No-Name Wanton Mee With Hor Bao Daan @ Blk 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1

A certain no-name wanton noodle stall has recently been making its rounds on several Facebook groups. What caught my attention was the hor bao daan (fried egg) on the plate alongside the wanton noodle.

I thought the combination was quite interesting. After some background checks, I found out the noodle stall is located inside a coffee shop called Hong Kong Street Chun Kee at Jalan Bukit Merah.

Upon checking google map, I realized that I have passed by the coffee shop several times before though it has never occurred to me to try the food there as the place was pretty quiet.

For the full story behind this wanton noodle stall, do check out Johor Kaki's blog.

The Legend Roasted Meat Rice And Noodle @ Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

To be frank, it was the posters of Bruce Lee that pulled me towards this roast stall called The Legend Roasted Meat Rice And Noodle which is located at the back row on the first level of Hong Lim Market & Food Centre.

When I got nearer, I discovered even more memorabilia like figurines and photographs. When the lady inside the stall saw me taking photos, she asked: "are you also a fan?"

I would be lying if I said I was but I nodded anyway.

"I had been collecting them for over forty years." she said, beaming with pride.

Indeed, one can tell that the stall owner is obsessed with the kungfu star by the amount of memorabilia found all over the stall. You can even see a shadow figure of Bruce on the signboard doing a high kick. 

Oh, and do not mistaken the nunchucku (second last photo) hanging on the rack as siew cheong! 

Tai Wah Pork Noodle @ Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

Mention Hong Lim Market & Food Centre and chances are, Tai Wah Pork Noodle would come to mind.

It is one of the more popular stalls here evident by the line of customers it serve everyday. I have long wanted to give it a try but was intimidated by the waiting time.

Imagine my surprise when I visited the food centre on a particular morning to see only five people in the queue. I did not go there specifically for the pork noodle but since such an opportunity does not come easy, I wasted no time in joining them although it still took about thirty minutes for me to receive my bowl.

Ma Bo Lor Mee @ Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

There used to be a Ma Bo Lor Mee stall located near my place. I liked their lor mee so much that I would patronized them about two or three times a week. I was devastated when the stall closed. Although there have many outlets across Singapore, I have not had any ever since.

After a hiatus of so many years, I came across an outlet at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre. I decided to relive the taste of the lor mee that I used to adore. 

You can have their lor mee in three ways: signature ($2.50/$3.50), with fried battered fish ($3/$4) or fried chicken cutlet ($3/$4). Laksa is also available in the same permutations and pricing. I could not recall if laksa is a new addition to the menu or did they have it all along?

Previously, I would only order their chicken cutlet lor mee therefore this time, I decided to have the fried fish lor mee instead.

Ah Meng Ondeh Ondeh @ Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

A couple of months back, my family was blessed with three packs of this orange colored ondeh ondeh by a neighbor who had purchased them from Ah Meng Ondeh Ondeh at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre. 

Unlike the usual green colored pandan-infused glutinous rice balls, these handmade ondeh ondeh from Ah Meng are made with sweet potato instead.

They come ready packed in four ($1.60), six ($2.40) and eight pieces ($3.20). The stall also sell handmade tapioca kueh which are equally popular and gets sold out by noon.

Lee Kheong Roasted Delicacy @ Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

Update: Lee Kheong Roasted Delicacy has permanently closed.

Due to online recommendations, I have come to Lee Kheong Roasted Delicacy at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre for its spare ribs but as the stall had just opened for the day, only the char siew, roasted pork and roasted duck are available.

What a shame it was not ready yet because the photo of the spare ribs that I saw was so succulent looking I wished I could sink my teeth into them right there and then.

Hong Xing Handmade Fish Ball Noodle @ Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

I was doing my rounds checking out the stalls at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre when I noticed the queue in front of Hong Xing Handmade Fish Ball Noodle.

Many have come for their handmade fish balls ($4/$6/$8) and meat balls ($5/$6/$10) but you could also have them with your choice of noodle ($3.50/$4.50/$5.50).

Since it is my first meal of the day, I did not think the smallest bowl would satiate my appetite therefore, I opt for the medium bowl of mee pok dry. The queue moved rather quickly so it did not take long to place my order with the friendly uncle.

Meng Kee Claypot Braised Pig Trotters @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

Meng Kee at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre serves quite a variety of claypot dishes all at a standard price of $5.

On its menu are braised pig trotters, braised meat (pork), sesame chicken, bak kut teh, pig's liver and ginger & spring onion batang sliced fish. They also do curries like curry chicken, curry spare ribs, curry mutton, curry sotong, curry fish and curry vegetables.

It is quite easy to overlook this stall as the stall front honestly does not seemed interesting enough to warrant another look and not to mention it being hidden in a inconspicuous corner of the food centre. 

Despite being just a few units away from Ng Kee, I did not once throw it a glance that is, until I learn about their pig trotters which they are highly touted for from the hardwarezone community. 

Ying Ji Wanton Noodle @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

 

While queuing for my curry mutton noodle from Ying Ji Wanton Noodle at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre, I noticed the customer before me ordering their wanton noodle.

I was stunned by the sheer amount of char siew in his bowl therefore I made a mental note to come back for it. 

On the day of my visit, I went up to the stall and straightaway ordered a $4 bowl of wanton noodle with the auntie. For some reason, I thought the wanton noodle come in $3 and $4. I only looked up at the signboard after ordering and realized that the dish come in $3 and $3.50 instead.

I knew I was going to have trouble finishing the noodle. With bated breath, I stood there watching the auntie putting the bowl together. True enough, when the finished product was placed on the counter, I gasp. 

The enormous bowl of wanton noodle come with a big bowl of soup on the side.

Ying Ji Wanton Noodle - Curry Mutton Noodle @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

Despite her name, Ying Ji Wanton Noodle located on the third floor of Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre has a lot more to offer other than wanton noodle.

Also on the menu are fried wanton noodle, chicken feet noodle, mushroom shredded chicken noodle, curry chicken noodle and the focus of this review - curry mutton noodle. 

I think it is rather unusual to find curry mutton noodle at a wanton noodle stall therefore, I decided to order a regular plate ($4/$5) to try.

Ng Kee Teochew Fish Ball Kuay Teow Mee @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

Located on the second floor of Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre is Ng Kee Teochew Fish Ball Kuay Teow Mee, a popular fish ball noodle stall run by three brothers.

The stall is so popular, I am unable to get myself a bowl during my first three visits to the food centre. 

The scenario was the same for all three visits: I did not see any queue from afar so I happily skipped towards the stall only to be told of the 40 - 50 minutes long waiting time. I did not want to wait that long so I did not order.

However, if you do not mind the wait, the brother taking orders will give you the heads-up of the waiting time before asking you to take a seat after you have placed your order therefore, do not be misled by the seemingly lack of a physical queue that there is no queue at all.

I only managed to lay my hands on a bowl after my fourth visit when I visited the food centre real early at 8am (the previous visits were at about 10am). I was thrilled when he told me the current waiting time is five minutes (although in reality, it took fifteen minutes instead).

While waiting for my order, I noticed that he deliver the orders to those sitting in front of the stall. Those who were a little further away, like I do, will have to collect on their own. While serving a customer near me, he came over to tell me that my order is next. Barely a few moments later, he beckoned to me that my order is ready for collection.

Hong Man Tian Char Siew Roasted Pork @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

Apart from Tien Lai Rice Stall, Hong Man Tian Char Siew Roast Pork is the other roast stall located on the same floor at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre. I have walked past this stall many times and honestly, I did not intend to review this stall since I had already tried Tien Lai but I eventually succumbed due to the eye-catching signboard.

This stall had the same menu as Tien Lai: char siew, roasted pork, roasted duck and soy chicken. Even their pricing are quite competitive.

However, the edge Hong Man Tian have is you can have their roasts with either rice, noodle or hor fun and a bowl of complimentary soup. Tien Lai only served theirs with rice and no soup.

I decided to give Hong Man Tian a try and ordered a regular plate of rice with roasted duck meat and char siew ($4/$5). 

Leng Huat Fish Ball Noodle @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

This post was initially intended for Ng Kee Teochew Fish Ball Kuay Teow Mee, a popular fish ball noodle stall located on the second floor of Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre.

Unfortunately, I had underestimated its popularity because the few times I went down to the stall, I was informed of the 40 - 50 minutes long waiting time. As I did not want to spend too much time waiting, I would visit the other stalls on my list instead, thinking I could come back for it during the next visit.

However, the same scenario would repeat itself when I returned. I have now almost reached the end of my list and my next visit to the food centre would be my last. I will give them another shot then failing which, I will have to move on to my next food trail location.

Leng Huat Fish Ball Noodle is another fish ball noodle stall on my list found on the same floor as Ng Kee near the escalator. 

If you google about fish ball noodle at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre, this is the other name that pops up in the search engine.

Sikkander's Briyani @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

Sikkander's Briyani is located on the second floor of Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre. I have bookmarked this stall since a very long time ago even way before I planned a food trail here.

This Indian stall specializes in the usual Indian fare like murtabak, thosai, puttu mayam, roti prata and nasi briyani. 

I would have loved to try something new but, my focus today is their chicken briyani.

The reason why their briyani caught my attention was its price point. At $3.50, this has to be the most affordable chicken briyani I know. Even their mutton briyani costs just a little more at $4!

Anyway, this is already my third briyani from Sikkander's since I started checking out this food centre. 

Chwee Kueh @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

Update: The stall has permanently closed.

A certain chwee kueh stall at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre has recently been thrown into the limelight on social media. The stall is simply called Chwee Kueh.

I first noticed this stall while queuing for the roasts at the popular Tian Lai Rice Stall next door. Unlike Tian Lai that is enjoying a roaring business, the chwee kueh stall seems quite the opposite with no customers in sight.

The stall is run solely by a elderly uncle in his 80s. With a hunched back, uncle goes about his chores with no extra help.

Judging by the tools in his kitchen, I believed he made the chwee kueh from scratch himself instead of relying on ready-made stock from the supplier. Even the chye poh (preserved radish) and chili sauce are made in the stall.

Tien Lai Rice Stall @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

Tien Lai Rice Stall at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre is known for their roasts, particularly their char siew which is rated very highly among foodies online.

During my previous visits to the food centre, I noticed that a line of customers have already formed in front of the stall even before they are ready for business.

I decided not to join the queue then because the line only gets increasingly longer by the minute. Today, I was surprised to see only three customers in the queue therefore, I wasted no time in joining them.

De Ji Hong Kong Soy Sauce Chicken @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

While checking out the stalls at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre, I could not help but notice the rows of soy sauce chicken beckoning to me from behind the glass display at De Ji Hong Kong Soy Sauce Chicken.

I stopped in my tracks and took a moment to worship the chickens whose skin glistens under the caress of the warm spotlights. For just $3, you could have your soy sauce chicken with either rice or noodle.

I opted for the $4 soy sauce chicken with noodle.

58 Minced Meat Noodle @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

58 Minced Meat Noodle is undoubtedly one of the more popular stalls evident by its daily snaking queue. Located on the third floor of Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre, the line often stretched to the nearby escalator, blocking the path of the people coming up.

With a history spanning 47 years, the stall is now succeeded by Deon Ang, the second generation who has been helping his father out at the stall since his teenage years when they were still at their previous location.

On the day of my visit, Deon was there at the helm, cooking bowl after bowls of minced meat noodle at lightning speed while assisted by a lady helper.

Feng Zhen Lor Mee @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

My last visit to Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre was probably more than two decades ago. I vaguely recall that it is a single-storey food centre then with no market.

The food centre today is a five-storey building after undergoing reconstruction in 2005. It comprises of a wet market on the ground floor while the food centre is relocated to the second and third floor. A car park providing parking facilities took up the remaining two levels on top.

I am here to check out Feng Zheng Lor Mee which is said to serve one of the best lor mee in the West. I have been yearning to give them a try after learning about them years ago.

They have a couple of other outlets all run by family members. I have tried the daughter's stall at Yew Tee and the grandchildren's stall at Clementi and Choa Chu Kang numerous times however, I have yet to try the grandmother's stall here at Taman Jurong.

Mahan Food - Mee Soto @ Blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road

Right across the coffee shop from Al Mubarak Restaurant is Mahan Food, a Malay Muslim stall selling nasi padang, lontong, mee siam, mee rebus and mee soto.

Other than the nasi padang, their noodle dishes are all priced affordably at $3. I ordered a bowl of mee soto and I could not resist the temptation of adding a begedil and fried chicken wing to complete my meal.

Don't you think the begedil and fried chicken wing are the best accompaniments to pair with mee soto? The makcik placed the two sides separately in another bowl. She even helped to cut up the chicken wing for easy eating.

The total bill came up to $5.20.

Al Mubarak Restaurant - Chicken Briyani @ Blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road

I was visiting the bank in the area so I thought I would drop by Foodclique at blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road for brunch.

I had spent the entire morning waiting at the bank and I was getting hangry. While pondering over what to have from the coffee shop, I saw this huge pot of briyani beckoning to me from the counter-top of Al Mubarak Restaurant, an Indian Muslim stall.

Resistance is futile, they say and I think there is much truth in that as I succumbed to temptation and ordered myself a chicken briyani ($5.50).

My eyes sparkled when the staff removed the lid that was partially covering the pot, revealing the basmati rice together with mutton and chicken in its grandeur.

As I did not had my camera with me, I returned for a second visit within the same week, this time, armed with my trusty camera for a proper review... only to realize that the memory card is still plugged into the computer at home.

I had to depend on my iPhone camera, albeit unwillingly, for the rescue mission.

Shun Li Ah Ma Lor Mee - Laksa @ Redhill Market & Food Centre

After trying the lor mee from Shun Li Ah Ma Lor Mee at Redhill Market & Food Centre, I felt I had to come back to give their laksa a try as well.

This time, it is the male cook who served me as the lady helper is prepping ingredients at the back of the stall. 

Just like my previous visit, I was asked if I wanted bean sprouts however, nothing could prepare me for the next question because, this is the first time in my entire existence that I was asked how I wanted my cockles.

Stunned, I replied "yes" when he asked if I wanted them cooked? I had actually meant to say "no" since the hot broth would be enough to blanch them but at that moment, I simply could not process the question in my brain.

Wow, these guys really go the extra mile with their service! I am still reeling in from the shock!

Seng Heng Braised Duck @ Redhill Market & Food Centre

Seng Heng Braised Duck is one of those stalls at Redhill Market & Food Centre that is only opened for a couple of hours in the morning before they are sold out for the day. 

I made a trip here for their duck noodle previously but they were already closed when I got there at 11am.

This time round, I specially planned to arrive earlier to make sure I lay my hands on a bowl of their duck noodle. 

How early? This early. 

Redhill Porridge @ Redhill Market & Food Centre

In the previous post, I mentioned that I visited Redhill Market & Food Centre early in the morning to have my duck noodle at Seng Heng Braised Duck.

As there is still some time before they open for the day, I decided to check out this porridge stall called Redhill Porridge which is another one of those stall that closes super early.

If you are appalled by the duck noodle stall's four short operating hours, then this porridge stall will shock you further with their three and a half hours before they are sold out. Of course, this is not taking their prep time into consideration.

Now it makes perfect sense why some of the stalls here are perpetually closed whenever I am there in the afternoon. Either they close really early, or they open late.

Shun Li Ah Ma Lor Mee @ Redhill Market & Food Centre

It has been a while since I last came to Redhill Market & Food Centre.

One of the reasons why I do not frequent this food centre is due to the pigeons flying around which I find very unhygienic but, the main reason still boil down to the fact that I am too lazy to walk over from the MRT station! 😈

So, what made me drag my lazy bones here today is because I was craving for duck noodle and I wanted to try the one from Seng Heng Braised Duck however, they were already packing up for the day when I arrived just before 11am.

I circled the food centre, with the hope to find something that might interest me when I spotted a new Chinese stall which I have never seen before.

The stall is called Shun Li Ah Ma Lor Mee and it sells both lor mee and laksa for $4. I ordered a bowl of lor mee opting for the flat Hokkien noodle. The lady helper asks if I wanted beansprouts and whether I wanted more noodle (at no extra cost).

Seng Hong Coffee Shop - Otah Roti & Kopi-O @ Blk 58 Lengkok Bahru

Still feeling peckish from my minced meat noodle, I decided to order a Singaporean traditional breakfast set from the coffee stall.

For the uninformed, such local breakfast normally consists of two soft boiled eggs, toasted bread (with your choice of spread eg. kaya/butter/peanut butter) and a beverage.

According to my research, this coffee shop offers steamed bread with otah which is not commonly available at other coffee shops and therefore highly recommended. They also serve supposedly good Nanyang coffee (heard the proprietors are related to Tong Ya).

The customization for my order includes two soft boiled eggs, steamed bread with otah and a small cup of kopi-o. All these for $4.10.

Simple and no frills.

Lengkok Bahru Minced Meat Noodle @ Blk 58 Lengkok Bahru

How did the residents of Lengkok Bahru keep a certain minced meat noodle stall in their neighborhood under wraps from the rest of Singapore all these years?

Located within an old-school coffee shop at the foot of block 58, this noodle stall does not even have a signboard. However, that does not stop people from locating them, as words of mouth soon gave the secret away.

When I first visited the stall a year ago, the noodle stall was closed despite it being a weekday (their off day is on alternate Sundays).

Determined to have my bowl of noodle, I made a return trip to the coffee shop earlier this week, reaching there just a little after ten in the morning. I was half expecting it to be a slow and quiet morning, with only a couple of retirees engaging in a game of chess over a kopi-o siew dai.

Hai Xian Zhu Zhou - Ke Kou Mian @ Blk 233 Yishun Street 21

After having the ke kou mian from Bon Appetit at Yishun Park Hawker Centre, I kept thinking about the one near me at Blk 163A Gangsa Road (Bukit Panjang) and how the two actually compares.

To my surprise, I discovered that they have a stall at Yishun which is managed by relatives and its location is actually along the route to Yishun Park Hawker Centre from the bus interchange.

After I am done with Yishun Park Hawker Centre, I decided to check out this Hai Xian Zhu Zhou outlet at Blk 233 Yishun Street 21.

The coffee shop is located across the street from the bus stop where I got off. It is a quiet neighborhood however, all that changed once I stepped into the busy coffee shop. The premise was full of people with lots of chattering and hardly an empty table available.

I quickly joined the queue to place my order for a bowl of pork ke kou mian and was given a number tag to collect my food when the corresponding number flashed on the digital screen. I know a lot of customers were there for the exact same reason as I do because everyone were craning their necks towards the direction of the stall, waiting for their number to come up.

It took about twenty minutes for my number to appear on the screen.

Ah Tan Wings - Har Cheong Gai Cutlet @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

After hearing so much raves about Ah Tan Wings, I finally had the chance to give them a try at Yishun Park Hawker Centre.

This stall specializes in one of Singaporean's favorite tze char dish - the prawn paste chicken, or better known as har cheong gai which is essentially deep fried chicken marinated in fermented prawn paste.

The menu here is simple.

You can buy the chicken wings ala carte at $1.80 each (minimum two pieces), or as a meal with either two wings (Set A $5.20) or chicken cutlet (Set B $6.80). Both meals come with rice and a sunny side up with cucumbers and half a wedge of lemon.

There is also the basic meal (Set C $3.50) which is similar to Set A but only come with one wing and no fried egg.

51 Noodle House - Japanese Fusion Bak Chor Mee @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

During my previous visit to Yishun Park Hawker Centre, I went to the wrong bak chor mee stall therefore, I am back again to look for the correct one called 51 Noodle House.

51 Noodle House is the collaboration between two young hawkers who already have their own respective food stalls at the food centre.

Rather than being business rivals, the two - Henry Yap from Ipoh Curry Noodle (#01-36) and Darren  Teo from Seafood Pirates (#01-35) - teamed up to open another stall offering fusion bak chor mee with a Japanese element to it.

Da San Yuan - Bak Chor Mee @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

The purpose of this trip to Yishun Park Hawker Centre is to check out the bak chor mee.

Upon my arrival, I realized that I had forgotten the unit number and name of the stall. I began looking around at the signboards, searching for one that offers the dish. It did not take me long to find it and I promptly ordered a bowl.

After taking a few pictures, I began to dig in eagerly. However, a few mouthfuls later, I started questioning myself the reason for including this stall on my list. Do not get me wrong; the taste is decent but the ingredients are hardly rave-worthy for me.

I took out my list to verify only to discover that... I had actually gone to the wrong stall!

I am supposed to go to 51 Minced Meat Noodle but I had mistaken Da San Yuan for it instead. Well, my bad. I had not expected that there would be more than one bak chor mee stall at the food centre.

Apart from bak chor mee, Da San Yuan also sell fish ball noodle, mini pot noodle and laksa.

Seafood Pirates - $3 Oyster Omelette Rice @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

Seafood Pirates is a seafood soup stall run by Darren Teo and a partner. It is one of the more well-known stalls at Yishun Park Hawker Centre with a celebrity status of sorts, having appeared in various news media as well as covered by major food blogs.

In tune with their stall's pirate themed name, their soups are cleverly named as Pirate's Ultimate, Pirate's Signature, Pirate's Treasure and Pirate's Catch.

Each of these are served with a different combination of seafood such as crayfish, prawns, fish, clams, oysters and fish roe ball in a soup base made with fish bones and chicken bones.

As I am having the Ipoh curry noodle from next door, I decided to leave the soup for another visit. Instead, I will have the oyster omelette rice which I decided to takeaway in case I could not finish it (after having the curry noodle).

Yap's Noodle - Ipoh Curry Seafood & Roasted Pork Noodle @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

Henry Yap, the owner of Yap's Noodle at Yishun Park Hawker Centre hails from the Malaysian town of Ipoh. His stall specializes in dishes from his hometown, particularly curry noodle.

There is quite a variety of curry noodle available on the menu: curry seafood & roasted pork noodle, curry seafood & abalone noodle, curry shredded chicken & roasted pork noodle, curry chicken noodle, curry fish ball noodle and curry noodle (no meat).

I was actually undecided between the curry shredded chicken noodle and the curry seafood & roasted pork noodle. The former is my personal favorite while the latter, I heard, is limited to only fifty bowls per day.

Furthermore, I supposed the one with seafood would appear better on photos therefore, the choice is made.

Nasi Lemak Cabe Ijo @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

Singaporean Mohammed Noorman and his Indonesian wife, Puti Andam Dewi Henry are the owners of Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang at Yishun Park Hawker Centre.

Just like the marriage of the stall owners, their signature dish - the nasi lemak ayam taliwang which the stall is named after - is a cross-cultural union between nasi lemak and ayam taliwang, an Indonesian spicy grilled chicken dish.

The couple had tried ayam taliwang while on honeymoon at Puti's hometown and they liked it so much that they decided to introduce it to Singapore and paired it with Noorman's nasi lemak recipe.

Apart from this, the stall also have nasi lemak ayam balado and nasi lemak ayam cabe ijo.

They are basically the same thing - good old nasi lemak served with grilled chicken leg but are smothered in different types of rempah.

I had the nasi lemak ayam cabe ijo, which is served with grilled chicken leg in green chili rempah.

Bon Appetit - Ke Kou Mian @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

Update: Bon Appetit has permanently closed.

What is ke kou mian (可口面)?

I first heard of this dish from a stall named Hai Xian Zhu Zhou (海鲜煮粥) at Blk 163A Gangsa Road (Bukit Panjang) which is pretty close by my place.

Ke kou mian translates to "delicious noodle", or it could simply be referring to the Koka brand of instant noodle that the stall used in the making of this dish. Basically, the stall cook instant noodle with your choice of broth flavor (pork, seafood, spicy, tom yum) and added ingredients like meat and vegetables to it.

I am not too sure if paying a couple of dollars for a bowl of instant noodle which I could easily whip up at home myself is such a good idea therefore, even though this Hai Xian Zhu Zhou is near me, I have not paid them a visit yet.

I think partly, it is also due to their ungodly operating hours from 4am to 2.30pm.

I doubt this ke kou mian stall named Bon Appetit at Yishun Park Hawker Centre is related to Hai Xian Zhu Zhou but since it have a much more normal operating hours, I decided to give them a try.

One Mouth Noodle - Char Siew Wanton Noodle @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

From far, you would have thought that this stall at Yishun Park Hawker Centre sells ban mian as the words 手工面 (handmade noodle) took centrestage on the signboard in a very large font size.

However, as soon as you come nearer, you will realize that the stall's real name is the one on the left-hand side in a smaller font that reads 一口麵 (One Mouth Noodle).

But, the biggest surprise is, the stall does not sell ban mian at all. Instead, they sell Hong Kong-styled wanton noodle.

And the best part? The stall owner actually makes his own egg noodle, a skill which he picked up from his father and that is what the "手工面" on the signboard refers to.

Qi Le Chicken Rice @ Blk 744 Yishun Street 72

Mention chicken rice in Yishun and 925 Chicken Rice near the old bus interchange would come to mind. I had it before but did not find it inspiring enough to want to write about it.

It has been years since then and now I am back on a food trail around Yishun. I thought of looking for another chicken rice stall to try and my search brought me to this chicken rice stall called Qi Le Chicken Rice located inside the S-11 coffee shop near the MRT station.

It is easy to get here: simply exit the MRT station and follow the footpath to the coffee shop. The stall is right in the middle of the coffee shop, partially hidden behind a pillar.

Pak Mandor Nasi Lemak @ Blk 645 Yishun Street 61

Just a slight distance away from 618 Sim Carrot Cake at blk 645 Yishun Street 61, is a coffeeshop with a very popular Malay Muslim stall named Pak Mandor & Family.

The stall sells mee rebus, lontong and nasi lemak however, most customers are there mainly for their coconut rice from what I observed.

The queue was not long but it is very slow-moving as some of the customers in front are buying multiple packs to take away.

You can pick your favorite ingredients ala carte but I simply pointed to the photo on the signboard and told the kak kak that I wanted the same combination which came with coconut rice, a fried chicken wing, a fried kuning fish, an omelette and the usual condiments like peanuts, ikan bilis, cucumber and sambal chili.

I thought a combo like this with both fried fish and fried chicken would have cost at least $4 but no, all these cost a mere $3!

618 Sim Carrot Cake @ Blk 618 Yishun Ring Road

618 Sim Carrot Cake is located in a quiet neighborhood at Yishun near Khatib MRT Station. The stall sells white carrot cake ($3/$4) while giving customers the option to add prawns ($4.50/$6). They used to sell the black version as well but not anymore.

I ordered the smallest $3 plate and was given a buzzer after I paid up. According to online reviews, I was mentally prepared to wait for up to an hour but all it took was about ten minutes for my buzzer to start vibrating.

I was astonished to see the portion of my $3 carrot cake on the counter, ready for collection. I thought the auntie has made a mistake and had given me the $4 plate instead. I double checked with her and she assured me that it is indeed my order.

The generous portion can actually be shared among two persons which is totally value for money!

Mr Fish - Black Bean Sliced Fish Hor Fun @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Update: Mr Fish has permanently closed.

This post was initially intended for the black bean sliced fish hor fun from Sun Seng Gourmet's Corner (#02-061) which is located at the far end of Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre.

Unfortunately, the stall was closed when I visited on a Tuesday (their off day is on Sunday and Monday).

Thankfully, I recalled that Mr Fish (#02-073) which I visited a week ago for its sliced fish bee hoon offered the same dish therefore, I retraced my steps back to the stall.

I have never had had black bean sliced fish hor fun ($5) before therefore I ordered a plate with the purple-haired auntie to try it out.

Mr Fish - Sliced Fish Bee Hoon @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Update: Mr Fish has permanently closed.

Mr Fish is located at a secluded spot of Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre which could prove to be a little challenging to find however, if you know where Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu is, the stall is just a bit further in.

What brought me here is their fish soup which is purportedly made with no milk added. The creaminess and depth of flavor was achieved through long hours of non stop boiling fried fish bones.

A long waiting time is to be expected during peak hours as each bowl is cooked upon order. I arrived at about half past ten but the stall did not open till slightly after eleven. Even though I was the second customer of the day, my order only came ten minutes after the first customer was served.

Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen - Serving Cantonese Delights @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Update: Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen is permanently closed.

Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre specializes in Cantonese-style tze char. The modest menu included their signature claypot pig's liver, har cheong gai, sweet & sour pork, salted fish minced chicken tofu pot, tofu & roasted meat among others.

In the days following up to my visit, I was actually quite looking forward to have their har cheong gai (prawn paste chicken) because honestly, is there anyone who does not like fried chicken?

When the day eventually arrived, I visited the stall with much anticipation but I was taken aback when the lady told me in her heavily Cantonese-accented Mandarin that the har cheong gai is a sauce-less dish which would be too dry to have with rice and refused to process my order.

To be fair, she did not say it outright but I got the signals from her body language. I was waiting for her to give me suggestions on what other dishes to try, however, she turned her back on me, not willing to carry the conversation further.

For a moment, I stood there dumbstruck, trying to comprehend what has just happened. Have I just been told that I am unable to have har cheong gai with rice because it is too dry?

"Huh... then... how?" I asked, totally puzzled by the logic.

"Choose something else" she replied curtly.

I looked up at the signboard and had a quick browse at the menu before I decide to add on a vegetable dish to my fried chicken.

"One kai lan with oyster sauce and one har cheong kai. With rice."

It was only then she picked up the pen and wrote down my order on a piece of paper.

I do not understand what is the issue here with having fried chicken with rice? Is it because I am ordering only one dish therefore she is not too keen in my patronage? I hope that is not her bid to make me spend more because I came alone so how much food can I actually eat?

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.

Siamkia Thai Cuisine - $2.80 Minced Pork Omelette With Rice @ Kampung Admiralty Hawker Centre

While checking out Kampung Admiralty Food Centre, I chanced upon this Thai food stall called Siamkia Thai Cuisine.

What I like about them is their economical pricing. Their tom yum goong - the priciest item on their menu - is selling for only $6.

However, I decided to have their minced pork omelette (kai jeow moo sab) with rice instead, which happens to be their cheapest dish at only $2.80.

There is nothing more simple and comforting than having an omelette with rice. And not just any omelette mind you, but a Thai one.