When visiting Singapore, one should go for things that are unique to our island. Hawker food is definitely right at the top of the list. Chicken rice, hokkien mee, char kway teow, and laksa – Singapore is a foodie paradise.

One of the more popular hawker centres in the West is Clementi Market and Food Centre. Besides Bukit Timah Hawker Centre, this is the place that I always frequent when I want a cheap and simple meal.

Like other hawker centres, Clementi Food Centre has its own star tenants: stalls with extremely long queue throughout the day. Tanglin Halt Western Food, Clementi Fish Soup, Nam Kee Hokkien Mee, Chen Ji Ke Jia Niang Dou Fou, and Yong Fa Hainanese Curry Rice have been around for quite some time, and they are among the most popular stalls in the market.

My favourite is definitely Tanglin Halt Western Stall (#01-11) which has good Western Food. I’ve been going back for many years, and I’m pleased to say that standards have not dropped.

When you mention Clementi Food Centre, the famous Clementi Fish Soup (#01-41) immediately comes to mind. There’s a perpetual queue for their Fish Porridge, Sliced Fish Soup and Fish Head Bee Hoon; the only way to beat the queue is to go during off-peak hours.

Just behind the Fish Soup stall, there’s Nam Kee Hokkien Mee (#01-12) where you need to wait at least twenty minutes for a plate of Hokkien Mee, which by the way, is basically fried noodles cooked in Hokkien (Fujian) style. The good thing is you don’t have to stand in line as they will take down your table number and serve it to you. I like Hokkien Mee, but I don’t really fancy Nam Kee’s version as I find it a little too dry.

Chen Ji Ke Jia Niang Dou Fou (#01-27) – known for their Yong Tau Foo – only opens during the day. Their business is so good that they usually close after lunch.

Just a few stalls away, you can always find a madding crowd waiting in line at Yong Fa Hainanese Curry Rice (#01-25).

There are a few chicken rice stalls in the market, and it can be quite a headache if you don’t know who to order from. I usually go to Song Xing Chicken Rice (#01-25) and stall #01-18, simply called ‘Hainanese Chicken Rice.’

If you feel like having Prawn Noodles, check out Kim Meng Prawn Mee (#01-38). They also have Lor Mee and Laksa.

At night, Chai Ho Satay (#01-10) is the place to go for satay – a dish of skewered and grilled meat (chicken/pork/beef/mutton), served with a peanut sauce.

The famous Bedok Chwee Kueh (#01-32) also has a branch at Clementi Hawker Centre. Chwee Kueh – a steamed rice cake topped with fried preserved radish – is the perfect way to start a hawker feast.

For Pig’s Organ Soup and Bak Ku Teh, I’ll go to Zheng Zhi Wen (#01-19). Right beside it, there’s this stall – Snow Mount (#01-17) – selling fried Pisang Goreng. Speaking of which, they also serve Char Kway Teow (I know, it’s a little weird). I had it once and I thought that it was okay. Otherwise, I’d satisfy my Char Kway Teow craving at Stall #01-34, the only vender in Clementi Food Centre that sells Oyster Omelette, Carrot Cake, and Char Kway Teow.

Clementi Central Market & Food Centre is located at Block 448 Clementi Avenue 3. It is just a few minutes walk away from Clementi MRT Station.

Unlike the typical Teochew Muay (Porridge) places which are somewhat similar to economical mixed vegetable rice stalls, Xu Jun Sheng Teochew Porridge at Joo Chiat is more like a no-frills restaurant serving teochew porridge, zi-char style.

Instead of ordering at the stall, you get to sit down and look at a menu that has quite a few items. I very much prefer Teochew Porridge places in coffee shops, where you get to stand by the stall and look at the dishes available.

In any case, Xu Jun Sheng – known to my friends as the famous Joo Chiat Teochew Muay – has been around for a long time and they have many regular customers, so they must have been doing something right.

Teochew porridge is a meal where you have Teochew style porridge (which is more watery), accompanied with small plates of side dishes like braised pork, steamed pomfret, salted duck egg, omelette, minced meat and preserved vegetables.

I was quite excited to make the order. My dining companion has not tried Teochew Porridge before, so I was determined to show her the best of everything. Steamed Traditional Fish Cake ($1/pc) or Steamed Otah? Pork Trotters ($6) or Braised platter ($8) which consists of Braised Meat, Preserved Vegetables, Tau Kwa/Tau Pok, and Braised Egg? Omelette ($5-7), Prawn Roll ($6) or Stir-fried Sesame Chicken ($8)? Sambal Kangkong ($7), or Stir-fried Nai Bai ($7)? If I were with a larger group of people, I would have ordered everything, but no, it was just the two of us, so we only had a few dishes to share.

There’s nothing more gratifying than a bowl of watery Teochew Porridge with Prawn Roll, Stir-fried Sweet Potato Leaves with Sambal, Braised Platter and the very delicious Fu Yong Omelette. The best things in life are often very simple.

Prices at Xu Jun Sheng Teochew Porridge Restaurant are slightly higher than the typical Teochew Muay stalls, but comparable to most zi-char places. It is a nice place to satisfy your Teochew muay craving if you like to dine in a comfortable setting. As for me, I’ll probably check out some of the Teochew Porridge buffet restaurants next time.

I need recommendations of good Teochew Porridge in Singapore! Please leave me a comment and let me know where you go for Teochew muay.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Xu Jun Sheng Chao Zhou Mei Shi
121 Joo Chiat Place

Mon to Sat: 11am – 3.30pm, 5.30pm – 9pm
Sun: 10.30am – 3.30pm

Street food is easily one of the best things a country can offer. Unlike other countries where you eat by the road side, Singapore’s version of street food is what we call hawker food, and they are found in food/hawker centres – which are usually located in the heartlands.

For what is lacking in the electrifying atmosphere of eating by the street, the hawker centres in singapore make up for it by serving clean and tasty food, in a comfortable environment.

Tiong Bahru Market is one of the most popular hawker centres in Singapore. I always go there when I am craving for local food. Here are some of the things that I order when I am eating there.

It is no secret that Singaporeans love queuing up for food. In a way, it acts as a guide to the more popular stalls in a hawker centre, but it is not accurate all the time.

Judging from the queues when we were there on a Sunday morning, the best food stalls in Tiong Bahru Food Centre (in no particular order) are: Pork Ribs Prawn Noodle (#02-31), Koh Brothers Pig Organ Soup (#02-29), Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (#02-82), Wanton Noodles (#02-30), 178 Lor Mee (#02-23) and Tiong Bahru Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted (#02-60).

This is one of the best food in Tiong Bahru Market – Tiong Bahru Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted stall. The long queues are annoying but the Char Siew and Roasted Pork are out-of-this-world-good.

I grew up eating the roasted duck. When I was a kid, my parents would bring me to the old Tiong Bahru Market during the weekends. Ahhh, those were the days.

The chicken rice from Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice stall is very very good. To me, they are easily one of the best chicken rice stalls in Singapore. The Steamed Hainanese chicken rice here is wildly popular, but I always prefer roasted chicken, and their rendition is equally good anyway.

Besides the popular stalls that I’ve mentioned, you can also try the following at Tiong Bahru Hawker Centre: Peranakan food like Buak Keluak and Ngio Hiang from the fairly new Daisy Dream Kitchen (#02-36); hot and soupy Kway Chap (#02-43); another Lor Mee option from Tiong Bahru Lor Mee (#02-80); piping hot Char Siew Bao and Siew Mai from Tiong Bahru Pau (#02-18); and handmade fish balls from Teochew Fish Ball Noodle (#02-13).

And of course, no visit to Tiong Bahru Market is complete without eating Chwee Kueh. Among the two Chwee Kueh stalls there, I prefer Jian Bo Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh (#02-05) – which is one of the few original stalls from the old Tiong Bahru Market.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Tiong Bahru Food Market & Hawker Centre
30 Seng Poh road

For more recommendations, read Bukit Timah Market | Chomp Chomp Hawker Centre | Jurong West Food Centre | Old Airport Road Market | Serangoon Gardens Food Centre

Tucked at the back of a run-down coffee shop along Upper Bukit Timah Road, Ga Hock Seafood Restaurant is a popular zhi char stall in the west of Singapore.

Despite its hidden location, Ga Hock has a huge following; many people flock here for a good and satisfying dinner. I only knew about Ga Hock when I asked on twitter for recommendations of the best zi char places in Singapore.

We dived straight into the chilli crabs – which is one of the things you must eat in Singapore.

Ga Hock’s Chilli Crab ($42/kg) was decent, but the gravy was too watery for my liking. That said, it would be a shame to waste the spicy-sweet sauce. The deep-fried buns were the perfect vehicle to soak up the chilli gravy, and we finished everything.

When we eat at zi char stalls, we will always order Har Cheong Kai (prawn paste chicken). I know it is a little boring to order it all the time, but who can resist the gorgeous deep-fried chicken wings?

The Pork Ribs ($10) was equally good. With a lethal combination of the sweet sauce and the irresistibly-tender pork ribs, this is a must-order dish at Ga Hock.

Another popular zi char dish that we would always order is the Hotplate Beancurd ($8). There are no fanciful ingredients; just eggs, mushrooms, beans, carrots, minced meat, and shrimp on a sizzling hotplate. This is simplicity at its best.

Ga Hock Seafood Restaurant is opposite Mindef along Upper Bukit Timah road (near the Shell petrol station).

Singapore Food Blog Review
Ga-Hock Seafood Restaurant
794 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Hup Choon Eating House
Tel: +65 6314 5725
Daily: 4pm – 11pm

Like Holland Village, Serangoon Gardens is a popular dining cluster in Singapore. Beyond the many restaurants and cafes there, the estate has two popular Food Centre: Chomp Chomp Hawker Centre and Serangoon Gardens Market & Food Centre.

I brought my overseas friends there and I realised that eating in Hawker Centres can be quite a daunting experience for visitors. It is easy for us as we are familiar with the Hawker Food. But overseas visitors usually do not know what to eat, and which stalls to order from.

If you are bringing overseas visitors to Serangoon Gardens Food Centre, here is a quick guide on what to eat there.

Amongst the stalls in Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre, Ah Seng Duck Rice and Soon Huat Pig’s Organ Soup have the longest queue. I had them previously, but we did not order them that day. This was our second stop of our food tour, and we did not want to spend too much time queuing up for food.

In any case, there were plenty of stalls to order from. We quickly filled the table with food: Rojak, Chwee Kueh, Popiah, Carrot Cake, Kway Chap, Ice Kachang, Wanton Mee, Oyster Omelette, and Curry Puff.

I think Popiah is a fantastic food. It is the kind of thing you can eat as an appetiser before setting for a heavier “main dish”. Otherwise, it makes a great snack in-between meal times. Popiah is an all-rounder, you can eat them anytime, anyday. The one that we had at Serangoon Gardens Food Centre was probably not the best, but still, it was quite satisfying.

The Fish & Chips stall PX Express (by the Mad Jack Cafe) at Serangoon Gardens Market, serves a competent Fish & Chips, and their cakes are pretty decent too.

Right at one end of Serangoon Gardens Food Centre is the famous Garden Street Kway Chap. This is what I want for breakfast on a Sunday morning. Braised pork, pig’s intestines, braised egg, tau pok, salted vegetables with flat rice noodles – this is unbeatable.

We also ordered Le Le’s Wanton Mee, but I was preoccupied with the Oyster Omelette. If you still have room, get the Curry Puffs from Rolina, and the ham & cheese bread from Serangoon Gardens Bakery & Confectionery.

Trying to decide between Serangoon Gardens Market & Food Centre and Chomp Chomp Hawker Centre? It’s a no brainer. For the best of both worlds, go to the former for breakfast/lunch and the latter for dinner/supper. Perfect.

Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice
49A Serangoon Garden Way Stall #44
Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre Singapore

Botanic Gardens Dessert Corner
49A Serangoon Garden Way Stall #17
Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre Singapore

Garden Street Kway Chap
49A Serangoon Garden Way Stall #21
Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre Singapore

Le Le Wanton
49A Serangoon Garden Way Stall #1
Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre Singapore

PK Express
49A Serangoon Garden Way Stall #23
Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre Singapore

Rolina Curry Puff
49A Serangoon Garden Way Stall #32
Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre Singapore

Selegie Soya Bean
49A Serangoon Garden Way Stall #24
Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre Singapore

Serangoon Gardens Bakery & Confectionery
49A Serangoon Garden Way Stall #46
Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre Singapore

Soon Huat Pig’s Organ
49A Serangoon Garden Way Stall #42
Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre Singapore

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak at Adam Road Food Centre is well-known in the Singapore food scene. Some of my friends even go as far as calling them the best Nasi Lemak in Singapore.

Naturally, I was half sceptical and half excited to try Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak. Having been to Chong Pang and Punggol Nasi Lemak, I thought that they were not as impressive as the one that I had in Kuala Lumpur. Bearing that in mind, I went to Adam Road Hawker Centre with zero expectations.

The Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak comes in sets with prices ranging from S$2.50 to S$5.50 depending on the ingredients. We ordered a set and it had Fried Egg, Potato Croquette, Otah, Ikan Bilis and deep-fried Chicken Wing. Enriched by the coconut milk, the rice is very fragrant and cliché as it may sound, it is so good that you can eat it on its own.

However, the rice was probably the best part of Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak; the other ingredients were pretty standard – nothing outstanding.

We were not blown away by Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak, though that was probably due to the fact that we had better Nasi Lemak elsewhere.

All in all, Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak serves a good plate of Nasi Lemak and I am sure there is definitely a reason why they have such a big following.

As for me, I will not go all the way to Adam Road Food Centre just to satisfy my Nasi Lemak craving. But if I am in the area and there is no queue, the famous Adam Road Nasi Lemak is certainly a good way to self-indulge.

My hunt for the best Nasi Lemak in Singapore continues…

Singapore Food Blog Review
Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak
2 Adam Road Stall 2
Adam Road Food Centre Singapore
Daily: 7am – 10pm

Blk 603 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5
#01-2683 Singapore
Tel: +65 9843 4509
Sat to Thu: 8am – 3pm
(Closed on Friday)

“Where can I find the best food in Singapore?” I get this question from overseas visitors all the time. Forget about the fine dining restaurants, or the best cafes in Singapore. If you have limited time during your trip here, just go for the hawker food – it is definitely one of the things to do in Singapore.

I am sure many Singaporeans living in the West are familiar with Jurong West Food Centre. It emerged the winner in the Favourite Hawker Centre category of City Hawker Food Hunt 2010 through an islandwide SMS vote.

I was surprised when I heard the result. It is not easy to win the title of the best Hawker Centre in Singapore when there are so many popular ones like Chomp Chomp, Old Airport Road market, Maxwell Food Centre and Bukit Timah Hawker Centre.

Some of the stalls in Jurong West Food Centre were closed when we went there for dinner. Nevertheless, we still managed to eat quite a lot of food between the five of us. After walking around the hawker centre for a while, I settled on claypot rice.

The best part about having the Chicken Claypot rice from Chinatown Claypot is the short waiting time. If you order the small portion for one person, it takes just five minutes as they have prepared it beforehand. For the bigger portions, it is probably at least twenty to thirty minutes.

It is often said that eating is our favourite pastime. After witnessing the long queue for the fish porridge, I’d like to add on to say that queueing up for food is probably the second hobby. As much as I love food, I think it is crazy to queue up half an hour for a bowl of fish porridge.

Anyway, I was not particularly impressed with the one that we had here. But then again, I am sure there is a reason why people are queuing up for this, maybe I am missing something?

Located just beside the fish porridge stall, Hai Nanyang Curry rice also has a short queue waiting for their curry. I thought that the fish head curry ($6) that we had was quite good.

We were craving for Char Kway Teow and Oyster Omelette that day. And it so happened that there was only one stall selling them, and the food was run-of-the-mill. Thankfully, we had good Kueh Tutu to make up for the disappointment.

The Kueh Tutu stall was extremely popular. When I tweeted that I was having dinner at Jurong West Hawker Centre, everyone replied and asked me to try the Kueh Tutu there.

If you go to Jurong West Hawker Centre, you must try the fish ball noodles there. The Chicken Rice stall near the ATM machine is also worth a mention. It is very easy to spot them as they always have long queues.

In terms of size, Jurong West Food Centre is definitely not as big as Old Airport Road market or Maxwell Food Centre. But there are a few popular stalls that are worth making a trip west.

Is Jurong West Food Centre really the best hawker centre in Singapore? Tell us your top 5 food centres!

Char Kway Teow (#01-22)
Blk 505 Jurong West Street 52
Jurong West Food Centre

Kueh Tutu (#01-11)
Blk 505 Jurong West Street 52
Jurong West Food Centre

Chinatown Claypot Rice (#01-11)
Blk 505 Jurong West Street 52
Jurong West Food Centre

Fish Porridge (#01-40)
Blk 505 Jurong West Street 52
Jurong West Food Centre

Hai Nanyang Hometown Curry Rice (#01-41)
Blk 505 Jurong West Street 52
Jurong West Food Centre

Ming Favourite Shou Shi (#01-33)
Blk 505 Jurong West Street 52
Jurong West Food Centre

Chicken rice is one of the must-eat Singapore Food. Naturally, there are many places serving this popular dish around the island, you can find it in almost every coffee shop and hawker centre.

When it comes to the best chicken rice in Singapore, most people will definitely think of Wee Nan Kee, Tian Tian Hainanese chicken rice, and of course Boon Tong Kee chicken rice.

Is Boon Tong Kee Chicken rice as good as before? Or has the standard dropped since the rapid expansion of the chicken rice chain?

How do you define what is the best chicken rice? Everyone has different opinions on what is the deciding factor. For some, it is the chicken, while there are others who place a higher emphasis on the rice. For the rest, the chilli and garlic sauces are equally important, and will determine whether it is a plate of good chicken rice.

You can’t fault Boon Tong Kee on any of those factors: the chicken is tender and tasty, the rice is fragrant and the chilli sauce is good enough to accompany them. But is this the best chicken rice in Singapore? While Boon Tong Kee is competent, there are other stalls which have equally good, if not better chicken rice at a cheaper price.

There will be loyal supporters who have been eating Boon Tong Kee’s chicken rice for years, as well as critics who feel that the chicken rice chain is too commercialised.

But the fact is Boon Tong Kee indeed has good chicken rice, and it helps that they have six branches around Singapore. Being a well-established brand, it is safe to bring your overseas visitors to Boon Tong Kee for their first taste of our famous Singapore chicken rice.

Having said that, I probably will not think of Boon Tong Kee when I am craving for chicken rice – it is not a dining destination for me when it comes to this popular Singapore food.

I am not sure if the standard varies between branches, but most people seem to agree that their River Valley and Balestier road branches serve the best chicken rice.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Boon Tong Kee
425 River Valley Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6736 3213

401 Balestier Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6254 3937

For the opening of this blog post on the Things to Do in Singapore, I wanted to show the beautiful Singapore Skyline, but I decided to use a photo of food since it sums up Singapore nicely — eating is our way of life.

I always receive emails from overseas readers asking me to suggest some of the things that they can do while having holiday in Singapore. So I have been working on this little project for a while, going to different places to explore and take photos.

Here is my list of 10 Things To Do In Singapore:

For this post, I’m writing from the angle of visitors who have never been to Singapore. At the same time, I think it will be cool for the locals to take this opportunity and explore our country; people always complain that there’s nothing to do in Singapore when in fact there are a lot of places that we seldom visit.

Check out the Swanky Marina Bay Sands (MBS)

Since everyone is talking about the new integrated resorts in Singapore, I shall start off the list with MBS.

Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore that is developed by Las Vegas Sands. Besides the hotel, the resort also includes the Shoppes mall, an Art & Science museum, two Sands Theatres, seven celebrity chef restaurants, and the casino.

They have this amazing Skypark pool which has a breathtaking view of the city. Shopping, food, entertainment all under one roof, what else can you ask for?

Visit Sentosa and go for rides at Resorts World Sentosa Universal Studios

Sentosa is one of the major tourist attractions in Singapore, and things are becoming very happening with the addition of Resorts World Sentosa and Universal Studios Singapore. The best part? There are so many new restaurants at Resorts World Sentosa!

I know everyone is excited with the new rides at Universal Studios Singapore, and the casino at Resorts World, but let’s not forget about the other attractions on Sentosa.

From Fort Siloso, to the Underwater World, Wavehouse and the three beaches, there are plenty of things to do in Sentosa Island.

Shopping in Singapore

Okay, this really depends on what you are looking for. Generally speaking (for overseas visitors), the best time to come to Singapore (if your agenda is shopping) will be during the Great Singapore Sale (June to July) and the Year End Sale (November to December). If you are a make-up Junkie, Sephora Singapore is definitely one of the make up stores in Singapore that’s worth going to.

Orchard road is probably your best bet when it comes to shopping in Singapore. With shopping malls like Ion, Paragon, Takashimaya, Tangs, 313 @ Somerset, Mandarin Gallery and Orchard Central all on a stretch of road, you will be spoiled for choices. If you are tired after a day of shopping, find a nice restaurant in Orchard road for dinner, and continue with your spree after that!

For niche shopping in Singapore, Haji Lane has many independent and local fashion boutiques that are worth checking out.

Make a trip to Mustafa in the middle of the night

It is quite an experience to visit Singapore’s 24 Hour Mall, Mustafa Centre. It is a place where you can get anything and everything, especially when you need something in the wee hours and all the other shops are closed. For the full Mustafa experience – go during a Sunday night, and you will understand what I’m talking about.

Eat The Best Hawker Food in Singapore

We have many fine restaurants in Singapore, but so do other countries. What is unique to Singapore, is the local hawker food. If it is your first time in Singapore, you must try some of the popular hawker food like: chicken rice, char kway teow, laksa, bak kut teh, popiah, hokkien mee – stuff that you can never find elsewhere. I will be writing a separate blog post on the must-try hawker food in Singapore, so more on that next time.

Visit the heritage places like Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Glam

I guess visiting heritage places is considered as a touristy thing, but hey, you are a tourist anyway. I love it whenever my overseas friends are in Singapore as it gives me the chance to be a tourist and explore places in Singapore that I have never been to.

Venture into the heartlands

When I travel to other countries, I like to go to the residential areas and see what it is like to live there. It is a nice feeling to learn more about others’ culture, and also to experience the local lifestyle. Venture into the heartlands in Singapore like Toa Payoh, Bishan, Ang Mo Kio and people-watch.

Eat, eat, eat and eat

Do I really need to elaborate on this? Singapore is a foodie paradise, and I bet you already have a list of eating places ready. If not… it’s time to read more Singapore Food Blogs!

What to do at Night in Singapore

For Nightlife in Singapore, Clark Quay and Boat Quay are the places to be with so many clubs, bars and pubs in the area. Party till late and have roti prata and frog leg porridge for supper.

Go to Funan IT Mall for gadgets.

Go to Sim Lim Square and fall for the tourist trap. Sim Lim Square has a reputation for being dodgy with all the tourist traps, so I usually go to Funan IT Mall to get my gadgets. If you are looking for camera equipments, check out John 3:16, or Cathay Photos (Peninsula Plaza).

Other tourist attractions in Singapore: take a stroll at the Singapore Botanical Gardens, and have a relaxing brunch at Dempsey road. There are plenty of Museums in Singapore: the Asian Civilisation museum, Pernankan museum, & the National Museum of Singapore are worth checking out. Depending on where you are from, you may want to check out the markets for tropical fruits if you are not living in this part of the world. Even though I hate durian, I think it’s a pretty cool experience to go down to Geylang and sit by the roadside to try the king of fruits. Lastly, if you have not been on a Ferris Wheel before, it’s a good idea to go on the Singapore Flyer which offers a great view of the Marina Bay area.

Travelling in Singapore is easy as we have a really developed public transport network. Unless you are on a tight schedule, try to travel around on buses and trains (instead of cabs), it’s very interesting to watch and listen to the locals conversations.

Explore Singapore and experience what our beautiful country has to offer, try out new things & local food with an open mind, and I am sure you will have a very good time in Singapore!

Nasi Lemak is definitely one of the must-try hawker food in Singapore. Like what I’ve mentioned previously, there are a few nasi lemak stalls in Singapore that have platinum status (and perpetually long queues): the famous Changi Village Nasi Lemak, the two rivaling Adam road Nasi Lemak stalls, Fong Seng Nasi Lemak, Chong Pang Nasi Lemak, the popular Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak, and of course Punngol Nasi Lemak.

All of us know that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. While I usually don’t have a heavy meal in the morning, but on days when I feel like indulging, a plate of good nasi lemak can last me all the way till tea time.

When it comes to Nasi Lemak, it is all about the chicken wings, coconut rice, and chilli. While this may not be the healthiest plate of food, it is definitely one of the tastiest. Grab the chicken wing by the tip, and eat it together with the mixture of the fragrant coconut rice and fiery hot sambal chilli –  the combination of coconut, spices, and greasy fried food is surely one of life’s precious moment.

It’s true when they say that the East of Singapore is a foodie paradise. Where else in Singapore can you see a whole stretch of restaurants and eateries? Starting from Tanjong Katong to East Coast road, and Siglap, the whole East Coast area has food and more food.

Punggol Nasi Lemak at Tanjong Katong outlet is located directly opposite With A Pinch of Salt Cafe, and there was a short queue forming when we were there at 5.30pm.

Punggol Nasi Lemak is good but not great. I don’t think it’s the best Nasi Lemak in Singapore, but I won’t mind having it if I’m in the area and there’s no long queue. It’s a ideal late night supper place in Singapore for the night-owls, and I must say, the idea of having nasi lemak in the middle of the night is very appealing.

What do you usually eat for supper?

Singapore Hawker Food Review
Punggol Nasi Lemak
238 Tanjong Katong Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6348 3303
Opening hours: 5.30pm – 2.30am

965 Upper Serangoon Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6281 0020
Opening Hours: 6pm – 5am
// Closed on Thursday

Popiah is one of my favourite Singapore Hawker food. But I honestly think that it is not given enough credit. Whenever people mentioned about hawker food in Singapore, they will think of Chicken rice, Laksa, Char Kway Teow, Rojak, and Hokkien Mee, but popiah?

It is just an extra dish which people can do without. Surely the delicious roll deserves more recognition? I went on a hunt recently to find the best popiah in Singapore. Here’s a list of Popiah Restaurants in Singapore that you should check out:

Unless you have a very small appetite, it is not filling to have a popiah alone, so it is best enjoyed as a snack rather than a proper meal. Sometimes I feel it’s a little silly to spend $1.50 to $2 for a popiah, but it is just so addictive! I always see Kueh Pie Tee as the cousin of popiah. It has similar fillings, served in a crispy shell (instead of the popiah skin), and most importantly – it looks good!

Glory Catering Nonya Popiah

Located at a corner on East Coast road (besides Awfully Chocolate), Glory Catering is famous for their halal Nasi Padang, Nonya Kuehs, and Nyonya Popiah. They have a very different type of popiah from the Hokkien Popiah that we usually get everywhere.

Nonya popiah uses a thicker skin, it has more lettuce, and the whole spring roll is very wet with a lot more sauce. Glory Catering’s Popiah ($2.2) is like a monster. It is probably twice the size of a normal popiah and I swear it’s impossible to put everything in your mouth at one go.

139 East Coast Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6344 1749

Long House Popiah & Kueh Pie Tee

This is known as the ‘Popiah that I went all the way to Toa Payoh for’. Long House Popiah ($1.20) uses homemade popiah skin with fresh ingredients, and it’s incredibly crunchy. If you fancy a popiah party at home, Long House sells their skin and fillings for DIY popiah too.

Remember to try their Kueh Pie Tee too – happiness now comes in the form of a crispy cup.

Blk 22 Lorong 7 Toa Payoh
#01-03 Toa Payoh Food Centre
Tel: +65 9171 7157
Closed: Mon & Tue

Qi Ji Popiah

With 13 outlets all over Singapore, Qi Ji Popiah is like the Old Chang Kee for Popiah. At $1.90 per roll, their popiah is not exactly cheap, but they have accessibility on their side. Even though I always say that cravings must always be satisfied, it is very unlikely that I will go all the way to Toa Payoh or Joo Chiat just for a roll of popiah.

109 North Bridge Road #01-17
Funan Digitalife Mall Singapore
Tel: +65 6336 6330

Yue Yi Tai Shan Clementi Popiah

Yue Yi Tai Shan Popiah ($1.4) is so popular that if you ask where is the famous Clementi Popiah, people will point you to the stall located beside the equally famous Brothers Rojak. The two stalls will always have a never-ending queue all day long.

Blk 449 Clementi Ave 3
See Lam Herm coffee shop

Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah & Kueh Pie Tee

Kway Guan Huat Popiah (or more commonly known as Joo Chiat Popiah), is one of the few Popiah Restaurants in Singapore that still make their own popiah skin. It’s very interesting to watch how the masters throw the dough in mid air and make it into the paper-thin Poh Piah skins. Try your hands at rolling your own popiah with their DIY Popiah set, and they cater for Popiah Party too! Free Popiah delivery for orders above $250, otherwise collect them at Joo Chiat yourself. Personally, I prefer their Kueh Pie Tee over the popiah, and I’d go as far to say that they have the best Kueh Pie Tee in Singapore.

95 Joo Chiat road
Tel: +65 6344 2875

* * *

If you have other recommendations for good popiah in Singapore (other than the five mentioned), please feel free to leave a comment and share with others. As for me, I think it’s time to throw a popiah party and have a good feast to celebrate the new year!

When it comes to cheap and good food in West of Singapore, the first place that comes to mind is definitely Bukit Timah Food Market & Hawker Centre. It is one of my usual hang-out places for local food as it’s only ten minutes away from my home.

It can be quite a daunting task when you are ordering food in hawker centres. Which stalls do we order from? Shall we flip a coin, judge by the number of newspaper cuttings, or simply look at the queue of each stall? If you are planning to make a trip to Bukit Timah Hawker Centre, I’ll like to share with you some of my favorite food there.

For those of you who have been reading my food blog for a while, I’m sure you know that Char Kway Teow is one of my favorite hawker food. I usually order it from Xin Heng Char Kway Teow (Stall 181) when I’m having dinner at Bukit Timah Food Centre. He Zhong Carrot Cake (Stall 185) is extremely famous for their white carrot cake. I very much prefer the sweet and eggy black carrot cake so I seldom order this unless my friends want to try it.

For Oyster omelette, avoid the one from Fried Carrot Cake Fried Oyster (Stall 145), the omelette was soggy and there was hardly any oyster. I can’t remember the name of the stall that I always order from — it’s in the same row as Xin Heng Char Kway Teow.

It’s always a good idea to eat at hawker centre with a group of friends (at least 4-5 people) so that you can order more food. Stall 156 BBQ Seafood offers a good variety of BBQ seafood like stir fried Lala clams, BBQ Stingray and sambal kangkong – great for sharing, but I can probably finish the excellent stingray on my own.

I have tried two of out three of the hokkien mee stalls in Bukit Timah Hawker Centre. On one occasion, we decided to try Fried Hokkien Mee (Stall 145) because of the long queue. Unfortunately, the hokkien mee was a total letdown, the sambal chili wasn’t spicy enough, and the taste of the noodles was subtle – bordering on bland. The second Hokkien Mee Stall is located in the middle row of the food centre and they use the distinctive flat yellow noodle. I’m going to try out the third stall (facing the main road) the next time round.

Peter Pan Western Food (Stall 133) has been around for some time, and they have value-for-money Western Food. Otherwise, there’s Tom Kitchen Western Food which is located near the stairs. Long House Popiah used to have a branch in Bukit Timah Hawker Centre, but on my recent visit, I realized that it’s not there anymore. Try the popiah and kueh pie tee from Stall 127 instead. There’s also the famous Satay bee hoon, Japanese food, and Thai Food stalls worth trying if you want something different.

If you are having breakfast at Bukit Timah Food Centre, be sure to order the Kway Chap from stall 138. There’s always a long queue when I go there during weekends. My mother is a big fan of the huge fishballs from Teochew Fishball noodle, (Stall 179) as well as the dark sauce wanton mee from Stall 197 Happy Wanton Noodle. To end the hawker feast on a sweet note, have the smooth beancurd and Tang Yuan (glutinous rice balls) from Soyako (Stall 166).

// Bukit Timah Food Market & Hawker Centre is within walking distance from Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, and Bukit Timah Plaza. For other options, there’s a stretch of eateries and restaurants at Cheong Chin Nam road, Chun Tin road and Lorong Kilat opposite Beauty World.

Singapore Hawker Food Review
Bukit Timah Food Centre
116 Upper Bukit Timah Road

Reading Food Blogs and watching food shows are among my favorite pastimes. Food blogs with delicious photos and intriguing words have the ability to suck me in for hours, while food shows are somewhat more direct – they make me hungry instantly. I’m sure many of you are currently hooked to Sizzling Woks, the popular food show on the best zhi char eating places in Singapore.

I’m not surprised because I get many requests to blog more about cheap and good Zhi Char in Singapore all the time. Today, I will like to share about one of the Zhi Char restaurants in Singapore that my family always go to: B.K Fortune Seafood Steamboat restaurant. They are located just a few steps away from Bar Bar Black Sheep along Bukit Timah road (towards King Albert Park direction after Sixth Avenue).

Unlike some Zi Char Stalls in neighbourhood coffee shops that charged $40/kg for crabs (prices that are comparable to Seafood restaurants), the ones at B.K Fortune Seafood restaurant are only $30/kg and we paid $56 for two huge Salted Egg Yolk Crabs.

Crabs do not really appeal to lazy people like me. It’s a dish that requires a lot of effort, but offers very little return (in terms of meat) – so you can understand why I don’t really like crabs. But when we eat out at Seafood restaurants in Singapore, I will always go for either the famous Singapore Chilli crab, or the Salted Egg Yolk Crab. And if there’s one thing you should know, Fortune Seafood Restaurant’s Salted Egg yolk Crabs are gorgeous! I’m not going into details about how they taste like, but believe me – they are fingers-licking good!

This isn’t a very pretty photo, but Fortune Seafood’s signature Assam Curry Fish Head ($15) is a must-order dish. The flavours hit you in different waves, first the spicy-and-sourish assam gravy, second the smooth and fresh taste of the fish head – I love it! The assam gravy was so good that I filled my bowl of rice with it.

Amongst the other dishes that we had at Fortune Seafood Steamboat Restaurant, the Sweet & Sour Pork ($10) was exceptionally ordinary – there was too much fatty meat and it didn’t have the right bite.

When eating at Zi Char restaurants, we would usually order the crowd-favorite Hot Plate tofu. But this time round, we decided to throw caution out of the window and went for their Mango Sauce Fried Tofu ($8). It was a disaster. The sauce accompanying the tofu was done the Thai-mango-salad way, but the whole dish was just deep fried tofu (bland and slightly dry) with the dressing. Give me hot plate tofu any day please.

If you have difficulty finding the place, they are located directly opposite the old turf city. Otherwise, look out for the former premises of Brewerkz. Now, it’s your turn to share with me a good zhi char stall in Singapore.

// The name of the restaurant is Forture Seafood Restaurant with a ‘R’, but it seems that there is a common spelling mistake online where everyone calls it Fortune Seafood.

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
B.K Fortune Seafood Restaurant
887 Bukit Timah Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6469 5957
Opening hours: 11am – 2.30pm
Dinner: 5pm – 11.30pm Daily

The Singapore Food Scene is getting very exciting with the opening of Celebrity chef restaurants, and many new dining concepts. But when my overseas friends ask me for recommendation on what to eat in Singapore, or what is the true Singaporean cuisine, I’d definitely reply: Hawker Food.

With the exception of places like Newton Circus, Lau Pa Sat & Chomp Chomp Hawker Centre, the prices of food in the other food centre usually are around $2-3. You are going to be shocked by this, but my last visit to Old Airport Road Food Centre was actually a few years ago, before the renovation. I need someone to scold me for taking so long to revisit this wonderful place, which undoubtedly is one of the best Hawker Centres in Singapore.

As much as I do not fancy oysters, it is a joy to dip the oyster omelette into the chili sauce which is slightly sour, yet sweet and spicy. I’m not sure if Katong Ah Soon Fried Oyster is one of the better stalls in Old Airport Road Hawker Centre, but the oyster omelette was the first empty plate on the table.

It was one o’clock in the afternoon, and everyone was hungry. It’s a damn Sunday morning, and we should all be sleeping in bed. Instead, I was queuing up for the Blanco Court Kway Chap at Old Airport Hawker Centre with ten (equally crazy) people in front of me. After a long wait of 27 minutes, it was finally my turn to make the order. The intestines were cooking in the stove, yet the chef/cook/hawker grabbed them with his bare hands, put it on the chopping board and cut them into appropriate portions with breathtaking speed.

Everyone crowded around the table, waiting impatiently for the food blogger to take the photos. Eating commenced after that, and luckily, it was worth the wait.

Char Kway Teow is one of my favorite Singapore’s Hawker Food, and Lao Fu Zhi fried kway teow is one of the most famous char kway teow stalls in Singapore. Unfortunately, I thought that Lao Fu Zhi’s rendition was a little too dry, and it lacked a certain wok-hei. The million dollar question: is there another better char kway teow stall in Old Airport Hawker Centre?

This is the Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee, otherwise known as the lor-mee-that-we-queued-for-half-an-hour. There are many hawker stalls in Old Airport Food Center, but Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee is one of the few that has an incredibly long queue. It’s good to eat out with a group of friends who are willing to brave the snake-like human traffic and wait for a seemingly-ordinary bowl of noodle.

Lor Mee is a bowl of noodle served in a thick starchy gravy and comes with ingredients like prawn roll (ngo hiang), half boiled egg, fish cake, and fish. My friends were won over by the generous toppings, and the flavor of the sticky gravy. Me? I will only eat it if someone else is queuing up.

If you like the kick from having the spicy-hot sambal chili, you will be very disappointed with the famous Nam Sing Hokkien Mee. In place of the familiar sambal chili, they have sliced red chili instead. The Hokkien Mee has a much higher proportion of the rice noodles to the yellow egg noodles. Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee definitely has their loyal supporters, mind you — we waited slightly more than twenty minutes for this plate of Hokkien Mee. Thankfully there is no need to queue as they will deliver the Hokkien Mee when it’s ready.

* * *

I’m definitely going back to Old Airport Road Food Centre soon, do share with us which are some of the other hawker stalls that are worth a try.

Singapore Hawker Food
Blanco Court Kway Chap
Blk 51 Old Airport Road #01-135
Old Airport Road Food Centre Singapore

Katong Ah Soon Fried Oyster
Blk 51 Old Airport Road #01-07
Old Airport Road Food Centre Singapore

Lao Fu Zhi Fried Kway Teow
Blk 51 Old Airport Road #01-12
Old Airport Road Food Centre Singapore

Nam Sing Hokkien Mee
Blk 51 Old Airport Road #01-32
Old Airport Road Food Centre Singapore

Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee
Blk 51 Old Airport Road #01-116
Old Airport Road Food Centre Singapore

Whenever someone mentions about the best claypot rice in Singapore, the same few names will always appear: the famous Geylang Claypot rice at Lorong 33, Golden Mile Claypot rice, Old Mother Hen’s at Geylang, and of course New Lucky Claypot rice at Clementi.

I don’t usually eat a lot of rice during dinner. The only time when I eat a lot of rice, is when we are having claypot rice. I like the idea of putting-everything-into-a-pot. It’s not only convenient, but just imagine all the actions happening inside: flavors of the different ingredients mingling together, like a cocktail party of sorts.

But do you know what’s the best part about having Claypot rice? They give you a large mug of oil and dark soy sauce. I don’t know about you, but I’m always tempted to pour as much as I can into the claypot. This isn’t the time to worry about calories and high cholesterol. But if you feel guilty, have a tomato after dinner – that’s what I usually do after a heavy meal.

At New Lucky Claypot rice, prices start at $10 for two, and there’s the $20 serving for a family of four. We had the $10 portion, with more than enough of lap cheong (Chinese sausages), liver sausage (darker in color), chicken chunks, and salted fish to go around.

It is absolutely necessary to call and make your reservation (let them know what time you will arrive, and the number of people) before going, otherwise the average waiting time is typically around 45 minutes.

Where’s your regular place to go for Claypot rice in Singapore?

Hawker Food Review
New Lucky Claypot Rice
328 Coffee House
Block 328 Clementi Avenue 2
Singapore 120328
Tel: +65 6778-7808
// Closed on Wednesday

When it comes to breakfast, I prefer Wanton Noodles over fish-ball noodles or bak chor mee since I don’t really like fish-balls or minced meat. But who can resist the tender char siew and crunchy wanton dumpling? Especially Eng Kee Noodle House’s Wanton Mee.

Even though I have been eating Eng Kee’s Wanton Mee for years, it took me until now to blog about it because: a) I always takeaway instead of eating there (no chance to take photos), and b) I hope that they will not become even more popular. Oh whatever, I’m going to be nice and tell everyone that Eng Kee Noodle House is my all-time favorite place for wanton noodle. Forget about Feifei wanton mee (over-hyped) or Pontian wanton mee (small portions), Eng Kee’s Noodle House serves the best wonton noodle in Singapore.

I’m not sure about you, but wanton mee is definitely among my list of top 10 breakfast hawker food, it is substantial yet not too filling. There are three criteria for a good wanton mee: the char siew, wanton and noodle. Eng Kee’s wonton noodle however, is not the perfect bowl of wanton mee, for the char siew is only decent, and the wanton dumplings average.

I know I tend to exaggerate when I describe food, but please trust me when I say that the noodles here are fantastic. They waved and beckoned for me to get closer, and once I put them into my mouth; they bounced up and down on the tip of my tongue – it was delicious!

How to test if the noodles are really good: wait two hours before consuming, if they remain springy and Q after that — you get your answer. I always have the wanton mee a few hours after I buy them. It tastes just as good, if not even better than having it on the spot. And one last thing, remember to go for the $3 portion (at least).

Hawker Food Review
Eng Kee Noodle House
Block 155 Bukit Batok Street 11
Li Soon Coffee Shop

Duck — Brad’s preferred choice of meat.

That’s the best way to describe my love for duck. While I’m a big fan of kurobuta pork, and there are many people who always rave about the marbling of the wagyu beef; I find it harder to say no to duck meat.

Many friends have told me about the famous braised duck rice at Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice Eating House, which is located right at the end of the winding South Buona Vista road. It’s kind of difficult to remember the name ‘Lim Seng Lee’, so my friends always call it the Pasir Panjang Duck Rice.

I have to admit that I seldom eat the Teochew braised duck, and I blame everything on the roasted duck. Every time I step inside a hawker center, I will tell myself to have braised duck rice, but somehow my head will always turn back and ogle at the roasted duck. It’s kinda, sorta, almost impossible to resist roasted duck, especially the drumstick. So you see, it isn’t my fault that I hardly have braised duck rice.

The braised duck meat at Lim Seng Lee appeared to be very ordinary, but in a good way. It was tender, smooth and very pleasing to the palate — I can eat this for lunch everyday!

There’s just something comforting about having braised duck meat with a bowl of porridge and an egg. It makes me feel better already! Among the places that I tried before, Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice Eating House definitely serves one of the best braised duck rice in Singapore.

Do you prefer braised duck or roast duck? And all my fellow duck lovers, please tell me where can I find the best Braised duck in Singapore?

Hawker Food Review
Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice Eating House
38 South Buona Vista Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6475 9908

When I was planning for a one-day hawker food trail with my friend, she said that we have to try the famous Toa Payoh Hokkien Mee at Lorong 1 food center (near Braddell Mrt station). To be frank, I wasn’t very convinced initially. But it has been quite some time since I last had a good plate of hokkien mee, and I guessed there wasn’t any harm in trying. Our first stop of the hawker food trail – Tian Tian Lai (Come Daily) Hokkiee Mee.

It is no secret that I am a super big fan of the Singapore Hokkien Mee. If you ask me, I’d think that it’s a shame that our Hokkien prawn noodle isn’t as well represented as the other Singapore dishes like our signature chili crabs or chicken rice.

There was a period of time when I actually had Hokkien Mee during lunch consecutively for a week (or maybe longer). But yeah, that’s how obsessed I am when it comes to the fried prawn noodles.

The Hokkien mee ($4) was wet and slippery, and acquired a distinct taste from the pork lard. It was done just the way I like it. With a squeeze of the lime and the mix of the spicy-yet-not-choking sambal chili, this is a plate of hokkien mee that I can have for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If you like your hokkien mee wet and moist, I’m sure you will agree with me that Tian Tian Lai is one of the best Hokkien Mee in Singapore.

Am I crazy to go all the way to Toa Payoh for the hokkien mee? Yes. Will I do it again? Definitely! Having gone all the way to Toa Payoh for Long House Popiah previously, and now Tian Tian Lai Prawn Mee, can someone please recommend me the other good hawker food that’s worth a try in Toa Payoh so that I can try all of them the next time round?

Hawker Food Review
Tian Tian Lai Hokkien Mee
Blk 127 Toa Payoh Lorong 1
#02-27 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 Food Centre
Open Tues-Sun from 9.30am to 9pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Tel: +65 6251 8542

While we were discussing on how to celebrate our birthday, my evil twin Miss Tam Chiak suggested that we should go on a food trail looking for the best hawker food in Singapore.

I am not sure if it’s a coincidence, but whenever I go out with Maureen, we tend to spend a crazy amount on hawker food. Like the $28 Kurobuta pork from Big D in a coffee shop, and the $8 prawn noodle from Noo Cheng Adam Road Prawn Mee at Zion road food market. So it is only fitting that for our belated birthday celebrations, we go for a food trail to look for the best hawker food in Singapore.

For this first series of our best hawker food trail, Maureen did her research and came up with a list of famous hawkers in Bedok. Our first stop is Bedok Interchange Food Centre!

Will the best Chwee Kueh in Singapore please stand up?

I have eaten Jian Bo Shui Kueh from Tiong Bahru food market since I was a kid. Naturally, I have strong attachments towards it. The famous Bedok Chwee Kueh had the better first impression as it had a generous spread of the chye poh on the steamed rice cake. On the other hand, the toppings on the Jian Bo Shui Kueh was miserable in comparison to the Bedok Chwee Kueh.

Between the two of us, we unanimously agreed that Bedok Chwee Kueh is better than Jian Bo Shui Kueh. The latter’s chye poh (preserved radish) was over-done, which resulted in the loss of sweetness of the radish.

Whatever.

I am still upset that my favorite Jian Bo Shui Kueh isn’t as good as the Bedok Chwee Kueh. It’s time to make another trip to the original Jian Bo Shui Kueh at Tiong Bahru food market.

We completed our first stop at the Bedok Interchange Food Centre by having the Selegie Soya bean and bean curd.

While we were frantically looking for our #2 stop Hon Ni Kitchen Nasi Lemak at Bedok Blk 216 Food market, a nice couple overheard our conversation and told us that the famous nasi lemak stall was closed on Sunday.

As we were looking for the Hon Ni Kitchen Nasi Lemak, Chris’s Kway Chap caught our attention with a long line in front of the stall. It couldn’t be that bad if there were so many people queuing for it right? There were around 7-8 of people in front of us, and we actually waited 20 minutes for the kway chap!

I have been searching for the perfect kway chap for the longest time.

There used to be a food stall in the old Holland Drive food market that had the best kway chap. I used to have it for breakfast all the time and suddenly one day — they were gone. Nobody knew where they shifted to, or if they had closed down. Ever since then, all the kway chap that I had were sub-standards.

The owner was highly skilled. He’d use the ladle to scoop the pork intestines from the boiling pot, tossed it upwards and grabbed it with his bare hands. I swear that it was a piping hot pot, yet he repeated the same step for every order as though the pork intestine wasn’t hot.

I’m not very certain if this is the best kway chap in Singapore, but I love how the braised hard boiled egg, mixed pig offal, bean-curd and the preserved salted vegetables blended together as one with the drizzled of the dark soy sauce. The ‘kway’ (flat rice sheets) had a very consistent and smooth texture, and it tasted very well with the rest of the ingredients.

Which is the Original Katong Laksa in Singapore?

This has always been a tricky and controversial topic. Up till now, I still do not have any idea which is the first stall that came up with the real katong laksa that has become famous today.

Anyway, The Original Katong Laksa (name of the stall also known as Marine Parade Laksa) is currently located in a coffee shop at Blk 128 Bedok North St 2. The laksa gravy was seductive with a familiar distinct taste that all laksa-fans would love, and the ingredients of cockles and prawn were the perfect foil for the rich coconut laksa.

After ordering the legendary Hill Street Char Kway Teow, both of us were intrigued by a commotion forming at Ah Wah Rojak. The queue lasted just five minutes shorter than our wait for the Hill Street char kway teow.  To be fair, I thought that the rojak was pretty decent, but Maureen didn’t like it as the youtiao wasn’t nor crispy.

We had a great day exploring the different food markets in Bedok, and there are still plenty of good food in Bedok like the famous Bedok 85 bak chor mee that we have not covered. I am planning for the next hawker hunt, which area will you recommend for a food trail?

Best Singapore Hawker Food in Bedok

Bedok Chwee Kueh
Blk 207 New Upper Changi Road
#01-53 Bedok Interchange Food Centre

Jian Bo Shui Kueh
Blk 207 New Upper Changi Road
#01-24 Bedok Interchange Food Centre

Selegie Soya Bean
Blk 207 New Upper Changi Road
#01-46 Bedok Interchange Food Centre

Chris’s Kway Chap
Blk 216 Bedok North Street 1 Market and Food Centre #01-80

Ah Wah Rojak
Blk 16 Bedok South Market and Food Centre #01-197

Hill Street Char Kway Teow
Blk 16 Bedok South Road Market & Food Centre #01-187

Tian Tian Hainaese chicken rice, Boon Tong Kee chicken rice, and Loy Kee chicken rice are arguably the biggest names for chicken rice in the local food scene. I’ve tried all three before, they are definitely among the best chicken rice in Singapore.

There’s nothing wrong with the three chicken rice stalls, but I do not like the fact that everyone thinks that they are the best chicken rice in Singapore. I am not one who likes to go to hyped-up places, and I think this is my problem.

Seah Street and Purvis Street have been known for housing many Hainanese Chicken rice stalls with Chin Chin Hainanese chicken rice, Yet Con chicken rice and Sin Swee Kee chicken rice along them. On this occasion, we decided to check out Sin Swee Kee at Seah Street.

We had (half a chicken) of the Roasted and the Hainanese steamed chicken. I couldn’t quite put a finger to it, but the chicken at Sin Swee Kee didn’t really make an impression. It was not bad, but it wasn’t something that would make me go gaga. All I can say is I definitely had better chicken rice elsewhere before.

I have no intention to stir up a fight between the supporters of Yet Con and Sin Swee Kee, but I think that the former does a better Hainanese Pork Chop. It may have something to do with the sweet sauce, or the fries, but anyway, I have a better impression of Yet Con’s Hainanese pork chop.

Don’t judge. I know you are probably thinking that we are idiots. But we actually (or rather my friend) stupidly ordered the Sweet & Sour Fish instead of the Sweet and Sour Pork. I was having a mad craving for Sweet & Sour Pork, and I insisted on ordering it even though we already had the Sweet & Sour Fish and the Hainanese Pork Chops (which was also in sweet & sour sauce).

Sweet & Sour Pork > Sweet & Sour Fish

But unfortunately, both the sweet and sour dishes were not the ones that I’m looking for. The sweet and sour pork wasn’t crunchy enough, and lacked the wow impact. I’m sorry if it seems that I can’t explain the wow factor for sweet & sour pork clearly. That sort of feeling is indescribable, and you probably will know it only when you have it. Oh well, the hunt for the best Sweet and sour pork continues!

* * *

Obviously supporters of Sin Swee Kee Chicken rice restaurant will call this as the best chicken rice in Singapore, but I am not quite convinced. Having tried both Yet Con, and Sin Swee Kee, I will must check out Chin Chin Hainanese chicken rice next!

Anyway, I am not very familiar with the history behind Swee Kee Chicken rice. Can someone enlighten us about the story behind Sin Swee Kee and Old Swee Kee?

Hawker Food Review
Sin Swee Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant
35 Seah Street
Tel: +65 6337 7180