Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken Rice @ Blk 177 Bukit Batok West Ave 8

On my third visit to Get Together Coffee Shop at block 177 Bukit Batok West Ave 8, I headed straight for the chicken rice stall called Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken Rice.

I must admit that I have never heard of them before but from what I found out prior to my visit, they have been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand for six consecutive years and the owner, Mr Cheong Weng Wah, learned the craft from a Mandarin Hotel chef.

While reading up about them, I also found out something very interesting; they have been aggressively opening one new outlet every month since last November.

It first started with Tampines (11/11/21) followed by Marsiling (12/12/21), then Ang Mo Kio (6/1/22), and now, Bukit Batok (10/2/22). By the time you read this review, they would have already opened their fifth outlet at Clementi (9/3/22)!

Tiong Bahru Lor Mee @ Blk 155 Bukit Batok Street 11

Ever since Uncle Teo's Bukit Purmei Lor Mee closed down three years ago, I have been unable to find another bowl of lor mee that comes anywhere close to his standard.

I might be biased but that is because I have eaten his family's lor mee since his mother's time at the former Seng Poh Road Market.

When I gotten news that his sister is running a lor mee stall at Bukit Batok, I knew I had to go give it a try.

It is self service here so you order, pay and wait to collect your order. I ordered a $4 bowl and opted for bee hoon. Once my order is ready, I helped myself to the black vinegar, chili paste and cut chili padi placed outside the stall.

Beo Crescent No Name Hainanese Curry Rice @ Blk 40 Beo Crescent

This is my second time having Hainanese curry rice, the first being at Loo's seven years ago.

The stall in question today is a few minutes walk from Tiong Bahru MRT Station, located at an old, run down coffeeshop under Blk 40 Beo Crescent.

This unassuming stall selling Hainanese curry rice does not have a signboard, let alone a name! I suppose that is why people started calling it the "Beo Crescent no name Hainanese curry rice".

Ru Yi Vegetarian Food 如意香素食 @ Tiong Bahru Market

Vegetarian Bee Hoon (齋米粉) is something that I eat for breakfast on a regular basis.

I particularly favored white bee hoon drizzled with 'lor' (gravy) but this combination is not available in my neighborhood. As a result, I always have to travel elsewhere just to have my craving fixed.

Ru Yi Vegetarian Food at Tiong Bahru Market sell exactly what I like. My order comes with the usual mock char siew (素叉烧), mock goose (齋鹅), mock intestine (素肠), fried french beans (四季豆) and pickled green chili.

Min Nan Pork Ribs Prawn Noodles 閩南排骨虾面 @ Tiong Bahru Market

I am at a lost as to which name to call this stall selling pork ribs prawn noodles at Tiong Bahru Market. 

The word 閩南 (Min Nan) is splashed across the signboard quite prominently yet beside it are the words 抢摊排骨虾面. So, should I call them 閩南排骨虾面 or 抢摊排骨虾面?

The latter is due to their participation on the channel 8 reality show "Buzzing Cashier" (抢摊大行动) years ago when the program engaged a chef to teach the stall owner how to cook prawn noodles the right way to save his ailing business. 

The business was eventually revived when they received a high score of 30/30.

Hui Ji Fishball Noodles & Yong Tau Fu 輝記魚圓面﹒釀豆腐 @ Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre

I got to know about Hui Ji Fishball Noodles & Yong Tau Fu while researching the must-eats at Tiong Bahru. Apart from the Shui Kueh and Lor Mee, this is yet another recommended stall that turned up in the search results.

I have not heard of this stall before but I decided to give it a try nonetheless. I was there during the late morning and expecting a long queue as mentioned by the many reviews online however, it must be my lucky day for there were only three customers in front of me.

The one before me ordered two bowls but had so many special requests that he confused the auntie and had to repeat his order several times.

When it was my turn, I ordered a $3 bowl of Fishball Mee Pok with extra chili.

Jian Bo Shui Kueh 楗柏水粿 @ Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre

Jian Bo Shui Kueh 5 pieces for $2

Mention Tiong Bahru and Jian Bo Shui Kueh surely come to mind. I remember I began eating Jian Bo Shui Kueh when it was still at the old market before the big renovation.

Shui Kueh (or Chwee Kueh) is simply steamed rice cake and topped with preserved radish (chye poh). It is a humble dish usually eaten as breakfast. Up till this day, I still think Jian Bo Shui Kueh makes the best shui kueh around although they used to be better.

Yip Yew Chong's Mural Hunting At Tiong Bahru

After visiting the goats at Tiong Bahru Market, I went in search of some other wall murals around the vicinity by another talented artist Yip Yew Chong.

The murals done by him were scenes from the old Tiong Bahru which really brings back fond memories for me as my grandparents used to stay at the already demolished Blk 30 Jalan Membina - the biggest HDB in Singapore at that time (the current site of that four storeys building opposite Tiong Bahru Plaza now).

As a small boy, the old Tiong Bahru Market and the bird singing corner were places where I frequent when we visit my grandparents every weekend.

Goat Xi Fa Cai @ Tiong Bahru

Tiong Bahru Market

2016 is the year of the monkey and more than half a year has passed so why am I still in the year of the goat? That is because, the following murals of goats were intended for the year 2015. My last visit to Tiong Bahru was two years ago, seemingly  after some chicken murals installed by the same artist Ernest Goh.  

A total of three goats can be found in and around the marketplace.

The Old Bukit Purmei Lor Mee Lost And Found! Reopened @ West Coast Drive!

Update: Bukit Purmei Lor Mee has permanently closed.

By now, you might have already heard about the old Bukit Purmei Lor Mee reopening for business at Blk 501 West Coast Drive.

I was taken aback when I heard the news a year ago that the stall at Bukit Purmei had closed down due to Uncle Teo suffering from a heart attack. However, I am glad that he is back in action again after a year of recuperation.

The current hawker taking over his stall at Blk 109 Bukit Purmei (also selling lor mee) is in no way affiliated with him, as clarified on their FB page. I guess the clarification came about because some customers who did not know about the change of hands thought uncle's lor mee standard has dropped - quite drastically!

Hua Feng Roasted Delights @ Tiong Bahru

While on a chicken hunt at Tiong Bahru recently, lunching at Zhong Yu Yuan Wei (忠于原味) was included in the plan.

Unfortunately, I was dismayed to find this notice stuck on their door when I got there.

Having no luck with their bu jian tian (不见天) pig's armpit char siew Wanton Mee, I went in search of the other Wanton Mee stall.

I remember my lecturer telling me on Facebook that there is another Wanton Mee stall called Hua Feng Roasted Delights (华丰烧腊) at Tiong Bahru Market which happens to be right next to the popular 178 Shark Fritters Lor Mee stall.

Fowl Play And Fishy Business @ Tiong Bahru

My curiosity was aroused when I learn that there were Cockerels running amok at Tiong Bahru.

They are not your usual chickens per se but murals put up by artist Ernest Goh as part of the 2014 Tiong Bahru Heritage Fiesta.

I knew I had to come check them out when I first saw the photos from the Cheekiemonkies!

Without much further ado, let us go catch some chickens!

Galicier Confectionery @ Tiong Bahru

If you are in the vicinity of Tiong Bahru, do not give this old-school confectionery a miss. While the nondescript shopfront does not say much about it's offerings, it is in fact, a treasure trove filled with a good variety of nonya kuehs.

Auntie Jenny, the lady behind the counter is very helpful with suggestions on what I could buy as I was overwhelmed by the mere sight of these delectable kuehs in front of me.

I cannot help but wished I could have a bite of everything!

Well, who wouldn't? Everyone would be spoilt for choice here at Galicier.

The Original Tiong Bahru Lor Mee @ Bukit Purmei

Update: Bukit Purmei Lor Mee has permanently closed.

Remember my quest for the original lor mee from Tiong Bahru a few months back?

Thanks to this blog for the clarifications, or I would not have known that the lor mee stalls at the current Tiong Bahru Market are copycats!

The real macoy has shifted to the coffeeshop at Block 109 Bukit Purmei!

Teochew Fishball Noodle @ Tiong Bahru Market

The uneven shape of the fishball is evident that they were all handmade

After her follow-up at the hospital, Mum and I dropped by Tiong Bahru Market for our brunch. It was way past 2pm and it is no wonder why we were famished!

As it was a Monday, most of the stalls were closed for business but I am not complaining; it simply means less headache over choosing what to eat!

Lor Mee 178 @ Tiong Bahru Market

Tiong Bahru Market

I spent a greater part of my childhood visiting my Grandparents in Tiong Bahru almost every weekend.

Each time we are there, we would visit the old Tiong Bahru Market and have nothing else except for our favorite Lor Mee.

After the passing of Grandpa, Grandma moved in with her eldest son to another estate, thus ending our regular visits to Tiong Bahru.

It was also the last time I had the original Tiong Bahru Lor Mee.

Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice @ Eng Hoon Street

UPDATES (6th June 2014): Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice has moved location. New address is updated at the end of this post.

Mention Tiong Bahru and what comes to mind?

Other than the unique pre-war and post-war architecture as mentioned in my previous post, what draws people to this quaint little estate has got to be food!

And indeed, Tiong Bahru boasts some of the best hawker stalls that Singapore has to offer!

While planning my Tiong Bahru trip, l did some research on what to eat as well. Among all the suggestions that turned up in the search list, what caught my eye was Hainanese curry rice.

I have long heard about Hainanese curry but have never got around to tasting it. Since most of the reviews that I found have been quite positive, I see no reason to deny myself a visit to this stall!

The stall in question was Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice located at Blk 57 Eng Hoon Street.

Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice SGD 4.90
(Bernese Mountain Dog in the background)

Tiong Bahru Estate: A Walk Through Time

That low rise building was where my Grandparents' flat once stood

My Grandparents used to reside at Jalan Membina before their old flat was demolished and redeveloped into what you see today. That was a long time ago and it was way before Tiong Bahru Plaza was even built.

During that time, we would visit my Grandparents every weekend and I remembered I could see CK Tangs Tower in the distance right from the corridor.