Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Sembawang Hills Food Centre : What to eat?

Sembawang Hills Food Centre is located along Upper Thomson Road and within close proximity to Ang Mo Kio. The nearest MRT station is Yio Chu Kang though there is no direct bus from there. The easiest way to get to this food centre is to go to Ang Mo Kio MRT station and take bus 269 and change to bus 855 or 163 along Yio Chu Kang Road. 

This food centre is an ideal choice if you are looking for a quiet place to have lunch. It is not crowded during lunch as it is not near to any office buildings and factories. You hardly see a queue in this food centre during weekdays but it is usually busier on the weekends. This food centre is just a stone's throw from where I stay and here are some of the stalls that I have been patronizing regularly. 


SENG HUAT DUCK RICE (#01-07)
Operating Hours: 8.30 am to 12.30 pm (Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays)

This is one of the popular stalls that usually sold out quite early. The options available are Braised Duck Rice at $3.50, Braised Duck Rice set at $4.50 or the Duck Porridge at $2.80. The Char Siew Roasted Pork Rice on their signboard is not available. I usually go for the Braised Duck Rice set with a braised egg for 0.60 cents and duck liver for 0.70 cents. You could choose to go with porridge if you do not want to have it with rice. 



The braising sauce was lighter and not as salty with a notable cinnamon and star anise flavor. The duck meat was flavorful with the desired tenderness. The chilli was good, its mild spiciness has brought forth the flavor. They usually sold out by 12.30 pm or earlier, this is a cheap and good choice if you happen to be in this food centre for an early lunch. 



FRIED CARROT CAKE (#01-14)
Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 11.30 am (Tue to Fri) / 7.00 am to 6.00 pm (Sat & Sun)

This is another stall that usually closed quite early during weekdays but not so on the weekends. It has been around for 35 years selling just fried carrot cake. The current stall owner took over the stall from his father that started it from a pushcart. Unlike most of the other stalls, they are still handmade the carrot cake though no longer using the wood fire but gas to steam them. There are 3 sizes available at $3.00, $3.50 and $4.00. It was served on a disposable plate with a plastic fork. 

The carrot cake was smashed into smaller pieces then fried with egg. The texture of the carrot cake was delightfully soft and not greasy, with a well-balanced level of sweetness and saltiness and a light eggy flavor. 



JIA JIA XING PIG'S ORGAN SOUP (#01-10)
Operating Hours: 10.00 am to 7.00 pm (Daily)

The stall is run by a friendly auntie single-handedly, this is usually one of the stalls that often has a short queue particularly during the weekends. There are only 4 items on their menu, Pig's Organ Soup ($4.50), Pig's Stomach Soup ($4.50), Pig's Trotter ($5.50/$7.00) and Vegetable. Rice is available at 0.50 cents per serving, there are the usual white rice and the soy sauce rice. 

The pig's trotter was braised to a perfect softness, the braising sauce was slightly sweet with a right balance of saltiness and not too thick in texture. It tasted homey and comforting.


The Pig's Organ Soup is a popular choice amongst its regular customers. It consists of meatballs, sliced meat, tofu, pig's stomach and liver with salted vegetable and coriander. The soup was not as peppery but rather light and flavorful. This is one of the better Pig's Organ Soup that I have tasted. 



MING JI CLAM PRAWN MEE (#01-05)
Operating Hours: 8.00 am to 1.00 pm

This stall is manned by an elderly couple and Prawn Mee is the only item on their menu. There is an option for dry or soup at $3 or $4 and also to choose whether to have it with canned razor clams for $4 or $5. You could choose the types of noodles to go with it. It is usually served with ingredients like sliced meat and prawns. I usually requested to have an extra amount of chilli added but its level of spiciness is still quite mild. The soup that is served along has a nice prawny sweet taste. 

Please go early as they usually sold out before 12.30 pm and their off-day is indefinite.



SEMBAWANG TEOCHEW MINCED PORK NOODLE (#01-29)
Operating Hours: 8.00 am to 2.00 pm (Daily)

The elderly stall owner used to work at the Michelin-starred Tai Hwa Pork Noodle at Crawford Lane. He started this stall together with his wife in 2015. There are 3 different sizes, the $4.00, $5.00 and $6.00. The smallest portion is usually enough if you are not too hungry. It is served with the ingredient like minced meat, sliced lean meat, pork liver, meatball, dumpling together with the dried sole fish. The noodles were cooked just right to the desired springiness with a hint of the vinegar taste, not as overwhelmed as compared to the one served by the Tai Hwa Pork Noodle. There is a certain similarity in taste and this is a good alternative.



MAKAN FOOD STALL (#01-17)
Operating Hours: 6.30 am to 7.00 pm (Daily)

This is the only Muslim-owned stall in this food centre, serving Nasi Padang, Mee Rebus, Mee Siam and Lotong. Their Mee Siam has been voted as one of the top 10 in Singapore. They do not just serve Mee Siam but also Mee Rebus, Nasi Lemak, and Nasi Padang.


I have tried the Mee Rebus and Mee Siam, both are reasonably priced at $2.50 and I actually prefer Mee Siam a bit more. The Mee Siam has a well-balanced sourish and sweetness, a little different than the usual Malay style Mee Siam. The Mee Rebus is another popular choice, it is a little too starchy to my liking though. You could also add Fried Chicken Wing or Begedil at an extra cost. 



SIN SIN NGOR HIANG PRAWN CRACKER (#01-21)
Operating Hours: 1.30 pm to 8.00 pm (Closed on Thursdays)

This stall is manned by an elderly couple. Most of the items are handmade and one of the interesting items is the prawn fritter, it is slightly thicker in size as there is a piece of hard-boiled egg in it. There are also the regular items like Ngor Hiang, Prawn Roll, Prawn Cracker that are quite tasty and go well with the accompanying dipping sauce. 


Their fried bee hoon is a must-order, it is mildly seasoned with light soya sauce and with bean sprouts that added a textural contrast. 



SAN BA WANG GUO ZHI SHU SHI (#01-06)
Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 12.00 pm (Closed on Fridays)

This is another stall that is sold out rather early. Kway Chap is the only item on their menu, nothing else. There are 2 sizes for selection, the $3.50 and the $4.00. It is served with the standard ingredients like the braised skin, braised meat, small intestine, big intestine, fish cake, tau pok and braised egg together with a bowl of flat rice sheets that is known as "kway". The flavor though light but quite comforting and most of the items were nicely braised. 


The bowl of flat rice sheets was nice, it was quite thin, smooth and cooked to the right texture in served in the braising sauce then topped with the dried shallots. 



GRILL & PASTA (#01-34)
Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm / 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm (Closed on Mondays)

This stall has been in this food centre for the longest time and is likely to be the first stall serving pasta dishes in the hawker centre. There are a total of 15 pasta dishes on their menu and amongst those, one of the most popular choices is Grilled Chicken ($6.50). It consists of a piece of boneless chicken leg served with penne pasta and vegetable. You could also order other pasta dishes like the comforting Marinara ($7.20) and added a piece of grilled chicken at an extra cost. There were dried chill flakes and dried parsley at the counter for self-service. Parmesan Cheese is available at 0.80 cents per serving. 



KHOON'S KATONG LAKSA & SEAFOOD SOUP (#01-26)
Operating Hours: 10.00 am to 7.30 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Though not as popular as the 328 Katong Laksa, this is a better and cheaper alternative. There are 3 sizes for the laksa, the smallest portion at $4 followed by $5 and the largest portion is $6.00. The coconut milk infused gravy is not too rich not too spicy but rather tasty. It is served a portion of thick bee hoon together with slices of fishcake, prawns and a handful of cockles then garnished with chopped laksa leaves and sambal chilli. This stall does not just serves the Katong Laksa but also Fish Soup and Seafood Soup. 



PING KEE POPIAH (#01-32)
Operating Hours: 11.30 am to 8.00 pm (Closed on Fridays)

This is another stall that has been in this food centre for a long time, manned by a friendly couple and serving only Popiah. It used to be cheaper but it is $1.50 for each piece and $2.00 with added ingredients as of now. The ingredients used were really fresh. The braised turnip was lightly flavored and served along with a handful of crunchy beansprouts, thin slices of chinese sausage, eggs, grounded peanuts and some crunchy bits, firmly wrapped together. 





DOE (#01-22)
Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 3.00 pm (Thursday to Sunday)

This stall is the best-kept secret of this food centre, it is solely manned by a friendly lady single-handedly. It served one of the nicest fruit cakes that I have ever eaten. It is much better than most of the other choices out there. Their other signature item is Cempedak Cake, this is likely to be the only place for such a cake and it is only available on the seasonal basis. Some of the other choices are Coffee Walnut Cake, Butter Cake, Chocolate Cake, Marble Cake, Banana Walnut Cake, Green Tea Chiffon, Black Sesame Chiffon, Cream Cheese Chiffon and more. 



Sunday, May 27, 2018

Kenb's Fish & Chips : room for improvement

This hawker stall was first spotted when they were at their previous location in Sin Ming Drive at a coffee shop next to the bus stop. There was a prominent banner about them hung just outside the coffee shop. They then closed it down. I managed to track them down again when I came across their post on the Facebook. They have since moved to a coffee shop at Lorong Lew Lian close to Serangoon MRT station and a stone's throw away from NEX. 

I visited on a rainy evening. The coffee shop was rather quiet during dinner. My dining companion walked past and did not manage to locate the stall as it is located right at the corner, slightly hidden by a pillar. There was a friendly lady at the counter that took our orders. We decided to go with Signature & Bread Crumb Fish Mix at $6.80 and Junior Platter of Calamari, Oyster and Dory fish at $7.80. I was given a pager after paying up and it buzzed after waiting for 10 minutes. 


We collected the Junior Platter first. Those Fried Calamari were over-fried, it was hard with a rather chewy texture. My dining companion suspected that it might be the frozen ones. The Fried Oyster was as disappointing. There were 2 pieces, the first one was coated with a layer of thick batter that apparently was over-fried. It was greasy and the batter was hard. The second piece was a little better as I could at least taste the oyster in it. 

Those pieces of Fried Dory did not manage to stay crispy for too long as it turned soggy pretty quick. I did not manage to finish the Coleslaw as those shredded cabbages were rather soggy and not crunchy. My dining companion felt that such standard is still acceptable for the price charged and he thought it is value for money. 


The Signature & Bread Crumb Fish Mix did not fare any better. I tasted the piece that coated with breadcrumb and did not really like it as much as compared to their signature fried fillet. Maybe they did not change the oil often enough as it left quite a bad aftertaste in the mouth. 


I do not understand how could such a stall manages to survive this while when serving food at this standard? How did they manage to score 11 of 5-star reviews out of the 12 reviews left on their Facebook? It just did not quite tally as given such a standard. 


One of the nicer Fish & Chips eaten was from Seasalt - the seafood place and the sad news is they are closing on 31 May 2018. They are still looking for a good and comfortable location. Though the quality is important, it has to be cost-effective at the same time and the profit margin is usually quite thin.


KENB'S FISH & CHIPS
Block 2 Lorong Lew Lian #01-56 SINGAPORE 531002
Operating Hours: 4.00 pm to 10.00 pm (Closed on Wednesdays)

Friday, May 25, 2018

Seng Huat Duck Rice : cheap & good

This is one of the stalls at Sembawang Hills Food Centre that I have been wanting to try but usually sold out when I was there for lunch. I made an effort to come early today and there were another 2 customers right in front of me when I was there at 11.00 am. I decided to go with the set meal for $4.50 and added a braised egg for 0.60 cents and duck liver for 0.70 cents.


I was given a nicely chopped up duck leg that well presented on a plate accompanied by slices of cucumber. The braising sauce was lighter and not as salty with a notable cinnamon and star anise flavor. The duck meat was flavorful with the desired tenderness. It was served with white rice lightly drizzled with braised sauce. The chilli was good, its mild spiciness has brought forth the flavor.


I did not actually like the soup that much. It had a light herbal-ish taste with its flavor further enhanced by the addition of coriander and though there was a garlic in it, it did not taste too garlicky.


SENG HUAT DUCK RICE
590 Upper Thomson Road #01-07 Sembawang Hills Food Centre SINGAPORE
Operating Hours: 8.30 am to 12.30 pm (Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays)

Monday, May 21, 2018

The Humble Burger : Sio Bak Burger

I was there at about 12.30 pm for lunch, the Stack Burger ($7.00) and Portobello Burger ($4.00) were not available. I was the only customer at that time. The remaining options are Beef Burger ($5.00), Double Beef Burger ($7.50), Sio Bak Burger ($5.50), Chicken Rice Burger ($5.50) and Fish Burger ($4.00).


I decided to go with the Sio Bak Burger ($5.50) and I was asked whether to go along with twister fries which I agreed. I went with the smaller portion at $1.50, there is a larger portion at $3.00. I was asked to come back in 5 minutes to collect it after paying up.



It consists of 4 pieces of thickly sliced sio bak with mustard and miso dressings as well as lettuce and sandwiched between the toasted buns. I guess I must have waited for too long as those slices of sio bak were no longer crispy. It was slightly tough and a bit too chewy, it did not have the saltiness that a good sio bak would be expected to have. My dining companion commented that it did not have much flavor. 

This somewhat reminded me a similar burger served by Hambaobao at Beauty World Food Centre, which is tastier in comparison. 


I must just come back for their Chicken Rice Burger someday.


THE HUMBLE BURGER
110 Pasir Ris Central #02-22 Pasir Ris Hawker Centre SINGAPORE 519641
Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 9.00 pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Wild Olives : Lost & Found

They used to be at Staff Canteen at Changi Airport Terminal 2, they were around for quite a while then it closed down before resurfacing at the newly opened Pasir Ris Hawker Centre. This was the only stall that got a queue when I was there for lunch and there were at least 15 people in the queue. 

Grilled Chicken ($5.90) is their popular choice as most of the customers ordered it. It is served with a choice of 2 side dishes. The recommended side dishes to go with it are their Signature Mushroom Rice and Grilled Herb Potatoes, the other choices are Seasonal Vegetable, Homemade Coleslaw, Garden Green Salad, Whipped Potatoes and Thick Cut Fries. I decided to go with the Chilled Chicken and opted to have the Signature Mushroom Rice and Grilled Herb Potatoes. I was given the option to choose between the mushroom and teriyaki sauce, I decided on mushroom sauce. I also ordered their Homemade Meatballs with Marinara Sauce ($5.80). There is also an option to add the soup of the day for just $1.


The nicely presented Grilled Chicken came in a massive portion, the chicken chop was quite a big piece with the generous serving of side dishes, really good value. The price itself is cheaper than most of the Western hawker food stalls. The chicken was nicely charred to bring forth a smoky flavor, it was moist and tender within though the meat was slightly underseasoned. 

The Mushroom Rice has somewhat reminded me of the traditional glutinous rice, there was a certain similarity in taste. It was served using the normal rice mixed with caramelized onions and slices of mushroom. This was my first time came across such a side dish and was quite impressed. The Grilled Herb Potatoes were in chunky pieces serving with caramelized onions and sprinkled with chopped parsley. It tasted a little like honey-soy sauce, a mixture of sweet and savory flavor. 


The Homemade Meatballs with Marinara Sauce was a good side dish to be shared. My dining companion commented that the texture of the mild-flavored meatballs was quite good though the sauce was just average.


WILD OLIVES
110 Pasir Ris Central #02-19 Pasir Ris Hawker Centre SINGAPORE 519641
Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 3.30 pm / 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Wang Thai Kitchen at Toa Payoh Lorong 4

Chef Ivan Then is the Singaporean chef cum owner behind this no-frills Thai eatery nestled amongst the HBD Blocks at Toa Payoh Lorong 4, near to the famous Lee Fun Nam Kee. He started it from a stall in a coffee shop before moving to the current location in 2010. Some of the signature items are Thai Kway Chap Soup with Roasted Pork, Pad Thai, Pandan Chicken, Tom Yum Soup, Deep Fried Chicken with Garlic, Pineapple Fried Rice and more. 

I was there at about 1.00 pm and there were just 2 other tables occupied by some office workers. I went to the counter to order. I decided to go with the Tom Yum Set Meal at $15.00 for 1 pax. It consists of Seafood Tom Yum, Onion Omelette with rice and Lime Juice. The lady at the counter was attentive and polite which has left quite an impression.


The Lime Juice was served first then followed by the Seafood Tom Yum and the Onion Omelette with rice. The Seafood Tom Yum was served clear, tasted lightly sourish but not spicy. It was served with fresh ingredients like prawns, sliced fish and different types of mushroom. 


The Onion Omelette was nicely done, it consists of the red and white onions together with chopped spring onions. It was light and fluffy in texture. 


This set is priced at $15 and it is slightly pricey, it would be reasonable if it is about $10 or less for this comforting fare. 


WANG THAI KITCHEN
Block 92 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 #01-274 SINGAPORE 310092
Operating Hours: 11.30 am to 2.30 pm / 5.00 pm to 9.30 pm (Closed on Thursdays)

Monday, May 14, 2018

Fried Carrot Cake : the old-school taste

The stall has no name, it only has "Fried Carrot Cake" on the signboard and the stall owner is a friendly Uncle. He started helping his father since young before eventually took over the stall from him. He is still making the carrot cake though no longer using the wood fire but gas to steam them. Though there is a difference in taste and texture, however, the standard is still well up kept and not changed since yesteryear. The secret to a good carrot cake is none other than the control of the proportion of water and temperature. When it is cut, the texture is firm and not mushy with a fragrance of radish, soft and bouncy, not sticky. The fried garlic is also painstakingly handmade.

There is the selection of white and black carrot cake for $3.00, $3.50 and $4.00. I decided to go with the black version at $3.50 and requested to have it with extra chilli. While waiting for my order, I said, "This is my first time that came across your stall in operation and I have been here on a regular basis." He said, "I usually closed early during the weekdays. It is always quiet after the morning in this food centre but I will open for longer hours during the weekends." While cooking, the Uncle asked, "with extra chilli?" I nodded then asked, "Is it going to be very spicy?" He answered, "I would think so." And, I said, "In this case, just go easy with the chilli." Uncle replied, "I have been here for 35 years and you have not eaten before?" I smiled and nodded my head again. I asked, "Most of your customers are regular?" Uncle smiled and said, "Mostly". 


The handmade carrot cake was poured into the big frying pan from the metal tin. The Uncle quickly smashed it up using the spatula and spread it out evenly to lightly charred those small pieces of carrot cake before added in the beaten egg. It was then served on a disposable plate with a plastic fork. The first mouthful was delightful, it was soft and not greasy, with a well-balanced level of sweetness and saltiness as well as a slight eggy flavor. It did not even serve with the chopped spring onions like the others out there. It is served the traditional way, the same way that it has been served since decades ago.


FRIED CARROT CAKE
590 Upper Thomson Road #01-14 Sembawang Hills Food Centre SINGAPORE 574419
Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 11.30 am (Mon to Fri) / 7.00 am to 6.00 pm (Sat & Sun)

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Yummy Sarawak Kolo Mee : a popular choice

This is one of the stalls that with a queue and they serve the not commonly available Sarawak Kolo Mee. This is probably one of the most famous Kolo Mee around as they have been around for quite a while. And, though there is an indication of Wanton Mee on their signboard, Kolo Mee is actually different. How different? The noodles are made using egg whites with no alkali added. The color is lighter tone and rather curly, like the instant noodles. It actually tastes different, too. 



I went with the Signature Sarawak Kuching Kolo Mee Set Meal, the number 1 item on their menu board. The smallest portion at $4 then followed by $5, $6 and the largest portion is priced at $7. I decided to have the $5 portion with additional wantons. No chilli is added as part of the mixture for the sauce apart from the shallot oil and soy sauce, it is served on the side. Its level of spiciness is not to be underestimated though so go easy with it. The egg noodles were good enough to be eaten by itself, its texture was firmer and springier as compared to the usual mee kia. The fresh noodles are available for pre-ordering. It accompanied with ingredients like vegetable, braised pork ribs, char siew, fried wanton, soup wanton and dumpling, quite similar to the wanton mee. 

I did not eat enough to attest its authenticity but it actually tasted not too bad. 


YUMMY SARAWAK KOLO MEE
137 Tampines Street 11 #01-45 Tampines Round Market & Food Centre SINGAPORE 521137
Operating Hours: 5.00 am to 3.00 pm (Daily)

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Jia Jia Xing Pig's Organ Soup at Sembawang Hills Food Centre

I joined the queue when I was there on a Saturday for lunch. The stall is manned by an auntie all by herself. There are only 4 items featured on their menu, Pig's Organ Soup ($4.50), Pig's Stomach Soup ($4.50), Pig's Trotter ($5.50/$7.00) and Vegetable. Rice is available at 0.50 cents per serving. I waited for about 10 minutes before ordering. I decided to go with Pig's Organ Soup as this seemed to be the popular choice amongst the other customers. I added $1 for extra slices of liver. There are 2 types of rice for selection, the usual white rice, and the soy sauce rice. I opted for the soy sauce rice. Auntie was scoping from a pot and it was finishing. I asked, "Closing soon?". And, she replied, "No, not yet. I usually closed around 7 pm." I asked, "Open every day?" She said, "Yeah. Every day."

While waiting, I said, "I heard that your braised pig's trotter is good." And, she answered, "Eat la", to which I replied, "I will come back soon to try it." 


It was served in those traditional porcelain bowls that you do not get to see it often these days. The food just seemed to be tastier serving in such a bowl as compared to those plastic and disposable bowls. It consists of meatballs, sliced meat, tofu, pig's stomach and liver with salted vegetable and coriander. The soup was not as peppery but rather light and flavorful. This is one of the better Pig's Organ Soup that I have tasted. 


The rice did not have a distinct flavor actually.


I went back for their braised Pig's Trotter on the following Monday. Most of the stalls in this food centre closed on Monday. I ordered the smaller portion at $5.50, a larger portion is available at $7.00. While waiting for it to be served, I asked, "You run this stall daily and not feeling tired?" She answered cheerfully, "No la. I do it for money so I don't feel tired at all."


The pig's trotter was braised to a perfect softness, the braising sauce was slightly sweet with a right balance of saltiness and not too thick in texture. This tasted homey and comforting though not as flavorful as the one that I tasted at Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh near Lakeview MRT in Jurong.


This is going to be one of my favorite stalls in this food centre that I will be patronizing regularly and this is one of the stalls that remain open during the evening.


JIA JIA XING PIG'S ORGAN SOUP
590 Upper Thomson Road #01-10 Sembawang Hills Food Centre SINGAPORE 574419
Operating Hours: 10.00 am to 7.00 pm (Daily)

Friday, May 4, 2018

Boon Kee Wanton Noodle at Clementi

This is one of the popular stalls in this food centre. Their wanton noodle though not the best but it is a comforting choice. I used to be eating regularly when I was staying in Clementi. Their smaller portion at $3.00 is substantial and if you are really hungry then go for their larger portion at $3.50. I usually go with mee kia and it served with ingredients like some greens, sliced char siew, fried and soup wantons in a mixture of chilli and black sauce. It somewhat reminded me of the type of wanton noodle that I had at Kuala Lumper in Malaysia. 


Those slices of char siew were thinly sliced and not as tender as I liked it to be. And, I actually prefer the soup wanton to the fried wanton a little more. 



Go early as it usually sold out around 3 pm or earlier.


BOON KEE WANTON NOODLE
Block 448 Clementi Avenue 3 #01-40 Clementi 448 Food Centre SINGAPORE 120448
Operating Hours: 6.30 am to 4.15 pm (Closed on Sundays)