Shandong Dong Ji La Mian Xiao Long Bao @ Blk 134 Jurong Gateway Road

Among the four coffee shops in the area, Fu Chan Food Paradise at blk 134 Jurong Gateway Road has got to be the one with the lowest footfall. Or at least that is how it appears to be when I visited at around 10am on a weekday.

I intentionally walk past the other three coffee shops to make a comparison and observed that the environment here is the most conducive for my mental well-being. 

Boisterous activities such as rowdy beer-drinking uncles and kopi auntie shouting drink orders across the coffee shop drains my energy. #introvertwoes

Although there are plenty of indoor and outdoor seats available, patrons are few and seated far from one another with ample personal space.

I thrive in the calming vibes this air-conditioned coffee shop offer that I could sit here all day to recharge myself.

Keow Teow Kia - Wine Fragrance Noodle Soup @ Blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road

Foodclique and Happy Hawker are two longtime coffee shops at blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road. Located side by side, both have been there for as long as I can remember.

A week ago, after having my Hakka yong tau foo at Foodclique, I went over next door to check out Happy Hawker which has changed hands earlier this year. It is currently known as 咖啡仔来了.

Other than the popular braised duck stall at the corner, the remaining stalls at this coffee shop are all new.

Among them is this stall named Keow Teow Kia which specializes in Malaysian-style noodles.

Keow teow refers to kway teow but I wonder why is it spelled as such instead of koay teow like they usually do in Malaysia?

Anyway, on the menu are:

• keow teow soup ($4.50),
• dry noodle soup ($4.50),
• wine fragrance noodle soup ($4.80),
• bitter gourd minced meat soup with rice/noodle ($5.50),
• signature soup with rice/noodle ($5.50),
• salted fish mee tai mak soup ($5), and
• fish ball soup ($3.80)

Hakka Yong Tau Foo @ Blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road

Each time I accompany my folks to the nearby bank or CPF Building, we would end up having a meal in this coffee shop at blk 132 Jurong Gateway Road.

Although there are a variety of food options to choose from, they will bypass all the other stalls and head straight for the Hakka yong tau foo stall.

I have been here with them a couple of times but yet to try it. I wonder why they only have eyes for this stall?

I decided to make a lone trip here to try it for myself.

Gu Zao Wei Big Prawn Noodle @ Alexandra Village Food Centre

Wei Zhong Qi Prawn Noodle (#01-87) and The Old Stall Hokkien Street Prawn Noodle (#01-58) are two pretty well-known prawn noodle stalls at Alexandra Village Food Centre.

I am not sure if this is a new stall or has it always been there but it was only during a recent visit that I discovered the presence of this third prawn noodle stall at the food centre.

Well, fourth actually, if you consider Ming's Prawn Noodle (#01-01) which has relocated to Tan Boon Liat Building.

It had a very generic name though with just the words "古早味" and "big prawn noodle" on the signboard. (refer to the last photo at the bottom of this post)

I am unable to find any information with regards to this stall online therefore, I took it upon myself and submitted it to Google map as Gu Zao Wei Big Prawn Noodle.

It is located along the same row as Dover Road Kai Kee Wanton Noodles (#01-09) and Tiong Bahru Lien Fa Shui Jing Pau (#01-10) facing the car park. 

Zi Jing Cheng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice @ Alexandra Village Food Centre

Whenever I visit Alexandra Village Food Centre, I will bypass Zi Jing Cheng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice for some other stalls. 

Come to think of it, I wonder why the thought of trying their chicken rice has never cross my mind?

I guess I did not see the need to as chicken rice stalls are a dime a dozen in Singapore. 

However, today is the day that the spell will be broken. I have come to the food centre with no concrete plans to try any food in particular and my feet brought me to the front of this stall. 

I like how the pricing is clearly spelled out on the signboard with a whole bird priced at $24 while a serving for one pax is $3.50.

Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice @ Senja Hawker Centre

I came across Lin Ji Pig Leg Rice (林記猪脚饭) when they first opened at Albert Centre Market & Food Centre. I remember being captivated by the beautifully braised pig legs displayed inside the window. 

When I saw customers carrying away their bowls of pig leg rice with Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu (百年酿豆腐) signature white trays, I realized Lin Ji is by the same people behind the yong tau foo stall which had a outlet at the same food centre as well.

Reasonably priced at $4.90 then, I was eager to have a bowl however, the intimidating queue meant that I can only come back for it another time.

Regrettably four years on, I have yet to try Lin Ji. It was not until recently that I notice a new pig leg rice stall at Senja Hawker Centre with a similar signboard as Lin Ji but bearing the name Shi Nian (石年) instead.

I was contemplating whether to give Shi Nian a try because I thought they are a competitor riding on Lin Ji's fame but as it turns out, it is simply a case of rebranding. The former Lin Ji that I know and Shi Nian are one and the same. I hope.

Heng Gi Goose And Duck Rice @ Senja Hawker Centre

The braised duck rice from Heng Gi Goose And Duck Rice at Tekka Market & Food Centre was added to my checklist years ago however, I have not gotten the opportunity to cross them out yet.

I do pass by Tekka via the downtown line occasionally but it is impractical to walk out of the station while in the midst of a journey just to try the duck rice there.

To my surprise, they opened a stall at the new Senja Hawker Centre which is so much more accessible to me now. I know I have run out of excuses putting off what I needed to do eons ago.