Food In The Hood - The Sunday Times (5-part series)

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8 Get serious with nasi lemak

 

 

LATIFFA HURI

Where: 01-426, 498 Jurong West Street 41

Open: 6am to 1pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays and Mondays

 

Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak may be known as the rice bowl of the west. But another stall that also consistently draws large crowds is Latiffa Huri in Jurong West.
 

It takes its nasi lemak very seriously - with a queue dedicated to orders for the rice dish. The other queue is for noodle dishes such as mee rebus ($3), mee goreng ($3) and mee siam ($3).
 

The basic nasi lemak ($3) comes with ikan kuning, omelette with onion and a sweet sambal with ikan bilis. Add $1.50 for a plump fried chicken wing. The coconut rice is oh-so-fragrant, I can knock it back with the sambal alone.
 

As I stand in the queue for 30 minutes, I agonise over what else to order. I spy sambal prawns, cuttlefish and is that otah? Then a plate piled high with freshly fried begedil emerges just before my turn. Dilemma solved.
 

I crown my nasi lemak with one golden and glorious potato patty. No regrets. None at all.

 

 

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9 Can't get enough of grilled spiced chicken

 

 

PERGHCHICKS

Where: Tang Tea House, 414 Jurong West Street 42

Open: 1 to 9.45pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays

 

There are grilled chicken wings, and then there is the revelatory PerghChicks - a familiar vendor of ayam percik and Ramly burgers at pasar malams.
 

Be warned that one taste of the ayam percik (grilled spiced chicken), smothered in a spicy and tangy sauce with a distinctive lemongrass aroma, will leave you wanting for more.
 

My tongue is tingling with pleasure and I keep reaching for another chicken wing. And another.
 

Plump for the signature Percik Wings box ($15 for six) or sets ($8.90) that are served with blue pea rice, potato wedges and salad.
 

Non-spicy honey barbecued wings are also available, but let's not waste time with those.

 

 

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10 Sweet treats on demand

 

 

LEE'S CONFECTIONERY

Where: 01-59, 343 Jurong East Street 31

Open: Noon to 7pm (Thursdays to Mondays), closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

 

Minimalist cafe Lee's Confectionery takes the cake for serving up the most dainty sweets in the west.
 

It has a tiny bespoke menu of six cakes ($9 each) - all assembled and plated upon order with a matching ice cream or sorbet. This keeps the tart shells and choux puffs crisp and fresh.

 

My top picks are Dong, a chestnut sponge with vanilla-infused pear chunks and mascarpone cream on a crisp almond tart shell; and Tart, a lime almond cake with lime cream and zest on an almond tart shell. Other crowd-pleasers are Madu, a treat of honey caramel and cornflakes with Horlicks mascarpone cream; and Beri, a choux puff filled with vanilla grapefruit cheese custard, strawberry pieces and whipped cream cheese.
 

This is the place westies head to for a quick pick-me-up.

 

 

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11 'The freshest steamed fish in town'

 

 

ZAI SHUN CURRY FISH HEAD

Where: 01-205, 253 Jurong East Street 24

Open: 7am to 3pm (Thursdays to Tuesdays), closed on Wednesdays

 

This is probably the eatery in Jurong East which chalks up the highest carbon footprint.
 

Friends who live in the east or north tell me they are happy to drive here "for the freshest steamed fish in town".
 

And even though the stall's name states curry fish head, every table in the coffee shop bears at least one plate of steamed fish, alongside bowls of steaming Teochew porridge and a plethora of side dishes.
 

Depending on the catch, fish-of-the-day options usually include garoupa, pomfret and red snapper.
 

For two people, I usually order a black pomfret topped with stewed salted vegetables, housemade fishcake and watercress stir-fried with oyster sauce, a delicious spin on the usual soupy version. This luxurious Teochew porridge brunch costs a wallet-friendly $23.
 

After the long drive out, it is tempting to go crazy and order everything on display - from glistening hae bee hiam to herbal chicken - especially with the friendly staff recommendations.
 

But go easy, and come again. And again.

 

 

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12 Colourless but flavourful mee tai mak

 

 

AH HUA TEOCHEW FISHBALL NOODLE

Where: 01-117, 415 Pandan Gardens

Open: 8am to 3pm (Mondays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays and public holidays

 

Be warned: This is no ordinary bowl of fishball noodles.
 

Tossing chilli into a bowl of noodles is reflexive for me.
 

So when that is not an option for Ah Hua Teochew Fishball Noodle's signature mee tai mak with beansprouts and minced pork ($5), I am perplexed. Then, I take a bite and understand why it is, for once, unnecessary.
 

The silver needle noodles are tossed in a concoction of lard, shallot oil and garlic - chilli ends up being a distraction and I do not miss it at all.
 

The star ingredients are handmade springy fishballs, fish rolls and what looks like a flattened version of a fishball, with "grooves" to catch the tasty sauce too.
 

This most unassuming bowl of pasty white ingredients on pale white noodles draws a minimum 20-minute queue, but is well worth the wait.

 

 

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13 Wanton noodles with bu jian tian and more

 

 

LAIFABA

Where: 02-02 Prestige Centre, 71 Bukit Batok Crescent

Open: 11am to 3pm, 5 to 8.30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays

 

You may have heard of Laifaba when it made its debut at The Scarlet Singapore Hotel in Ann Siang Hill.
 

In 2021, it set up shop in a Bukit Batok industrial estate, bringing much cheer to my hood.
 

The star is its signature bu jian tian char siew wonton noodle ($9.90 or $13.90) with fried and boiled wontons and ajitsuke egg with gooey yolk.
 

You can choose either the dry or soup version and your cut of char siew - fatty, lean or mixed.
 

Go for the mixed option with just the right amount of fat-to-meat ratio. The corners have the best charred bits.
 

Mixed-meat platters start at $16.50 for two people, with a choice of char siew, roast pork, roast duck and soya sauce chicken.
 

The roast pork could use a crispier crackling, but the meat is passably tender and juicy.
 

There is a Laifaba Express stall at Cluny Food Court at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, but nothing beats the char at its flagship store.

 

 

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14 Queue for stand-out Hokkien mee

 

 

 

THE NEIGHBOURWOK

Where: 01-118, 207 Bukit Batok Street 21

Open: 11am to 2.30pm, 4 to 8.30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays

 

When trawling for recommendations, no fewer than five Hokkien mee places in the west pop up. I wonder why. How different could these be? How do they stack up?
 

After many plates of Hokkien mee later, The Neighbourwok's version (from $4.50) is a clear stand-out, just for the wok hei in every mouthful.
 

The thick beehoon and yellow noodles soak up all the rich prawn and pork stock. The dish is topped with pork belly, squid and the all-important crispy lard, with a pat of spicy sambal belachan on the side.
 

Expect to wait at least 20 minutes for a plate. Meanwhile, nosh on satay (from 70 cents a stick, minimum 10 sticks, 4 to 8.30pm), which the stall also sells, to quell your hunger.

 

 

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15 Baked porchetta for date night

 

 

iO ITALIAN OSTERIA

Where: 02-01 HillV2, 4 Hillview Rise

Open: 11.30am to 10pm (weekdays), 10am to 10pm (weekends)

 

When westies want a casual date night, but are too lazy to head to town, they flock to iO Italian Osteria. It serves classic, unpretentious Italian fare in hearty portions at decent, heartland-friendly prices.
 

Definitely order the traditional Roman schiacciata (from $10), a flat bread stuffed with truffle and cheese, as well as the baked porchetta (from $9), a pork belly with crisp crackling stuffed with fennel.
 

The seafood guazzetto ($20) is also a crowd favourite, with a rich seafood broth packed with mussels, squid and prawns. I do not waste a single drop and mop it all up with garlic bread.
 

The restaurant is run by the same people behind Italian restaurant Etna, which has outlets in Duxton Road and Upper East Coast.

 

 

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16 Bak chor mee with more

 

 

AH HOE MEE POK

Where: Food Loft Coffee Shop, 501 West Coast Drive

Open: 6.30am to 2pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays

 

A stone's throw from the bustling Ayer Rajah Food Centre is Ah Hoe Mee Pok, located in a nondescript coffee shop.
 

The noodles here are indefinable - not quite bak chor mee nor the usual fishball noodles - but they are definitively good.
 

Its signature mee pok (from $6) - cooked to a perfect al dente - is tossed in a vinegary spicy sauce with lard, minced pork and imitation abalone slices.
 

What distinguishes it is the accompanying bowl of piping hot soup filled with cabbage, sliced pork, a plump tiger prawn and a meat dumpling. There is also an unusual rectangular fish dumpling which I can eat a whole bowl of.
 

I plan to return for the mushroom mee pok and the housemade prawn paste balls.

 

 

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17 Winning Indian rojak

 

 

ABDHUS SALAM ROJAK

Where: Stall 73, Ayer Rajah Food Centre, 503 West Coast Drive

Open: 11am to 11pm (Wednesdays to Mondays), closed on Tuesdays

 

If there ever were an Indian rojak face-off, Ayer Rajah Food Centre would be the perfect place to stage it.
 

I'm going out on a limb here, but between Abdhus Salam Rojak and Habib's Rojak at stall 68, my winner would be the former because of the consistency of its cooking.
 

Abdhus Salam Rojak has expanded to Northpoint City with Ministry of Rojak, and flown the Republic's flag high at Singapore Day events overseas, but nothing beats dining at its original stall.
 

Great picks include cuttlefish, fried prawn fritters on tau kwa, tempeh and potato flour fritters, priced from 70 cents each. Before long, my plate is piled high.
 

Topped off with onion and cucumber, and accompanied by two small bowls of spicy thick gravy, my platter typically costs me about $15.
 

I dunk each piece into the gravy, slowly savouring every crunch.
 

I am not here to start a food fight, so if you are still conflicted, order both Abdhus Salam Rojak and Habib's Rojak, lay them side by side and taste away.
 

I see many diners do that, debate fiercely and empty both plates in the process.

 

 

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18 Penang fare hits the spot

 

 

ISLAND PENANG KITCHEN

Where: 01-126, 721 Clementi West Street 2

Open: 11am to 2.30pm, 5 to 9.30pm (weekdays), 11am to 9.30pm (weekends and public holidays), closed on alternate Tuesdays

 

When the craving for Penang food hits, I make a beeline for Island Penang Kitchen.
 

It serves one of the best versions of assam laksa islandwide - with a robust broth and thick noodles topped with mint leaves, onions, lettuce, sliced pineapple and torch ginger flower.
 

The prawn noodle soup with pork rib ($7.50), served with half a hard-boiled egg, also packs a punch.
 

Other bestsellers include Penang fried kway teow ($6.50), Penang fried lor bak ($8) and assam curry fish head ($24).
 

Wash down the meal with housemade chendol ($3), oozing with gula melaka, pandan jelly and red beans.
 

Island hits the spot. It is the closest I'll get to Penang for now, without boarding a plane, and that is all right.

 

 

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19 Rojak made with joy

 

 

BROTHERS ROJAK

Where: 01-211, 449 Clementi Avenue 3

Open: 9.30am to 7.30pm (Mondays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays

 

The Tan siblings of Brothers Rojak are two of the happiest hawkers I have ever met.
 

Through my years of patronising the stall - which started in 1986 - I have never seen them lose their friendly demeanour nor fail to greet customers as they pound away.
 

The magic in their rojak (from $3.50) is the rich and thick sauce that coats every piece perfectly.
 

The sauce ingredients are straightforward - shrimp paste, ground peanuts, assam juice, chilli and sugar - but it is all about the balance of flavours, says elder brother Tan Boon Hwa, 56.
 

He tosses the grilled youtiao, tau pok, cucumber and pineapple in the sauce, with a jolly little jig which keeps him fit, he says.
 

The $3.50 portion is good enough and my usual order includes dried cuttlefish for an extra $1.50.
 

I always leave with a wide smile, packet in hand, and a spring in my step.

 

 

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20 Scamorza gelato, anyone?

 

 

BURNT CONES

Where: 01-02, 105 Clementi Street 12

Open: 11am to midnight (weekdays), 9am to midnight (weekends)

 

For your late-night gelato fix, head to Burnt Cones in Sunset Way.
 

It has a beguiling range of flavours and not the usual suspects. My favourite is scamorza, a smoky and creamy version of the South Italian cow's milk cheese, best paired with Bronte pistachio.
 

Prices start at $5 for a single scoop and other signature flavours include strawberry basil, ube (purple yam) and coconut lychee.
 

Weekend brunch is available too, but make sure you save space for a sweet ending.
 

Burnt Cones has another west-side sister outlet at NEWest Mall in West Coast Drive, called Up In Smoke, which focuses on smoked items.

 

 

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The Sunday Times, Life Section (6 March 2022)

 

 

Food In The Hood: 20 eating places to check out in the south of Singapore

 

 

Food in the Hood - Episode 4: A food fest in the south of Singapore

 

 

Singapore's southern culinary charms are aplenty and well chronicled. It is probably the area with the highest number of Michelin stars and award-winning eateries per square foot in the whole of Singapore.
 

But how does one unearth hidden finds and new gems at unintimidating prices?
 

For this assignment, I do something I have assiduously avoided since the start of the pandemic - chat up strangers.
 

I talk to those with inside knowledge in each area, from cleaners to hawkers to random diners I spy chowing down on something yummy-looking that others have on their tables too.
 

Still, this tactic comes with a measure of risk as popularity does not always translate into good nosh. Sometimes, it is a lack of better choices in an area that drives people living or working nearby to certain stalls.
 

I encounter highs and lows - and indigestion - in my eating tour de force through Tanjong Pagar, Telok Blangah, Bukit Timah, Chinatown, Telok Ayer and Orchard.
 

There are demoralising days, when stacks of bowls and hundreds of snapshots later, few or no recommendations make the cut.

 

One of the disappointments is a fish soup stall, famous for its shouty owner, whose son has since taken over the business. Unfortunately, his cooking skills are not worth the 40-minute wait. Rancid pork lard is the last straw for me.
 

There are also highs, like an unexpected find of silky Cantonese porridge and chicken at Tiong Bahru Wah Yuen Porridge in Telok Blangah, which I returned to twice last weekend because I have become that fond of it.
 

For each place on this list, I pay at least two, often three, visits, taking time to speak to the owners, understand their cooking process and vet the quality.
 

They all have one thing in common. Despite grappling with rising food and operating costs and manpower issues, they cook with their heart and soul - the most crucial ingredient which money cannot buy.
 

Here is a celebration of the best the south has to offer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 Floral-scented soya sauce chicken

 

 

 

HONG KONG SOYA SAUCE CHICKEN NOODLES RICE

Where: 04-48 Beauty World Centre, 144 Bukit Timah Road

Open: Noon to 7pm (Thursdays to Tuesdays), closed on Wednesdays

 

Chinatown may be dotted with fabled soya sauce chicken stalls, but they are not to my taste. Legacy recipes and murky-coloured birds dunked in dark soya sauce do not necessarily constitute flavour.
 

Instead, I make my way to Beauty World Centre for the Hong Kong-style soya sauce chicken made by Madam Annie Cheong.
 

The 69-year-old learnt the craft of braising from a Hong Kong chef in 1996 and adheres to the traditional, though tedious, practice of rubbing down the birds with maltose to give them a sweet aroma and shine.
 

The skin of her braised chicken is an attractive burnt sienna, with hues of orange. I love the restrained use of Chinese rose wine in the braise, which imparts a lovely floral scent to the meat without being overpowering.
 

She uses medium-sized 1.5kg chickens, which render tender juicy meat. The birds are braised in a medley of spices such as star anise, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns and light soya sauce.
 

The chicken is so tasty that I can eat it without additional sauce.
 

I usually order the chicken drumstick noodles ($4.50) and dumpling soup ($3.60 for three dumplings).

 

 

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2 For comfort and cheesecake

 

 

SHEN & CO CAFE ANTIQUES

Where: 01-01/04 Beauty World Plaza, 140 Upper Bukit Timah Road

Open: 10am to 8.30pm (Mondays to Thursdays), 10am to 10pm (Fridays), 9am to 10pm (Saturdays), 9am to 8.30pm (Sundays)

 

This one is for cheesecake lovers. Go back in time and tuck into housemade cakes at this quirky vintage cafe. They may lack sophistication and have limited appeal for Instagrammers, but the rustic cakes are solidly crafted.
 

The base and filling are so firmly welded together, you can confidently take a stab without the base crumbling to pieces. This matters more to me than pretty cakes which are structurally unsound.
 

The Lemon Pistachio Cheesecake ($5.50) has a base of crushed pistachio and digestive biscuit, with a light, moist cream cheese filling that is tangy with lemon peel. It comes garnished with chopped dried cranberry and more crushed pistachio.
 

The Signature Chocolate Cheesecake ($5.50) is a layered odyssey of chocolate and cream cheese, which is easy on the eye but laborious to make. Above a base of crushed Oreo biscuit are three distinct layers of chocolate cream cheese filling in different shades. This is topped with a layer of chocolate ganache, then dusted with cocoa powder and crushed pistachio.
 

I like how the layers fuse together and refuse to fall apart, even as I stab at it and savour each mouthful.
 

Beyond delectable desserts, I soak up the eclectic decor of tables made from vintage sewing machines and nostalgic black retro light switches on the walls. The framed black-and-white family photos add to the vintage vibe and evoke a living room from the 1960s.
 

I feel as if I have gone back in time - both the ambience and food are homely and comforting.

 

 

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3 Be patient for crispy golden carrot cake

 

 

 

GOLDEN CHOPSTICKS

Where: 02-197 Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre, 51 Upper Bukit Timah Road

Open: 8am to 9pm (Thursdays to Tuesdays), closed on Wednesdays

 

Mr Gary Loh, 49, is a car dealer by day and hawker by morning and night. He goes behind the stove only before and after office hours and is relatively new to the trade, but his egg-laden carrot cake tastes as if it came off a far more seasoned wok.
 

He started Golden Chopsticks with his wife only in February last year. The name is no idle boast as his carrot cake ($3) is indeed golden in colour.
 

The crispy omelette encases cubes of fish sauce-seasoned carrot cake, dotted with preserved radish jazzed up with shallot oil.
 

Each plate comes topped with an extra serving of preserved radish and a housemade dark-red chilli paste made from scratch with ingredients such as dried prawn and crispy whitebait. No salt, sugar or monosodium glutamate goes into the chilli paste, which is packed with flavour.
 

Youthful-looking with blond-dyed locks pushed back with a hairband, Mr Loh hunches over his griddle with the feral intensity of one obsessed with cooking.
 

He takes pains to cut the carrot cake into symmetrical cubes, searing them in small batches. Then comes the careful addition of preserved radish and egg, before the mixture is divided into perfect squares.
 

He drizzles the sizzling squares with a little oil at intervals to make sure all the edges are golden and crispy.
 

It can be a frustrating wait of more than 15 minutes for each order. Even Mr Loh's wife grumbles at his pace when hordes of hungry diners descend during peak hours.
 

But good things come to those who wait. I am also a fan of Mr Loh's rendition of fried oyster omelette, which has crisp edges and a toothsome soft chewy batter. The $5 plate comes with five juicy Korean oysters.
 

Ask him to make the egg batter extra crispy and, whatever you do, do not hurry the man as he gets flustered when rushed or chided.
 

Mr Loh works at the stall only from 8 to 10am and from 7 to 9pm. His wife runs the stall the rest of the time. Her frying is much faster, but I prefer to go when he is at the stove.

 

 

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4 Soy delicious

 

 

SOYLICIOUS

Where: 02-166 Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre, 51 Upper Bukit Timah Road

Open: 8am to 6pm (Wednesdays to Sundays), 8am to 1pm (Mondays), closed on Tuesdays

Info: 8298-2433

 

After one slurp of the freshly made beancurd and soya milk here, I march up to stall owner Loh Chao Kiat and propose that he set up shop in my neighbourhood in north-east Singapore.
 

The 39-year-old prepares soya milk and wobbly beancurd from scratch daily.
 

He extracts milk from raw non-genetically modified soya beans, simmers it, then flavours it with fresh pandan leaves in small batches of 20 litres at a time. He makes up to four batches a day.
 

A cup of soya milk costs $1 and the beancurd goes for $1.20.
 

For the beancurd, he uses lactone, instead of gypsum powder, as a coagulant. The result is a velvety curd with the consistency of jelly.
 

Although I usually prefer to have my beancurd chilled, I make a concession here as Mr Loh serves his freshly made version warm.
 

I like the attention he pays to the syrup, which has an attractive caramel hue from the use of both brown and white sugar. Scented with pandan leaves, the syrup imparts sweetness without being cloying.

 

 

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5 Good value laksa goreng in Orchard Road

 

 

 

CIPTA RASA CAFERIA

Where: 01-75 Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road

Open: 10am to 8pm daily

 

Where can you get tasty, filling meals for well under $10 in Orchard Road?
 

Head for the basement of Lucky Plaza. Muslim-owned Cipta Rasa Caferia serves up a mean Laksa Goreng ($5.30).
 

The mix of cabbage and carrot makes the dish look like just another mee goreng, but the first spoonful proves appearances can be deceptive.
 

The eatery takes pride in making its rempah from scratch, right down to grinding its own laksa paste from dried chillies, lemongrass, galangal, candlenut, dried prawn and fresh turmeric. Sliced laksa leaves complete that distinct aroma.
 

The frying technique is also excellent, imparting smoky wok aromas to the dish. The long strands of thick laksa noodles are well coated with the aromatic spice paste, but retain a springy texture.
 

Another must-try is the Tahu Goreng ($3.80). The large pieces of firm beancurd are deep-fried to order, so each one has a crispy exterior, while remaining juicy inside. The savoury-sweet peanut gravy is rich and thick with prawn paste and boasts a nutty crunch.

 

The portions here are large and each plate easily serves two persons, making it good value for money.

 

 

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6 Stuff yourself with 5 types of kueh

 

 

JALAN KUKOH TEOCHEW KUEH

Where: 01-19/20 Kukoh 21 Food Centre, Block 1 Jalan Kukoh

Open: To place advance orders, 8.30am to 7pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays); self-collection, 5.30 to 7pm (Tuesdays), 7.30 to 9am and 5.30 to 7pm (Wednesdays to Saturdays); closed on Sundays and Mondays

Info: 9838-0235

 

Hidden in a corner off Chin Swee Road is Jalan Kukoh Teochew Kueh, which started as a pushcart stall in the 1970s.
 

Run by its third-generation owners, who are now in their 60s, the stall's taste of the handmade kueh is as I remember it from my childhood, when my late father used to frequent it.
 

There are five types of kueh and you should order every one. Each has its own loveliness. The thin and translucent skins are springy and the kueh are generously stuffed with filling.
 

You rarely find hawkers who use ingredients such as dried prawn and dried mushroom so liberally. But siblings Loh Kai Mong, 64, and Loh Choon Huay, 67, make their kueh as if they were for their own family's consumption, with little regard for cost.
 

The Ang Tho Kueh ($1.50), or png kueh, is pastel pink, with a chewy glutinous rice filling chock-full of dried prawn and dried mushroom.
 

The housemade green bean paste filling of the glossy black Tau Sar Kueh ($1.50) is smooth and fragrant with housemade shallot oil.
 

The Soon Kueh ($1.40) has a crunchy filling of jicama mixed with dried prawn and mushroom.
 

My favourite is the white, round Koo Chai Kueh ($1.40), made with garlic chives that are cut into 1cm pieces for better mouthfeel.
 

The Yam Kueh ($1.40) is made using a wooden mould which the stall owners' late grandmother brought from China. The mould is carved with the Chinese character for good fortune.
 

If you want to be able to buy the entire range of kueh, be sure to call and order at least a day in advance. Most walk-in customers go away empty-handed.

 

 

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7 Porridge perfect for photos

 

 

WENG KIANG KEE PORRIDGE

Where: 02-082 Chinatown Complex Food Centre, 335 Smith Street

Open: 7.30am to 1pm (Wednesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Info: 8839-3686

 

This porridge stall in Chinatown Complex commands such a loyal following that you have to wait in line to order, then wait some more on the day of collection.
 

I order my porridge in person a day ahead and arrive half an hour before the stall's opening time at 7.30am to "chope" a table. Still, I wait another 45 minutes before I score my piping hot bowl because there is a long train of reserved orders and tingkats ahead of mine.
 

The Triple Egg Porridge ($4) - the tastiest of three types of porridge I try - has mashed-up salted egg in it.
 

It is well presented and a treat for the eyes, with a flattened steamed salted egg yolk carefully placed in the centre of the bowl and radiating "rays" of century egg wedges. The egg is poached - not quite run-of-the-mill for a hawker centre breakfast.
 

Stall owner Charlie Chang, 60, worked as a hotel chef and culinary consultant for most of his career, starting as an apprentice at age 17, until he decided to open his own stall in 2018.
 

His bestsellers include Boat Porridge ($4), which is decked out with thick strips of cuttlefish, sliced parrot fish, fried peanuts and sliced pork.
 

Lovers of pork offal will enjoy slurping up the Premium Porridge ($5.50), which has powder intestine, birth intestine, liver, parrot fish, cuttlefish, mock abalone, century egg and house-fried pork lard.
 

Mr Chang says his porridge is a fusion of Cantonese and Hainanese styles. He uses a blend of Thai jasmine rice, Taiwanese short-grain rice and glutinous rice to create the perfect bulky yet well-bound texture he seeks.
 

One bowl is enough to keep you full well into the afternoon. Do note that there is a minimum requirement of two bowls for advance orders.

 

 

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8 Silky chee cheong fun in curry, laksa and more

 

 

CHEE CHEONG FUN CLUB

Where: 01-38 Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street

Open: 7.30am to 2pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays), 8.30am to 2pm (Sundays), closed on Mondays

 

Maxwell Food Centre is well known for chicken rice and porridge, but save some stomach space for chee cheong fun too.
 

Stall owner Yong Yean Hui, 42, who prefers to be known as Youngg, is originally from Kuala Lumpur and opened her stall here in 2018.
 

Regulars make a beeline for her KL Famous Curry CCF ($4), silky smooth sheets of chee cheong fun doused in a spicy housemade curry aromatic with cumin, fennel and curry leaves.
 

The dish comes with a halved meatball embedded with dried cuttlefish and four slices of rolled-up dried beancurd skin stuffed with fish paste.

 

I really dig the topping of tiny dried prawns which are fried to a crisp, and appreciate that Ms Yong spends up to three hours a day picking through the dried prawn to remove the grit.
 

The entire dish stirs up delicious memories of night market fare in Malaysia.
 

To cater to local palates, she offers the SG Special Laksa ($4), chee cheong fun smothered in a rich laksa gravy with dried prawn blended into the rempah.
 

What keeps me going back is the sesame sauce chee cheong fun ($2.80). The creamy sauce evokes both sesame and peanut - it takes skill to blend oil with the nut pastes without the mixture separating.
 

Get the 3 Sauce Sampler ($3.50) for a triple treat of chee cheong fun in classic black sauce, sweet sauce and sesame sauce.

 

 

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9 Wake up early for nasi lemak and fluffy rice

 

 

LI XING NASI LEMAK

Where: 02-81 Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Road

Open: 7am to 1pm (weekdays), closed on weekends

 

Nasi lemak stalls may be a dime a dozen, but the fluffy and fragrant coconut rice flavoured with fresh pandan leaves at Li Xing Nasi Lemak is a standout.
 

Mr Tang Cheo Hin, 66, who is a one-man show, uses only fresh coconut milk, which is delivered to his hawker stall in the wee hours.
 

He has done this for the past 30 years, eschewing the convenience of coconut cream in packaged cartons that most hawkers now resort to.
 

He also insists on good quality Thai jasmine rice, which makes his basic nasi lemak (50 cents) a steal. Extra rice is priced at 70 cents a serving.
 

There is a minimum order of $3.50 a plate. My standard order is coconut rice (50 cents), one chicken wing ($1.50), ikan bilis (50 cents), vegetables (70 cents) and a sunny-side-up egg (70 cents), which add up to $3.90.
 

To put all this on the table, Mr Tang's work day starts at 2.30am, when his first task is to marinate the chicken wings. He fries these three hours later, in small batches to ensure optimal crispness.
 

The yolks of his sunny-side-ups have liquid centres and his sambal tumis is gloriously tasty with bits of crispy chicken batter.
 

The ikan bilis with nuts, freshly prepared in-house, are atomically crispy.
 

Absolutely worth getting up early for.

 

 

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10 Yong tau foo deep-fried is the way to go

 

 

 

HAKKA YONG TAU FOO

Where: Stall 3A, 02-04, 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza

Open: 9am to 3pm (weekdays), closed on weekends

 

There may be more famous yong tau foo hawker stalls in nearby Chinatown, but this stall in a coffee shop beats them hands down.
 

Shell out for the handmade items such as stuffed chilli and bittergourd and crispy prawn roll, which are prepared daily by stall owner Puan Siew Kam, who is originally from Ipoh.
 

The 58-year-old Singapore permanent resident is finicky about the freshness of the vegetables and pork she uses and goes to the extent of handpicking finger chillies and okra daily.
 

Regulars ask for her off-menu Malaysian-style black sauce dry noodles with their choice of yong tau foo. There is a minimum order of six items. Each item costs 70 cents.
 

Getting all seven of my favourite items with beehoon mee (a mix of thin vermicelli and yellow noodles), tossed in black sauce blended with shallot oil, comes up to $5.60 - a bargain for all the labour that goes into each bowl. You also get a complimentary bowl of soup sweet from pork bones and ikan bilis.
 

If you fancy something spicier, go for yong tau foo in laksa gravy. The Ipoh-style laksa contains little coconut milk, but is thick with an aromatic housemade rempah ground with lemongrass, galangal and plenty of dried prawn. The laksa gravy costs an extra 70 cents.
 

This is not the place for diets or regrets. Most customers ask for their yong tau foo deep-fried and you should too.
 

My must-orders are stuffed beancurd skin filled with fish paste and brinjal stuffed with pork and fish paste.
 

Deep-fried, the brinjal's creamy interior becomes one with the meat stuffing. The stuffed tau kwa remains juicy and tender after a swim in the hot oil. Nothing comes apart.
 

Not to be missed: The silken tofu topped with fish paste is another memorable treat. Come hungry.

 

 

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11 Where the side dishes shine too

 

 

 

MEET PAUL

Where: Stall 7, 02-04, 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza

Open: 10.30am to 6.30pm (weekdays), 10.30am to 3pm (Saturdays), closed on Sundays

 

I am initially attracted to the Deep Fried Halibut Fish & Chips ($8.50) displayed prominently on the menu, but the real star is the Grilled Chicken Chop With Black Pepper Sauce ($6).
 

The slab of boneless chicken thigh meat is browned with crispy edges and a juicy well-marinated interior. It tastes good on its own, but the black pepper sauce adds complexity. It reminds me of black pepper crab, with spice from both black and white pepper, chilli padi and green chilli. There is also the sweetness of white onion and an accent of curry leaves.
 

Owner Paul Kek, 47, worked as a hotel and restaurant chef, then as the chief operating officer of a vegetable supply company, before starting his stall in 2013.
 

His background explains the extraordinary care given to the condiments and sides.
 

The housemade coleslaw, shredded cabbage and carrot served ice cold, is crunchy, tart and sweet with the addition of raisins and pineapple. Mr Kek uses Italian baked beans, to which he adds smoky barbecue sauce.
 

The crinkle-cut fries are made with Idaho potatoes and fried to order.
 

The best side dish has to be the sweetcorn tossed with kidney beans, chickpeas, diced cucumber and celery. The mix is skilfully seasoned with soya sauce and black and white sesame seeds.
 

A plate full of thought and care for under $10.

 

 

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12 Best banh mi in Singapore

 

 

 

BAMI EXPRESS

Where: 02-02, 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza

Open: 9am to 5pm (weekdays), 9am to 3pm (Saturdays), closed on Sundays

 

I dare say the banh mi at Bami Express is easily the best not just in the south, but the whole of Singapore.
 

Co-owner Julie Nguyen, 37, who is originally from Vietnam, is so devoted to her craft, she makes almost everything from scratch.
 

Her baguettes are kneaded in-house and freshly baked each morning. She also prepares the pate, ham, cold cuts and chicken floss from raw meat. She is so fanatical about authenticity, she even whips up mayonnaise from scratch each morning.
 

Gun for the Bami Sai Gon ($5.50), which is a symphony of flavours. You can taste the creamy pork liver in the pate that is smeared on with light-as-air mayonnaise. The ham and cold cuts have a meaty bite, accentuated by crunchy carrot and radish pickles.
 

Even though Bami Express specialises in Vietnamese sandwiches, it has two signature noodle dishes Vietnamese regulars hanker after: Grilled Chicken Vermicelli ($6) and Grilled Pork Jowl Vermicelli ($6).
 

Here, the meat is marinated with aromatics such as garlic, lemongrass and fish sauce, then grilled each morning. The meats are briefly pan-fried to order so they come piping hot on a bed of vermicelli, fresh coriander, mint, crushed peanuts and radish pickles. The highlight is a spicy, tangy housemade dressing infused with the sweetness of pineapple.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by sphere

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13 Prawn paste chicken marinated for 2 days

 

 

 

THE TEOCHEW KITCHENETTE

Where: 02-102, 7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza

Open: 11am to 9pm daily

Info: 6443-3781

 

Come here for your fix of unpretentious Teochew home-style cooking.
 

The Grouper Fish Soup ($11.80) is paired with minced pork, but I ask for the pork to be omitted as I prefer a cleaner soup.
 

The broth has that quintessential Teochew taste, with the use of flatfish that the chef fries then grinds into powder. This is noteworthy as most cooks resort to factory-produced powdered flatfish, which has an overwhelmingly fishy odour.
 

There is also tang chye (preserved vegetable) in the soup.
 

But the top dish here is a non-Teochew item - prawn paste chicken ($8 for six pieces). The mid-joint wings, marinated for at least two days, come with a light, crisp and flavoursome batter. I like how the wings are well defrosted before cooking so the interior is thoroughly cooked, juicy but not bloody.
 

You can ask for a small portion of $5.50 for four pieces if you are dining alone. Freshly squeezed lime juice is added to the accompanying sambal belacan for a citrusy kick.
 

Do not leave without sampling the fried prawn roll ($9 for 10 pieces), which is prepared in-house. Each piece, plump with pork, prawn, black fungus, water chestnut, onion and spring onion, is dipped in a blend of three types of flour before deep-frying.

 

 

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14 Well-timed fishball noodles

 

 

TANJONG PAGAR TEO CHEW FISHBALL NOODLE

Where: 02-47 Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market And Food Centre, 6 Tanjong Pagar Plaza

Open: 5am to 2.30pm (Mondays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays

 

I dislike fishballs and generally avoid eating them. But I am willing to wake up early to queue at this fishball noodle stall, which opens at 5am.
 

Ask for the Signature Noodle Dry ($4.50). As most of the regulars are seniors, the standard noodle seasoning is light-handed for health reasons, but you can request head cook Chen Yue Hui, 37, to add more flavour. I like mine with extra vinegar.
 

The noodles, served separately from the soup, have the unadulterated flavour of pork lard.
 

Mr Chen slow-fries pork lard for more than an hour twice a week. When you bite into each crispy shard, a delicious burst of oil explodes in the mouth.
 

His excellent grasp of cooking times ensures the noodles are springy, the lean minced pork remains juicy and the bean sprouts stay crunchy.
 

The tasty clear soup comes with up to five slices of fishcake, two bouncy fishballs, one meatball and a "special meatball", which has coriander, chilli, tang chye (preserved vegetable) and spring onion. Yellowtail fish goes into the making of the fishballs, as well as the "special meatball".
 

Help yourself to the tang chye, which adds a herbaceous punch to the soup.

 

 

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15 Slurp up every drop of soup

 

 

KHOON KEE TASTY PRAWN MEE

Where: 01-58 Redhill Food Centre, 85 Redhill Lane

Open: 8am to 1pm (Wednesdays to Mondays), closed on Tuesdays

 

It is a joy to find a hearty bowl of prawn noodles that is not another soulless, MSG-laden concoction coloured with dark soya sauce.
 

Stall owner Jack Toh, who looks decades younger than his 64 years, used to work as a Japanese chef before his late mother beseeched him to take over the stall.
 

His top recommendation: the soup version of his Pork Ribs Prawn Noodle ($5).
 

A promising orange layer of prawn essence coats the surface of the soup, which is made using pork ribs and prawn heads. I slurp up the soup right to the bottom of the bowl.
 

Mr Toh eschews the use of dark soya sauce or MSG (monosodium glutamate) in his soup. Only a little rock sugar is added to enhance the natural sweetness of the prawns.
 

He insists on using only ang kar hei, or wild sea prawns. He procures prawn heads which he fries for over an hour until they are dry and crispy. The broth is freshly boiled every morning.
 

Unlike other stalls that pre-cook their prawns to cope with rush hour, he cooks his to order. Each fat, juicy prawn is painstakingly shelled and deveined. The head and tail are left intact for presentation.
 

He firmly believes aesthetics are important for hawker food. "You eat with your eyes first, not your mouth," he says.
 

Remember to add a little of the housemade concoction of chilli powder to your bowl, which comes with a few sprigs of kangkong and bean sprouts.
 

Watch the pale cubes of pork lard bob on the surface of the soup as you tuck into springy noodles, which maintain their texture even after being soaked in the hot soup. Slurp away.

 

 

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16 Mee soto with a hearty broth

 

 

DAENG M.Y.

Where: 01-350, 80 Eating House, Block 80 Redhill Lane

Open: 6.30am to 3pm daily

 

The brusque, no-nonsense manner of the makciks (aunties) at this Malay food stall can be intimidating, so have your mind made up when it is your turn to order.
 

If in doubt, go for the mee soto ($3.50) and add a begedil (50 cents).
 

The consomme-like broth is heartily packed with the sweet, meaty flavour of chicken, lemongrass and galangal.
 

Stall owner Lina Ari, 45, who hails from the Riau Islands of Indonesia, boils a pot of broth with five whole chickens daily. The chicken meat is then shredded for use in the mee soto.
 

Each bowl comes with al dente, blanched yellow noodles and a generous topping of daun sup (Chinese celery) and fried shallots.
 

The begedil is made in-house and fried in small batches throughout the day, so customers get to tuck into hot and crispy potato patties flavoured with fried shallots.
 

Make room for the mee rebus ($3.50), which boasts a creamy gravy thick with lemongrass and the seafood flavours of udang geragau (dried shrimp). The viscosity comes from the generous use of rempah and I like how the gravy is not overly sweet, as is often the case elsewhere.

 

 

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17 Congee to rival those of top restaurant

 

 

 

TIONG BAHRU WAH YUEN PORRIDGE

Where: 01-12 Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre, 79 Telok Blangah Drive

Open: 6am to 2pm (weekends), closed on weekdays

 

When I first find out about Tiong Bahru Wah Yuen Porridge's opening hours, I am surprised that it operates only two days a week, and just on weekends.
 

A whiff of the aromatic soya sauce from a passing plate nudges me into the queue.
 

I fall in love with the poached chicken and Cantonese-style congee at first bite. I still cannot decide which I like more. But what is clear is that I cannot have one without the other.
 

Prices for the chicken start at $4 a plate to $30 for a whole chicken. For two persons, I order the lower hind quarter ($10) of the bird. The meat is almost slippery, tenderly packed with flavour.
 

Stall owner Raymond Yip, 71, says his secret is bone broth that takes five hours to boil, in which both the chicken and porridge are cooked.
 

He also uses a premium grade of naturally fermented soya sauce to dress the cut chicken.
 

His wife, Madam Sheila Ter, 65, prepares a spicy garlic chilli from scratch incorporating freshly squeezed lime juice.
 

I also like the Century Egg Congee ($3), which comes with peanuts.
 

The semi-retired couple's signature dish is the Mandarin Congee ($5), which comes with pig offal such as powder intestines, liver, heart and stomach. It also has peanuts, cuttlefish and century egg.
 

The congee, I dare say, is better than that served at many top Cantonese restaurants and at a fraction of the cost too.

 

 

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18 Doesn't matter if it's black or white

 

 

GUAN SENG CARROT CAKE

Where: 01-33 Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre, 79 Telok Blangah Drive

Open: 5am to 1pm (Wednesdays to Mondays), closed on Tuesdays

 

Regulars know Guan Seng Carrot Cake as Yuan Cheng Carrot Cake, a direct translation from the Chinese characters on its faded purple signboard. The paint on the unit number is also peeling away.
 

But you cannot miss the long lines for the stall. It is manned expertly by Madam Ng Guek Eng, 56, who ambidextrously stabs and flips carrot cake and egg with two metal spatulas over a smoking cast-iron griddle.
 

She reminds me of Bangkok's iconic, goggle-donning Michelin-starred hawker Jay Fai, whose two-handed fried crab omelette wins rave reviews.
 

If you do not see Madam Ng, you are probably making the same mistake I did, going to Guan Seng Carrot Cake in Telok Blangah Crescent instead, where a limp, smashed-up version of carrot cake awaits. The stall owners may be related, but they run their stalls separately and the quality of the carrot cake is worlds apart.
 

At the correct stall, Madam Ng's white and black carrot cake are both winners. Cannot decide? Order the yuan yang, a combination of both. Prices start at $3.
 

Unlike other stalls which serve overly sweet black carrot cake, the one here is more savoury than sweet, with the use of premium-grade sweet sauce.
 

In both the black and white versions, you get charred bits of carrot cake and egg, with flavour infused with garlic and lashings of chye poh (preserved radish). The carrot cake is glossy without being greasy, and you bite into distinct rectangular pieces of tender carrot cake, which are thoroughly fried.
 

Be warned that the chilli packs a punch, so ask for less if you cannot take the heat.

 

 

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19 Duck noodles you should just upsize

 

 

SHI JI NOODLE STALL

Where: 01-56 Seah Im Food Centre, 2 Seah Im Road

Open: 7.30am to 2.30pm, closed on alternate Saturdays

 

Head here on your cheat day. The braised duck noodles are worth blowing several hundred calories on. Go at 10am, just when the housemade braised duck is ready.
 

Forget about asking for less noodles as your pleas will fall on deaf ears. But the stall happily accepts requests for bigger portions.
 

The stall is so busy at all hours that the owner declines to be interviewed, despite my showing up four times.
 

Prices start at $3.50, but the woman fronting the stall suggests going for the $4 dry version, which gets you more duck meat.
 

The peppery pungency of the Chinese celery garnish balances the gaminess of the duck.
 

Dining on-site gets you a complimentary bowl of warming herbal broth that has the distinct taste of danggui (Chinese angelica) with a tinge of bitterness from chuan xiong (lovage root).
 

The lor mee is also worth ordering as the starchy gravy oozes a meaty flavour. The $4 bowl of flat yellow noodles is smothered with strips of ngoh hiang, fish cake, fried dumpling skin, fatty braised pork belly and half a braised egg. The generous shower of chopped garlic alone is enough to scare off vampires.

 

 

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20 Multi-textured gado gado

 

 

DALIMAN'S KORNER

Where: 01-33 Seah Im Food Centre, 2 Seah Im Road

Open: 7am to 8pm daily, closed irregularly

 

Many swear by the mee soto at Daliman's Korner, but I much prefer its signature gado gado ($4), which is topped with house-fried fish crackers.
 

The coarsely chopped peanuts in the gravy provide plenty of crunch, while the oil-blanched pieces of tau kwa are plump and juicy. Embedded in the dish are pieces of boiled potato, rice cake and deep-fried tempeh, which has a powdery finish. The bean sprouts, blanched to order, provide yet more texture.

 

The gravy has an orange hue from the fresh turmeric in the housemade rempah.
 

Satay is available from 3pm. But expect to wait up to 20 minutes as it is charcoal-grilled to order.
 

An interesting combination is the Mee Rebus Satay ($7.50), which comes with five sticks of satay. The smoky meat and satay drippings further enhance the gooey mee rebus gravy, redolent with the taste of lemongrass and galangal.

 

 

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The Sunday Times, Life Section (13 March 2022)

 

 

Food In The Hood: 20 eating places to check out in central Singapore

 

 

Food in the Hood - Episode 5: Food essentials in central Singapore

 

 

An embarrassment of riches is laid out before the hungry diner looking for a meal in central Singapore. So many restaurants, cafes, hawker stalls, coffee shops. So little time.
 

So, curating a list of 20 good places to eat in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Serangoon Garden, Sin Ming, Thomson and Toa Payoh requires some ruthlessness.
 

Can I leave out stalls at those two wildly popular hawker centres in Serangoon Garden? I must. Reams and reams have already been written about them.
 

Can I ignore the long queues at those crazy good roast meat stalls in Ang Mo Kio? I must. The wait is crazy long as it is.
 

Must I pick the stalls opened by former restaurant chefs? No, I don't. See the other two reasons.
 

I also trust that your food radar has already pointed you in the direction of Yang Ming Seafood in Bishan, Hup Seng Duck Rice in Sin Ming, Che' Rose Nasi Padang in Toa Payoh and Garden Street Kway Chap in Serangoon Garden.
 

Nothing infuriates me more than paying for and eating bad food. I have said that truly horrible meals are hard to find in Singapore. I still believe that. But I am underwhelmed by several places I visit.
 

One of them is a much-lauded yong tau foo stall with a long queue. When I finally tuck in, I wonder why people bother. The filling is average. The deep-fried items are coated in an impenetrable armour of stodge.
 

The $9.10 I spend there can pay for the two best things I have eaten for this feature, from a noodle stall in Ang Mo Kio. Believe me when I say I agonised over writing about it. I don't want the queue to get even longer.
 

But that discovery is what makes my job worth doing.
 

There are others.
 

A hawker stall in Ang Mo Kio makes me rethink my bias against mee sua, or rice vermicelli.
 

A simple bowl of rice, pork and a fried egg in Serangoon Garden is the kind of soulful food I want every day. A fiery Sambal Goreng Pasta in Bishan makes me sweat, but I just cannot stop thinking about it.
 

In Upper Thomson Road, I find crunchy, golden-brown schnitzel, served with old-school potato salad.
 

They are among the best eats in central Singapore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2022 by sphere

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1 German-style curry sauce to rival McDonald's

 

 

 

WILDER MANN

Where: 906 Upper Thomson Road
Tel: 6459-1090
Open: 6 to 10pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays
Info: Wilder Mann's website

 

Walking into Wilder Mann, a German restaurant in the upper reaches of Upper Thomson Road, is like stepping back in time. The place, right behind Springleaf MRT station, is full of retro-looking signs for beer brands and beer coasters framed up. A hand-lettered sign out front proclaims: "We serve beer as cold as your exs heart."
 

That proves to be true of Benediktiner Hell ($13.50 for 500ml), a Bavarian lager served - cold - in a bespoke beer mug. Malty, fruity and light - this beer is way too easy to drink.
 

To fortify myself, I order food and two of the dishes make this place worth visiting.
 

The first, Zwei Currywurste mit Pommes ($11.30), features juicy sausages with snappy skin, smothered in a sweet, fruity German-style curry sauce. The sauce tastes like sweet and sour sauce with a bit of an edge, and I cannot get enough of it, dragging the fries served alongside through it. Can anything top McDonald's curry dipping sauce for nuggets? Yes, this sauce can.
 

The second dish cements this place as one that is worth the long drive to get to.
 

Schweineschnitzel mit Pommes ($12.50) arrives a shade darker than golden brown and crunchy as heck. The pork loin, pounded thin, is not overcooked - quite a feat. Forget about ordering schnitzel with mushroom or Cajun cream sauces. The original is just perfect with a squeeze of lemon juice and/or a dab of that curry sauce.
 

The side dishes taste of nostalgia. Potato salad, with chopped-up gherkins and egg, is dressed with, I think, "salad cream" (remember that precursor to mayonnaise?). And the little pile of iceberg lettuce, sliced cucumber and non-heirloom tomatoes is drizzled with, get this, Thousand Island dressing.
 

Basking in nostalgia is good for a while, but then reality always intrudes. The seats are, bizarrely, wrapped in plastic wrap, the shelves that separate the tables are too. I suppose in Covid-19 times, restaurants cannot be too careful.
 

I have come to expect indifferent service in Singapore, but the young woman who runs the front of this fully booked house all by herself surprises me. She does her job with grace and a ready smile. I'll be back.

 

 

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2 Terrific Tex-Mex in the heartland

 

 

 

365 HALAL CUISINE WESTERN

Where: 01-2683, 603 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5
Open: Noon to 9.45pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays

 

Let me just say that a coffee shop in a quiet part of Ang Mo Kio is the last place I expect to find terrific Tex-Mex food. But this is Singapore and there are good food surprises at every turn.
 

Yes, you can order a perfectly good Chicken Chop ($8.80), smothered in black pepper sauce. The boneless chicken thigh will be juicy. There will be a good sear on the bird.
 

But why stick with the tried and true when you can have Beef Burrito ($12.80) and Chimichanga ($11.80)? If torn between the two, order both or pick the burrito.
 

Here's why: It is packed with the good stuff, no rice or beans padding out your meal, forcing you into a post-lunch carb coma.
 

Wrapped up in the soft flour tortilla are thick strips of beef. They are cooked medium-well, with just a hint of pink in the middle, but are still tender and not dried out. In place of rice and beans, ground beef done chilli con carne style.
 

The spicing is lively and I like it even better with the perky blender salsa served alongside, bristling with tartness and heat.
 

While I appreciate the fresh-looking salad on the plate, I would much prefer a handful of tortilla or corn chips. And extra salsa.
 

Oh, and the fries are of the thick-cut variety - the kind I like.
 

The chimichanga, essentially a fried burrito, has no filler either. Just good stuff inside. In this case, chicken and cheese. If you need an ooze picture for social media, order this.
 

It would be absolutely perfect if the flour tortilla wrapping were crunchier, but the amount of oil that will require boggles my mind.
 

A scoop of that delicious salsa sits pretty on top, mitigating the richness of the cheese. I am so going to reverse-engineer it.

 

 

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3 Gelato on brioche, please

 

 

 

WINTERWOODS

Where: 01-2665, 603 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5
Open: 5 to 9pm (Mondays), noon to 9pm (Tuesdays to Thursdays), noon to 10pm (Fridays to Sundays)

 

Am I the only one who responds like Pavlov's dog to the sound of the ice cream man's bell? If I had a tail, I'd wag it. My usual order is corn ice cream in a slice of folded-up soft bread in groovy colours.
 

Winterwoods, a cafe a few doors away from 365 Halal Cuisine Western, does an atas (Malay for posh) version, featuring housemade gelato on brioche toast or stuffed into croissants.
 

My dining companion and I amble over to cool down after our salsa adventures and are charmed by the friendly service and vivid flavours of the gelato. These cost $4 or $5 a scoop. The sizeable slice of brioche costs $3.50 and the croissant, $3.80.
 

To my complete surprise, the best of the four flavours I try is the Honey Roasted Cashew ($5 a scoop). Surprise because it is dairy-free, made with rice milk. I love the rich mouthfeel of the gelato, how velvety it is. Of course, it does not hurt that the gelato is topped with honey-roasted cashews.
 

Peachy Earl Grey ($4), a newish flavour, is peachy indeed. The earl, however, is elusive. A better fruit flavour to pick is Pink Guava Yogurt ($4), its flavour out, loud and proud.
 

Although such a cliche now, the Salted Caramel ($4) is terrific, despite the slightly stale popcorn topping.
 

Go on, have it on toasted brioche. You know you want to.

 

 

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4 Beef noodles hit the spot

 

 

HONG HENG BEEF NOODLE SOUP & LAKSA

Where: 01-16, 226H Ang Mo Kio Street 22
Open: 7.30am to 3.30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays

 

In the throes of the circuit breaker, when I was suffering serious cabin fever, friends of mine dropped off beef noodles from Hong Heng. I was ever so grateful.
 

It ticks many boxes. The gravy for the dry version is not gluggy, the offal is cleaned thoroughly - the texture beautiful - and the beef balls are more than just lumps of beef-flavoured filler.
 

Other places have darker-coloured, more robustly flavoured soup, but I like the delicate broth at this stall. It is beefy enough without being overwhelming or too salty. The soup is naturally sweet and belly-warming.
 

I opt for Mixed Beef Soup (from $5) with kway teow and it hits the spot instantly. The sliced beef is lightly cooked, with some parts pink. A slice of brisket delivers beefy power, and to round off the bowl, tender tendon and bouncy tripe. Pungent Chinese celery and chopped-up salted mustard greens add depth, flavour and texture.

 

You can have all of this and the stall's laksa, but don't. My bowl of Fresh Cockles Laksa (from $4) looks ever so lemak. It has a layer of orange oil floating on top, the coconut cream-enriched gravy looks thick. But the rempah that goes into making the gravy lacks oomph, resulting in laksa that looks fearsome but tastes meek.

 

 

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5 Best find in central region

 

 

SHU HENG BI TAI MAK

Where: 01-25, 226H Ang Mo Kio Street 22
Open: 7am to noon (Wednesdays to Mondays), closed on Tuesdays

 

You know how you go someplace to eat one thing and end up finding something else just as good, if not better?
 

That is how I stumble on the best thing I have eaten on this eating odyssey of central Singapore.

 

I am in Kebun Baru Market And Food Centre for a comforting bowl of beef noodles (see other story), but while getting into the carpark, spot the sign for Shu Heng Bi Tai Mak. Intriguing.
 

These rice noodles are very underrated, which is a pity. Well cooked, they can rival mee pok in a bak chor mee. They are shorter and more porous, so they readily absorb flavours, and their length makes it easy to coat thoroughly in gravy or sauce.
 

The stall opened just a little more than a year ago and, every time I go, there is a long queue. The two things I like best here sell out fast, so plan accordingly.
 

First, the Pork Leg Noodle Dry ($5.80). You must order it with mee tai mak. You must say yes when the young woman asks if you want chilli and vinegar.
 

How do I begin to extol its virtues? The three meaty chunks of bone-in pork leg look plain. But take a bite. Long hours in a slow cooker with lemongrass, ginger, peppercorns and star anise result in tender, flavourful meat and QQ skin and fat. Shu Heng, my face thanks you for the collagen.
 

The springy mee tai mak is tossed with what looks like bak chor mee seasonings. But this is fresher, brighter, spicier and more tart. That alone would make the noodles worth eating.
 

But on top is ladled a scoop of minced pork braised in a soya sauce-based gravy with slices of rehydrated dried shiitake. Tossed with noodles, the minced pork would be perfect.
 

But the two strange bedfellows are together in one bowl. The tension is palpable. Comforting versus jangly. Mellow versus edgy. Like adults, they have decided it is in everyone's best interest to get along.
 

I mix it all together and eat a spoonful. Fireworks erupt. Angels sing.
 

On my first visit, the stall is sold out of its Johor Bi Tai Mak ($3.50 or $4). When I go back, the young woman asks if I want to try it. She must have remembered. I say this because she asks the person in front of me in the queue why he had not gone the day before. Impressive.
 

A bowl of brown sludge is what I get. I mix everything up with a spoon, taking note of the thick but not-too-thick sauce. The generous amount of minced pork. The little prawns. The chopped-up mushrooms. The... what are those crunchy bits? Could they be fried salted fish? Yes they are. Hallelujah.
 

Dear reader, go to Shu Heng Bi Tai Mak. Don't walk. Run.

 

 

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6 Silky mee sua

 

 

 

SHIOK SHIOK NOODLES

Where: 01-07, 341 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1
Open: 7.30am to 2.30pm (Saturdays to Thursdays), closed on Fridays

 

After a brutal workout in the pool, I rock up to this hawker centre hungry like a wolf.
 

I can, I decide, make a convincing case for carbs.
 

Shiok Shiok, which used to be in Midview City in Sin Ming, opened here in September 2021. It sells bak chor mee, classic and mala, but that is not why I am there.
 

The stall's Black Mee Sua ($7) is what calls out to me in insistent fashion, like the stall's neon-pink sign.
 

I'm not a fan of mee sua because the rice vermicelli can be claggy, but when I ask if I can have the dish with a different kind of noodles, the young hawker says it works best with mee sua.
 

He is right. The noodles are not claggy or clumpy and they soak up a lot of flavour from the dark-coloured pork broth. It has plenty of oomph, with added power supplied by shreds of ginger.

 

Swimming in the broth are thickish slices of pig liver, satisfyingly undercooked; pig kidney; minced pork; and a scattering of lard cubes.
 

The QQ texture of the kidney is great, and I am so glad there are young people who appreciate offal and organ meats too.
 

You can add XO for $1.50 extra. I do, of course. The cognac deepens the flavour of the dish, giving the soup extra oomph.
 

A hand-lettered sign at the stall says the day's special is Ang Chau Mee Sua ($5) and I order it without hesitation. This is usually available only on weekends, so I am lucky that weekday.
 

I like this even more.
 

Ang chau, the lees from making Foochow red wine, is intense and the thickish soup packs quite a punch. Shredded ginger is the perfect accompaniment.
 

There are three pieces of chicken wing in the bowl - two flats and a drumette - and a slice of shiitake. Wing pieces are not the easiest to eat, but they don't overcook, so it makes sense to use them.
 

I don't often have breakfast. But for these Shiok Shiok Noodles, I'll gladly break my fast early.

 

 

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7 Charred kway teow

 

 

BENDEMEER FRESH COCKLES FRIED KWAY TEOW

Where: 01-13, 409 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10
Open: 10am to 4.30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays

 

It is an afterthought, really. My sister and I are running errands in this neighbourhood and casting about for lunch. I like both the fish soup stalls at this hawker centre and make tracks to order. But I have always been curious about the char kway teow stall on the same row. I order a plate, not expecting much.
 

"Whoa," my sister says. "This has to go on your list."
 

And it has.

 

I have haunted the stall a couple more times since, and the char kway teow ($4 or $5) always delivers. The charring is skilful, resulting in smoky noodles that are well worth queueing for and eating. Even better, it is just wet enough and the chilli has kick.
 

Finding small cockles and cubes of crunchy lard buried in the noodles is one of life's joys and a compelling reason to eat char kway teow.
 

On one of my visits, I ask the woman who takes the orders when the stall moved to Ang Mo Kio from Bendemeer.
 

Ten years ago, she tells me.
 

Long enough for this expat to become a card-carrying citizen of Ang Mo Kio, I reckon.

 

 

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8 Pretty pink ban mian

 

 

YUE LAI XIANG DELIGHTS

Where: 01-224 Wan Hao Kopitiam, 22 Sin Ming Road
Tel: 9653-3441
Open: 10am to 6.30pm (Mondays to Saturdays), 11am to 2pm (Sundays), closed on alternate Sundays. Next Sunday closure is on March 13
Info: Yue Lai Xiang Delights' website

 

Eggs with runny yolks - poached, soft-boiled or cooked sous vide - have become such a cliche. Restaurants of all stripes serve them. So do hawker and coffee-shop stalls. Footage of a river of yolk running all over burgers/pasta/fried rice is the money shot for foodie types.
 

At Yue Lai Xiang Delights, the poached egg is crucial to my enjoyment of the dry version of its Beetroot Ban Mian ($5.80).
 

The noodles are dressed with soya sauce, lard, sesame oil, dark soya sauce and sambal chilli, among other things. All of this, when mixed with the noodles, is delightful. But mix the runny yolk with the seasonings and that is heaven. The sauce clings more fiercely to the noodles, the richness smooths out the rough edges of the sambal.
 

My ban mian, which turns purplish after being boiled, looks stodgy. But it is very QQ and light because of the tapioca starch mixed into the dough. Additional texture comes from fried ikan bilis, the smaller ones that don't poke the inside of my mouth; tender meatballs; and young mani chye leaves.
 

Owner Joy Yeo, 44, says she tweaked her grandmother's recipe for mee hoon kueh to suit her own taste. Her grandmother would cook a large pot of the noodles and let it sit.
 

Ms Yeo prefers the noodles to be springy. At the stall, she offers ban mian, mee hoon kueh and u-mian. In an inspired move, she also flavours and colours the dough, with beetroot, spinach, butterfly pea flowers or pumpkin.
 

The from-scratch pork broth that comes with my noodles is coloured a pretty pink.
 

During the post-lunch lull, she and her team make the noodle dough for the next day. The elements that go into the bowl are made from scratch and with care.

"I want to sell something that people can eat every day," she says. "With a home-cooked kind of feel."

 

 

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9 French champion

 

 

CHARCOAL TRADITIONAL TAOST

Where: 01-51 Jin Fa Kopitiam, 24 Sin Ming Road
Open: 7am to 9pm (weekdays), 5.30am to 5pm (weekends)

 

The classic Singapore breakfast of kaya toast, eggs and kopi or teh is what fuels many people for the day ahead.
 

Some stalls just do it better than others. It could be the quality of the kaya, how well the bread is toasted, the thickness of the cold butter shoved into hot toast, the aroma of the coffee or tea, the amount of milk and sugar.
 

So I regret to say that Charcoal Traditional Toast's Traditional Toast ($1.40) thrills me not at all.
 

It's the bread. The slices have the requisite grill marks and browning on both sides, but in between each slice, it is really just crustless soft white bread the heat has not penetrated. British food doyenne Delia Smith would call that kind of toast "wangy".
 

A much better bet is the stall's French toast ($1.40). This is a bit of a misnomer, since it is not bread dipped into egg and pan-fried. The "French" refers to the bread, what people here call French loaf or roti perancis. A soft baguette, if you will.
 

But it has crust and that makes all the difference.
 

On the charcoal grill, that crust develops personality, char. It crisps up. The bread, I am certain, has been smooshed on the grill - it arrives flattened, instead of fluffy and tall like the kaya toast.
 

Better-than-average kaya and a thick slab of cold butter add up to a breakfast of champions.

 

 

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10 Seriously good steak

 

 

RUBICON STEAK HOUSE

Where: 01-04 Thomson Imperial Court, 200 Upper Thomson Road
Tel: 8303-4075
Open: Noon to 3pm, 6 to 10pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays and Mondays
Info: Rubicon Steak House's Facebook

 

Upper Thomson Road, thick with restaurants and cafes, seems an unlikely place for a serious steak house. And there is nothing about Rubicon's interior that suggests said seriousness.
 

No tufted banquettes, no wood-panelled walls, no fat cat bankers (at least, they don't look like fat cat bankers) on company expense. It looks like a neighbourhood cafe.
 

Then the Sirloin Steak ($69 for 180g) lands on the table.
 

The beef, from Hokkaido, is cooked perfectly medium rare. How many times have people oohed and ahhed over the marbling in Japanese beef, over its tenderness? How rarely do they talk about the flavour. How, I want to know, do they do it in Hokkaido? Raise cattle with marbling and flavour?
 

The flavour is not as robust as Hidagyu from Gifu prefecture, but still, I kick myself for not ordering the larger steak ($126 for 360g).
 

Ribeye is my go-to cut, but at Rubicon, I will always order the sirloin because its beefy flavour is so compelling. As an added bonus, there are three textures of fat on the steak - soft, lightly crisp and brittle crunchiness. I bite into a charred bit of fat and experience all three textures in one go.
 

Arguably, if the steak is good, there is no need for accoutrements. But the complimentary steak sauce balances richness and tang perfectly, the salad with the creamy sesame dressing is crisp, and fries of the skinny variety are free at lunch.
 

I order Fried Garlic ($2) to go with my meat and the whole cloves, improbably crunchy and soft all at once, are a delight to eat. Other great things to order include Japanese Style Beef Curry ($18.90) and the Ginger Chicken Karaage ($14.80).
 

What I'd like to see, however, are secondary cuts of Hokkaido beef. Flank, hanger, rump cap. For these cuts, I'd happily put up with meat sweats. It is a thing. Look it up.

 

 

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11 Oishi sando

 

 

 

HELLO ARIGATO

Where: 227 Upper Thomson Road
Open: 11am to 4pm (Tuesdays to Fridays), 10am to 4pm (weekends), 6 to 9pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays
Info: Hello Arigato's website

 

Pity the beleaguered cafe owner in Singapore, battling high rents, scarce labour, rising food costs. Add to that the pressure of standing out. Of offering Instagrammable food. Of having Instagrammable interiors. Of having a catchy name.
 

Hello Arigato nails the last four things.
 

The name tells you the vibe is Japanese. The food is best described as very upscale konbini - those ubiquitous convenience stores everywhere in Japan.
 

Taking centre stage on the menu: beautifully made sando, Japanese-style sandwiches.
 

Co-owners Colin Chen, 39, who owns a creative agency; Wong Ying Ming, 39, a business consultant; and Gabriel Tan, 31, who is the chef, opened the place in November 2021.
 

Mr Chen says: "We wanted to see how we can brighten people's days. In Japan, you go to the konbini for sandwiches. They're not crazy fancy, but they can bring people a lot of happiness.
 

"We didn't want to be just another cafe with hipster decor. We want to be food forward."
 

One look at the Charred Miso Caesar ($12) is all it takes to convince me.
 

The plate is strewn with buttered and toasted panko crumbs and the kitchen has taken care to sprinkle the crumbs, and grated parmesan, in between the leaves of the baby romaine too, so there is crunch in every bite. The creamy dressing, with umami from the miso, is particularly good with the charred edges of the lettuce.
 

Then come the sando.
 

Tamago Sando ($14) one-ups the viral version by Konbi in Los Angeles. The "presentation egg", as I like to call it, is not just a hard-boiled egg. It is an ajitama, the sort served with ramen, orange-yolked, marinated in shoyu and bright like the sun. The egg mayonnaise mixture is not just chopped-up hard-boiled eggs. There are cubes of tamagoyaki in there too.
 

Gyu Sando ($26) is cooked medium rare - the only way, in my book. The 160g of striploin has flavour in spades, but the sweet, caramelised onions and lashings of Kewpie bring it up to the next level.
 

Katsu Sando ($16) features juicy pork loin, grilled pineapple and tonkatsu sauce. I rather think Japanese Worcestershire would work better, giving a little sharpness to the filling.
 

As a nod to Singapore, there is also Otah Sando ($20), filled with a thick slab of battered and deep-fried Muar otah, sambal bright with kaffir lime leaves and sliced cucumber. It is the humble otah sandwich on steroids.
 

All the sando are made with Japanese milk bread sliced thick and properly toasted.

 

 

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12 Iced chicken

 

 

MING KEE CHICKEN RICE

Where: 01-522 Kim San Leng Food Centre, 511 Bishan Street 13
Open: 9.30am to 8pm (Wednesdays to Mondays), closed on Tuesdays

 

Fortune, that fickle minx, is smiling on me when I turn up at Kim San Leng Food Centre in Bishan.
 

I had heard of the long queues for Ming Kee Chicken Rice, but this is after the lunch rush and I am the only customer.
 

That minx. I want drumstick or thigh, but am told there is only breast left. The absolute horror. I ask for gizzard and liver, but the stall has run out.
 

Dejected, I settle for Set A ($5.80) - chicken, rice and bean sprouts for one. And cast about for something else to order. I pick Crystal Chicken Feet ($3).
 

The unique selling point at Ming Kee is iced chicken. Many places dunk their poached chickens in ice water to stop the cooking, so the bird stays tender. This stall goes to the next level. When I peer through the glass panel of the stall, I see a block of ice sitting on chicken.
 

This treatment is what makes eating chicken breast bearable.
 

See, the ice keeps the chicken juices under the skin in a jellied state so you can enjoy it with the chicken rather than have it run into the rice, or onto the plate where it mingles with the soya sauce and sesame oil and you can't taste it.
 

The ice also keeps the skin taut, and this is shown to great effect in the chicken feet. Order this if you like spectacular QQ. Thank you, minx.
 

I go back to the stall to tell the staff how much I like the food and to buy takeaway containers because I cannot finish it.
 

One of them asks: "If you like the food so much, why can't you finish it?"
 

I mutter something about large portions. As I walk away, I wonder what they would say if I had told them it was my fifth lunch that day.

 

 

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13 Where the burn is beautiful

 

 

 

GOOD BITES

Where: 03-01 Bishan Sports Centre, 5 Bishan Street 14
Tel: 6970-0233
Open: 11 to 5am daily
Info: Good Bites' website

 

Some restaurants have more style than substance - you would have eaten at some of them, I am sure. Feature walls, fancy light bulbs and quirky furniture don't amount to a hill of beans if the food is not up to par.
 

Good Bites, a 70-seat halal restaurant at Bishan Sports Centre, has cute decor and also excellent food.
 

It is on the third floor of the centre and has a large outdoor dining area. But I retreat indoors at lunchtime. I need to - my favourite dish here is as fiery as the noonday sun.
 

Chilli heads who order Sambal Goreng Pasta With Seafood ($14.99) will laugh at me, I am sure. But for this chilli coward, the burn is real. And it is exquisite.
 

The linguine and seafood (prawns, mussels and squid) are incidental. What makes this dish is the sambal - bright, fresh, garlicky and hot, hot, hot. You know when you are sweating, but cannot stop eating the spicy food in front of you? That's me.
 

It is the laser-sharp flavour of the sambal that thrills me. That focus is also there in the patty for the Thai Fish Burger ($17.99). Kaffir lime leaves and chilli perk up a patty I find a little stodgy. More fish, less binder, or an actual filet of fish would work much better.
 

So much of the lamb we get in Singapore is devoid of lamb flavour, I might as well be eating beef.
 

But the Boss Burger ($16.99) at this restaurant features a patty made with beef and mutton. And there is plenty of flavour in the mutton. The strong flavour, from older sheep, is tempered by the beef. So the patty is not overwhelmingly gamey. Satay sauce is the perfect accompaniment.
 

I can do without the purple cabbage slaw, however. It is the odd element in the burger, the creamy dressing at odds with the satay sauce. Crunch from lettuce and cucumber will suffice.
 

For dessert, I order a Speculoos Croffle ($9.99), a croissant pressed in a waffle iron. The edges are properly toasted so they are crisp. The dessert calls out for a scoop of ice cream, if only to cool my fevered brow.
 

Owner Chris Pang, 40, who also owns Citrus By The Pool, a halal restaurant at Woodlands Swimming Complex, says he opened Good Bites three years ago. So serious is he about offering an all-day dining experience that the restaurant runs from 11 to 5am. And he sometimes waits tables too.
 

"Food brings people together and I love to talk to customers," the car trader by day says. "I bond by talking."

 

 

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14 Delicious find on the second floor

 

 

 

THE LARDER CAFE

Where: 66A Serangoon Garden Way
Tel: 6246-4431
Open: 11am to 10pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays
Info: The Larder Cafe's website

 

It says something that this cafe, on the second floor of a shophouse, does brisk trade despite not having the same visibility as ground-floor establishments.
 

On the face of it, the menu is filled with the usual cafe offerings - burgers, egg dishes, pasta, pizza, waffles, cake. But the things I order come with touches that make this a worthwhile place to check out.
 

Even the dud dish is salvageable.
 

The Dowager's Fingers ($10) are long prawn wontons deep-fried and served with a mayonnaise dip amped up with honey and sesame. Those "fingers" poke out of a glass and look dramatic.
 

When you take a bite, however, the outside is crisp but just under that is a perplexing, thin layer of stodge. Such a pity because it tastes delicious, especially with that dip.
 

On to better things.
 

Black Mama Pork Burger ($16.50) is a well-constructed burger which won't fall apart when you cut it in two. Yes, the black bun, colour courtesy of charcoal, makes an impression, but this is all about the patty. It is not so much a patty as meatloaf. The ground pork is mixed in with finely chopped onions and carrot, which lend it sweetness and keep it juicy. A slice of melted cheese sits pretty on top. Not so much a burger as a patty melt.
 

But what's in a name? What counts is that it tastes delicious.
 

I order Baked Eggs & Bacon Cups ($14) because it is brunch time. Hiding under the bacon cups and the eggs are circles of bread. I don't mind them. Egg-soaked bread is always welcome in my belly.
 

What I like most on the plate are the two perfectly cooked pork sausages, with a hit of heat from smoked paprika. They are well browned and juicy. And when I eat a piece on its own, I get why the bacon and egg cups are a little bland. You will find that a forkful of egg, bacon and sausage has just the right amount of salt.
 

Note to self: When in Serangoon Garden, look up. There are some gems to be found on the second floor.

 

 

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15 Soulful everyday food

 

 

 

NIC & TOM EATERY

Where: 55 Serangoon Garden Way
Tel: 6789-9696
Open: 10am to 10pm daily
Info: Nic & Tom Eatery's website

 

The first time I turn up at this casual restaurant in Serangoon Garden, there is a queue of people outside baying for blood. Oops. Sunday. Lunchtime. Not a good idea.
 

When I do eventually get in, it is a weekday and I am the first customer. But the place fills up in head-spinning fashion.
 

Owners and cousins Nicholas Lim, 22, and Tommy Pang, 25, cut their teeth helping out in Mr Pang's family yong tau foo business, Bai Nian. But their restaurant is a world away from rough and tumble hawker centres.
 

The look is industrial chic, with concrete floors, retro light bulbs and black tables. It is a place where gaggles of young people, multi-generational families and couples on dates would feel right at home.
 

What's on the menu is mostly Asian comfort food: some classic, some jazzed up.
 

The pasta offerings leave me cold, but there is plenty to like on the menu.
 

Please order Tuckshop Rice ($1.90). Rice is drizzled with a soya braising sauce, presumably the same one used for braising pig trotters and offal at the restaurant, with pieces of fried pork scattered over, and then topped with a sunny-side-up egg. Mix it all together and inhale. Supreme comfort. Forget low-carbing for one meal.
 

The restaurant limits each diner to one bowl and will not let you take it away. Go figure.
 

Because I want more of that braising sauce, I also order Pig Intestine ($8), which you can have with mee sua too. The impeccably cleaned large intestines are tender and juicy, and that braising sauce has plenty of oomph.
 

Salted Veg ($1.50) is curiously unsalty. Entirely skippable.
 

The signature Yong Tau Foo ($5.90) is of the Hakka variety and generous in size. Floating in the bowl are nuggets of prawn paste, pork paste, fried and not fried yong tau foo. In a bowl full of good things, the best piece is the bittergourd, stuffed with pork paste.
 

I feel I need to try something newfangled, so I order the Seafood Cheese Beehoon ($9.90). The seafood broth is enriched with cheddar cheese and served with beehoon, prawns, scallops and meatballs. It doesn't suck and I find myself going back for the broth, which is just lightly cheesy.
 

Given the choice, however, I would definitely go with the rice, yong tau foo and braised offal. Classics are classic for a reason.