[CLOSED] Moustache Lee : the Taiwanese fare

 Xander Lee, 28, and Lipsen Chow, 27, the owners, are friends since childhood and they started this stall in January 2021 at a coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio.

Their signature dishes are based on the recipes of the Taiwanese mother of Xander's girlfriend. I ordered the Braised Pork Rice ($3.80 / $4.30), Mee Sua ($4.00), and Salt & Pepper Chicken ($4.00).

My dining companion after tasted the Salt & Pepper Chicken and said, "It tasted like those packets of frozen popcorn chicken that are readily available in the supermarkets. It did not taste like those that I had eaten in Taiwan and it has not much of the salt and pepper taste."

I did not particularly like the Braised Pork Rice but my dining companion finds it to be alright. He said, "It did not taste too bad, that braised pork though was a little too small pieces but its texture was just right." The taste was a little off, it might be due to them adjusting it to better suit the local taste. It did not have much taste of the deep-fried shallots. I actually prefer the Braised Pork Rice from Really Something, a stall at Chinatown Complex Food Centre to this. 

I was asked whether I want vinegar for the Mee Sua when collecting it but it did not enhance the taste much. It is served with shredded chicken and not traditionally with oysters or braised intestine like those in Taiwan. It tasted quite forgettable as compared to the one by Eat 3 Bowls at Crawford Lane. I would rather eat it without the chilli as it is too spicy to taste Taiwanese.

This is just a new stall and we should give them time to improve.

MOUSTACHE LEE

Block 505 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 Aik Leong Eating House SINGAPORE 560505

Operating Hours: 11.30 am to 8.30 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Happy Congee 满粥了 : satisfying Congee and Chee Cheong Fun

Seng Kor, the former consultant of Mui Kee Congee in Singapore is behind this stall. This stall specializes in Hong Kong-style Congee and Chee Cheong Fun. Their prices are more affordable as compared to the same items by Mui Kee.

Their chee cheong fun is made upon order using the traditional method. Their choices for Chee Cheong Fun include the Rice Noodle Roll with Dough Stick ($4) which is not commonly available in Singapore. The others are Triple Sauce Rice Noodle Roll ($3.50), Char Siew Rice Noodle Roll ($4), Minced Meat Pickle Vege Rice Noodle Roll ($5.50), Mala Chicken Shredded Rice Noodle Roll ($5.00), and Prawn Rice Noodle Roll ($5.00). 

There are 6 types of Congee, the Hong Kong Boat Congee ($6.00), Black Iberico Pork Congee ($5.00), Lettuce & Chicken Shredded Congee ($4.00), Fresh Toman Fish Congee ($5.00), Seafood Abalone Congee ($8.00), and Century Egg and Minced Meat Congee ($4.00).

There was quite a long queue when I was there on Sunday for lunch but the queue moved pretty fast. I waited for about 10 minutes to order and decided to try the Century Egg & Minced Meat Congee added an egg for $0.80, Rice Noodle Roll with Dough Stick, and Char Siew Rice Noodle Roll. And, waiting for about 8 minutes or so to collect it. 

To start, gently break the raw egg and mix it into the porridge. My dining companion said, "The porridge is really nice, got standard. It is thick and smooth." 

The Rice Noodle Roll with Dough Stick is known as 炸两 in Chinese, it is a Cantonese dim sum made of rice flour into the rice noodle roll and tightly wrapping the dough stick doused in soy sauce with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

My dining companion took a piece and said, "The 炸两 is surprisingly good, the youtiao inside is still crispy. The saltiness of soy sauce is not overwhelming."

Char Siew Rice Noodle Roll tasted just fine, nicely made with minced char siew in it. 

There are other 2 outlets at Block 681 Hougang Avenue 8 and 56 Upper Changi Road run by Francis Mak that used to own Cafe de Hong Kong. 

HAPPY CONGEE 满粥了

380 Jalan Besar ARC 380 SIGAPORE 2090000

Operating Hours: 8.30 am to 2.30 pm / 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm 

Kelaté : traditional Kelantanese fare

This is a halal hawker stall started by Sasqia Dahuri, a Malaysian actress, producer, and TV host on 8 February 2021. She is running the stall with her Singaporean husband. This stall is specialized in noodle dishes from Kelantan, Malaysia. There are only 3 items on the menu, namely Laksam ($4.90/$6.90/$7.90), Mee Celup ($4.90/$6.90/$7.90), and Colek Malah (3 pieces for $4 and 6 pieces for $7). 

I was there at about 3.05 pm and there was already a short queue, though the stall will only open at 3.30 pm during Ramadan. Their usual operating hours are from around 8.15 am to 2.00 pm. I was the fourth customer in the queue. I waited till about 3.40 pm before they were ready to start taking orders. I order the smaller portion of Laksam and Mee Celup together with 3 pieces of Colek Malah. After ordered, I was told that I would have to wait about 30 to 40 minutes for it to be ready. My name would be called upon when it is ready and I waited till 4.30 pm before my name was shouted. 

I was quite surprised to see that it has been packed for taking away though I did indicate that I would like to have it there. 

This was my first time eating Laksam. It tasted a bit like our local Laksa, it came with thick bee hoon as a default choice as I was not asked for the selection. I came across that most of the other orders shared online was served with rice noodle rolls. It came in a thick coconut milk gravy with ulam and sambal. 

I enjoyed the Mee Celup, it has a familiar taste that reminded me of beef noodle. The dish is made with a broth of chicken and beef, served with beef chunks, crushed peanuts, fried garlic, and dried chilli flakes. When ordering, I was asked, "yellow noodle?". I nodded.

My dining companion was a bit surprised when he realised that Laksam and Mee Celup are of the same price. He said, "How can it be? The Laksam has just egg and no other meat like the Mee Celup."

Colek Malah is actually fried fritter consisting anchoives and vegetable served with their special chilli. 

This is something from our usual hawker fare and it is definitely worth trying.

KELATE

93 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 #01-47 SINGAPORE 310093

Operating Hours: 3.30 pm to 9.30 pm (Closed on Thursdays)

Shu Heng Bi Tak Mak : the Malaysia-style noodles

We were there slightly after 11 am and there was just another customer in front, but the queue was slowly forming after we joined it. This stall opened on 23 December 2020 but gaining popularity. This stall specializes in serving mee tai mak. There are a few choices on their menu, namely, Pork Leg Noodle ($5.50), Mushroom Pork Mince Noodle ($3/$4), Johor Bi Tai Mak ($3/$4) and Fishnall Pork Mince Soup ($3/$4). 

I was told about this stall but I have not been making an effort to come by as I am not really a fan of bee tai mak. When it was my turn to order, I said, "I want a dry one and a soup one." I ended up ordering Mushroom Pork Mince Noodle for both. I took at the menu again and realised the soup version is likely to be the Johor Bi Tai Mak so I asked, "Can I change the soup one to Johor Bi Tai Mak." The friendly stall owner said, "I have already added in the lard, the original version is without it."

The soup version is quite common in Malaysia. The thickened soup one was a bit starchy with ingredients like bits of mushroom, dried shrimps and minced meat then topped with chopped onion as well fried shallots.  It did not sound or look much but it is comforting. 

The dry version is clearly a popular choice there. The dry one is served with braised minced meat, mushroom bits, slices of fish cake, and fishball together with crispy lard and chilli. 

My dining companion took a mouthful of the dry one and said, "It has a tanginess that I do not like. I prefer the soup one much more."

We were surprised that the light of their signboard went off before 12 pm to indicate that they have sold out. 

SHU HENG BI TAK MAK
226H Ang Mo Kio Street 22 Keban Bahru Food Centre #01-25 SINGAPORE 568226

Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 1.00 pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

Wing Liao Lor : good Nasi Lemak

Jacelyn Lim, 30, started the stall with Kenny Lim, 60+, her father. Jacelyn was a former flight attendant from Singapore before joining the insurance industry and his father was a veteran chef with 20 years of experience. This stall is about 2-month-old with an eye-catching stall name. When I told the stall name to my dining companion, his first reaction was, "Huh?" before realizing it is their stall name. 

He went to queue for about 20 minutes and came back with their basic Nasi Lemak set for $3.50. He said, "The queue is not that long but they ran out of rice so they took the orders first and kept us waiting there." 

It came with a piece of chicken wing, an egg, and ikan belis with a slice of cucumber.  The wolk of the suuny-side-up egg was slightly overcooked. The fluffiness of the rice was just right with a distinct coconut flavor. The fried chicken wing was perfectly fried to achieve the desired crispiness. It was flavorful with a hint of turmeric. The sambal chilli was a little on the sweet side. Overall, this is one of the better Nasi Lemak.

I asked, "How is this comparable to the Spice n Rice at Amoy Street Food Centre?" My dining companion said, "This is definitely better in value. I can order 2 plates of this at $3.50 each rather than paying $7.90 for just 1 portion." He continued to say, "This chicken wing is nicely marinaded and crispy."

WING LIAO LOR
531A Upper Cross Street #02-28 Hong Lim Food Centre SINGAPORE
Operating Hours: 8.30 am to 6.00 pm (Monday to Saturday)

Eddy's : hawker style Duck Confit and Laksa Spaghetti

I remember Chef Eddy Wan. He used to run Rustic Bistro at China Street but closed down. I visited the cafe in June 2015 and was quite impressed with the food. 

I am glad that he is back to helm this hawker stall at Hong Lim Food Centre, nestled at a corner on the upper floor and serving affordable Fusion Western cuisine. He is running it with his wife. Duck Confit ($10) to serve with Aglio Olio Spaghetti or Mashed Potato is one of the popular choices on the menu. The next choice is Chicken Chop with Laksa Spaghetti or Aglio Olio Spaghetti ($8.50),  Mashed Potato or French Fries ($8). Other choices on the menu are Grilled Salmon ($10),  Beef Burger ($10), Chicken Pomodoro Pasta ($7.50), Mala Shrimp Spaghetti ($7.50), and Chicken Alfredo Pasta ($7.50). There is also a selection of rice bowls, Unagi Teriyaki ($10), Chicken Chop ($8), Duck Confit ($10), and Grilled Salmon ($10). 

I decided to go with Duck Confit with Mashed Potato and Chicken Chop with Laksa Spaghetti. I was told they will shout when it is ready for collection. There was an empty table right in front of the stall so waited there for close to 10 minutes when Eddy signaled it was ready. The queue got longer during lunch. 

Duck Confit is not commonly found in food centre. Mad Charcoal has Duck Confit on its menu. This dish also used to be served by Immanuel French Kitchen in a coffee shop.  I kind of expected the skin of Duck Confit to be crispier but it was not so, the meat was desirably tender though and it tasted flavorful. 

The Chicken Chop with Laksa Spaghetti is nicely done and flavorsome. The sauce though a little runny but creamy, coated the spaghetti well and the level of spiciness is manageable. I enjoyed it, this is better than the other Laksa Spaghetti that I have eaten and it is quite addictive. 

The Chicken Chop was nicely grilled and still retained its tenderness, served with a bit of dried shrimp.

My dining companion after tasted both dishes, said, "I would prefer the Chicken Chop with Laksa Spaghetti, will likely to order again when I am in this food centre." He continued to say, "The Duck Confit is not bad but is not particularly memorable as I have tasted better one."

EDDY'S
Block 531A Upper Cross Street #02-52 Hong Lim Food Centre SINGAPORE 051531

Operating Hours: 10.30 am to 7.00 pm (Monday to Friday)

Spice n Rice : worth the hype?

We went on a Sunday to have lunch and that was probably the last Sunday that they will stay open. They have recently announced on their Facebook (FB) that they will close on Sunday from then on. We were one of the few customers waiting to order at the stall, it was not as crowded as expected. 

The owners, Vincent Wong, 31, and Javin Goh, 35, started experimenting with dishes at home during the Circuit Breaker. Vincent used to be an Internal Bank Auditor and Javin was a Corporate Banking Relationship Manager before venturing into the hawker trade serving Nasi Lemak. The Nasi Lemak is created based on the recipe originated from the grandmother of Vincent using spices and herbals to flavor the marinades of the chicken as well as the sambal chilli with no MSG added. 

There are only 3 options on their menu, the Nasi Lemak set with Classic Fried Chicken ($7.90) or the Butter Chicken ($7.90) with basmati coconut rice. The other is Salmon with Barkey Pilaf ($9.90). I wanted to order a set with Classic Fried Chicken Nasi Lemak and a set with Butter Chicken Nasi Lemak but was told that only the Classic Fried Chicken was available on that Sunday. I ordered 2 sets for $7.90 each. I was asked to choose between the fully cooked egg and the half-cooked egg. The set was not presented on the plate but in a take-away box even for eating there. 

The star is the fried chicken, it was fried well to the desired crispiness and still tender, with a distinct flavor of turmeric and lemongrass. My dining companion said, "Why did they choose to use basmati rice? It tasted a little too dry and not much coconut flavor." I did not finish the rice. He also said, "The price is still on the high side for such a dish in hawker centre even with that whole chicken leg." The spiciness of sambal is rather mild with a slight sweetness and a little watery. It was served with pineapple mint salsa and a handful of ikan belis.

Overall, it is pretty forgettable. It might have to do with my expectations based on those rave reviews.

SPICE N RICE
7 Maxwell Road #01-15 Amoy Street Food Centre SINGAPORE 069111

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 2.30 pm (Monday to Friday) / 10.00 am to 2.30 pm (Saturday)

Lao Gu Ban : the old-fashioned noodles

My friend told me about this stall in an old coffee shop near Tanjong Pagar MRT. He mentioned that he ever spotted Eric, the owner of Ah Hoe Mee Pok was there manning the stall. This is his new venture. 

The coffee shop was unusually quiet when we came on the fourth day of Lunar New Year, but there was a short queue. We decided to go with Handmade Mushroom Fish Maw Noodle and Handmade Prawn Paste Noodle. There is the $6 and $8 portion and we decided to go with the $8 portion for both. We were asked whether we want to have extra noodles which we declined but later, my dining companion said, "We should have wanted the extra noodles as the portion is actually quite little and is not filling."

My dining companion asked, "How is the soup comparable to the fish maw soup by Ding Ji Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles in Bishan?" I said, "The soup here is rather tasty with a slight sweetness probably derived from the rich flavor of the broth. 

I do not find the handmade prawn paste to be particularly memorable though." I used to really like the prawn paste from Ban Niang Yong Tau Foo but I heard there is a drop in standard. 

The texture of the handmade noodle was nicely firm, thick, and slightly chewy tossed in savory sauce. You would not get to choose the type of noodles as this is the only type that they serve. 

My dining companion said, "I would just go for the $6 portion next time. I think it is more justifiable at that price and I do not find those slices of canned shellfish adding value to the noodle as I rather have it with just braised mushroom."

There was also a piece of fish dumpling in the soup, the handmade fish dumpling is nicely seasoned with dried sole fish added for more flavor. 

Having tried Ah Hoe Mee Pok, it actually tasted similar with not much surprise. It is good overall though but I do not think I will come purposely just for it. 

LAO GU BAN 老古板
243 Cantonment Road #01-01 SINGAPORE 089770

Operating Hours: 10.30 am to 9.30 pm (Closed on Saturdays)

150 Kampong Ampat #02-01 KA Centre SINGAPORE 368324

Operating Hours: 8.00 am to 3.00 pm (Closed on weekends)

Rayben King of Seafood Soup at Sin Ming

The owners, Ray and Benson started this stall in the midst of December 2020 serving seafood soup, There are only 3 choices on their menu, the smallest portion at $8.00 followed by $18.00, and then at $38. Ben was there taking the order. He recommended that we should try the $18.80 as it is good to be shared amongst 2 pax. 

I asked, "Why do you choose such a location? How is the business so far?" He said, "We wanted somewhere to start and the rental here is reasonable. And, we have been doing good so far. We even have customers coming from as far as Jurong." Ray mentioned competing against a popular stall and wanting to serve the best. I asked out of curiosity, "Who is this competitor? Do not tell me it is one of those that serve Pao Fan as I do not like." He replied, "I think Pao Fan is gimmicky. The texture of rice after soaked in the broth usually was too soggy." He later mentioned that this stall is the popular Yan Ji Fish Soup at Marsiling Mall Food Centre. 

We were given a buzzer after done with the payment. The medium portion consists of half a rock lobster, half a flower crab, 2 tiger prawns, Batang fish, squid, la la, and pacific clams. It came with choices of rice as well as thick bee hoon and we opted for rice. 

My dining companion tasted the soup and said, "The soup is quite tasty, naturally flavored." He said, "I could taste there is milk added." Benson happened to walk past and he asked, "How was it?" I said, "You added milk into it?" He replied, "I added just a bit of milk for a smoother texture."

My dining companion also said, "It is not the usual coffee shop pricing and is not quite worth the value. I would actually prefer a simple bowl of seafood soup without those premium ingredients added like the one by Yan Ji though they use Dory fish. I enjoyed their chunky handmade meatballs."

I did not try to ask for more soup though it was suggested in a review posted on their Facebook as someone tried but was declined. It is also not a practice to refill soup at Yan Ji Seafood Soup. The soup is supposed to serve concentrated and if they allowed refilling of soup then they would have to dilute the soup to make it more which does not quite make sense. 

I would just go for their basic bowl of seafood soup if I do come back.

RAYBEN KING OF SEAFOOD SOUP

39 Sin Ming Drive SINGAPORE 575713

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