兄弟 ('Xiong Di') Rojak

By Darren Lee

Having lived in Clementi for practically my whole life, there are two foods (or snacks if you’d prefer) which I think that you HAVE to eat in Clementi.

Both of them are famous and have been in Clementi for decades. This will be separated into two parts*, and right here we have Part 1!

Background

'Xiong Di' (meaning 'brother(s)' in Chinese) Fruit Rojak is popular and has been on various food programmes broadcasted on television for around 13 years now.

For those of you who do not know what Fruit Rojak is, it is a dish that typically consists of cucumber, pineapple, bean sprouts, ‘Tau Pok’ (deep fried tofu), fried dough fritters (or 'You Tiao' in Chinese) and dried cuttlefish mixed with a special sauce that is usually prepared by mixing water, shrimp paste, sugar, chili and lime juice.

Price

‘Xiong Di’ Rojak serves its rojak in different sizes with prices ranging from $3 to $8.

Taste & Texture

To start with the pineapple, I would say that it’s really fresh and its juice oozed out with every bite I took. The same goes with the cucumber; it has a nice crunchy texture and complements the dressing very well.

However, the beansprouts were rather soggy (probably because they were left out after boiling the whole day)

Fortunately for me, the ‘Tau Pok’ and the fried dough fritters I was served had come straight from the grill, so they were both crispy and had very nice centres- fluffy for the fried dough fritters and soft for the ‘Tau Pok’.

Waiting Time

The queues can take a while (10-15 minutes) at peak hours but on normal days you would only have to wait 5 minutes at most

Getting There

On average, the walking distance to the coffee shop takes less than five minutes from the Clementi MRT station.

Rating

兄弟 ('Xiong Di') Rojak

See Lam Hern Coffee Shop

Block 449, Clementi Avenue 3

*: Stay tuned to my post next week, which will feature ‘Jin It Thai San’ Popiah at the very same coffee shop!

Kheng Hai Hui Boneless Chicken Rice

By Walter Ng

Hi guys! If you remember, exactly a month ago, I wrote a post on Ming Kee Chicken Rice & Porridge at Bishan.

If you are not fond of the long queuing time or the price of the food, here is another alternative which I had come across. This store is based at the Old Airport Road Food Centre and each plate of chicken rice costs only $2.50! (How cheap is that..?) The serving portion is reasonable too!

This hidden gem is located at the back of the food centre. Most people would not walk through the last lane, thinking that it is full of the smaller stalls with hardly anything special about them. However, they are wrong! This stall over here serves such good chicken rice, but not many are aware of it.

While i was eating my chicken rice at the central part of the food centre, a lady approached me and asked, "Excuse me, but where did you get this from?" I told her and found out that, by then, she had been looking for chicken rice around this food centre for quite a while already but couldn't find a decent store that sold good chicken rice. I then took the chance to introduce this stall's chicken rice to her. She left satisfied!

This was my set. It costs about $2.50 and the soup is a must try! It has a very strong chicken flavour and was, somehow, very soothing on the tongue :)

The meat was tender, smooth and very moist as it was soaked in the stock. The skin was also easily detachable (this shows how smooth the meat was).

The rice was fragrant and from afar, I could smell the chicken stock. It was also smooth and the rice kept me going for more, even after I was done with each mouthful of rice.

The chili sauce was good; it was acceptable for me, as a person who doesn't eat chili often. There was a slight spiciness before the true taste kicked in and numbed my tongue for awhile. A must try for all chili-lovers.


Conclusion: This store brings me back to the days when I had chicken rice as a kid. I remember vividly, that as a kid I was always looking forward to my mother getting me a packet of chicken rice after kindergarten class because of its fragrance. After eating that packet of rice, it would make me happy and light up my day after having spent the whole morning in school.

Rating

      

Kheng Hai Hui Boneless Chicken Rice

#01-18, Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Road

Saybons: French Food Factory

By Fion Chua

If you have run out of ideas for a quick bite while on the go, this post is for you!

Background

Saybons, a Singapore-based chain of cafés, was started "with the objective of making French food affordable and accessible to everyone". As for the name 'Saybons', inspiration was drawn from the phrase "c'est bon", meaning "it's good" in French.

My Choice

What I had decided to try out from their menu was the crêpe with mushroom, egg and cheese, which belongs to the 'Savoury' category out of the two available, which are namely 'Savoury' and 'Dessert'.

Thoughts

Personally, I would still consider it as a snack, despite the fact that it is savoury, rather than a sweet dessert. It was not able to serve as a filling meal as it was lacking in terms of ingredients. For a price of $5.90, I was expecting at least a little more ingredients.

Taste & Texture

The overall taste was not bad, as the mushroom, egg and cheese complemented one another for a combination that resembled comfort food made at one's home, despite the crêpe being a little too thin and stale.

If you are interested in finding out for yourself what street food the French eat on a daily basis while out and about but haven't had the chance to go there, this would be a good and interesting start while you run your errands here on the sunny island of Singapore until then.

Rating

Plaza Singapura

68 Orchard Road #B2-30/31/32

Singapore 238839

Tel: 6884 9018

Junction 8

9 Bishan Place #02-27A

Singapore 579837

Tel: 6258 3138

Aljunied

Blk 115 Aljunied Ave 2 #01-53B

Singapore 380115

Tel: 6841 0087

Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist

By Yong Fang

Hi guys! Today I will be introducing to everyone a dish that has a special place in my heart, and that is... WANTON MEE! The store in particular which will be featured is Ji Ji Wanton Noodle. But, what is so special about it, you ask?

Background Information

• Started since 1965 and has been run by three generations
• Currently tended by a lady and her two daughters
• Won the highest number of votes in The Straits Times Reader's Choice Favourite Hawkers poll

Noodles

The type of noodles I chose is known as 'Mee Kia' in local dialect. The Mee Kia which was served here was thicker than what the average wanton noodle stall serves. However, this stall's Mee Kia had a rather strong taste of the flour in it.

The Mee Kia was also cooked just right, with the sufficient softness that I was expecting. When combined with the chili sauce, it became an extremely delicious combination, making the Mee Kia taste even better than it did. However, if you do not like Mee Kia or the flour-y taste, fret not- the stall has other alternatives such as the 'Mee Pok' and 'Kway Teow' noodles to choose from.

Mushrooms

Firstly, I would say that I have never been a great fan of mushrooms. The only one that I like would be the button mushroom. One of the mushrooms which I hate to eat the most is the shiitake mushroom.

However, if you are like me, don't despair! Just as I was surprised, you would be too, to find out how different (in a good way) the shiitake mushrooms tasted. They were chewy and tasted similar to the button mushroom. It had just a slight tinge of sweetness too.

Char Siew, Wantons, Vegetables & Soup

The Char Siew, or roasted pork, was lean, chewy and had a pretty strong taste of just what it is- Char Siew. However, what really appealed to me would be the wantons, or dumplings, as they are called otherwise. The wantons had a nice texture and bite to them, similar to Char Siew. Besides the good seasoning, the fillings were quite chewy and that was a plus.

The soup was flavourful, and together with the wantons (dumplings), it made an incredibly tasty combination. However, one flaw I noticed about this dish would be the vegetables. Similar to most wanton noodles served in Singapore, the vegetables were bland and would not taste well without any sauces e.g. chili. They were somewhat crunchy though.

Price

This dish costs $3++, depending on what add-ons you pick. One bonus I noticed is that the plastic take-away containers do not require any extra charges! I felt that the price range which they had was not bad, for the portion of food served.

Highly recommended stall for all noodle and wanton lovers!

Rating

Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist

531A Upper Cross Street

#02-49 Hong Lim Food Centre

Opening Hours:

7am - 7pm

Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa

By Daryl Ang

As some of you guys might know from my previous post, I got lucky and stumbled across a ‘hidden gem’ (Bak Kut Teh) a few days ago. Well guess what, I think I hit the jackpot again, haha.(They say you can’t get lucky twice but  However, this time the gem I spoke about is located nearer to the southern shores of Singapura instead of the central region. So without delay, feast your eyes on this:

The first thing that came to my mind before I savoured the spicy Laksa soup was “This looks really shiok”. And indeed, my accurate foodie premonitions were spot on. The Asia Delight Laksa ($3/$4/$5.50) is certainly one of a kind. The gravy is cooked using fresh coconut, scallops, dried oysters and dried prawns that is quite rich in flavour and packs a punch, yet it has a very thin texture that resembles chicken broth. Also, unlike the typical Laksa you find everywhere, this one doesn’t feel as ‘coconutty’ or milky, but still retains the great taste. In other words, the Laksa gravy is light so you could probably drink a lot of it without getting indigestion.

Overall the Laksa is simply ‘Oishi!’ (meaning ‘delicious’ in Japanese), and the stall owner isn’t stingy with the ingredients as well (fishcake, prawns, cockles, tau pok). I strongly recommend you guys to give it a taste- why not do so if you happen to be around Chinatown?

    Rating

     

      Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa, #02-66

            
Opening Hours:
Mon to Sat; 10:30am - 6:30pm (Closed on Sundays) 

Toa Payoh Bak Kut Teh

By Daryl Ang

So a few days ago I decided to visit my friend Sam in who lives in Toa Payoh.

We chatted a little, gamed at his house for a while and then I got hungry. It was lunch anyway. Since it was just the both of us that day, I asked him where to find good food at this part of Singapore. Then we travelled to a coffee shop somewhat near the Toa Payoh MRT station and it is then that I discovered yet another ‘hidden gem’- one of the best tasting Bak Kut Teh’s I’ve tried. Just drool at this (the bottom picture):

As most Singaporeans would know about this local delight, Bak Kut Teh is a Chinese soup consisting of meaty pork ribs simmered in a complex broth of herbs and spices. Traditionally it’s served with just a bowl of rice but for this meal I decided to get myself a little extra, a side dish consisting of preserved peanuts, salted vegetables and bean curd skin. And boy, what a wise decision it was, I’ve had one heck of a meal!

The standard garlicky taste was present, as was the peppery sensation. The dong kwai (angelica sinensis) and kay ji (wolfberries) herb touches were not overly cloying. But it felt like the balance was incomplete and could do with a little more salt. Overall though, the broth was exceptionally sumptuous- one that really hits home with a typical Singaporean hawker foodie like yours truly.

Priced at an acceptable price of $4.90 per bowl, this dish is a must-try!

                                               

   Rating

     

      
   Yuan

       J22 Eating House, Blk 177, Toa Payoh Central, #01-174 

         Operating Hours: 11am-8pm daily (till further notice)

Sin Kee Seafood Soup

By Dawn Chan

Being a Republic Polytechnic student, I'm always on the lookout for good food. Fortunately, a friend of mine recently told me about a coffeeshop near my school that was famous for their soups. It's simply mind-blowing that I've allowed this location to remain hidden while it's right under my nose!

Background

When I inquired about the stall, the lady told me that the store had only operated for two years. Perhaps due to the recent opening, not many people from other parts of Singapore know of this stall, and no awards or article could be seen. I certainly hope that when I return for another bowl of good soup there would be awards all over their store front! I observed there were many people with seafood soup, so although this stall doesn't get much media recognition, it is certainly popular among the people in this area.


Price

Depending on the type of soup you order, prices range from $5-$11.50 . Additional rice cost $0.50.


Taste & Texture

Just look at the soup! Normally, the seafood soup I have eaten were quite clear but there's hardly any taste in it. With minced meat, dory fish, prawns,tomato, and perhaps a pinch of salt and some milk, this soup is nothing less than amazing. It just keeps you coming back for more. The servings are so generous that although I did not order rice to go with this soup, I felt my stomach filling before I am done with eating the fish.

Waiting Time

Although it was a dinner time hour at around 8pm, my soup came pretty fast, in about 10 minutes. There are two customers in front of me. They used a number system where they give you a number plate and they will serve it to your table. Good customer service, in my opinion, plus points for that.


Getting There

Nearest MRT station is Woodlands. Located near Siling Secondary School, this place is not easy to find and taking a cab is highly recommended. However, if you wish to take public transport, take bus 856 from woodlands interchange and alight at bus stop number 46129 (hawker centre).

Rating

Sin Kee Seafood Soup

Teo Chap Bee Eating House

Blk 19 Marsiling Lane,

 Singapore 730019

The top 5 hits from Thousand Deli

By Walter Ng

Attention to everyone and especially those residing in the north!

There is a new bakery that just opened doors to its customers about a few weeks ago and it's named, "Thousand Deli" !

So you may ask, why is this bakery so special? Follow me, as i tell you why!

#1  Situated in the MRT station and easy to be spotted

Now, what beats having a bakery that is located right in the MRT station? Imagine if you are tired from work/ school the whole day and just wanna grab a bite while on your way home, this bakery may satisfy that tummy of yours! (It's fast and convenient, from observation, during peak hours it only takes me 3 minutes to queue and purchase all my bread, now this bakery is simply efficient.)

Next, you would ask me, "Why Thousand Deli?" (there is so many other good bakeries around right?)

This brings me to my next point:

#2 Quality product at economic prices

That's right. While the other bakeries in Singapore is selling their breads at $1.20-$1.80, Thousand Deli fixed their products mainly at $0.90 (for most breads) and the lowest at $0.60.



Now, with all the inflation going on, prices is definitely a sensitive issue to many Singaporeans (including me)! Thus, by offering quality products at such a low price to satisfy the consumers, i felt this way a good move from Thousand Deli. Way to go!

Follow me, as i do a quick review on the top 5 selections from Thousand Deli!

(Order is not according to rankings)
                                                     
                                                                       1) Cheese Stick

Cheesy interior, though the cheese could not be seen from the photograph, but when eaten, you could taste the aroma that spreads forth from the bread and it does have a cheesey taste as the name suggests. (3 stars)

2) Golden Sands Bun (Liu Sha Bun)

A popular tim sum dish, the owner intelligently used the idea of the traditional Liu Sha (custard) and use it in his buns. A good custard bun (also known as Liu Sha Bao) has a soft pillowy dough which is filled with egg custard and salted duck egg’s yolk. For only a mere $0.90, this bun is definitely a good catch for all. (3.5 stars)

3) Japanese Cheese Bun

One of my favourites, this Japanese Cheese Bun would definitely satisfy the cravings of you cheese lovers. The owners are generous with the fillings of the cheese and place much emphasis on the texture of the bun. It is soft and smooth when touched and definitely tastes good when complimenting with the Japanese Cheese. (4 stars)

 4) Coffee Mexico Bun

This would be familar to all Singaporeans, the coffee bun that could be found in almost every bakery Singapore. The famous coffee bun. However, for a price of $0.90, it definitely beats its competitors hands down with its crispy crust and buttery fillings. (3.5 stars)

5) Polo Char Siew

They always say, "save the best for the last". And while there are many good selections from Thousand Deli, you definitely would not want to miss my personal favourite. The Polo Char Siew! This crispy one of a kind win the other selections hands down with its buttery and crispy crust as well as generous filling of the char siew. Why spend $4 to $5 on a Char Siew timsum when you can get the bun of the same standard (or bigger) at a mere cost of $0.90? This Polo Char Siew is a must try for everybody that is thinking of patrornising this bakery at Khatib. (4.5 stars)

Conclusion: With most buns priced at $0.90 or less, it definitely garnered the attention of many onlookers and stole the hearts of many. With it's wide range of selections to choose from, you are definitely bound to be spoilt for choice!

Hesitate no more, this shop may be your next favourite bakery!

Rating

Thousand Deli

 201 Yishun Ave 2 #01-02 (Khatib MRT), Singapore (769092)

Operating hours 6am-11pm (Daily)

Changi Village - Sambal Stingray

By Yong Fang

Hey guys, as you all know it is going to be... CHRISTMAS soon! While you are busy making preparations for Christmas, please do not forget to fill your tummies with good food!

Today, I will be introducing to you the Sambal Stingray which is located at the Changi Village. The stall owner have been selling seafood here for 10 years already!

So... what is so special about this stall and why is their Stingray so tasty?! *Drum Rolls* The ingredients!  The Stingray they used are not from the farms but WILD!

Here comes my Sambal Stingray!!! Can't wait for it!

As you can see from the picture above, the Stingray is served on a plate with banana leaves.Apart from the Stingray, one small calamansi in a sour sauce is given.The serving portion which they give is pretty large and the Stingray they served is fresh and chewy.

I have to say that what made this dish extremely tasty and good would have to be the chilli paste also known as sambal. The sambal not only adds heat to the flavour, but it enhances the dish through the sweet and "fruity" flavour. Words are simply too difficult to describe their sambal exactly, you have to try it out for yourself!

However one thing to note would be the sambal served is extremely spicy! So beware and prepare your beverages beforehand. *One needs to be prepared to fight the fire in order to fight the fire.*If you get what I mean*

The portion is large enough for two people, it is fresh and tasty and it only cost $10!

I strongly reccomend this dish for all food lovers who are able to take the spiciness of  the dish. For those who like Seafood, it is a must go for you to try!

Rating

Changi V. BBQ House

Blk 2 Changi Village Road

#01-23 Changi Village Market and Food Centre S(500002)

Albert Street Prawn Noodles

By Dawn Chan

Hello fellow foodie comrades! This time, we are bringing you goodies from the famous Old Airport Road!

What struck me most when I reached here is that almost every table I passed by has a bowl of prawn noodle soup. Lead by my curiosity (and my hungry stomach), I searched for the stall. Not surprisingly, it was easily discovered with a short queue of customers.

According to the store assistant, she claims that the prawn noodle recipe was created by the grandfather in 1963, and passed down in generations to his grandson. Since then, the stall won numerous awards, including The Green Book Best Food Awards 2003. It was such a pity I could not get to meet his grandson, whom I heard that he only works in the morning.

The waiting time is fairly reasonable. Less than 20 minutes (depending on time of the day, I normally went around 8pm) and a bowl of piping hot bouncy and chewy yellow noodles sitting in the soup enriched with prawn flavor would be right in front of you.

To me, the prawn noodle soup most important as it determines whether the whole bowl of prawn noodles is tasty or not. With every mouthful, I need to slurp tasty prawn flavor down my throat. I am most pleased to say that this stall has exceeded my marks.

Look at how succulent the pork is! It comes off the rib bone in one piece, making it easy to eat.

Of course, one could not enjoy prawn noodles without the main ingredient –prawns. The prawn meat is nicely done and it comes off its shell with just one pull.

Being a seafood fanatic, I feel that the dish could be improved if the prawns are fresher and bigger.

However, I am definitely not complaining as I feel that $4-5 is well valued for the taste.
One should not miss this dish if they visit old airport road center.
Do drop by the stall and let us know whether it’s worth the experience or not!

Rating

Albert Street Prawn Noodles

Blk 52 Old Airport Road

Old Airport Road Food Centre Singapore