Xiao Yang Guo Kui - Flatbread With A Thousand Years History Arrived In Singapore!

Update: Xiao Yang Guo Kui has permanently closed.

Forgive the hand model, k? Don't let the fur get to you.

When I first heard of Xiao Yang Guo Kui (小杨锅盔), I was bewildered as its name does not make any sense nor give me an idea of what the product really is.

After some googling, however, I found out that this naan look-alike flatbread is called a guo kui (锅盔) while Xiao Yang Guo Kui (小杨锅盔) is the brand name which brought this chain to Singapore. 

Xiao Yang Guo Kui has got absolutely nothing to do with Yang Guo of The Condor Heroes fame from Louis Cha's novel. However, it does have an impressive history dating back to the Three Kingdoms.

Wow. Imagine having the same thing as Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang?

Word has it that a soldier used his helmet (kui) as a wok (guo) to cook some flour over a fire and voila, the guo kui is born. For the next thousand of years, this staple army provision has evolved into a popular traditional street snack for the masses in China.

Soon Heng Hot & Cold Desserts @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Soon Heng Hot & Cold Desserts have relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

As its name implies, Soon Heng Hot & Cold Desserts at Tanglin Halt Food Centre serves a selection of hot and cold Chinese desserts.

What I find amazing about this stall is that most of their desserts costs only a dollar per bowl! Yes! ONE DOLLAR!

That is the charm with food centres found at the older estates. Food prices are usually kept low so that the lower income and elderly could afford it.

I am totally spoilt for choice here but I decided to order the lian zi suan, ice kachang and tau suan.

Queenstown Lontong Mee Soto @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Queenstown Lontong has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

After trying the mee rebus from Queenstown Lontong at Tanglin Halt Food Centre, I could not stop thinking about their mee soto. After all, it is my ultimate favorite Malay noodle dish.

I decided not to have anymore naggy feelings about it so I returned to the food centre and ordered myself a bowl of mee soto ($3) with the same nice kakak inside the stall. A cheerful stall owner versus a grumpy one really makes a difference to my mood.

As the kakak busied herself with my order, I saw a fresh batch of chicken wings frying in the wok and was so tempted to get one but I opt for the begedil ($1) instead.

Queenstown Lontong Mee Rebus @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Queenstown Lontong has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

While doing my research about Tanglin Halt Food Centre, I learned about the wonderful mee rebus from Queenstown Lontong. To be honest, it was a photo of the noodle dish that caught my attention.

To verify if the mee rebus was really as good as what the reviews claimed to be, I decided that a visit to the stall is in order!

On the day of my visit, the two ladies from the stall were amiable and full of smiles. It made my trip  a welcoming one.

Just like any Malay stalls, they serve typical breakfast such as nasi lemak, lontong, mee rebus, mee siam, mee soto and soto ayam. Every dish costs a standard $3.

I was initially undecided between having mee rebus or mee soto but I eventually caved in to the former.

Hakka Thunder Tea Rice @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Hakka Thunder Tea Rice has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

The thunder tea rice stall at Tanglin Halt Food Centre is one of the more popular options that draw a perpetual queue during lunch hour.

When I was there, customers were already crowding in front of the stall waiting for them to open for business at 11am.

As the opening hour neared, the crowd automatically formed a line in a orderly manner. While standing in the queue, I observed that the stall owner is working inside the stall without switching on the lights.

Makes one wonder how does he see in the dark?

Ruyi Yuan Vegetarian Bee Hoon @ Blk 46-1 Tanglin Halt

Update: Ruyi Yuan Vegetarian has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

Ruyi Yuan Vegetarian is well-known for her snaking queue which can extend all the way out of the coffeeshop. I decided to visit the stall at 6.30am on a Saturday morning to avoid the crowd because with lesser people around, I feel less stressful about taking photos.

When I arrived, there is no line at all. I marched right up to the stall and ordered two sets; one to have there and one for takeaway.

Over here, you have the option to add "lor" (gravy) to your bee hoon. I love having lor in my bee hoon but not many places offer this. I am grateful this is one of the very few places that did. For the takeaway pack, the lady even gave me a big packet of lor packed separately.