Ang Mo Kio Lor Mee . Laksa : a part of my growing up memories

This stall has been a part of my growing up memories. When my mother was still around, she usually brought me here for the Laksa, she would just ordered a bowl to share with me but I was too young to really appreciate the taste. After she left, I did not get to visit this stall as often though I still followed my late Grandpa to this food centre and we usually eat at Chia Keng Kway Teow Mee. I visited again a few years ago but the taste was not quite memorable. This stall serves only Lor Mee and Laksa at $3.00 and $4.00. I was here with a friend on a Sunday, the queue was still long even though it has already past the lunch hour. We decided to order the small portion of Laksa and Lor Mee to share. 

I went for the Laksa first. It tasted quite simple with a slightly diluted gravy and ingredients like tau pok, fish cake, cockles and hard-boiled egg together with a handful of bean sprouts then garnished with laksa leaves and sambal chilli. Somehow, it seemed to taste much nicer when I had it with my mother. 

The Lor Mee served with a few slices of braised meat, fish cake, ngor hiang, hard-boiled egg and bean sprouts garnished with chopped coriander, minced garlic and sambal chilli to serve. They used to serve with fried wanton but they have stopped making it. The gravy was slightly too watery to my liking and I did not like it as much as there are other better choices for Lor Mee around. 

I could not quite understand the persistent long queue right in front of this stall, the Laksa and Lor Mee are not amongst the best ever tasted but I guess, it is the familiarity and comforts of the dishes that kept the customer to keep coming back. 

ANG MO KIO LOR MEE . LAKSA

Block 453A Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 #01-17 Chong Boon Food Centre SINGAPORE 560453
Operating Hours: 6.00 am to 2.30 pm (Closed on Wednesdays)

96 Kwai Luck Cooked Food : serving Mee Siam for 38 years

This stall has been around for the longest time in this food centre since 1979 and I literally grew up eating their Mee Siam, the only item on their menu for just $2.50. It used to be for only $2.00 but even so, it is still cheap as compared to the other hawker fare and is good for breakfast or a light lunch. 

The Uncle has aged so much since my last visit, his hair has turned white and seemed to look much frail as compared to before. He is still manning the stall with his wife, a really friendly Auntie that is easy to talk with. I was there for a late lunch. I thought that they have already sold out as the stall looked rather empty. I asked the Uncle, "Any left?". He replied, "Yeah, but finishing soon." He continued to say, "We usually finished earlier during the weekends but a bit late today."

They serve the Chinese-style Mee Siam, a rather simple version with a strong emphasis on the gravy, which is sweeter and lighter with a tinge of sourness. It is served with a whole egg and stripes of tau pok with sambal chilli and a calamari lime. An additional egg and an extra portion of bee hoon are available for 0.50 cents each.  It is still the same comforting taste all these years though it seemed to be a little better before.

I could not help but wonder how much longer would they still be around? It has always been just the two of them manning the stall so I doubt their children would be interested to take over. It is likely to be just like the many of the other hawker stalls that are now, a part of the history and gone is also their decades' old recipe. 

96 KWAI LUCK COOKED FOOD

Block 453A Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 #01-20 Chong Boon Food Centre SINGAPORE 560453

Operating Hours: 4.00 am to 2.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Nawra Fine Food : Mee Rebus with Fried Sotong

This stall started on 10 December 2016 in Chong Boon Food Centre is from the same guys that served the famous Nasi Ayam in Yishun Central since 1994 as stated on their Facebook though there is no indication the exact location of the stall name of this famous Nasi Ayam. It also mentioned right there that they "wanted to revolutionise our favourite local dishes but still maintain the taste that Singaporeans love".

I was there on a Sunday during lunch and there was no queue. I decided to go with Mee Rebus Rangup at $5.00 and there is also Mee Rebus Tulang at $5.00 and the usual Mee Rebus at $3.00 on their menu. Sotong Rangup is served as side dish for $3.00 if you want an extra portion. The meaning of 'rangup' in English is crunchy, those fried Sotong pieces have a nice crunchiness and not greasy, too. The well-seasoned gravy was not too starchy but still managed to coat every strand of noodle well. It is also served along with a whole boiled egg then garnished with cut green chillies and sambal chilli to serve. The sambal chilli has a mild spiciness with a hint of sweetness. This might not be the best Mee Rebus in Ang Mo Kio but it is worth a try if you happen to be there. 

I also ordered Nasi Lemak Sotong at $6.50. There is the original Nasi Lemak at $3.00. Their rice is steamed over water rather than cooked in the water using a rice cooker. This is the traditional way of cooking Nasi Lemak which not many is doing it right now, the other one is Nasi Kukus at Selegie, near Little India MRT station. Such a method of cooking resulted in a more grainer bite and more fragrant. It was served with a whole piece of fried Sotong that was chopped into slices and sprinkled with spicy dried chilli powder together with a fried egg and a handful of ikan belis with sambal chilli by the side. The level of spiciness of the sambal chilli is not to be unestimated. 

The service was attentive and friendly.

NARWA FINE FOOD

Block 453 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 #01-01 Chong Boon Food Centre SINGAPORE 560453

Operating Hours: 9.00 am to 3.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Chia Keng Kway Teow Mee : The Missing of that Familiarity

This has to be the most talked about noodle stall in Ang Mo Kio, it has been around for decades. My dearest Grandpa used to bring me there for breakfast from sharing a bowl of noodles till i was old enough to finish the whole bowl by myself. He stopped bringing me there when age caught up with him till he was no longer strong enough to enjoy the 15 minutes walk from his house to this food centre. I still went there to take away for him though. My Great Grandfather used to be selling noodles at Chia Keng and so, Grandpa got to know the stall owner of this supposedly famous noodle stall. 

It was closed for a while when the owner took quite a long break as he was not feeling good then. When it re-opened again, the wife of the stall owner took over the stall even though it was reported by the media that the daughter was the one. There are 3 prices now: $3.50, $4.50 and $5.50 with different types of ingredients added. You will get to enjoy all of those ingredients when you only the $5.50 portion. 

They was about to close when i got there near 2.00 pm with the light of the signboard already off. The auntie was still there, she was kind enough to allow me to order in the midst of her cleaning up. I decided to go with the $5.50. While she was cooking, i managed to strike a little conversation with her. I said, 'I remember this stall used to be manned by an elderly Uncle with his son.' The auntie pointed to a table not too far from the stall, saying, 'That elderly Uncle is still there.' I then asked, 'How are you related to that elderly Uncle? Are you the daughter reported in that newspaper cutting." She replied, "What do you think?' She did not answer the question though. I only found out later that she is the wife of that elderly Uncle much later. She definitely did not look her age and that is why i did not manage to guess it.

I collected my bowl of noodles with along with a small bowl of soup. There were another 2 customers at the stall, wanted to order at that time.

My first mouthful was quite a let down. Somehow, it just did not taste the same. The vinegar taste was rather overpowering likely to be the reason of added in too much vinegar. As a result, it changed the entire taste of the noodle as it tasted too sourish. Their chilli used to be the star but it tasted a bit disappointing too with the missing of the aromatic fragrance and just a mild level of spiciness, a bit too oily too. The texture of noodles was just right though.

I hope the difference in taste is only during this transition period as the wife took over the stall for just not too long. I do hope to taste the familiarity when i visit again.

CHIA KENG KWAY TEOW MEE 车宫粿條面

Block 453 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 #01-11 Chong Boon Food Centre SINGAPORE 560453

Operating Hours: 5.30 am to 2.00 pm (Closed on Mondays & Fridays)

Hai Sheng Carrot Cake

This stall somewhat reminded me of another stall at Ang Mo Kio Central. Both stalls share a rather similar stall name.  I would have ask if i did not happen to come during their peak moments.

Though it was a picture of the white carrot cake that displayed on their signboard but i spotted a plate of black carrot cake was served to one of their customers.

The lady smiled at me when she saw me standing there waiting to order. I ordered a plate of $2 carrot cake without telling her my preference for white or black. She did not ask further though so i assumed the default order has to be white carrot cake. Self-service is expected so i waited there. My plate of carrot cake was ready in about 5 minutes. It was served with the chilli and chopped spring onion by the side. I was eager to have my first mouthful. As expected, it tasted just like the famous Fried Carrot Cake at Ang Mo Kio Central. The chilli tasted quite alike too. A reasonable guess is this stall and that famous stall must have been related somehow. I remember seeing this couple there when the usual lady was not around to man the wok.

The portion given was enough for $2. The pieces of carrot cake were nicely pan-fried and evenly coated with egg then fried it well to give it the desired crispiness. The taste was further enhanced by the preserved radish embedded in it.

If i have to compare, i still very much preference that particular stall over at Ang Mo Kio Central. This plate of fried carrot cake was nice but still not as nice as yet.

HAI SHENG CARROT CAKE

Block 453A Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 #01-09 Chong Boon Food Centre SINGAPORE 560453.