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.

Uncle Louis Famous Chicken Rice @ People's Park Food Centre

It has been some time since my last visit to People's Park Food Centre at 32 New Market Road. 

The hawker centre underwent a 3-months long renovation last year and is now comparatively cleaner and brighter. However, the persisting bird nuisance remains a issue to be addressed.

The lunch crowd was already gone by the time I arrived at two o'clock. I walk around to check which stalls are still available post lunch hour and I came upon Uncle Louis Famous Chicken Rice. 

I do not remember seeing this stall before. I have not been here for ages so it might be new. I decided to give it a try.

Uncle Neo Western - Chicken Chop @ 253 Choa Chu Kang Ave 1

Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have heard of this Uncle Neo Western at 253 Choa Chu Kang Ave 1 numerous times.

It is located inside this coffee shop named 85°C Cafe at Keat Hong Shopping Centre near to the wet market.

According to the people who tried it, they have nothing but good things to say about this old school western food stall managed by an elderly Chinese couple.

I finally found the chance to visit this neighborhood coffee shop yesterday evening.

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).

Shandong Dong Ji La Mian Xiao Long Bao @ Blk 134 Jurong Gateway Road

Among the four coffee shops in the area, Fu Chan Food Paradise at blk 134 Jurong Gateway Road has got to be the one with the lowest footfall. Or at least that is how it appears to be when I visited at around 10am on a weekday.

I intentionally walk past the other three coffee shops to make a comparison and observed that the environment here is the most conducive for my mental well-being. 

Boisterous activities such as rowdy beer-drinking uncles and kopi auntie shouting drink orders across the coffee shop drains my energy. #introvertwoes

Although there are plenty of indoor and outdoor seats available, patrons are few and seated far from one another with ample personal space.

I thrive in the calming vibes this air-conditioned coffee shop offer that I could sit here all day to recharge myself.

Keow Teow Kia - Wine Fragrance Noodle Soup @ Blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road

Foodclique and Happy Hawker are two longtime coffee shops at blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road. Located side by side, both have been there for as long as I can remember.

A week ago, after having my Hakka yong tau foo at Foodclique, I went over next door to check out Happy Hawker which has changed hands earlier this year. It is currently known as 咖啡仔来了.

Other than the popular braised duck stall at the corner, the remaining stalls at this coffee shop are all new.

Among them is this stall named Keow Teow Kia which specializes in Malaysian-style noodles.

Keow teow refers to kway teow but I wonder why is it spelled as such instead of koay teow like they usually do in Malaysia?

Anyway, on the menu are:

• keow teow soup ($4.50),
• dry noodle soup ($4.50),
• wine fragrance noodle soup ($4.80),
• bitter gourd minced meat soup with rice/noodle ($5.50),
• signature soup with rice/noodle ($5.50),
• salted fish mee tai mak soup ($5), and
• fish ball soup ($3.80)

Hakka Yong Tau Foo @ Blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road

Each time I accompany my folks to the nearby bank or CPF Building, we would end up having a meal in this coffee shop at blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road.

Although there are a variety of food options to choose from, they will bypass all the other stalls and head straight for the Hakka yong tau foo stall.

I have been here with them a couple of times but yet to try it. I wonder why they only have eyes for this stall?

I decided to make a lone trip here to try it for myself.

Gu Zao Wei Big Prawn Noodle @ Alexandra Village Food Centre

Wei Zhong Qi Prawn Noodle (#01-87) and The Old Stall Hokkien Street Prawn Noodle (#01-58) are two pretty well-known prawn noodle stalls at Alexandra Village Food Centre.

I am not sure if this is a new stall or has it always been there but it was only during a recent visit that I discovered the presence of this third prawn noodle stall at the food centre.

Well, fourth actually, if you consider Ming's Prawn Noodle (#01-01) which has relocated to Tan Boon Liat Building.

It had a very generic name though with just the words "古早味" and "big prawn noodle" on the signboard. (refer to the last photo at the bottom of this post)

I am unable to find any information with regards to this stall online therefore, I took it upon myself and submitted it to Google map as Gu Zao Wei Big Prawn Noodle.

It is located along the same row as Dover Road Kai Kee Wanton Noodles (#01-09) and Tiong Bahru Lien Fa Shui Jing Pau (#01-10) facing the car park. 

Zi Jing Cheng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice @ Alexandra Village Food Centre

Whenever I visit Alexandra Village Food Centre, I will bypass Zi Jing Cheng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice for some other stalls. 

Come to think of it, I wonder why the thought of trying their chicken rice has never cross my mind?

I guess I did not see the need to as chicken rice stalls are a dime a dozen in Singapore. 

However, today is the day that the spell will be broken. I have come to the food centre with no concrete plans to try any food in particular and my feet brought me to the front of this stall. 

I like how the pricing is clearly spelled out on the signboard with a whole bird priced at $24 while a serving for one pax is $3.50.

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?

Ga-Hock Roti Prata @ 794 Upper Bukit Timah

Ga-Hock Eating House is a modest coffee shop sharing the same building as Bukit Panjang Hokkien Kong Huay at this stretch of old shop houses along Upper Bukit Timah Road.

I have lived in the vicinity for about 30 years now but I'm totally oblivious to its existence.

To think that I have been taking the bus to school via this route for eight consecutive years (three years primary and five years secondary) yet I have never noticed!

I only found out recently when I come across people talking about it on Facebook. It piqued my interest to come check it out. 

The very first thing you would see, when you reach here, is the roasted meat stall right at the entrance. Walk past it and you will find yourself flanked on both sides by the beverage stall, a noodle stall, a snack stall, a tze char stall and a roti prata stall.

The premise is so cramp, there is no space for even one table. The seating arrangements are all at the back behind the building under the huge Bodhi tree. Do not worry, though, as you will be protected from the elements under a zinc roof. 

I am awed by the laid-back vibes here which is reminiscent of a dai pai dong in Malaysia.

Redhill Pork Porridge V2.0 - Reopened By Miss Tam Chiak @ Redhill Market & Food Centre

My last visit to the popular Redhill Porridge at Redhill Market & Food Centre was two years ago. I was taken aback to learn that the owner, Mr Han, has recently retired and the stall already shuttered.

But as stunned as I was by its sudden closure, news of the stall reopening soon reached my ears. The stall has been taken over by a new operator who turned out to be non other than... Miss Tam Chiak!

I thought she was pulling my leg when she informed me about it. She is already juggling multiple roles as a writer, photographer, food stylist, entrepreneur, wife and mother. Now, we can add on "hawker" to that list.

As it turns out, her family used to run a porridge stall so when she learned that the previous owners were bowing out, she seized the opportunity and took over.

A change in ownership bring new changes. The fish option which was previously available has been taken off the menu so this is now solely a pork porridge stall. Also, there is the inevitable price increase but do expect better quality ingredients.

After all, this is a partnership with celebrity chefs Cao Yong and Kenny.

Gimee Face Noodle House @ Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31

I have not been to this coffee shop at Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31 for the last three years since the beginning of the pandemic.

When I finally paid a visit this week, I was surprised to learn that a new noodle stall named Gimee Face Noodle House have taken up space here.

I have heard of the branding before which is a chain co-owned by Tenderfresh’s COO Kelvin Chua and Bakerzin's Daniel Tay.

Stepping foot into the coffee shop, it is not difficult to spot the stall with its eye-catching signboard and impressive menu:

01) Original Pork Noodle ($4.30)

02) Abalone Pork Noodle

03) Spicy Volcano Mee Kia Soup ($7.30)

04) Longevity Mee Sua Dry ($5.30)

05) Mala Spicy Pork Noodle ($5.30)

06) Teochew Fish Ball Noodle ($5.30)

07a) Fragrant Laksa

07b) Fragrant Seafood Laksa

08) Braised Pork Rib Noodle

09) Silky Pork Liver Noodle ($4.30)

10) Fish Ball Kway Teow Soup ($4.30)

11) Homemade Pork Ball Soup ($4.50)

12) Bouncy Fish Ball Soup ($4.30)

13) Heibee Hiam Pork Liver ($4.30)

14) Heibee Hiam Duo Ball ($5.30)

I discovered that menu items #2, #7 and #8 are missing from the signboard. I compared the menu against the one on their Facebook and realized that, perhaps, they do not serve those here at this outlet. 

Wang Wang Claypot Congee @ Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31

 

Wang Wang Claypot Congee from the coffee shop at Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31, has been faithfully serving the Bukit Gombak neighborhood for as long as I could remember. 

The fact that they managed to come this far speak volumes about their congee. An obvious tell-tale sign of their popularity with the residents here is their worn-out signboard.

I have been a fan for a number of years and I wonder what took me so long to finally do a proper review about them?

What makes the stall stand out, is that they served their congee in claypots. Not many congee places do this and this is exactly what drawn me to them. 

Let us take a look at their menu:

• Frog Congee ($6)
• Ginger Onion Frog/Dry Cili Frog ($6.50 for one/$12 for two)
• Hong Kong Style Congee ($4)
• Seafood Congee ($4)
• Scallop with pork/chicken/fish Congee ($4)
• Sliced Fish/Sliced Fish with Cuttlefish Congee ($3.50/$4)
• Century Egg Pork/Chicken/Pork Congee ($3.50)
• Cuttlefish Peanut/Century Egg Congee ($3.50)
• Pig's Organ Congee ($4)
• Pig's Liver Pork Congee ($3.50)
• Century Egg Pig's Liver Congee ($3.50)
• Shredded Chicken Cuttlefish Congee ($3.50)
• Peanut Congee ($2.50)
• Sliced Abalone Congee ($3.50)