Ma Li Ya Virgin Chicken @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Ma Li Ya Virgin Chicken at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre needs no further introduction but, unless you have eaten it before, you would never have guessed that what I had here is a plate of chicken rice because frankly, it does not even remotely resemble one.

It is not my first time having their chicken rice but it is my first time having it there hence I was rather taken aback by the presentation. In the past, my family always chose to pack a bird home for dinner.

Despite having patronized them for years, I did not realize that they actually sell two kinds of chickens with different pricing. There is the Hong Kong-styled soya sauce chicken (half $7/whole $14) and signature soya sauce chicken (half $10/whole $20).

Well, I guess I would not have taken such a close look at their signboard if not for doing this review. In fact, I wonder why it took me so long to write about them?

Chef Sham H.K. Vinegar Trotters @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

I have wanted to try the pig's trotters from Chef Sham H.K. Vinegar Trotters for the longest time, but somehow, I would always ended up having something else while at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre.

On this visit, I made up my mind and marched my way to the stall to order myself a bowl of black vinegar pig's trotters and a bowl of rice.

It was a younger Chinese man who took my order but it was Chef Sham himself who served me. The stall made enough pig's trotters to fill a large vat which could last them probably several days. When an order is received, the trotters would be fished from the vat and transferred to be reheated over a stove in a claypot. 

Ah Hua Assam - Signature Assam Chicken Set @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Update: Ah Hua Assam has permanently closed.

Ah Hua Assam is a relatively new entrant at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre having set up stall only in August this year. Their main focus are dishes made with their home made assam (tamarind) sauce.

In fact, they were marketing their home made assam sauce in glass bottles online before setting up stall here.

When photos of their enticing dishes served on enamel plates began making their rounds on Instagram, it caught my attention. Wow, that screams nothing but old school therefore, I decided to go check them out at the food centre.

On the menu are their signature assam chicken set, braised chicken set and assam batang fish set. The sets are served with rice, omelette, and your choice of curry vegetable or chap chye.

They also have whole assam fish heads and other add-ons, like home made ngor hiang, assam bee hoon, babi pongteh and otak.

Ah Hor Teochew Kway Teow Mee @ 165 Kitchener Road

Just across the road from City Square Mall is a coffee shop housing a very popular Teochew noodle stall. 

I have kiv-ed this stall at the same time as the braised duck rice stall because they are categorized under the same area. This noodle stall called Ah Hor Teochew Kway Teow Mee has since moved from the address (12 Verdun Road) recorded in my list.

According to Dr Leslie Tay, the old stall used to be under an elderly man in his 70s who had a penchant for long sleeved shirts with flowery prints.

However, when I was at their new location, the havoc uncle is no where to be seen. Instead, the cooking was done by a middle aged lady with a young man taking orders.

South Buona Vista Road Famous Teochew Boneless Duck Rice - Closing At The End Of November! @ 16 Sam Leong Road

Update: South Buona Vista Road Famous Teochew Boneless Duck Rice has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

There is a braised duck rice stall with a rather lengthy name located near Mustafa Centre.

Its owner, Mr Ang Chiap Teck - brother-in-law to the founder of the famous Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice at Buona Vista - set up the business here at Verdun Road in 2013 after Lim Seng Lee closed down during that same year.

As a mark of respect to his brother-in-law who had given him his blessings to revive the 45 years old business, Mr Ang did not continue with the Lim Seng Lee brand. Instead, he named his business South Buona Vista Road Famous Teochew Boneless Duck Rice.

I have kiv-ed this stall for quite a few years now but have never gotten round to paying them a visit.

While getting out of bed one Saturday morning, I suddenly made up my mind not to put it off any longer and took the train to Farrer Park MRT station. Cutting through City Square Mall, I exited the mall and crossed the road to the opposite side where the stall is located inside a coffee shop named Kim San Leng.

There were no customers that Saturday morning so I was able to order a plate of braised duck rice for $4 immediately.

Sky Terrace @ Kampung Admiralty

In my previous post, I shared about Kampung Admiralty, which is Singapore's very first retirement village. I also roughly talked about the amenities available in this development. In this post, I will share about the Sky Terrace from the eighth to eleventh floor.

The eighth floor is the highest level that the lift will stop at so you have to walk the remaining three floors up. Now, there is really no need to rush back into the lift after learning that you have to walk. Remember this place is built for the elderly in mind?

The only way up is via a gentle slope that is easy on the knees. The slope is also wheelchair friendly so you will find it literally a walk in the park.

You will realize the tranquility at the Sky Terrace is a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle on the lower levels.

The studio apartments where the elderly resides in, overlooks the Sky Terrace.

Singapore's Very First Vertical Kampung @ Kampung Admiralty

source

Friends of mine would probably know that I am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli's animated feature film Laputa: Castle In The Sky which tells the story of an ancient civilization on a mysterious island that floats in the sky.

We all know that is not quite possible in reality, however, what if I were to tell you that we do have our very own version of Laputa right here in Singapore?

Well, sort of and it is located at Admiralty, to be precise.

Kampung Admiralty is Singapore's very first vertical kampung, a retirement village for the elderly built with every amenity and service they needed all under one roof.

The basement is where the car park, supermarket and a bank are located while retail outlets and a community plaza are on the first floor. A hawker centre occupies the second floor followed by a medical centre on the third and fourth. The sixth and seventh floor comprises of a eldercare centre, a childcare centre, a function hall and a roof garden while the eighth to eleventh floor is the sky terrace.

*There is no mention of the fifth floor and the lift bypasses this level.