Famous K. L. Hokkien Mee at ABC Brickworks Food Centre

A friend sent me a picture of this Kuala Lumpur (KL) style just the other day. It intrigued me to go try it. There was no queue during lunch on a weekday. I decided to go with the $5 portion, there is also the $4 and $6 portion available. I waited at the stall while it was cooked upon order. I requested for an extra handful of lard to be added. It was served with a saucer of belachan chilli. 

I tossed it before partaking the first mouthful, it was satisfying though not particularly memorable. I know I could not compare it to what I had tasted in KL but this is good enough since we are not able to travel now.

There is also another stall by the same name serving the KL style Fried Hokkien Mee in this food centre. I decided to try it for comparison's sake. There was no other customer at this stall during lunch. I ordered the smallest portion at $4, there is also the $5 and $6 choices available. 

I was surprised that I got it almost immediately. It was scooped from the wok and added in the ingredients then served to me. My dining companion said, "The texture of noodles was too soft. I could also taste that the ingredients were cooked separately with not much flavor from the dark sauce." It did not taste warm perhaps as the result of leaving in the wok for too long. 

There were a few posts circulating on those foodie groups comparing these 2 stalls with different likes and dislikes as taste is subjective.

ABC BRICKWORKS FOOD CENTRE

6 Jalan Bukit Merah SINGAPORE 150006

Fatty Cheong : wanton mee with fried egg

There are 2 stalls by the same name in this food centre by the same owner, the original stall is to focus on roasted meat and the newer stall is to serve wanton mee.  I happened to seat right beside the latter stall and caught sight of 不见天云吞面 and decided to give it a try. The portion consists of a sunny-side-up fried egg and 2 wantons with noodles. There were a few customers before me so I stood there for about 5 minutes before receiving it.

I was pretty excited to try the char siew, it did not disappoint. It is comparable with another stall at Tiong Bahru Food Centre serving the same dish. The addition of a fried egg has no relevance as it did not enhance the taste, it is kind of 画蛇添足 in Chinese. The adding of fried egg is actually started by a noodle stall at a coffee shop in Bukit Merah. The owner of that stall added it to the wanton noodle for her nephew who follows a vegetarian diet.

My dining companion commented, "The char siew is very nice, it has a good balance of fat-lean ratio for the desired tenderness." It is made from from the unexposed armpit of the pig, supposedly the part that is highly sought after. Noodles were cooked to the right texture. They serve the chilli separately on a saucer. 

This is a worth trying Wanton Mee if happen to be in this food centre.

FATTY CHEONG

6 Jalan Bukit Merah #01-52 ABC Brickworks Food Centre SINGAPORE 150006

Pung Pung kitchen at Holland Avenue

Met up with friends to have dinner at this cze cha place founded by Chef Pung Lu Tin, a well-known celebrity chef. We decided to go with some of their signature dishes. The coffee shop was crowded on a Sunday for dinner but not all of them ordering from Pung Pung Kitchen but from Kin Hoi, a stall serving Cockles Thai Style, Top Shell Salad, Mussels Thai Style, Thai Honey Grilled Pork, etc.

The Signature Charcoal Tofu ($10.00) came first. It is steamed tofu with charcoal powder added to give it the black color and topped with a handful of pork floss and chopped spring onion. It was quite a small piece and just enough to share amongst the 4 of us. 

The Marmite Pork Chop ($10.00) came next. It tasted just fine with no surprises. 

Fish Belly with Tofu Soup ($6.00) was quite a big portion of its price. We even wondered whether did they made a mistake. It was a hearty choice for a rainy evening. 

Slice Fish Sambal Hor Fun ($10.00). We were quite impressed with this dish. My friend even suggested that it would tasted nice when taking it away. This is a unique dish that tasted like Chilli Crab Horfun that I tried once. 

Sambal Sweet Potato Leaf ($10.00) tasted just fine. It costs as much as a meat dish which just did not seem to be justifiable. 

Fried Meat with Fermented Bean ($10.00) came when we have almost forgotten about it. It was surprisingly good, much better than the other that I had recently. 

The Signature Opeh Leaf Bee Hoon ($10.00) came last. We waited for about 30 minutes and no sight of it, they must have missed it out. We reminded one of the service staff and waited for another 10 minutes before it was served. We were told that the opeh leaf was run out and it is going to serve without it. My dining companion took a mouthful and said, "This is not better than the one by the White Restaurant. "

The total bill was $64.00. We were left feeling satisfied and will likely come back again. 

PUNG PUNG KITCHEN

Block 6 Holland Close SINGAPORE 271006

Operating Hours: 11.30 am to 2.30 pm / 5.00 pm to 9.30 pm

Mad Charcoal : Texas-inspired smoked meats

A friend left me a message stating that I need to try this as it is really good and is better than El Carbo as can really taste the charcoal flavor. He further mentioned that there is no reason for me not to do so since it is in Ang Mo Kio. It is located where the Singapore Driving Centre used to be, within walking distance from Yio Chu Kang MRT station and just a stone's throw from my house. I went on Christmas day, the food court was unusually quiet, only them and the other stall were opened. 

Kelvin Low, the owner was there and he took the order. He has been in the F & B industry for the past 20 years. He is serving Texas-inspired smoked meats using 3 kinds of wood charcoal, namely the compressed charcoal and the traditional charcoal together with the lychee wood. Some of their popular choices are beef briskets, beef cheeks, and grilled chicken. 

I decided to go with Mushroom Soup ($5.90), Pork Belly ($8.90), and Mad Spiced Chicken ($7.90). When choosing the side dishes, I asked for a recommendation. Kelvin replied, "You can try our Mashed Potato or Ratatouille. He continued to say, "Of course, our salad is good too." I decided on Ratatouille to go with the Pork Belly. There are also options to choose pasta as a side dish and I opted for Marinara pasta. I asked, "Do I have to come back to collect it?" He replied, "We will serve it to you."

The Mushroom Soup came first, brought over by Kelvin. The soup is served along with a piece of garlic bread. The texture was thick and creamy, I liked it. I could not say the same about the garlic bread as it did not have much garlic flavor. The Pork Belly and Mad Spiced Chicken were served together. 

The Mad Spiced Chicken consists of a price of chicken breast, the Marinara pasta, coleslaw, and a soft-boiled egg. The pasta reminded me of chilli crab pasta and it is tasty. The chicken was surprisingly tender for the breast meat. The soft-boiled egg is a nice addition acting as a dip for the chicken. 

My dining companion took a piece of the Pork Belly and he said, "I was expecting the skin to be crispy but it actually tasted quite chewy. The texture of the meat is tender with a distinct charcoal flavor." He did not touch the Ratatouille. He also said, "I would go with Mashed Potato or with the pasta. And, I prefer the Mad Spiced Chicken to this."

This stall has been around for about a year or so and it is getting popular for its smoked dishes. This is definitely worth a try if you happen to be in the vicinity. 

MAD CHARCOAL

3 Ang Mo Kio Street 62 #01-38 SINGAPORE 569139

Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 9.00 pm (Closed on Sundays)

Yang Ming Seafood at Bishan

We were there on a Sunday for lunch. The coffee shop was quite crowded at that time and almost every table there was occupied. We decided to go ahead to order Yang Ming Special Chicken ($12), Cai Pu Beancurd ($10), and Stir-fried Prawns ($18). The ordering was done at the counter and paid right after. 

The waiting time was about 15 minutes and Yang Ming Special Chicken served first. After tasting, we agreed that it actually like the Gong Bao Chicken. Though it is stir-fried with dried chilli, it did not have much spiciness. I was expecting more from this dish as it is listed as one of their special dishes.

The Cai Pu Beancurd came next. The beancurd was served in a pool of sauce accompanied by a few chunks of broccoli, topped with preserved radish, also known as cai pu or chye poh.  It would be tastier if the cai pu is slightly saltier for a better flavor. 

The Stir-fried Prawns are one of their signature dishes. The prawns were relatively fresh and coated well in the tasty sauce, nicely done though but no surprises. 

Overall, it was quite an enjoyable lunch. 

YANG MING SEAFOOD

Block 150 Bishan Street 11 SINGAPORE 570150

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 2.00 pm / 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm

Authentic Chai Chee Bak Chor Mee : based on a 97 years old recipe

We decided to drop by when happened to be in the vicinity. Mr Tan Poh Chye, 65, was there, he used to run Tian Nan Xing Minced Pork Noodle, a hawker stall at Block 511 Bedok North before he handed it to his son and retired. His grandfather started the trade in 1923 before handed it to his father, then to him and he passed it to his son. It has been around 97 years and they are still using the same recipe. As reported in this article, he met David Tan, the owner of this coffee shop and also a fan of his Bak Chor Mee. He was encouraged by him to set up this hawker stall to pass down his skills. 

The menu consists of the soup version ($3, $4, $5) and the dry version ($4, $5, $6). I ordered the $5 portion of Mee Pok Soup and $5 portion of Kway Teow Dry. I was recommended to try their Fried Dumplings (8 pieces at $4), they called it 满载而归 as it is served in a boat-shaped bowl. I paid and given a buzzer for collection later. 

My dining companion tasted the Mee Pok Soup and said, "It tasted like the typical Chai Chee Bak Chor Mee and of the same standard." He continued to say, "The meat dumplings are good though the meatballs are pretty average. The pork bone  broth is quite tasty." 

The Kway Teow did not leave an impression. It tasted just average and the sauce did not quite stand out. Those pieces of fried lard were over-fried and it has got a slightly burnt taste. I will just stick to the soup version if I do come back. 

My dining companion took a piece of the fried dumplings and said, "This fried wanton tasted different from the soup one. It did not have the taste of dried sole fish. I wonder why they did not use the same dumpling for deep-frying." Those fried wantons were served with a dipping sauce, I could tell it is a mixture of mayonnaise and something else. My dining companion said, "It could be Sriracha Chilli Sauce and Mayonnaise." I only found out later that it was a mixture of mayonnaise and mala sauce. The dumpling is the same as the 2 pieces of fried dumplings that were served with the Kway Teow though of a different shape. 

We were curious enough to try the Salt Baked Kampang Chicken ($22.90). They do not make them and it happened to be their first day selling it. There is an indication on the banner that it is "Singapore Best Salt Baked Kampang Chicken".

When eating it, my dining companion said, "The breast part is small which is a telltale sign of a Kampang chicken." It was wrapped in 2 layers of baking paper, the first layer was quite burnt.  

The meat was firm with a distinct herbal-ish taste and a slight saltishness. I did not eat enough of Salt Baked Chicken to know whether is this indeed the best in Singapore but I quite enjoyed the taste. 

Do drop by to give your support if you happen to be in this part of Singapore. 

AUTHENTIC CHAI CHEE BAK CHOR MEE

正正菜市肉脞面
Block 83 Macpherson Lane #01-263 SINGAPORE 360083

Operating Hours: 8.30 am to 8.00 pm (Daily)

Really Something : Taiwanese Egg Fried Rice & Braised Meat Rice

This is a relatively new stall at the Chinatown Complex Food Centre, serving Taiwanese cuisine. The owner has a distinctive Taiwanese accent. Their stall name is quite catching, it is "Really Something" and is 非同小可 in Chinese. The first time when we were here, they ran out of rice and the next batch was only ready in 30 minutes. We did not wait but decided to come back again for it. We were there on a Sunday and there was no office crowd like the first time. We decided to go with the Fried Chicken Cutlet Egg Fried Rice ($4.80) and Braised Pork Rice ($3.00). There are also other dishes like Shrimp Egg Fried Rice ($4.80), Chiayi Chicken Rice ($3.00), Fragrant Chicken Egg Fried Rice ($4.80), and Egg Fried Rice ($3.00) on their menu. 

The waiting time was a short one as we were the only customers at that time. We waited there for it to be ready. The Braised Pork Rice was ready first. The rice was fried on the spot followed by deep-frying the pork cutlet. 

I tried the Fried Chicken Cutlet Egg Fried Rice first. The Chicken Cutlet though crispy but lacking flavor. The rice had a notable fluffiness but the eggy taste was not intense and a little bland.  My dining companion said, "The texture of the rice is very fluffy though not as flavorful as I liked it." He also said, "The portion is good for its affordable price." 

I enjoyed the Braised Pork Rice, though it might not be as good as what I had tasted in Taiwan, it is decent enough. The texture of those braised pork chunks was tender and quite flavorful accompanied by a nicely braised egg and salted vegetable with rice. Pearl rice is used for a softer and sticky texture. 

This stall is really something different, worth a try if you happen to be in this food centre. 

REALLY SOMETHING

335 Smith Street #02-207 Chinatown Complex Food Centre SINGAPORE 050335

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 5.00 pm (Closed on Mondays & Thursdays)

Xinxin Traditional Claypot Rice : by the Gen Y hawkers

We went looking for this stall that is serving Claypot Rice at Kovan Food Centre, it took us a while to locate it as it is located at the last row, right behind. And, it was a bit disturbing that one of the younger owners was standing outside the stall awaiting customers when this food centre was quite packed during lunch on a Sunday. I ordered it a few times during the Circuit Breaker period through delivery. I was amazed by the tenderness of those chicken pieces when I tasted it for the first time, it was not just soft but flavorful too. 

I got to know about this stall from Martin, a friend on Facebook. It was recommended by Kai, a partner of Roast Paradise. 

This stall is manned by 2 youngsters, they did it through numerous experiments to get the recipe right. I ordered the portion for 2 to share. I was asked for the table number as it will be served to the table later but told to help myself with the condiments, bowls, spoons, and chopsticks. I waited for about 15 minutes before it was served.

It was served with a generous portion of chunky chicken pieces with Chinese Sausages garnished with chopped spring onion, the rice was drizzled with dark soy sauce. To start, gave it a quick stir to mix everything together. 

My dining companion tasted it and said, "Somehow, I felt it tasted better when it was delivered." It still tasted good though, there was a nice layer of the burnt bit right at the side and below. 

I would think this is easily better than some of those popular ones out there, even so, this might not be the best but it is good enough to keep me coming back. 

XIN XIN TRADITIONAL CLAYPOT RICE
209 Hougang Street 21 #01-62 SINGAPORE 530209

Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 8.30 pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice : the continuity

Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice started at the already demolished Commonwealth Avenue Food Centre, off Margaret Drive by Mr Leong Fook Wing in 1971. Niven and Benson, his sons, continue his legacy after his passing. Niven started a stall at Ubi in July 2020. He used to man Uncle Chicken Rice in Alexandra Village Food Centre before moving to The Bedok Place. Benson, his brother has a stall in a coffee shop at Holland Drive.

We were there on a Sunday and there was a short queue during lunch. We decided to go with a set meal for 2 at $14 which includes 2 bowls of rice, a bowl of soup, a plate of vegetables, and the steamed chicken. There are also set meal for 1 pax at $4.50, set meal for 3 at $24, and set meal for 4 at $36.  

The chicken is chopped into chunky pieces with the bone still intact and drizzled lightly with their special sauce which complimented the natural flavor of the chicken. The chicken is nicely cooked to the desired tenderness and there is a nice jelly-like layer in between the skin and the meat. 

We did not like the fermented fried pork belly, the texture was not as tender as we liked it. It was recommended by the stall assistant and so decided to try it. The other option is the braised pork belly. 

The texture of the rice was grainy and not too greasy with a light chicken stock flavor. The chicken stock is used to cook the rice thus no soup is served. They also serve crispy lard upon request and the recommended way is to eat it is with dark soy sauce on rice. I did not like the chilli as much, it was not as spicy and slightly tangy. Their ginger paste is the drier version mixed with chopped scallion. My dining companion said, "This is better than that from Jiang Ji's. In fact, this is the only thing that is better."

Watercress Soup was alright but I would actually prefer the recommended Chicken Feet soup but was not available on that day. 

After tasting this and Jiang Ji Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice, my choice is the latter if they continue to maintain the standard. 

SIN KEE FAMOUS CHICKEN RICE

Block 304 Ubi Avenue 1 #01-95 Ubi DMQ Eating House SINGAPORE 400304

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 8.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)