In my opinion, Cai Shu Kway Chap at my neighborhood serves one of the best braised pig's offal there is and I especially enjoy slurping up their slippery kway in the delicious broth which I could easily have three bowls of.
I have to admit that I have not eaten that many kway chaps to come to a fair conclusion; there are many other kway chap stalls like Lao San and To-Ricos which are all very famous but until I have the chance to give them a try, Cai Shu shall remain crowned at the top of my list.
Kway chap is something that you can customize according to your liking by picking your favorite ingredients or simply have a little of everything. For me, I only like the big intestines, pork belly and pig's skin. As for the braised egg, fish cake, tau kwa and taupok, not so much.
This week, I visited Cheng Heng Kway Chap And Braised Duck Rice at Holland Drive Market & Food Centre for their kway chap which seems to be quite popular.
A one person serving here costs $3.50.
Since I was early, there are not many people in the queue. When it reached my turn, I ordered the big intestine, pig's skin and pork belly with one bowl of kway. I wonder is my customization being charged differently because I was given $45.50 in change back from the $50 I rendered meaning my order costs $4.50 instead of $3.50 as stated on their stall front.
Taste wise, the big intestine is spongy and have absorbed the sauce well which is not too salty. The intestine also does not emit any offensive stench.
On the other hand, the pig's skin is thinner than what I usually have elsewhere (not just at Cai Shu Kway Chap) and it is cooked a little too soft for my liking such that it does not have any bite to it.
My vote for pig's skin goes to the stalls from Havelock Road and Seah Im. They are not exactly kway chap stalls but they braised their pig's skin the way I like. You can actually feel a little resistance when you bite into it.
The most disappointing item is the pork belly which is rather average tasting with a more fat to lean ratio.
The kway is limpy and does not have the QQ texture due to its thinness while the broth has this slight tartness with herbal undertones.
Honestly, I did not enjoy Cheng Heng's kway chap one bit thus I am baffled by its glowing reviews online. I might be biased towards Cai Shu Kway Chap but Cheng Heng's version is very different and needs some getting used to.
The above review is from my second visit to the stall. The platter for two below is from a visit with Mum to the food centre a week earlier.
We ordered the big intestine, pig's skin and braised duck. This portion for two with two bowls of kway came up to about $15. We unanimously voted the braised duck as the winner for its tenderness.
CHENG HENG KWAY CHAP AND BRAISED DUCK RICE 進興粿汁鹵鴨飯
Holland Drive Market & Food Centre
Blk 44 Holland Drive#02-05
Singapore 270044
Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 7.30am - 2.30pm
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/PPRKV6vGfFb3wL2P6
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