Fatty Cheong Wanton Noodle @ ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre

A week ago, I visited ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre specifically aiming for the wanton noodle from a roast stall called Fatty Cheong because I have heard so much about their bu jian tian char siew which is actually BBQ pork made from the pig's arm pit.

In order to avoid the lunch crowd, I intentionally arrive slightly after 11am - their stipulated opening hour listed on hungrygowhere and burpple.

To my dismay, they seem far from ready for business as the lights are not on and there are no roasts hanging on the racks. 

I did not want to waste any time so I went through my food list and decided to go for the next available stall opened at that time which is Wow Wow West.

The plan was to wait for Fatty Cheong to get ready while having my chicken chop but as fate would have it, I am too full from my western food to have anything else.

Furthermore, by the time I finished, it was nearing noon and Fatty Cheong is still not opened yet.

I have to leave in disappointment and plan another trip back soon.

Wow Wow West Western Food - Chicken Chop @ ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre

I have long heard of this western stall called Wow Wow West that serves big portions of western food for reasonable prices at ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre.

Even though I go to the nearby IKEA Alexandra quite frequently, I was often too lazy to make a detour to the food centre.

Wow Wow West used to be located at the school canteen of Raffles Institution (RI) however, the school holidays meant that income would be badly affected so they had no choice but to relocate first to Bukit Merah View Market & Food Centre before finally settling down at the current location.

I was full of anticipation for their chicken chop after reading many raving reviews about them online.

Furthermore, I feel there is a need to support the stall because they support the Yellow Ribbon Project by hiring ex-offenders. I personally think it is awesome of them to give the ex-offenders a second chance to set their lives straight and contribute to society.

Fuzhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake @ Berseh Food Centre

If memory does not fail me, I was first acquainted with the Fuzhou oyster cake more than two decades ago in a coffeeshop next to the Commonwealth Theater which is one of the two cinemas (the other being Empress Cineplex) in Clementi.

Commonwealth Theater has since been torn down and redeveloped into the current Cityvibe. The oyster cake stall has also closed down before the destruction of Commonwealth Theater began.

Its new location or whether it is even in operations for that matter, remains unknown.

Those were the days when the age of internet (and mobile phones) were still not as widespread therefore I have no means to track it down.

And that, was last time that I had had any oyster cake.

Shin-Chan: Urban Legend Series

Shinnosuke, or Shin Chan, the annoying yet lovable five-year-old is no stranger to all. I was first introduced to this perverted little boy via manga a long time ago and I have watched countless of the anime however, it was not until a few days ago that I found out there is actually a horror series of this anime known as 蜡笔小新都市传说系列.

Loosely translated as "Crayon Shin-chan Urban Legend Series", the anime in this series are a little dark and macabre - very different from the usual slapstick comedy I know. 

I have to admit some are quite disturbing but there are also some which are downright hilarious. I have included the links to a few of my favorite ones here for your viewing pleasure. 

"Set A" 164 Stirling Road Wanton Noodle @ Blk 164 Stirling Road

Update: 164 Stirling Road Wanton Noodle has permanently closed.

A while back, I went to a nondescript coffeeshop in Stirling Road for the special "Set A" wanton noodle but due to my oversight while ordering, I had the 'normal' wanton noodle instead.

I returned to Stirling Road again, determined to have the special "Set A" wanton noodle. This time, I pointed to the photo by the side of the stall, making sure that the lady inside saw me doing that.

The normal wanton noodle came with only char siew and boiled wantons but the 'special' had additional braised mushrooms and fried wantons.

Shi Hui Yuan Hor Fun Specialty @ Mei Ling Market & Food Centre

Shi Hui Yuan Hor Fun Specialty at Mei Ling Market & Food Centre serves the Ipoh-styled hor fun which is another one of my favorite food. 

Yet, they are not exactly Ipoh-styled as their sauce are made with about thirty kinds of herbs.

Apparently, the hor fun is so good, it was included in the Michelin Bib Gourmand List 2016 and 2017.

Prior to my visit, I have read the story about the elderly couple running the stall. 

Unfortunately, the auntie suffered from a stroke so the daughter started coming to help out. Even though the auntie had to be in a wheelchair, she would be sitting near the stall everyday giving her husband and daughter moral support.

My heart goes out to them after knowing their plight. Perhaps due to auntie's ailment, they were only able to open for business four days a week.

I was expecting to see them in person when I was there however, all I see were two middle-aged men and a elderly man inside the stall. Is the elderly man the uncle? Where is the auntie and their daughter then? And who are these middle-aged men?

Xin Lu Teochew Fish Ball Kway Teow Mee Soup @ Mei Ling Market & Food Centre

Not far from 164 Stirling Road Wanton Noodle is Mei Ling Market & Food Centre. It is a two-storey building where residents can do their marketing on the ground floor before going for their breakfast at the food centre upstairs.

As Stirling Road is a mature estate, my initial thoughts about the food centre is that it would be badly maintained, dirty and with bad air-circulation as well.

My first visit to the food centre last week, however, painted a very different picture. The food centre is extremely clean with no litter on the floor, illumination is bright, there is no buildup of dirty bowls on the tables, and the area is spacious and airy with the high ceiling. You will not leave the food centre smelling like char kway teow or fried carrot cake.

This is all thanks to a upgrading program which I just found out was completed about eight years ago. Even though it has been years since the upgrading, its condition is as good as new.

I must say this is by far the most well-maintained food centre I had ever seen.