoam cup which I thought was a little strange. However, the coffee was a stunner. The coffee was robust, yet not overpowering. It was very aromatic and just had the right amount of sweetness to it! I highly recommend getting a cup of Vietnamese Coffee to go along with the banh mi!

While the portion of meat in each banh mi may not be that much, each banh mi is still quite filling. With banh mi and coffee this good, Banh Mi Thit will definitely see me again.

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

The post Banh Mi Thit by Star Baguette – A Hidden Gem in Geylang that Bakes Its Own Baguette Daily! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Singaporeans, the wait is finally over! Jewel Changi Airport is opening its doors on 17 April 2019. With more than 280 shops and food and beverage (F&B) outlets, this newest iconic lifestyle destination is filled with gardens, attractions, retail, dining, a hotel and facilities to support airport operations. You can look forward to a slew of new-to-Singapore brands together with familiar homegrown favourites. ARE YOU READY?

NEW TO SINGAPORE

New York’s famous Shake Shack (#02-256) has finally made its entrance into Singapore! The Singapore menu will feature Shake Shack’s signature items including the ShackBurger, Shack-cago DogTM, classic crinkle-cut fries, craft beer, wine and frozen custard ice-cream. They have also created Singapore exclusive items including a Pandan Shake and Jewela Melaka Concrete. Swiss artisanal chocolatier Laderach (#01-241) and Norwegian casual seafood restaurant Pink Fish (#B1-261/262) are here in Singapore for the first time as well.

Fans of Pokemon can also look forward to the one and only permanent retail store outside of Japan. The Pokémon Center (#04-201/202) is stocked with lots of merchandises, exclusive toys, stationery, trading cards and video games created just for Jewel.

LOCAL FLAVOURS

Sample the signature dishes that have sealed Singapore’s reputation as a gourmand’s paradise. Tiger Street Lab (#05-205) is the first global experiential concept store by Tiger Beer. They have collaborated with Timbre and Keng Eng Kee Seafood to serve a few signature dishes to pair with a refreshing Tiger beer. There will also be a special seasonal brew on offer – Tiger Orchid Black Lager – a dark lager that’s been infused with Singapore’s national flower.

Savour authentic Nyonya cuisine at Violet Oon Singapore (#01-205/206). Each dish is inspired by Singapore’s history as the crossroads of the world, through the varied ingredients and flavours employed. Pow Sing (#B2-201/202) serves traditional Hainanese chicken rice with Peranakan dishes such as bakwan kepiting and ayam buah keluak. Paying homage to local flavours, Herit8ge (#05-206) brings to the table its modern take on local flavours such as Char Siew Pork Ribs and Bak Chor Mee Salad.

Popular swiss roll shop Rich & Good Cake Shop (#01-232) has opened at Jewel as well. They will be selling soft and fluffy swiss rolls in 10 different flavours such as kaya, durian and green tea. You can also get Lim Chee Guan’s (#B2-222) bak kwa and Bengawan Solo’s (#01-228/229) pandan chiffon cake for your overseas relatives before you fly out of Singapore.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOURS

Enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine at the immaculately designed JW360°(#01-223/224/225). The 486 square-meter space boasts a four-season concept menu provided by Suju Restaurant. Patrons can pamper their sophisticated palate with an extensive selection of fine Japanese sake and wines. The contemporary cafe is a place where patrons can sit back and relax while appreciating all that’s on offer, the Japan Way. A Nomono retail corner offers the best of the best products and souvenirs from all over Japan.

Kam’s Roast (#02-210) from Hong Kong will offer its signature roasts such as roast duck, suckling pig, “toro” char siew and cured sausages. The restaurant also provides travel gift packs so that travellers can take these goodies home. Sama Sama by Tok Tok (#03-225/226) brings authentic Indonesian comfort food to Jewel. Expect dishes such as the Ayam Bakar Taliwang, Sate Kambing Betawi and Gado Gado!

The largest Yunnan F&B chain, Yun Nan’s 云海肴 (#02-217), has opened its first outlet outside of China. The restaurant specializes in gao yuan liao li, or highland cuisine. Signatures include Steamed Pot Chicken Soup, Yunnan Rice Noodles in Prawn Broth with Black Truffle, Wild Porcini Mushroom, Braised Yunnan Beef Stew and Brown Sugar Soy Pudding. Malaysian bakery chain Lavender (#B2-253/254) is also here in Jewel and they have brought their most popular bakes along.

24 HOURS

A&W Restaurant (#B2-209) is back! Besides serving classics such as Made Fresh A&W Root Beer, Chicken/Beef Coney Dog, and Curly Fries (S$3.60), the 24-hour restaurant will also serve bestsellers from A&W Restaurants in the region and beyond, such as the Golden Aroma Chicken and Cream Cheese Chicken/Beef Burgers. Paris Baguette (#01-200) has a great variety of mouth-watering pastries and breads, to intricately decorated cakes and gateau, healthy salads and sandwiches, as well as delightful desserts and beverages. Don’t forget to drop by Old Chang Kee (#B2-247) for their signature curry puff and lip-smacking quick bites.

Brace yourself for an otah revolution as Lee Wee & Brothers unveils a new F&B Concept O’TAH (#B2-241) at Jewel Changi Airport. The chefs have put a new spin on the classic otah by serving dishes such as Pink Salmon Otah, Scallop Otah, Cream Cheese & Corn Otah, and Green Petai & Anchovy Otah. Other highlights include O’TAH Fries, Pesto Salmon Nasi Lemak and Ben’s Burger.

The post Jewel Changi Airport Food Guide – What To Eat At Singapore’s Newest Destination? appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

If you are in the mood for a mean bowl of prawn noodles, then you have to head to Da Dong Prawn Noodles!

Located in Mellvin Coffeeshop along Joo Chiat Road, Da Dong Prawn Noodles has been around since 1966. Now, at the helm of it all is Watson Lim, a rather dashing 31-year-old 2nd-generation hawker who has decided to take over the reins from his father.

Da Dong Prawn Noodles serves prawn noodles in 3 different sizes: small ($5), regular ($8), and large ($10). It also serves a variant of prawn noodles with larger prawns but, of course, this commands a steeper price that starts at $13 for a small bowl.

I ordered the Big Prawn Noodles ($15) with beehoon and it came with large prawns that have been halved, kangkong and beansprouts. The large prawns were plump and had a good bite. However, I think the star of the show is the prawn broth! The prawn broth was not super rich, but it was lovely and carried a slight tinge of sweetness. I felt that the beehoon soaked up the prawn broth really well.

One should note that the prawn broth is served sparingly and treated like a precious commodity, so soup refills will not be entertained. There was a signage at the front of the store even indicating so! I think that alone speaks volumes about Da Dong’s prawn broth. The soup broth was tasty to the last drop. It was simply irresistible!

I learned from Watson that he wakes up in the wee hours of the morning just to prepare the prawn broth! Preparation for the prawn noodles begin way before the stall opens at 7.30am. Watson told me that he begins making the broth from as early as 4 in the morning!

I also had the dry Pork Rib Prawn Noodles ($8). It comes with a small bowl of the delectable prawn broth, and a few pieces of prawns and pork ribs. Crispy fried bits of pork lard topped the prawn noodles as well.

The pork ribs were also fall-off-the-bone tender and I thoroughly enjoyed every morsel of the pork rib! However, I wished that the pork ribs were slightly larger in size.

The prices of the prawn noodles here may repel some, but if you take into consideration the quality and size of the prawns and how tasty the prawn broth is, I believe you’ll think that the price is justified.

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

The post Da Dong Prawn Noodles – Prawn Noodles that will have You Coming Back for More! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

JW360° is a spanking new Japanese concept store ensconced in Jewel Changi Airport. Short for Japan Way Three Sixty, JW360° aims to establish a ‘gateway’ to Japan’s lifestyle and culture through the food and retail products in its restaurant, café and retail section.

Entering JW360° feels like stepping into a Japan town. The interior is not superfluous; instead the unpretentious vibe sets the stage for a cosy and intimate session.

The restaurant is operated by Suju Masayuki, a Japanese restaurant running seven stores in Japan and one in Orchard, Singapore. Following the Japanese methods of cooking, its menu boasts a four-season concept provided by Suju Restaurant. Patrons can definitely satisfy their sophisticated palates here.

The Gindara Misozuke Yaki is one of our favourite dishes at JW360°. The cod fish was soused in a homemade miso sauce, and grilled to perfection. The meat remains moist and tender, with a subtle smoky aroma. I took a bite and let the fatty fish melt slowly in the mouth. Wow, I could taste the sweetness and freshness of the cod! The slightly sweet miso glaze really accentuated the natural flavours of the fish.

The aesthetically-pleasing Torimomo Kurozu Itame featured a medley of eggplants, chilli, corn and chicken sautéed in a light but tangy black vinegar. The deep-fried chicken lent a delightful crunch and stole the show.

Hamburg Steak is another specialty of Suju. Seasoned with soy sauce and two kinds of miso paste, the hamburg steak was firm, springy and succulent. Sink your teeth into the steak and you’ll find that the juicy patty, which is drenched with cheese and demi-glace sauce, is extremely delicious.

The Chicken Sauté Cream is a hearty white stew loaded with three different types of mushroom. It’s surprisingly light, and packed with the umami of shellfish.

If you love fried food, the Mixed Katsu, which is a platter of pork, chicken, minced beef, and shrimp croquette will be right up your alley. I liked the pork the most because the meat was really juicy, and the thin batter was so crisp!

The Beef Steak has a smooth velvety texture, and its rich flavours lingered after every mouthful. Each main course comes with rice and miso soup.

Other noteworthy dishes available at Suju include Tempura, various types of Tonkatsu (Japanese style cutlets such as pork, chicken breast / chicken thigh cutlet, shrimp etc), Teishoku, Bento, and Donburi.

Do you know, Suju earns its stripes as an authentic Japanese restaurant because of this staple? This dish incorporates premium Koshihikari rice, which is specially sourced from Iizuka in Nagano. The Koshihikari rice is widely regarded as the caviar of Japanese short-grain rice. Interestingly, the chefs cook the rice in a copper pot, which gives it an incredible texture. Every glistening round pearl grain is moderately sticky and has an excellent bite. Make sure you drizzle the brown sauce from the beef steak onto the rice. One spoonful and you’ll be hooked for sure. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself asking for a second bowl of rice. JW360° is the closest that you can get to Japan, in Singapore.

You absolutely can’t leave JW360° without trying their desserts. You can pick your favourite gelato or a limited edition sakura cake from the JW360° café. Using Japanese ingredients such as matcha and wasanbon in their bakes, JW360° promises decadent sweet treats that will round off your meal on the sweetest note. JW360° is a great spot to enjoy a lovely tea while awaiting your next flight.

Nomono, which is the JW360° retail corner, procures tasty snacks and the best souvenirs from all over Japan. You can get your hands on a range of assorted Japanese sweets, snacks, popsicles, and sake with creative and unique packaging.

You can’t leave JW360° without their zesty Apple Chips. Raw apples are air-fried to retain its natural apple flavours. The crisp chips are exceptionally addictive. Other popular snacks include the soft and fluffy “Hagi no Tsuki Custard Cream Cake” and hand-baked “Mount Fuji Shape Rice Cracker Box” which comes in flavours of the four seasons — spring, summer, autumn and winter.

I am surprised to find Ema in JW360°! In a Japanese shrine, there is always a special area where visitors hang wooden tablets. The tablets are called “Ema (drawn horse)”, on which visitors dedicate their wishes.

At JW360°, you can write your wishes on the Ema and the staff will bring it back to the Shinto Shrines in Japan and dedicate them to God. Such a meaningful way to end my meal here! Needless to say, I’ll be back again!

This post is brought to you by JW360°.

The post JW360° Opens Its Doors at Jewel Changi Airport – Discover Japan’s Way of Life Through Food and Retail appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

What do you look out for in a burger? Ingredients? Size? Burger Labo believes the soul of a burger is the patty. Seriously, you can’t call yourself a burger connoisseur until you’ve tried Burger Labo’s burgers!

Located at Gillman Barracks, Burger Labo, which specialises in burgers(duh) recently opened its doors on 2 April.

The brainchild of Ken Loon, Burger Labo boasts burgers that are products of extensive R&D — from the burger bun right down to the patty.

Ken recommended the Basic Burger ($23), Chicken Burger ($20), and the House-made Naked Chendol ($13).

While the Basic Burger looks basic, as its name implies, its flavor is every bit the opposite. Every component of the Basic Burger is well thought out. That’s not a surprise since it took Ken 12 tries to finally perfect the Basic Burger.

The burger bun is lightly buttered with a house-made bone marrow ‘butter’. Between the bun sits a 170g medium-well patty made from a blend of 4 different types of beef: grass-fed Angus neck, Aomori Gyu ribeye, Toriyama Umami Wagyu A4 tenderloin, and Sendai Wagyu A5 brisket.

The different beef gives rise to a fatty & juicy patty! The burger is also packed with organic lettuce & tomatoes, and a dollop of yummy sauce that provides just enough acidity to cut through the richness of the burger.

Look, the burger comprised the bare minimum of what makes a burger a burger. However, the complex flavours hidden in this simple-looking burger took me by surprise!

Just when I thought that the Basic Burger can’t be topped, the Chicken Burger knocked my socks off.

I really took my time savouring this one, because the Chicken Burger was absolutely delicious! The incredibly tender chicken thigh had a smoky flavor and hints of Mediterranean spice.

But. Check. Out. That. Runny. Egg.

Burgers with runny fried eggs in them? Yes! Who can resist this? I definitely can’t!

The Chicken Burger is also slathered with the same decadent house-made bone marrow ‘butter’ that is found in the Basic Burger. However, the Chicken Burger comes with a house-made garlic yoghurt sauce and ‘Frenchie’ salsa. I felt that the yoghurt sauce and salsa really brought everything together.

I also had the House-made Naked Chendol ($13) and oh my, there was no better way to round off my meal.

The chendol was refreshing and reminded me of salted caramel; probably because of the gula melaka syrup and sea salt that was sprinkled onto it!

It was quite an experience having such well-crafted burgers and an equally delectable dessert. If you are near Gillman Barracks, you have got to give Burger Labo a try.

The post Burger Labo – Hand-Crafted Burgers at Gillman Barracks(So Good You Have to Try! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Resting in a quiet corner just opposite Serangoon Stadium is an inconspicuous café called Eleven Strands.

At Eleven Strands, western cuisine is the heart and soul of its menu. Here, you can find a plethora of pasta dishes, mouth-watering mains, indulgent desserts and small bites.

Eleven Strands has an al fresco dining area at the back of the café, but we sat indoors to escape the sweltering heat.

One of the dishes that we had was the French Onion Soup ($10) which came with a slice of baguette that’s lined with a strip of gouda cheese.

While I could taste the mild sweetness of caramelized onions, I felt that the soup lacked the depth of flavour and richness that’s characteristic of a good bowl of French onion soup. It lacked that “oomph”.

For mains, we decided to have the Braised Beef Cheeks ($25).

The braised beef cheeks sat in a bed of potato mash that’s drenched with red wine sauce. The beef cheeks were tender and I could cut through every piece effortlessly! I made sure that I coated the beef  in as much red wine sauce as I could, as the pairing was just amazing.

And I thought that the dish couldn’t get more impressive, but I was wrong.

The potato mash was well-seasoned, smooth, velvety and a little creamy. It was the perfect accompaniment to the rich and savoury beef cheeks. The dish also came with sautéed bacon & mushrooms which were a tad too salty.

We also had the Crab Meat Pasta ($25). You have a choice of red or white sauce for your dish, and you can also pick your preferred pasta. There’s handmade tagliatelle (add $4), linguine, penne, spaghetti and fettuccine.

We decided on the white sauce and linguine for our Crab Meat Pasta.

To call the white sauce in the Crab Meat Pasta “savoury” is an understatement — it’s that good! The white sauce was sufficiently thick, and coated every strand of the al dente linguine evenly.  You can find pieces of juicy crab meat throughout the dish! I noticed that the natural flavours of the crab meat had worked its way into the sauce as well, making the sauce so much richer in flavour.

Incorporating cherry tomatoes into the Crab Meat Pasta was a great idea. The sweetness of the tomatoes made the dish even more appealing and appetising.

Lastly, we had the French Apple Tart for dessert.

You can think of the French Apple Tart as a thin crepe enveloping an apple pie filling.

Lightly dusted with icing powder and topped with almond slices and candied pecans, the French Apple Tart was served warm. The warm apple pie filling and  cold vanilla ice cream, which is made from REAL vanilla beans, was simply a match made in heaven!

It’s so difficult to find cafés that serve good food. While I felt that the French Onion Soup could use some work, the rest of the dishes (especially the Crab Meat Pasta) are definitely worth coming back for.

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

The post Eleven Strands – Delectable Café Food Opposite Serangoon Stadium! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

READ: 27 Bak Chor Mee Singaporeans Love

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

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

A rainy week calls for some simple and soothing Teochew porridge at Choon Seng Teochew Porridge. Choon Seng’s items are well laid out, there are many colour-coded buttons at the counter, each representing the dishes available. Instead of taking the orders using pen and paper, the staff will collect the buttons according to your order and send it to the kitchen. To be honest, the dishes are not extensive but the popularity is steady as many of their dishes are honest, home-cooked food.

I have heard that this place sells a plate of steamed Soo Mei for $60. My friends wanted to order it but it wasn’t available (HENG AH!). So we had the steamed red garoupa done two ways – one in teochew steamed version, while the other in preserved soy bean. The fish is served with pieces of tofu and strips of salted vegetables that don’t overpower, and still retaining the freshness of the fish. Just drinking the soup from the steamed fish is a joy. If you do not have a big group, there is option for just ordering half the fish, where you can choose with the head or the tail.

The stew items were ordinary. We had a platter of duck slices together with tofu and pig’s skin. The duck slices were not extremely tender but the rice, stained black with pork fat, was delicious. Dip the flesh into the chilli sauce.

The highlight of our meal was the minced pork with fermented black beans. It’s intense and packed with umami, probably from the addition of luncheon meat. It tastes so good with porridge and even as I am typing this, I am salivating. We ordered two portions to share. The stall also sells a very unique prawn omelette that I have seldom seen at other places. The plain porridge is prepared using the traditional earthen pot and in smaller portions.

Teochew porridge is simple but after pairing with soothing dishes, it can taste good. And I am sure now you know where to relive those childhood memories.

If you love Teochew porridge, this is the place to go. The trick is to get there at about 11.30am, just after they open. Because they will be sold out by 2pm, so don’t bother to go for a late lunch.

The post Choon Seng Teochew Porridge – That Plate of Minced Pork with Fermented Black Beans is… appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

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

1. 牛车水阿婆卤鸭

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

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

2. Henry’s Chicken Rice

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

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

3. Hao Hao Noodle House

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

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

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

4. Huang Da Fu 黄大福 Bak Chor Mee

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

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

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

5. Hong Kee Porridge

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

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

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

6. Milah Hokkaido Curry Puff

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

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

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

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

7. Hammee’s

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

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

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

8. Xi Le Ting 喜樂亭,

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

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

9. ASiP Fresh Cold Press Juice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A new dessert shop has arrived in Jurong, just a stone’s throw from Jurong East Swimming Complex.

The shop entrance is nondescript and the minimalist shop is completed with floor-to-ceiling windows. Owner-baker Lee Yin Quan graduated with a diploma in French pastry at Ferrandi Paris and worked with many famous Michelin Star chefs such as Jean-François Piège and Nina Métayer.

The stars are the cakes which take a while to be served because each plate is individually plateed. Interestingly, all the desserts here have fun names such as PUCK and JIAO.

Inspired by the hexagonal beehive, the café’s Madu ($8) is a combination of honeycomb and salted caramel. Its decadent and not too sweet. Those who have a sweet tooth will probably appreciate this cake more than I did.

As a lover of lemon and lime desserts, I’m always on the lookout for cakes to satisfy my cravings. The Tart ($8) did not disappoint. No key lime tart is complete without a graham cracker crust. The buttery crust balances out the acidity of the pie and ensures that the tart is not overly sweet.

We love the Puff (S$7), a picture-perfect flaky puff that is filled with a luscious earl grey and kaya cream. Each mouthful was smooth and revealed the subtle earl grey flavour was lovely.

The Jiao (S$8), a banana caramel cake, is light and moist. It is coated with a thin film of white chocolate. The fluffy banana sponge cake sits on an oatmeal crust and is served with dots of salted caramel.

For something more decadent, go for the Puck (S$8). The dark chocolate cake is really rich and is complemented perfectly with sea salt. If you’re a huge fan of chocolate cake, you’ll definitely love this.

One of the most popular cakes is the Dale (S$8). The elegant matcha tart is composed of light matcha sponge, matcha mouse and passionfruit compote. It looks like a mini-floating island. The pillowy-soft matcha sponge, tangy passionfruit compote and buttery crispy crumble made a great combination but I wished that the matcha was more robust.

The cakes are thoughtfully built with flavours that complement each other. The coffee is brewed from beans from Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee. A selection of Ette Tea brews is also available.

It takes awhile for the desserts to be plated individually, so be patient. Even though there are only a few tables and chairs in the small space, the turnover is relatively fast and the cafe is quiet even on weekends.

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

The post Lee’s Confectionery – Dessert Fanatics will Love this New French Patisserie in Jurong appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Our love for Malaysian fare is undeniable. At the newly opened Momo Kitchen in Jalan Bukit Merah, you can find tasty dishes such as nasi lemak and prawn noodles.

Momo Kitchen’s boss, Pauline, was a graphic designer before she ventured into F&B. Her mother-in-law opened Nasi Lemak Pekan Cina (大街咖喱饭) in Kedah and Pauline learnt how to prepare the dishes from her. When asked why she named the eatery “Momo”, Pauline said she loved the name after watching the Korean drama ‘My name is Kim Samsoon’. Momo, the character that Samsoon talks about in the drama, originated from a fantasy novel of the same name by Michael Ende.

The signature at Momo Kitchen is the handmade crystal dumplings. It got its name from the beautiful translucent look of the dumpling wrapper which is made from potato starch. Enclosed in soft and chewy skin is a generous amount of stir-fried shredded jicama and carrots. Diners love it so much that they sometimes order in bulk for events.

Momo Kitchen’s Rendang Chicken Butterfly Pea Nasi Lemak ($5.90) is built with fragant sambal, rendang chicken, cucumber slice and omelette. Pauline wanted to “revolutionise” the traditional nasi lemak. Hence, the fragrant rice is cooked with coconut milk and stained a pretty natural blue with the butterfly pea flower.

The chicken, which was tender and juicy, was simmered with lemongrass, cloves and cardamom. It had a good burst of flavours from the spices. They use fresh coconut milk to prepare the aromatic gravy. The fragrance of the rice was subtle and did not overpower the mildly spicy rendang.

The Bak Kut Teh Set ($7) comes with a bowl of rice, mustard vegetables and fried beancurd rolls. Plenty of spices and herbs are used to cook the bak kut teh but the herbal notes are not overpowering, snd I believe that most people will enjoy it.

Another huge hit is the Prawn Noodles ($5.50). The broth is really rich as it’s been boiled for hours. The addition of chilli gives it brilliant spicy kick. Their prawn mee comes with generous servings of prawns, pork slices, fried shallots and half a hard-boiled egg.

On Wednesday & Thursday, they have a special dish – Jawa Mee ($5.50). I probably only tried it once in Penang so I cannot comment much. The thick broth is made with deliciously roasted peanuts, sweet potatoes, prawns, and topped with Momo’s Prawn Biscuit. I squeezed some lime onto my noodles and mixed everything up for a more balanced flavour. The noodles were lightly blanched, retaining a firm yet springy texture.

There are also desserts available at Momo Kitchen. Pauline’s cousin, Xavier, is a trained pastry chef from Le Cordon Bleu. He came up with an excellent 8 treasures cheng tng, Peranakan pannacotta and earl grey dark chocolate loaf cake.

MissTamChiak.com paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

The post Momo Kitchen – New Malaysian Eatery Serving Blue Pea Nasi Lemak and Crystal Dumplings appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I’ve grown up eating kolo mee. My mother and her family originated from Sibu, Sarawak, so we would always fly back over the holidays to visit my grandmother. Every time without fail, kolo mee will always be the first and last dish that I will consume when I am in Sibu.

Due to work and basically just life, I now do not visit Sibu as often as I used to. I really miss having a comforting bowl of kolo mee though. Thankfully, I discovered 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee!

Run by two sisters who are Eastern Malaysian, 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee serves two dishes: Kolo Mee ($4/small & $5/large) & Sarawak Laksa ($6). I decided to have both.

I first tried the Kolo Mee. The Kolo Mee here is different from the one I usually have back in Sibu. Apart from the usual meaty char siew, it has crispy pork lard and simmered minced meat!

Of course, the heart of a bowl of kolo mee is its noodles. At first glance, the noodles may look plain and dry, but looks are indeed deceiving!

While the sauce may only barely coat the noodles, it’s more than sufficient! The fragrant lard oil used makes the bowl of noodles incredibly aromatic.

Next, we had the Sarawak Laksa ($6).

Sarawak laksa is quite interesting. While curry laksa is made from coconut milk and Assam laksa from tamarind paste, Sarawak laksa is made with both coconut milk and tamarind paste!

The Sarawak laksa comes with beehoon, a few average-sized prawns, chilli and lime. The beehoon soaked up all that flavourful broth!

 I can understand why Sarawak laksa may not be especially popular with Singaporeans, as we may not be as accustomed to the broth, which is less rich than the usual curry laksa. I really liked the broth though!

The kolo mee here really evoked nostalgia. I was reminiscing my childhood memories in Sibu, Sarawak, as I was savouring the noodles! I understand why Sarawakians frequent this stall. If you want authentic kolo mee, you can get your fix at 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee.

The post 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee – Kolo Mee that Reminds Me of My Childhood appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

People have been drinking coffee for centuries. Coffee is consumed in several ways across the globe: The Italians love their Cappuccino & Latte, and us Singaporeans love our Kopi Siew Dai & Kopi Ti Lo. Some like their coffee with milk and some like it with sugar. We love to drink coffee, but making a great cup of coffee from scratch can be very difficult at home. What if I told you that you can produce consistent barista-style coffee worthy of praise, all in the comfort of your home?

• Introducing Nespresso Barista Creations
  • Chiaro
  • Scuro
  • Corto
• Do You Know Your Coffee?
  • Piccolo Latte
  • Cappuccino
  • Macchiato
• Using Nespresso Machine to Make Milk Coffee
  • Piccolo Latte
  • Cappuccino
  • Caramel Macchiato
• Where to Buy Nespresso Barista Creations Capsules
• Recycling with Nespresso

NESPRESSO BARISTA CREATIONS

Introducing Nespresso’s latest line of coffee capsules, the Barista Creations! 6 years of rigorous R&D by Nespresso’s Coffee Experts meticulously studying the interaction between coffee and milk has produced the perfect blend of the finest coffee origins, the Barista Creations!

The latest Nespresso Barista Creations consists of the Chiaro, Scuro, and Corto; each type of coffee possessing varying levels of intensity and aroma. This line of Nespresso coffee capsules is specially designed to be the perfect accompaniment with milk and to be used with Nepresso’s coffee machines. You can be sure that every cup of coffee made from the Barista Creations capsule line is perfect. Every. Single. Time.

CHIARO

The lightest roast out of the three in Nespresso’s Barista Creations. Made from a fine mix of Kenyan and Indonesian Arabicas, Chiaro reveals very sweet coffee notes with the addition of milk. It’s perfect for those who love to indulge in sweet types of coffee.

SCURO

If balance is what you seek in a coffee, then Scuro is the one for you. Made with Colombian and Ethiopian Arabicas that have been carefully split roasted to draw out the best coffee qualities, Scuro goes hand-in-hand with milk, producing a flavourful, rounded coffee for the everyday coffee drinker.

CORTO

The most robust of all, Corto is the strongest coffee in the Barista Creations line. Made with African Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, Corto is smooth, yet possesses an intense lingering aftertaste that is sure to be perfect as a pick-me-up.

If you are always in a hurry like me but still want to enjoy barista-style coffee, Nespresso’s Barista Creations is for you! Each Barista Creations coffee comes in its signature handy one-time capsule. All you have to do is pop the capsule into any of Nespresso’s coffee machine and you can have a cup of high-quality coffee at the touch of a button in a matter of minutes. It’s all too convenient!

DO YOU KNOW YOUR COFFEE?

Curious but confused by the different names of milk coffee you typically see in cafes? While you may know of the several common types milk coffees, such as the latte and cappuccino, do you know some of the uncommon ones? Here are 3 types of uncommon milk coffee you can make with Nespresso’s Barista Creations capsules!

What is Piccolo Latte?

Traditionally, a Piccolo Latte is a ristretto (very strong, concentrated espresso coffee) shot finished with steamed milk served in a mini latte glass. Thanks to the steamed milk and micro foam (we attempted making 1 with this variation below), Piccolo Latte enables us to relish the elevated flavours of ristretto and milk without us feeling bloated thereafter. Perfect for after-meal or when ending the day with a heavy-milky drink is too much!

What is Cappuccino?

Originally named after garment colour of Capuchin friars, it contains double espresso and steamed milk only. After much modifications over the decades, some say that it is recognised by its froth. Its general recipe is ⅓ espresso, ⅓ steamed milk and ⅓ milk foam, not limiting to the size of any cup. Almost every country has a different variation to this.

What is Macchiato?

In Italian, “Macchiato” means “marked”, referring to an espresso marked with milk. If you are an intense espresso drinker but appreciates a soft touch of milk, you should go for macchiato. Note that you should never stir your macchiato.

A macchiato typically has a greater portion of espresso to milk, so the flavour of espresso is stronger than a cappuccino. The opposite of cappuccino, macchiato does not deviate much in modifications. Read on to know how to make a flavoured macchiato (caramel)!

USING NESPRESSO MACHINE TO MAKE MILK COFFEE

Nespresso’s Barista Creations is meant to be savoured with milk, so let’s dive right into making milk coffee, shall we? Of course, we will be using Nespresso’s coffee-making machine and the 3 new coffee capsules from Barista Creations! Let us teach you how to make good milk coffee from scratch. Don’t worry, we are beginners too!

PICCOLO LATTE

After doing our homework, we realised that we can make a robust cup of Piccolo Latte with the Corto capsule! Piccolo Latte is a smaller-sized version of the latte, albeit much stronger in aroma and flavour. Perfect for heavy coffee drinkers!

Lightly knock the milk frother at least twice on the table to separate the milk from the milk foam. Proceed to pour the frothed milk into the coffee cup. Complete by spooning milk foam to the brim.

The end result is a cup of intense coffee with creamy milk foam on top!

CAPPUCCINO

With the Scuro coffee capsule, you can make a cup of smooth & well-balanced cappuccino. This is really perfect for the everyday coffee drinker!

With ⅓ of the brewed Scuro coffee in the coffee cup, pour another ⅓ of frothed milk in. Fill the remaining ⅓ of the cup to the brim with milk foam.

A simple dusting of cocoa powder on top will glamorise your cup of cappuccino. Voila, you’ve got yourself a smooth cup of fancy cappuccino!

CARAMEL MACCHIATO

The lightest of the Barista Creations line, the Chiaro capsule pairs superbly well with sweet types of milk coffee. We couldn’t resist and decided to make a cup of caramel macchiato!

First, insert a Chiaro capsule into the coffee-making machine. While the coffee is brewing, layer the base of a glass cup (as seen in the photo below) with caramel syrup and add in the foam.

Then, pour ¼ frothed milk into the glass cup and fill the remaining cup with the brewed Chiaro coffee. Finish by drizzling caramel syrup onto the milk froth at the top and it’s ready to be served!

Just like any beginner learning how to brew a good cup of coffee from scratch, practice makes perfect! Of course, we did a little research and went through several bouts of trial and error before getting the hang of it. If we can brew a good cup of barista-style coffee with Nespresso’s Barista Creations (Chiaro, Scuro & Corto) & its extraordinarily user-friendly coffee-making machine, we believe anyone can produce just the perfect cup of milk coffee he or she desires!

WHERE TO BUY NESPRESSO BARISTA CREATIONS CAPSULES

With Nespresso, making a delectable cup of barista-style milk coffee simply has never been easier! You may be wondering where can you buy Nespresso Barista Creations capsules? Get your coffee fix now at $7.60 per sleeve (10 capsules per sleeve), available at all Nespresso boutiques and online.

To find out more about Nespresso’s Barista Creations, click here: https://www.nespresso.com/sg/en/barista-creations-for-milk

RECYCLE WITH NESPRESSO

Don’t just throw away your used Nespresso capsules! Nespresso believes in sustainability & recycling. Made from aluminium, a material which can be infinitely recycled, your used capsules can be recycled into another everyday object and used coffee grounds can be repurposed as compost for vegetable farming.

Nespresso has a local recycling program that processes all used capsules. To participate in the recycling program, simply request for a recycling bag at any Nespresso boutique. For online orders, simply add it to your shopping cart! With the recycling bag, all you have to do is pour used capsules into it. Once filled up, you can drop it off at any Nespresso boutique or pass it to the deliveryman when you have your next Nespresso order delivered!

If you would like to read more about Nespresso’s recycling initiative, click here: https://www.nespresso.com/sg/en/how-to-recycle-coffee-capsules

This post was brought to you by NESPRESSO.

The post How to Make Luxurious Milk Coffee with Nespresso Barista Creations appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

What excites you the most when you think of London, United Kingdom? The Big Ben? The Buckingham Palace? Football? For me, it’s the food & drink!

One of the most visited, culturally rich countries in the entire world & also home to the Fish & Chips, the love for food in London, United Kingdom is quite apparent! The United Kingdom boasts an impressive amount of street food markets that is loved & frequented by both locals and tourists alike. Now, that same love for food has transformed into something bigger!

Enter Taste of London, the UK’s most premium food festival to date! Happening twice a year in June and November, Taste of London is EVERY foodie’s highlight of the year. Seriously, you can’t call yourself a foodie until you attend this event! Every year, Taste of London is a celebration of the highest level which sees over 50,000 people flocking to London’s Regent Park for food, drink, live entertainment and an alfresco summer feast that is unparalleled.

From crafting your very own cocktail & learning the basics of wine-pairing, to attending masterclasses to up your cooking game, there’s a plethora of activities for you to enjoy here at Taste of London!

So what exactly is in store for you at the most premium food festival in the whole of the United Kingdom? Well, you are in a treat!

Discover London’s best Restaurants

At Taste of London, it’s more than just about the street food. Treat your taste buds to signature dishes from some of London’s greatest restaurants! Be the first to try delectable off-menu items created exclusively for Taste of London!

Live Demonstrations from World Class Chefs

Want to see how signature dishes are made? You can immerse yourself in the delicate craft of cooking as you watch some of the best chefs whip up a storm during live demonstrations or while they prepare your order at their restaurants!

Masterclasses & Tastings

Be it wanting to refine your taste buds or developing a nose for wine, you can bring your skills up a notch by learning tips & tricks from the best in the many complimentary and paid activities all around the Taste of London festival!

Chang Sensory Trails

Did I also mention that Chang Beer is headlining Taste of London? Chang Sensory Trails (CST), Chang Beer‘s global Thai food platform, is part of Taste of London as well. Spreading the flamboyant flavours of Thai cuisine to consumers around the world, Chang Sensory Trails will have an area set up in Taste of London!

With CST, you can sample dishes from top Thai restaurants based in London throughout the period of Taste of London. Expect dishes of high-calibre, undeniably good beer and the ultimate sensorial experience! You can also spend your time revelling away to live music at the Chang Music Zone in Taste of London!

Am I missing something? Oh yes! No food festival is ever complete without an ice cold Chang Beer to celebrate the festivities!

So how can you get to enjoy a food festival that is on the other side of the world? By drinking with Chang, of course!

The official beer partner for Taste of London & Thailand’s award-winning beer brand, Chang is giving away 3 pairs of all-expenses paid tickets to attend Taste of London! This is the ultimate chance for all foodies out there to experience the most premium food festival in London. All you have to do is buy a 6-can beer pack of Chang from any participating retailers to stand a chance to win a pair of tickets! Here’s how:

1) Buy a 6-can beer pack of Chang from FairPrice, Sheng Shiong or Giant.
2) Take a photo of the receipt.
3) Submit the photo of your receipt at https://www.changbeer.com/tastepromotionsg/?lang=en

And voila, you now stand a chance to fly to UK’s most premium food festival! So what are you waiting for? Gather all your friends and grab your 6-can beer pack of Chang today!

Taste of London will be happening at Regent’s Park from 19 – 23 June 2019.

This post was brought to you by Chang.

The post Win a Trip to Taste of London 2019 When You Buy a Chang Beer 6-Can Pack Now! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Not sure if you remember Joo Chiat Prawn Mee which used to sit at the junction of Crane Road & Carpmael Road. It shut its doors sometime ago but has recently re-opened at Ayer Rajar Food Centre!

Mdm Lee Xiu Chun’s father came to Singapore from Xiamen and started to cook prawn noodles to make a living. They are relatives with the owners of Blanco Court, Jalan Sultan and Beach Road Prawn Noodles. Plus, they also taught Ruifang’s late grandfather who started 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles how to cook hei mee too! Mdm Lee closed her shop previously to take care of her husband. Now, she has re-opened Joo Chiat Prawn Mee with her son-in-law.

I had the bee hoon mee dry($5) with chilli. It came with three prawns, some pork ribs and fresh kangkong. The chilli was strong and shiok enough, and makes you want to finish your noodles in no time.

The prawns were partially de-shelled in the middle. Unfortunately, they were slightly overcooked on our day of visit. The pork ribs were tender and the meat came off the bone easily. You can also add pig’s tail to your noodles.

I usually prefer the dry version when it comes to prawn noodles, but I love the soup prawn noodles here more. Joo Chiat Prawn Noodles’ murky soup was hearty and comforting. It boasted a good balance of savoury flavours and sweetness from the prawns and pork bones. Chilli powder is provided, but we think the broth is flavourful enough on its own.

This is one of the better prawn noodles that I have tasted. I am in love with their soup!

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

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

Join us on our Telegram channel!

The post Joo Chiat Prawn Mee – The Secret is Out, the Master of Hei Mee is Back! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

The famous Geylang Claypot Rice has moved to Beach Road! While the restaurant’s interior has been modernized, the restaurant continues to serve traditional claypot rice, as well as some zichar dishes.

At Geylang Claypot Rice, it is all about rice that’s cooked over a charcoal fire. Your claypot rice will take at least 25 minutes to arrive, but when it arrives at your table, you’ll instantly know that the wait was worthwhile.

Served with ingredients such as succulent chicken chunks, sausages, and fragrant salted fish, the claypot rice ($36 for large) from Geylang Claypot Rice was smoky, toothsome and tasty. While I had better marinated chicken elsewhere, I find the dark sauce here particularly good. Geylang Claypot Rice was generous with the sauce and had drizzled lots of it over the rice, making sure that each rice grain was lovingly coated with the sauce. Heavenly. P/S We also added more lard oil (you can forget about your diet).

When you reach the bottom of the pot, you’ll discover a layer of crispy rice bits stuck to the pot. That is the best part. It is not burnt, but it is roasted and it tastes especially good when you pair it with their sambal chilli sauce.

Because we have a table full of hungry people, we decided to order a few stir-fry dishes to go along with our claypot rice. We had the Tofu with Prawns ($12), Sambal Kang Kong ($10), Beancurd Skin Roll ($10) and Stir-fried French Beans with Shrimps ($10). The beancurd was silky smooth, and the prawns were large and juicy. Some loved the gravy with their claypot rice. For me, the speciality dark sauce and lard oil with the rice wins hands down — there’s no better combination.

I think I have eaten enough claypot rice to come up with a listing soon. Geylang Claypot Rice is definitely one of my favourites! Call in advance to reserve a table, and to ensure that your rice will be ready when you arrive.

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

For more food videos, check out and subscribe to our official YouTube channel! You may also wish to check out another popular claypot stall, Yew Chuan Claypot Rice, at Golden Mile Food Centre!

Join us on our Telegram channel!

The post Geylang Claypot Rice – Popular Claypot Rice in Geylang has Moved to Beach Road appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Craving for ayam penyet and not sure where you can get a solid one? Well, Pondok Pantai Timur is the answer.

Originally located in Changi Village, Pondok Pantai Timur is run by a tight-knit Malay family. They are known for their ayam & ikan penyets which many patrons come for during lunch time. They also serve other Malay fare that is sure to make you say “sedap” with every bite. I’m not even exaggerating.

I ordered the Ayam Penyet ($5.50) & Ikan Penyet ($6-6.50. Depends on size of fish).

Let me just say that the presentation was simply superb. Sambal is spread evenly across the circular wooden plate. They sure know how to make their dishes look good! I really applaud the attention to details, it’s a nice touch! The ayam penyet is deep fried without any batter. While it looks dry, I assure you that it is every bit tender.

You know the rice that is served alongside the penyets? It’s actually chicken rice! I really like how the moist chicken rice complemented the penyets so very well. But the most important thing was definitely the sambal. The sambal really got kick one, no joke!

Similar to the ayam penyet, the ikan penyet was enjoyable. It was especially crispy on the outside, as it was coated with batter before it was fried. However, there was a slight fishiness to it. That is not a deal breaker though.

We also tried the Soto Ayam ($3) & Mee Reebus ($3).

<

The soto ayam comes with lontong, beansprouts and strips of chicken. The broth was flavourful and spicy, and I found myself reaching for more incessantly. The mee reebus was also great. The gravy which was sweet and savoury was thick and sufficiently spiced.

Pondok Pantai Timur is one of those stalls that place emphasis on not just the taste of its food, but on the presentation as well. This will definitely go into my book of recommendations!

The post Pondok Pantai Timur – Glorious Penyet in Ubi That Will Wow Your Tastebuds! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Not only is Geylang Road home to the yearly Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar, but it’s also home to Haig Road Market & Food Centre! If you don’t already know, Haig Road Market & Food Centre hides some of the best eats. From putu piring to mee rebus, let me share with you a few of the stalls that you have to try here!

• Afandi Hawa & Family
• V2 Claypot Corner
• Warong Sudi Mampir
• 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee
• HJ Waliti HJ Mazuki
• 正光云吞面 Zhenguang Wantan Noodles
• Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring
• Chin Heng Desserts
• Tong Kee Traditional Braised Duck Rice

1. Afandi Hawa & Family

If you’ve never had the Mee Rebus ($3) at Afandi Hawa & Family, you have to try it ASAP. With springy yellow noodles, extremely thick and robust gravy and green chilli, this is no doubt one of the best mee rebus I’ve had!

2. V2 Claypot Corner

V2 Claypot Corner will not disappoint claypot rice lovers.

At $4 a portion, the claypot rice consists of chicken morsels, vegetables, and thin slices of Chinese sausage. On the first bite, a subtle smokiness hit my sense. The smokiness was not only present in the rice, but in the morsels of chicken as well! Note that there isn’t the usual thick layer of burnt rice at the bottom of the pot.

V2 Claypot Rice serves other claypot dishes as well.

3. Warong Sudi Mampir

If satay is on your mind, then let satay specialist Warong Sudi Mampir wow you.

I ordered 5 sticks ($0.60/stick) of beef satay and 5 sticks of mutton satay. I had to wait for a while (20 minutes, to be exact) to have my order fulfilled because there was a queue! Let me tell you, the satay was worth ALL the wait. The satay was smoky, tender and not one bit tough nor dry. The satay also had this perfect charred caramelised exterior which I loved.

And what would satay be without some peanut gravy? The peanut gravy was thick and super SHIOK! It was also mildly spicy which I thought complemented the sweet and savoury satay.

Apart from chicken, mutton and beef satays, Warong Sudi Mampir also sells babat (tripe) & hati (beef heart) satay, which are very popular as well.

4. 林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee

林玉梅 Lin Yu Mei Kolo Mee serves two dishes: Kolo Mee ($4/small and $5/large) & Sarawak Laksa ($6). But let’s focus on the kolo mee.

The Kolo Mee is different from the one I usually have back in Sibu. Apart from the usual meaty char siew, the bowl has crispy pork lard and simmered minced meat!

Of course, the heart of a bowl of kolo mee is its noodles. At first glance, the noodles may look plain and dry, but looks are indeed deceiving! The fragrant lard used made the bowl of noodles incredibly aromatic.

5. HJ Waliti HJ Mazuki

Among all the dishes served at HJ Waliti HJ Mazuki, the Soto Ayam ($3) is most worthy of a mention.

The Soto Ayam, which was light and flavourful, was garnished with chicken shreds and chunks of lontong. I’m a big eater, so the Soto Ayam was not enough for me. I added a bergedil (fried potato cutlet) to carb up my meal, and I’ll definitely recommend that you do that too.

6. 正光云吞面 Zhenguang Wantan Noodles

The first time that I queued for Zhenguang’s wanton noodles was on a weekday afternoon, and the wantons were sold out. Hence, I decided to come back earlier the next day to get a plate of wanton noodles!

The meaty char siew was darker and more “porky” that what I’m used to but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The dark sauce coated the springy noodles well, and every bite was satisfying.

While the wanton was small, the well-marinated minced pork in the wanton made the wanton very addictive!

7. Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring

I’ve never tried putu piring before but the queue that formed during lunchtime and the orders by some of the customers spoke volumes about the putt piring here. A guy in front of me bought 7 packets of putu piring — that’s 35 pieces of kueh!

Feature on Netflix’s “Street Food“, Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring sells its putu piring at $2.50 (5pcs). Made of rice flour, gulu melaka, grated coconut & “garnished” with strips of pandan, the putu piring was simple, yet very delicious!

While it retained its shape when picked up, the putu piring was crumbly and fell apart immediately in my mouth! The pandan leaves imparted a lovely fragrance and sweetness to the kueh.

8. Chin Heng Desserts

If you are looking for a comforting bowl of dessert after your meal, head to Chin Heng Desserts.

There’s a good variety of hot and cold desserts here. I went for the Red Ruby ($2) and Green Bean Soup with Coconut Milk ($1.50).

Made with shaved ice, coconut cream, coconut milk and “red rubies”, the Red Ruby is perfect for a hot day.

I really felt that the auntie was quite generous with the portion. The “rubies”, which are actually water chestnuts soaked in red food colouring, were crunchy and great with the coconut cream.

If the Red Ruby is perfect for a hot day, then the Green Bean Soup with Coconut Milk is perfect for a cold day.

Made with green bean (obviously), sago, and a touch of coconut cream, the great bean soup was creamy and rich. So comforting and heartwarming, especially on a rainy day.

9. Tong Kee Traditional Braised Duck Rice

The duck rice at Tong Kee Traditional Braised Duck Rice is superbly good! The duck carried light herbal flavours and was not too heavily braised.

The irresistible fatty skin soaked in the chup had me hooked. The duck is just so delicious! This is definitely the one stall that I’ll visit every time I’m here!

Was your favourite stall featured? What do you like about Haig Road Market & Food Centre? Share with us your favourite stalls!

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!

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

Join us on our Telegram channel!

The post Haig Road Market & Food Centre – 9 Stalls that will Blow You Away! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Most hawker stalls are self-service stalls, but there’s one particular stall which takes it to the next level by letting you cook your own order. And that’s none other than Hum Jin Pang at Maxwell Food Centre!

A short little story about how Hum Jin Pang decided to adopt the DIY approach. When orders are mounting on busy days, customers will offer to help the previous stall owner of Hum Jin Pang fry the dough fritters. What originally started out as a gesture of kindness turned into a time-honoured tradition that still lives on. Li Shu Hui, the daughter of the previous stall owner, ensures that it stays that way.

Hum Jin Pang serves fried dough fritters in 2 variations — Five Spice Salt and Sweet Red Bean ($1/6 pieces).

If you don’t know when is the right time to take out your dough fritters, fret not! You can ask the aunty and uncle if your dough fritters are ready to be bagged.

We had both variations of the Hum Jin Pang. They were soft and chewy, just how I like it! The savoury red bean hum jin peng was coated in sugar and filled with a red bean filling that was not overly sweet. I noticed that the aunty rolled the dough in sesame seeds before frying it. This gave the dough fritter a toasty aroma and flavour!

The Sweet Red Bean version was great, but the Five Spice Salt flavour was even more alluring. As its name implies, five spice is incorporated into the dough before it is fried. It is then salted after coming out of the fryer. Because it has no filling, the five spice and salt is all there is to flavour the dough. This is really what they call simple goodness! It’s a taste that I can’t get enough of!

Hum Jin Pang serves dough fritters at more-than-affordable prices. Seriously, where else can you find a stall selling 6 pieces of dough fritters for $1? Nowhere else! If you crave a little excitement and want to cook your own dough fritters, then it’s a must to pop by Hum Jin Pang.

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

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

Join us on our Telegram channel!

The post Hum Jin Pang – Fry-It-Yourself Hum Jin Pang at Maxwell Food Centre appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

What are some things synonymous with Singapore?  You may think of the Merlion, Gardens By The Bay, and, of course, hawker food. And when we think of hawker food, a couple of popular food centres will naturally pop into mind — Maxwell Food Centre is definitely one of them.

Maxwell Food Centre is home to some of Singapore’s best hawker stalls. It’s lauded by both locals and tourists as THE hawker centre to go to if you want to savour true blue Singaporean food. We don’t have to say much, because the queues at some of these stalls speak volumes! Follow us as we show you 11 stalls in Maxwell Food Centre you should not miss!

Jin Hua Fish Soup

A long-time tenant in Maxwell Food Centre, Jin Hua has been serving up hot bowls of fish soup for over 20 years. While you are here, why not order the Grouper Fish Head Noodles ($8)?

The Grouper Fish Head is naturally more flavourful. The soup was fishier but I  could really taste the goodness of the grouper! The sharp punch of ginger cut through the fishiness. Even without the addition of milk, the soup was still rather cloudy, thick and rich!

Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake

This simple looking piece of oyster cake ($2 a piece) is by no means easy to make! One of the last remaining Fuzhou Oyster Cake stalls which still makes it the traditional way, Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cakes sends out some of the best oyster cakes.

Each oyster cake is painstakingly made by hand. In each oyster cake, you can find cilantro, minced meat, fresh prawns and oysters studded in a rice batter. The oyster cake was crispy on the outside, yet soft on the inside. Don’t forget to add some chilli sauce to it!

Xing Xing Ondeh-Ondeh Tapioca Cake

Xing Xing Ondeh-Ondeh Tapioca Cake only sells Ondeh-Ondeh ($3/box) and Tapioca Cake ($6/box).

On first bite, the steamed tapioca cake was absolutely delightful and lovely! Made by hand, and definitely from scratch, the tapioca cakes are steamed, and served with grated coconut. The cakes had an amazing texture and were not very sticky, as compared to the ones you might find elsewhere.

Popo & Nana’s Delights

I guarantee that if you visit Popo & Nana’s Delight, you will be returning for more.

The food served here is particularly homey. At Popo & Nana’s Delight, each set comes with white or brown rice, your choice of vegetables and meat, and soup of the day. I especially loved the Chicken Rendang ($6/set)! The well-marinated chicken was moist and tender, and the thick rendang sauce was very addictive. Mind you, the stallowner purchases her meats daily so no frozen meats are ever used!

China Street Fritters

Traditional handmade ngoh hiang is a rare find these days. That’s why I am so glad there is a stall like China Street Fritters!

I love the super crispy ngoh hiang ($0.80) from China Street Fritters. The stallowners of China Street Fritters follow time-tested recipes to produce their super ngoh hiang, so you know that you are getting the real deal. I tried the ngoh hiang after dipping it into the starchy sweet sauce and watery chilli sauce and oh my, it was perfect. This is a must-order when you’re here!

Ye Lai Xiang Tasty Barbecue

The Chicken Cutlet ($8) at Ye Lai Xiang Tasty Barbecue was pretty remarkable. For $8, you get a huge slab of crunchy and fragrant chicken cutlet, a side of mixed vegetables, crinkle-cut fries and a fluffy sweet bun. You will definitely be getting your money’s worth!

The sweet house-made sauce that came with the fried cutlet complemented the dish flawlessly, it was so irresistible that I went back for more. I absolutely adored the soft and chewy bun, which I also used to wipe up any remaining sauce!

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

No Maxwell Food Centre listicle is ever complete without the award-winning Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. Seriously, the fact that it spans across the space of 2 stalls bears testament to its popularity.

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice chicken rice comes in three sizes: small, medium, and large. I enjoyed digging into the succulent and moist pieces of chicken breast meat that were doused in a savoury sauce. The chicken, together with the perfectly-cooked fragrant rice, and thick and spicy chilli, screams “SHIOK”.

P.S. There’s always a queue at Tian Tian so try to avoid the peak lunch hour if you can!

Hainanese Curry Rice

If you crave a comforting plate of curry png, allow 中国街咖喱饭 Hainanese Curry Rice to curry your favour.

The pork chop that came with the Hainanese Curry Rice with Chap Chye ($3) was crispy, tender and not too oily. The curry that covered every inch of the plate had a mild spiciness and was not overpowering. Get a little of everything in a spoonful, and you’ll have yourself a little party in your mouth.

Fu Shun Shao La Mian Jia

Looking for great roast meats at affordable prices? Then you better join the line at Fu Shun Shao La Mian Jia!

Fu Shun Shao La Mian Jia’s forte is roast meats. I ordered the 叉火面, or Mixed Meat Noodles ($3.50), and I was quite blown away by not just the price, but by how generous the portion was. The sio bak’s skin possessed the perfect crunch and had just the right amount of saltiness, and the meat was moist and tender — it’s tough to find a sio bak done this flawlessly. Honestly, this is the best sio bak I’ve ever had! I also have to give credit to the char siew because it carried a bit of that delightful char, and was more on the savoury side.

Ah-Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice

Starting at $2.50 a plate, Ah-Tai Chicken Rice’s chicken is unbelievably tender, juicy and smooth! The rice was grainy and fragrant, though it was a little on the dry side. The most important aspect, the chilli, was thick and spicy which is definitely a bonus!

一家潮州鱼粥鱼汤 Yi Jia Chao Zhou Yu Zhou Yu Tang

When it comes to fish soup, or fish porridge, Yi Jia Chao Zhou Yu Zhou Yu Tang is the expert. This is one of the few stalls which commands a snaking queue during lunch time. They serve Teochew-style porridge ($3/small) and fish soup with batang fish or pomfret (the latter being slightly more expensive, of course).

For $3, I got a bowl of fish porridge that was filled with slices of fresh sweet batang fish. The soup was murky and every bit flavourful. There was no hint of fishiness! As the porridge is Teochew-style, you can expect firm grainy rice steeped in the soup. The inclusion of cilantro and fried shallots definitely enhanced the flavours of the porridge.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg. Maxwell Food Centre is home to so much more! Was your favourite stall listed here? What do you like about Maxwell Food Centre? Let us know in the comments!

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

The post Brace Yourself for Maxwell Food Centre’s 11 Finest Hawker Stalls! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.