Beijing Time-Honored Cuisine - Pig Trotters Rice @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

To be honest, I have not heard of this stall named Beijing Time-Honored Cuisine before even though it has been there at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre for a while.

I guess it is easy to be overlooked when the stall is sandwiched in between the bigger names like Hawker Chan and Heng Ji Chicken Rice. The situation is made worse when another stall with a similar menu is ]located directly across them. The stall in question is Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao and it had a Michelin 2018 decal proudly displayed on its display window.

I only got to know about this stall when I came across a photo of their pig trotters rice on Instagram which prompted me to come check them out.

Big Dot Chicken @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

I can never resist the lure of fried chicken hence when news of this month-old stall at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre reach my ears, I knew I had to head down for a look.

A joint venture by three entrepreneur friends, Big Dot Chicken is a social enterprise aimed at helping the unemployed by offering them jobs and providing on-the-job training to equip them with the necessary skills required to run their own stall one day. They do not need any F&B background nor even have to pay any franchising fees.

Impressed by the noble cause behind its inception, I support this business wholeheartedly. If this business module indeed works, it can help someone in need to make a living.

On the day of my visit, I dropped by the stall fifteen minutes before the advertised timing of 11am and guess what? An elderly uncle was already seated at the table in front of the stall, enjoying his fried chicken.

Zhonghua Roujiamo @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

My very first rougamo was from a coffee shop behind Clementi Bus Interchange two years ago. It was love at first bite but unfortunately, that stall has since shuttered.

Fast forward to last week. I heard there is a newly opened rougamo stall named 中华肉夹馍 at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre.

According to a 8 Days magazine interview, the stall belongs to a Mr. Sham Hei from Hong Kong. If the name sounds all too familiar, that is because he is the man behind Chef Sham H.K. Vinegar Trotter - a chain of hawker stalls known for their black vinegar trotters and nutritious Cantonese soups.

The craft of rougamo making was acquired from one of Chef Sham's business associate, a native from Xi'an, where the street snack hails from. He has since gone back to his hometown and the stall's day-to-day operation is now handled by Michael, a Singaporean PR from Malaysia. 

You can read more about the interview here.

Bak Chor Mee Fish Ball Noodle @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

It has been a while since my last visit to Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre and it is high time that I return in search of new stalls to try out.

I must say this trip is rather fruitful as there are indeed a number of newly opened stalls (and some closures).

The first stall to catch my eye has a very straightforward name with a clear indication of what they sell - Bak Chor Mee Fishball Noodle.

If it is of any interest to you, this noodle stall occupies the vacanted unit of Tian Tian Porridge, the Cantonese porridge stall with a history of seventy-years. Run by five elderly siblings, they ceased operations last October due to old age.

Cheongfun Noodle @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Update: Cheongfun Noodle has permanently closed.

Located at the yellow section of Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Cheongfun Noodle is one of the newly opened stalls offering Hong Kong-style rice rolls (cheong fun) and ban mian (handmade noodle).

If my intel is correct, the six-months old stall is run by a Mr and Mrs Wong. The husband, a Hong Konger handmade the cheong fun while the wife, a Malaysian, prepares the noodle.

I chanced upon a photo of their chili ban mian dry ($5.30) on social media when they had just opened. It looked so darn good that I decided it is what I will have but you know what they say procrastination did to men?

So, I finally got my ass off the couch and head down to Chinatown. The stall is not hard to find in the maze-liked food centre if you come up by the myCK Department store escalator.

It is the first stall on your left which used to be Lao Ren Jia Roasted.

Ah Qing Traditional Lor Mee @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Ah Qing Traditional Lor Mee is a relatively new stall at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre. 

Located in the red section right next to Maxwell Haha Mee Siam Mee Rebus, this lor mee stall serves several types of lor mee.

On the menu are fried fish lor mee ($5), ngor hiang lor mee ($3.50), fried chicken lor mee ($4.50) and fried chicken + fried fish lor mee ($6).

You can add on extra ingredients ala carte such as braised egg (70¢), braised pork ($1), ngor hiang ($1), fried chicken ($1.50), and fried fish ($2).

Super Shiok Nasi Lemak @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

During my previous visit to Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, this stall named Super Shiok Nasi Lemak located beside Heng Ji Chicken Rice caught my attention when I saw several young Muslim ladies in hijab queuing for its nasi lemak.

Judging by their DSLRs, heavy makeup and big sunglasses, my guess is that they are probably tourists.

At that time, the operators inside the stall were Chinese therefore, it aroused my curiosity. I did not see any halal cert displayed although it is stated on the signboard that they uses halal ingredients.

Fast forward to this visit, I still did not see any halal certification but the people inside the stall now is a Malay guy and a older lady wearing the hijab.

Da Jia Shi - Deep-Fried Intestines Porridge @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Da Jia Shi at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre is very low profile without much social media presence. Managed by one elderly lady, the stall does not attract a lot of attention and is known only to their regulars.

Illuminated by a couple of fluorescent lights, the dim and unattractive store front did not give me the urge to want to check them out despite the numerous times that I walked past over the years. 

I had no idea what they sell even though the photos of their menu is plastered on the glass window. 

I only realize this is a porridge stall after someone posted about it on my social media timeline. 

Hawker Chan - Soya Sauce Chicken Drumstick Noodle @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Hawker Chan was formerly known as Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodles. 

Located at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, this hawker stall propelled to international stardom when it received a One MICHELIN Star in 2016.

I would usually pack a bird home for dinner together with some of their very nice char siew every couple of months but all that change after they clinched the prestigious award. 

They were already very popular during their pre-award days, with a perpetual queue forming round the perimeter of the stall. The queue situation worsens after their win.

At times, I wonder is the award really a blessing or a curse?

Li Ji Cooked Food - Old School Cantonese Economical Rice @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

While lunching at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre a couple of months back, a particular stall named Li Ji Cooked Food caught my attention.

Although it has yet to open for the day, a queue have already formed in front of the stall. Interestingly, the people in the line are mostly the retirees.

With the unwavering support of so many elderlies, there must be something worth checking out here.

So, here I am, in the queue today, to find out what these people are standing in line for. I learned from the auntie behind me that it is a economical rice (chap chye png) stall serving Cantonese-style dishes.

Although stalls offering Teochew muey are a dime a dozen, it did not occur to me till now that there are actually dialect-specified economical rice stalls around (in this case, a Cantonese one).

The queue stretched all the way to Chang Ji Gourmet on the opposite side. Despite the long line, it cleared fast due to the efficiency of the staff.

Heng Ji Chicken Rice @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

What I really looked forward to the most while growing up during the early 1980s, was my family's occasional weekend trip to Chinatown.

What it meant, was that Dad has received his paycheck and we are in for a treat as we would head to Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre for dinner at Heng Ji Chicken Rice.

Dining out was a luxury for us then as Singapore was in a state of recession at that point of time. Dad was fortunate to have kept his job but he worked such long hours that sometimes, I do not get to see him for days especially when he have to work OT through the nights and for that pittance of a salary, money was never enough.

As such, I truly appreciate the times when we could actually sit down as a family to have a meal together.

Facebook memories recently reminded me that my last visit there was some 10 years ago.

To be honest, we stopped patronizing Heng Ji for a period of time due to the discovery of Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle which is the "new kid on the block" then. 

I remember walking past Liao Fan one day, completely mesmerized by the beautiful soy-glazed birds hanging on the racks. Compared to the paler looking ones at Heng Ji, Liao Fan's chickens looked like a million dollars.

But, we too have stopped going to Liao Fan (now rebranded as Hawker Chan) after they received the prestigious tyre award. The queue was already bad enough during their pre-award days. Needless to say, it got worst after that.

We have since found a new darling where a whole bird costs only $12 (now $15 due to the chicken crisis).

Run Ji Cooked Food - Old School Braised Duck Rice @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Run Ji Cooked Food has been at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre for a very long time. Based on its name alone, it is not quite telling what the stall sells.

They serve braised duck rice here which I have always been wanting to try however, I would always end up having "the usuals" out of habit whenever I visit the food centre.

This review is made up of the experiences from two visits. During the first one, I ordered a plate of braised duck rice ($4) and added on pig's skin ($1) but right after taking ONE photo, my camera ran out of juice.

I visited the stall again, a week later just before the lunch crowd descend upon the food centre.

I made the same order of braised duck rice with pig's skin. Both visits, the lady running the stall checked if I wanted the duck breast or duck thigh of which I requested for the latter.

POH - Chye Poh Hor @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

When I was at Empress Road Market & Food Centre three years ago, I had wanted to try the stall named POH, which serves chye poh hor (菜莆河).

Alas, the four trips that I made to the food centre would always end in disappointment as the stall was perpetually closed each time. I later learned that the stall has shuttered for good.

Fast forward to a few days back, I was at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre when I noticed a new stall along the same row as Chef Sham. 

Somehow, the familiarity of the stall - from the menu to its name, reminded me very much of the old "POH".

As it turns out, it is indeed them! Fans would be elated to know that after taking a three years break, their favorite stall has made a comeback at a new location!

They are marked as permanently closed at their previous location on Google. Because they are still new at their current place, they are not visible on Google at the point of writing. I have already made a submission so hopefully, by the time you read this review, their new status would have already been updated.

Yan Ji Steamed Pot Rice & Soups @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

I am not entirely sure if Yan Ji Steamed Pot Rice at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre is a new stall but I do not recall seeing it during my previous visits to the food centre (or maybe I was just not paying enough attention).

I tried searching online but could not find anything about it so, I took the liberty to submit the stall's information to Google. I am now awaiting for their approval (Okay, it has gone 'live' now).

The stall is located at the yellow section where the cluster of stalls serving Chinese soups are congregated. 

Chinatown Omelette Chef - Smoked Duck Omelette with Pasta @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Uncle Francis Lai and Auntie Doreen are the happy faces behind Omelette Chef at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre.

The husband and wife team used to operate a Cantonese soup stall named Grand Stewed Herbal Soup (豪华滋补炖汤) however, as age catches on, decided to switch to selling something that is easier on their backs while also leaving them more time with family.

As the name implies, their current specialty is omelette which you can have with your choice of topping such as Hawaiian ham, diced chicken, smoked duck, cheese, prawn, mushroom and pork sausage.

More flavors like chicken satay, chicken floss and otah are later added to the menu.

Apart from the omelette, you also have a choice of either Japanese rice or pasta drizzled with mushroom sauce and a side of corn and lettuce.

Reasonably priced at $5 for all the different sets, it seems like a complete meal in itself with protein, carbohydrates and fiber all accounted for!

169 Hainanese Chicken Rice @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

As the stall that I am supposed to feature today is far from ready to open for the day, I began walking around to seek out another stall to review. My search brought me to this new chicken rice stall called 169 Hainanese Chicken Rice.

If I am not mistaken, the previous tenant serve chicken rice as well under the Super Mummy brand who owned several other stalls along the same row at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre.

The owner, Zhen Jie was crowned Super Mummy in a Mediacorp TV contest decades ago. 

It is not clear if 169 Hainanese Chicken Rice is started by a new operator, or still owned by Zhen Jie but registered under a different name?

New Market Seafood Soup @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

I woke up this morning, craving for a bowl of fish soup. This is rather out of the norm for me as fish soup is not something that I usually have cravings for as compared to wanton mee or chicken rice.

Yes, I do have an occasional bowl of fish soup from time to time (I am talking about years in between bowls) but it is not something that I would look forward to.

I guess I will have the fish soup stall near my place to blame for my lack of enthusiasm towards this dish because frankly, it serves one of the saddest and most boring fish soup around (although the stall does have its loyal fan base).

Admittedly, I have barely tried any fish soup from beyond the perimeter of my neighborhood, hence it would be unfair of me to judge all fish soups based on one single stall.

Maybe it is a sign from above, telling me it is high time I give fish soup hawkers a chance to prove their worth and to let me know that not all fish soups are created equal?

I decided to head to Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre for my fix because where else can you get the freshest supply of fish with the wet market just two floors down?

But, fish soup stalls are aplenty here at the food centre. Which one do I go to? After some googling, the beacon of light pointed towards New Market Seafood Soup.

Bedok Chwee Kueh @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

After having the wa kuih from Ah Kong Wa Kuih at Chinatown Market & Food Centre, I realized it was not satisfying enough as I am still hungry. I walked past Bedok Chwee Kueh stall and decided to have some to "fill the gaps".

While wa kuih and chwee kueh may seem similar, they are in fact two different things even though both are steamed rice cakes. The wa kuih, of Hokkien influence is usually steamed with fillings such as mushrooms and dried prawn then served with gravy while the chwee kueh, of Teochew influence is steamed plain and served with chye poh (preserved radish).

There are several Bedok Chwee Kueh branches around Singapore. The unique thing about their chwee kueh compared to the other brands such as Tiong Bahru Jian Bo Chwee Kueh is their larger than usual size. Their rice cakes costs 50¢ each with a minimum purchase of two pieces. I suggests getting four pieces instead because two will never be enough.

Ah Kong Wa Kuih @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

A few months back, a new wa kuih stall called Ah Kong Wa Kuih has opened next to my favorite pandan butterfly bun stall at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre.

I have tried visiting the stall numerous times but the shutters were always down. It does not help that information regarding their operating hours and off days are not available.

I must have made at least six wasted trips to the stall before I was finally able to catch it in business today.

Yuan Lang Soy Sauce Chicken Master - Salted Chicken Rice @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Update: Yuan Lang Soy Sauce Chicken Master has permanently closed.

Among the many chicken rice stalls at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Yuan Lang Soy Sauce Chicken Master is often the overlooked one...

I visited the food centre on a Monday to grab my late lunch after an appointment at the nearby hospital. It is probably a bad idea to visit a food centre on the first day of the week since a majority of the stalls would be closed but this stall is just one of the few options available.

This stall sells soy sauce chicken that you can have with noodle or rice. Hanging on the rack alongside the soy chicken is something quite unusual - the salted chicken - which many might mistaken for Hainanese chicken.

However, do not confuse it with salt baked chicken either because it is not baked. Think of it as the poached version of salt baked chicken that is cooked in a stock made of Japanese scallops, dried octopus and a variety of herbs giving the chicken its unique taste. 

What the stall cannot emphasis enough is that they do not use MSG so what you are ingesting are all natural goodness.

If you notice from the signboard, they used kampung chicken which are healthier.