Ah Choon Traditional Lor Mee @ Kampung Admiralty Hawker Centre

I have finally paid my first visit to Kampung Admiralty Hawker Centre, a social enterprise food centre run by NTUC Foodfare. Simply turn right after exiting the fare gate at Admiralty MRT station and you will see it on your left. It is located on the second level which is accessible by the escalator or lift.

While checking out the stalls, I spotted one serving lor mee, prawn noodle and laksa. My heart is bent on having the lor mee since it is a perennial favorite of mine. Studying the menu, they have fish lor mee ($3.50), chicken cutlet lor mee ($3.50) as well as signature lor mee ($4) but it is the $2.80 traditional lor mee that caught my attention.

I will not delve into the details of what a social enterprise hawker centre is all about but under contract, every stall is required to offer at least one food item at $2.80 to ensure that food is made affordable for everyone.

I decided to have the $4 signature lor mee instead because I knew that the $2.80 version will probably not satisfy me. 

Yong Heng Fried Baby Squid Prawn Mee @ Blk 155 Bukit Batok Street 11

Just a few stalls down from Tiong Bahru Lor Mee, located within the same coffee shop is Yong Heng Fried Baby Squid Prawn Mee.

I was actually looking for the lor mee stall when I chanced upon this stall selling Hokkien mee. The sight of the three whole squids atop the plate of fried Hokkien mee on the signboard (refer to the last photo below) prompted me to order a medium ($4/$6/$8) plate to try.

When my order was ready, I took a look at my plate longingly but the three squids were no where to be seen. There are only squid rings and if you piece them all together, does not even form the half of one squid, not to mention three.

Oh no.

Have I been taken for a ride? Is this yet another case of "photos are for illustration only"?

When will I stop being gullible?

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.

New Market Teochew Braised Duck Rice @ Alexandra Village Food Centre

Located along the same row as Xiang Jiang Soya Sauce Chicken at Alexandra Village Food Centre is another famous stall called New Market Teochew Braised Duck Rice.

Run by a husband and wife team, this stall specializes in Teochew braised ducks but they also sell a plethora of other items like braised pork, braised pig's intestines, braised tau kwa, braised hard boiled egg, etc.

As with all popular stalls, a queue is to be expected. The chef seems unperturbed by the long queue as he goes about chopping ingredients at his own pace. I waited in line impatiently for about thirty minutes before it finally reached my turn to order.

I had wanted to order a plate of braised duck rice and add on pig's skin with the lady taking orders but was told that they do not have it and recommended the skin from the pig's head instead.

Even though I eat pig's skin, pig's trotters, pork belly, the liver and even intestines, there are still areas that I do not dare to eat like the ears, nose, tail, heart and in this case, the head.

I declined politely and left the queue with only a plate of braised duck rice ($4) in my hands.

Xiang Jiang Soya Sauce Chicken @ Alexandra Village Food Centre

As its name implies, Xiang Jiang Soya Sauce Chicken at Alexandra Village Food Centre specializes in soya sauce chicken which you can have with either rice or noodle. For the latter, you have the option of mee kia, mee pok or hor fun.

I went to join in the queue but realized the service is rather slow as there is only one staff inside the stall chopping chicken and preparing the noodles. A lady outside the stall is taking orders and relaying instructions to the man inside.

Even though the queue is not long, it took about 15 minutes for me to reach the lady. I ordered a plate of soya sauce chicken noodle ($4) and added two pieces of sui kow (80¢ each) ala carte.

Love Confectionary @ Blk 122 Bukit Merah Lane 1

Located right underneath a HDB block at Bukit Merah facing Alexandra Village Food Centre is a traditional bakery with a lovely name called Love Confectionery.

It is so old school you will not find the trendiest of cakes here except some very nostalgic butter cream cakes coated with rainbow sprinklers, chocolate rice, peanut powder and almond flakes.

The bakery opens at 12 noon but on the day of my visit, I was an hour early. With a cup of avocado juice in hand, I waited an hour for them to pull up their shutters.

This bakery bakes some of the freshest butter cream cakes there is. The moment the shop opens, customers began streaming in, grabbing whatever they can lay their hands on. There is simply no opportunity for me to snap any photos of the cakes in the glass cabinet.

With only two trays of every item available, the cakes and pastries here are almost like limited edition. I am not sure if they have more at the back of the shop but from what I found out, they are usually sold out by 2pm.

Poh Cheu - Assorted Flavors Ang Ku Kueh @ Blk 127 Bukit Merah Lane 1

Poh Cheu is renowned for their ang ku kueh which come in twelve different flavors: black sesame, coffee, coconut, durian, green bean, green tea, mango, peanut, pineapple, red bean, salted bean and yam.

I am honestly quite intrigued by the bold flavors they have come up with for this traditional pastry. What's admirable is that everything from the filling to the skin, is entirely handmade. They have a group of ladies working in the kitchen, kneading and rolling out these babies for us.

I have long heard about Poh Cheu's ang ku kueh and I am glad I finally had the chance to give them a try.