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)

Ping Kee Popiah : a satisfying choice

This stall has been in this food centre for the longest time, it is manned by a friendly couple and they are only serving Popiah. It used to be cheaper but it is at $1.50 for each piece and $2.00 with added ingredients. There is another stall by the same name at Jalan Berseh Food Centre manned by the third brother of the stall owner. The smiling Auntie is always the one taking the order and her husband is making it. It was not as crowded as expected even during lunch.

The ingredients used were really fresh. The braised turnip was nicely seasoned with a rather light flavor and served along with a handful of crunchy beansprouts, thin slices of chinese sausage, eggs, grounded peanuts and some crunchy bits. I asked for extra chilli to be added but the level of spiciness was still quite mild. The wrapper was soft but a bit thick and it turned a little dry when left it for too long, though thick but it is able to hold the ingredients firmly without breaking apart too easily when picking up with chopsticks.

It might not be the best Popiah in town but it has a simple and comforting taste that most of their regular customers would have agreed. Most importantly, the taste has been consistent for the past 30 years or so, this is definitely amongst the better ones if it is not the best in Thomson and Sembawang area.

PING KEE POPIAH 平记薄饼

590 Upper Thomson Road #01-32 Sembawang Hills Food Centre SINGAPORE 574419

Operating Hours: 11.30 am to 8.00 pm (Closed on Fridays)

ABC Popiah : A Healthier Choice

This stall has been around for quite a long while. It has clearly stated on a poster right in front of the stall that they are using less oil for a healthier alternative and there is no pork nor lard added though they are not halal certified. 

The stall owner is an elderly uncle which did not seem to be particularly chatty and not too smiling as well. The business seem to be quite good as there was a constant flow of customers when i was there for lunch though there is no queue. This stall is only serving Popiah at $1.50 each and nothing else.

I just had lunch so i only got a piece to try. The overall taste was quite different and it tasted relatively healthier with a rather light but well-balanced flavor. The braised turnip was soft but not mushy with bits of grounded peanuts and handful of beansprouts that have added a desired crunchiness, there was also bits of mushroom amongst other ingredients, nicely wrapped in a piece of moist wrapper.

ABC POPIAH

Block 93 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 #01-34 SINGAPORE 310093
Operating Hours: 9.00 am to 10.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)

My Cosy Corner : A Cosy Lunch Affair

My Cosy Corner, a hole-in-the-wall eatery is serving old-fashioned Peranakan dishes like Mee Siam, Mee Rebus, Laksa and Popiah. They do serve some Japanese sets too.

Their traditional Mee Siam at $5 and $6.50 with 2 pieces of prawns is quite decent but definitely pricey. I was surprised that they bothered to deep fried those little tau pok cubes to a delightful crunchiness then added to the Mee Siam and goes well with the tasty gravy. Somehow, those tau pok cubes retained its crispiness even after been soaked in the gravy for a while. It has a well-balanced sourish and spicy taste.

They have been featured in a TV programme once for serving one of the best Popiah. Even though their Popiah ($2.50) is not the best to me but it is definitely above average for its quality and freshness. Also, not forgetting the crispy rice bits that added for an extra crunch. I was told that they made those using an old family recipe by using parboiled rice and then deep-fried till it started to pop. It tasted exactly like those super crunchy rice krispies, together with the well-stewed turnips, shredded carrot and cucumber strips as filling which gave it a refreshing twist. And, also that chunky piece of half-boiled egg in it but there is no prawns or lup cheong though. It was nicely wrapped in a piece of thin, resilient popiah skin that they acquired from Hup Kiat Traditional Popiah Skin and served it with their extra spicy chilli. It is quite an enjoyment. 

When i was presented with the bill, i was a bit taken aback when i found out that their coffee is priced at $3.50. It actually did not taste too special to me and they served it with milk in a small container and brown sugar.

Do go early as there are limited sitting capacity and you are likely have to wait if you go during lunch or weekends. 

MY COSY CORNER

587 Bukit Timah Road #02-02 Coronation Shopping Plaza SINGAPORE 269707

Operating Hours: 10.00 am to 7.30 pm (Mon to Sat) / 10.00 am to 4.00 pm (Sun)

My comfort food

After eaten countless popiah and i can easily say this particular one made by that friendly auntie is still the best popiah in Singapore. 

Coincidentally, i met this Auntie at the market near my house before she closed her stall and disappeared for a few months. I came back a few times thereafter but the stall has been closed then. I waited and the stall finally reopened a couple of weeks ago. I took notice when i spotted a queue from far. There is always a long queue whenever the stall is opened.

The auntie is basically on her own and so long waiting time is expected. When you order, you are expected to place the exact amount in the basket placed on top of the shelve.

Each piece of popiah is reasonably priced at $1.50. The price might be a little higher as compared to other popiah out there but the size and the ingredients in it somewhat justified for the $1.50. It is quite a big fat piece generously stuffed with ingredients like turnips, beansprouts, hard boiled egg etc. And what made it distinctively stood out is the intense spiciness of their special chilli paste. It is unbearably hot even for someone like me who got a crazily high tolerance for spicy foods. The key is never to request for extra chilli unless you have already tried it and have gotten a strong enough stomach to survive it. The extra chilli is charged at 0.20 cents per serving.

The auntie remembers me rather well.

She said, 'Most people wouldn't make such a request to not to cut the popiah. You're the rare one out'.

She said, 'I remember you. You stay in Ang Mo Kio too, right?' This auntie is blessed with very good memory. She could remember all the orders well.

We chatted and I asked her why did she close her stall for so many months. She said she went for an operation and that operation did not go too well so she ended up rested a bit longer.

I did ask her why did not her consider to have her stall in Ang Mo Kio since she is staying there. She said, 'I tried but i could not get a location with a reasonable rental in that area.'

It is really nice to have Auntie back to make more popiah.

If you are a big fan of popiah then you gotta give this a try!

Yue Yi Tai Shan Popiah 日益太山薄饼

Block 449 Clementi Avenue 3 #01-211 See Lam Hern Coffee Shop SINGAPORE 120449