Run Ji Cooked Food - Old School Braised Duck Rice @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Run Ji Cooked Food has been at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre for a very long time. Based on its name alone, it is not quite telling what the stall sells.

They serve braised duck rice here which I have always been wanting to try however, I would always end up having "the usuals" out of habit whenever I visit the food centre.

This review is made up of the experiences from two visits. During the first one, I ordered a plate of braised duck rice ($4) and added on pig's skin ($1) but right after taking ONE photo, my camera ran out of juice.

I visited the stall again, a week later just before the lunch crowd descend upon the food centre.

I made the same order of braised duck rice with pig's skin. Both visits, the lady running the stall checked if I wanted the duck breast or duck thigh of which I requested for the latter.

POH - Chye Poh Hor @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

When I was at Empress Road Market & Food Centre three years ago, I had wanted to try the stall named POH, which serves chye poh hor (菜莆河).

Alas, the four trips that I made to the food centre would always end in disappointment as the stall was perpetually closed each time. I later learned that the stall has shuttered for good.

Fast forward to a few days back, I was at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre when I noticed a new stall along the same row as Chef Sham. 

Somehow, the familiarity of the stall - from the menu to its name, reminded me very much of the old "POH".

As it turns out, it is indeed them! Fans would be elated to know that after taking a three years break, their favorite stall has made a comeback at a new location!

They are marked as permanently closed at their previous location on Google. Because they are still new at their current place, they are not visible on Google at the point of writing. I have already made a submission so hopefully, by the time you read this review, their new status would have already been updated.

Yan Ji Steamed Pot Rice & Soups @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

I am not entirely sure if Yan Ji Steamed Pot Rice at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre is a new stall but I do not recall seeing it during my previous visits to the food centre (or maybe I was just not paying enough attention).

I tried searching online but could not find anything about it so, I took the liberty to submit the stall's information to Google. I am now awaiting for their approval (Okay, it has gone 'live' now).

The stall is located at the yellow section where the cluster of stalls serving Chinese soups are congregated. 

Chinatown Omelette Chef - Smoked Duck Omelette with Pasta @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

Uncle Francis Lai and Auntie Doreen are the happy faces behind Omelette Chef at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre.

The husband and wife team used to operate a Cantonese soup stall named Grand Stewed Herbal Soup (豪华滋补炖汤) however, as age catches on, decided to switch to selling something that is easier on their backs while also leaving them more time with family.

As the name implies, their current specialty is omelette which you can have with your choice of topping such as Hawaiian ham, diced chicken, smoked duck, cheese, prawn, mushroom and pork sausage.

More flavors like chicken satay, chicken floss and otah are later added to the menu.

Apart from the omelette, you also have a choice of either Japanese rice or pasta drizzled with mushroom sauce and a side of corn and lettuce.

Reasonably priced at $5 for all the different sets, it seems like a complete meal in itself with protein, carbohydrates and fiber all accounted for!

Alimama Green Chili Chicken Rice & Prawn Noodle @ Maxwell Food Centre

While researching on what to have at Maxwell Food Centre, I came across this stall called Alimama Green Chili Chicken Rice that serve Indonesian fare such as nasi ayam pangang (grilled chicken rice) and nasi ikan bakari (grilled fish rice).

The stall is not difficult to locate as it is right next to Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice.

What caught my eye at Alimama, is item number one on their signboard - the green chili chicken rice ($6.50).

This dish is something new to me hence I am eager to try it out. I had expected it to be a Halal stall but on the contrary, it is not as they also serve prawn noodle with pork ribs, pig's skin and intestine.

Ah Gong Minced Meat Noodle - $2.50 Claypot Bak Chor Mee @ Maxwell Food Centre

Madam Chow has been a hawker at Maxwell Food Centre for the past five years but business has not always been rosy due to the construction of the Thomson-East Coast Line in the area. 

As the proverb goes, it never rains but it pours. Her business was dealt a further blow when the pandemic struck. Footfall to the food centre fell drastically as dine-in restrictions were imposed.

Not one to admit defeat, Madam Chow turned to selling claypot bak chor mee (she was selling something else before that) thus, Ah Gong Minced Meat Noodle was born. 

Sisaket Thai Food - Basil Chicken, Green Mango Salad & Tom Yum Soup @ Maxwell Food Centre

I am exploring Maxwell Food Centre this week and after walking through the rows of food stalls several times, I still could not make up my mind as I am bored with having the usual local fare. 

Eventually, I narrowed down my choice to a stall named Sisaket Thai Food. Well, Thai cuisine sounds good to me as I have been yearning for something more exotic lately to arouse my already dormant taste buds.

A search online revealed that the stall is started by a Thai national, Ms Viparat Saibua who owns two other locations at Telok Blangah and Bukit Merah.

As I stood in front of the stall studying the menu, I was impressed to hear a staff (or perhaps it is lao ban niang herself) conversing in fluent Mandarin with a customer. 

I ordered the basil chicken with rice ($5) and topped up $2.50 for a green mango salad and a bowl of tom yum soup which is pretty worthwhile.

I actually preferred pork but there are only chicken and beef options. In fact, there are no signs of any pork dishes on the menu. I am not particularly sure if the stall is Muslim-friendly but I did not notice any Halal certification.