River South (Hoe Nam) Prawn Noodles is one of the better prawn noodles in Singapore. I have probably eaten here during my childhood days as my parents stay in Potong Pasir. However, I have not gone back since then, not till my editor from Lian He Zao Bao recommended me to have a meal there.

The stall was established in 1971 by Png Kim Soon, and taken over by his children in 1989. Two sisters, Ah Zhu and Ah Lian, run the stall in the day while their brother takes care of the evening crowd.

The stall “Hoe Nam” was named after the province where their ancestors lived. In the past, they only have prawn noodle soup but the menu expanded to include dry noodles and eventually way more dishes like big prawns, pork ribs, pig tail and baby abalone. Today, River South (Hoe Nam) Prawn Noodles has more than 20 different dishes, with prices starting from $4.50.

The essence to a good bowl of prawn noodle is its broth, and perfection can come in many forms. The stall first fry the prawn shells in hot oil before simmering it with pork ribs for more than 8 hours. Frying the prawn heads help to extract the juices, resulting in a dark broth with an orange hue. Each sip is rich and addictive.

We ordered the Prawn Noodle Soup with Baby Abalone ($10) and Prawn Noodle Dry with Pork Ribs ($5.50/$7.50/$10). I personally prefer the dry version as the noodles and soup are separated so the soup tastes sweeter than noodle soup. The medium sized prawns are fresh, crunchy and cooked till perfection. With an option of yellow noodle or bee hoon, the dry noodles are tossed in their homemade chilli sauce and generously sprinkled with fried shallots.

The centre part of the prawns have been de-shelled, leaving the prawn heads and tails intact. This makes it easier to peel the prawns. For every order, a small paper box will be provided for you to throw your prawn shells.

The Chinese version of this article was published in Lian He Zao Bao on 5 Nov 2016. 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 Heavenly Snacks. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post River South (Hoe Nam) Prawn Noodle – One of the better prawn noodles in Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Within a year, I have written so many articles about Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice, you may think I am their spokesperson. But of course, I am not affiliated to them in any way! I first got to know Niven when he opened Uncle Chicken Rice at The Bedok Marketplace.

Since young, Niven and his brother, Benson, worked at their father’s Sin Kee Famous Cantonese Chicken Rice at the defunct Margaret Drive Hawker Centre. Subsequently, Niven and Benson opened “Uncle Chicken” in Alexandra Village Food Centre and “Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice” in Mei Ling Food Centre respectively. The brothers eventually shut down their stalls and Benson went to work for Niven at The Bedok Marketplace for a while before opening his own stall at Holland Drive. Yup, all that happened within a year.

As for Niven, he ventured into something bigger after waving goodbye to The Bedok Marketplace. About a week ago, he opened an air-conditioned eatery along Havelock serving chicken rice and more dishes! UP ONE LEVEL LEH!

The menu is quite straightforward. For one pax, it costs $4.30. For set meals, it costs $16.80/$20.80 (for 2 pax), $24.80/$32.80 (3 pax) or $32.80/$42.80 (4 pax). Chicken is the star and you have a choice of poached chicken, soya sauce chicken or combo! Side dishes include garden vegetables, lava eggs and chicken feet with peanuts soup.

We had a party of 4 so we sprung for the set menu immediately. The chicken feet with peanuts soup was a little bland and would probably taste better if it was simmered longer. On the other hand, the lava eggs were excellent. Soaked in soy sauce, the soft boiled eggs have got a perfect custard-like egg yolk with some serious flow. As for the rice, expect a plate of fluffy rice that is mildly fragrant and not too greasy. Garlic flavour yes, but subtle.

One thing that never changes is their dedication to the use of good quality ingredients. Their fresh chicken is simply poached, sits in cold water, chopped and served. The chicken is cut chunky with an ultra smooth skin and some beautiful gelatin layer between the skin and meat. The flesh? Absolutely tender and sweet!

The popular ginger dip still stays. It was made with roughly blended fresh ginger mash mixed with chopped scallions. The ginger dip has none of the watery base, it was still packed with lots of punch even though the blended ginger appeared more coarse and dry during our day of visit. But to be fair, we went on their forth day of operation so there are still some teething issues.

The “normal” chilli sauce caters to the masses with a balance of tanginess (from the Thai lime), sweetness and is not too spicy. But niven has got this special blended spicy chilli sauce which is only served upon request. I can only use one word to describe it – SHIOK. The spiciness is enough to send some droplets of sweat forming on my forehead. But it’s so good that I pair it with every mouthful of my rice.

The post Uncle Chicken Rice – Sin Kee Famous Cantonese Chicken Rice by Niven (Now in Havelock Road) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

It’s always difficult to narrow down all the meals we have had in 2016 and choose the best of the best, because there are many special moments we remember. But after lots of contemplating, we are excited to share 35 Most Memorable Meals of 2016. Some may not be the best to you, but there is probably a touching story or beautiful ambience that make it memorable. Just like the saying, “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it”. 2016 has been a very exciting year for the F&B scene in Singapore with the launch of the inaugural Michelin Guide Singapore. We are looking forward to see what 2017 brings us. I want to say a big thank you for all your support. Goodbye 2016, Hello 2017!

RESTAURANTS/CAFES/EATERIES

1. Fat Lulu’s Asian BBQ & Desserts
Housed in the same quaint premises Five & Dime formerly occupied on River Valley Road, Fat Lulu brings together two talented chefs Sam and Song to create “Wicked BBQ. Smooth Desserts”. The former is a BBQ dude, blasting kickass flavours into meats, fish, and vegetables seasoned with Asian spices and chillis. While Chef Song creates desserts of refined delicacy that are technique-driven and visually arresting. My favourite appetizers include Sataytay ($12) with Iberico pork collar on skewers, marinated one full day in sambal (chilli, garlic shallots mixed together with kicap main and kosher salt). Such tender and juicy meat with a hint of smokiness. Not forgetting the Berries & White Chocolate. It is a refreshing, frozen, fruity dessert using white chocolate and cassis, with elderflower-infused strawberries, making an excellent complement to the burn and heat of Asian BBQ. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/fat-lulus/

2. Ash & Elm
The relatively new Ash & Elm in Intercontinental Singapore features three exciting culinary theatres – a Charcuterie & Cheese room, Wood-fired oven and an open-grill kitchen. Designed for diners seeking hearty and comforting European food, the menu at Ash & Elm offers a selection of sharing platters, house-cured and premium meats, as well as sustainability-sourced seafood, primed with the traditional craft of classic wood-fired ovens and charcoal-grill. Beef Tasting Platter ($108) gives diners the option of sampling a range of meat offerings from the “Mains” and the Charcoal Grill that uses specially imported Manuka woodchips from New Zealand, alongside charcoal to provide broad robust flavours and natural caramelisation to meats. We had USDA New York Striploin, Australian Rib-Eye steak and French Bavette dAloyau with béarnaise, peppercorn and natural jus. Some sides include handcut baked roseval potato wedges with paprika-rosemary, grandma’s mashed potatoes, sautéed mixed mushrooms and grilled green asparagus. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/ash-and-elm-intercontinental/

3. Oscar’s
Oscar’s at Conrad Centennial Singapore is back with a new look, along with a whole new Sunday brunch offering that serves up an indulgent spread of international cuisines! In a compact setting, the buffet lines include seafood, carving stations and live cooking stations, along with a new 4-metre long salad bar for the health conscious eaters. Oscar’s has its own version of the famous London Duck at the carving station. The ducks are specially imported from farms in Ireland, where they are reared with extremely high farming standards such as free-range rearing and grain feeds. What is served on our tables is a glistening roasted duck with succulent meat. There is also oven-roasted US prime ribs and an entire suckling pig prepared in slow-roasted Argentinian, Mauritian or Chinese-style. The Supercharged Sunday Brunch is available every Sunday from 12.30pm to 3.30pm at $98++ per person. Read about it here: https://www.misstamchiak.com/oscars-conrad-sunday-brunch/

4. Shashlik
When Shashlik announced in July 2015 that they were closing at the end of the year, there was a sudden rush of diners trying to book a table, including us. But guess what, after the restaurant shut its doors in December, good news came. The two sons of late Captain and Head Waiter, Mr Tan Niap Hin, have taken up the mantle at Shashlik to continue the legacy. To keep the heritage, the owners re-hired the older workers and majority of them agreed to continue working, so you can expect the signature gruff from them, which is part of the experience here. Go for the Shashlik beef skewers ($32), a dish which the restaurant is named after. The marinated tenderloin has first been grilled and then placed on a hotplate when served, together with Russian salad that was served separately. It doesn’t look too appetizing on first site but it was a different story on first bite. The meat was very tasty and full of beefy flavour, that’s why you don’t even need any sauce. My medium was also just right, mildly bloody on the inside yet retaining the moist and juiciness. Read about it: https://www.misstamchiak.com/shashlik/

5. Tsuta
Tsuta made global headlines after being awarded a Michelin star in 2015, becoming the first and only Japanese ramen eatery to receive the prestigious accolade. The base of the soy broth is made with three types of shoyu. One of the shoyu is formulated in-house. We like the Char Siu Ajiama Shoyu Soba ($22.80) which consists of 4 slices of pork collar char siu, bamboo shoot, leek, flavoured egg and truffle pureed in truffle oil. Pork collar is used instead of the usual pork belly as it is lower in fats yet retains the same texture and tasty flavour. Shoyu-based broth tastes earthy and is very flavoursome, with a distinct flavour of truffle. Read more about it: https://www.misstamchiak.com/tsuta-singapore/

6. Tensho
Tendon (天丼) is a type of donburi where crispy tempura is laid over freshly steamed rice and topped with a delicious light soy dressing. Tensho (天勝) is a Japanese specialty tendon eatery which serves fresh and crispy tempura with rice at The Centrepoint. Opened by Ministry of Food, we tried the two items on the menu – Mixed Tendon ($14.90) or Vege Tendon ($13.90). Crispy crunchy tempura on rice is simply delicious, and you really got to eat it hot to enjoy the freshness and crispiness. The Mixed Tendon comes with prawns, dory fish, onsen egg and vegetables served on Japanese rice, chawanmushi and miso soup. The batter is crispy but fluffy, and the sauce offers a good balance of sweet and salty. Remember to break the soft boiled egg and coat the tempura and rice with it. Read about it: https://www.misstamchiak.com/tensho-centrepoint/

7. Sandaime Bunji
Stepping into Sandaime Bunji in Millenia Walk makes you feel as though you’ve been transported to an authentic eatery in Japan. Boasting al fresco seats, counter seats, as well as, Zabuton seats (Japanese cushion for sitting on the ground), this Japanese eatery exudes a relaxing vibe. The impressive item that brought us here was their Wagyu Round Roast Beef Set ($19.90), a towering bowl with 250g of beef slices stacked on top of the rice. The beef was executed to perfection, it’s succulent, tender, yet a little chewy. Read about it: https://www.misstamchiak.com/sandaime-bunji/

8. Birds of a Feather
Birds of A Feather is the new all-day dining, cafe and bar in Amoy Street that is the perfect antidote to frenzied, stressed out lives. The owners are from Chengdu, where they own Good Wood Coffee, a successful chain of café across Chengdu. The space here is BEAUTIFUL! There is green everywhere with comfortable sitting spaces where you can really come and relax and bond over food. On the menu is superb contemporary Western cuisine with a pronounced Sichuan influence. Inspired by paper wrap chicken or shaker fries, Crispy Pork Trotter in a Bag ($12/5pcs) is positively exploding with flavour. We enjoyed the Oriental Bolognese ($20) very much. A modern version of zha jiang mian, thin angel hair pasta is cooked with pork ragout, onsen tamago, wilted kale and sakura ebi. Read about it: https://www.misstamchiak.com/birds-of-a-feather/

9. Kam’s Roast
Kam’s Roast first overseas branch has opened in Pacific Plaza, located next to the Michelin-starred ramen restaurant Tsuta! The flagship outlet in Hong Kong was awarded the Michelin Star in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 editions of MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau. Started by Mr Hardy Kam in 2014, Hardy was the grandson of the late Mr Kam Shui Fai, who founded the Hong Kong roast goose institution, Yung Kee Restaurant. Within 6 months of opening, Kam’s had earned a Michelin star. Using the family recipe and the same sauce and marinade techniques used back in Hardy’s grandfather’s day, signature dishes at Kam’s include roast duck, suckling pig and “toro” char siew made with premium pork belly. We are in love with the Toro Char Siu. The premium pork belly is seasoned with Kam family’s award-winning marinade. The slab of meat is barbequed and boasts a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Read about it: https://www.misstamchiak.com/kams-roast-singapore/

10. Tai Cheong Bakery
Ever since we tried Tai Cheong Bakery’s egg tarts in Hong Kong, we were converted. Few have even managed to come close to swaying our heart. For that reason, you can probably imagine how elated we were when Tai Cheong Bakery announced their opening of a Cha Chaan Teng in Holland Village. Look forward to experiencing traditional delights and beverages in a Hong Kong-style eatery setting, and we believe the snaking queue speaks volumes about what you’re in for. If you’re thinking flaky and thin short-crust tart shells, let Tai Cheong surprise you with their fragrant, buttery crust that will leave you begging for more. The filling is everything you would ever wish for in an egg custard – light and smooth, without driving you crazy on the sweetness. The surface was slightly firm yet bouncy, but when you bite into them, the egg custard was so soft that it almost breaks apart instantly. Do note that they only allow a maximum purchase of 2 egg tarts per dine-in customer. We have other favourites like Scrambled Eggs Toast Stack and Three Coloured Silky Eggs with Rice.

11. Wah Kee Prawn Mee
Among the many popular prawn noodles stalls in Singapore, Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodle from Pek Kio Market and Food Centre stands as a strong contender amongst its competitors. Building on its 65 years of legacy at Pek Kio Market and Food Centre, it has opened another outlet at a prime location, Esplanade Mall. Their signature big prawn Noodles, available in dry or soup, is a must-try. The succulent prawns sitting in a bowl of heavenly broth were perfect, slightly firm yet bouncy with a slight crunch texture upon biting into it. Dip your prawns into the specially crafted spicy sauce for the extra kick! The owner shared his secret recipe of using 6 different types of prawns and completely no meat to prepare the broth for 4 hours. The sweetness and richness of the prawns came through upon the first sip of the broth. A slight spice kick and hint of garlic elevated the dish further, and left us feeling satisfied. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/wah-kee-esplanade/

12. Uncle Chicken Rice
After waving goodbye to The Bedok Marketplace, Uncle Chicken Rice opened an air-conditioned eatery along Havelock serving chicken rice and more dishes! One thing that never changes is their dedication to the use of good quality ingredients. Their fresh chicken is simply poached, sits in cold water, chopped and served. The chicken is cut chunky with an ultra smooth skin and some beautiful gelatin layer between the skin and meat. The flesh? Absolutely tender and sweet! The popular ginger dip still stays. It was made with roughly blended fresh ginger mash mixed with chopped scallions. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/uncle-chicken-rice/

HAWKER

13. Guan Hin Homemade Carrot Cake
Guan Hin Homemade Carrot Cake has been under the radar for too long. At the stall, you will see huge round aluminium trays filled with homemade carrot cake. It’s such a rare sight because most of the carrot cake stalls do not make it on their own and are getting it from suppliers already. But everyday, the old coupe still makes it on the stall, cuts them up into huge chunks and frying it upon order. Each piece of carrot cake is so chunky and stir fried with garlic and preserved radish. There is an option for white or black version. I preferred the black one where the old uncle mix it with thick and rich black sweetened sauce for extra umami. Plus, he is generous with eggs too! Read about it here: https://www.misstamchiak.com/guan-hin-carrot-cake/

14. Sumo Big Prawn
Sumo Big Prawn has been the talk of town recently. We queued for 45 minutes on a weekday morning for our bowl of Lobster and Big Prawn soup. It arrived piping hot, with a subtle aroma of Chinese wine and buttery fragrance. It consists of a whole lobster, two big prawns and plump, juicy clams. We have read some reviews about the lobsters being tough and dry, but thankfully, the lobster and prawns we had that day were cooked just right, soaking in the richness of the broth without compromising on its natural sweetness. I guess consistency is still an issue here but I believe they will be better.

15. Ivy’s Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup
Owner Max is a Hainanese (fellow suki) and Ivy is the name of Max wife. Max was trying to woo Ivy then and he cooked mutton soup to win her heart. Of course he succeeded because they got married and Max opened Ivy’s Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup. Every morning, Max would marinate the lamb ribs with fermented red yeast and seared in oil to get rid of the gamey taste. Then, the meat is cooked with more than 10 different herbs for hours. The end result? Each spoonful of soup is flavourful with deep herbal flavours but not overpowering. Served with some tau pok, black fungus and wolfberries, the lamb ribs are tender. Read about it: https://www.misstamchiak.com/ivys-hainanese-herbal-mutton-soup-pasir-panjang/

16. Mr Fish
Owner of Mr Fish, Mr Lee, only started selling fish soup in Chinatown about 2 years ago. As a family business, his son, Alan, who works as a It specialist at night helps in the stall almost every day and is now doing most of the cooking. When the Fish Head Bee Hoon ($5) finally arrived at my table, I got that whiff of aroma from the piping hot fish stock. They first fried the fish bones and then boil it for hours to get that creaminess and silky texture. This is time consuming but they have insist that no short cut is done – meaning no milk is added. One sip of the soup, you know it’s worth the wait. They are very generous with huge chunks of fried fish and some cabbage to give a refreshing taste. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/mr-fish/

17. 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist
We have been raving about their very solid sio bak which is what owner Martin is known for. He has got the right formula – the golden brown skin is crispy brittle to the point that it is almost breaking. He takes more than 2 hours to make the sio bak, from braising to drying then roasting. The end result is a dry and crispy skin that has a biscuit-like texture, with the first bite producing a noisy crunch from the skin before it gives way to the juicy layers of well-seasoned tender and moist meat under it. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/88-hong-kong-roast-tyrwhitt/

18. Hougang Muah Chee
Toa Payoh has got lots of good food, one of them is Hougang Muah Chee. Mr. Teo started making muah chee at a tender age of 14 and took over his father as a second-generation hawker. Being in the business for more than 60 years, he still prepares all the raw ingredients by hand, from milling rice to flour, to roasting and grinding peanuts for the muah chee coating. At the stall, Mr. Teo manually proportioning each ball of muah chee, meticulously pinching each small globule and dabbing a dollop of shallot oil on them before tossing them in either grounded peanuts or black sesame. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/hougang-muah-chee/

FOOD GUIDES

19. 19 Popular Hokkien Prawn Mee in Singapore
Hokkien Prawn Mee doesn’t sound very difficult to cook but the secret lies in how good the prawn stock is as this stock imparts the essence to the noodle and is the key ingredient that makes the plate satisfying. You have the choice to eat it with Sambal chilli and a squirt of lime juice if you like, as these help cut through the richness of the dish. Traditionally, for take-out, Hokkien Prawn Mee would be wrapped in Opeh leaf to enhance the fragrance. With Hokkien Prawn Mee easily found in many hawker centres, we bring you a list of 19 stalls (in no order of preference) that we felt were worth the calories. Check it out: https://www.misstamchiak.com/hokkien-prawn-mee/

20. 13 Things Everyone Must Eat In Timbre+
We have always loved the creative brains behind Timbre Group who offers us cool chill-out places, complete with delicious food and great live music. Their latest hipster joint, Timbre+ (Timber Plus), newly opened on 1 April 2016, has transformed the old Ayer Rajah hawker centre into a traditional-meets-modern gastropark. An array of graffiti and spray paint art are splashed all over shipping containers and vintage Airstream travel trailers transformed into food trucks. Timbre+ is home to 35 dining options, featuring 21 hawker stalls and 14 restaurant brands. An impressive list of culinary names makes up this gastropark so here are 13 noteworthy ones: https://www.misstamchiak.com/timbre-plus/

21. 10 Outstanding Cafes In Holland Village You MUST Visit!
The dining enclave of Holland Village is known for its numerous food options. But amidst the constant upgrading and construction in the area, some new eateries have taken root in this new place. And with all of them located within walking distance from one another, this the perfect place to hop from cafe to cafe and sample what each place has to offer. With that in mind, here’s our ten favourite cafes in Holland Village that’s certainly worth a visit: https://www.misstamchiak.com/holland-village-cafes/

22. 19 Awesome Places to Eat Korean BBQ in Singapore With Friends
Who can resist the multiple sensory pleasures of Korean BBQ – the spicy, salty flavours and the combination of textures and temperatures, not to mention the hands-on fun of going through a pile of lettuce leaves, wrapping your own individual “lettuce wrap” and popping them into your mouth? If you have yet to try, it’s time to call up some friends and get ready to be in for a culinary treat. Please wear clothes that you don’t mind reeking of smoke afterwards. We’ve come up with a list of 19 Korean BBQ in Singapore for you to pick from! Read more here: https://www.misstamchiak.com/korean-bbq-singapore/

23. 25 Places to Eat Cheap & Good Food in Orchard under $10 (some even below $5)
Located within the central area of Singapore, Orchard Road is famous for its numerous shopping centres. However, it has always been painful when it comes to settling a meal in Orchard, as most of the time it involves us in burning a hole in our pocket. Do you know that you can easily get food under $10 or even $5 at Orchard? We’re talking about meals that can satisfy your tummy and your palettes. We have travelled into every nook of Orchard Road, and here’s a long list of places with cheap (and some with really good) food.

24. 15 Nasi Lemak in Singapore for The Ultimate Indulgence
Nasi Lemak is one of Singaporeans’ favourite dishes, and we grew up having this, hence our particular fondness for this indulgent plate of rice. It’s not just the ingredients that makes a good nasi lemak. Pandan leaves and coconut milk play a huge role in enhancing the fragrance and richness of the rice, complemented by the spicy sambal chilli sauce that you can’t miss out on. We hunted down 15 fantastic places for you to try! Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/nasi-lemak-singapore/

25. 9 Places To Enjoy Steaks Under $20 In Singapore
We all love having a good steak, soft and juicy. But, to enjoy a good cut can sometimes burn a hole in the pocket. So, to all steak lovers, here is a list of places that offers steaks under $20, some good but also a few that are barely there. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/steaks-under-20-singapore/

26. 17 Sinful Char Kway Teow That Make You Exercise Hard for
We’re pretty sure no one can resist the scrumptious yet artery-clogging char kway teow. Flat rice noodles and egg noodles are often stir-fried over very high heat with eggs, cockles, Chinese sausages (lap cheong), fish cakes, bean sprouts and Chinese chives. Char Kway Teow is an old school common dish at hawker centres across Singapore but it’s tough to find one that really suits your personal preference. So, here’s a list of 17 Char Kway Teow hawkers for your enjoyment. Check it out: https://www.misstamchiak.com/char-kway-teow/

27. The Guide to 17 Excellent Kway Chap Stalls in Singapore
Kway Chap is a classic and an all-time favourite food of most Singaporeans, that looks simple but requires a lot of effort in preparation. From tedious work in cleaning the innards to the long braising hours, some stalls start work as early as 12am. After researching some of the places that were highly recommended, here’s a list of the places with some that were good and some that were extraordinary: https://www.misstamchiak.com/kway-chap-singapore/

28. Toa Payoh Food Guide: The Really Local Food Edition
As one of the oldest satellite towns in Singapore, Toa Payoh has a wide range of dining options spread across the estate, ranging from iconic food stalls and hidden gems in hawker centres and coffeeshops, to restaurants and cafes carving out niches for themselves. So besides the dragon playground, do check out these 31 cafes, hawker stalls and restaurants the next time you swing by Toa Payoh. Why did we pick 31, you may ask? Hint: take a look at the postal code. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/toa-payoh-food-guide/

INTERNATIONAL

29. 13 Cheap & Good Food Near Johor Bahru Checkpoint
Johor Bahru, Malaysia – Thinking of making a quick trip to Johor Bahru for some cheap and delicious food? Read this post to find out where you can find cheap and good food near Johor Bahru Checkpoint (or Johor Bahru City Square). There is no need for bus nor taxi, start your food adventure by foot! Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/good-food-near-jb-checkpoint/

30. Malacca Food Guide For Beginners – 15 Best Places To Eat In Malacca
Boosting an array of multicultural heritage buildings, ancient landmarks and colonial structures, Malacca is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage city. It was here that colonial forces first made contact with Malaysia, eventually shaping the country into its current economic and political system. Watch history come to live by exploring Malacca on foot to get the best experience of this old town. Besides their deep roots in history, the Malacca foods here are mostly influenced by Peranakans. We’ve hunted down 15 eateries that are worth checking out! https://www.misstamchiak.com/malacca-food-guide/

31. Bangkok Latest Food Trend 2016 – Claypot River Prawn Tom Yam Porridge
Opened from 4pm till midnight, it is highly difficult to grab a seat the later you go. There are basically three types of porridge base: the tom yam porridge, the super chicken porridge, the original pork porridge. The most famous porridge here is the signature River Prawn Porridge (from 139 baht, approx SGD5.50), which is served with a open pot of piping hot tom yam porridge and huge river prawns. What impressed me was their Super Porridge (from 69 baht, approx SGD2.70). There’s something about sipping on hot broth that’s so comforting. Their Super Soup is mixed with a concoction of bird’s eye chillies, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Super spicy, super tangy but super good especially with the soft boiled egg and chicken.

32. Chinatown Bangkok: 8 Indulgence Food To Eat In Yaowarat Road
Yaowarat Road is the home of Bangkok’s Chinese community, just like our Chinatown. By day, it doesn’t look any different from other parts of Bangkok, but this big street has some hidden gems waiting to be explored. When night falls, the neon signs blazing with Chinese characters are turned on and many eateries spill out onto the streets filled with foodies. There are many articles about Yaowarat but mostly are just on the surface. We decided to go in depth to explore a few hidden gems, sat down with the owners to hear their stories. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/yaowarat-chinatown-bangkok/

33. Ju Xing Home 聚興家 – Hong Kong Chefs’ Hidden Supper Spot
Big thank you to Mr Robert Chua, I had the chance to try Ju Xing Home (聚興家) during my last trip to Hong Kong. This hole-in-the-wall eatery beside Prince Edward Station Exit D is helmed by 38-year-old Chef Wu Jiang Qiao（吳江橋). Apparently, this is the hidden gem / secret supper place of many hotel Chinese chefs after work. One of the secret weapons of Ju Xing Home is this Clam Soup. Using freshwater fish to boil for hours, what you get is an opaque white in colour broth that has clearly extracted the essence from the fish. What makes the soup impressive is the addition of rice into the broth which allows it to reach a creamy consistency as well as added flavour into the broth. Clams were added to enhance the crustacean flavour while towel gourd absorbs the flavours. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/ju-xing-home-hong-kong/

34. COBO HOUSE Hong Kong – Exciting Savoury Menu by Chef Janice Wong
Shek Tong Tsui is a unique neighbourhood with a mix of old and new. As one of the earliest developed district for Chinese people in Hong Kong, you still get to see a lot of traditional neighbourhood corner shops while new and interesting cafes and restaurants evolved. One of them is COBO HOUSE by 2am:dessertbar, a collaboration with Asia’s Best Pastry Chef Janice Wong. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/cobo-house-hk/

35. 104 Travel Bloggers Revealed Their Last Meal To Have (I like 15th & 102th)
If tomorrow is your last day on Earth and you have one last meal to enjoy. What will that last meal be? I used to fantasize that if I was about to have my last meal, I would eat everything I never let myself have. We ask 104 of our favourite food and travel bloggers to find out their last meal on Earth. Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/travel-bloggers/

FOOD WE MISS

1. Kim Keat Hokkien Mee
Mr Lee Eng Keat has been in and out of prison countless times for the past 20 years. He turned over a new leaf and opened his Toa Payoh stall last year but sadly, he decided to end his life. His Claypot Hokkien Mee was cooked twice – first stir fried, then cooked over fire. The noodles absorbed the superior broth, resulting in a gooey pot of goodness. Each claypot comes with a few pieces of sio bak, prawns and squid.

2. Bukit Purmei Lor Mee
There are some hawker food that I always return for comfort, especially after all the festive feasting. One of them is lor mee – a garlicky bowl of noodles in thick gravy with additional vinegar. Relocated to West Coast, they have to close due to owner’s health issues. Their “lor” (braising sauce) made with a combination of pork ribs, egg-white, “five-spice” powder and starch is still as good. The dark, viscous sauce is thick and sticky, punctuated with copious lashings of black vinegar, homemade chilli sambal and pepper. The vinegar here is not the usual off-the-shelve kind. It’s aromatic and enhances the flavour of the gravy. Hope Bukit Purmei Lor Mee returns soon!

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Through Channel 8’s new TV programme “Let’s Cook It”, I got to know Uncle Tan Boon Kwang who owns the popular Redhill Lor Duck Rice and Noodles which has more than 50 years of history. Uncle Tan started off helping his father at a little pushcart where Redhill MRT is now.

He has taken over the stall with his wife for many years and whenever they are opened, the stall would definitely attract a long queue. Sadly, due to health reasons, Uncle Tan underwent a heart operation last year and said that he would be retiring within the next 2 years.

During the filming, Uncle Tan has kindly shared his recipe (watch our episode on 2 February 2017) and I was impressed by his braised duck and the noodle soup. The following day, I paid Uncle Tan a visit at his duck rice stall.

Working alone in the kitchen is really tiring. While queuing for my duck noodles, I have witnessed how Uncle Tan has to concurrently chop the duck meat and cook the noodles at the same time, while his wife takes order and collect money. He told me, “没办法，习惯了.”

As with many good braised duck stalls, they have a braising liquid that has been kept over the years and simmered daily to get that flavour. Uncle Tan’s sauce has been braised for more than 10 years. He starts by frying white sugar till it caramelises, before slow cooking it with soy sauce and different types of herbs such as cinnamon, cloves and blue ginger. The sauce has a mild herbal flavour that balances the sweet and savoury notes. The skin is beautifully browned with tender meat slices.

With an option of either rice or noodles, most diners go for the kway teow noodle soup simply because it has been boiled for more than 8 hours. Some may complain that it is too oily but to me, this is a bowl of soup where you can taste the essence of all the flavours. The yam rice has generous servings of fried shallots.

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 of the stall. Thanks in advance!

The post Redhill Lor Duck Rice and Noodle – Another Hawker Retiring appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

How do we jazz up a bowl of boring looking fish soup? YuTang Clan is a good example! From a famous “Market Street” hawker for 9 years to a new fish soup eatery in Shenton Way, Yu Tang Clan continue to serve its signature mackerel fish soups and broths incorporating self-ordering terminals and a unique branding.

So you just take your pick from the ordering system and once your ordering number is being displayed on the screen, you can collect your fish soup. I have been here a few times just to try the different soups. On one of the mornings, we met Aunty Jenny who has been working for the boss for many years. She cooks the soup in the stall early morning to prepare for the lunch crowd.

The first question I asked was, “Got milk anot?” Aunty Jenny shakes her head. Fresh shark cartilage simmered over low heat everyday for more than 10 hours without any MSG. When asked what other ingredients did she add into the soup, her lips are tight, she refuses to share a single ingredient. #OkYouWin

There are a few choices for you to choose from – Tom Yam, Teochew, Sichuan Ma La, Beauty, Signature seafood and Fish Porridge! The fish soup base is mostly the same so it just depends on whether you want it spicy or not. My three favourites are Tom Yam, Beauty and Signature Seafood. You can order a set which comes with a drink and a side dish. Choose from prawn fritters, fish skin, braised peanuts etc.

Tom Yam remains as a strong contender as the soup is balance with brisk lime juice detected. The prawns provide a fresh crunch, and even the tender fish slices do not lose texture to the soup.

Being a huge fan of Beauty in a Pot, I definitely like the collagen-based soup that is rich and dense in flavours (and there are ginger root found in the soup). On normal days, I would go for the Beauty Soup but if I wanted something more extravagant, their Signature Seafood Soup ($18.80) works with a variety of ingredients like sotong ball, prawns, mushrooms, tofu, fried fish, sliced fish and fish skin.

Upgrading of location and branding also means the price will increase too. I welcome this change for YuTang Clan because I like the new concept better. But of course, I cannot speak for rest of the office crowd who are looking for a cheap lunch spot.

The post YuTang Clan – Famous Market Street Hawker Becomes a Cool Fish Soup Eatery in Shenton Way appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

What makes a good bowl of prawn noodles? For most of us, it’s the broth that matters. To some, it’s the chilli sauce that makes the difference. And now, people look for big prawns – the bigger the better. But during our younger days (or my parents days), it’s rare to see big prawns in the noodles. Just give us a delicious bowl of piping hot prawn noodles and it will make us slurp non-stop.

545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles is one of the few hawker stalls that still has that old school charm. But the unique thing is, the noodles are prepared by a pretty hawker Li Ruifang.

I first “got to know” Ruifang via Instagram as she has been actively sharing her meals. It was till later that I found out she was the hawker behind 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles. It’s amazing how social media connects people, isn’t it?

The roots of the prawn noodles in Ruifang’s family go far back into the 1950s when her grandfather started selling it along the streets of Whampoa before it was even named so. When Whampoa Market was built in 1973, Ruifang’s Dad and Grandmother took a stall, and has been selling prawn noodles since then.

The current stall at Whampoa Market is run by Ruifang’s aunts. With the guidance of her dad, the 32-year-old finance graduate decided to be a hawker, bringing bowls of tradition and history to Tekka Food Centre.

Everyone I know who has tried 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles at Tekka Market only has good things to say. Using a recipe that spans across 3 generations, what you get is that old school prawn noodle that has got that familiar taste from grandmother’s time. I wasn’t old enough to experience police-wear-shorts period but their prawn noodles hit the comfort spot with its flavourful broth.

The prawn noodles go from $4. I like the dry prawn mee better because firstly, the broth is not diluted by the noodles and secondly, the sambal that was tossed with the noodles was awesome – a nice balance of spicy, savoury and dried seafood accents. With a spoonful of ketchup added in, toss the noodles well and make sure every strand is coated with the sauce. With half slices of prawns and thin slivers of lean pork, it did remind me of my childhood. A spoonful of fried shallot crisps garnishes the bowl.

Ruifang starts her day at 2am, boiling, peeling, cooking ingredients and preparing the stock. The hearty broth is thick and murky, with a distinct sweetness from the clams and umami from prawns. It’s on the sweet side, which I believe will cater to the younger crowd.

I have met many aspiring young hawkers and I believe Ruifang is one of the more successful ones who never give up. I am really grateful that she is continuing the hawker heritage.

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 Botanist. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles – Old School Prawn Mee by Chio Bu Hawker appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I first tried MacPherson Minced Meat Noodles last year when I was filming CHIAK LOCAL web series as this is one of Minister Tan Chuan Jin’s favourite hawker stalls. Used to locate at Tai Thong Crescent, they have moved to the coffeeshop where Tian Wai Tian Fish Head Steamboat is, at the junction of Serangoon Road and Opal Crescent.

Owner Uncle Yap starts work at 3am every morning preparing ingredients. His broth is boiled with old hens, soy beans and anchovies for 3 to 4 hours. No wonder that bowl of rich and cloudy soup is so tasty with a hint of sweetness. Oomph…

Their nicely cooked noodles are served along with ingredients like sliced pork, minced meat, pork liver, braised mushroom and slices of fishcake.

At MacPherson Minced Meat Noodles, I usually order mee kia dry so the thin noodles can soak up all the sauces.
Cooked till al dente, each bowl of noodles is served with sliced pork, minced meat, pork liver, braised mushroom and slices of fishcake. Uncle Yap will add the mushroom braising sauce at the end before serving to customers. The flavours are strong with the tanginess from black vinegar. Pork lard is generous, this is how I like it.

Their Bak Chor Mee at $4 is the popular choice or you can have 小碗面 for $6 where you get all the ingredients in the soup with a bowl of dry noodles but sadly, it is usually sold out by the time I reach.

There have been news that Uncle Yap is retiring soon. When I met him, he was already telling me that he was very tired and hope to retire. His kids are not keen to take over the business and he works with his assistants at the stall. I really hope it’s not so soon, so quickly get your bowl of BCM before it’s gone!

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 Botanist. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post MacPherson Minced Meat Noodles appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Step aside mookata as Thai hot pot is steaming its way to our table! Let your taste buds explore the four fundamental flavours of spicy, sour, sweet and salty with Soi Thai Soi Nice’s Royal Thai Hot Pot.

“Soi Thai Soi Nice adds something different to our group portfolio while strengthening our vision of providing unpretentious and comfort foods for our customers,” says Chiam Wee Leong, Managing Director of SIMYEE Holdings Pte Ltd that also owns Atmosphere Bistro & Bar, Shin-Do Japanese Casual Dining and Shin-Sapporo Ramen.

At the new Soi Thai Soi Nice, you will get to enjoy a spread of authentic traditional Thai dishes created by Chef Worawong Phairat (Olay). Chef Olay, who hails from Bangkok, has 19 years of experience in the kitchen and his cooking is fresh, vivid and intense.

This explains why I’m so interested in Soi Thai Soi Nice. The menu isn’t particularly adventurous but extensive. Most importantly, the cooking leaves a really deep impression.

Royal Thai Hot Pot is overflowing with fresh ingredients like crayfish, tiger prawns and roast pork. The ingredients are submerged in a classic home-made Tom Yam broth. The broth is mild on its own, but the fresh seafood gives a pleasant crustacean flavour that melds harmoniously with the broth. A regular pot ($38.80) is recommended for 2 pax while a big pot ($68.80) is good for 4.

Have you tried Cha-om, a tropical member of the acacia family? It is a well-loved herby vegetable among Thais. Honestly, its fragrance may not be well-liked by some but when cooked right, it’s so tasty that most people can’t stop eating it. The most common way cha-om is cooked is with beaten eggs, just like what Soi Thai Soi Nice has done. I enjoyed their Cha Om Omelette ($7.80) very much.

Deep Fried Pork Neck ($9.80) is another familiar sight. But the grilled pork neck here is more flavourful than usual, with a deeply satisfying crisp on the edges. There are other deep fried and grilled options such as Deep Fried Pork Belly ($9.80), Fried Garlic Pork Ribs ($9.80), Grilled Chicken Thigh ($8.80) and more.

Apart from familiar classic Thai dishes to go along with the signature hot pot, there are also many seafood dishes in the menu such as Steamed Egg and Otah served in coconut shell ($12.80), Sweet & Spicy Garoupa ($13.80) and Curry Prawns ($15.80).

Besides the usual Green Papaya Salad ($6.80) and Glass Noodle Seafood Salad ($8.80), Soi Thai Soi Nice has other unique appetizers such as Fried Egg Salad ($6.80) and Thai Mango Salad Fried Tofu ($8.80).

A favourite amongst kids, the former is a Thai’s take on the egg salad. The egg is fried till a thick omelette and complemented with sweet and sour sauce. Such simple ingredients but so tasty. The Thai Mango Salad Fried Tofu combines silky tofu with classic mango salad. The Seafood Tom Yum Soup ($9.80) is pleasant and diners have a choice of red or clear soup

Complementing the signature hot pot and dishes is a range of homemade sauces prepared with fresh ingredients and condiments imported from Thailand.

“We Thais enjoy eating extreme flavours – be it spicy or sweet or sour, and then we will gulp it down with a glass of super sweet ice milk tea” says Chef Olay. No wonder we can find a variety of cold drinks such as Thai Red Milk Tea ($3.80), Thai Lime Tea ($3.80), Lemongrass Lime ($3.80) and Coco Paradise ($6.80) on their menu. 

Our delicious dinner ended with Sticky Rice with Coconut Ice Cream ($5.80) and Mango Sticky Rice ($5.80). We don’t mind the limited choices of sweets because who judges Thai restaurants by their desserts anyway? What comes before is what counts, and the Royal Hot Pot had won me over by the end of the meal.

This post was brought to you by Soi Thai Soi Nice.

The post Soi Thai Soi Nice – Thai Seafood Hot Pot That You Will Fall in Love With appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Do you recall the CNY Pineapple Tart Series we brought to you last year? A year after, will it finally be angbaos? Well, unfortunately no…. But instead, keep your eyes peeled for something equally EXCITING! Let’s put our hands together to welcome this red, smoky, fragrant, savoury snack. Because face it, Chinese New Year ain’t Chinese New Year without Bak kwa.

Background of Bak Kwa

Bak Kwa (肉干) is a Chinese dried pork product prepared using a unique preservation and cooking technique. Sliced pork is marinated before it is air-dried and cooked over a hot plate. This sweet and savoury delicacy is thought to have originated from Fujian, China, and Singaporeans have tweaked the recipe a little. For example, bakkwa here is grilled over charcoal, instead of a hotplate, to achieve that smoky flavour we all adore. Just look at those crazy snaking queues consisting of even tourists! Anyone will agree that Bak Kwa is a huge part of our CNY tradition.

Did you know?

The minced pork and sliced pork are the two main types of Bak Kwa found in Singapore. The minced pork has a higher fat content since it is prepared using minced meat before grilling them. On the other hand, the sliced pork is leaner and tougher since it was directly trimmed off blocks of pork. There are other interesting variations which have popped up over the years, such as Chilli Bak Kwa, Beef Bak Kwa, Pineapple Bak Kwa and even vegetarian Bak Kwa.

Bee Cheng Hiang
Address: Various outlets
Website: http://www.beechenghiang.com.sg/

Let’s kick start our list with this highly acclaimed business that every Singaporean surely knows about. Even if you don’t shop here, you would have seen its ubiquitous chain shops all over Asia. Tracing it way back to 84 years ago, we all know for sure that Mr Teo Swee Ee, the founder, created a legacy that is truly one of a kind in the industry. He started off peddling his mobile cart along the streets of Chinatown and now, look at how much his brand has grown over the years! With more than 40 outlets islandwide, this is one of the most convenient places to stock up or simply get a quick Bak Kwa fix! Bee Cheng Hiang’s Sliced Pork retails at $55 for 1kg.

Bee Kim Heng
Address: Blk 32 New Market Road, #01-1010 People’s Park Food Centre
Opening Hours: Daily 9.30am-8pm
Contact Number: 6535 0735

Let’s wheel in our second contestant, Bee Kim Heng, which is currently occupying a shop in the heart of Chinatown. It has been 47 years since Mr Teo Ah Thin has dedicated his life to this trade and there must be a reason why Bee Kim Heng is still going strong despite the intense competition. Perhaps, customers are drawn to the fact that he still does the job of grilling the Bak Kwa himself so as to ensure consistency and quality. Bee Kim Heng’s Sliced Barbequed Pork retails at $46 for 1kg.

Chai Ho Satay & Dried Pork (MQ in the photo)
Address: 448 Clementi Avenue 3, #01-10 Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, Singapore 120448
Opening Hours: 11am onwards.

Westies unite! Chai Ho is probably the pride of Clementi, am I right? Besides grilling up some amazing satay, Chai Ho Bak Kwa transforms into a Bak Kwa business once CNY is just around the corner. Join the crowd and it’s almost certain that you can’t even see the store from the back – it’s that crazy. 3 types of Bak Kwa are available – Minced, Sliced and Chilli. Chai Ho’s Sliced Barbeque Pork retails at $42 per kg.

Fragrance
Address: Various Outlets
Website: http://www.fragrance.com.sg/index.html

You might have guessed it but this brand was named after the aromatic fragrance of the barbecued meat. Fragrance was single-handedly nurtured by Madam Ong and is currently under the management of her descendants. Their products are manufactured locally to maintain the level of consistency. Do keep a look out for some of the more interesting renditions right here, such as the Turkey Bak Kwa and Heart-Shaped Red Yeast Bak Kwa. Fragrance’s Sliced Tender Bak Kwa retails at $52 per kg.

Kim Guan Guan
Address: No 9 Tagore Lane, #04-30, Singapore 787472
Opening Hours: 8.30am onwards
Contact Number: 9270 5506

Located at an industrial area, Kim Guan Guan only operates on a pre-order basis. The area is quite inaccessible to the general public as there is no MRT station within walking distance. However, it certainly does not deter many from getting their hands on Kim Guan Guan’s Bak Kwa every year. Kim Guan Guan’s Sliced Pork retails at $44 per kg.

Kim Hock Seng
Address: 34 Keong Saik Road,
Opening Hours: 10.30am-10.30pm daily.
Contact Number: 6221 4882

Mr Ong Geok Hoo and his wife have been running this barbecued sliced pork business for more than 40 years, and they have no plans to retire just yet. This friendly man does not believe in wasting his customers’ time by queueing, and actually prefers customers to simply give him a ring to place their orders. You can see the shop’s signature red boxes of Bak Kwa piled up high for his long-time customers during this busy period. Psss, catch his special Honey Bacon Bak Kwa before it is sold out! Kim Hock Seng’s BBQ Pork retails at $48 per kg.

Kim Hwa Guan
Address: 32 New Market Road, People’s Park Cooked Food Centre, #01-1022,
Opening Hours: Daily from 0500hrs, until out of stock.
Contact Number: 9006 2026

Kim Hwa Guan is of no stranger to Bak Kwa fanatics in Singapore. During the CNY period, the staff show up for work in the wee hours of the morning to start their preparations so that they will be able to serve as many customers as possible. All pre-order slots for its Bak Kwa have already been taken up, so only walk-ins will be entertained. As a result, be prepared to wait if you wish to have a taste of this highly-rated Bak Kwa. You can enjoy the view of Bak Kwa being grilled on the spot as you stand in line. Kim Hwa Guan’s Square Minced Pork retails at $52 per kg.

Kim Joo Guan
Address: 257 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058806
Opening Hours: 9.30am – 8.30pm daily
Contact Number: 6225 5257
Website: http://kimjooguan.com/

Did you know that Kim Joo Guan has actually supplied Bak Kwa to five of Singapore’s most popular Bak Kwa brands for more than 30 years? Four generations of the family have been working hard to push the brand forward since 1977. We can see that Kim Joo Guan pays attention to quality by their insistence on using 100% chilled Australian grain-fed pork to preserve the finest taste of their Bak Kwa. Kim Joo Guan’s Traditional Pork Slice retails at $48 per kg.

Kim Peng Hiang
Address: 32 New Market Road, People’s Park Cooked Food Centre, #01-1044,
Opening Hours: 9.30am-7pm daily, except alternate Tues.
Contact Number: 8368 1707
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kim-Peng-Hiang-149152102649/

Good news – you don’t have to rush to get your Bak Kwas early! You will be delighted to know that Kim Peng Hiang keeps its prices fixed during the festive season, unlike other shops. (I know right?! So shiok!) As I was chatting with one of the aunties in the queue with me, she shared that the Pineapple BBQ Pork is just as popular as the original flavour. Although I did not taste it, the idea of sweetness and tartness of the pineapple coming through a tender piece of Bak Kwa sounds refreshing and enticing. Kim Peng Hiang’s Slice Royal Pork retails at $45 per kg.

Lim Chee Guan
Address: Various Outlets
Opening Hours: 24 Hours Daily (during CNY)
Contact Number: 6933 7230
Website: http://www.limcheeguan.com.sg/

“Lim Chee Guan! Lim Chee Guan!” we squeal in delight every Chinese New Year. Everyone knows this ultra popular Bak Kwa shop in Singapore. The never-ending lines don’t seem to stop anyone from joining the queues. We’ve even seen huge numbers of tourists jump on the bandwagon as well. Although they don’t have as many shopfronts as other leading brands, they certainly do not lose out as they have a loyal following. Lim Chee Guan’s Sliced Pork retails at $54 per kg.

New Eastern (Xin Dong Fang)
Address: Blk 151A, Bishan St 11, Stall No. 23, Singapore 571151
Opening Hours: 6am-2pm daily.
Contact Number: 9666 1241
Website: http://neweasternfood.com.sg/

New Eastern has been around since 1968 and takes pride in manufacturing the best Bak Kwa in its very own factory in Gourmet East Kitchen (Bedok). After shifting its main production line there, New Eastern was able to increase production to meet the increasing demand. Currently, they have a retail store in Bishan. New Eastern’s Minced Pork retails at $42 per kg.

Sang Hock Guan
Address: Block 163, #01-446 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4,
Opening Hours: 9.30am-9.30pm daily, or until sold out.
Contact Number: 6458 7374

Sang Hock Guan is a small family-owned business, which pours its love into churning out Bak Kwa every CNY. Contrary to the seemingly lack of action at the shop, its CNY delights have absolutely no lack of supporters. Give them a call if you are planning to purchase in large quantities, just like how their regulars do. Sang Hock Guan’s Minced Pork retails at $52 per kg.

Siang Ge
Address: 275 Jln Kayu, Singapore 799503
Opening Hours: Daily 9am-10pm
Contact Number: 6483 3368
Website: http://www.siangge.com.sg/

We might have caught a glimpse of Siang Ge while having supper at Jalan Kayu. Fans of its Bak Kwa stand their ground about the great taste not being found elsewhere. After all, Siang Ge uses good quality meat from Brazil prepared by its skilled head chef who has over twenty long years of experience. Siang Ge’s Honey Sliced BBQ Pork retails at $42 per kg.

After a busy day of tasting and surveying, we have finally sniffed out the TOP 5 Bak Kwa in Singapore! Let’s get the Bak Kwa rolling! /DRUM ROLL/

1. Sang Hock Guan

Coming in first is…. Sang Hock Guan! How good can the Bak Kwa from this little shop be, you may ask? Well, NEVER judge a book by its cover, this family’s Bak Kwa has climbed its way to the top. Sang Hock Guan’s Bak Kwas are so addictive that your glistening stack will deplete within seconds, just like how ours did. The tender and thick pile of Bak Kwa retained its original taste and texture even after days – definitely a keeper!

2. Lim Chee Guan

You might or might not be surprised that Lim Chee Guan has emerged as the first runner up, but we certainly weren’t. Among the more established brands, Lim Chee Guan seems to possess a lovely recipe that balances the smokiness, sweetness and tenderness very well. Therefore, you can be confident that the taste of its Bak Kwa will make the long wait worthwhile.

3. Bee Kim Heng

Bee Kim Heng is located on the same stretch as the other Bak Kwa shops in Chinatown, albeit with a shorter queue. Don’t let that steer you away, as Bee Kim Heng will reward you with one of the best Bak Kwas you can find in Singapore. The taste is pretty similar to the Bak Kwa from Lim Chee Guan, only a tad sweeter. Lend your support to this elderly couple who continues to pour their passion into Bak Kwa even after 47 years!

4. Kim Guan Guan

For those who prefer their Bak Kwas a little more thick and substantial, Kim Guan Guan is your cup of tea. Phew, the drive to Tagore Lane was indeed not in vain. Their Bak Kwa is vacuum-packed into clear plastic bags, which allows them to be kept for a longer period of time. Separating the slices of Bak Kwa was a little tricky but we believe that heating them up again would resolve the problem. Once you have a bite of Kim Guan Guan’s Bak Kwa , there is no going back.

5. New Eastern (Xin Dong Fang)

New Eastern offers some of the thinner Bak Kwas around, yet the tenderness still manages to wow us. Even though its business has been going full steam ahead with manufacturing and supplying to other retailers, the quality of its products has not been compromised. Lay your hands on those delicious red squares and have them sweep you off your feet.

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

So, what’s your favourite? Personally, Lim Chee Guan’s masterpieces ticked all the right boxes for us. However, Sang Hock Guan ultimately captured majority of the hearts in one fell swoop. Thumbs up to Lim Chee Guan, New Eastern, Sang Hock Guan, Bee Kim Heng, Kim Guan Guan and all the other worthy participants. May all your Bak Kwas sell like hotcakes! Huat ah!

The post BEST Bak Kwa in Singapore (What’s your favourite?) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Compiled by Maureen, Mu Qin, Wan Ping & Kimberley

Usher in the Year of the Rooster with a luxurious selection of Lunar New Year delights and prosperity set menus at 21 different restaurants in Singapore. From uniquely crafted Yusheng creations to indulgent pots of Chinese delicacies, enjoy the most auspicious start to the New Year with your families and friends!

Amara Singapore

Amara Singapore presents an array of Chinese New Year delicacies and reunion meals for diners to ring in a prosperous Year of the Rooster. At Silk Road, there is a refined selection of premium celebratory signatures and traditional festive must-haves. To start, its Prosperity 8-treasure Yu Sheng showcases an elaborate combination of cured salmon, jellyfish, whitebait, crispy fish skin, sliced abalone and ikura roe in a special dressing and a fruity zest.

The Braised Pork Knuckle with Sea Cucumber and Chestnut arrived on our dining table with heavenly aromas. The meat is meltingly tender and the sauce fantastic . We were captivated by the glistening skin of the Traditional Beijing Roasted Duck. The crispy surface crackles open revealing the tender, succulent meat beneath. Make sure you leave some space in your stomach for their Steamed Fragrant Rice. It is cooked with salted fish, Chinese sausage and waxed meat and is one of the better versions I have had.

The CNY Lunch and Dinner Menu are available from now till 11 February (except dinner on 27 January) from $68 per person (minimum of 2 diners). The CNY Eve Reunion Dinner starts from $68 per person (minimum of 2 diners).

Avenue Joffre

Crowned “The Queen of Dim Sum”, Master Chef GE Xian’E has gained fame in China for over three decades. Besides the standard Chinese New Year offerings, Avenue Joffre is introducing Chinese New Year Dim Sum to celebrate the golden Lunar New Year period.

From Deep-fried Golden Pockets with Sliced Mandarin Fish Filling, to Pan-fried Glutinous Rice Balls with Pork & Vegetable Filling, to “Snow Mountain” BBQ Pork Buns, to Steamed Deluxe Jujube & Walnut Cake, there’s something for everyone.

Our favourites are the Pan-fried Glutinous Rice Balls with Pork & Vegetable Filling, and Steamed Deluxe Jujube & Walnut Cake. Glutinous rice balls signifies a happy family sticking together through thick and thin in Chinese culture. The steamed cake is made of 3 layers, namely red dates, walnut and crystal jelly. We enjoyed the cake’s fluffiness and its subtle sweetness.

Other a la carte items that you should try at Avenue Joffre are the lychee-wood roasted BBQ dishes such as the Roasted Cantonese Duck ($22 regular / $39 half / $75 whole) and Honey-glazed Barbecued Pork ($18 small / $26 medium / $32 large). In the past, the ducks were sourced from Malaysia but the chefs realised that the meat was a tad too tough, hence they have switched to London ducks which boasts meat that are more moist and tender. It also has a thin layer of fat on its skin, with a jelly-like texture – simply palatable! 

CAPELLA Singapore

Cassia at CAPELLA Singapore possesses an unparalleled exclusivity and elegance. The beautiful restaurant is definitely worth a special trip, especially if you wish to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life for awhile. Pamper your loved ones, and yourself, with the best of Cantonese cuisine that comes with a twist.

The Baked Chilean Sea Bass with Homemade Special Chili Sauce was simply divine. Dive into that flaky and juicy fish, which is completed with a dollop of heat. The chili was especially fragrant and not overly spicy, making this dish easily the most memorable takeaway of the night.

The Wok-fried Japanese M9 Wagyu Beef with Young Ginger and Pineapple was another hero of the night, as it showcased the chef’s excellent culinary skills. Cooked to perfection, the tender and juicy beef cubes met our high expectations and there was absolutely nothing that we did not love about this dish. 

4 types of set menus (Five-course or Six-course) are specially designed to satisfy everyone’s tastebuds. The menus require at least 2 to dine. The Five-course Spring Menu is priced at $79++ per pax and Six-course menus start at $139++ per pax. You may also wish to kick start your meal with Cassia’s Prosperity Lou Hei, designed to be shared between two and four persons ($68++).

Carlton Hotel Singapore

Feel blessed all year round when you start off on the right note at Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant. Fall in love with their Baked Tiger Prawns with Garlic; I promise you will fall so deep that it’s almost impossible for you to stand again. Of course, we couldn’t miss out on our CNY favourites that we only savour once a year right? Wah Lok’s Poon Choi is a classic done to perfection; expect a bountiful supply of the freshest treasures from the ocean. All of these dishes can be found on their A La Carte menu, while some are featured on the impressive CNY set menus. Additionally, be sure to get your hands on one of Wah Lok’s signature Bolo Bun which will “bolow” your mind.

Lunar New Year Set Menus start from $798 for 4 pax and $988 for 10 pax. Wah Lok has also put together a concise set menu that caters to smaller families of 4 and 6 pax. In addition, for those who are looking to splurge a little more this holiday, throw an elaborate lunch or dinner banquet specially put together by the culinary team.

Fairmont Singapore

Indulge in Szechuan Court’s fortune-filled reunions as Master Chef Mok Wan Lok unveils 6 thoughtfully crafted 8 and 9-course Chinese New Year set menus, alongside a line-up of sumptuous signature dishes, available from 16 January to 11 February 2017. Set menus are priced at $468++ for 4 pax, all the way to $1,388++ for 10 pax.

Bursting with colours, the Bountiful Oceanic Treasures “Yu Sheng” features an assortment of vegetables, topped with generous potions of premium seafood of your choice. Ours came with Hokkaido Snow Crab and coconut slices, which gave it a unique, refreshing twist. Prices of “Yu Sheng” range between $58++ to $98++.

Another must-have is Szechuan Court’s Prosperity Pot of Gold ($488++ medium; $788++ large). This showstopper is a treasure trove of seasonal premium ingredients such as whole South African abalone, Japanese dried oysters, Australian scallops, superior fish maw, sea cucumber, prawns, “fat choy” (black moss) and more. Each ingredient is cooked separately and layered before slow-simmering for at least 4 hours. The tantalising balance of flavours makes this the perfect dish for a bountiful celebration.

Only available for lunch, the Glutinous Rice with Baked Cod Fillet in Honey Light Soy Sauce ($12.80++ per order), is an added surprise to the usual dim sum fare. Bedecked with a delightful piece of baked cod fillet in honey light soy sauce, the fish with its healthy omega-3 fats imparts luscious umami flavours to the sticky rice. If you love fish, there is also the Steamed Red Grouper with fermented chopped chilli and minced garlic.

Fort by Maison Ikkoku

Usher in a prosperous Chinese New Year with your loved ones over an abundance of culinary delights at Fort. Moving away from the typical Chinese New Year delicacies, indulge in a 12-course CNY Omakase ($88++/person) which takes you on a journey through the mountains and the seas. The CNY Omakase is available from 4 January to 11 February 2017.

The restaurant’s interior, designed by Chef Ethan, is a mix of ancient industrial with a touch of chic using a combinations of railway sleepers, copper, edison filament and red velvet. Despite a different ambience from the usual vibrant red Chinese New Year setting, partake in the must-do auspicious tradition of tossing and exuberant well-wishing with Fort’s Fatt Choi Lou Hei, a popular festive appetiser to welcome a year of great health and fortune. The stunning salad platter boasts a medley of julienned vegetables, complete with the zest of pomelo, ikura, and a special sauce made in-house with 12 kinds of ingredients.

Chef Ethan might change a few items that make up the 12-course CNY Omakase meal according to how fresh his ingredients of the day are.

The Square @ Furama

Mark the start of the year of the Fire Rooster and embrace the significance of Chinese culture’s most paramount tradition at The Square @ Furama from 2 January to 3 February 2017. Besides its usual buffet spread, The Square @ Furama has added exciting items for Chinese New Year. Spend quality time with loved ones, dear friends, or even impress your business associates with the Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng.

Pamper yourselves with the Double-Boiled Sakura Chicken with Winter Melon, Dried Scallop and Honshimeji Mushroom, as well as, Braised Sea Cucumber with Sea Moss and Flower Mushroom. The former uses Sakura chicken as these chicken are all-natural, without any antibiotics or chemicals injected into their meat.

Don’t forget to end your Chinese New Year feast with the Chilled Refreshing Lemon Grass Jelly Delight dessert.

On the evening of Chinese New Year Eve, between 6pm and 9pm, there will be photo booths set up. Children can learn how to make Chinese New Year cookies and love letters too. The Prosperity Menu starts from $628++ for a table of 10 persons while the Auspicious Menu begins from $828++ for 10 persons. 

Goodwood Park Hotel

There is even more reason to celebrate this significant season of joy and abundance with Goodwood Park Hotel’s new selection of Lunar New Year Goodies, ‘Yu Sheng’ platters, and savoury Prosperity Specials. With pineapple being the focus of this year’s takeaway goodies, the beautifully-crafted Auspicious Golden Pineapple and The Huat! Tart are ideal as gifts.

Adding to the festivities are two new unique ‘Yu Sheng’ platters – Prosperity Amberjack ‘Lo Hei’ and Fruity ‘Lo Hei’ with Rosemary Plum Sauce, as well as new and indulgent savoury delights – Braised Pork Belly with Sea Treasures in Claypot and Braised Whole Chicken with Sea Treasures in Claypot. The Braised Pork Belly with Sea Treasures in Claypot has Australian 10-head abalones, sea cucumber, dried oysters, dried scallops, flower mushrooms, black moss, gluten puffs and Tianjin cabbage, making it a perfect celebratory dish.

The Huat! Tart ($40.65 nett), a delightfully large version of the 6.5-inch pineapple tart, is created with a homemade vanilla-infused fresh pineapple reduction. I am in love with their Spicy Salted Egg Yolk Lotus Root Chips ($36.15 nett per jar). These irresistible homemade chips are coated abundantly with salted egg yolk crumbs and are spiced with chilli padi and curry leaves. Call Min Jiang at 6730 1704 or The Deli at 6730 1786 to place reservations.

Holiday Inn® Singapore Atrium

From 2 January 2017, embrace the year of the rooster with Xin Cuisine’s new and healthier version of Yusheng – Abalone and Salmon Yusheng with Shredded Yam, Purple Potato, and Dragon Fruit Dressing. The yusheng boasts a homemade, naturally fermented dragon fruit sauce that’s refreshing and light on the palate.

Xin Cuisine’s luxurious range of Pen Cai(s) are not to be missed as well. We had Xin’s Traditional Pen Cai, which is a slightly larger portion for 12 pax. 12 ingredients are included in this pot of treasure – abalone, roasted pork, roasted duck, mushroom, prawn, fish maw, oyster, cabbage, chinese sausage, fat choy, scallop and radish. Takeaways are also available.

Besides the usual Chinese New Year dishes, whet your appetite with the dim sum at Xin Cuisine. These symbols of treasures and abundance are specialties handcrafted by Dim Sum Chef Cheung Kin Nam. Save some space for the Wok-fried Glutinous rice, which is definitely worth every calorie!

InterContinental Singapore

Usher in the Year of the Rooster with a luxurious selection of Lunar New Year delights and prosperity set menus at Man Fu Yuan from now till 11 February 2017. New on the menu, and a must-try this year, is the luxurious Black Truffle Yusheng with Deep Sea Red Crab, Silver Bait Fish and Fresh Fruits. Priced at $138 for 8 to 10 persons, this platter combines the use of ingredients that represent extravagance, with fresh fruits that not only adds to the texture of the dish, but also signifies a sense of refreshed beginnings for the year ahead.

Executive Chinese Chef Kwan Yiu Kan and his culinary team have also created a nourishing Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Korean Ginseng and Fish Maw ($298 for 5 pax). Man Fu Yuan’s Supreme Treasures Pot takes centrestage once again this year. Served in a classic claypot, the dish comprises over 18 ingredients including new highlights such as a Spring Chicken stuffed with Aged Hua Tiao Wine and Pearl Rice as well as Deep Sea Red Crab. 

Well-catered for a hearty family reunion or business gathering, an assortment of 5- and 6-course sets are available from $128++ to $338++ per person, while 8-course set menus for larger group sizes of 10 persons are priced from $1,088++ to $2,088++ per table.

Marriott Singapore Tang Plaza

Anticipate delectable Chinese New Year delicacies at Marriott’s Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant from now till 11 February 2017. Gastronomic feasting is effortlessly elevated to a higher plateau, with a line-up of set menus starting from $98.80++ per person (4-8pax) to $1,888++ per 10 persons. Highlights include Abalone & Salmon Yu Sheng with Crispy Fish Skin, Wan Hao Nourishing Pen Cai with Pig Trotter & Crispy Oyster, Braised Bird’s Nest Broth with Crab Meat, Conpoy & Wolfberries, Wok-Fried Glutinous Rice, Crispy Rice, Chinese Sausage & Preserved Meat Served in Lotus Leaf, and more.

New flavours for Yu Sheng also include Chicken Bak Kwa Yu Sheng and Black Truffle Yu Sheng. Usually, there won’t be a rooster design but you can make special arrangements for the design at an additional charge.

As for the Pen Cai, no seasoning was used and the gravy was simmered for 2 days. The soup was simmered first, before the second portion of ingredients were added in. The pen cai is collagen-packed – think pork trotter, Chinese ham and chicken feet skin. Sea cucumber and fish maw were bought dry from South Africa before Chef Brian personally prepares them in the kitchen. Other ingredients include 3-head abalone, fried oysters and more. 

Looking for something healthier? The Braised Bird’s Nest Broth with Crab Meat, Conpoy & Wolfberries is an ideal choice. Don’t forget to complete your meal with desserts such as Baked Nian Gao & Yam Tart and Chilled Osmanthus Jelly with Water Chestnut and Wolfberry. 

Pan Pacific Singapore

Reunite with your loved ones over a traditional Cantonese meal that will even unify your stomachs for the night. There is no lack of the typical delicacies such as Double-boiled Buddha Jumps Over the Wall with Maca and Wolfberries and Premium Wealth Treasure Pot, but what sets Pan Pacific Singapore apart?

You might not be expecting this but hey truffle lovers, this one’s for you! As truffle lovers ourselves, the Stewed Inaniwa Udon with Seafood and Truffle left the deepest impression on us among all the dishes that we tried. Indulge in the silky and velvety udon noodles that are generously bathed in a light truffle broth and topped with fresh seafood.

The meal ended off with a refreshing Auspicious Eight Treasures Tea. The root of a plant (雪燕), which can be easily mistaken for bird’s nest due to its almost identical texture, was the key ingredient in the dessert.

From 9 January to 11 February 2017 (excluding dinner on 27 January 2017), prices start at $128.80 per pax with a minimum of six diners. For families with eight members or more, set menus are available from $188.80 per pax. Reunion dinners on 27 January 2017 are conducted in 2 seatings – 6pm-8pm and 8.30pm-10.30pm.

Pan Pacific Orchard

If going all out during Chinese New Year is your thing, Pan Pacific Orchard’s buffet spread will please your tummies. Chug down 5 different varieties of freshly-shucked oysters to start your new year on a prosperous note. Buffet stations offering premium sashimi, various cuts of meat and traditional Penang noodles will make your night extra special. Remember to leave some space in your stomachs for their fragrant and intense Durian Crepes – indeed the king of fruits!

This luxurious buffet is priced at $48 and $88 for lunch and dinner (for adults) respectively on CNY Eve. You might also be interested in their new High Tea Buffet, named Weekend Teatime Classics. Befitting of the zealous rooster, there is no shortage of “explosive” dishes such as the Swiss Melted Cheese Raclette, Singapore Laksa and Homemade Charcoal Scones.

Park Hotel Clarke Quay

Herald in a prosperous Chinese New Year and bask in the season of joyful reunions as Park Hotel Clarke Quay crafts an ensemble of auspicious Lunar New Year dishes to tantalise your taste buds. With prices starting from $338++, auspicious lunch and dinner set menus are tailored for intimate gatherings and company-wide celebrations.

For the very first year, diners would also get to enjoy a unique dining experience at the hotel’s brand new private dining room on Level 1.

Start your epicurean journey with the Tower of Fortune Crab Meat “Lo Hei”. Artfully arranged with eight layers stacked like a tower, you get an abundance of crunchy vegetables such as carrot, crispy kai-lan leaves, white radish and green radish. The specialty lies at the bottom layer, which consists of three types of potatoes crisps, giving the dish a crunchy textural contrast. Within the crisps are slices of sweet snow pear, and surrounding it are crab meat and prawn rolls topped with salmon roe. The outermost layer consists of quail eggs on citrusy pomelo bits which resemble little nests.

Other dishes include Teochew-Style Steamed Red Garoupa in Lotus Leaf, and Braised Seafood Rice in Superior Broth – a hearty savoury pot filled with mussels, scallops, prawns, squid and fish. Last year’s bestselling Jumbo Salted Egg Yolk Prawns has also been brought back.

All set menus are inclusive of unlimited servings of red date tea, soft drinks, and a Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng Platter which diners can have it replaced with the Tower of Fortune Crab Meat “Lo Hei” at an additional $30 nett.

Royal Plaza on Scotts

Well-known for its buffet spread, Carousel has introduced new dishes in line with Chinese New Year, available on 27, 28 and 29 January 2017. Buffet pricing ranges from $48++ to $98++ per adult, and from $32++ to $52++ per child.

Ingeniously plated, the Rice of the Phoenix Yu Sheng is influenced by Singapore’s heritage. The inspiration for this dish comes from a well-known local dish – chicken rice. Made up of salient ingredients present in the Singapore Chicken Rice, premium jasmine rice is infused with the fragrance of sliced shallots and minced garlic cloves, dehydrated and fried to golden brown, resulting in crispy chicken rice puffs. The star of the dish, the chicken, comes in forms of bak kwa, boneless chicken feet with oriental seasoning, baked chicken floss and deep-fried chicken skin crisps. The chef has specially selected deep-fried cuttlefish, braised sea cucumber jelly, roasted pine nuts and golden egg yolk to complete the beautiful yusheng.

Joining the other Chinese dishes at the Asian section of the buffet spread are Abalone Peppercorn, Golden Crispy Chicken and Ikan Panggang. The Double-boiled dried scallop broth comes with peppercorn and abalone slices.

Despite the gratifying buffet spread, don’t forget to go for the desserts. Opt for the Lychee Soy Beancurd Pot which cleanses your palate or the Kaya Semifreddo with Rose Petal Spaghetti and Coffee Hazelnut Cocoa Crumb.

Swissotel Merchant Court, Singapore

Spark off your CNY with a feast at Ellenborough Market Cafe consisting of fresh seafood like Teochew Steamed Crabs all the way to Homemade Kueh Pie Tie. On top of their wide international buffet spread, an extensive number of CNY dishes are waiting for you. Before we tuck in, let’s take a moment to appreciate how adorable the Lou Hei looks?!

We are elated to share that their Poon Choy surpassed our expectations; expect a generous serving of juicy baby abalones sitting atop a pool of fine ingredients. Feast on some Soft Shell Crab with Thai Basil Sauce if you’re a seafood lover! The sweetness and crispiness of crab meat made the fritter delicious enough to have on its own. Congrats on finishing up plates and plates of food, but hold up, you can’t leave Ellenborough without filling your tummies with the all-time-favourite Durian Pengat!

Buffet lunches are priced at $62 for adults and $31 for children, and dinners go for $78 for adults and $39 for children. You may also want to catch up with your pals this CNY season over high tea (weekends and public holidays) at $48 per adult. If set menus are your family’s go-to, Ellenborough’s comprehensive rendition begins from $808 for 10 pax.

Tamashii Robataya

For something out of the norm, Tamashii Robataya’s CNY Japanese TRUFFLE Infused Yusheng is bound to impress! This is a luxurious plate of yusheng filled with jellyfish, surf clams, vinaigrette salmon soft skull and golden crab crackers, tossed generously in truffle plum sauce. We usually don’t finish our yusheng but this one we cleared the whole plate!

The small portion costs $68 (for 3-5 pax) while the big portion costs $98 (6-10pax). The last day of collection for the Yusheng takeaway is 27 Jan 2017.

With an omakase starting from $168, you get the freshest seafood and ingredients specially flown in from Japan and cooked by a team of experienced chefs. A few memorable dishes in our omakase includes the seasonal shrimp yam that is first pan fried before coating it with a Japanese crabmeat broth. You can really the freshness from the yam.

Abalone seems to be a must-have when it comes to Chinese New Year. The Abalone with Green Pepper is grilled together with the abalone liver sauce, hence giving it a rich flavour when you bite on the chewy texture. Don’t be turn off by the green pepper because the spicy level is closed to zero.

I like to end the meal with a bowl of grilled beef don with truffle and onsen egg. This is one of the best beef don in Singapore. Pair it with comforting Sea Brim Soup cooked simply with miso and helps to get rid of some greasiness. Tamashii’s omakase package is available all year round and you can tell the chefs your dietary preference so as to enjoy a good meal with your loved ones.

The Fullerton Hotel

Bask in the festive atmosphere at Jade while enjoying the innovative medley of A La Carte items which effectively displays Chef Leong Chee Yeng’s skills and passion. One of the items include Chef Leong’s Cantonese take on Surf and Turf – Stewed Chicken and Crab Meat Duo Chinese Wine in Claypot. The fragrance from the cooking wines hits you the moment the dish is served, but the richness of the broth is on a whole new level.

If you enjoy soup dishes like Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Jade’s seafood pot is a must-order! Premium ingredients such as Six-Head Abalone, Fish Maw and Dried Scallops braised in a light, flavourful broth will prep you up for all the visitings.

The epitome of seafood indulgence can be found right here at Jade with their Simmered Boston Lobster in Premium Soya Sauce with Golden Crab Ball and Foie Gras. The crunchy flesh exudes a lovely natural sweetness that puts all other proteins to shame.

Chef Leong’s unique creations mentioned above are available in their A La Carte menu all year round. Reunion Set Menus are available from $68 per pax. 

The St. Regis Singapore

Usher in the bountiful spring of 2017 at Yan Ting, with Executive Chinese Chef Tony Wun’s new creations like Braised King Prawn with Shrimp Oil, Deep-fried Sea Perch Fillet with Fermented Beancurd and Wok-baked Lobster with Superior Stock and Butter.

You can also celebrate in the comfort of your home with CNY takeaway favourites such as
the signature Prosperity ‘Yu Sheng’ with Norwegian Salmon, Crispy Suckling Pig stuffed with Glutinous Rice and Lunar New Tear Pun Choy. The Pun Choy is an assortment of treasures – dace fish, premium abalones, dried oysters, sea cucumbers, pork belly, roasted duck and soy sauce chicken.

The Lunar New Year à la carte menu, special set menus and gourmet takeaways are available from 9th January to 11th February 2017. Yan Ting’s set menus start from $118++ per person(6 course) to $1288++ per table(8-course).

The Westin Singapore

Look forward to an elaborate spread of buffet items at Seasonal Tastes this Chinese New Year. Traditional classics such as the Bountiful Harvest Yu Sheng ($128-$208++), consisting of fresh lobster, abalone, salmon and salmon roe, are available. To meet the needs of the more health-conscious, there is also the SuperFood Yu Sheng ($68-$118++), featuring salmon, salmon roe, honey roasted walnuts, dried fruits, blueberries, sour plum dressing and extra virgin oil.

Besides relishing the perennial Yu Sheng, elevate your reunion meal with mouthwatering centrepieces like the Blossoming Prosperity Treasure Pot “Pen Cai” ($398++) which includes whole abalone, sea cucumber, flower mushroom, fish maw, dried oysters, handmade fish balls, Hokkaido scallops, live prawns, dong po pork belly, braised radish, black moss, and a thousand-layer bean curd in a 48-hour braised abalone sauce. You can also tuck into glutinous rice, braised hong jong ee-fu noodles and steamed sakura chicken in lotus leaf, and more.

Chinese New Year dine-in at Seasonal Tastes begins on 27 January 2017. The dinner buffet is priced at $108++ per adult and $54++ per child. From 28 January to 11 February 2017, lunch buffet is priced at $55++ per adult and $27.50++ per child while dinner buffet is priced at $75++ per adult and $37.50++ per child. You can also take away these Chinese New Year favourites and savour them in the comfort of your home. Reservations for takeaway can be made at restaurant.reservation@westin.com.

Yàn

Staying true to its traditional Cantonese roots, the 8 menus created by Master Chef Chan Kung Lai features exquisite creations that present familiar ingredients in modern plates, as well as timeless classics done just the way they should be enjoyed. The menus, ranging from $118++ per person to $268++ per person, is available from 9 January to 11 February 2017.

Toss to prosperity with Yàn’s Signature Yellowtail Fish & Crispy Lobster Filler Yu Sheng with Golden Flake in Shun De Style. The dish is plated like a breathtaking piece of art, so befitting of a restaurant located at the National Gallery of Singapore. A base of crispy fried vermicelli is elevated to resemble a majestic tower, symbolising heightened success. It is then topped with slices of ginger, spring onion, crunchy capsicums, finely grounded peanut and finished with fresh slices of yellowtail. The Yu Sheng is finally drizzled with Yàn’s homemade soya sauce and peanut oil. We love the cubes of crispy lobster fillet.

If you’re going for Yàn’s Signature Roasted Suckling Pig, do note that it arrives in three courses. The first course comes in the form of crispy skin, placed atop a soft, flat “bun”, which goes very well with the accompanying sauce. You can literally hear the crackle with every bite. The second and third courses are plated together, featuring the pig’s carved shoulder and oven-baked fillet with lemongrass.

For a sweet end, have the Chilled Mango Cream topped with Vanilla Ice Cream & Oats served in Coconut, with a special treat of pan-fried sweet rice cake just for the festive season. 

Miss Tam Chiak & team would like to wish everyone a happy Lunar New Year!

The post 21 Best Restaurants for Reunion Feasts this Chinese New Year appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

For this Chinese New Year, we have hunted down a number of restaurants/eateries that are open to satisfy those growling tummies. We know that most shopping malls and restaurants will be closed, especially on day one and day two of Chinese New Year. However, you don’t have to worry about that, because we’ve got your back! If you are planning on heading out, please read on to find out where you can go.

Badoque Cafe

Badoque (Malay slang for eat) has developed a loyal following because of the café’s cozy vibe and good food. The cafe features an internationally inspired menu – Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian Fusion. The bestseller is the Badoque Ribs ($36). Each rib is 5cm thick and almost as long as our arm. The meat is grilled well and served hot to your table with potatoes and greens. Do note that the portions are very generous.

Birds of A Feather

Birds of A Feather is the perfect antidote to frenzied, stressed out lives. On the menu is superb contemporary Western cuisine with a pronounced Sichuan influence. We enjoyed the Oriental Bolognese ($20) very much. A modern version of zha jiang mian, thin angel hair pasta is cooked with pork ragout, onsen tamago, wilted kale and sakura ebi. You can request for the non-spicy or spicy (add $2) version. We wish they were more generous with the pork ragout but the onsen tamago coated the noodles well. For flavours from the less-spicy end of the spectrum, go for the Grilled Cheese Panini ($20) with flavourful braised pork belly in sichuan style, pickled cabbage and fried potato.

Brothers in Fine Food

We applaud BFF for their creativity in coming up with beverages such as the Jaffa Orange Mocha ($6), Spiked Muddy Espresso with Gula Melaka ($6.50) and Red Velvet Hot Chocolate ($5.50). BFF treats all their food with tender, loving care. The Beef Steak ($15) is first marinated in salt and pepper, before being vacuum-packed and cooked in a monitored water bath for 1.5 hours at 56 degrees. Instead of the usual mushroom or black pepper gravy, BFF has created a beetroot thyme puree. The beetroot is processed in a thermomix at 70 degrees to bring out the natural sweetness of it without the addition of sugar.

Flock Cafe

This indie cafe has indoor and outdoor seats so take your pick. Fish & Pancakes ($16.80) sounded unique to us so we had to give it a try. 2 tiny fillets of crumbed dory fish are served atop 2 pieces of savoury pancakes, with a side of mesclun salad and French fries. The fish fillets are fried to a crisp golden brown and the meat was fork-tender. Our only complaint about the fillets was that the portion was too small. As for the pancakes, we felt that they were mediocre, nothing to shout about.

I AM Cafe

Located at the junction of North Bridge Road and Haji Lane, I AM cafe is inspired by the city of Amsterdam. Owned by 3 Muslim friends, all preparation and ingredients are done in accordance to the Islamic way of guidance. Their Charcoal-grilled Juicy Beef Burger ($13.90), which comes with a charcoal-grilled beef patty, is topped with pineapple, onions and melted cheese. The patties are all painstakingly grilled over a charcoal-fuelled fire.

Penny University

Penny University is a term that originated from 18th century coffeehouses in London, England. Instead of paying for drinks, people were charged a penny to enter a coffeehouse. But here in Katong, you don’t have to pay a penny to enter the cafe. The place is bustling with cafe-goers, especially on weekends. They source their beans from local roasters, serve unique cakes and freshly-baked bread . We had a plate of Turkish Eggs ($8.60) which is served with lightly whipped yoghurt, homemade spicy moroccan harissa sauce and sourdough.

Shrove Tuesday

This cafe is famous for their waffles as they use a yeast-raised batter. Their Signature Nonya Chendol Waffle ($12.90) includes two scoops of Chendol gelato and vanilla soft serve topped with azuki red beans, green chendol jelly, gula Melaka and coconut flakes. The Chendol flavour was spot on! Coupled with such a fantastic waffle, we can have this dessert any time, any day!

The Coffee Academics

Launched in 2012, The Coffee Academics has made quite a name for itself in Hong Kong. “The Mess” ($20) is a food item that’s exclusive to the new outlet at Raffles City. It consists of a 63 degrees egg served atop sautéed spicy chicken sausages, crispy baby potatoes, pencil asparagus and buttered corn kernels. To end our meal, we got the Academics Pancake Tower ($19). Not only was it beautifully presented, but the piping hot, thick and fluffy pancake totally satisfied our palettes. The delectable pancake tower goes really well with their ice cold berry sorbet, which was sweet and slightly sour. 

Casuarina Curry Restaurant

Prata enthusiasts would flock here for their signature mushroom cheese prata. The plain prata goes for a dollar a piece. For $2, you get to enjoy a gratifying meal with simple, tasty curry. The list of prata flavours is extensive, ranging from chicken floss prata, to sausage cheese prata to chocolate prata. Casuarina also has very delicious chicken and mutton briyani, as well as, curry fish head.

Club July

Club July serves Zi Char and Western food under one roof at an affordable price in the heartland of Toa Payoh North. With only 2 CNY menus available, choose between $388.80 (5-6pax) and $688.80 (10-12pax). A must try is the Chef’s Signature Herbal Chicken Soup. The cloudy broth has a velvety blend of herbs and spices, with a splash of aromatic Chinese wine. Other dishes in the menu include Double Bliss Shrooms with Fortune Noodles, Steamed “Soon Hock”, Pan Fried Prawns with Special Sauce etc.

Good Chance Popiah

Good Chance Popiah Eating House brings back the joy of wrapping Popiah yourself, which evokes nostalgia. Condiments include ribbons of omelette, beansprouts, lettuce, coriander, chopped peanuts, sweet soy sauce, and garlic-chilli paste. You can add prawns and crab meat as well. 

Founder Bak Kut Teh

Since 1978, Founder Bak Kut Teh has been consistently dishing out bowls of  delectable Teochew-style pork ribs soup. From a small Bak Kut Teh eatery in Choa Chu Kang in 1978, Founder Bak Kut Teh expanded into their first restaurant space in 1988. Now, Founder regularly ranks as one of Singapore’s top Bak Kut Teh restaurants, and is poised to expand to neighbouring countries.

Kampong Chicken Rice

Chicken rice is a local favourite but, have you heard of kampong chicken rice? The yellow skin kampong chickens are different as they have skinnier legs and leaner bodies. They are allowed to run free and are corn-fed, hence they have less fat. So, what makes kampong chicken better than our usual chicken rice? Well, the meat is definitely not as fatty. It is leaner, but very tender. It feels a lot healthier since there is less fat. What seals the deal is the chilli sauce, which is thick and spicy.

Mellben Signature

Singapore raves about MELLBEN’s heavenly crab dishes, hence this place needs no further introduction. Good news! They are opened during CNY as well! Located at Tanjong Pagar Plaza, Mellben Signature has got all the sensational seafood recipes that have diners clamouring for more. Renowned for their Claypot Crab Beehoon, the milky soup is so flavourful and the broth is infused with a rich crustacean sweetness. Other crab dishes include Chili Crab, Butter Crab, Golden Sand Crab etc.

Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ

Wang Dae Bak is one of the few Korean BBQ restaurants in Singapore that only uses charcoal and not gas. This would be a place that we’ll pick for gatherings as the atmosphere is very lively. Buffet is not available but they have BBQ sets. We tried BBQ Set B ($48) which consisted of marinated prime ribs, pork belly, spicy chicken and marinated shoulder. The beef is tender and marinated to perfection. 

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak at Adam Food Centre has been labelled as one of the best Nasi Lemak in Singapore. Food comes in sets, with prices ranging from $2.50 to $5.50, depending on the ingredients you order. We ordered their “Royal Rumble” ($5.50) which consisted of Potato Croquette, Fried Egg, Deep-fried fish, Ikan Bilis, Otah and Deep-fried chicken wing. Our verdict? We have to agree that the rice was fragrant and well-enriched by the coconut milk. Expect a queue at this stall, but it’s worth the wait!

Ah Dong Teh House

Ah Dong Teh House is a good place for people who prefer kopi and teh to flat whites and cappuccinos. Lunch specials are available on weekdays from 11am to 5pm and all main courses come with a free soup and a free drink. We had the Ah Dong Curry Chicken ($9.90) which you can pair with rice or bread. The curry wasn’t too spicy. It’s on the milkier side and boasts a strong coconut flavour. The chicken was well-cooked too. This was one of the more generous portions of curry chicken that we have had at such a good price.

Tanjong Beach Club

Situated on Singapore’s finest stretch of sand and graced with panoramic views of the sea, Tanjong Beach Club is a premier coastal retreat from the bustle of the city. Mains include Tanjong Beach Club’s no-frills take on the Lobster Bun ($38), The Market Fresh Fish of the Day ($35) and Orecchiette Chorizo ($33).

Diamond Kitchen

The Diamond Sauna Treasures ($188++ / $368++) which is filled with lobster, snow crabs, red prawns, scallops, mussels, squid and clams, is perfect for a CNY gathering.  Do note that this dish is only available at Diamond Kitchen Science Park Drive.

Mondo Mio

Looking for pizzas and pastas? Mondo Mio’s menu is curated to showcase the vibrant flavours of Southern Italy. The Pizza con Rucola Pesto ($22) is an inimitable standout, where a piquant spread of homemade rocket and roasted pine nut pesto sits beneath discs of salami, ricotta, melted mozzarella and fresh cherry tomatoes. Mondo Mio’s pizza dough is made in-house, using a straightforward traditional mix of only water, flour and natural yeast. 

Niqqi’s – The Cheese Prata Shop

As its name suggests, this Indian-Muslim supper spot is famous for its cheese prata. We ordered a Double Cheese ($4.50) prata and was impressed by the creamy richness of the melted cheese enveloped within the crispy prata skin. Each bite was gratifying, especially when you’re a cheese lover! Niqqi’s also serves up a plate of superb maggie goreng ($3) that’s not too spicy. 

G7 Sin Ma Claypot Live Bull Frog Porridge

It’s the perfect time to have frog porridge when the monsoon season hits. This is an unforgettable dish for both locals and tourists alike. The Frog Porridge here is priced very reasonably and what you get is a combination of hot and smooth porridge, and succulent frog meat that has soaked up the thick and sweet sauce really well.

Ju Shin Jung

For the price that we’re paying for the BBQ buffet, the quality and quantity have exceeded our expectations. The quality of meat and freshness of their prawns are commendable. Also, the BBQ buffet comes with a main dish for every diner. You can choose from fried saba fish, clear beef rib soup, spicy soft tofu soup, hot stone bowl rice, soya bean paste soup and cold noodle. 

Ming Tang Jiu Gong Ge Hotpot

Deviating from the normal round pot, the 9-grid Hot Pot is divided into 9 sectors. Using the same soup base, you can segregate the cooking of your favourite side dishes. The heat varies from sector to sector, with the centre being the hottest. You’ll find plenty of fresh hot pot ingredients, ranging from meats like kurobuta pork, frogs, mala chicken, to seafood like spicy baby lobster. Go for the seafood set which is priced at $118 (2-3pax), $148 (4-5pax) and $198 (6-7pax).

Diandin Leluk

A specialty of Diandin Leluk, the Tom Yam Soup ($12 small) packs a good punch. The sour-spicy broth is flavoured with lemongrass, lime juice, lime leaves and chilli. It contains seafood such as squids, prawns and fish. The menu here is quite extensive and they are open for 24 hours. The next time you’re craving a feast in the middle of the night, you know where to go.

Teng Bespoke Vegetarian Dining

Teng Bespoke made a lasting impression when their Three-kind Sashimi ($19) set was served. Featuring mock salmon, mock squid and mock tuna, we thought these make-believe replications of sashimi were very well executed. They have a fishcake-like texture and a smooth exterior. You can look forward to vegetarian sushi and other Japanese vegetarian dishes as well.

Kwan Inn Vegetarian Restaurant

Kwan Inn’s extensive menu includes Vegetarian Suckling Pig, Specialty Vegetarian Goose, and many more. The Si-Chuan Spicy Soup ($15 small) acts as a good appetiser, boasting a good consistency of well-balanced sourness and spiciness. This is perfect, especially on cold nights, and it really whets your appetite. The Spicy Stir-Fried Vegetarian Diced Chicken ($16 small) consists of mock chicken, peanuts, vegetables and chilli peppers. The succulent meat, which was very addictive, goes very well with rice and the level of spiciness was manageable.

Pepper Jade Thai Vegetarian Cuisine

There is an extensive offering of Thai vegetarian dishes here, from appetisers to desserts. We shared a plate of Deep Fried Chicken wrapped in Pandan ($12 for 6 pieces). If no one mentioned that this is a vegetarian dish, we would’ve thought that the “chicken” was authentic. The tender texture is similar to the actual pandan chicken and even the taste was alike. The Tom Yum Soup in Claypot ($14) explodes with flavours as soon as it reaches our tastebuds. 

Whole Earth

This Peranakan vegetarian restaurant has been awarded the Bib Gourmand Award in the Michelin Guide Singapore 2016. Although their menu is huge, there’s only one page dedicated to true-blue Peranakan cuisine such as Nonya Curry, Nutty Buah Keluak and Assam Pedas Vegetables. Huge crowds can go for the 5-spice Ngor Hiang Roll ($13.90) which is Whole Earth’s rendition of the Peranakan roll, served with traditional sweet sauce. It actually tasted like the real ngor hiang roll. It’s best to dine here in a big group so you can try more delicious dishes.

Gokul Vegetarian

This restaurant offers a huge variety of vegetarian Indian food so, if you want to try many items, you either have to dine here with a big group or head back many times. The Masala Dosa ($5) was stuffed with lightly cooked potatoes and green peas, and is served with two chutneys and sambar. The potatoes were slightly mashed, resulting in a creamy texture which goes very well with the dosa. Scoop the potato-filled dosa and dip it into the chutneys or sambar and you’ll get to taste different flavours and textures.

Loving Hut (Vegan)

Loving Hut is a vegan restaurant chain serving gourmet cuisine made with wholesome vegan ingredients. Enjoy sides such as Royal Satay, 5-Spice Roll, Bali Bliss Soba Salad or California Mango & Orange Salad. For mains, go for the Banana Leaf Nasi Campur which features a scrumptious Indo-style mixed rice dish topped with fruit achar, spicy eggplant, seasonal green veggie, scrambled tofu and nyonya rendang. Other mains include Aglio Olio, Tandoori Flame Burger, Almond Crumb Fillet, Nyonya Laksa, Nasi Campur, Tomyam Ocean Hotpot Set, Char Kway Teow Set and Lor Ark Noodle. Don’t forget to end your meal with their signature authentic teochew oh-nee (because the owner’s father used to run Mong Hing Teochew Restaurant).

If your Chinese New Year is already packed with visitations back-to-back, you can always bookmark our list down for future reference! These eateries and restaurants will continue providing you with quality food and high levels of service. Satisfaction guaranteed! Well, days are getting busier but there’s always time for us to wish you a very HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR once again! HUAT AHH!!!

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 eateries listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 31 Eateries that are open during Chinese New Year 2017 appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I travel around the island frequently in search of good hawker food but it is my first time at Kukoh 21 Food Centre. In fact, I didn’t know about its existence till today. We were there to try a new stall but were more intrigued by Jalan Kukoh Teochew Kueh because of the long queue.

Mdm Loh and her brother run the stall together. Their grandmother sold kueh in a market in Johor Bahru before the family moved to Singapore. Ever since then, their mother carried on the business in a pushcart in Jalan Kukoh and the siblings started helping out at a young age.

Individually hand-made, each kueh is the result of a long and tedious process. It is advisable for you to call and order beforehand to avoid disappointment. We were lucky on our day of visit because they still have a few flavours left.

The steamed chives dumpling ($1) is juicy and savoury with finely-cut chives and dried shrimps. The milky white skin is so soft and resilient. The soon kueh ($1) is another hot favourite. Moist and flavourful, the kueh is filled with ingredients to bursting point .

I like the round yam kueh most ($1) as the filling is most fragrant. There is a lovely aroma of shallot oil in the filling. The shredded yam is soft, tasty and brimming with sweetness. It’s best paired with their chilli sauce and black sweet sauce.

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 Jalan Kukoh Teochew Kueh. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Bak Kut Teh is a pork rib dish cooked in broth, commonly found in Singapore and Malaysia. Bak kut teh comes in either a peppery broth or a herbal-based broth. This heavenly bowl is very comforting, especially during the rainy season. We bring you a list of 19 eateries serving piping hot bak kut teh. Let us know which type of broth you prefer!

Ah Hak Bak Kut Teh

Ah Hak Bak Kut Teh in Kai Juan Coffeeshop (or some called it Kai Juan BKT) captured our attention with their old-school interior. The rusty gates, granite floor, patterned bowls and wooden tables, made us feel like we are living in the 70s. A bowl of bak kut teh for 1 person, together with a bowl of rice and preserved vegetables, cost $7.50 in total. The bak kut teh has a clear broth and is moderately peppery. The pork ribs are not very tender, but the older generation prolly loves it.

Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh

Even though Eng Kee sells bak kut teh, the star of our lunch is actually the huge plate of pig’s trotters ($5) which were tender and very well-braised with dark soy sauce. Just give us a bowl of white rice to pair with the pig’s trotters, and we’ll be very happy. As for the bak kut teh ($6), there was nothing much to shout about. The soup was slightly peppery and sweet, but the meat was tough. We had to kinda rip the meat off the bone.

Founder Bak Kut Teh

Since 1978, Founder Bak Kut Teh has been consistently dishing out bowls of delectable Teochew-style pork rib soup to legions of fans. You may ask, what is their formula for success? Well, we think it’s the soup that is made using the freshest pork and a blend of pepper and spices from a recipe created by owner Mr Chua. Using only superior cuts of meaty long ribs or premium short ribs in a clear soup, the peppery bak kut teh isn’t too intense but still gives a decently spicy kick that will jolt us awake.

Hong Ji Claypot Bak Kut Teh

Herbal-based broth in a claypot? That’s special. Usually, it’s the peppery version that comes in claypots. The herbal and flavoursome soup is cooked with more than 10 herbs such as dang gui and dang shen. The owner learnt the recipe from a Malaysian hawker and improved the formula to its current adaptation. The herbs are cooked for 6 hours in the broth and the tender pork ribs are also cut into smaller and more manageable pieces.

Hwa Ji Bak Kut Teh

It all started in Jurong Point’s food court where owner Mr Ong was selling mixed organ soup. A bak kut teh stall at Boon Tat street was his next project. After 3 years, he moved to a coffeeshop in Cecil Street. It’s not easy to locate the stall but it’s worth the effort. Like all other BKT stalls, their pork ribs are cooked with garlic and peppercorns. The result is an unassumingly clear bowl of peppery and garlicky soup that armed with a subtle sweetness that stems from the incorporation of fresh pork ribs.

Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh

The Spare Ribs Soup ($7.50) arrived piping hot, with an intense peppery aroma. The broth is steeped with flavours, and the lean meat is tender and can be easily detached from the bones. Dunking the you tiao ($1) into the peppery broth makes these fried dough sticks even more addictive.

Kam Hiang Food Stall

Don’t be deceived by the name of the stall, Kam Hiang doesn’t sell chap chye peng! Instead, expect decent bowls of bak kut teh and pig’s trotters. The broth is made with a formidable assortment of ingredients and each order is individually prepared in a claypot. For us, a piping hot bowl of peppery broth with mee sua is most heartwarming.

Klang (Jln Meru Lim Kee) Bak Kut Teh

Lim Kee serves their bak kut teh in a claypot, as is commonly done in Malaysia. Inside, there are pork ribs, bean curd skin and tau pok. The pork ribs were very tender. The soup was mildly-infused with flavours from the herbs and balanced with a light sweetness. This definitely calls for a copious amount of steamed white rice to go along with!

Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh

Like the ones in Malaysia, this has a herbal aroma and there was a generous portion of pork ribs in the claypot. The meat was so soft that you can pry it off the bones just by using your chopsticks. However, the broth suffered from a lack of oomph. Despite appearing dark and promising, we felt that it was too thin and light. You can choose to have bak kut teh with pork ribs ($6) or bak kut teh with pork ribs and intestines ($6).

Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House

Mr Ng Ah Sio’s father started selling this Teochew-style peppery herbal soup in the 1950s, in the present-day River Valley and Hill Street vicinity. The Bak Kut Teh was accompanied by Chinese donuts (You tiao) and a strong brew of Chinese tea. Mr Ng Ah Sio took over the business in 1977, after his father’s retirement and began serving crowds at New World Amusement Park (current Kitchener Road) with 7 staff. In my opinion, this is one of the most peppery bak kut teh soup in Singapore. However, we just can’t stop at one sip. The good combination of pepper, garlic and fresh pork ribs makes the soup really fragrant and tasty.

Old Street Bak Kut Teh

Besides traditional soupy bak kut teh, Old Street created a dry bak kut teh. The Pork Ribs Soup ($6.80 small) has a nice aroma, enhanced by huge amounts of garlic. It isn’t as peppery as the likes of Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh or Founder Bak Kut Teh, but the subtle herbal flavour is pleasant. The Dry Bak Kut Teh ($8 small) could use a more generous serving of the gravy as it dries up very quickly. The gravy is spiced up by chilli padi and goes very well with a bowl of plain rice. Unfortunately, the meat of the pork ribs is too tough.

Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh

The flavoursome pork ribs served are tender and pair beautifully with the velvety peppery broth. It totally floored us, giving a satisfying punch right from the first sip. Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh also offers vermicelli with their broth, and a variety of other dishes such as pig’s trotters.

Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh

Rong Cheng has been faithfully serving Singaporeans traditional Teochew Bak Kut Teh since 1976. The first outlet at 22 Sin Ming Road is started by Uncle Lim, while the one at Midview City is managed by his son, Lionel. The bak kut teh soup is prepared daily by cooking fresh pork ribs in water with just garlic and pepper. The clear soup is medium-bodied and peppery, and you can taste the sweetness of the meat in the soup. Do you know that they are the first to introduce loin ribs (dragon ribs), also known as 龙骨?

Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh

This is a typical bowl of clear peppery pork ribs soup ($7). The garlic and pepper provide just enough kick without overpowering the sweet and tasty broth. The broth is best drunk steaming hot. Remember to pair some gongfu tea ($4.50) with the bak kut teh. If the gong fu tea is too strong, you can go for the floral tea ($7) which is more delicate.

Rong Shu Xia Bak Kut Teh

Rong Shu Xia Rou Gu Cha serves cantonese-style bak kut teh, which is also known as Malaysian Bak Kut Teh. Unlike our peppery version, spices and herbs are added into their broth. The Pork Ribs Soup ($5.90) reminded us of Restoran Shoon Huat BKT in Taman Sentosa. The soup is a lot lighter on herbal notes as compared to Klang-style bak kut teh. So if you are looking for a kick in the soup, this would be a little mild. The good thing is, the light soup does not snatch the limelight from the sweetness of the pork ribs. It’s quite tender and falls off the bone easily.

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh

Owner Yeo Eng Song used to serve these mouthwatering bowls of bak kut teh at tables set up beside his pushcart stall in 1969. Fast forward to today, Song Fa bak kut teh has become a household name in Singapore. Each bowl boasts a good balance of garlicky and peppery flavours, with a hint of porcine sweetness from the ribs. The lean meat on the ribs are tender and juicy. We will always slurp up even the last drop of broth, shiok!

Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh

While the usual bak kut teh is served with a few pieces of pork ribs and soup, Soon Huat’s Bak Kut Teh ($5.90 for 1 pax, $11.90 for 2-3 pax, $22.90 for 4-5 pax) comes with pig innards. Kinda similar to the Malaysian version of Klang bak kut teh, Soon Huat’s version is milder to cater to local palates. Don’t get us wrong, the broth is milder but still full-bodied with a slight sweetness. The pork used has also been switched to Argentinian pork which is firm but soft at the same time. 

Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup

Owned by the children of the folks behind Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh, Tuan Yuan hopes that customers will have a special dining experience that cultivates togetherness as they savour authentic Teochew Bak Kut Teh. Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup ($7) is not as peppery and salty as Ya Hua’s and we couldn’t stop refilling the broth. 

Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh

Together with her sister, Gwee Guek Hua, founder Madam Gwee Peck Hua has worked tirelessly to perfect the recipe for the finest bowl of Teochew-style Bak Kut Teh, since 1973. In 2006, due to overwhelming demand, Madam Gwee and her sister opened another branch at Keppel Road. This is where we frequent, especially for supper on cold nights. The peppery soup, with tender pork ribs, hits all the right spots.

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Doesn’t sipping a cup of freshly-brewed Chinese tea sound good on a weekend morning? So does dipping you tiao in the bak kut teh broth! If you’re already salivating, it’s time to tick off the places from the list of bak kut teh options we’ve just listed. Enjoy!

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 19 Soul-Warming and Unforgettable Bak Kut Teh in Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Braised duck and roast duck are common sights in Singapore. But have you tried salted duck? Opened about 8 months ago, Benson Salted Duck Rice serves salted duck and smoked duck in Toa Payoh. Used to work as a chef in various restaurants, Benson went through many rounds of trial and error before coming up with his unique method to cook the salted duck.

To cook salted duck, chefs typically rub salt and pepper into the duck’s body and cook the meat in a pot before drying it. For Benson, he first poaches the duck in a pot of water filled with pandan, lemongrass, garlic and ginger. Then he submerge the duck into salt water to marinate for 1.5 hours before rubbing the skin with salt and spices at the end.

You will realize Benson’s method is very similar to how we poach chicken. By gently cooking the duck in a flavourful broth before soaking them in salt water will allow the meat to retain its moisture. Hence the tender white duck meat is tender and healthy! It has some fat but is not greasy.

To be honest, I didn’t like smoked duck all along so it does not attract me at all. Plus, Benson got the smoked duck from supplier (he makes his own sauce though). So I recommend you to go for the salted duck. They also serve pig’s organ soup with fish maw ($5). It’s rare to see such combination and Benson exclaims that chefs from restaurant will probably be unhappy with him if they knew he is selling at such a cheap price. The lavish soup has a pleasant and mild fish maw taste.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid for its own meal at the store 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 store listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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I really appreciate the opportunity to be able to travel. A trip to Tasmania is what I have been looking forward to and Tasmanian Seafood Seduction has been one of the most amazing gastronomical experience in my life, thus far.

Their day-long journey brings us past some of Tasmania’s most spectacular coastal scenery and gives us an opportunity to taste the best of the state’s produce.

Our journey commenced in the heart of Hobart’s Constitution Dock. At 9am, the boat pulled away from the berth with about 12 hungry mariners aboard.

Our guide for the day is Kate and she is very experienced and friendly. We cruised down the Derwent River into the calm channel waters that surround Bruny Island. Our first stop is the Tassal Salmon Farm, where about 40,000 jostle for space in one of the nation’s most sustainable farms.

Then, the feasting begins. Everyone aboard were gorging themselves on freshly shucked oysters, and washing them down with glasses of Jansz sparkling wine. The oysters are from Get Shucked Oyster Farm, a locally-owned farm operated by young entrepreneur Joe Bennett, at Great Bay Bruny Island.

They cultivate the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, which is native to the Pacific coast of Asia. I don’t usually eat live oysters whenever I am back home but at Tasmanian Seafood Seduction, I relished every bite. Every oyster was so full-bodied and sweet that I just couldn’t stop at one.

The Pennicott Wilderness Journey’s guides know these waters intimately and their local knowledge is second to none. During the tour, we gained an entertaining insight into the surrounding wilderness and their animal inhabitants, while soaking up unparalleled views of picturesque landscapes and beautiful deserted beaches.

Lobster sashimi seems easy to prepare but it is the most challenging, in my opinion, because the lobster must be served immediately to prevent the muscles from tensing up. We had two huge live lobsters and they had a fatal meeting with the kitchen knife. I never thought that raw lobster flesh could taste this sweet and delicious!

Besides enjoying oysters shucked on the spot, and rock lobsters, we also had the chance to try abalone and sea urchin as one of our guides dived into the clear blue waters for them. Watching the guides dive into the waters to fetch the freshest seafood was already such a treat, but the smell and taste of the cooked seafood was even better.

FYI, all abalone-fishing activity has to be recorded and each one has to be measured. Kate, who used to be a chef, stir-fried cubed abalone with chilli and garlic for us. There’s nowhere else in the world that you can find a journey quite like this. And, you can’t get Tasmanian seafood any fresher.

The Tasmanian Seafood Seduction is indeed a feast fit for a king, and certainly one that you must not miss. I cruised back to Hobart, feeling refreshed and a little seduced. Its price tag is certainly eye-raising, but it’s a once-in-your lifetime experience that is well worth the cost.

SIGN UP FOR TASMANIA GOURMET DISCOVERY

Tasmania has become world-famous for its fresh produce, pristine growing conditions and artisan food industry. Join the 5 Nights Tasmania Gourmet Discovery tour and tempt your taste buds at Coal River Farm, Tasmania’s hub of handmade cheese, chocolate, farmgrown berries and fruit. See Tasmania’s finest gourmet cheese and chocolate being made onsite, pick some of the world’s tastiest strawberries and other orchard fruits, enjoy oysters shucked straight from the water, have a taste of fresh rock lobster AND see your guide dive for abalone and sea urchin. Be delighted as your catch is turned into a delicious seafood feast accompanied by gourmet local produce and Tasmanian wines, boutique beers, ciders and juices.

BEST PRICE GUARANTEED! For the detailed itinerary and price, visit jetabout.com.sg/Tasmania-Food-Discovery

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Another new steam pot restaurant in Singapore! Located at Dorsett Residences, Sea Tripod Seafood Paradise imports the freshest seafood it can find and steams it right at your table using state-of-the-art steaming equipment.

This steam pot concept is not new in Singapore. We already have Steam Box in Serangoon Gardens and Rong Fu Ji Seafood Steam Pot at The Grandstand. But what’s so special about this? FRESH SEAFOOD. How fresh can it get? Well… the lobsters and abalone are still moving when they get to your table.

We had Seafood Set B ($158 for 2 pax, $288 for 4 pax, $398 for 6 pax, $528 for 8 pax) which consists of chicken porridge, local lobster, Australian jade abalone, sea cucumber, conch, oyster, sea bass, roe crabs, scallops, vegetables, mushrooms, chicken thigh slices and Kurobuta pork belly slices. The selection is extensive and all the ingredients are brought to the table raw.

Firstly, the rice grains and chicken porridge were poured into the pot before the lid is placed over it. The waiter will place the ingredients on the lid, before they are covered with a glass cover. Typically, the ingredients are steamed between 2-6 minutes.

As the ingredients are being cooked, the juices from the array of steamed food aren’t wasted. They drip into a pot below where congee has been slowly simmering. The end result is a flavourful congee (provided you still have enough room to finish it).

As the waiter steamed the lobsters, we squealed as the lobsters were still alive and wiggling. I am sorry, lobsters. The prawns are not too bad, they were fresh as well and you can pair them with your own DIY dip.

Kurobuta pork belly slices and chicken thigh were steamed next. The ingredients are steamed without marinade because they are best cooked this way to retain their flavours. Here, the ingredients are cooked dish by dish at the table, so some patience is needed.

After all the seafood, vegetable and meat are being cooked, turn off the heat and lift the lid to unveil a pot of congee. You can add egg or seasonings into the congee. The congee is rich with the flavours of all the cooked ingredients and this is truly, the best part of the meal.

The decor is laid-back and casual, with wooden tables and benches spread through the restaurant, and there are glass tanks that hold live seafood too. During our visit, the restaurant seems short-handed so service is pretty slow. The price may be a little steep but I don’t mind paying for the fresh seafood.

Note: This was an invited tasting.

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 store listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Sea Tripod – Seafood Steam Pot with Live lobster and Abalone! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Tip Top Curry Puff is one of my favourite childhood memories. Founded in 1979, their old school curry puffs was popular with the then Ang Mo Kio residents. If you lived in Ang Mo Kio about a decade ago, you will remember this scenario – four aunties seated beside the stall wrapping the curry fillings into the buttery skin on the spot. Every weekend, I will stand at the side of the table and watch them work.

When our hygiene regulations tightened, these aunties moved into an air-conditioned room beside the stall to continue their curry puff wrapping. Sadly, I didn’t have the pleasure of watching the process of the handmade curry puffs anymore. And there is no more lingering aroma of the curry potato at the shop. Even so, I would still buy a curry puff almost every weekend and pair it with soya bean milk.

Eventually, the owner and major shareholder decided to enter a joint-venture with ABR Holdings Limited and revamped and renamed Tip Top The Puff Factory. From a heartland curry puff brand, they have expanded to various shopping malls.

One of the minority shareholder started AMK Curry Puff in 2013 at Toa Payoh Central. I knew it when some foodies blogged about it but I have never visited the stall until recently. I was surprised to see one of the four curry puff making aunties there! I remembered her clearly because she would always talk to me whenever I am there since a kid.

Everything here is prepared by hand. They still use a rolling pin to roll the buttery skin before cutting it into round shape. Then, the skin is stacked into piles and placed on the table with pots of diced curry potato, hardboiled eggs and diced chicken, waiting to be wrapped by the aunty just like those good old days.

It was such a familiar sight to see her wrap the curry puffs again. The owner of AMK Curry Puff is her uncle and he is getting old so he only comes in for a few hours a day. Aunty would be there every day to make the curry puffs.

The curry filling has a good mix of chicken, potato, spices and egg. They taste just like how I remembered them to be; like the original Tip Top curry puff. The skin is moderately thin to hold the filling. Fried till crispy, it’s not greasy at all and I particularly love the tip of the curry puff where you get that buttery crunch just from the skin alone. The ready puffs are fried in batches to ensure freshness.

I was really tearing with joy when I see the aunty because she once played an important role in the original Tip Top (and my childhood). Munching on these curry puffs just just like the good old days!

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 store listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Laksa is one of our national dishes and you can find it easily everywhere. The Original Katong Laksa was started by Mr Ng Juat Swee, who was better known as Encik Jaggut. Jangguat means beard in Malay because he had hair growing out of the mole below his chin. He was a Chinese immigrant from Fujian province and came to Singapore during his teenage years, in search of a better life. Like many of his predecessors, he married a Peranakan lady and was the first to set up a laksa stall.

In the 1940s, Mr Ng was always seen with a pole over his shoulders carrying metal baskets full of laksa around the Marine Parade beach area. His laksa noodles were cut short and could be eaten with a spoon. This eventually became a trademark for Katong laksa.

In the 1950s, he sold laksa on a tricycle with his younger brother in front of the bungalows along Marine Parade beach. The first physical stall was set up at 49 East Coast Road. Named Marine Parade Laksa, it was very popular and, till the early 1990s, was the only one selling the noodles in the area. Due to a huge increase in rent, they relocated and settled in Roxy Square in 2000 and opened another branch in Queensway Shopping Centre in 2005. A few months ago, they opened a new outlet in Upper Paya Lebar Road and this outlet is run by May Tong, the daughter of Mdm Tan.

This new laksa eatery has air-conditioning, so you can enjoy the laksa comfortably. And the special dish that is only available here? CRAYFISH LAKSA! That’s right, you can’t get this at the other two outlets.

The essence of a good bowl of laksa is the rempah that makes the broth. The spicy coconut milk soup base here is creamier with bits of dried shrimp that packs a lot of flavour.

Short strands of thick bee hoon and beansprouts are blanched with the laksa broth for a few times before they are topped with prawns, fishcakes, prawns, cockles, and laksa leaves. It’s extremely delicious and pleasantly aromatic. A regular bowl of laksa starts from $5 while the crayfish laksa is selling at $9.50 a bowl.

If you don’t wish to have laksa on that day, it’s not an issue as they also serve other mains such as curry chicken and fried chicken. The curry chicken looks ordinary but the flavours brought back some childhood memories of a neighbourhood cafe that I used to visit after school. The gravy is thick and rich, and moderately spicy.

The fried chicken turns out to be da bomb as each slice of meat is so crispy and juicy. We were already full but we just couldn’t resist popping the chicken slices into our mouths. If only they had a tangy chilli sauce, that would be perfect.

The post The Original Katong Laksa – New Outlet in Paya Lebar Sells Crayfish Laksa appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Gyudon is basically a beef bowl, consisting of thinly sliced beef, cooked in a slightly sweet mixture of mirin and soy sauce, and served over rice. Sometimes, sake is also added for extra flavour. Nowadays, there are different variations of Gyudon – while some places serve it piping hot with an egg yolk on top, others replace thinly sliced beef with wagyu steaks. Can’t decide which version you like best? Here are 15 places to satisfy your cravings.

1. Stray by Fatcat

With just 3 mains on the menu, the Black Pepper Wagyu Bowl ($22, $20 for lunch special) moooo-ed out to us. Cooked to a commendable tenderness, the beef was juicy and flavourful. We certainly looked forward to our favourite activity, which is bursting that sunshine of a yolk onto the fluffy rice ooooohhhh. The harmony of all the flavours, topped with gentle touches of Gari (ginger) espuma, shaped the dish into our favourite of the afternoon.

2. Ho-Jiak

Ho-Jiak, which means delicious in Hokkien, is a hipster cafe serving Japanese rice bowls. The menu is super simple – pick your proteins and you’re done! Beef Shabu ($10.90) consists of very lean meat, yet it is still satisfactorily tender. However, they are lacking in some seasoning, in our opinion. We could stir the curry in, but it isn’t sufficient to fully coat the rice. 

3. Tanuki Raw

Tanuki Raw is a great spot for gatherings with friends after work. You can choose to sit indoors or enjoy the night breeze in the alfresco area. You can even sit at the bar and observe the skillful bartenders create interesting cocktails while devouring the Foie Gras Truffle Yakiniku Donburi ($23) which hits all the right spots! It’s kind of impossible to stop at one bowl.

4. The Burning Oak

The Burning Oak is a Japanese yakitori stall at Bedok Marketplace. Unlike the typical food we see at hawker centres, The Burning Oak offers premium yet affordable donburi(s) such as Wagyu Beef Rump Cap Don ($13) and the succulent Wagyu Rump & Iberico Pork Combo Bento ($15). The well-marinated beef is sous vide for 72 hours, resulting in its tenderness.

5. Sandaime Bunji

Stepping into Sandaime Bunji makes you feel as though you’ve been transported to an authentic eatery in Japan. Whatt brought us here was their Wagyu Round Roast Beef Set ($19.90), a towering bowl with 250grams of beef slices stacked on top of rice. The beef is executed to perfection, but it might be too raw for some though. The set comes with salad, tofu and Ox Tail soup.

6. Platypus Kitchen

This casual restaurant serves up contemporary cuisine in a fun, lively and convivial environment. The Ribeye & Truffle Gourmet Rice Bowl ($26.90) is a great option not to be missed. The char-grilled marbled ribeye with shaved truffles is delicious. It is served with a perfect onsen egg on a bed of Japonica rice, and drizzled with honey truffle soy sauce. 

7. GastroSmiths

The Hokubee Ribeye Don ($28.50) features Japanese rice seasoned with doses of furikake and sweet vinegar, topped with grilled Hokubee beef. The Hokubee beef is being injected with soluble oil to yield a more desired marbling and is often refered as “poor man’s Wagyu”. It is beefy enough, but it is the tenderness of the beef that is really enjoyable. It’s great if you wish to have an affordable plate of beef bowl without burning a hole in your pocket. For an additional $2, you get a runny 63 degrees celcius egg.

9. Kushiya Japanese Grilled House

Upon placing your order, the meat is grilled on the spot behind the counter. We had the Premium Steak Don ($10.80) and Kimchi Sliced Beef Don ($6.80). Both dishes come with a drink and miso soup. The former consists of half an egg, kimichi and beef steak. While the beef steak is a bit tough and may not be of the best quality, it is well marinated and flavourful. The latter, on the other hand, uses thinly sliced beef, which turns out to be more tender and enjoyable.

9. Kinsa Sushi

Kinsa Sushi moved from Ang Mo Kio to HillV2, bringing more excitement to those staying in the West. The price is reasonable for the quality of food. The highlight has to be the A4 Kagoshima Wagyu Don ($24.80) which comes with an onsen egg. The wagyu beef with its beautiful marbling, will melt in your mouth. 

10. IZY Dining and Bar

IZY is helmed by Chef Kazumasa Yazawa, who had stints in the kitchens of Waku Ghin and Tetsuya. The Wagyu Bowl ($38) features a generous amount of truffle shavings heaped atop succulent slices of wagyu beef. The wagyu beef is cooked using a Josper grill. Don’t forget to burst the onsen egg nestled within the warm rice!

11. Black Cow

Black Cow uses the freshest produce, straight from Japan’s finest farms. Nothing less than A3 marbled beef stars in their dishes, and their passionate team of chefs meticulously prepares every dish from scratch in their kitchen daily. The Signature Truffle Wagyu Don ($45) comes with fragrant slices of truffle and a runny egg. Just split the egg open and give the dish a good mix. We promise that every mouthful will be filled with a burst of savoury flavours!

12. Tamashii Robataya

The Saga Beef Donburi (lunch set – $48++, top up $20++ for shaved truffles; ala carte dinner – $65++ with shaved truffles) is fantastic. Pink and tender Saga A4 beef striploin sits on a bed of marinated short-grain rice, and is topped with a runny onsen egg and drizzled with truffle oil. Break the yolk and mix it into the rice. It’s a pricey bowl but definitely worth the splurge.

13. Fat Cow

Fat Cow takes a contemporary approach to the Japanese “Wabi-Sabi” design concept, which is the art of finding beauty in things modest, simple and humble. Just like its interior, the beef adopts a basic and minimalistic Japanese cooking technique that brings out the best of the meat’s natural flavours. Only available during lunch, the Fat Foa-gura Don ($43) contains juicy medium rare wagyu beef and fatty foie gras. We love the flowy onsen egg as well!

14. WTF Coffee House & Bar

WTF stands for “We Talk Food” so let’s talk Gyu Don ($13.90). Grilled beef (medium or well done) and onsen tamago sit atop Japanese rice. The beef is grilled well, such that it still retains its juiciness and tenderness. The marinade for the beef is also palatable. Our favourite part is the runny egg that oozes out so seductively, shiok! However, even after a good toss, the rice was still bland and too mushy, and we had to request for some sauce in order to make the dish more flavoursome.

15. The Refinery

Gyuniku Donburi ($14) features tare marinated skirt steak with truffle hon shimeiji mushrooms and a lovely onsen egg over rice. This is perhaps one of the cheapest gyudon you can find in Singapore, but the price doesn’t necessarily mean that the quality is compromised. Though the truffle flavour is subtle, the tare marinated skirt steak made up for the savouriness of the dish. Moreover, the glorious runny egg gave this dish an “oomph” factor!

MOOOOOOO! Hope you’ll find this Gyudon guide useful the next time you’re craving some Japanese rice bowls.

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 15 Places for Gyudon in Singapore (and that glorious runny egg!) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Mr Yap Eng Lam, also known affectionately as Ah Lam, began honing his craft as an apprentice at his uncle’s minced meat noodles stall. In 1975, he opened his first stall in a coffee shop in Race Course. Over the years, Ah Lam maintained the quality of his food, while innovating new flavours to suit tastebuds which have changed with time. He is the first person to introduce abalone dishes into coffee shops, and the abalone noodles is now the best-selling dish. The other crowd-pleaser is Ah Lam’s signature salt-baked chicken. So, here’s our verdict.

Ah Lam’s Signature Abalone Noodles ($7) isn’t your typical bowl of bak chor mee. There is no liver slices in it and no vinegar is added. Instead, you get noodles topped generously with two bite-sized abalones, a scallop, a fried fishball, minced meat, bits of pork lard and the best of all – half of a Ajitsuke Tamago (Japanese flavoured egg). The noodles are QQ and cooked just right. Each mouthful whets our appetite for more.

The other enticing dish is the Salt-baked Chicken Thigh ($5.80). The moist chicken thigh is freshly marinated with Australian coarse sea salt and herbs. It’s marinated overnight so that the flavours will be locked in. It is then baked till a beautiful golden brown. What you get is fork-tender meat that’s very palatable. Moreover, the Thai-style chilli brought the dish to another level. It’s made with coriander, fish sauce, sugar, chilli padi and other secret ingredients. This alone deserves another visit!

Although their abalone noodles might not win the hearts of bak chor mee purists, it has tickled our tastebuds. Perhaps, there are others who share the same preference as us. We were also very tempted to take away one whole salt-baked chicken to indulge in. The pricing at Lam’s Kitchen might be higher, as compared to your usual coffee shop pricing, but the quality well justifies it. SHIOK!

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 Lam’s Kitchen. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Lam’s Kitchen – Amazing Abalone Noodles at a Coffee Shop appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.