The Dead Cockroach

270 queen street,singapore,albert centre market & food centre,chee cheong fun,food review,bugis,fatt kee shou shi,char bee hoon,fried bee hoon,hawker centre,peanut porridge,發記熟食,

Albert Centre Market & Food Centre is not where I consider a comfortable place to head to due to the bad ventilation and the congesting human traffic in the afternoons. #introvertwoes

I would fatt mang zang whenever I am there (albeit unwillingly) to help the folks with their dried goods shopping on the floor above the food centre.

As such, I was never in the mood to explore the food centre. It is time that I give myself a chance to discover what this place has to offer.

I decided to get round the problem of bad ventilation and people by going early on a weekend morning. The downside is that not many stalls are opened yet at that timing.

Fatt Kee Shou Shi is one of the few stalls that are fully operational at 7am.

The stall offers old-school Cantonese style breakfast like char bee hoon, char mee, chee cheong fun (steamed rice roll), peanut porridge, yam cake and rice dumplings.

All the items here are priced at $1.20 per serving except $2.80 for the rice dumplings. Do take note that this is the price for dine-in. There is a different set of pricing for takeaways.

I ordered the char bee hoon, chee cheong fun and peanut porridge.

The char bee hoon, unfortunately, did not live up to my expectations.

I find the texture rather stiff which makes swallowing difficult. I wonder if the bee hoon was not reconstituted long enough or they intentionally made it this way.

I like it softer and not too dry but this is purely my personal preference though.

Judging by the sales, it seems like the bee hoon is actually quite well-received as it often gets sold out before closing time.

The chee cheong fun is the run-of-the-mill type so there is really no element of surprise other than a strong presence of rice aroma.

I like that they used the pink sauce here which I preferred over the brown sauce.

Like a star attraction to pull in the crowds, a giant pot of peanut porridge sits atop a charcoal stove by the entrance, bubbling away for all to see.

A piping hot bowl of porridge seems comforting to have on a chilling morning so, I ordered a bowl to try.

Served with a dash of pepper and deep fried crispy bee hoon, the porridge more than satisfies.

Needless to say, this is what I enjoyed the most out of the three items I have tried.

FATT KEE SHOU SHI 發記熟食

Albert Centre Market & Food Centre

Blk 270 Queen Street

#01-168
Singapore 180270

Business Hours

Tue - Fri: 7am - 11am

Closed: Sun/Mon

Website: https://www.facebook.com/fattkeeshoushi

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/awCsentBXbhqPsEa7

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小笼包,singapore,xin peng la mian xiao long bao,food review,xiao long bao,拉面,blk 442 clementi ave 3,la mian,鑫鹏拉面小笼包,

Ask anyone for food suggestions at Clementi and chances are, the majority would direct you towards Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre.

However, apart from the food centre, there are quite a number of coffee shops in the vicinity which are worthy of a visit too.

Bgain 442 Eating House - the coffee shop within the closest proximity, is located just across the food centre at blk 442.

Xin Peng La Mian Xiao Long Bao is one of the more notable stall here and as its name imply, offers a variety of la mian and xiao long bao.

For la mian, they have:

fried bean sauce la mian (aka zha jiang mian)
dumpling la mian (soup/dry)
five spices beef la mian soup
chicken chop/pork chop la mian (soup/dry)
vegetable meat wanton la mian (soup/dry)
preserved vegetable shredded meat la mian (soup/dry)
vegetable meat wanton soup
spicy shredded chicken la mian soup

As for dumplings, they have:

Shanghai xiao long bao
Shan Dong dumpling
Shan Dong fried dumpling
red oil wanton

Frozen dumplings are also available at $12 for 30 pieces. That is good news for your hotpot party!

After a quick scan of the menu, I was impressed by how affordably priced the food here are.

I got greedy and decided to order the dumpling la mian dry ($4.50) and a steamer of xiao long bao ($4.50 for 6 pieces).

鑫鹏拉面小笼包,xin peng la mian xiao long bao,singapore,food review,la mian,xiao long bao,拉面,小笼包,blk 442 clementi ave 3,

What I did not expect was the massive size of the bowl of la mian.

Five large dumplings sat atop the mound of noodle accompanied by cucumber shreds, xiao bai cai and black fungus. I helped myself to the chopped spring onions placed on the counter together with the other condiments like chili, ginger shreds and black vinegar.

As mentioned, the dumpling size is quite sizeable. Taking a bite out of one, I find that the thickness of the skin can be rather inconsistent as some area is thicker.

You can probably tell from the photo that it is not just a pocket of air inside but filled snugly with a mixture of ground pork and chives.

I am not quite a fan of the pungent smell of chives though so I had to smother them in the vinegar and chili oil to mask the flavor.

With so much ingredients, I could not even see the noodle below. Sweeping them aside, I was taken aback by the portion which is good enough to share among two.

Tossing the noodle in the dark sauce, the noodle texture is firm and posses a good bite.

Finding the dark sauce a tad sweet, I tossed in some of the chili which reminded me of mala chili although the effect is much milder than 小辣.

Nevertheless, the addition of the fragrant chili did elevate the taste profile quite considerably.

I intentionally left the xiao long bao for the last as I do not do too well with hot food, particularly sneaky ones that could potentially scald my tongue with their juices inside.

By the time I conquered the bowl of la mian, the xiao long bao had already turned cold and became deflated.

Their bottoms sticked to the paper when I tried picking them up but fortunately, their skin did not tear.

Through no one's fault but mine alone, the skin were a little dried up while the texture slightly tough. This might not have happened if I had consumed them still hot.

I prefer the xiao long bao as compared to the dumplings as there are no chives in them.

Initially, I thought that I could easily finish everything by myself but apparently, I was wrong.

I eventually ended up having to pack two dumplings and three xiao long bao home in a doggy bag.

From $4 to $5.50, the offerings here give you bang for your buck. If you are famished but left with only $10 in your wallet, this should satisfy both your budget as well as your tummy.

XIN PENG LA MIAN XIAO LONG BAO 鑫鹏拉面小笼包

Bgain 442 Eating House
Blk 442 Clementi Ave 3
Singapore 120442

Business Hours

Wed - Mon: 10am - 10pm

Closed: Tue

Website: https://www.facebook.com/%E9%91%AB%E9%B9%8F-%E6%8B%89%E9%9D%A2%E5%B0%8F%E7%AC%BC%E5%8C%85-363041657447208/

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/6z6oJ5dyXGcor5YHA

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肉夹馍,singapore,blk 443 clementi ave 3,shaanxi,food review,万佳小馆子,rougamo,xi'an,wan jia xiao guan zi,roujiamo,潼关肉夹馍,

Roùjiāmó (肉夹馍) is a meat sandwich that has been around for the last 2,000 years.

From my understanding, it is a specialty of Shaanxi, Xi'An - one of the oldest city in China.

The name, roùjiāmó literally means "meat giap bun" but if you had not already noticed, the reality is quite the opposite whereby its "bun giap meat" (mójiāroù/馍夹肉) instead.

So, how did that come about? One explanation is, its original name was actually 肉夹于馍, which means "meat giap within bun" however for some reason, the "于" was omitted hence, it became肉夹馍.

Another reasoning was 馍夹肉 sounds a lot like 么夹肉, meaning there is "no meat". Nobody would want to buy a bun with no meat so they rearranged the sequence of the words by putting the roù (肉) in front to emphasize on the presence of meat.

It is my first time trying this and I am going to visit a stall named Xiao Guan Zi (小馆子) located inside Food Loft coffee shop at Blk 443 Clementi Ave 3. It is the coffee shop behind the bus interchange where Sheng Yi Fa Lor Mee and Ann Chin Popiah are.

This stall does not have any media presence but that is exactly the aim of this blog which is to seek out the lesser known stalls and give them some exposure. Even though I do not have a big following or the influence to do so, I just do what I can to the best of my ability.

The guy taking my order seems like a Malaysian but the lady who prepared my order is a bona fide Chinese National. All it took her was just about a minute or so to assemble my roùjiāmó ($4), put it into a paper sleeve and handed over the counter to me in a basket.

Upon closer inspection, I realized the mó (aka bun) is not the usual airy, fluffy burger type. It is more like a flat bread with a crispy and flaky texture.

I have watched some tutorial videos from YouTube on the making of the mó that the dough were stretched till paper thin to about two metres long then rolled along the length to the halfway point where the remainder length is cut into thin, parallel strips and continued to roll till the end.

The dough is then portioned, flattened and rolled with a pin in such a way that the sides curled up like a bowl. It is then pan fried on a flat pan to brown both sides to achieve the「铁圈虎背菊花心」before transferred to be toasted in a oven.

It sounds like a lot of work to me although I am not exactly sure if that is how the stall do it here locally.

After I placed my order, the female staff picked a few pieces of pork belly from a simmering pot to chop them coarsely into a sloppy mess with not one but two cleavers.

The mó is then split in the middle to form a pocket where the diced meat mixture is unceremoniously stuffed into with a splash of gravy.

Interestingly, in the tutorial videos, they called the meat「腊汁肉」which I thought is just another name for 卤肉 (braised meat). As to why they called it 腊汁肉, this guy has the answer.

Comprising of skin, fats and lean meat, the meat mixture is delectably tender and juicy. The crunchy green pepper (capsicum) bits provided some texture and also helps to cut through any jelak-ness.

It was love at first bite.

Probably due to the cold weather in China, I had always associated food from that region as being incredibly oily, salty, spicy and sour (think: suānlàfěn (酸辣粉), luósīfěn (螺蛳粉), málàxiāngguō (麻辣香锅), etc). I usually try to avoid such food that will cause unnecessary shuttle runs to the toilet.

The roùjiámó, however, changed my perspective. I believe as long as the food does not fall within the examples above, I am open to trying such milder tasting "normal" food.

Update: I first visited the stall in March this year. When I visited it for the second time in October, they had changed the signboard to a more striking one (photo below).

XIAO GUAN ZI 小馆子

Food Pavilion
Blk 443 Clementi Ave 3
Singapore 120443

Business Hours

Mon - Sun: 10am - 10pm

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/v8YxX62A97mFG7Ye7

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singapore,blk 371 bukit batok street 31,food review,minced meat noodle,给面子,hawker,gimee face noodle house,bak chor mee,

Although it has yet to open for the day, a queue have already formed in front of the stall. Interestingly, the people in the line are mostly the retirees.

With the unwavering support of so many elderlies, there must be something worth checking out here.

So, here I am, in the queue today, to find out what these people are standing in line for. I learned from the auntie behind me that it is a economical rice (chap chye png) stall serving Cantonese-style dishes.

Although stalls offering Teochew muey are a dime a dozen, it did not occur to me till now that there are actually dialect-specified economical rice stalls around (in this case, a Cantonese one).

The queue stretched all the way to Chang Ji Gourmet on the opposite side. Despite the long line, it cleared fast due to the efficiency of the staff.

I counted at least twenty dishes behind the glass panel which is petty impressive to me, considering the size of the stall.

I believe the mushrooms here are simply braised in oyster sauce without any other ingredients vying for attention. As such, the natural flavor of the mushroom was able to shine through and take centre stage here.

This is the steamed egg custard that involves the use of three different types of eggs: chicken egg, salted duck egg and century egg.

A common way to prepare this triple-egg dish is by steaming chicken eggs with cooked salted duck egg and century egg.

However, I believe they do it differently here which is by beating raw salted duck egg together with the chicken egg then steaming them with the century egg.

I guess that explains why I did not see any salted egg but tasted it.

I like how the chicken egg is subtly infused with the brininess of the salted duck egg while the century egg provided some texture.

The egg custard is so light and cottony soft, it glides down my throat effortlessly.

I strongly recommend getting this if it is available.

Lastly, we have the pork with salted fish.

The pork is tender and nicely seasoned with the flavors of the salted fish. The saltiness is well balanced without being too salty.

I could not tell which cut of pork is being used here as they are in rather small pieces and therefore, unrecognisable.

This dish is so delectable I wished I have more rice to eat with.

Despite the salted egg and salted fish in my meal, I do not feel overwhelmed by the salt level at all.

In fact, I find that the stall uses the salt quite sparingly in their dishes (at least the ones I ordered) while at the same time, cleverly making use of the ingredients' own flavor to season their dishes.

Although light on the palate, it does not make their dishes any less scrumptious. The daily queue at Li Ji is the best testament as to how popular their offerings are.

GIMEE FACE NOODLE HOUSE 给面子

Sin Huat Lee Restaurant
Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31

Singapore 650371

Business Hours

Mon - Sun: 7am - 9pm

Website: https://www.facebook.com/gimeeface

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/wBgurWU3oJqfhMVe9

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singapore,blk 371 bukit batok street 31,food review,minced meat noodle,gimee face noodle house,给面子,hawker,bak chor mee,

I have not been to this coffee shop at Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31 for the last three years since the beginning of the pandemic.

When I finally paid a visit this week, I was surprised to learn that a new noodle stall named Gimee Face Noodle House have taken up space here.

I have heard of the branding before which is a chain co-owned by Tenderfresh’s COO Kelvin Chua and Bakerzin's Daniel Tay.

Stepping foot into the coffee shop, it is not difficult to spot the stall with its eye-catching signboard and impressive menu:

01) Original Pork Noodle ($4.30)

02) Abalone Pork Noodle

03) Spicy Volcano Mee Kia Soup ($7.30)

04) Longevity Mee Sua Dry ($5.30)

05) Mala Spicy Pork Noodle ($5.30)

06) Teochew Fish Ball Noodle ($5.30)

07a) Fragrant Laksa

07b) Fragrant Seafood Laksa

08) Braised Pork Rib Noodle

09) Silky Pork Liver Noodle ($4.30)

10) Fish Ball Kway Teow Soup ($4.30)

11) Homemade Pork Ball Soup ($4.50)

12) Bouncy Fish Ball Soup ($4.30)

13) Heibee Hiam Pork Liver ($4.30)

14) Heibee Hiam Duo Ball ($5.30)

I discovered that menu items #2, #7 and #8 are missing from the signboard. I compared the menu against the one on their Facebook and realized that, perhaps, they do not serve those here at this outlet.

Being a purist, I decided to have the original pork noodle or what is more commonly known as the bak chor mee (minced meat noodle).

With no queue in sight, I was able to place my order which did not take long to be ready.

Served in a pretty ramen-ish bowl is a mound of mee pok topped with an assortment of ingredients such as Chinese mushrooms, button mushrooms, minced pork, pork slices, pig's liver and pork ball.

The portion is reasonable for the price although I could do with a bit more mee pok.

The pork ingredients were good although the pork ball which seems homemade, felt a little too mushy.

The bowl of soup is sweet tasting however, it is unclear if it is due to the MSG or pork essence.

I finished every drop anyway.

Usually when I visit a noodle stall for the first time, I will not customize the concoction of sauces as I wanted to find out how the default is like. It will determine how I place my order subsequently.

After giving the mee pok a good tossing, I find the bowl a little dry. It tasted fine actually but I like my noodles saucy so, I scooped some soup in. Unfortunately, that compromised the flavors and I had to add in the soy sauce and chili padi.

Now that I know, I will request for more chili sauce and vinegar next time.

GIMEE FACE NOODLE HOUSE 给面子

Sin Huat Lee Restaurant
Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31

Singapore 650371

Business Hours

Mon - Sun: 7am - 9pm

Website: https://www.facebook.com/gimeeface

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/wBgurWU3oJqfhMVe9

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singapore,food review,nasi lemak,faith nasi lemak fried bee hoon mee,hawker centre,redhill market & food centre,blk 85 redhill lane,信心椰浆饭炒米粉麵,

Since I would be dropping by Redhill Market & Food Centre to support the relaunch of Redhill Pork Porridge, I took the opportunity to check out the other stalls which I did not managed to during my last visit two years ago.

What caught my interest is this stall named Faith Nasi Lemak, Fried Bee Hoon/Mee. As its name implies, the stall offers nasi lemak and fried bee hoon/mee with a wide array of dishes to choose from.

However, unlike other economical bee hoon stalls where the nasi lemak plays second fiddle, the opposite seemed to be the case here with the coconut rice dish hogging the limelight.

Just take a look at their impressive menu on the signboard:

Set 1) Chicken Cutlet Rice with cabbage and egg ($4)

Set 2) Sweet & Sour Chicken Rice with cabbage and egg ($4)

Set 3) Chicken Wing Rice with cabbage and egg ($3.80)

Set 4) Fish Fillet Rice with egg, silver fish and peanut ($2.80)

Set 5) Chicken Wing + Luncheon Meat Rice with egg, silver fish and peanut ($4)

Set 6) Chicken Wing + Fish Fillet Rice ($3.80)

Set 7) Chicken Drumstick Rice with egg, silver fish and peanut ($4.70)

Set 8) Curry Chicken Drumstick Rice with cabbage and egg ($4.80)

Set 9) Pork Cutlet Rice with cabbage and egg ($4.80)

The nasi lemak is obviously the star here with no mention of the bee hoon and mee. I opted for Set 7 that come with a deep fried chicken drumstick, egg, silver fish and peanut.

Who can resist sinking their teeth into a large chicken drumstick that is fried to a crisp with juicy, flavorful meat? Not me, certainly. It makes me go weak at the knees. 🙅

One thing I hate while having fried chicken, is discovering the inside still raw with blood. I am pleased to report that said problem does not exist here.

On the other hand, the egg yolk of a sunny-side up is something that I wished would remain runny but unfortunately, for businesses that have to churn out huge numbers of fried eggs at a time, this is not always possible.

However, this stall did it.

Initially, I thought my egg would be fully cooked through from the white right down to the yolk. Surprisingly, when I push the fork through it, the egg yolk gushes out like spring water.

One thing to note is that they used silver fish here instead of ikan bilis which they are extremely generous with. Other places can be so miserly with it that I could literally count the number of silver fish/ikan bilis and peanuts on my plate.

I absolutely abhor it when I have to ration the silver fish to make them last the entire meal. However, there is no need for that here as there are plenty to go around.

The crispy silver fish would make a tasty snack to eat on its own. Only problem is, they may have gone a little too heavy-handed with the salt which, I hope, is just a one-off thing.

Served warm and aromatic, the rice is light and fluffy while the coconut flavour is not overpowering. I am quite addicted to the rice that I could just eat it plain.

The sambal is more of a orange hue than the usual crimson red. Mildly spicy yet not too saccharine, this sambal suits those who cannot take the heat well.

FAITH NASI LEMAK, FRIED BEE HOON/MEE 信心椰浆饭炒米粉麵

Redhill Market & Food Centre
85 Redhill Lane
#01-30

Singapore 150085

Business Hours

Mon - Fri: 6am - 12.30pm, 5pm - 8.30pm

Sat: 6am - 2pm, 5pm - 8.30pm

Sun: 6am - 2pm

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/SZiRw8K8YZN8DX2D8

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singapore,红山粥,redhill market & food centre,blk 85 redhill lane,food review,hainanese porridge,redhill pork porridge,hawker centre,mixed pork porridge,misstamchiak,chef cao yong

My last visit to the popular Redhill Porridge at Redhill Market & Food Centre was two years ago. I was taken aback to learn that the uncle has already retired and the stall shuttered.

But just as stunned as I was by news of its closure, news of the stall reopening reached my ears. The stall has been taken over by a new operator who turned out to be non other than... Miss Tam Chiak!

I was in disbelief when I heard about it. She is already juggling multiple roles as a writer, photographer, stylist, entrepreneur, wife and mother. Now, we can add on "hawker" to that list.

As it turns out, her family used to run a porridge stall so when she learned that the previous owners were bowing out, she seized the opportunity and took over.

A change in ownership bring changes. The fish option which was previously available has been taken off the menu so this is now solely a pork porridge stall. Also, there is the inevitable price increase but do expect better quality ingredients.

After all, this is a partnership with celebrity chef, Cao Yong.

On their first day opening this morning, I arrived at about 7am to show my support.

When I got there, a short queue of customers were already waiting in line to place their orders.

I joined the queue as well and ordered a small bowl ($3.50/$4.50) of mixed pork porridge. I added an egg for 50¢.

Tung choi (preserved vegetable) and fried shallots that used to grace the bowl were nowhere to be seen. However, taking their place is super crispy youtiao which I take delight in!

My mixed pork porridge included ingredients such as sliced pork, pig's liver and pork balls.

The marinated pig's liver is thickly sliced and cooked till tender without any visible blood.

As for the pork balls, they are handmade by Chef Cao Yong at the stall. The minced pork are first seasoned (a little birdie told me that tee po goes in the marinade) then hand beaten till gelatinous before being shaped into balls.

The pork balls are so good I wished they were bigger for a more substantial bite.

Being a Cantonese myself, I preferred the texture of Hainanese porridge more than the Cantonese jok. Although not exactly the smoothest in texture, the addition of an egg does make it creamier.

As with all new businesses, the first few days are bound to have hiccups so be patient with them as they sort out the issues.

REDHILL PORK PORRIDGE 红山粥

Redhill Market & Food Centre
85 Redhill Lane
#01-90

Singapore 150085

Business Hours

Tue - Sun: 6am - 9am

Closed: Mon

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/SZiRw8K8YZN8DX2D8

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singapore,tian tian lai lor mee,meng soon huat food centre,lor mee,food review,blk 359 bukit batok street 31,hawker,

Lor mee is one of my favoritest thing to eat but regrettably, non of the ones from my neighborhood can meet my expectation. As a result, it is a ongoing mission of mine to always be on the lookout for a nice bowl.

When I found out about Tian Tian Lai Lor Mee at Blk 359 Bukit Batok Street 31, I was thrilled since it is not too far from my place.

There was a short queue in front of the stall but it cleared quickly. I ordered a bowl of fried fish lor mee ($5) which came with two large pieces of fried battered fish, two fried pork balls, braised pork belly slices, half a hard-boiled egg and fish cake slices.

While the auntie was preparing to add condiments to my bowl, I requested for more black vinegar. With a grin on her face, she says that she will give me more of everything (sambal chili, garlic, cut chili padi, coriander, etc).

However, when I took a look at the bowl, it is anything but. I could not decide if she meant it, or just paying lip service.

I thank her anyway and carried my bowl off to look for a vacant table.

Firstly, the fried battered fish. I believed they were fried in advance therefore it has turned cold with a non crispy batter. As for the pork balls, it would be nice if they have a crisp exterior but they seemed homemade so bonus points for that.

What really stood out for me were the well-marinated pork belly. With a balanced ratio of lean and fatty parts, they were a joy to chew on.

As for the braised egg and fish cake slices, they were pretty generic.

I found some suspicious looking stuff at the bottom of my bowl that seemed like crunchy bits made of soybean. You know, the kind used in vegetarian food? Only thing is, they are not crunchy at all.

I usually opt for bee hoon when having lor mee but this time, I decided to have the flat Hokkien noodle instead for a change. The portion is substantial but it could get a little jelak. Now, I recall why I have been sticking to bee hoon all this while.

The viscosity of the lor is thick enough without being overly starchy. It was well-stirred with no lumpy bits forming. Come to think of it, I did not notice any egg ribbons in the lor.

Flavor wise, it was a pretty satisfying bowl of lor mee.

Despite the somewhat disappointing ingredients (fried stuff served cold, crispy batter turned soggy, etc), the lor is above average for me.

Things could turn around if they fry the fried fish and pork balls in small batches to retain the freshness and texture.

I am still willing to come back for a bowl of lor bee hoon with pork belly and perhaps more black vinegar.

TIAN TIAN LAI LOR MEE 天天來鹵麵

Meng Soon Huat Food Centre
Blk 359 Bukit Batok Street 31

Singapore 650359

Business Hours
Mon: 9.30am - 7pm

Tue: 6am - 7pm

Wed - Sun: 6am - 1.30pm

Closed: Thu

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/GyFzyQJjUtbdnkXE9

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singapore,char bee hoon,food review,fried bee hoon,meng soon huat food centre,food,blk 359 bukit batok street 31,economical bee hoon,

I stay a couple of bus stops away from Meng Soon Huat Food Centre but I have no idea that there is actually a economical bee hoon stall at this coffee shop.

To begin with, this nameless stall does not have a signboard and it operates out of a rojak stall (there is a A4-sized paper on the glass printed with the word rojak in Chinese). All evidence that leads to the existence of a economical bee hoon stall is wiped out the moment they pack up for the day.

And the most crucial part is, they begin business daily (except Mondays) at the ungodly hour of 4.30am till 9am.

So you see, I have a legit explanation for not knowing. I only found out about this by chance when I Googled the coffee shop 'for fun'.

The coffee shop is located at Blk 359 Bukit Batok Street 31 - a stone's throw away from Bukit Gombak MRT Station.

The stall is situated right by the smoking corner of the coffee shop. When I arrived at about 6.30am, I was astounded by the number of people puffing away so early in the morning.

Customers queuing for the bee hoon would be forced to inhale second-hand smoke.

Thankfully, there is no queue so I was able to quickly place my order for a plate of char bee hoon with a fried chicken wing and a fried fish fillet for $3.

I grabbed my food and fled to the other end of the coffee shop where the air is fresher.

I like my char bee hoon moist, soft and not too oily. This one ticks all the boxes for me.

The style of this bee hoon reminded me of the one from my primary school tuckshop at Jalan Lempeng which I missed dearly. Do you believe that I actually went to school early just so I could have the bee hoon for breakfast everyday?

Sadly, my school is no longer around so, no chance of having it ever again.

Anyway, I digress. I feel they could be more generous with the portion of the bee hoon however, as I had just woken up, I have not much appetite yet.

The stall offers various options of side dishes but they are all deep fried items. I did not see any vegetables such as cabbage or tau kok (long bean) available.

The chicken wing is a crowd favorite and I can see why. It come with just a thin, crisp layer of skin and beyond that is tender flesh oozing with juices. I heard they usually run out of chicken wings by 7.30am.

Will I return for this? I would love to provided I have no separation anxiety from my bed that day.

NAMELESS ECONOMICAL BEE HOON

Meng Soon Huat Food Centre
Blk 359 Bukit Batok Street 31

Singapore 650359

Business Hours

Tue - Sun: 4.30am till sold out

Closed: Mon

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/95LhuTrfy2JX49Ua8

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singapore,meng soon huat food centre,文记港式烧腊,curry chicken noodle,blk 359 bukit batok street 31,food review,hawker,

Update: Wen Ji HK Roasted Delights has permanently closed.

I tried to Google for this roast stall called 文记港式烧腊 at Blk 359 Bukit Batok Street 31 but nothing relevant turns up in the search engine as the stall does not have a full English name.

Underneath the Chinese stall name on the signboard are simply the words "HK Roasted Delights" but with a generic name like that, how to stand out among the sea of "HK Roasted Delights" out there?

When I Googled the Chinese name, it leads to a "Man Kee Hong Kong Style Roasted" at 710 Clementi West Street 2 which I doubt the two are even related.

I guess the lack of a anglicized name does make it harder to appear in search results.

Anyway, this roast stall is located in the same coffee shop as Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee at Bukit Gombak (yes, that Ah Kow previously from Hong Lim).

As mentioned, this is a roast stall so expect offerings like siew yok, char siew, roasted duck and Hainanese-styled poached chicken on the menu.

Instead of having their roasts with rice or noodle, I decided to go for the curry noodle with poached chicken ($3.50). You could also opt for curry noodle with siew yok ($3.50), char siew ($3.50), roasted duck ($4) and even a 三拼 (trio combo) of siew yok, char siew and poached chicken ($5).

My bowl of curry noodle is topped with a generous serving of poached chicken meat accompanied by taupok and bean sprouts.

I like how the tender chicken meat were deboned and chopped in thick chunks with its skin still intact. It is impressive considering that not even many chicken rice specialty stalls can - or bothered to - get it right. Most of the time, they just chopped the chicken haphazardly with the skin missing.

The two longish strips of taupok were all skin and hollow, rendering them limp and unmemorable. If only they had a spongy filling to sponge up the mildly spicy curry that would be great.

As the curry broth is not too oily nor heavy with coconut milk, it felt relatively light on the palette.

The soft texture of yellow noodles often gave me a feeling of jelak-ness but the crunch from the beansprout more than compensates it. This is why I loved beansprouts whenever I am having noodle.

Somehow, there was something amiss but I could not quite point a finger to it till later that night. While going through the photos at home, I realized what it was... the potatoes!

This is my first time visiting this stall so I could not be sure if potatoes were deliberately left out.

Frankly speaking, this poached chicken curry noodle may have its shortcomings but for its price and portion, it is reasonable.

~~WEN JI HK ROASTED DELIGHTS RICE NOODLE 文记港式烧腊饭面~~

Meng Soon Huat Food Centre
Blk 359 Bukit Batok Street 31

Singapore 650359

Business Hours
TBA

~~Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/95LhuTrfy2JX49Ua8~~

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singapore,blk 85 redhill lane,redhill market & food centre,food review,redhill food centre,redhill hawker centre,khoon kee tasty prawn mee,坤记大虾排骨面,

When I was at Redhill Market & Food Centre recently, I noticed quite a queue at Khoon Kee Tasty Prawn Mee. I went home, did a little read up on them and decided to return to give them a try.

There is no queue in front of the stall on my return trip and I was able to place my order immediately.

I had read a couple of reviews that do not recommend the pork ribs so I decided to take heed and order the soup version with only prawns.

One can truly tell the passion the chef had for his craft. Just see how he arranges the prawns in the bowl and the fact that they are only cooked upon order and not in advance.

My $5 bowl of prawn noodle soup came with three decent sized prawn, kang kong and bean sprouts.

Take note that they do not serve pork slices nor fish cakes.

The broth seems light but it is imbued with enough crustacean flavors to please yet does not overwhelm.

The stall helper proclaims that they uses sea prawns which are better in quality thus more expensive than the farmed variety. Indeed, they are crunchy, sweet and succulent.

I like that the prawns are not halved so I could enjoy the texture as the meat give way to my bite. I also appreciate that the shell have been removed except for the head and tail.

The softness of the noodles is complemented by the kang kong and bean sprouts. Together with the prawns and excellent broth, makes this a likable bowl of prawn noodle.

KHOON KEE TASTY PRAWN MEE 坤记大虾排骨面

Redhill Market & Food Centre
85 Redhill Lane
#01-58

Singapore 150085

Business Hours

Thu - Mon: 8am - 1pm

Wed: 8am - 7pm

Closed: Tue

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/SZiRw8K8YZN8DX2D8

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singapore,实美芽菜鸡饭,smoked duck,food review,shi mei hainanese chicken rice,blk 371 bukit batok street 31,sin huat lee restaurant,

As its name suggests, Shi Mei Hainanese Chicken Rice is known for their chicken rice, particularly the Hainanese chicken and sesame chicken which I have tried four years ago.

This time, I am back to try their lemon chicken rice.

While in the queue, I noticed a hand-written menu plastered on the wall outside the stall. I had a quick browse and spotted smoked duck rice among the usual menu of chicken and roasts.

I had my very first smoked duck just a couple of months earlier from Chinatown Omelette Chef at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre and I find myself liking it.

Just thinking about it makes my mouth water so I decided to have the smoked duck instead of lemon chicken and ordered a rice set for $4.50.

My order was served chicken rice style which came with a plate of smoked duck breast, a bowl of chicken rice, a bowl of soup and the usual chicken rice sauces of garlic chili and dark sauce.

I thought the serving of smoked duck breast was pretty generous for the price. I counted ten slices of meat.

The pinkish duck breast come with a thin layer of skin and fats. Its texture is quite unlike that of the roasted or braised variety. I find it lean more towards cured meat like ham.

Flavor wise, it has a smoky flavor that reminds me of bacon.

Underneath the duck breast is a pool of the stall's signature sauce.

I am guessing it is made with char siu sauce and perhaps with the addition of hoi sin/worcestershire/barbecue sauce.

However, I did not quite like it which is served with everything from their char siu, siu yuk and even the Hainanese chicken. When it comes to Singapore's National dish, I still prefer the traditional concoction of soy sauce and sesame oil.

I find the starchy sauce quite redundant and I am glad that they did not pour it over the duck which would really interfere with its taste profile.

Although not the fluffiest, the rice grains are not clumpy. It is also not too greasy which makes them easy to eat.

Flavor-wise, there is a nice aroma however, something seems lacking compared to what I remembered the last time I had it. The taste is "almost there but not yet there" if you know what I mean.

It is still pretty good to eat on its own.

The bowl of clear soup is nice to have although some may find it a tad too salty.

Apart from the smoked duck and Hainanese chicken, you can also find char siu, siu yuk, roasted chicken, sesame chicken and lemon chicken here.

The stall is rather popular with nearby residents so do expect a long queue during peak hours.

SHI MEI HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE 实美芽菜鸡饭

Sin Huat Lee Restaurant
Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31

Singapore 650371

Business Hours

Mon - Sun: 9.30am - 7pm

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/4QByE5PUs2nGfnZA8

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singapore,blk 371 bukit batok street 31,food review,wang wang claypot congee,hawker centre,旺旺砂煲粥品,mixed pork porridge,

Wang Wang Claypot Congee from the coffee shop at Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31, has been faithfully serving the Bukit Gombak neighborhood for as long as I could remember.

The fact that they managed to come this far speak volumes about their congee. An obvious tell-tale sign of their popularity with the residents here is their worn-out signboard.

Indeed, I have been a long-time fan of theirs for a number of years and I wonder what took me so long to finally do a proper review about them?

What makes the stall stand out, is that they served their congee in claypots not commonly found in many places (and this is what drawn me to them). Here is their menu:

Frog Congee ($6)
Ginger Onion Frog/Dry Cili Frog ($6.50 for one/$12 for two)
Hong Kong Style Congee ($4)
Seafood Congee ($4)
Scallop with pork/chicken/fish Congee ($4)
Sliced Fish/Sliced Fish with Cuttlefish Congee ($3.50/$4)
Century Egg Pork/Chicken/Pork Congee ($3.50)
Cuttlefish Peanut/Century Egg Congee ($3.50)
Pig's Organ Congee ($4)
Pig's Liver Pork Congee ($3.50)
Century Egg Pig's Liver Congee ($3.50)
Shredded Chicken Cuttlefish Congee ($3.50)
Peanut Congee ($2.50)
Sliced Abalone Congee ($3.50)

Previously, one could simply walk off after ordering as the elderly stall owners provide table service.

All you need to do is to let them know of your table number and the congee would be served to your table once it is ready.

That is during the pre-COVID-19 days. I have not been here since the outbreak.

Running the show now is a younger man, presumably the owners' son.

Perhaps due to a shortage of manpower, it is self-service, for now. I had to wait in front of the stall to collect my order which is fine as it provided me the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the action in the kitchen.

I remember during the elderly owners' time, the claypot is always burning hot to the touch thus, I am under the impression that the claypot congee is cooked directly in the claypot.

However, I am surprised to see the congee being cooked in a steel pot then transferred to a claypot sitting on the counter.

I thought the claypot would have at least been pre-heated over the stove but regrettably, it was not even hot to the touch. I could literally lift the claypot off the tray onto the table with my bare hands.

No doubt the congee is hot but serving it in a cold claypot really defeats the purpose.

This is my first visit after a very long while so I hope it is not the way how things are done from now on.

Despite the disappointing cold claypot issue, the congee is still as good as how I remember it to be.

The consistency is just nice without being too runny or lumpy. The grains are still visible and not totally disintegrated like Cantonese jook which is too starchy for my liking.

The congee is flavorful enough on its own without further enhancements needed (I added soy sauce which made it a little too salty).

WANG WANG CLAYPOT CONGEE 旺旺砂煲粥品

Sin Huat Lee Restaurant
Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31

Singapore 650371

Business Hours

Mon - Sun: 7am - 8pm

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/y6HXjPwB4HdX3jkB9

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guan yin vegetarian,singapore,mui fan,beauty world food centre,food review,觀音素食,烩饭,beauty world centre,mee hoon kueh,vegetarian

I am just a casual vegetarian who goes meatless on the first and fifteenth of every lunar month or when a major Buddhist event come up (e.g who's who birthday/enlightenment day, etc).

Guan Yin Vegetarian at Beauty World Food Centre basically offers two menu - the noodle soup menu (mee hoon kueh soup, dumpling noodle soup) and the rice & noodle aka tze char menu (hor fun, mui fun, ee-mian). All the dishes here are reasonably priced at just $4 and $5.

I was there during lunch time with a sizeable crowd. I initially wanted to try the mee hoon kueh but was told that there is a 30 minutes wait. However, the wait would be shorter if I order from the tze char menu instead.

As there is only one chef working within the confines of that limited stall space, it is understandably more efficient to focus on one menu instead of alternating between the two during peak hours.

As I was not feeling too hungry, I ordered the small portion ($4) mui fun. When the auntie brought out my order from the back, I was taken aback by its portion which is probably enough to feed two pax!

"I cannot finish this lah!", I exclaimed loudly inside my head.

My vegetarian mui fan is a dish of mixed vegetables with rice in gravy. I randomly found vegetables such as cabbage, chye sim, broccoli and slivers of carrot. I also see soybean by-products like tau kwa, zai er (mock goose) and some spongy tofu thingy. (I do not know what it is but I like the mouthfeel!)

Interestingly, hidden underneath the zai er are some slices of mock char siew. Unlike the typical ones found in your vegetarian bee hoon that are dry with glow-in-the-dark red coloring (joking!), the ones here are smothered in a sweet tasting sauce.

The mui fan is light on flavors while the gravy not too heavily starchy.

True enough, I was feeling stuffed when I got through to 2/3 of this meal but I finished the remainder anyway.

The fiber from all that vegetables kept me satiated till past dinner time. It is rare that I skip dinner yet go to bed without having maggi for supper.

For just $4, Guan Yin Vegetarian kept me full for two meals with its massive food portions. This is truly value for money!

While in the queue to place my order, I noticed quite a number of people ordering their claypot ee-mian. I guess it is probably one of their better selling dishes.

After finishing my meal 30 minutes later, I make my way back to the stall and I saw people walking away with bowls of mee hoon kueh in their hands which look fantastic, by the way.

Edit: I returned a few days later before lunch hour and I managed to lay my hands on a bowl of mee hoon kueh!

Just take a look at it. Full to the brim with plenty of ingredients and all these for only $4!

GUAN YIN VEGETARIAN 觀音素食

Beauty World Centre
144 Upper Bukit Timah Road
#04-41
Singapore 588177

Business Hours

Mon - Sat: 11am - 4pm

Closed: Sun/Public Holidays

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/vV1D6Rm7vgMLBMFG9

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eng kee fried chicken wings,singapore,beauty world food centre,food review,economical bee hoon,yan,fried chicken wings,eng kee,fried bee hoon,char bee hoon,

Eng Kee Chicken Wings has recently opened their fourth outlet at Beauty World Food Centre. Needless to say, I had to go check it out for I am a fan of their fried chicken wings.

Although their outlets are all located in the West, this stall is by far, the nearest and most convenient for me.

I have not been to Beauty World Food Centre for a short while and I am taken aback by the sudden influx of new stalls during this visit. I will write about them in my subsequent posts.

Some things never change. For me, it is always the "holy trinity" of fried bee hoon, fried chicken wing and cabbage whenever I visit any economical bee hoon stall.

And because Eng Kee's chicken wings are so popular, they literally fly off the shelves!

I simply had to order an additional piece. Who wouldn't? There are people who came specially for the wings and would often order by the dozens. Just ask PM Lee!

My order of fried bee hoon (80¢), two fried chicken wings ($2.60) and cabbage (50¢), came up to $3.90.

Remember to splash on their special chili sauce which is super good. If only they provide green pickled chili as well, that would be marvelous!

From the hot, crispy batter to the succulent flesh, there is nothing to dislike about these well-marinated wings.

However, I cannot say the same for their fried bee hoon.

I have tried the main outlet at Commonwealth Drive and the branch at Redhill Food Centre but I find the bee hoon consistently bland and rubbery making it hard to swallow.

I had to force it down my throat with plenty of the chili sauce. Surprisingly though, the fried bee hoon here at Beauty World is tastier and I might say more palatable than the other two.

Compared to a regular economical bee hoon stall, Eng Kee may have much lesser selection to offer but it is good enough for me.

After all, the star here is their fried chicken wings while everything else is just a bonus.

I like how everything is affordably priced. This kind of pricing is what I truly call economical.

One thing baffles me though: Why is Eng Kee using Yan's signboard?

ENG KEE FRIED CHICKEN WINGS

Beauty World Food Centre

144 Upper Bukit Timah Road
#04-46
Singapore 588177

Business Hours

Tue - Fri: 9am - 4pm

Sat - Sun (including public holidays): 8am - 3pm

Closed: Mon

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Eng-Kee-Chicken-Wings-301738776682707/

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/vV1D6Rm7vgMLBMFG9

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佳福印度煎饼,singapore,794 upper bukit timah,ga-hock roti prata,food review,佳福餐馆,ga-hock eating house,

Ga-Hock Eating House is a modest coffee shop sharing the same building as Bukit Panjang Hokkien Kong Huay at this stretch of old shop houses along Upper Bukit Timah Road.

I have lived in the vicinity for about 30 years now but I'm totally oblivious to its existence.

To think that I have been taking the bus to school via this route for eight consecutive years (three years primary and five years secondary) yet I have never noticed!

I only found out recently when I come across people talking about it on Facebook. It piqued my interest to come check it out.

The very first thing you would see, when you reach here, is the roasted meat stall right at the entrance. Walk past it and you will find yourself flanked on both sides by the beverage stall, a noodle stall, a snack stall, a tze char stall and a roti prata stall.

The premise is so cramp, there is no space for even one table. The seating arrangements are all at the back behind the building under the huge Bodhi tree. Do not worry, though, as you will be protected from the elements under a zinc roof.

I am awed by the laid-back vibes here which is reminiscent of a dai pai dong in Malaysia.

So, what brings me here to this little ulu location of a coffee shop? I have actually come for the roti prata which is what gotten people talking about it on Facebook (and caught my attention).

The stall, aptly named Ga-Hock Roti Prata, is surprisingly operated by both a Chinese and Indian uncle. The former takes order and collect payment while the latter kneads and flip, well, pratas.

After placing my order with the Chinese uncle, I am told to take a seat and that he will call for me to come collect my order once it is ready. When I did, he asked for my preferential sauce (fish, mutton, dahl or sambal) and to come back for more if I desire.

As I turned to walk away with my plate, he said "小心点" which made my heart miss a beat. I doubt that he is threatening me to "watch out". Rather, I interpreted it as "Be mindful of your steps and do not trip/slip/fall on your way to the back".

Now, when was the last time someone actually showed you such concern? No, your mother does not count.

I am pretty sure everyone receive the same fantastic service here but I have never been so touched by a hawker like uncle before. Awww.

My default order is usually one piece kosong (plain) and one piece with egg but since I took half an hour's walk over from my place, I might as well order two egg pratas instead.

I know 30 minutes is barely enough to walk off all that calories therefore I walked another 30 minutes back home.

My pratas are made upon order therefore there is a short wait of about 7 minutes. I am lucky that there are no orders before me or the wait would have been much longer.

I am uncertain about the kosong but my egg prata is only crispy around the edges where there is no egg. I did the scraping test in the middle with the fork but no scratchy sound is observed. However, I do enjoy the doughy and soft texture with its buttery fragrance.

And the best part? It is not greasy at all.

For the choice of dipping sauce, my preference is in this order: fish curry; mutton curry; dahl.

Fish curry appeals the most to me as the tanginess helps to cut through the jelakness, if anything. The one from my hood pales in comparison as the one here have a bolder taste and so much more inviting.

On the other hand, mutton curry can be a little overwhelming for me with all the fats and gaminess.

As for dahl, just say I have no love for lentils.

Sambal is available here for a little top-up. I believe it is 50¢ for a saucer.

The pricing here is a little steep, unfortunately. A plain prata goes for $1.50 while one with egg is $2.20.

The rustic ambience makes it a charming spot to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of life. A big monsoon drain with the sound of flowing water (no foul smell!) and a huge Bodhi tree (with songs from the caged birds) completes the experience.

I came on a weekday morning so there is not much crowd. I heard the place would be teeming with cyclists during the weekends so plan your visit accordingly.

Ga-Hock Eating House is right across the road from the MINDEF Building at Gombak Drive.

GA-HOCK ROTI PRATA 佳福印度煎饼

Ga-Hock Eating House
794 Upper Bukit Timah Road

Singapore 678133

Business Hours

Mon - Sun: 8.30am - 1.30pm

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/3oNeYLbtm6T7ogfP6

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singapore,794 upper bukit timah,ga-hock roasted meat,food review,佳福餐馆,佳福烧腊,roasted duck rice,ga-hock eating house,

Taking up the prime spot at Ga-Hock Eating House is Ga-Hock Roasted Meats.

You will not miss the stall if you are coming from the main road.

I heard the roast meats here are fantastic so I ordered a plate of wanton noodle ($4) to try. There is no one before me and I got my order in under five minutes.

I let out a little gasp when I saw the staff ladle some dark sauce into the plate but I am too late to stop him and the deed is done.

Honestly, I am not a fan of such dark sauced noodle.

My plate of wanton noodle came with generous portions of char siew, some obligatory greens on a mound of noodle and a bowl of wanton soup served on the side.

I helped myself to the pickled green chili and sambal chili on the counter.

The wanton skin is thin, soft and slippery while the knob of minced meat wrapped within, miniscule.

The three wantons in the soup were at best average and not particularly memorable. I noticed that the staff got his wantons from the fishball noodle stall next door and that got me thinking: are the stalls here run by individual operators or are all the stalls here actually under the same boss?

As mentioned earlier, dark sauce wanton noodle does not appeal to me.

A simple concoction of pork lard oil, a splash of soy and sambal would be pleasing enough. I felt that the addition of dark sauce simply overwhelm all other flavors with its saccharine taste.

Furthermore, the noodle is softer than I would like. A little springier with a bite is very much welcomed.

The highlight for me would be the moderately thick char siew which come with high fat content.

In the past, I always thought that I like fatty char siew but when I had the bu jian tian (pig's armpit char siew) from Zhong Yu Yuan Wei at Tiong Bahru Food Centre many years back, I find them too revolting to swallow. In the end, I left them untouched.

I thought it may be just a one-off thing but when I had the bu jian tian from Fatty Cheong at ABC Brickworks Food Centre, the same scenario happened. I figured out then that I simply cannot stand that jiggly fatty texture in the mouth.

Even though this char siew seems fatty, I am not sure if it is bu jian tian as it does not give me that repulsive feeling which the two previous-mentioned stalls did.

In fact, I like this char siew for its tenderness and chewiness.

On my next visit, I will have the roast here with rice instead and drizzled with si yau/sok yau (豉油/熟油). I will give the dark sauce a pass, tyvm.

GA-HOCK ROASTED MEATS 佳福烧腊,

Ga-Hock Eating House
794 Upper Bukit Timah Road

Singapore 678133

Business Hours

Mon - Sun: 8.30am - 2.30pm

Website: https://www.facebook.com/gahockroastedmeats/

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/3oNeYLbtm6T7ogfP6

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singapore,prawn cracker,794 upper bukit timah,food review,silver fish fritter,carol satay & otah,prawn fritter,silverfish cracker,佳福餐馆,ga-hock eating house,炸虾饼,

Located at a corner within Ga-Hock Eating House is a stall named 乡村小吃 (no anglicised name). In the morning, the stall specializes in fried fritters and mee siam but come evening, it transforms into a satay and otah stall named Carol Satay & Otah.

I happened to walk past the stall one morning when I was there to check out the roti prata and I saw these beautiful darlings on display behind the glass window.

The temptation is too strong to resist therefore I ordered a silverfish fritter and a prawn fritter to try. Oyster fritter, minced meat fritter and vegetable fritter are also available.

The fritters are crisp around the edges but fluffy towards the centre where it is thicker. They are best enjoyed fresh out of the fryer, otherwise, it can get quite jelak once it cooled down and the oil seep through.

At $2 each, the fritters are value for money. See the number of prawns and silverfish on the fritters?

Be careful with the prawn fritter though as the pointy ends of the prawn head pricked the insides of my mouth a couple of times.

My favorite is the silverfish fritter. The tiny fishes are like little flavor bombs that release bursts of savoriness as you bite upon each one.

If I have a bone to pick with, it would be the slight bitter aftertaste from the burnt bean sprouts.

乡村小吃

Ga-Hock Eating House
794 Upper Bukit Timah Road

Singapore 678133

Business Hours

Mon - Sun: 7.30am - 9pm

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/yoQWYkSt4pcniuUs5

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singapore,food review,senja hawker centre,2 senja close,石年猪脚饭,shi nian pig leg rice,braised pig trotters,pig legs,林記猪脚饭,百年酿豆腐,lin ji pig leg rice,bai nian niang dou fu,

I came across Lin Ji Pig Leg Rice (林記猪脚饭) when they first opened at Albert Centre Market & Food Centre. I remember being captivated by the beautifully braised pig legs displayed inside the window.

Reasonably priced at $4.90 then, I was eager to have a bowl however, the intimidating queue meant that I can only come back for it another time.

When I saw customers carrying away their bowls of pig leg rice with Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu (百年酿豆腐) signature white trays, I realized Lin Ji is by the same people behind the yong tau foo stall which had a outlet at the same food centre as well.

Regrettably four years on, I have yet to try Lin Ji. It was not until recently that I notice a new pig leg rice stall at Senja Hawker Centre with a similar signboard as Lin Ji but bearing the name Shi Nian (石年) instead.

Initially, I thought Shi Nian is a knock-off of Bai Nian so I was contemplating whether to give them a try at all but as it turns out, it is simply a case of rebranding. The former Lin Ji that I know is now known as Shi Nian. They are one and the same.

With that doubt out of the way, I caved in with no holdback and ordered a bowl of pig leg rice (猪脚饭). The price has increased by a dollar to $5.90 now.

My bowl consists of a portion of deboned meat from the pig's leg, salted vegetables, and a slice of prawn cake garnished with coriander atop a mound of fluffy rice drizzled in a delicious braise sauce.

The collagen-rich pig's skin is gelatinous-ly soft while the lean meat succulent. They pride themselves on their light, yet flavorful braise made without salt, dark sauce, rock sugar, and MSG; a recipe from Longjiang Town, China.

If you prefer a fattier cut, do opt for the pig trotters rice (猪蹄饭) instead.

The salted vegetables were not overwhelmingly salty or sour that it steals the limelight.

As for the prawn cake, it has a good bouncy texture but in all honesty, I have no clue what I am having till I check the menu and realize what it was. It is also available ala carte at $4.90 for five slices.

The coriander functions more than just a pretty garnish in the bowl. It actually helps to cut through any jelakness.

The saucer of house-made chili reminded me of the ABC brand of bottled chili sauce from the supermarkets. It provided some kick although I find it a distraction from the braise which is the star here.

This is the only vegetarian stall in the area that operates for the full day till 9pm. The other two vegetarian stalls nearby closes just after lunch so this is the only place where you can get dinner if you are a vegetarian.

SHI NIAN PIG LEG RICE 石年猪脚饭

Senja Hawker Centre
2 Senja Close

#02-11

Singapore 677632

Business Hours

Mon - Sun: 10.30am - 9pm

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/A8kHvR6RVZRe2Xw18?coh=178571&entry=tt

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