Huang Da Fu Minced Meat Noodle @ Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre

Huang Da Fu is one of the more popular noodle stall at Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre. 

Run by a young couple, the stall serves minced meat noodle (bak chor mee) that come in three sizes ($2.70/$3.50/$4.50).

Their cheapest bowl, at $2.70, is the most affordable I have ever seen. I think bak chor mee at most places starts from $3. I decided to go for the medium bowl and the lady who took my order suggests adding on their delicious fish dumplings (4 pieces for $1).

After collecting payment, the guy immediately gets to work; blanching the noodles and putting the bowl together.

牛車水阿婆鹵鴨 @ Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre

I am not a duck person but I am a convert after discovering Cai Ji's braised duck from Seah Im Food Centre a couple of years ago. Now, whenever I come across a braised duck stall at any food centre, I would be most willing to give it a try.

During my first visit to Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre, I noticed there is a braised duck stall called 牛車水阿婆鹵鴨 located near the escalator. Although there is a perpetual queue in front of the stall, it gets cleared pretty fast. I made a mental note to give it a try during my next visit.

On my second visit, I came up from the escalator and was elated to see no one in the queue. The stall owner was sitting outside the stall, taking a break.

I immediately walk up to her and ordered a plate of braised duck rice ($3).

Hong Kee Porridge @ Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre

In my previous post, I was at Commonwealth Crescent Food Centre for the fried chicken burger from Hammee's. Because there are other orders before mine, I was told to pick up my burger in ten minutes time.

Instead of whiling away that ten minutes, I decided to order a bowl of pork porridge from Hong Kee Porridge as there is no queue.

The plan was to leisurely sip on, and savor my porridge while waiting for my burger. However, plans often do not work out the way you intended. The lack of a physical queue does not mean there is no queue at all. You place your order, let the uncle know where you are sitting and the auntie will bring the porridge to your table.

So now you know, the queue here is actually invisible. It took quite a while but when my pork porridge finally reached me, there is just mere minutes left to collect my burger. I gulped through my bowl of hot porridge with no leisure to speak of and needless to say, I did not get to enjoy or savor its flavor.

By the time I am done with the porridge, I am still late for my burger by five minutes. As such, I decided to make a return trip for the pork porridge again, to give it a fair review.

Hammee's Fried Chicken Burger @ Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre

This week, I decided to check out Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre because there is a new hipster burger joint that I wanted to try. I like hipster joints like this because they offer artisanal burgers at food centre prices. What's not to like?

I believe you should have seen them on social media by now. Yes, I am talking about Hammee's who opened their stall at the food centre above the market six months ago.

Previously selling seafood white bee hoon, the young couple made a complete switch-over to selling handcrafted burgers. There are currently three offerings on their menu: Premium Beef Cheeseburger ($8), Classic Beef Cheeseburger ($6) and Fried Chicken Burger ($5.50).

All the burgers come included with shoestring fries. I decided to go for the fried chicken burger which is available in either original or spicy. As the burgers are only made upon order, I was told to pick mine up in ten minutes.

Guan Kee Wanton Noodle @ Geylang East Market & Food Centre

By the time I am done with my fried Hokkien mee at Geylang East Market & Food Centre, the rain has eased a little but still showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Now, what do you do when you are stuck at the food centre? Well, you eat some more!

According to my compiled list of the must-eats here, the wanton noodle from Guan Kee Wanton Noodle is another popular choice with the foodies. Being an ardent fan of wanton noodle, I had to order a plate ($3) to try.

Ming Yun Famous Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle @ Geylang East Market & Food Centre

After a visit to Certis Cisco Centre at Paya Lebar, I decided to check out the nearby Geylang East Market & Food Centre for my late breakfast.

Due to it being my first time in this area, I had a bit of trouble locating it.

It doesn't help that I was caught in a heavy downpour that morning. Even though I had with me an umbrella, I was completely drenched.

With the wind threatening to wrench the umbrella out of my hands, I tightened my grip on it with one hand while the other held on to my phone for directions from google map.

I eventually found the food centre behind some shop houses which is almost impossible to spot from the main road. Feeling cold and uncomfortable with wet clothes sticking to my skin, I make a beeline for the shelter, grateful for the respite from the rain.

I have done my due diligence the night before and had a rough idea of what the food centre has to offer. I have my eyes set on the hokkien mee ($4/$5/$6) from Ming Yun Famous Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle. 

Xiao Yang Guo Kui - Flatbread With A Thousand Years History Arrived In Singapore!

Update: Xiao Yang Guo Kui has permanently closed.

Forgive the hand model, k? Don't let the fur get to you.

When I first heard of Xiao Yang Guo Kui (小杨锅盔), I was bewildered as its name does not make any sense nor give me an idea of what the product really is.

After some googling, however, I found out that this naan look-alike flatbread is called a guo kui (锅盔) while Xiao Yang Guo Kui (小杨锅盔) is the brand name which brought this chain to Singapore. 

Xiao Yang Guo Kui has got absolutely nothing to do with Yang Guo of The Condor Heroes fame from Louis Cha's novel. However, it does have an impressive history dating back to the Three Kingdoms.

Wow. Imagine having the same thing as Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang?

Word has it that a soldier used his helmet (kui) as a wok (guo) to cook some flour over a fire and voila, the guo kui is born. For the next thousand of years, this staple army provision has evolved into a popular traditional street snack for the masses in China.

Soon Heng Hot & Cold Desserts @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Soon Heng Hot & Cold Desserts have relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

As its name implies, Soon Heng Hot & Cold Desserts at Tanglin Halt Food Centre serves a selection of hot and cold Chinese desserts.

What I find amazing about this stall is that most of their desserts costs only a dollar per bowl! Yes! ONE DOLLAR!

That is the charm with food centres found at the older estates. Food prices are usually kept low so that the lower income and elderly could afford it.

I am totally spoilt for choice here but I decided to order the lian zi suan, ice kachang and tau suan.

Queenstown Lontong Mee Soto @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Queenstown Lontong has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

After trying the mee rebus from Queenstown Lontong at Tanglin Halt Food Centre, I could not stop thinking about their mee soto. After all, it is my ultimate favorite Malay noodle dish.

I decided not to have anymore naggy feelings about it so I returned to the food centre and ordered myself a bowl of mee soto ($3) with the same nice kakak inside the stall. A cheerful stall owner versus a grumpy one really makes a difference to my mood.

As the kakak busied herself with my order, I saw a fresh batch of chicken wings frying in the wok and was so tempted to get one but I opt for the begedil ($1) instead.

Queenstown Lontong Mee Rebus @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Queenstown Lontong has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

While doing my research about Tanglin Halt Food Centre, I learned about the wonderful mee rebus from Queenstown Lontong. To be honest, it was a photo of the noodle dish that caught my attention.

To verify if the mee rebus was really as good as what the reviews claimed to be, I decided that a visit to the stall is in order!

On the day of my visit, the two ladies from the stall were amiable and full of smiles. It made my trip  a welcoming one.

Just like any Malay stalls, they serve typical breakfast such as nasi lemak, lontong, mee rebus, mee siam, mee soto and soto ayam. Every dish costs a standard $3.

I was initially undecided between having mee rebus or mee soto but I eventually caved in to the former.

Hakka Thunder Tea Rice @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Hakka Thunder Tea Rice has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

The thunder tea rice stall at Tanglin Halt Food Centre is one of the more popular options that draw a perpetual queue during lunch hour.

When I was there, customers were already crowding in front of the stall waiting for them to open for business at 11am.

As the opening hour neared, the crowd automatically formed a line in a orderly manner. While standing in the queue, I observed that the stall owner is working inside the stall without switching on the lights.

Makes one wonder how does he see in the dark?

Ruyi Yuan Vegetarian Bee Hoon @ Blk 46-1 Tanglin Halt

Update: Ruyi Yuan Vegetarian has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

Ruyi Yuan Vegetarian is well-known for her snaking queue which can extend all the way out of the coffeeshop. I decided to visit the stall at 6.30am on a Saturday morning to avoid the crowd because with lesser people around, I feel less stressful about taking photos.

When I arrived, there is no line at all. I marched right up to the stall and ordered two sets; one to have there and one for takeaway.

Over here, you have the option to add "lor" (gravy) to your bee hoon. I love having lor in my bee hoon but not many places offer this. I am grateful this is one of the very few places that did. For the takeaway pack, the lady even gave me a big packet of lor packed separately.

Tanglin Halt Roti Prata @ Blk 49 Tanglin Halt

What caught my attention at this prata stall was the coffeeshop's name "Peking Room" which sounded a lot more like a nightspot than a coffeeshop to me. The prata stall itself is called Tanglin Halt Roti Prata though part of its name was obscured by a piece of newspaper cutting.

When I arrived on a Saturday morning, the chilly breeze and crisp air makes it most comfortable to be seated on the outdoor alfresco area under the canopy. With no queue in sight, I approached the stall and ordered two plain pratas for myself.

There was already a stack of made-in-advanced pratas behind the glass window and the staff picked two pieces onto my plate. I requested for a saucer of fish curry to go with my breakfast.

Tian Xiang Wanton Noodle @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Tian Xiang Wanton Noodle has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

Apart from the drinks stalls at Tanglin Halt Food Centre, Tian Xiang Wanton Noodle is one of the earliest stalls to open for business every morning.

I have read numerous good reviews about their wanton noodle so I decided to give them a try. I arrived just slightly after 7am - their stipulated opening hour and there is just one customer before me.

The stall offers both wanton and sui kow noodle at the same price of $3 and $3.50.

Tong Kee Chicken Rice @ Tanglin Halt Food Centre

Update: Tong Kee Chicken Rice has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

While researching about the food available in the Tanglin Halt area near Commonwealth MRT Station, the names - Tanglin Halt Market and Tanglin Halt Food Centre constantly turn up and I was left confused, wondering if they were referring to the same place?

Only after paying a visit to the neighborhood did I realize that Tanglin Halt Market and Tanglin Halt Food Centre are two different hawker centres barely a minute's walk from each other.

The confusion arise because some reviewers from burpple have wrongly geo-tagged the food stalls from the market under the food centre.

To add on to the initial confusion, the address for the food centre varies from 1A to 3A Commonwealth Drive.

As it turns out, the food centre is comprised of three octagonal buildings hence each building will have its own block number and so does the food stalls under each block.

Compared to Tanglin Halt Market, Tanglin Halt Food Centre is considerably quieter as the stalls here open for business much later. The air-circulation is good here due to the high ceiling and proximity between the tables are quite spacious.

The first stall I am going to visit here is Tong Kee Chiken Rice which is previously from Margaret Drive. This stall specializes in roasted chicken so you will not be able to find the poached variety here.

Tanglin Halt Delicious Duck Noodle @ Tanglin Halt Market

While queuing for Wei Yi Laksa, I noticed that Tanglin Halt Delicious Duck Noodle two units down is another one of the stalls here that open for business during the wee hours at Tanglin Halt Market.

By "wee hours", I really meant 5.30am! One can only wonder how early our hawkers have to be at their stall to prepare everything just so we could have breakfast the moment we opened our eyes. Their dedication to their craft is what makes them truly deserving of our respect!

Just like the queue at Wei Yi Laksa, a comparable line has also formed in front of the duck noodle stall. Unfortunately, there is only so much food I could fill my stomach with so I have to make a return trip for the duck noodle on another day.

Due to the Lunar New Year, I could only make my way down after the festivities have ended. This time, I arrived much later than the previous visit but there is still a snaking queue in front of the stall at 10am. Fortunately, the queue cleared quite fast.

I ordered a large bowl of dry duck noodle ($3/$4/$5). Unlike other Teochew braised duck noodle stalls that offer only bee hoon, yellow noodle and kway teow, this stall also have mee kia and mee pok.

Wei Yi Laksa @ Tanglin Halt Market

This week, I am checking out Tanglin Halt Market where a row of hawker stalls share the same building as the wet market.

Some of the hawker stalls here open for business as early as 5am and Wei Yi Laksa & Prawn Noodle is one of them. I thought that there would not be much of a crowd when I arrived at 6 in the morning however, there are already a number of retirees starting their day over a cup of coffee and laksa.

At that ungodly hour, a line has already formed in front of the stall and I am number six in the queue.

As its name suggests, the stall sells both laksa and prawn noodle although they are more popular for the former. For the laksa, you can select from six different combinations of chicken, prawns, cockles and tau pok.

Too bad there isn't any option without tau pok since I am not too fond of it.

I decided to go for option number 5 ($5) that consisted of everything they have but, there was a mixed up and I received option number 6 which came without prawns.

Economic Food - Wah Kueh @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

I was having porridge in front of a random stall at Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre when out of the corner of my eyes, I caught sight of the word "wah kueh" among the list of food items they sell.

I doubt the younger generation would know what "wah kueh" really is because it is a fast disappearing snack rarely found nowadays.

This rice pudding of Hokkien origins is made by steaming the rice mixture in bowls. The word "bowl" in Hokkien is pronounced as "wah" hence the name, wah kueh, which roughly translates as bowl cake.

During my younger days, I have been hearing Mum reminiscing about this elderly gentleman who peddles his wah kueh from a basket at Hoy Fatt Road where my family used to stay during the 1970s.

I was only born after we moved away to another estate. Needless to say, I never quite got the chance to eat this.

Ivan's Fried Intestines Porridge @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

Remember the time I had fish porridge at Ivan's Porridge at Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre? I could not stop thinking about the fried intestines porridge that I saw on the menu so I have decided to make a return visit for just that.

I have eaten boiled and braised intestines before but having it fried is still my very first time. The humble offal often plays second fiddle to the other ingredients like minced pork and pork slices however, at this stall, the intestine is the star taking centrestage as the sole ingredient!

Honestly, intestine porridge is quite uncommon to me as its not available at any of my regular porridge stalls. The most I get is two or three pieces of it in mixed pork porridge and that is about it.

I placed an order for a bowl of fried intestine porridge ($3.50) and added an egg (50¢) with the "havoc" auntie.

Meng Kee Fried Kway Teow @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

Update: Meng Kee Fried Kway Teow has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

Right next to the entrance of the open air car park to Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre is a nondescript HDB coffee shop.

Every time I walked past it to get to the food centre, I see only a handful of customers around. Due to the lack of crowd here, I did not think much of the coffee shop and what it may have to offer.

Well, until one day when I saw someone having a mean-looking plate of char kway teow there. 

That prompted me to take a look inside the premises where Meng Kee Fried Kway Teow is located.

Soon Heng Hong Kong Style Charcoal Roast @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

Soon Heng Hong Kong Style Charcoal Roast at Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre serves the usual roasts like char siew, roasted pork (siew yok/sio bak), roasted duck and roasted chicken.

As I was craving for roasted pork, I ordered the char siew and roasted pork combo with rice ($4). While the auntie was preparing my order, my gaze fell upon the rolls of pig's skin in the window. How could I resist the temptation not to get some?

The overall cost came up to $5 so that makes the pig's skin only a dollar.

Zheng Nasi Lemak @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

That piece of luncheon meat is a dead giveaway but if you can't already tell, Zheng Nasi Lemak at Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre is wholly Chinese owned therefore tak Halal.

I have walked past this stall numerous times during my last few visits and I finally decided to try them out this round. They have six different sets for easy ordering. I chose set number one ($4) which comes with a drumstick, luncheon meat and fried egg on top of rice, sambal chili and cucumber.

The rice is nicely perfumed with the coconut milk aroma but the texture is a tad dry and not fluffy enough. I do like it though for its saltish undertones.

Eng Huat Fishball Mee @ Havelock Road Cook Food Centre

This visit to Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre is to try the fishball noodles at Eng Huat Fishball Mee.

When I arrived at the food centre, there are only four persons in front of the stall. I joined the queue totally unprepared for the long wait.

I turned to look inside the stall and I saw the uncle taking order, cooking, collecting payment, slicing fish cakes, washing, chopping spring onions all at the same time with no helper. 

It is a one-man show. That explains the slow moving queue!

.

IAAI Malay Food - Mee Siam @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

I have a funny encounter with the nenek of IAAI Malay Food at Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre.

It all started when I ordered a bowl of mee siam with her at the stall. I spoke to her in English but she replied to me in Malay which I did not understand.

I simply smile and nodded at her words. After I received my bowl, I chose a table in front of the stall and started snapping away with my camera.

Then, I heard nenek giggling. I turned to look at her and she gave me two thumbs-up with a big grin on her face. I gave her two thumbs-up in return.

She came to my table with a packet of assam in her hands and began telling me what I believed to be how she used it in the mee siam I was having. I wished I understood what she said so I could put in the extra info here.

After finishing my food, I walked up to nenek to tell her that her mee siam is "sedap" and ordered another round of mee siam and mee rebus to take away for the folks at home. Then, I finally understood why she keep talking to me in Malay - she thought that I am a Indonesian tourist because I was taking photos.

But why Indonesian of all places? Well, technically she isn't wrong as I do have some Indonesian blood in me though I cannot speak a word of it to save my life.

I bade farewell to nenek and she was still grinning from ear to ear.

Guang Fa Laksa @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

The uncle behind Guang Fa Laksa at Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre is real friendly but oddly quiet who uses the thumbs-up sign to acknowledge you.

You have to specify if you want cockles because if you don't, you will not be given any and there will be a difference in pricing. The price for laksa without cockles is $2.50 and $3 while with cockles is $3 and $4 respectively.

What is laksa without cockles? Without a doubt, I had to order a bowl with the shellfish.

Ivan's Porridge @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

During my second visit to Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre, Ivan's Porridge was on the agenda.

I am there to try the boneless fish belly porridge which is highly recommended online but after scrutinizing the menu, I realize that it was no longer available. Perhaps it is an off-the-menu item but I did not ask so I decided to settle for the sliced fish porridge instead.

I placed my order with the auntie who had a punk hairstyle. To my surprise, she is actually quite polite and soft-spoken despite her "havoc" appearance. I was told to take a seat while my order will be delivered to me shortly.

Covent Garden Prawn Noodle @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

When I was researching about Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre, the prawn noodles of Covent Garden Prawn Noodle caught my attention.

Their noodles in the photos seemed so old school and alluring. I guess it's rightly so as the proprietor is a pair of elderly couple.

I have the tendency to patronize elderly hawkers because I choose to believe that they still make food out of passion like the good old days with a well-guarded recipe without cutting corners.

I hope to have a chance to taste such traditional flavors while I still can before their craft disappears with their demise. Also, consider it my way of supporting them to make a living.

The stall is closed for three days a week so I suppose they are not running the business out of necessity but rather, to keep themselves occupied. Of course, this is only speculation on my part.

I made it a point to arrive at the food centre before noon and there were only three customers in front of me. However, the waiting time still took a while despite everyone ordering single bowls.

The wait is due to the senior proprietor preparing orders in their own unhurried way so, do have a little patience to wait in line.

Wen Guang Handmade Fish Ball Noodle @ Blk 505 Jurong West Food Centre

I have blogged about some of the hawker stalls at Blk 505 Jurong West Market & Food Centre a couple of times before like Soh Kee, Long Kee and Kok Kee (yes, that Kok Kee of Lavender fame).

I come to this food centre for breakfast every couple of months and I always stick to the same food choices out of habit.

During this visit, I decide to try a stall which always have a queue whenever I walked past it.

The stall in question does not have a English name on the signboard except for the Chinese characters 文光 (Wen Guang) on it.

This is actually a fish ball noodle stall and their selling point is their handmade fish balls which they got from a certain fishery called da di meng (大弟明).

Eng's Wantan Noodle @ Westgate

Fans of Eng's wantan noodle rejoice!

The famous green bowl wantan noodle has opened an outlet here in the West at Westgate! Apart from their main outlet at 287 Tanjong Katong Road, this is their third shopping mall outlet right after Eastpoint Mall and Ang Mo Kio Hub.

This is certainly good news to me as I already had plans to check them out but have been contemplating due to the inconvenient location. Instead of me going to them, they have now come to me! Saved me the trouble of traveling all the way to the East!

I visited their Eastpoint Mall outlet the week before but it was full with a long waiting queue outside the premises. As I did not have the patience to wait, I left.

On the other hand, this outlet at Westgate have hardly any customers when I visited on a Saturday morning. This latest outlet is only a week old and probably have not drummed up enough publicity with the residents here yet.

Adam Road Noo Cheng Big Prawn Noodle @ Adam Road Food Centre

Noo Cheng Big Prawn Noodle is arguably one of the more popular Chinese stalls at Adam Road Food Centre. This is evident by the long queue in front of the stall everyday.

When I was there at around 11am on a weekday, the stall had already run out of the big prawns for their signature big prawn noodle ($8/$10/$12/$16). Left with the 'normal' prawns, I decided to go for the pork ribs prawn noodle ($5) but they got my order wrong and gave me pork ribs noodle ($5) instead.

The ribs are fine. It is just that I am there specifically to try the prawns hence I am a little disappointed.

Selamat Datang Warong Pak Sapari Mee Soto @ Adam Road Food Centre

With reviews touting it as "unbeatable" and "unparalleled" in Singapore, Selamat Datang Warong Pak Sapari Mee Soto & Mee Rebus at Adam Road Food Centre is reputed for serving one of the best mee soto.

Being an ardent fan of this Malay noodle dish, I have to come try it for myself to see whether they really live up to those claims.

I was there an hour earlier before the lunch crowd arrive so there were only a couple of people in the queue which cleared pretty fast. When it came to my turn, I ordered a bowl of mee soto ($3.50) and added a bergedil ($1).

After receiving my order, I scooped two tablespoons of sambal kicap into my bowl for the extra kick.

Yu Kee House Of Braised Duck 友記鹵鴨之家 @ Adam Road Food Centre

I will be upfront with you. 

Yu Kee House Of Braised Duck was not on my list of to-eats at Adam Road Food Centre. It is more of an accidental find because I am really there to try Noo Cheng Big Prawn Noodle.

For some reason, the lights at Noo Cheng were not lit. I then turned to another stall, Cheng Ji for its pork leg bee hoon but, the stall is not ready as well.

Am I too early at 10-ish in the morning? It is way pass their stipulated opening hours though.

While looking around for alternatives, my gaze fell upon the row of glistening braised ducks hanging inside Yu Kee. From the menu, the stall serves the usual roasts such as char siew, roasted pork, roasted chicken, roasted duck and braised duck with either rice or noodle. 

I find it quite unusual for a stall to offer both roasted and braised ducks. It is either one or the other. I have yet to come across a stall that offers both - until now.

If the stall's name is of any indication, the braised duck here is their specialty hence I ordered their braised duck noodle.

Ibrahim Mee Stall - Maggi Goreng Special @ Adam Road Food Centre

I can't fathom why people would willingly pay a few dollars for maggi goreng at the mamak stall but when I saw this upgraded version that comes with cheese fries and mutton steak, I decided it is time for me to find out why.

This maggi goreng special ($7) from Ibrahim Mee Stall is a real head-turner. From the moment I collected my order to putting it on the table, people passing by would turn their gaze and stare right at it. 

Well, who wouldn't? I have not seen anything quite like it myself. There is so much 'drama' on my styrofoam plate screaming for attention!

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak @ Adam Road Food Centre

Over at Adam Road Food Centre, there are a number of stalls selling nasi lemak however, only two neighboring stalls stood out among the rest.

Since it is my first time there, I do not know which is the better one but I decided to go for Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak simply for the fact that they do not serve fried peanuts which I am not very fond of.

The seven options on their menu have interesting names, ranging from "Flash Meal" that consists the very basics like ikan bilis and egg with coconut rice, cucumber slices and sambal chili ($2.90) to the "Royal Rumble" ($5.90) which contained everything they have like fried chicken wing and ikan kuning.

Shi Mei Hainanese Chicken Rice - Sesame Chicken Rice @ Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31

It is not my first time having chicken rice at Shi Mei Hainanese Chicken Rice stall however, it is my first time writing about them.

Just a five minutes walk away from Bukit Gombak MRT station, the coffee shop is pretty close to where I stay so I would drop by for breakfast once every couple of months.

This time, I ordered the sesame chicken rice set at $4, which comes with a bowl of rice, a plate of chicken meat and a bowl of soup. I did not request for a specific chicken part.

Hougang Jing Jia Mutton Soup @ Haig Road Food Centre

It has been ages since I last had mutton soup and I have been craving for a bowl for the longest time.

Since I stumble across Hougang Jing Jia Mutton Soup at Haig Road Food Centre, I decided to have just that.

I was there just after the peak lunch hour ended so there is no queue at all. I am able to walk up to the stall to place my order immediately.

On the menu, they have tendon soup, mixed soup, mutton soup and brain/meatball soup. I opt for the mixed bowl ($6) which had a bit of everything (meat, belly, tendon and ribs except the meat balls and brain).

I am not too adventurous when it comes to food.

Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring @ Haig Road Food Centre

Mention Haig Road Food Centre and the famous putu piring comes to mind.

To be honest, I have long heard about it but never tasted one before.

I always wonder what is the difference between the putu piring and the tutu kueh since they look so similar in appearance?

After trying Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring for the first time, I finally know that the Malay putu piring is filled with gula melaka instead of coconut and peanut like its Chinese cousin.

Rosy & Nora - Ball Kentang And Roti John @ Haig Road Market & Food Centre

I normally will not visit a food centre at 2pm but since Rosy & Nora opens only at that hour, I had to accommodate to their timing.

I am there to try something new called the "ball kentang" ($3.50).

When I arrived at the stall, there were two ladies - presumably Rosy and Nora themselves - inside busy churning out roti john and deep frying popiah to cater to the demands of the afternoon crowd.

Lin Yu Mei Sarawak Kolo Mee @ Haig Road Food Centre

I am a bit slow with updates for the month of September because Haig Road Food Centre is too inaccessible for me. It is even further than Golden Mile and I could feel my energy draining simply by thinking about the journey.

Anyway, after two weeks of procrastination, I have finally dragged myself back to the food centre to check out Lin Yu Mei Sarawak Kolo Mee.

My last bowl of kolo mee was way back in 1992, when I was in Kuching. Suffice to say, I could hardly remember how it tasted so it is about time for me to have another bowl now.

Afandi Hawa & Family - Mee Rebus @ Haig Road Market & Food Centre

I am not too big a fan of mee rebus but when I heard that this particular stall at Haig Road Market & Food Centre cooked theirs with shrimps, flower crab and mutton, I am all game to give it a try!

I do not eat mee rebus often, hence I am uncertain if this is the usual way of how the dish is normally prepared but I can imagine the umami-ness coming from all that ingredients!

While I understand the shrimps, flower crab and mutton may be used to flavor the gravy and that they might not really give it to you without additional top-up, I still gave my noodles a thorough toss with hopes of finding a stray piece of mutton.

Kiat Huat Wanton Noodle @ Haig Road Market & Food Centre

Other than Zhenguang Wantan Noodles, Kiat Huat Wanton Noodle is another stall offering the same noodle dish under the same roof at Haig Road Market & Food Centre.

However, I noticed that Kiat Huat is the one with a perpetual queue whenever I visit the food centre.

I decided to try them out to see if they are better than Zhenguang Wantan Noodles since they draw a bigger crowd in front of their stall.

Heap Seng Leong @ North Bridge Road

When I was covering the food stalls at Golden Mile Food Centre recently, I have walked past Heap Seng Leong numerous times while making my way to the food centre.

Despite its dingy-looking facade, the coffee shop is popular for its kopi guyu (butter coffee) which is not very common nowadays due to people getting increasingly health conscious. 

I told myself I will make this my pit stop after I'm done with Golden Mile but the opportunity was not there as I would often be too full for anything else after each visit to the food centre.

I have currently moved on to covering Haig Road Food Centre (still in progress) and I thought I will not be visiting Golden Mile anytime soon. 

Honestly, I am quite tired of the walking journey from Lavender MRT Station towards Golden Mile as this is by far, my most repeated trip to any food centre no thanks to Mr Baguette! 

However, as fate would have it, my pre-ordered comic book has arrived thus I had to go pick it up from the comic shop at the nearby Kitchener Complex. Since I will be in the area anyway, I thought I might as well make the trip to the coffee shop.

Hollywood Zhenguang Wantan Noodle @ Haig Road Market & Food Centre

The old Hollywood Theater would be no stranger to those living in the east. Built in 1958, it has seen some of the biggest movie stars from Hong Kong like Siew Fung Fung, Fong Bo Bo, Chan Bo-chu, Nancy Sit, etc performing live on stage.

Just behind the theater is a canteen called Hin Hollywood Canteen where Zhenguang Wantan (sic) Noodles has been doing business for fifty years.

The area was demolished in 2011 to make way for redevelopment and standing in its place now is the new One KM Mall. 

What happened to Zhenguang Wantan Noodles stall then? It shifted across the road into Haig Road Market & Food Centre.

HJ Waliti HJ Mazuki Mee Soto @ Haig Road Market & Food Centre

Mee Soto has got to be one of my most favorite Malay food. I will always order it as my first choice without hesitation whenever I come to a Malay stall.

When I decided to check out Haig Road Market & Food Centre, I knew there is a good chance of having my favorite Malay noodle soup since there are plenty of Malay stalls in the food centre. 

The question is which stall?

After some googling, I found out that HJ Waliti HJ Mazuki is the one to go to.

Sentosa Sandsation 2018 - MARVEL Edition

For the second consecutive year, Sentosa is hosting Southeast Asia's biggest sand festival "Sentosa Sandsation 2018 - MARVEL Edition"!

JOOheng Tan, Singapore's very own talented sand sculptor who's works have been showcased in over 60 cities across more than 20 countries round the world, has returned to present 15 larger-than-life sand sculptures including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk and many others!

Do & Me - Chicken Cutlet @ Blk 654 Yishun Ave 4

A couple of weeks ago, I learned about this western food stall serving enormous sized chicken cutlet at the coffee shop which is just across the road from Yishun SAFRA.

When I stepped into the coffee shop, the Do & Me chicken logo on the wall seem so vaguely familiar to me. I believe they used to be a franchise with many outlets across Singapore, you know, something like Tenderfresh (可爱鸡)?

I could be wrong though but when I tried googling, I can find nothing about them on the internet.

I was lost in thoughts in front of the logo when I heard the staff behind the counter asking for my order.

"One chicken cutlet" I replied curtly.

After making payment, I was told to collect it in five minutes time.

Mr. Baguette by Wee Bake Bakery @ Golden Mile Food Centre

 

A few months back, these mini balls that are literally bursting with molten lava caught my attention on Instagram. I told myself then that I have to give them a try somehow and I finally did when I decided to cover Golden Mile Food Centre.

Located at the basement of the food centre, Mr. Baguette's molten lava balls came in an impressive 15 savory and sweet flavors!

They are:

• Original
• Bolognese Chicken
• Carbonara
• Black Pepper Chicken
• Chicken Pie
• Chocolate Lava
• Cheese Lava
• Hazelnut Lava
• Apple Lava
• Tiramisu Lava
• Cookie n' Cream Lava
• Red Velvet Lava
• Azuki Lava
• Blueberry Lava
• Eskimo Lava

Fei Zhu Traditional Teochew Handmade Fishball & Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle @ Golden Mile Food Centre

This stall at level one of Golden Mile Food Centre has a very long name. It is called Fei Zhu Traditional Teochew Handmade Fishball & Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle.

Quite a mouthful, isn't it?

It is by far my most favorite bak chor mee (minced meat noodle) at the moment.

Their bak chor mee come in three sizes ($4/$5/$6). For the two larger sizes, the ingredients will be served separately in the soup.

This is actually my second time at this stall. The first time when I had the regular bowl, everything was dumped together with the mee pok while the bowl of soup was a small one.

However, the two larger sizes come with a larger bowl of soup and trust me, the soup is as good as it gets. With the addition of shallot oil and fried garlic, it just make the soup very wholesome and fragrant.

Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice 海南起骨雞飯 @ Golden Mile Food Centre

This Hainanese chicken rice stall at the basement of Golden Mile Food Centre has a very straight forward name called Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice. It is located right next to the fried Hokkien noodle stall from my previous post.

Despite the lack of newspaper cuttings and accolades, this unassuming chicken rice stall attracts a perpetual queue everyday which is made up of both locals and tourists.

During my visit on a Saturday afternoon, I queued for about twenty minutes before I reached the front of the line.

The stall offers both roasted chicken as well as poached chicken.

Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee 海南福建炒蝦麵 @ Golden Mile Food Centre

This fried Hokkien noodle stall called Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee located at the basement of Golden Mile Food Centre is immensely popular. You may not see a physical queue but there are always a few people standing in front of the stall at any one time waiting for their orders.

After placing your order, you just have to wait patiently at one side for the staff to call out to you. I stood there for a good twenty minutes before I receive my plate.