Eng Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice . Porridge at Eunos Crescent

This stall has been in this coffee shop for a long while. My first visit was about a few years ago to take away half of the roasted chicken. I did not like it. I decided to try it then because the stall displayed the outdated certificate by Makansutra. Apparently, many of these stalls did not manage to upkeep their standards while still hanging on to their certificates.

I decided to try it again while happened to be in the vicinity recently. There was still a short queue at about 2 pm on Sunday. I went ahead to order Chicken Drumstick for $3.80. It was not disappointing though as it tasted quite passable. The chicken drumstick was separately on a plate accompanied by a few chunks of cucumbers underneath the chicken in a pool of soy-based sauce and few slices of tomato at the side. The chicken was tender and smooth with flavorful skin. The chicken broth infused rice was fragrant and not too greasy. It was satisfying though.

I did not actually like the chilli as the ginger taste was a little overpowering.

My favorite chicken rice has always been the Leong Yeow Famous Waterloo Street Hainanese Chicken Rice in a coffee shop along Waterloo Street. I have been eating there for more than a decade and liked it so much that I have even recommended for it to be listed in the lastest Makansutra Guide Book. 

ENG KEE HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE . PORRIDGE

 Block 7 Eunos Crescent #01-2651 SINGAPORE 

Operating Hours: 8.00 am to 10.00 pm (Daily)

Hock Choon Laksa . Lor Mee at Eunos Crescent Food Centre

There was a short queue when I reached there just before lunch. You do not usually get to see queue at this quiet food centre, there was also a queue at a Yong Tau Foo at another row. There are only 2 items on their menu, Laksa, and Lor Mee respectively at just $3. It seemed Lor Mee is slightly more popular as most of their customers ordered it.

When it was my turn to order, I said, "Can I order it with extra ingredients?" The lady in there nodded. It was served in the oval-shaped bowl rather than the usual round ones, it is priced at $4. When it was ready, the lady handed the bowl to the Uncle, he passed it to me and collected the payment. There were sambal chilli, minced garlic, red-cut chilli and a bottle of vinegar available for self-service. I added everything except the vinegar. 

Tables were slowly taken up when it passed 12 pm but it was still easy to find a table. I mixed it lightly before eating it. I was given more pieces of the nicely fried fish nuggets for that extra $1 together with half a piece of braised egg, handmade meatballs and some pieces of braised pork belly that were drenched in the savory gravy.

HOCK CHOON LAKSA LOR MEE

Block 4A Eunos Crescent #01-25 Eunos Crescent Food Centre SINGAPORE 

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

Hawkerman at SingPost Centre

Hawkerman, a newly opened 75-seater eatery by Ben Yeo, the actor and TV host, together with Tenderfresh Group, Warong Kim's and Ah Boy Popiah. You will order and pay at the counter, a page is given for you to collect your food when it is ready.

Tenderfresh Group is a popular fried chicken chain. There is a Lucky Set ($7.90) that consists of 2 pieces of fried chicken with fries and coleslaw. Another interesting dish is O-Leek Chicken ($12.90), the fried chicken is served with their special soy-onion sauce together with fried and fresh leeks, it is served with fried yam strips instead of the usual fries, with XO sauce and homemade kimchi coleslaw, which is named Kimslaw. Warong Kim's is originally the Kim's Fried Hokkien Mee. Their popular choice is La La Hokkien Mee ($9.90) with white clams, prawns, and sotong created by master Tan Kue Kim, he is well-known for his wearing long-sleeved shirt and Rolex watch when frying his Hokkien mee. His son is behind the setup and also their signature "Lolex Hokkien Mee" ($44.90), consisting a lobster together with prawns, clams, and sotong. Ah Boy's Popiah is using the recipe that has been handed down by decades ago, the same that started Good Chance Popiah, a brand name that has been around for decades. The Hokkien Popiah ($3.90) and Skinny Popiah ($4.90), serving with crispy chicken skin and salted egg sauce are their popular choices. 

I decided to go with the Bao Ka Liao platter ($32.90) to share with my dining companion, it literally means "including everything" in Hokkien and is highly recommended by some food bloggers. It has 7 types of dishes, consisting half of the Tenderfresh's Signature Fried Spring Chicken, Hokkien Mee from Warong Kim's and the Hokkien Popiah from Ah Boy's Popiah. The platter also includes Citrus Plum Watermelon, homemade carrot cake with the XO sauce, fried muah chee with kimchi coleslaw, double yolks chicken. The set is supposed to feed 2, which we find it to be just enough though not filling and I do not think this platter is worth $32.90. I posted it on my Facebook and some of my friends there suggested it should be priced in between $18 to $25. 

The best of all has to be the Fried Spring Chicken, it was fried well to the desired crispiness and rather flavorful and we enjoyed it. This would likely to be the only dish that we will come back for.

The Hokkien Popiah was just fine, though not particularly outstanding as the flavor was rather mild. My dining companion was not impressed. 

Homemade carrot cake with bits of fried egg and preserved radish. The XO sauce is served in a saucer by itself and it was placed just beside the fried chicken, it could be easily overlooked and missed it out, which happened to us. My dining companion was initially commenting that the carrot cake did not have much taste before realizing it is supposed to eat along with that saucer of sauce. 

The Double Yolks Chicken, the egg salad did not have much effect in enhancing its flavor.

Fried Muah Chee with Kimchi Coleslaw was the only dish that surprised us, it actually tasted better than its look with a slight spiciness and it tasted quite special. 

The Hokkien Mee has no distinctive wok flavor and a bit too wet to my liking, it was quite disappointing when I compared it to the version done by master Tan but my dining companion deemed it to be quite acceptable. Perhaps I am expecting too much. 

Citrus Plum Watermelon was quite refreshing, it would be even so if it is served chilled and not at room temperature. 

There are some interesting desserts on their menu like the Durian 'N Jack Popiah ($5.90), it consists of durian and jackfruit with coconut ice-cream in popiah skin. Singapura Ice Cream ($5.90) is equally interesting, the coconut ice-cream is served with durian and some traditional snacks like gong tang, peanut sweet, ice gem biscuit with gula melaka.

The overall experience was not quite spectacular and I am not likely to come back soon. 

HAWKERMAN

10 Eunos Road 8 SingPost Centre #B1-128/129 SINGAPORE 408600

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 10.30 pm (Daily)

Kim's Famous Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee

Pork Ribs Noodle by Quan Ji Wanton Noodle

Their Pork Ribs Noodle was strongly recommended on a forum. I went purposely to try it. I was there at about 2.45 pm just before the stall closed at 3 pm. The Pork Ribs Noodle is reasonably priced at $4 but it is the highest priced item on their menu. There are Wanton Noodle ($3), Dumpling Noodle ($3), Chicken Feet Noodle ($3), Shredded Chicken Noodle ($3) and Soya Sauce Chicken ($3) too. The stall was manned by an elderly couple when i was there. The Auntie first cooked the mee kia then placed in a bowl. Next, she went to a big pot to scoop up a few pieces of pork ribs with sauce and poured it into the noodle and added the vegetable before served it to me.

A good portion of Mee Kia was served with 3 pieces of braised pork ribs and a few stalks of vegetables. A bowl of flavorful soup served along with the noodle. 

I mixed the noodle lightly with the braised sauce. The nicely cooked Mee Kia tasted really good after soaked in the braised sauce and absorbed its flavor.  

The robust flavor and its amazingly soft texture of the braised pork ribs were simply irresistible. It tasted so soft that it came falling off the bone effortlessly. I particularly enjoyed the braised pork tendon. It reminded me of the famous braised beef tendon that i have had in Hong Kong. 

The stall closed promptly at 3 pm. The Auntie was cleaning up the stall and the Uncle seated at the table next to me and started to make wantons. When he saw me finished my bowl of soup and he asked whether i want a refill. I did not want the refill but i still thanked him for such heart warming service that made me smile. 

I will definitely come back again for more Pork Ribs Noodle!

QUAN JI WANTON NOODLE

Block 1A Eunos Crescent

SINGAPORE 402001.

福春叻沙卤面

I was there a bit too late so did not manage to try the Laksa. It has already been sold out then. There was just another customer right in front of me. I heard this stall usually attracted quite a long queue during their peak hours. 

Both the Laksa and Lor Mee are reasonably priced at $3 with quite a big portion given with ingredients like fried meatballs and fried fish nuggets. 

The minced garlic and sambal chilli enhanced its flavor further. I'd think this is an above average Lor Mee but i have heard that the standard can be quite inconsistent. 

福春叻沙卤面

Block 4A Eunos Crescent

Eunos Crescent Food Centre #01-25

SINGAPORE 402004.

Mami Midah Briyani

MAMI MIDAH BRIYANI

Block 4A Eunos Crescent

Eunos Crescent Food Centre #01-14

SINGAPORE 402004.

Epok Epok Central

I was there to check out this food centre when came across this particular stall that seems to be specialised in the curry and sardine Epok Epok. I have always been a huge fan of this local snack. And, what exactly is Epok Epok? It is more commonly known as Curry Puff or Sardine Puff.   

I was excited but a little too full so i ended up getting just a sardine and a curry Epok Epok for 0.40 cents each. 

The size of both types of Epok Epok was really small. You might be wondering how small it is. Well, it is so small that it only took me 2 mouthfuls to finish one of it. I went for the Curry Epok Epok first. I was slightly disappointed after the first mouthful as it was rather hollow in it with very little curry potato filling. 

The potato has got a nicely mushy texture with a light curry taste though. The pastry tasted rather light, thin and not too greasy.  

The Sardine Epok Epok did not fare any better. It was equally hollow in it with very little sardine filling but the sardine filling tasted well.

I would think 0.40 cents for such a small piece of Epok Epok is considerably expensive.  I was told by a someone on a particular forum that it is possible to get a better tasting and bigger Epok Epok in the same area. Though it tasted nice but the size did not quite justified the price charged for each so i doubt i am likely to go back.

On the side note, their traditional type of Nasi Lemak is strongly recommended on the same forum. I guess i might just try it if i happen to be there again.

EPOK EPOK CENTRAL

Block 4A Eunos Crescent

Enuos Crescent Food Centre #01-09

SINGAPORE 402004

Eng Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice

I happened to walk past this coffee shop after lunch at the food centre. This chicken rice stall is prominently located in there. I remember came across this particular chicken rice stall in the Makansutra guide book for a while. They must be really good to be awarded an impressive 5 chopsticks consecutively for a few years. I guess i must be lucky to chance upon them in this instance.

There was 2 other customers waiting for their order when i was there. I ordered half a roasted chicken with 3 packets of rice to take away for a reasonable price of $12.50. I was asked whether i want it to be deboned by the friendly assistant. I said yes and waited for about 5 minutes for it to be ready. I was asked again whether i want an extra packet of chilli sauce. 

The special soya sauce for the roasted chicken was packed separately. This is good effort as this would prevent the chicken to soak in the sauce and to get an overpowering salty taste. 

The special soya sauce was to poured in with the chicken just before eating. Few slices of cucumber were placed undernealth the plastic sheet with the roasted chicken in the box. The roasted chicken was nicely deep fried to give the skin its beautiful color and flavor. The roasted chicken has done well to retain its tenderness and juiciness within and still tasted flavorsome. Apparently, the chilli tasted just average. Its level of spiciness was rather minimum with a pretty slight ginger taste. 

The rice was rather grainy and not overly greasy with a slight flavour of chicken stock used in cooking it. It tasted almost as good as the one from my favourite chicken rice stall at Waterloo Street. 

After tasted it, i could not help but wonder what has kept this particular chicken rice listed in the Makansutra guide book for 5 chopsticks all these years? It tasted good but not quite outstanding. I am rather sure i would not bother to make the effort to travel to the east just to eat it. 

If you are a fan of Chicken Rice then maybe you should try it too. I wonder perhaps there is something about this particular chicken rice that i have yet to discover to ascertain its worthiness. I was told by an acquaintance that it tasted must better when eating there and the portion given is much more too. I understand there is likely to taste different when eaten fresh then had it a few hours after and that might be the reason why this chicken rice did not fare too impressively. 

I am willing to give it another chance if i happen to be there again. This time i will have it right there. 

ENG KEE HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE . PORRIDGE

Block 7 Eunos Crescent #01-2651 SINGAPORE 400007.