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42 - Economical Fried Bee Hoon That Truly Lives Up To Its Name @ ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre

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Fried bee hoon, also known as economical bee hoon, is a popular breakfast option for many that gives you the flexibility to add different ingredients to your meal. Unfortunately, due to rising costs, the word 'economical' may have lost its meaning along the way.

Simply add one or two ala carte items to your bee hoon and watch the cost of your breakfast soar past the $3 mark.

The term 'economical bee hoon' is loosely used to describe such fried bee hoon which is ironically getting increasingly uneconomical these days.

However, I have discovered a stall at ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre that truly lives up to the economical bee hoon name!

This stall have no name except for the number 42 in a very large font on its signboard, in reference to its unit number (#01-42) alongside with the menu of what they sell such as nasi lemak,fried bee hoon, peanut porridge and chee cheong fun.

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How much do you think is this plate of fried bee hoon with a fried egg and ngor hiang that I ordered? Oh, might as well order a bowl of peanut porridge too while we are at it. 

Some of the answers I got range from $3.50 to $5.50.

But what if I told you that everything you see in the photo costs only $2.10? (peanut porridge $1, everything else for $1.10)

I am not kidding. I thought I have heard wrongly when the auntie told me the price. This very same combo (bee hoon+egg+ngor hiang) at my place costs $3.50. Just bee hoon kosong alone is already $1.20. 

The portion is decent as well. I witnessed how the auntie scooped the fried bee hoon into a bowl before transferring the measured amount onto the brown wax paper so everyone is getting the same portion.

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And you know what? Because this stall also sell chee cheong fun, they have a tub of sweet sauce at the front for you to help yourself to. This reminded me so much of the fried bee hoon that Mum used to buy when I was still a child.

All these years, I have been trying to look for fried bee hoon stalls that serve sweet sauce to no avail until I stumbled upon this stall!

Nowadays, they only have pickled green chili and sambal chili but never sweet sauce. Or at least I did not come across any that does hence I am really happy to have found this one.

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If you were expecting to receive a bowl of watered-down peanut porridge just because it costs only a dollar, you are wrong. In fact, they did not scrimp or cut corners. The rice grains were cooked to a velvety smooth consistency with quite a fair bit of peanuts at the bottom of the bowl.

The porridge is adequately flavored without having to add any more seasonings.

I believe it is due to the ageing population in the area that the stall is trying to sell food at a affordable price to the residents nearby. 

It is through little acts of kindness like this of watching out for one another that fills my heart with so much love in this uncertain times.

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42 Nasi Lemak Fried Bee Hoon Peanut Porridge Chee Cheong Fun
ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre
6 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-42
Singapore 150006

Business Hours
Mon - Sat: 5.30am - 2.30pm
Closed: Sun/Public Holidays



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Chun Seng Noodle House - Braised Pork Made With A 100 Years Old Recipe @ ABC Market & Food Centre

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Chun Seng Noodle House is a relatively new hawker stall at ABC Market & Food Centre.

Opened in late 2019, it is run by a pair of young hawkerpreneurs who signed up for the hawker incubation stall program. Under the scheme, aspiring hawkers pay subsidized rental fees for a total of 15 months and the stall came pre-fitted with basic equipment to lower the upfront capital investment.

Since they are a noodle house, they sell a variety of noodles such as minced pork noodle ($3.50/$4.50), chicken feet noodle ($3/$4.50), braised pork noodle ($4/$5/$6), meat ball soup ($3/$4/$5) and fish ball soup ($3/$4/$5). 

The highlight of this stall is their one hundred years old braised pork (lor bak) recipe that has been passed down and perfected over three generations.

Needless to say, I skipped the others and head straight for their braised pork noodle.

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Even though I ordered the smallest bowl, for $4, there is a good mound of noodle topped with a generous portion of braised pork and chye sim.

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So, how did the braised pork which is cooked with a 100 years old recipe fare?

The well-marinated meat was deliciously tender with a firm bite while the alternating layers of fats assures that the pork remain juicy instead of dry.

The dark soy which the pork belly was steeped in is delectable and addictive. I wished they had drizzled some of that yummy sauce over the meat.


Maybe it is just me but I find the mee kia very different from those used for wanton mee. The texture is firm and slightly thicker but still possess a chewy bite that I like.

As for the tossing sauce, it tastes sweet-ish and felt a little sticky on the lips. I wonder if they had added in the braising sauce because it is brilliant! If this is braised pork noodle, then no point if it tastes just like minced meat noodle with the prominent acidic profile of vinegar.

I do taste some vinegar in the sauce but on the whole, the flavors are well balanced and complemented each other nicely without any trying to outshine the others. Do feel free to ask for more chili or vinegar if you prefer heavier flavors but this is good enough for me.

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CHUN SENG NOODLE HOUSE
ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre
6 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-42
Singapore 150006

Business Hours
Sat - Thu: 5.30am - 2pm
Closed: Fri



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Sin Heng Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice @ ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre

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There are not many reviews about Sin Heng Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice at ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre but the very few that I could find had nothing but positive things to say about them. I decided to seek out this stall to give them a try.

They offer a range of roasted meats such as char siew, roasted pork, roasted duck, roasted chicken and even Hainanese poached chicken. Tau kwa, braised egg and sausage are also available.

I like how the pricing of every possible combination of meats is spelled out clearly without having to worry about exceeding our budget for the meal.

Eager to try as many of their meats as possible, I ordered the char siew and roasted meat rice with chicken meat ($5.50).

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There is only one person in front of me hence I was attended to almost immediately. It did not take long for my order to be ready and I was taken aback by how large the large portion is.

Perhaps it is the divider in the plate that squished everything together making the portion seem big. However, the portion of the meats are really generous as I could not finish it.

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The char siew was chopped in thick chunks and very meaty. Although it was all lean with no fats, the texture is not tough and dry at all. 

My only gripe is that their char siew have no charred bits nor the caramelized exterior that I like.

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Drizzled with dark soy sauce, the roasted pork is not too fatty just the way I like it. It was not overly salty as well.

I wished the rind is crispy but alas, it has turned soft.

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I had expected to be given skinless chicken breasts that is dry and fibrous. On the contrary, the skin are all accounted for while the texture is succulent.

Regrettably, I could not taste the flavors of the chicken as they were drenched under a sweetish sauce.

In most cases, I would have preferred sauces to be on the rice instead of the meats. 

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They offer both plain white rice as well as chicken rice. I opt for the latter but I find the flavor rather tuned down. As for the soup, it is bland with no ingredients so it was left untouched after a few sips.

There are hits and misses here and there is definitely room for improvement but it is not all that bad. If you are on a budget and looking for something easy on the pocket yet filling for the stomach, this is a good option however, if you are more particular about your food, you might want to look elsewhere. 

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SIN HENG KEE HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE
ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre
6 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-34
Singapore 150006

Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 9am - 9pm



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Swee Kee Wanton Noodle @ ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre

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It is quite obvious what Swee Kee Wanton Noodle.Laksa at ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre sells. Apart from the obvious, wanton soup, shredded chicken with mushroom noodle and chicken feet with mushroom noodle are also on the menu.

I decided to order the wanton noodle ($3) and added on two braised chicken feet (80¢ each) with the amiable auntie inside the stall.

It did not take long for my order to be ready as I came just before the lunch hour crowd descend upon the food centre. I helped myself to the sambal chili and pickled green chili that are placed right in front on the counter. I also added a dollop of ketchup as well. 

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The OCD in me could not get over the fact that the two braised chicken feet were of different size and color tones. Based on the color, it is easy to tell the darker colored one has spent a longer time braising and therefore more succulent.

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As expected, the thinly sliced char siew were not the roasted type but boiled and dyed with red coloring. Although it was all lean with no fats, the texture is not cardboard-liked. On the contrary, it is pleasingly tender with a tinge of sweet tasting marinade. 

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My plate of noodle comes with a bowl of soup with three boiled wantons in it.

I had a sip of the soup and I find it incredibly sweet with hints of anchovies. I am not sure if it was the work of MSG but it is so addictive, I finished it to the last drop.

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I like how plump the wantons were with the pork fillings tightly wrapped in the wanton skin. As I bite into one, it was meaty and nicely seasoned.

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After giving the springy noodles a good tossing, they turned black and that was when I realized this is the black sauce version. I do not usually like black sauce wanton noodle because I find them too sweet for my liking (eg Pontian wanton noodle).

Although the sauce was on the sweeter side, it is not as sweet as the Pontian ones I have tried. The blend of chili, lard oil, ketchup and other seasonings hits the spot for me and had that particular old school taste.

This wanton noodle is decent but I would not go all the way there for it. However, I do not mind having it if I am in the neighborhood. I would probably just tell the auntie to omit the black sauce.

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SWEE KEE WANTON NOODLE.LAKSA
ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre
6 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-39
Singapore 150006

Business Hours
Wed - Mon: 5.30am - 2pm
Closed: Tue



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Old Bukit Purmei Lor Mee - Now Run By The Third Generation! @ Blk 269 Queen Street

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The last time I wrote about my favorite Bukit Purmei Lor Mee was in February 2016. I was ecstatic then because they have finally reopened a new stall at West Coast Drive after closing down their Bukit Purmei stall due to Uncle Teo's (stall owner) declining health. 

Unfortunately, my happiness was short-lived as they closed their business yet again in September that very same year for the same reason. Since then, I have been seeking solace in Uncle Teo's sister's lor mee stall at Bukit Batok when the crave arises.

The sister's lor mee is not an exact replica of Uncle Teo's version but that is the closest I can get to combat any withdrawal symptoms.


Just two weeks ago, a sudden update on their dormant Facebook page brought wonderful news - they are making a comeback at Blk 269 Queen Street which is just within walking distance from Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple!

As mentioned in the post, the stall is succeeded by the third generation with a new branding (they have a logo now!) and using the same traditional recipe with the blessings of Uncle Teo.

I only managed to visit the stall at the end of the first week of their opening. The queue was already snaking out of the coffee shop when I arrived at about 9.30am. I queued for about 45 minutes before it reached my turn to order. 

It does not make sense for me to order the smallest bowl after such a long wait therefore, I ordered the largest bowl and opted for a mix of bee hoon and noodle.

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I helped myself to the condiments placed on the counter such as black vinegar, cut red chili and chili paste. Strangely, there was no minced garlic in sight.

I gave the bowl a thorough tossing and tears of joy almost streamed down my cheeks after I took a sip of the lor. The strong and intense flavors were how I remembered it to be. I do not understand why some feedback that the taste was "off"?

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Ingredients wise, there were the usual sliced lor bak, char siew and fish cake. Unfortunately, the crispy fried batter found in Uncle Teo's lor mee had been taken off the menu. Instead, they were replaced with handmade ngor hiang balls.

According to feedback on their Facebook, some found it hard but I beg to differ. Because everything in this bowl of lor mee was soft and gooey, I appreciate the chewy texture the ngor hiang ball gives.

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For $5, this was a hefty bowl of lor mee with generous portion of carbs. I am glad I opted for a mix of bee hoon and noodle because if it had been all noodle, that would be really jelak.

There were bits of complaints on their Facebook by customers pertaining to the long waiting time but I think that is to be expected as with all popular food especially one with such a long history and is making a comeback after so many years. 

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The third generation are working hard to preserve Uncle Teo's legacy. Let us give them a little support and compliments to keep them going so we could continue to have a superb bowl of heritage lor mee for generations to come.

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BUKIT PURMEI LOR MEE
QS 269 Food House
269 Queen Street
#01-236
Singapore 180269

Business Hours
Tue - Sun: 7.30am - 3.30pm
Closed: Mon



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New Rong Liang Ge Cantonese Roast Duck Double Boiled Soup @ Blk 269 Queen Street

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I first learned about this roast stall called New Rong Liang Ge Cantonese Roast Duck Double Boiled Soup from the TV program "Where The Queue Starts" (排排站查查看) several years ago.

I have bookmarked the stall since then but have never gotten round to trying it. When I visited the newly reopened Old Bukit Purmei Lor Mee recently, I realized this roast stall is located right at the next coffee shop along the same row under Blk 269B Queen Street.

Fast forward one week later, I am back to check them out.

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After studying the menu, I decided to go for the da san yuan (大三元) which consisted of char siew, roasted pork and roasted duck meat along with a plate of white rice all blanketed under a liberal amount of thick sauce.

Normally, I would have preferred just a drizzle of dark soy sauce and cooked oil (豉油熟油). However, I remember the customers interviewed on the TV program were complementing how good the thick sauce is therefore, I decided to just go with the flow and give it a try.

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The roasted pork is adorably tiny and a delight to chomp into with its crackling skin that is adequately salted. The alternating layer of meat and fat makes it a very tasty morsel. Among the three types of meats, this is my favorite.

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The char siew spots a beautiful caramelized exterior but unfortunately was a very lean cut of meat that leaves stringy fiber stuck in my teeth. I could not taste much of the flavor either as they were mostly drowned out by the thick sauce.

After trying the thick sauce, I think I still prefer my usual dark soy sauce and cooked oil combo.

Just think about it. After going great lengths to marinate and roasting the meat, why ruin all that effort at the end by pouring thick sauce over them? I am fine with it over the rice or as a dipping sauce by the side but if it is all over the meat, I will be unable to appreciate the meats marinated in your special blend of secret recipe anymore.

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The roasted duck meat was deboned for easier eating. While the meat was on the leaner side, it is not dry at all due to the thin layer of fat under the skin which acts as a lubricant.

What I loved most in this meal is actually that very umami chili sauce! It goes great with both the meat and rice so take more of it!

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The stall does not offer complimentary soup but a variety of soups such as old cucumber soup, sze chuan vegetable soup, salted vegetable duck soup and ginseng chicken soup among others are available here. Ranging from $2.50 to $5, the soups are pretty good value.

The Cantonese in me could not resist having a good lao huo tang (soup that has been simmering for several hours) so I picked the lotus root with spare ribs soup ($2.50). 

Unfortunately, my enthusiasms were met with disappointment as the soup was rather lacking in flavors for it is as bland as plain water could be. I am most willing to pay more if they included other crucial ingredients like red dates, honey dates, peanuts and dried octopus/cuttlefish.

Perhaps, my arrival at 9 in the morning has got something to do with it as well. Clearly, a good soup needs time to simmer for the flavors to seep in. You could hardly call it lao huo tang if it had only been steaming in the steamer for a relatively short while? That is, assuming they only start steaming their soup at 7am - their opening hour for the day.

I guess it is safer to order the soup in the later part of the day when it has all the time it needs to release its flavors.

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I find the food here decent at best. Although it did not impressed me in the taste department, what is worth mentioning is how the stall managed to keep prices affordable for the elderlies in the neighborhood all these years.

A plate of char siew rice costs $2.50 while a plate of roasted chicken drumstick rice is $3. The portion of rice is generous and is guaranteed to keep you full.

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NEW RONG LIANG GE CANTONESE ROAST DUCK DOUBLE BOILED SOUP
3838 Eating Place
269 Queen Street
#01-235
Singapore 180269

Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 7am - 9pm



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Eleven Fingers (Eu Kee) Scissors Curry Rice @ Blk 269B Queen Street

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Eleven Fingers (Eu Kee) Scissors Curry Rice is located within the same coffee shop as New Rong Liang Ge Cantonese Duck Double Boiled Soup at Blk 269B Queen Street.

While this may not be the most aesthetically pleasing looking plate of curry rice, the taste is anything but. You can tell how immensely popular they are by the number of people that thronged the stall daily. 

I decided to beat the crowd by coming early but in the end, I still have a queue to join. A lady stationed outside the stall takes your order and collect payment while the man inside scoops and cuts everything you wanted onto a plate of rice with a pair of scissors. Everything is then smothered under curry and braising sauce as a finishing touch.

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While the lady is still serving the customer before me, she turned towards me and asked what I wanted. I panic a little because I do not even know what dishes they have. I inched forward to take a look.

Unlike a typical economical rice stall, this curry rice stall have a very limited number of dishes available. I picked curry chicken, braised pork belly and stewed cabbage which added up to $4.50.

The only reason why I picked these is because I could not recognize what the other dishes were.

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The pork belly is well braised. Despite being covered by a coat of curry, the braising flavor still come through as I bit down on the tender meat. 

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I thought the stewed cabbage would be very mushy but no, they still retained that refreshing crunch which provides an alternate texture to the rice. 

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I read that they only serve chicken wings here which is exactly what I received when I requested for "curry chicken". The large sized chicken wing did not taste like it had been marinated but the tender flesh still tasted good with the flavorful curry.

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I find the usual Chinese curry too thin, not spicy enough and with too much coconut milk for my liking. For me, curry should be thick, spicy and a little sticky. 

The curry here ticks all the boxes for me.

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ELEVEN FINGERS (EU KEE) SCISSORS CURRY RICE
3838 Eating Place
269B Queen Street
#01-235
Singapore 180269

Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 11am - 6.30pm



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Selera Restaurant @ 15 Mackenzie Road

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When I was a child, one of my aunt owned a coffee shop at Blk 8 Selegie Road. It was like a headquarters of sorts where Mum and all her other sisters would gather. All the sisters, including my Mum, would bring their brood as well.


While the adults catches up on life, the children would hang out to play at the alley behind the coffee shop.


I love those visits then because that meant free-flow of soft drinks from the dispenser (that was our children's version of beer tap) and dropping by The Bookworm Club office a few doors down. 


It has been more than thirty years since my aunt has relocated her business elsewhere but I could never forget this part of my childhood.


Recently, I dropped by Selegie for a visit. The coffee shop and The Bookworm Club are of course long gone.


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I took the opportunity to explore the rest of the neighborhood that I have never been to and my feet brought me to Selera Restaurant not far from where aunt's coffee shop used to be. 


Despite its name, Selera Restaurant is not a restaurant per se but a coffee shop serving halal Chinese food. They were, in particular, famous for their curry puffs and other assorted deep fried fritters.


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According to Google search, Selera is the earliest competitor of OCK. Incidentally, both are located just across the road from one another near the old Rex cinema.


It is said that back in the days, Selera is the one with the longer queue and the more popular among the two however, due to better marketing (and a change of management), OCK has gone on to become the listed company we know today with outlets all over Singapore and overseas.


Both shops are still there on their old premise today.


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Selera had just opened for the day when I arrived therefore there were not much options in the food display cabinet. Since they are still in the midst of frying the fritters, I took the time to study the menu.

From there, I discovered that they had something quite unusual - lamb curry puff! I checked with the staff if it was available and luckily for me, it is!

I ordered one and at that precise moment, a couple of spring rolls came fresh off the wok. I could not resist a piping hot spring roll thus I ordered one too. 

Then, I spotted the goreng pisangs (fried banana fritter) and I heard them desperately calling out to me as well...

I believe all fritters are deep fried in small quantities for freshness.

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Their curry puff do bear some resemblance to OCK's in terms of shape and folding of the sides though Selera's does not come with the signature 'thumb' found in OCK's.

To be honest, my favorite kind of curry puff pastry is the makcik type that come with a lot of blisters. I find Selera and OCK's pastry more on the doughy side although the former's skin is the thinner of the two.

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Taste wise, there is a very heavy buttery presence in the pastry for both and this is the issue I have.

Years back, I was having overseas training with the armed forces in Australia and you know how scary the temperature can soar during the day. 

We had already moved out for exercise outfield from base camp but I had clean forgotten about having one of those single serving butter pack from our last breakfast at the cook house in my pocket.

Obviously, the butter melted and somehow, there was a tear in the foil and my trousers absorbed all that melted butter.

The thing is, I did not know about it and still wondering why is there a putrid smell following me wherever I go? I even wore that trousers for the next several days before I discovered the truth! Can you imagine how I, and the people I am working with, had to put up with the mysterious smell not knowing where it came from?

Due to this incident, I am rather adverse to the strong smell of butter. I can still eat butter but strong-smelling ones would make me retch.

Now, back to this lamb curry puff. The pastry is generously stuffed with curried potato cubes and lamb meat in thick chunks.

And best of all is that it is affordably priced at just $1.30, same price as their chicken curry puff and sardine curry puff. It would have easily sold for at least $1.50 across the road!

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As for the spring roll, there is really nothing to complain about. The size is huge and filled with piping hot mang guang (shredded jicama) that is deliciously sweet. Oh, I love it!

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The goreng pisang is another winner here. Biting past the crunchy batter, the banana encased within is soft and creamy - almost molten-like as its sweetness spreads in my mouth cavity. If I could describe it crudely, I would say it is like having an orgasm in my mouth!

For the price ($1.40), I am getting the whole ripened banana and not the usual halved slices where it is sold at $2 for 6 pieces elsewhere (and they are not even ripe with that tart flavor).

Trust me, one Selera's goreng pisang will never be enough. Do yourself a favor and get a few more to indulge in.

What impressed me is that the fritters here are served fresh off the wok but they are not too oily and the quality far exceeds the price I am paying for.

Selera also serve chicken rice and duck rice in the morning which I heard is rather good. Tze char is available from lunch onwards.

They are halal certified.

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SELERA RSTAURANT
15 Mackenzie Road
Singapore 228677

Business Hours
Wed - Mon: 10.30am - 10.30pm
Closed: Tue



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545 Whampoa Prawn Noodle @ Tekka Market & Food Centre

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545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles at Tekka Market & Food Centre needs no further introduction.

I will spare you the story of how this third gen University Finance graduate, Li Ruifang gave up her cushy corporate job to don the apron or how her grandfather began peddling his prawn noodle in the streets during the 1950s. These information can easily be obtained from the numerous blogs sharing them.
 
A perpetual queue can always be seen as it is one of the more popular stalls here. Fortunately for me, there were no more than five people when I arrived at about ten in the morning. When it was almost my turn, the stall helper came down the line to ask for my order.

I have bookmarked this stall on my to-eat list for the longest time and I am glad I am finally able to do a food trail in this food centre at Little India.

When it comes to prawn noodle, I am always in a dilemma because it is tough choosing between having it dry or in soup.
 
However, I wanted to have it dry this time, opting for a mix of bee hoon and mee (yellow noodle).

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When asked if I wanted sambal chili and ketchup, I was stunned for a moment. Sambal chili, yes but I have never been given the ketchup option with prawn noodle anywhere before. This is a first for me. Curious about how the taste will turn out, I gave her the go-ahead.

Ruifang whipped out my order in just a few swift movements. From putting together the sauce-mix to cooking the noodle, I must say she has mastered her craft well under the tutelage of her Dad.

But, the ultimate question is, does her prawn noodle taste good? 

I had the largest bowl at $5 which come with a mound of bee hoon/mee, bean sprouts and four halved prawns that have been shelled and deveined. 

A small bowl of prawn soup is served on the side.

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Firstly, the prawns. I loved the freshness and firm bite but that is only because sea-caught prawns like ang ka and sua lor are used. Non of that farmed nonsense is being used here.

Apart from that, another highlight would be the tender and chewy pork slices which is one of my favorite things to eat. I seriously could not get enough of them and should have topped up for more.

Ruifang does not serve fish cake slices in her prawn noodle.

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Next, her home-made sambal chili is really good and the sauce-mix coated the bee hoon/mee really well. During the tossing, I even discovered crispy pork lard hidden at the bottom of the bowl!

I have not tasted any prawn noodle like Ruifang's before. Perhaps, it is the ketchap that gave the overall taste profile a new dimension.

The fried shallot crisps sprinkled on the noodle deserve a mention. Just the thought of peeling all those shallots alone is enough to make me cringe however, instead of relying on ready-made supplies, Ruifang chose to make them at the stall herself. 

She totally deserve a standing ovation for this.

Indeed, her effort shows as the freshly fried shallot crisps are far more superior in terms of texture and aroma compared to the stale and rancid ones from the suppliers.

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As for the prawn soup, I am relieved that there is no overwhelming saccharine levels of rock sugar because that is how the prawn soup from my neighborhood tastes like.

Judging from the color, I thought it would be rich and robust. On the contrary, Ruifang's version is not heavy at all. 

Although on the lighter side, it is still flavorful enough with crustacean essence and a underlying pork sweetness that does not make me feel guilty for finishing it to the last drop.

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545 WHAMPOA PRAWN NOODLE
Tekka Market & Food Centre
665 Buffalo Road
#01-326
Singapore 210665

Business Hours
Mon - Fri: 7am - 11am
Closed: Sat/Sun



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Grandma Mee Siam @ Tekka Market & Food Centre

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The Chinese and English names of this signboard at Tekka Market & Food Centre tells two very different things.

The English part says Grandma Mee Siam while the Chinese part says 燻鲨鱼五香虾饼 (translated as smoked shark five spiced prawn fritter) or what we normally called ngor hiang.

But neither of them are wrong because both mee siam and ngor hiang are the very two things on the menu. 

The stall is run by Madam Lim whom I believed to be the grandma in question here. I wanted to give her special "grandma mee siam" a try after seeing multiple postings about it on social media. 

Have you ever wonder why mee siam is not called bee hoon siam when it is served with bee hoon (rice vermicelli) and not mee (noodle)? I know I have.

So basically, what I am having is literally MEE siam that is served with yellow noodle. Of course, the bee hoon version is available here as well.

You know, I am even more intrigued by this MEE siam when it is associated with terms like "best mee siam", "old school", "traditional", etc in reviews.

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At just $2.50, the MEE siam come with a substantial mound of yellow noodle, two halves of an hard-boiled egg, chopped chives, tau pok and a dollop of sweet sambal all sitting in a pool of gravy.

While giving everything in the plate a good toss, I spotted a single lime seed floating by with no sight of the lime itself. I guess Madam Lim has already squeezed the lime for me therefore I do not have to do it myself.

How thoughtful! 

I had a sip of the gravy but realized this is not quite your usual Malay mee siam as the flavors are not as sour, sweet and spicy.

This is like a milder version where the flavors have been toned down.

I love the intense flavor of tamarind in the Malay mee siam but I suspect that tamarind is not used in grandma's mee siam at all. 

Strangely, the presence of coconut milk in the gravy makes me wonder is this the nonya-style mee siam instead? I have not tried the nonya version before thus, I cannot make a fair judgement.

To be honest, this actually tastes more like laksa but served mee siam style with the addition of chives and a squeeze of lime.

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Do not get me wrong. This is not a bashing post.

It is unique in its own way and in all honesty, does not taste bad at all but just not what I was expecting.

Although this mee siam was not what I am looking for, that is not to say it does not have its fair share of fans. Just google for the reviews and you would be surprised by the number of people liking it.

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I do not have the chance to try the ngor hiang but reviews online seems favorable enough. I find it very helpful to have the pricing clearly listed for every ingredient available. 

While waiting for my mee siam to be ready, I saw that they have the pink sauce which not many places serve anymore. I wonder why?

Grandma Mee Siam is not halal certified.

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GRANDMA MEE SIAM
Tekka Market & Food Centre
665 Buffalo Road
#01-311
Singapore 210665

Business Hours
Wed - Mon: 7.30am - 3.30pm
Closed: Tue



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Zhu Jiao Shu Shi - Affordable Old School Breakfast Offerings @ Tekka Market & Food Centre

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Zhu Jiao Shu Shi (竹脚熟食) at Tekka Market & Food Centre is managed by a pair of elderly couple with a younger man whom I assumed to be their son.

The stall offers simple breakfast options such as white bee hoon ($1.70), fried bee hoon ($1.20), chee cheong fun ($1), glutinous rice ($1.50) and peanut porridge ($1). There are also some ala carte side dishes which you can add-on to complement your meal.

I ordered a plate of fried bee hoon and added a slice of luncheon meat and cabbage. I also had a bowl of peanut porridge. 

The total cost of my meal came up to just $3.30.

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Since they offer chee cheong fun as well, a container of sweet sauce was placed in front of the stall. I love fried bee hoon with sweet sauce as this is how I had it during my childhood but not many stalls offer it nowadays. 

I asked if I could have some on my bee hoon and was told to help myself. 

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The bee hoon is nicely seasoned and just one mouthful with some sweet sauce sent me spiraling down a slick slide back to my younger days. Memories of Mum holding my hand as we make our way to the bee hoon stall began flashing in my mind.

The luncheon meat was snipped with a pair of scissors in such a way that resembled spam fries. It still had some warmth to it with a crisp exterior while the cabbage provided some sweet crunch.

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I tend to choke on my bee hoon when they are too dry but not this. The texture is soft, moist and shorter in strands so it is easier to swallow.

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The peanut porridge came with slivers of fish cake, peanuts, spring onions, fried shallots and a dash of pepper. 

Consistency is not the smooth and velvety type. On the contrary, it is a bit more on the runnier side where the rice grains are still distinguishable. I supposed this is to cater to the regulars which are mostly the elderlies.

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The lightly flavored porridge does not contain a lot of ingredients but it is as comforting as it gets and I have nothing to complain for $1. 

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Zhu Jiao Shu Shi's breakfast selection might not be fancy, but it more than satisfies.

Strangely, a stall that offers such good value have hardly any presence on social media. Hungrygowhere even stated them as closed? At the point of writing this post, I have feedback to them twice but no action was taken.

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ZHU JIAO SHU SHI 竹脚熟食
Tekka Market & Food Centre
665 Buffalo Road
#01-284
Singapore 210665

Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 7am - 3pm



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Chin Seng Cooked Food - Chicken Chop Noodle @ Tekka Market & Food Centre

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Chin Seng Cooked Food at Tekka Market & Food Centre is a noodle stall that specializes in wanton and dumplings. You can have them deep fried or boiled, with or without noodle, dry or in soup. However, I am there for something else - the chicken chop noodle ($4/$4.50).

No one was in the stall when I arrived but I soon realized the stall owner is chatting with a customer at the table in front. After placing my order with her, she returned to the stall and put the chicken in the deep fryer.

The frying took some time and she explained that she will prepare the noodle only after the chicken is done or else, it will be all dried up.

What she said makes sense to me and I am impressed by her thoughtfulness.

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My order came with chicken chop on a mound of mee kia (thin noodle) with some chye sim and a bowl of soup. I helped myself to some of the pickled green chili. 

I had high expectations for the tossing sauce which looked potent.

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However, I am a little disappointed that the chicken chop turned out to be chicken strips instead.

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Giving everything on the plate a good toss, the thick and luscious sauce clung on the noodle beautifully. The savoriness of the sauce and the heat from the sambal (I had asked for more sambal) is superb. The white vinegar from the pickled chili whets my appetite even more.

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As the chicken was fried upon order, it is hot and crispy on the outside while the inside tender and juicy.

It tasted really good. I bet the marinade is more than just the usual soy sauce, salt or oyster sauce. 

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Here comes the contradictory part. Despite the stall owner's effort to cook the noodle after the chicken, the noodle somehow turn out to be on the soggier side. 

This plate of chicken chop noodle would be quite promising if not for the texture of the noodle. From the taste of the fried chicken to the tossing sauce, everything is outstanding by my standard. 

If only the noodle is springier with a crunchy bite, this could easily be my favorite.

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CHIN SENG COOKED FOOD 進城熟食
Tekka Market & Food Centre
665 Buffalo Road
#01-284
Singapore 210665

Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 7am - 3pm



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Deen Food Stall - Masala Dosa @ Tekka Market & Food Centre

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I love masala dosa which is an Indian crepe of sorts but have only eaten them from my neighborhood stall and not anywhere else. This is my first one at Tekka Market & Food Centre from a stall called Deen Food Stall.

After placing my order for one, the staff scooped the fermented rice and lentil batter and spread them out in a circular shape on a large iron griddle. Once the shape of the dosa forms, spiced and savory potato cubes were placed in the middle with the sides folded over.

My freshly made masala dosa ($2) was then transferred to a piece of brown, waxed paper on a plate before dhal was unceremoniously poured all over and another three chutney sauces smeared on the side.

The smorgasbord of colors reminded me of a art palette.

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Apart from the white one, which is probably coconut chutney, I have no inkling what the other two were. 

Despite my love for Indian cuisine, I admittedly do not know much about them.

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am a little disappointed to see a rather flat masala dosa because I have been spoiled by the bloated ones from my usual stall.

I attribute the flatness to the somewhat mashed-up potato within as the ones I am used to are the chonky type. 

Taste-wise, I believe the one here is more authentic and I absolutely loved it with the stronger use of spices/herbs. For my neighborhood stall, they might have tweaked the recipe to accommodate the non-Indians who might not be able to take it.

As for the dosa, it was all soft from soaking in the dhal. I would have appreciated for my sauces to be served separately so I could taste the crispy edges. Also, the natural sourness of the fermented rice batter that I like was overwhelmed by the sauces. 

The stall could have used stainless steel thali plates that come with compartments for the sauces instead.

The masala dosa is still delicious, nonetheless.

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DEEN FOOD STALL APPAM SPECIALIST
Tekka Market & Food Centre
665 Buffalo Road
#01-273
Singapore 210665

Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 7am - 7pm

Delhi Lahori - Butter Chicken Naan Set @ Tekka Market & Food Centre

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 tekka market,tekka market & food centre,665 buffalo road,indian muslim,butter chicken,food,indian food,singapore,naan,food review,review,indian muslim food,tekka centre,halal,delhi lahori,halal food,

I have mentioned in the previous post that I love Indian cuisine but embarrassingly enough, my Indian culinary journey is only limited to the usual prata, thosaiputu mayam, rojak, and biryanis - dishes that are commonly found at a neighborhood Indian stall. 

I always wanted to try something different that I have not tried before and is not in the list above. 

Well, what better chance to do just that since I am at Tekka Market & Food Centre?

After doing some research, I narrowed down my choice to the butter chicken naan set ($6) from Delhi Lahori.

I have not eaten butter chicken nor naan before so that is killing two birds with one stone!

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Naan is a leavened flatbread that is traditionally baked inside a tandoor (a cylinder oven) and Delhi Lahori have exactly one right smack at the entrance of the stall. 

The naans here are only baked upon order. The chef will flip the ball of dough rapidly between his hands to stretch it into shape before slapping it against the inner wall of the tandoor. All that is left to do was to wait for the naan to be baked to perfection.

No, it did not take 2000 years later...

It was ready in just a minute or two - a lot quicker than I expected! The naan is so huge the sides hang over the edge of the styrofoam plate! To give you some context, it is larger than both my hands placed side by side with the fingers outstretched.

I would like to encourage you to fold your naan into half so that the protruding parts does not come into contact with the surface of the table which could be pretty icky for some.

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The butter chicken was served in a small styrofoam bowl (ugh!). 

Boneless and skinless chicken chunks were smothered under a rich and creamy sauce.

Popping a piece of the tender chicken in my mouth, it felt like it has been seared or roasted in the tandoor beforehand.

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Tear a bit of the naan and dip it in the sauce. At first bite, the sauce tastes predominantly sweet but watch out for the underlying spiciness that only start to kick in after a while.

The pillowy soft naan is best eaten while hot though they cool down pretty fast. I love the chewy mouthfeel which is good enough to eat on its own without any sauce.

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I decided to eat with my hand but be reminded to eat with your right hand as the left one is destined for other worldly duties. I have to take the posed picture above with my left hand because the right index finger is required to press the shutter. 

I am getting funny looks from the Indian uncle seated opposite watching me and I am getting so stressed up. I was hoping he could finish his food and be on his merry way so I could do my thing in peace. 

I ate very slowly on purpose so I could outlast him but no. He just sat there pretending to fiddle with his mobile phone while casually looking in my direction to see what I was doing. I even caught him aiming his camera at me out of the corner of my eye while I was taking photo of my food.

I just pray that my photo is not circulating on some weird WhatsApp group chat.

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Nope, not that guy!


DELHI LAHORI
Tekka Market & Food Centre
665 Buffalo Road
#01-266
Singapore 210665

Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 9am - 11pm

Ayya Indian Foods - Chicken Masala Rice Set @ Tekka Market & Food Centre

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Chicken masala is another item that I have been yearning to try for ages. I was walking around Tekka Market & Food Centre checking out the stalls offering this dish when I came across the queue in front of Ayya Indian Foods. 

The queue actually cleared quite fast and since they offer chicken masala as a set meal, I decided to give them a try.

Other set meal options included crab, prawn, sotong and fish. Chicken and mutton biryanis are available on the menu as well.

My chicken masala meal ($5.50) is served on a large banana leaf atop a tray. The meal included rice, chicken masala and two vegetable dishes.

It was while drafting this post at home that I realized the papadum was missing.

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The portion of the basmati rice is generously more than enough for two to share. If you are used to the fragrance and flavors of spices found in briyani, having plain white basmati rice for the first time was like a breath of fresh air although it needs a little getting used to. The drizzle of mutton curry on the rice makes the transition easier.

The two vegetable dishes are fried cabbage and long bean with cauliflower.

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I observed that Indian food stalls tend to overcook their vegetables. I wonder why?

The mildly spicy long bean is cooked till mushy but the cauliflower florets retained some bite, therefore provided some alternate textures.

I am not really a fan of long beans as I dislike that "green" taste. 

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I had expected the cabbage to be on the softer side as well but I was proven wrong this time. I have always love Indian cabbage with mustard seeds. Not sure if this is the same thing as there are no mustard seeds to be seen. 

I actually preferred my cabbage on the softer side that is why I like them better stewed than fried.

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I had to save the chicken leg for the last. 

Firstly, I have difficulty tearing the chicken apart with the plastic cutlery and secondly, I could not afford to dirty my right hand as I still need to operate the camera.

After making sure that I have gotten all the shots I wanted, I picked up the chicken with my right hand (remember in the previous post, I mentioned that the left hand is destined for other worldly duties?). 

I realized why the plastic cutlery failed to tear the chicken apart earlier is because  it was not fully cooked on the inside. I had to pick around the raw parts to eat.

What a shame but I hope it is just a one-off incident.

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AYYA INDIAN FOOD
Tekka Market & Food Centre
665 Buffalo Road
#01-281
Singapore 210665

Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 11am - 9pm

Johor Road Boon Kee Pork Porridge @ Blk 638 Veerasamy Road

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About two Saturdays ago, I was left stranded at Rowell Road during a heavy downpour while out hunting for murals. Despite taking shelter under a HDB block, the strong wings carried the rain in.

Shivering from the cold, I suddenly recalled that Johor Road Boon Kee Pork Porridge was located just nearby at Blk 638 Veerasamy Road. 

What perfect weather to have a bowl of hot porridge! I almost gave myself a pat on the shoulder for my quick thinking. 

I braved the rain and ran over but when I reached the coffee shop, I realized I was not the only one toying with that idea. Not only is the premise full with no empty tables, there were long snaking queues at all the stalls. 

With the porridge stall, Mui Siong Minced Meat Noodle and Victor Famous Fried Chicken Wing Rice under the same roof, I was naïve to not have expected that outcome especially on a weekend.

With no hot porridge to warm my belly on a rainy day, I hung my head in shame. I continued to wait out for the rain to end and hatched a plan to return on another day.

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The best time to come is on a weekday morning. I arrived just slightly before eight and there were plenty of empty tables around. 

There are different combinations of pork, chicken, sliced fish and cuttlefish with a basic bowl (no egg) starting at $3.50. 

I ordered the pork porridge and added-on both an egg and century egg for $4.50. After making payment, I was given a slip of paper with a number on it. I sat at a nearby table and waited for the corresponding number to flash on the digital screen to pick up my order.

The number I got was 19 while the number on the screen is 16. It took about five minutes for my order to be ready.

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My bowl of porridge came topped with youtiao, spring onion, and fried shallots. Other than the egg and century egg, I discovered pork slices, pig's liver and even two precious slices of pig's stomach below.

Being a typical bowl of Hainanese porridge, the grainy texture is thus not as smooth as Cantonese porridge but the richness of the egg yolk gave it some creaminess. 

Taste wise, the porridge is well-seasoned without the need for more seasonings. I even tasted tung choi (preserved vegetable) in it. Light soya sauce and pepper are provided in squeeze bottles but I did not touch them.

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I love how every component in this bowl of porridge is coming together beautifully not just in terms of flavors but textures as well.

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This could be my staple breakfast if not for its location.

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JOHOR ROAD BOON KEE PORK PORRIDGE 柔佛律文记猪肉粥
Yi He Eating House
Blk 638 Veerasamy Road
Singapore 200638

Business Hours
Tue - Sun: 6.45am - 2pm
Closed: Mom

The Beef House @ 217 Syed Alwi Road

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The Beef House at 217 Syed Alwi Road is famed for several things: yong tau foo, beef balls, beef tendon balls, soon pan (笋粄) and suan pan zi (算盘子). 

It is not hard to understand why they are so immensely popular because nothing here is factory made - well, maybe except for the various noodles (bee hoon, kway teow, Hakka mee) used here but otherwise, everything else is handmade.

I ordered a bowl of beef tendon ball soup with bee hoon ($5), two pieces of soon pan ($1 each) and a plate of suan pan zi ($2).

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Actually, I did not intend to have the bee hoon (rice vermicelli) but I reckoned the photo would look much better with it rather than just having the tendon balls floating aimlessly in a bowl of clear soup.

In a way, the bee hoon acts as a filler to fill up the space in the bowl, and also the space in my stomach. 

The soup is refreshingly light and clean-tasting especially with the addition of coriander however, what really stood out for me, are the tendon balls.

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One glance and you could probably tell that they are handmade due to their odd shape and uneven look.

Up till the point when I pop one into my mouth, I was still skeptical of how good they really are. However, all my doubts were instantly answered the moment I sank my teeth into one.

I did not feel anything out of the ordinary with the tendon ball inside my mouth but as my teeth cuts through it, the aroma within was released and filled my mouth cavity.

This is not tendon ball. 

IT. IS. AMAZEBALLS.

Seriously, I have not tasted such beefy flavored balls before. Also, the texture is firm yet bouncy, I suspect if it rolled off my table, it might bounce across the road to the coffee shop opposite.

It is so meaty, so substantial I doubt there are any fillers in it.

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I loved suan pan zi but they are so hard to find! This Hakka delicacy is made by kneading tapioca flour with yam but over here, they added pumpkin into the mixture as well which is then rolled into shape and stir fry with a copious amount of minced meat, black fungus, mushrooms and hae bi (dried shrimps).

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All that frying of ingredients imparts a really nice savory fragrance to the suan pan zi yet it is not oily at all. The skin is super chewy with a good spring to it.

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I mentioned earlier that the suan pan zi is not easy to find, however, know that the soon pan is even harder! Unlike the usual Teochewsoon kueh, the Hakka soon pan had yam added into the dough of the skin. 

Incredibly chewy and starchy, the crystal-like translucent skin may seem a little thick but to me, that is the best part because I enjoy chewing on chewy stuff!

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They are extremely generous with the fillings inside the soon pan which included jicama, bamboo shoots, black fungus, mushrooms and hae bi

Oh, their homemade chili pairs great with the soon pan as well!

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I was there at about nine in the morning and a short queue has already formed

While waiting in line, I kept staring at that glass cabinet to see where the suan pan zi and soon pan are as I have heard of how fast they get sold out but I did not see them. 

When it reached my turn to order, I anxiously asked the stall owner whether they are still available to which he exclaimed, "什么都有!" (all also have!). 

Since everything is handmade here, there is only so much they can produce in one day. Now that you know, if you want these laborious work of love, you have to make the effort to come early for it. 

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THE BEEF HOUSE
Gar Lock Eating House
217 Syed Alwi Road
Singapore 207776

Business Hours
Sat - Thu: 8am - 5pm
Closed: Fri

South Buona Vista Braised Duck Rice - Relocated! @ 81 Desker Road

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About two weeks ago, I was hunting for murals around Little India (post coming right up) and walking along the five-foot way at Desker Road when my path was obstructed by a newly renovated unit.

I had to step out onto the road to walk around the obstacle. I took a quick glance inside the shop house and realized that it is one of my favorite braised duck rice stall from a rundown coffee shop at 16 Verdun Road (near Sam Leong Road).

I have written about them two years back when they were on the verge of vacating their stall at the previous location. Well, seems like they had found themselves a proper shop to call their own now.

As the shop does not look like it has opened for business yet, I hurried on my way and returned a week later.

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The bright and airy eatery was empty when I arrived at 10.50am, with ten minutes to spare till opening hour. I was told to take a seat and it did not take long when the lady boss came over with a stack of white paper and pen to take my order.

I ordered a plate of braised duck rice opting for white rice. Yam rice is available as well. They also serve duck porridge, and a small selection of sambal side dishes like sambal kang kongsambal tofusambal prawns, etc.

The 38-seater eatery began to fill up as more customers turned up. 

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Actually, what I wanted is a $4 plate of white rice with braised duck meat on top. However, what came instead was a plate of braised duck meat in thick gravy and a bowl of white rice served separately. Including a canned drink, my order came up to $7.50.

I think there is a difference between 「鸭饭一盘」(one plate of duck rice) and 「鸭饭,一个人吃的」(duck rice for one person). The latter refers to a personal set that comes with additional meat which is what I unintentionally ordered.

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But it does not matter. There is more meat and more of that delicious gravy.

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This very nice dip that goes so well with everything (rice, meat, cucumber) is made up of two components: sambal and vinegar with minced garlic and chopped chili.

For the review, you could check out the earlier write up I have done as I feel they have maintained their standards.

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After my meal, I went to takeaway a pack ($4) home for my folks to try. I realized that when you pack home, the duck meat was not doused with the yummy thick gravy so it is considerably drier and less tasty.

Also, I am given the sambal but not the vinegar with minced garlic and chopped chili. Without it, something feels lacking.

Therefore, I would recommend to dine-in instead for a better dining experience.

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SOUTH BOUNA VISTA BRAISED DUCK 99湾卤鸭 
81 Desker Road
Singapore 209604

Business Hours
Fri - Wed: 11am - 8pm
Closed: Thu

Mural Hunting @ Little India And How To Find Them

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singapore,mural,wall art,arts,little india,

Since I am doing a food trail at Tekka Market, I thought why not explore the area a bit? After some Googling, I realized there are quite a fair bit of wall murals here at Little India.

The murals should be quite easy to find, I thought. Just create a Google Map (map at the bottom of this post), pin their locations and that is it.

Alas, I am not familiar with the area thus I took a lot of wrong turns and retracing of steps. I think I do not quite understand my own map. Haha!

The unforgiving weather did not help one bit and I was sun-kissed (sunburnt) so slap on your sun screen and put on that long forgotten Fong Fei-Fei hat stashed somewhere in your store room. Otherwise, Mum's beautiful UV umbrella will do too.

I believe the mural hunt is doable in one day but it took me two days to complete instead. I had to cut short my hunt on the first day because I could feel the twitching in my calves. It is a warning I could not ignore for it is the prelude of an incoming cramp.

It has happened a couple of times before and I was left grimacing in pain at Sentosa, The Singapore Zoo and even in the middle of the road while crossing traffic at Bugis.

I realized all my cramp episodes occurred after walking a little too much under the dreary Sun and not hydrating enough. I have since learned to read the signals - rest when the warning comes or else, face the wrath of the cramp monster. It is not fun to be left immobilized by the road side with no one to help you.

I was finally able to cover the remaining murals on the second day, a week later.

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Cattleland 2
by Eunice Lim
67 Kerbau Road, Singapore 219189

This is one of the easiest to find right outside Little India MRT Station Exit E. Simply turn left after exiting from the station and you will see these colorful cows. 

I did not realize that Little India MRT Station have that many exits?

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Walking along Race Course Road, you will come to Three's A Crowd cafe. The following mural is painted on the cafe's outer wall.

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A Ride through Race Course Road
74 Race Course Road, Singapore 218574

The problem with murals in alleyways is having your view being blocked by illegally parked motor bikes but frankly, this one is still not so bad. Wait till you see the next one.

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Madan Mogra, Jasmine of the City (2017)
27 Chander Road, Singapore 219536

On the wall just right beside the previous mural, is this mural of giant jasmine flowers. A 2017 piece, part of the mural has already faded. There should be a foreign worker in safety vest squatting right by the backdoor.

Unfortunately, view of the lovely jasmine has been blocked by an entire row of trash bins.

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Exit the alley from this side, walk along the five-foot way till you see the Belilios Road sign. Head towards it and you should reach the side entrance of Sri Veeramakaliamman temple (keep a lookout for the shoe rack).

Turn 90 degrees to your right, and you shall see the next artwork.

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Mayura
by Boon
22 Belilios Lane, Singapore 219962

At the back lane of Aqueen Heritage Hotel is a 70 metre row of three giant peacocks in pink, blue and green. "Mayura" is Sanskrit for peacock. 

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Walk down the lane all the way, turn right and you will see the following.

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Traditional Trades of Little India
8 Bebilios Lane, Singapore 219955

This artwork, "Traditional Trades of Little India" is just round the corner from "Mayura".

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Retrace your steps back to the Sri Veeramakaliamman temple, walk along the main road (Serangoon Road) till you come to Broadway Hotel. There is a bus stop and traffic light in front of the hotel but walk past them and turn left.

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Dancing in Unison (2021)
195 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218067

You may not notice this as it is located on the side wall of Broadway Hotel. It is one of my favorite piece. Perhaps due to the deers and ribbon, there is a Christmassy feel about it. 

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Return to the traffic light at the front of the hotel. Cross the road and you will see the next mural opposite.

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Daily Delivery (2018)
212 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218074

This is another one of my favorite. It depicts a scene of a tiffin delivery man (I think they are called dabbawalas) delivering packed lunch to customers. What is so impressive about these dabbawalas is that they did it without technology and have existed long before grabfood and foodpanda came along.

Moving against traffic along Serangoon Road, we come to the next mural.

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Layers (2018)
240 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218086

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Working Class Hero (2017)
by Zero
11 Hindoo Road, Singapore 209110

Earlier, when we crossed over the road from Broadway Hotel, we instinctively turned left towards "Daily Delivery". "Working Class Hero" is a bit further in towards the right.

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If you find the person in the mural familiar, that is because it is a portrait of the famous Tamil film star, Rajinikanth.

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Future Reminisces (2020 )
107 Rowell Road, Singapore 208031

What is interesting here is that this is actually made up of two different murals from two different artists. That black and white sad looking man was an artwork from the Singapore Night Festival in 2010 called "Light in Little India" by Elmac.

The colorful part of the mural was only put up last year but the artiste, Didier Jaba Mathieu did not paint over Elmac's work. Instead, he painted his work around it.

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The artwork intertwined UFOs and skyscrapers with scenes from Indian heritage such as temples. If you stand along the main road (Rowell Road) with your back facing this mural, you can see Berseh Food Centre right ahead.

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Vilakku bb (2021)
50 Dunlop Road, Singapore 209379

I was looking high and low for this mural of an oil lamp but no matter how hard I looked, I simply cannot find it. My calves were protesting by this time and I was ready to end the search.

Just when I was about to give up, I spotted it ahead.

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Actually this piece, and the next, is located near Rochor MRT Station Exit B. You will see the next mural first before coming across "Vilakku bb".

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11 Perak Road, Singapore 208132

I could not find the title of this artwork depicting a boy dangling a $100 note with a string but what if I told you that the artiste responsible for it is the one behind those famous murals at Georgetown, Penang? 

This mural is a little tricky to find as it is painted on the side wall of a laundry shop next to Perak Hotel which is kind of a blind spot. If you are coming from the direction of Rochor MRT Station Exit B, you will not see it unless you turn to look back.

Tip: keep a lookout for the laundry shop or its "laundry 24 hours" signboard.

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A few murals ago, I began receiving signals of a impending cramp but I tried to hang on for as long as I could. Since Rochor MRT Station is just nearby, I decided to call it a day.

A week later, I resumed my mural hunting with "Kathaka" below at 86 Serangoon Road.

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Kathaka (2017)
86 Serangoon Road, Singapore 217991

This mural is painted along the walls of the five-foot way therefore poses quite a challenge to photograph with the pillars and an abandoned mobile phone showcase glass cabinet in the way.

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If you are observant enough, you would have discovered that the artist has done quite a number of murals in this area.

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Loops of the Precious (2016)
Alleyway off Upper Dickson Road, Singapore

Just round the corner from "Kathaka", remember to look left into the alley or you will miss this which can be hard to spot as it is in a single color which may appear white-washed by the sunlight.

The remaining murals for this trip are all located in a cluster together further in Upper Dickson Road till the junction at Clive Street.

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by Ceno
48 Upper Dickson Road, Singapore 207502

As you exit Upper Dickson Road, you will come face to face with this mural of a Chinese Samsui woman and a Indian rickshaw puller having tea/coffee.

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Alive @ CLIVE (2017)
by Trase Oner aka TS1
104 Dunlop Street, Singapore 209423

Right opposite the Indian rickshaw puller is this piece. Unfortunately, the view was blocked by the trash bins.

singapore,mural,wall art,arts,little india,

singapore,mural,wall art,arts,little india,
Warp & Weft (2021)
by Khairulddin Wahab
48 Upper Dickson Road, Singapore 207502

And right opposite the Samsui woman is this piece.

singapore,mural,wall art,arts,little india,
I Am Still Here
by Dyn
Poli @ Clive Street

You will not miss this mural of a Indian woman in head scarf behind the Samsui woman. The title and the way she stare scares me a little like she is still waiting for someone who did not turn up.

Now, we retrace our steps back to Serangoon Road and walk against traffic till we get to Veerasamy Road.

singapore,mural,wall art,arts,little india,
Weaving Through Time (2020)
by Song
2 Veerasamy Road, Singapore 207305

You really have to keep your eyes peeled for this one as it is quite hidden from sight. You might just walk past without noticing it.

singapore,mural,wall art,arts,little india,

And finally, we have come to the last of the artwork in this mural hunting at Little India. Coincidentally, we started with "Cattle 2" by Eunice Lim and ended with "Folding Dreams" which is done by her as well.

singapore,mural,wall art,arts,little india,
Folding Dreams (2021)
by Eunice Lim
130 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore 207694

This mural was said to be inspired by Mustafa Centre nearby which started out as a handkerchief seller.



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Waffle Town - Bowing Out After 20 Years @ Balmoral Plaza

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balmoral plaza,waffletown,waffle town,belgian waffles,fried chicken,singapore,food review,food,review,bukit timah,waffle ala mode,fish burger,

The problem with people is that we tend to take things for granted. We started feeling sorry for ourselves when we realized we are going to lose something dear to our hearts.

When news broke earlier this week that Waffle Town is going to shutter their doors for good sometime this month (18th May), a piece of me died inside.

I kind of agree with this line that I read somewhere: "We whine about a favorite place closing. When it is finally closed, we clamor to have it back but the moment it does, we visit only once and never return again"

I am quite guilty of this myself. My last visit to Waffle Town was in fact five years back and I have not done so since then.

However, to prove that I am still a die-hard fan, I decided to have one last meal here for memory's sake.

I thought I was being smart by coming early to beat the queue but what I did not expect was that opening hour has been delayed by sixty minutes later than usual. By then, more people have arrived and I had to stand in line for almost an hour before it reached my turn to order.

I ordered three items: two piece chicken meal ($8.30), waffle ala-mode with blueberries and rum & raisin ice cream ($6.50) and fish burger ($3.50).

There is table service here so take a seat after placing your order and someone will send the order to your table.

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I love how the fried chicken here is not greasy at all. The thin layer of crispy skin has no fats underneath while the meat is cooked through with no traces of blood. 

The seasoning could be tasted even in the thickest part of the thigh which is tender and juicy.

But, the best experience is still being able to use the fork and knife to cut the chicken without dirtying my fingers.

The crunchy coleslaw should be freshly made in-house judging by how coarsely chopped the cabbage is. The dressing could be a bit more sour though.

The only thing that fell short was the whipped potato that tasted like it was made out of some premix powder. The texture is actually quite thick, creamy and dense.

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Waffle Town serves crispy Belgian waffles so how could I go to a waffle place without having it? 

Having a waffle by itself might be too plain yet something seems lacking serving it with a scoop of ice cream. 

I decided to go all out to order the waffle ala mode with blueberries and rum & raisin ice cream.

You can have it served later but I wanted it served together with all my orders so by the time I started on this, the ice cream have already melted into a river. 

It is still delicious nonetheless!

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It is my first time having their fish burger. 

I deliberately saved the burger for last as I wanted to use the bun to mop up every last drop of the ice cream.

This is a fuss-free burger which you could easily replicate at home or simply buy from Swee Heng bakery for $2.

Sandwiched between two buns with a slice of cheese and lettuce in between, the fish fillet is the type you can find at the economical bee hoon stall. It is quite dry without any tartar sauce or mayonnaise.

Actually, I ordered this purely for nostalgia sake to reminisce the good old days when burgers are served in a styrofoam boxes.

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Waffle Town will cease operations on 18th May 2021. Do drop by to pay your last pilgrimage before they are gone for good.

balmoral plaza,waffletown,waffle town,belgian waffles,fried chicken,singapore,food review,food,review,bukit timah,waffle ala mode,fish burger,


WAFFLE TOWN
Balmoral Plaza
271 Bukit Timah Road
#01-08
Singapore 259708

Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 11am - 9pm

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