Li Yuan Mee Pok : Japanese fusion mee pok

The stall started by Naoji Kuribaram, a permanent resident, after leaving his job as a Finance Specialist at a Japanese company in Singapore. He initially started a Japanese food stall in the same coffee shop where he met Eric Chia, the boss of Ah Hoe Mee Pok. He worked as an apprentice for 6 months before closing his Japanese food stall and took over the noodle stall in January 2015. He then handed the stall to his children and returned to Japan to open a noodle shop with an identical menu but it was shut down later. 

There are 2 coffee shops on the same block and this stall is located at the coffee shop farther from the main road. There was already a short queue when we reached slightly after 12 pm. While queuing, there was a lady came by to take the orders. I ordered the Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle ($4/$5) for myself and the soup version of Japanese Fusion Mee Pok ($6/$7) for my dining companion, there is a choice of Miso and Shoyu and I decided to go with the latter. I went with the larger portion for my orders. I also went with the Teo Chew Dumpling Soup ($4). There are also Special Mee Pok ($4/$5), Crayfish Mee Pok ($10), Big Prawn Noodle ($10), Meatball Soup ($4), Braised Pig's Trotter ($4) and Japanese Fusion Mee Pok with Char Siew ($10) on their menu. I waited in the queue for about 8 minutes or so before collecting it. I was served the noodles first and asked to come back in a bit to collect the Dumpling Soup.

The traditional Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle is served with sliced pork, minced pork, meatballs, braised mushroom and slices of canned king top shell, in the well-balanced sauce. The noodles are cooked using a timer for the right texture and springiness. 

The Japanese Fusion Mee Pok is a special creation, there is the dry and also the soup version based on Miso or Shoyu, serving with meatballs, sliced pork, imitation abalone, and Japanese chashu. The soup is tasty though not exactly like those for the ramen but those that are of dashi based, the pork flavor is not too distinct. I was asked whether I wanted to have chilli and it was added to the soup. My dining companion said, "It should be nicer if without the chilli." 

He said, "The chashu was quite fat and not soft enough. It also did not have much flavor." He also said, "The dry one tasted quite normal but the soup one is nice. If we do come back, we should order a bowl of Miso and a bowl of Shoyu for comparison, to actually see what is the difference and which is better.

We did not like the dumpling, the skin was quite thick and the filling was not too flavorful. The soup also consists of shredded cabbage and crispy lard, quite thick and it tasted a bit like the base for the Mee Pok soup. 

The Japanese Fusion Mee Pok is definitely worth a try if you happen to be in the vicinity.

LI YUAN MEE POK

Block 710 Clementi West Street 2 Rong Fa Coffee House SINGAPORE 120710

Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 3.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant : one of the best Cze Cha places

This stall is manned by Chef Hoy Yong in his 60s and he is the disciple of one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Singapore, these were the titles given to 4 young talented chefs back in the 1970s by a local Chinese Culinary Institution. This stall has made it to the Top 50 World Street Food Masters list by Makansutra in June 2017. It is located in a coffee shop called Hup Koon Restaurant in Clementi Avenue 2, directly opposite the food centre. There are 3 must-try dishes on the menu, Fried Duck Roll, Pig Stomach Soup and Braised Pork Ribs. Some of the other dishes are uniquely created and you would not be able to find it elsewhere. 

Fried Hor Fun, is a common street food easily available at every cze cha stall. Even so, it is getting really difficult to find a plate of good hor fun these days. Their Egg Fried Hor Fun is strongly recommended and supposedly one of the best in Singapore. The Hor Fun here consists of nicely charred soft flat rice noodles soaked in thick gravy and served with ingredients like vegetable, prawns, sotong, slices of lean meat with a lot of beaten egg. I could actually smell the wok fragrance when my friend stirred it a little before scooping a portion of it. This is definitely one of the better Egg Fried Hor Fun that I have eaten unlike most of the others that have thin and not as flavorful gravy with almost tasteless flat rice noodles.

The deep-fried Duck Roll ($10) is quite an interesting eat. I wanted to order a larger portion but the friendly Auntie that was taking my order, asked, "For how many people?" I replied, "Just 4." She said, "Just 1 portion will do, it is more than enough." The duck was first deboned, leaving the skin on then pound it thinner before steaming it. It was then used it to roll up with minced pork, prawn, coriander, carrot and mushroom, dip it in the tempura batter before deep-frying it. My friends that tasted it for the first time, actually wowed by its flavor and texture, the exterior was crispy and still moist within. 

Braised Pork Ribs served in a pool of braised sauce accompanied by a few stalks of choy sum. I did not find it particularly impressive but my friends enjoyed it. The meat was tender and quite flavorful, the sauce was quite tasty, too.

Golden Bean Skin Roll tasted like the fried prawn roll from most of the dim sum stalls, it was served along with a saucer of mayonnaise. This was another enjoyable dish. 

French Bean with Dried Shrimp is another dish that we liked. We wanted to order the Bittergourd with Salted Egg but I was told it is not available on that day. The deep-fried french beans were served with a generous amount of dried shrimp with red-cut chilli. My friend tasted it and he said, "This is a good choice as it tasted really nice."

Mongolian Tofu came with a few pieces of beancurd beneath the pile of ingredients consisting bell pepper, basil leaves, diced chicken, onion, mushroom, and roasted peanuts. This is also one of the recommended dishes that we tried. It is indicated as a spicy dish on their menu but the level of spiciness was actually quite mild. We agreed that the sauce actually tasted like the curry sauce. My friend said, "The beancurd is really soft."

Pig Stomach Soup is a homely dish that my late Grandpa used to cook quite often and this particular dish reminded me of him. The auntie actually left it out and we waited but it did not serve. I went back to her and added it. The soup did not taste as peppery as expected. Other than a few big pieces of pig stomach, it also consists of chicken feet, canned whole mushroom, and fish maw with wolfberries. 

The waiting time could be really long if you come during their peak period. The prices here are very affordable as I paid only $86 for the all the dishes ordered. This is definitely one of the better cze cha places in Singapore.

HOY YONG SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Block 352 Clementi Avenue 2 #01-153 SINGAPORE 1200352

Operating Hours: 5.30 pm to 10.30 pm (Daily)

Ah Ma Lor Mee : by the third generation of Feng Zhen Lor Mee

If you ask me what is the dish that I missed most when away from Singapore, it has to be none other than Lor Mee. I even bother to travel all over Singapore just to taste those recommended choices.

This stall is located in a coffee shop just a stone's throw away from Clementi MRT Station. It is helmed by the third generation of popular Feng Zhen Lor Mee at Taman Jurong Food Centre, using the same recipe. The menu includes Lor Mee ($3.50), Fish Lor Mee ($4.50), Prawn Mee ($3.50) and Prawn Rolls ($3.50). I decided to go with Fish Lor Mee with additional shredded fish and fried meatballs for $6.00. There are garlic paste, chilli paste, coriander and red cut chilli at the counter for self-service.

It came with a good portion of flat yellow noodles with ingredients like braised meat, braised egg, fishcake, fried meatballs, and shredded fish. The braised sauce is thick and quite flavorful, it did not turn watery at the end of it. 

This is good but I still think Feng Zhen Lor Mee is better, but even so, this is definitely amongst the better ones around. 

AH MA LOR MEE

Block 328 Clementi Avenue 2 SINGAPORE 120328

Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 2.00 pm (Closed on Thursdays)

Yong Fa Hainanese Curry Rice & Curry Fish Head : homely taste

This stall is amongst those that have the longest queue in this food centre. I was there at about 1.30 pm on a weekday and there was still a short queue, I joined in and waited for about 15 minutes before ordering. The waiting time is expected to be longer during the peak period. They serve Hainanese-style curry rice, Curry Fish Head, Sambal Squid, Pork Chop and Braised Meat are their popular dishes. You would not need to queue if you are ordering their Fish Head.

I decided to go with Sambal Sotong. The young chap that was taking the order said, "Not cheap." I smiled and replied, "I still remember the article in the newspaper that someone complained about the price of the sotong at this stall." He nodded. It is actually good that they made an effort to inform you that certain items are more expensive at its seasonal prices.

I wanted to order Curry Vegetable but was told that they only have it on certain days and he suggested to go with the Braised Cabbage instead. I also added the Long Bean Omelette for $8.90 in total. I was asked whether I want to have gravy to be drizzled over the rice. I nodded. He asked, "You want the spicy or non-spicy gravy?" which I replied, "Spicy, please."

I was deciding in between Curry Fish and Sambal Sotong when ordering but decided to go with Sambal Sotong as the customer in front of me ordered it. I regretted it the moment when I took my first bite as its texture was too chewy for my liking, even my dining companion agreed so. The sambal sauce was nice though, slightly spicy but thick and fragrant. 

The Long Bean Omelette was another simple but done well. The Braised Cabbage was nicely stir-fried with black fungus and glass noodles. Both dishes have a homely taste that reminded me of my late Grandpa, he used to cook them at home. 

I could not find their operating hours on the net so if you do know, please leave me a comment. Sometimes I was there at about 3.30 pm, though the light of the signboard was still on, they did not want to serve.

This is the place to go for homely cooking, it has a motherly taste in it though simple but is so satisfying. 

YONG FA HAINANESE CURRY RICE & 

CURRY FISH HEAD

Block 448 Clementi Avenue 3 #01-25 Clementi Central Food Centre SINGAPORE 120448

Soon Lee Porridge : my comfort food

This stall has been one of the oldest stalls in this food centre for the longest time. I used to stay in Clementi for a while and this used to be one of those stalls that I patronized regularly at that time. If you ask for a recommendation when visiting this food centre, this Hainanese porridge stall is always amongst one of those stalls recommended. This stall is in the good hands of the next generation now and they are still serving the porridge in the traditional Hainanese-style. 

There are a total of 3 choices, the pork porridge, the chicken porridge and the fish porridge. You could choose between the $3.00 and $4.00, if you want it with an egg then it will be 0.30 cents extra. You just need to give your table number and they will serve it to you when it is ready. You are required to pay first though. 

I ordered through the Uncle that wore an old-fashioned singlet standing outside the stall. I wanted a small pork porridge with egg for $3.30. Uncle asked, "Do you eat pork liver?" which I replied, "I do." I pointed at the table where my dining companion at and said, "I sit right there." I waited for about 15 minutes for it to be delivered. 

There is a difference between the Hainanese-style and Cantonese-style porridge. As for the Hainanese-style, the texture of porridge is more grainy and not completely broken down whereas the Cantonese-style, the rice is usually boiled for a longer time to a smooth paste. The Hainanese-style porridge is only flavored upon order, a portion is then scooped from the bigger pot and cooked in an individual pot and then added the ingredients. A raw egg is cracked into an empty bowl, the cooked porridge is poured into the same bowl then garnished with chopped coriander, preserved vegetable (dong cai) and shallot oil. To start, give it a good mix and stir in the raw egg. The flavor could be adjusted by adding in the white pepper and light soya sauce that they usually bring along with the porridge. 

The porridge is thick and warm serving with fresh ingredients. What more could I ask? This is just the something that I would want to have on a cold day.

SOON LEE PORRIDGE

Block 448 Clementi Avenue 3 #01-50 Clementi Food Centre SINGAPORE 120448

Operating Hours: 6.00 am to 7.00 pm (Closed on Sundays)

Balmoral Bakery : Hate it or love it

This is one of those old-school bakeries that are still existing, they have been in operation since 1965 when they started to sell English style cakes and pastries. It was founded by a group of Hainanese 'big brothers' as a complement to the famed Balmoral Steak House at Holland Village that was patronized by the British and Australian armed forces that was stationed in Singapore then.

I tried some of the pastries like Chicken Pie, Beef Pie, Curry Chicken Puff, Curry Beef Puff, Samosa and Sausage Rolls. Apparently, none of these pastries have tasted as good as it supposed to be. The puff pastry did not have much buttery taste and it was rather thick, in fact too much of it and with a rather minimum filling. I would actually suggest to try the Curry Chicken Puff ($1.80) from the Swisslink Bakery & Cafe nearby instead as those are surprisingly good and much better in standard in comparison. 

I also got to try a few of their swiss rolls, buttercake, cream horns and coconut tart but none actually left an impression. The buttercream used was those old-fashioned type, which is rather oily and dense with not much flavor, it tasted of low quality.

It has stated on their website that 'We still make our items by hand, maintaining generation old tradition and ensuring quality and tastiness in our products. Our butter cakes, rum balls, cream horns, samosas, chicken pies and curry puffs still taste how they did so long ago.'

Still, i could not help but wonder what have actually gone wrong and there is such a drop in their standard? I felt that they do not longer serving 'delicious, crusty, golden pastries and moist, flavorful cakes' that were mentioned in 'Our Story' on their website. Perhaps due to certain reason that they are no longer doing that 'something right' as claimed on their website in their kitchen that they used to? Though they have been around for decades but sadly, the taste and standard have somewhat did not stay the same anymore.

Are there any of their fans out there? Perhaps you might want to share your thoughts on their standard now as compared to that of yesteryear. I did not get to try it first but this is definitely not something that i am expecting from a more than 50 years bakery.

BALMORAL BAKERY

Block 105 Clementi Street 12 #01-06 SINGAPORE 120105

Operating Hours: 8.30 am to 8.00 pm (Daily)

Daisy's Dream Kitchen : Good food and Great Service

It was one of the rare occasions that i was in the western part of Singapore. It was raining very heavily at that time and i nearly changed my mind in going over to this Peranakan eatery located at the residential area of West Coast. I was there slightly after 2 pm and there were only 2 other tables occupied at that time. I was presented with the menu rather quickly upon seated down. 

Daisy, the lady boss, came over to greet us. She asked whether are we here for the first time and do we need her recommendation. She then asked whether do we eat spicy foods and she suggested that we should try their Babi Buah Keluak and Kong Bak when she found out that my lunch partner could not take spiciness. We decided to have Babi Buah Keluak and Beef Rendang for $14.80 per set that featured as part of their set lunch choices, it consists of Nonya Chap Chye and Bakwan Kepiting Soup with rice, also Emping Belinjau with Sambal Belachan. Daisy took our orders and when we could not decide whether to have desserts or not, she suggested we could decide later and they would adjust the orders at their end.

For the $14.80 set, you could also choose Sambal Stuffed Fried Fish. There are also the Assam Chicken set at $13.80, the Kong Bak set and Babi Pongteh set at $11.80 as well as Ngor Hiang set and Chicken Wing set at $9.80. You could add $1 to include either a canned drink or their lime juice and add $3 for a canned drink or lime juice with their dessert.

Our drinks came together with Emping Belinjau with Sambal Belachan. While waiting for the mains to be served, i enjoying myself by munching on those Emping Belinjau, the level of spiciness of the Sambal Belachan is not to be underestimated. I dipped it slightly to coat just a bit of the Sambal Belachan before eat it. 'Shiok' is the most appropriate word to describe such a simple pleasure, something so simple could be so enjoyable.

Some of the customers were done with their lunch and leaving. Daisy was asking whether they need to borrow her umbrellas or she could just get someone to shelter them to get their cars in the carpark. A particular customer wanted to borrow the umbrella and could only return next week, Daisy has no issue with it. You do not get much of such heartwarming service anymore, it reminded me of the kampong spirit that we used to talk about during my younger days. I guess such thoughtfulness is what got their customers to keep coming back as they have been around for a few years here. They used to be just a hawker stall at Tiong Bahru Food Centre before moving to the current location in 2011.

Our bowls of Nonya Chap Chye came next. The cabbage was nicely braised to give it the desired texture, it was not overly soft nor too hard but just right to still have a delightful chewiness. They braised it with other ingredients like dried bean curd strips, black fungus and grass noodle. This was easily one of the better Nonya Chap Chye that i have ever eaten.

Subsequently, the rest of the dishes came at about the same time. The Beef Rendang did not taste like those available at the Nasi Padang stalls but more like a fusion of Chinese and Malay cultures. The 'rempah' (paste) was robust in flavors with a slight hint of spiciness but the texture of the beef was not as soft as i liked it to be. 

Babi Buah Keluak is a traditional Nonya dish cooking with Buah Keluak, which is an Indonesian Black Nut, about the size of a golf ball. A slit is made through an opening on the surface of the nut across its flattest part to scrap out the content. Then, to wash and scrub thoroughly until the thin film of the fried mud is gone completely. The content of the nut is to be dugged out then mashed it and stuffed it back again to cook together with the meat. The taste is indescribable, it is quite an experience to actually know how does it tasted like. 

I think i might have eaten Buah Keluak before but that was quite long ago and i did not quite remember the actual taste. When i tried it this time, i realised i did not like it as much as i thought i would. I dugged out the content from the nut but left it as it is after tasted it slightly, it has a slight bitter taste which i could not quite associate with. The texture of the pork was cooked just right.

Bakwan Kepiting Soup was pure comforting. These succulent meatballs has a combination of pork, crab meat and crunchy bamboo shoots, it is a homely but laborious Peranakan dishes that they usually cook during the special occasions. The crabs have to be steamed first then extracted out the meat to mix with the meat paste to make meatballs. The soup has a distinct sweetness that we enjoyed. This is the dish that left an impression even though was one of the meatballs contain a small piece of shell. 

I was given 3 choices and i wanted Bubur Cha Cha out of it, it is the Peranakan style colorful sweet soup. It has an intense coconut milk taste and intensely flavored using the palm sugar with ingredients like chunky pieces of diced sweet potato and yam with the sagu gunting, those colorful jelly-like morsels that made from either tapioca flour or sago flour. 

It was a memorable dining experience and i would definitely be back. By the way, they do charge service charge but not GST.

DAISY'S DREAM KITHCEN

Block 517 West Coast Road #01-571 SINGAPORE 120517

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 3.00 pm / 6.00 pm to 10.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)