Chef Chik : Cantonese-style dishes at hawker price

Chef Chik Ka Chung, came from Hong Kong in the 90s to work as a Cantonese chef in different hotels including as an Executive Chef at Wan Hao Cantonese restaurant in Marriot Tang Plaza Hotel before starting this hawker stall with his wife in 2012. He is concentrating on Cantonese-style cooking like the double-boiled soups, claypot rice, and steamed dishes as well as some off-menu items depending on what he gets from the wet market. 

We ordered the Claypot Sausage Chicken Rice ($8), Black Fungus Steamed Chicken ($8), Salted Fish Pork Patty ($3.50) and Lotus Root Dried Oyster Pork Ribs Soup ($4.50) with a small bowl of rice. 

The Claypot Sausage Chicken Rice is done using gas instead of a charcoal fire, it was still aromatic with a nice crispy crust right below the rice. It was served with ingredients like Chinese sausage, liver sausage, cured pork belly, salted fish, chicken, and bok choy. It tasted quite similar to those that I had eaten in Hong Kong. 

The Black Fungus Steamed Chicken is a comforting dish. The chicken was tender and smooth doused in soy sauce, served together with soft black fungus and topped with chopped spring onions. I enjoyed eating this and it went well with rice. My dining companion did not like it as much though. 

Salted Fish Pork Patty tasted homely and that is the reason why I ordered a bowl of rice. The meat was finely chopped to have better textural contrast. The only taste of salted fish was from that small piece placed on top of the patty. My dining companion said, "I mashed the salted fish to mix it with the minced meat for more flavor. The choice of fattier meat has given it a softer texture."

The Lotus Root Dried Oyster Pork Ribs Soup was a pleasant surprise. My dining companion started looking for the dried oyster and there were 2 in total. It reminded me of those double-boiled soups that I had in Hong Kong. 

The dried oyster is not a common ingredient to be found in these soups offer by the hawker stalls here. It usually have a deeper, stronger and earthy flavor and not to everyone's taste but it has given it an extra flavor and not as monotonous as compared to most of the others. 

We were during lunch on Friday but the waiting time was a short one.

CHEF CHIK

14 Haig Road #01-36 Haig Road Food Centre SINGAPORE 430014

Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 7.30 pm (Closed on Sundays and Mondays)/

So Good Char Chan Tang at Midview City, Sin Ming Lane

This newly opened Hong Kong style cafe, known as "Cha Chan Teng", literally meaning tea restaurant is located in Midview City at the industrial area of Sin Ming Lane. It was unexpectedly crowded when I visited on a Sunday during lunch. They also have bakeries at Asia Square Tower 1 in Marina View and 100AM at Tras Street. The noise resulting from the vibrancy has reminded me of those eateries in Hong Kong. Most of the tables were taken up at that time but we still managed to find a table for 2 right at the corner. I proceeded to order at the counter, there was a queue at that time but it did not take too long before I placed my order. 

There are a few value set meals priced at $7.80 that are available for selection. I decided to go with Curry Beef Brisket Rice and pay an extra $0.50 to go with the cold Milk Tea. I also ordered a Baked Tomato Pork Chop Rice ($8.50).

 I was given a buzzer after ordering, it buzzed in a few minutes and the Curry Beef Brisket Rice set was ready. I waited for another few minutes before collecting the Baked Tomato Beef Pork Chop Rice.

I have very little expectation of the cold Milk Tea. I am not expecting it to taste as good as what I had at Shui Kee Coffee that tucked away in a cooked food centre at Sheung Wan in Hong Kong. It is also not even close to the milk tea from Lan Fong Yuan at Central, Hong Kong. Somehow, it tasted not too far off from those canned milk tea marketed under Lan Fong Yuan that are available in 7-Eleven here.

When having the Curry Beef Brisket Rice, my dining companion said, "The curry is a little too diluted." It tasted much inferior if I am going to compare it to the same dish by the popular Kau Kee Restaurant in Hong Kong. Somehow, it is still passable as this dish is not so commonly available in Singapore so not much comparison. 

My dining companion tried the Baked Tomato Pork Curry Rice and he said, "This is not too bad, it somewhat reminded me of the Baked Pork Chop Rice that I had in Hong Kong Disneyland." I tried the same dish at Mido Cafe in Hong Kong, a signature dish in that decades-old cafe and it tasted much better. 

I went back to order French Toast ($2.80) and Red Bean Ice ($2.80). The Red Bean Ice was alright, reminded me of what I had at Mido Cafe in Hong Kong. The texture of red bean was soft and mushy, it mixed well with the evaporated milk and the shaved ice. 

My dining companion took a bite of the French Toast and said, "It tasted very normal just like those french toast that easily made at home." The toast was dipped in eggs then deep-fried till golden brown, served with a slice of butter and golden syrup in a saucer. 

When we were there, many customers were in the bakery section. My dining companion pointed at the empty shelf and said, "I saw a few trays of Polo buns earlier but it is gone now." I have tried their Polo bun with char siew and the Curry Chicken Doughnut before but the taste was not quite memorable. I decided to just order the Curry Chicken Doughnut ($1.80) this time after reading the review on Straits Times recently. 

The outer layer of bread was slightly crispy and not too oily, the filling was gathered at just one end of the bread, leaving the other with just thick layer of bread. I started biting at that particular end and it took me a few mouthfuls before I got to taste the filling. I did not actually find it to be particularly good, this is especially so after tasting those in Japan. In Singapore, I would prefer the Curry Bun from Pullman Bakery at 100AM to this. 

SO GOOD CHAR CHAN TANG

26 Sin Ming Lane #01-121 Midview City SINGAPORE

Operating Hours: 8.00 am to 8.00 pm (Daily)

Sing's : the former Sing HK Cafe

This hawker stall used to be known as Sing HK Cafe when they first started at Everton Park. They were there for about a year or so before closing down. They have made a comeback in this coffee shop at Jurong East for slightly more than a month. Alfred Mo, the owner, was there when I visited on a Sunday for lunch. He said, "Our signature is the Hong Kong style Salt Baked Chicken." The dishes are prepared and cooked by him daily. I could not quite tell that Alfred is originated from Hong Kong as he did not speak with a Hong Kong accent when I talked with him in Mandarin. He has been living in Singapore for more than 15 years. He used to be working in the private banking sector after obtained his Master's degree. He always has the passion for cooking and that prompted him to open Sing HK Cafe about 2 years ago as he has wanted to serve Hong Kong style comfort food in Singapore.

I decided to go with the Signature Salt Baked Chicken Noodle ($6.50) and Classic Braised Pork Belly Rice ($5.80). There are also Signature Salt Baked Chicken Rice ($5.80), Dry Mixed Noodle with Soft Boiled Egg ($3.80), Dry Mixed Noodle with Braised Pork Belly ($4.50), Dry Mixed Noodle with Shredded Chicken ($4.50) on their menu. It is served along with the free flow of soup.

He asked, "You got to know about us from our Facebook page?" I nodded. He said, "We are going to have new items on our menu and we will announce it on there." As I was the only customer at that time, I did not have to wait too long to receive my orders. Alfred said, "Whether you like it or not, do leave us a feedback."

As a frequent traveler to Hong Kong, I have yet to try Salt Baked Chicken, also known as Yim Guk Gai in Cantonese, right there. It is a classic dish that is done using parchment paper to wrap up the chicken then bury in a pot of coarse salt and simmer. The modern way of cooking this is to boil or steam the chicken. This dish is not as common as I thought, I could not get much information on where to eat it in Hong Kong when googled.

The Salt Baked Chicken did not taste like what we have here. It did not have much saltiness. My dining companion said, "It tasted more like a braised chicken and there is a slight sweetness."  The noodles were tossed in the sauce then topped with some minced meat and a handful of ikan belis as well as sliced cucumber. Those slices of preserved cucumber were a bit too sourish with a strong taste of vinegar which I did not like.

Classic Braised Pork Belly Rice was served with chunks of braised meat, sous vide egg together with steamed sweet corn and sliced cucumber on the rice. The rice was slightly drizzled with braised sauce. The braised pork belly is done using the slow-cooked method to absorb the full flavor. The texture was meltingly soft but was not as flavorful as expected. 

SING'S

Block 134 Jurong Gateway Road Fu Chan Coffee Shop SINGAPORE 600134

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 8.00 pm (Mon to Sat) / 9.00 am to 8.00 pm (Sun)

Hong Kong Style Zi Char : the classic "Dai Pai Dong" dishes

I was there for a late lunch near their closing time at 2 pm. I stood in front of the stall waited for the Auntie to take my order. This Zi Char stall is manned by a couple that came from Hong Kong and they have been living in Singapore for more than 15 years. It sort of reminded me of Dai Pai Dong in Hong Kong but at a cleaner environment. They serve simple yet comforting Zi Char dishes like Fried Bittergourd with Fish Head, Seafood Tofu, Prawn Paste Chicken and more.

I told the Auntie, "I want to order rice and dishes." She replied with heavy Cantonese accent which I could not quite figure out and I have to tell her that I do not understand. She then talked with me in heavily Cantonese-accented Mandarin. I told her that I wanted to go with the Steamed Meat and Stir-fried Roasted Meat with Yam and before I went further, she asked, "For 2 person?" I nodded. She then said, "Enough already, 2 dishes are more than enough." She asked for my table number. I pointed at the corner and said, "Right behind there."

We waited for about 10 minutes before she came by with the Steamed Meat and 2 bowls of rice. She said, "We have run out of yam. Do you want to eat Prawn Paste Chicken?" We agreed. We waited for another 10 minutes for it to be ready and we have almost finished our bowls of rice and the Steamed Meat by then. 

The Steamed Meat is a homely dish that could easily be cooked at home. I could taste bits of ginger and salted fish embedded in it, it has just the right level of saltiness to go well with rice. 

The Prawn Paste Chicken is another appetising dish to go with rice. They use different chicken parts instead of the wings like most Zi Char places. It has a strong prawn paste flavour but it was not as crispy as expected to be. 

I paid a total of $15 for both dishes with rice. There is no menu available at the stall so it is making ordering a little difficult if you do not understand Cantonese that well. 

HONG KONG STYLE ZI CHAR

Block 94 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 #01-44 SINGAPORE 310094

Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm / 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Mak's Noodle : I Still Want My Local Wanton Mee

This is indeed the Mak's Noodle from Hong Kong, the most talked about wanton noodle that was awarded a Michelin status and have 6 outlets all over Hong Kong. The current owner is still following the exact recipe that being handed down from the founder of Mak's Noodle and its taste has supposedly remain unchanged for almost 100 years. It is currently under the charge of Mr Tony Yung, the son-in-law of the second generation owner that started it in Guangzhou in 1920. They are well-known for its thin and springy noodles and plum wantons with prawns. To maintain the quality, the 2 outlets in Singapore are directly importing the noodles that are made using flour from Canada for a springier texture together with the wanton skins from Hong Kong.

The Director of Asia Gourmet Private Limited managed to persuade the owner of Mak's Noodle to open their first franchised outlet in Orchard then followed by the other outlet at Westgate. Chef Chan For Kam that came from their outlet at Wellington Street is the Head Chef here and will also supervise the future opening outlets, he will be based in Singapore for about 2 years. They will also stationed their other chefs from Hong Kong to the outlets in Singapore.

My last experience at their outlet in Hong Kong was not a pleasant one, i happened to be there when they were near closing time. There was just another 2 tables in there. The service staff seemed a bit reluctant to serve even though they did not turn us away. Our order of wanton noodle and braised tendon noodle came rather quickly and they placed it a bit too hard on the table, giving out a loud bang sound.  I am never really a fan of Mak's Noodle and i would rather go over to Tsim Chai Kee which is directly opposite their outlet in Central, for a bigger bowl and better value wanton noodle anytime. 

My curiosity prompted me to try their outlet in Singapore. There was no queue when we got there for lunch. We were ushered to the table and our orders taken quickly.

If you ever eaten in their outlet in Hong Kong, you might be surprised to find sliced green chili to be amongst the condiments provided on the table along with the same chili paste served in Hong Kong. 

We were then told by the service staff that saucers and chopsticks are available in the drawer attached to the table.

According to Tony Yung, the current owner of Mak's Noodle that wanton noodle is meant to be eaten as a snack and not the main dish, if you are not full then you will have to order another portion. In Singapore, they are sticking to same small serving size about the size of the small rice bowl just like what they are doing in Hong Kong. Such a bowl of wanton noodles is priced at HKD$36, about $6.30 in Singapore. In Singapore, it costs $6.90 here. The 4 wantons that served along are placed right underneath that pile of noodles for a purpose and that is to prevent the noodles from turning soggy by soaking in the broth for too long.

The Wanton Mee Soup ($6.90) came first, serving in an elegant looking blue and white ceramic bowl. The noodles have the distinctive springiness and no alkaline taste, which is good. The broth is flavored with yellow chives and dried sole fish to give it a natural sweetness and savoriness but a bit too mild in flavor.

There is actually a difference between the typical Cantonese wanton and the local wanton as the Cantonese wanton has only prawns and no pork in it. As for this particular one, there was at least 2 prawns in it for an added crunchiness. Fresh prawns rather than the frozen ones are used to ensure a better quality.

Next, came Tossed Noodle with Shrimp Roe and Prawns with Oyster Sauce ($16.20), if without that 4 pieces of prawns is only $8.30. The same springy noodles sprinkled with shrimp roe but rather sparingly, it added with an intense savouriness. Somehow, it did not quite bring out the flavor as it just did not have enough to thoroughly mixed with the noodles. 

There are different types of congee on their menu but i just wanted to have Chicken & Mushroom Congee ($7.50). Congee is rice and water cooked down into thick porridge, Hong Kong style is usually much softer and smoother with every grain nicely dissolved into a thick gruel. It was served with generous amount of ingredients. 

After paying $36.02, we were still left feeling hungry. I would rather have local wanton mee for $3 or $4 that is filling, satisfying and more importantly, cheaper. Worth it or not, it might still be quite an experience for those who have yet to try it in Hong Kong, at least, you do not have to fly there to eat it now.

As a frequent traveler to Hong Kong and after eaten bowls of wanton noodle there, Mak's Noodle has never been my best Wanton Noodle and even some of the Hong Kongers do not eat there too.

MAK'S NOODLE

. 3 Gateway Drive #02-06 Westgate SINGAPORE 608532

. 176 Orchard Road #01-63/64 The Centrepoint SINGAPORE 238843

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 10.00 pm (Daily)

Tai Lei Loi Kei : The famous Pork Chop Bun from Macau is in Singapore

If you travel to Macau before then you have probably heard of or even eaten this famous Pork Chop Bun from Tai Lei Lok Kei. A long queue usually formed right at their shop before they start serving it at 3 pm, if you did not happen to be in the front of the queue then you might required to wait for the next batch which could means a relatively long wait in the crowded cafe. 

I had eaten it once and i remember it tasted good though not much impression. It is definitely a good news when they set foot in our sunny island. They started their shop at NEX in the early part of this year serving the signature Pork Chop Bun. As you have guessed it, this is a franchise shop but the chefs have been well-trained in Macau to bring over the authentic taste.

I was there on a Saturday during lunch though it seemed crowded but i managed to find a table rather quick. I was then expected to order at the counter and paid for it. A number tag was given and the order shall be served to the table. 

I decided to go with their Pork Chop Bun, i was given the choice to pair it with the different side orders. I decided to go with their curry fish balls, though their signature milk tea is recommended to go with the order but i wanted an upsized soft drink. The Pork Chop Bun itself is $6.90 but i added an extra of $4.00 to go with the curry fishballs and the drink. The curry fishballs is priced at $4.90 if order separately.

They served the drink first then followed by the curry fishballs and the pork chop bun much later.

I actually quite enjoyed the Pork Chop Bun. The chop chop was nicely seasoned to give it a slight peppery taste then well-fried to give it a desirable crispiness. The buns did not taste as hard as i expected, it tasted fresh and unexpectedly soft, a pleasant surprise.

The curry fishballs were decent with a mild spiciness, they might have reduced the level of spiciness for the locals.

I would likely come back for their Pork Chop Bun as i totally enjoyed it. The tastier Pork Chop Bun in Singapore so far and tasted rather close to what i had in Macau and even as good as those i have eaten in Hong Kong.

TAI LEI LOK KEI 澳门大利来记猪扒包

23 Serangoon Central #B2-15 NEX Shopping Mall SINGAPORE 556083

Operating Hours: 10.30 am to 10.30 pm