Mural Hunting @ Little India And How To Find Them

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Since I am doing a food trail at Tekka Market, I thought why not explore the area a bit? After some Googling, I realized there are quite a fair bit of wall murals here at Little India.

The murals should be quite easy to find, I thought. Just create a Google Map (map at the bottom of this post), pin their locations and that is it.

Alas, I am not familiar with the area thus I took a lot of wrong turns and retracing of steps. I think I do not quite understand my own map. Haha!

The unforgiving weather did not help one bit and I was sun-kissed (sunburnt) so slap on your sun screen and put on that long forgotten Fong Fei-Fei hat stashed somewhere in your store room. Otherwise, Mum's beautiful UV umbrella will do too.

I believe the mural hunt is doable in one day but it took me two days to complete instead. I had to cut short my hunt on the first day because I could feel the twitching in my calves. It is a warning I could not ignore for it is the prelude of an incoming cramp.

It has happened a couple of times before and I was left grimacing in pain at Sentosa, The Singapore Zoo and even in the middle of the road while crossing traffic at Bugis.

I realized all my cramp episodes occurred after walking a little too much under the dreary Sun and not hydrating enough. I have since learned to read the signals - rest when the warning comes or else, face the wrath of the cramp monster. It is not fun to be left immobilized by the road side with no one to help you.

I was finally able to cover the remaining murals on the second day, a week later.

South Buona Vista Braised Duck Rice - Relocated! @ 81 Desker Road

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About two weeks ago, I was hunting for murals around Little India (post coming right up) and walking along the five-foot way at Desker Road when my path was obstructed by a newly renovated unit.

I had to step out onto the road to walk around the obstacle. I took a quick glance inside the shop house and realized that it is one of my favorite braised duck rice stall from a rundown coffee shop at 16 Verdun Road (near Sam Leong Road).

I have written about them two years back when they were on the verge of vacating their stall at the previous location. Well, seems like they had found themselves a proper shop to call their own now.

As the shop does not look like it has opened for business yet, I hurried on my way and returned a week later.

The Beef House @ 217 Syed Alwi Road

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The Beef House at 217 Syed Alwi Road is famed for several things: yong tau foo, beef balls, beef tendon balls, soon pan (笋粄) and suan pan zi (算盘子). 

It is not hard to understand why they are so immensely popular because nothing here is factory made - well, maybe except for the various noodles (bee hoon, kway teow, Hakka mee) used here but otherwise, everything else is handmade.

I ordered a bowl of beef tendon ball soup with bee hoon ($5), two pieces of soon pan ($1 each) and a plate of suan pan zi ($2).

Johor Road Boon Kee Pork Porridge @ Blk 638 Veerasamy Road

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About two Saturdays ago, I was left stranded at Rowell Road during a heavy downpour while out hunting for murals. Despite taking shelter under a HDB block, the strong wings carried the rain in.

Shivering from the cold, I suddenly recalled that Johor Road Boon Kee Pork Porridge was located just nearby at Blk 638 Veerasamy Road. 

What perfect weather to have a bowl of hot porridge! I almost gave myself a pat on the shoulder for my quick thinking. 

I braved the rain and ran over but when I reached the coffee shop, I realized I was not the only one toying with that idea. Not only is the premise full with no empty tables, there were long snaking queues at all the stalls. 

With the porridge stall, Mui Siong Minced Meat Noodle and Victor Famous Fried Chicken Wing Rice under the same roof, I was naïve to not have expected that outcome especially on a weekend.

With no hot porridge to warm my belly on a rainy day, I hung my head in shame. I continued to wait out for the rain to end and hatched a plan to return on another day.

Ayya Indian Foods - Chicken Masala Rice Set @ Tekka Market & Food Centre

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Chicken masala is another item that I have been yearning to try for ages. I was walking around Tekka Market & Food Centre checking out the stalls offering this dish when I came across the queue in front of Ayya Indian Foods. 

The queue actually cleared quite fast and since they offer chicken masala as a set meal, I decided to give them a try.

Other set meal options included crab, prawn, sotong and fish. Chicken and mutton biryanis are available on the menu as well.

My chicken masala meal ($5.50) is served on a large banana leaf atop a tray. The meal included rice, chicken masala and two vegetable dishes.

It was while drafting this post at home that I realized the papadum was missing.

Delhi Lahori - Butter Chicken Naan Set @ Tekka Market & Food Centre

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I have mentioned in the previous post that I love Indian cuisine but embarrassingly enough, my Indian culinary journey is only limited to the usual prata, thosaiputu mayam, rojak, and biryanis - dishes that are commonly found at a neighborhood Indian stall. 

I always wanted to try something different that is not in the list above. 

Well, what better chance to do just that since I am at Tekka Market & Food Centre?

After doing some research, I narrowed down my choice to the butter chicken naan set ($6) from Delhi Lahori.

I have not eaten butter chicken nor naan before so that is killing two birds with one stone!