Saturday, April 27, 2019

Lao Jie Fang Braised beef Noodles . Pork Rib / Pork Leg Noodles

This stall is just located beside the popular Hai Tang Lor Mee (海棠卤面) which was closed on Good Friday. I spotted an article by Makansutra that recommended their Braised Beef Noodle to be amongst the top 5 favorite choices along with Empress Place Beef Kway Teow, J & J Special Beef Noodle, Toa Payoh Hwa Heng Beef Noodle, and The Beef House.

Mr Chan, the owner, serves Cantonese style Braised Beef Noodle ($5), Beef Brisket + Tendon Noodle ($5/$8), Pork Ribs Noodle ($4/$5) and Pig Trotter Noodle ($4/$5). I decided to go with the large portion of Beef Brisket + Tendon Noodle and I requested to have the chilli served separately. 


The thin noodles were cooked well to retain a certain springiness and it did not turn soggy even after left it for a while. It was tossed in a pool of specially concocted sauce before adding in the rich and sticky sauce from the braised beef brisket and tendon. Those tendons were so good, it was nicely braised to create the perfect melting texture and the beef brisket was equally good, soft and flavorful. 
The preserved soya bean paste is used to stew the beef brisket and tendon for many hours to achieve the desired tenderness. Mr Chan suggested to have it with the chilli for an added flavor. 


This is one of the better Cantonese style braised beef brisket and tendon noodles that I have eaten in Singapore. The other really good one was from Master Tang Wanton Noodle, the stall has already closed and Master Tang has already passed on early this year. Another good beef brisket noodle is from 名厨车老板, a shop along Casuarina Road. 


LAO JIE FANG BRAISED BEEF NOODLES
PORK RIB / PORK LEG NOODLES
Block 159 Mei Chin Road #02-15 Mei Ling Food Centre SINGAPORE 140159
Operating Hours: 9.00 am to 3.00 pm

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

新路潮洲鱼圆粿條麵汤 : formerly from Margaret Drive Food Centre

This is one of the stalls from the now-defunct Margaret Drive Food Centre before moving to this food centre. I used to eat at their stall at Margaret Drive Food Centre, it was already popular then. There was a short queue and it took me about 15 minutes to order and receive it. I ordered the dry mee pok with extra 5 fishballs for $4.50, there is also an option to add 2 fishballs for $3.60. The normal portion is $3.00 and $3.50 with extra noodles. It was cooked by a young chap with a man bun.



The mee pok was cooked al dented then served with chilli and ketchup with bits of crispy lard, garnished with chopped spring onions. The concoction of the sauce has an old-school taste and I liked it, it is not exactly spicy and with a tinge of sweetness. 



The fishballs were served in a bowl of lightly flavored soup and there was a total of 15 in it. The texture of those fishballs was firm and bouncy, it tasted quite fresh. 


It was sold out at about 1 pm on that day. It was sold out before 12 pm when I returned for lunch on a Sunday.


新路潮洲鱼圆粿條麵汤
159 Mei Chin Road #0205 Mei Ling Food Centre SINGAPORE 140159
Operating Hours: 8.00 am to 2.00 pm (Closed on Thursdays)

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Shi Hui Yuan Hor Fun Specialty : not worthy of Bib Gourmand rating

This stall was listed in the Bib Gourmand in 2016, 2017 and 2018. I was surprised to see that there were just another 3 customers when I was there for lunch on a weekday. The customer in front of me took away a portion of their Beef Hor Fun ($5.50) and I decided to try it. Coincidentally, the customer right behind ordered the same dish, it is their special recommendation. They only serve Ipoh-style hor fun and there are a total of 9 choices, served with toppings like chicken, chicken feet, duck and spare ribs. It used to be run by an elderly couple, the daughter took over when the elderly auntie suffered from a stroke but it was manned by 2 middle-aged men when I was there.


I waited for just a while before receiving it. The presentation did not look as appealing as their picture, it consists of a piece of beef nicely chopped into pieces served on top of thin rice noodles accompanied by 2 pieces of mushroom with fatt choy in a pool of sauce. The texture of hor fun was quite smooth and slippery. The beef tasted just normal but the texture was right though.


Apparently, I am not quite convinced that they should be listed in the Bib Gourmand. I was talking to one of their regular customers when ordering Fried Hokkien Mee much later. I was telling her that I was not too impressed with their Beef Hor Fun and she said, "You should just go with the Chicken Hor Fun."  My dining companion said, "I think it is the sauce that made it different, it has a rather mild herbal-ish taste and quite flavorful." The main sauce is from the chicken feet and nicely blended with the sauce from pork rib and mushroom. 


SHI HUI YUAN HOR FUN
159 Mei Chin Road #02-33 Mei Ling Food Centre SINGAPORE 140159
Operating Hours: 8.00 am to 2.00 pm (Thursday to Sunday)

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Kampung Kia Blue Pea Nasi Lemak

Jack Beh and Kok Kian Ann, the owners, they are originated from Penang and Ipoh in Malaysia. They have an extensive background in Chinese cooking and are passionate about serving the authentic Malaysian style Nasi Lemak. They started a shop in Marine Parade in January 2018 followed by a hawker stall in Clementi before shutting them down and eventually resurfacing in this coffee shop at Kelantan Lane in February. 

Their signature Fried Chicken Wing set ($4) is the most popular. There are also choices of Rempah Chicken set ($5.00), Curry Chicken set ($5.50), Rendang Chicken set ($5.50), Nonya Ayam Fish set ($6.00) and Nonya Asam Seafood set ($6.80). 


I was attended by one of the young bosses. I asked, "Which Chicken set would you recommend?" He said, "Why don't you try the Rendang Chicken set?" I replied, "Alright. I will like to add a piece of the chicken wing to the set." He asked me to take a seat first and will give a signal when it is ready. I waited for about 10 minutes before he waved at me.

The set came with a portion of achar, prawn crackers together with a fried egg and served with homemade sambal. The rice that is cooked using pandan leave and lemongrass has a lovely blue color infused by the blue pea flowers that are known to have certain health benefits, it was fluffy and moist with a hint of coconut flavor. The chicken wing was lightly coated with a layer of batter and deep-fried to the desired crispiness. The rendang chicken leg is like the dry version of chicken curry, the chicken leg was moist and quite flavorful with a tinge of spiciness. My dining companion said, "I did not exactly like it, it was a bit too saltish."


KAMPUNG KIA BLUE PEA NASI LEMAK
31 Kelantan Lane Time Cuisine Kopitiam SINGAPORE 200031
Operating Hours: 10.30 am to 8.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Newton Tan Song Heng : good Fried Hokkien Mee

I was there on a Friday for the popular Hai Tang Lor Mee (海棠卤面) but it was closed. Amongst the food choices there, this Fried Hokkien Mee stall was one of those that have got a queue. They used to be at Newton Food Centre before moving to this food centre. I joined the queue and waited for a while before get to order. The auntie was telling me that I have to wait for the next batch of Fried Hokkien Mee. There are the $4, $5 and $6 options to choose and there is also Fried Kway Teow for $3, $4 and $5. I decided to go with the Fried Hokkien Mee as most of their customers were ordering this but opted for the smallest portion. While waiting, I chatted with a customer right behind me. She said, "Their Fried Hokkien Mee is very good. I always come to eat this, the Ipoh Hor Fun and also the Lor Mee."


I waited for about 15 minutes to get my plate of Fried Hokkien Mee. Though it is the smallest size, its portion was quite substantial to share with my dining companion. He got to taste it first and he said, "It is moist but not overly wet, the noodles were nicely braised in the broth to absorb the flavor well."


When I had my first mouthful, I was equally impressed and totally understand why there is always a constant queue at this stall. The same customer said, "If you come at 12 pm, the queue is really very long but not so now as lunch hour is almost over." The prawns tasted relatively fresh and the chilli though not too spicy but it actually enhanced the flavor. 

This is definitely better than the Yang Zhou Hokkien Sotong Mee at Jalan Bukit Merah. I would think this is easily one of the better Fried Hokkien Mee that I have eaten so far and definitely worth traveling to this secluded hawker centre just for this. I am likely to come back for their Fried Kway Teow.


NEWTON TAN SONG HENG
159 Mei Ling Street #02-40 Mei Ling Food Centre SINGAPORE 140159
Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 7.00 pm (Closed on Tuesdays & Public Holidays)

Thursday, April 11, 2019

One Mouth Noodle : handmade Wanton noodle

Jim Yeow, 37, the owner, a former interior designer that started in a coffee shop at Geylang Lorong 27 but closed down in December 2017 and reopened at Yishun Park Hawker Centre on 1 April 2019. His father, Mr Yeow Lok Meng, 68, used to run a stall in Chinatown for decades but has already retired for almost 20 years, he learned the art of making noodles from a master from Guang Zhou in 1965. Their noodles are handmade at the stall using the same technique for making Cantonese noodles with just eggs and flour based on a recipe that has been handed down. It is very challenging in making the noodles, it requires the right technique and adequate amount of strength to do it right. Not many are making their noodles these days.

I was there on a Sunday slightly after 12 pm. There were another 2 customers in front of the stall. I wanted to have their Hong Kong style Beef Brisket Noodle ($5.50) but was told that it has finished. I decided to go for their Char Siew Wanton Noodle ($4.50) and Shrimp Dumpling Soup ($4.50) then. I was told that they only left the last 2 pieces of Shrimp Dumplings and I can choose to just add on. I wanted to add extra wanton but Jim said, "Don't want la. I do not have enough."


Another customer was also waiting for his order to be ready. He also requested to add extra wanton to his noodles but was also told not to do so. He said, "Their wanton noodle is very nice, particularly like their Char Siew." He sounded like a regular customer. I replied, "You are staying nearby?" He pointed at the block behind. He also said, "Their dumplings are also very good." I overheard when he asked for dumplings earlier. I laughed then said, "I am the one that took the last 2 dumplings." We were waiting for the char siew to be ready. 


Their thinly-pulled noodles are kneaded by hand and its texture is quite similar to those served in Hong Kong, it is lighter and springier, almost no lye is tasted. My dining companion said, "The noodles are very nice. The char siew though tasty but not tender enough, the cut is a bit too lean. "


The wantons and shrimp dumplings were quite nice though particularly the shrimp dumpling. The shrimp dumpling consists of a piece of shrimp with minced meat nicely wrapped in a piece of thin wrapper. 



As I was just seated near the stall, I overheard that the noodles were ran out and they have to halt the operation while making a new batch for dinner. 

Jim is striving hard to preserve the originality of the authentic wanton mee founded by his father. 


ONE MOUTH NOODLE
51 Yishun Avenue 11 #01-12 Yishun Park Hawker Centre SINGAPORE 768867
Operating Hours: 9.00 am to 9.00 pm

Sunday, April 7, 2019

Tie Fun Wan by Rice & Fries : fusion rice bowls

Chef Ken Chia, 43, the owner, previously manned Rice & Fries, a cafe along Changi Road for about 5 years before moving to the current location. It is a hole-in-the-wall just a stone's throw away from Farrer Park MRT and is only selling rice bowls thus he named the shop as "Tie Fun Wan", it is 铁饭碗 in Chinese, literally means iron rice bowls.


The menu consists of 4 different types of rice bowls including their signature 72-Hr Slow Cooked Beef ($14), Sweet & Spicy Pork Pork Belly ($10), Braised Pork (Lor Bak) ($8) and Teriyaki Chicken ($8), it served with the pearl rice of Shanghai noodle. There are choices to add a 63-degree egg for $1.50, corn at $1.00 and extra rice at $1.50. 


There were just another 3 customers when we were there for lunch on a weekday. Chef Ken was there all by himself. We ordered at the counter and decided to go with the 72-Hr Slow Cooked Beef bowl and Braised Pork bowl, added egg to both rice bowls. We were asked to take a seat. 


There are pickled radish and carrots in the containers available for self-service on the table. Chef Ken said, "These condiments go well with the rice bowls." He also said, "Everything is made fresh in house and no MSG is added."


We also ordered the home-brewed drinks, Lemon Grass ($3.00) and Honey Lemon ($3.00). The Honey Lemon drink is particularly good for such hot weather.


The 72-Hr Slow Cooked Beef bowl consists of lightly torched beef slices served with the housemade teriyaki plum sauce together with the 63-degree egg and greens, garnished with bonito flakes and chopped spring onions. The tenderness of the sous-vide Australian Angus beef has left an impression. My dining companion said, "It is really soft and quite flavorful." He added, "The soup that came with the rice bowl is actually quite tasteless though there are ikan belis and soya beans at the bottom of the soup bowl." 


The Braised Pork bowl came with a few chunks of braised pork and a piece of braised beancurd, garnished with bonito flakes and chopped spring onions. My dining companion said, "It would be nicer if the meat is softer."


Chef Ken came over to ask, "How was the food?" I replied, "The 72-Hr Slow Cooked Beef bowl is very nice. My sister is quite a fan of your Western food particularly the Lamb Shank and Oxtail Stew." He said, "We are not able to do that here as cannot do heavy cooking right here." He added, "Another reason that we decided to move here is it was kind of quiet at our previous location. Sometimes, there were only a few tables." He is happy with the current location as his customer base is slowly building up.


TIE FAN WAN
89 Rangoon Road #01-03 Urban Lofts SINGAPORE 218375
Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 2.00 pm / 5.00 pm to 11.30 pm (Mon to Fri) /
11.00 am to 11.30 pm (Sat & Sun)

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Yang Zhou Hokkien Sotong Mee : formerly from Beo Crescent

Uncle Lim, the owner, started his stall at Block 40 Beo Crescent and was there for 3 decades before moving to the current location in September 2016 leaving the previous stall to someone else. I did not get to eat it when they were there. While queuing, I quietly observed how the elderly Uncle frying the noodles and he would look up occasionally and to ask for the order then continuously frying the mixture of yellow noodles and thick bee hoon. I decided to go with the smallest portion at $4. There are also the $5 and $6 portions available. 


The Hokkien Mee is different, the texture is much drier as compared to most of those out there as the noodles were nicely fried to give it a charred flavor rather than just braising in stock. He used to be doing so using charcoal fire over at Beo Crescent but no longer doing so as they are not able to use charcoal in this coffee shop. Sua Lor prawns were used together with squid, bean sprouts and egg as the ingredients.


This is a simple yet satisfying Fried Hokkien Mee though not the best that I have tasted but it is good enough. 


YANG ZHOU HOKKIEN SOTONG MEE
Block 127 Bukit Merah Lane 1 SINGAPORE 150127
Operating Hours: 8.00 am to 3.00 pm (Closed on Sundays)

Monday, April 1, 2019

Hong Kong Yummy Soup : healthier soup choices

This stall was awarded a Bib Gourmand distinction in the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2018. The owners are a Cantonese couple originated from Hong Kong. The awareness of healthy eating has brought forth the demand for such healthy soups and that was further proven by the long queue in front of the stall waiting for it to be ready at 12 pm.

The menu only consists of 6 types of soups : Spareribs Soup with Lotus Root ($3.50), Spareribs Soup with Winter Melon ($3.50), Brazilian Mushroom Soup with Snow Fungus ($4.50), Spareribs Soup with Mushroom ($3.50), Cordyceps Flower Soup with Chicken ($4.50) and Night-blooming Cereus Spareribs Soup ($3.50). There are also Steamed Pork Ribs ($3.50) and Pumpkin Steamed Minced Meat ($3.00) as a side order, rice is $0.50 per serving. The soups are made from scratch with no MSG together with specially selected ingredients that have different health benefits like replenishing nutrients, acting as a detox cleanser or removing the effects of humidity. I joined in and waited for about 15 minutes to order Brazillian Mushroom Soup with Snow Fungus and Spareribs Soup with Mushroom together with a bowl of rice. 


Spareribs Soup with Mushroom was light but full of ingredients like different types of mushroom, carrot chunks and spareribs. The texture of the spareribs was so tender. My dining companion said, "There is a strong yet refreshing mushroom flavor." 


The Brazillian Mushroom Soup with Snow Fungus is supposed to be good for the ladies and it is also good for the skin too. There was a chicken drumstick with Brazillian cap mushroom, white fungus, red date added to the soup. The soup tasted healthy and lightly flavored but the chicken drumstick was not soft enough yet. 



My dining companion said, "Their soups are different from the other stalls. They are one of the hawker stalls that are worthy of the Bib Gourmand distinction."


HONG KONG YUMMY SOUP
Block 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1 #01-51 Alexandra Village Food Centre SINGAPORE 151120
Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 8.30 pm (Closed on Saturdays & Sundays)