You may have tried many different renditions of Bak Kut Tehs in Singapore – ones with herbal soup bases or ones with spicy white pepper stock. Well, for those who love this homey, heart-warming clay pot of soup, we have great news for you – Restoran Kota Zheng Zong Claypot Bak Kut Teh has opened in Singapore at Holland Village!

This popular Johor Bahru-based restaurant started from humble roots, beginning as a mere push-cart. With over 40 years of experience and cooking their special herbal Bak Kut Teh over a charcoal flame, they are undoubtedly one of the best Bak Kut Teh restaurants in Malaysia.

We had a taste of their dishes including their Signature Claypot Bak Kut Teh, Braised Pork Leg and their White Pepper Pig’s Maw Soup. Check out what are the dishes you can look forward to at the new Kota Zheng Zong Bak Kut Teh Singapore.

The broth at Kota Zeng Zong Bak Kut Teh is made with a secret blend of 18 spices and Chinese herbs, boiled for over an hour with offal including pork belly, tripe, tendons, ribs and innards. Once the pork is added, the broth is simmered for another hour to imbue the soup with umami from the meat.

Each part of the pork is removed from the main broth so it can be portioned out and added into each individual clay pot to order.

SIGNATURE CLAYPOT BAK KUT TEH

The Signature Claypot Bak Kut Teh is served according to the number of portions ordered. You can order the standard mix of Pork Rib, Pork Belly, Pork Tail and Pork Leg or choose any of the above to add into their signature herbal broth. Each clay pot is topped with a generous helping of Fried Beancurd Skin.

You can choose to add some Enoki Mushrooms, Button Mushrooms, extra Fried Beancurd Skin or intestines to the dish. It’s boiled over a charcoal fire till it’s bubbling vigorously, then served piping-hot to the table.

Our favourite of the pork cuts was the Pork Belly. The meat was fork-tender and the fat was super succulent and juicy. It added so much umami flavour to the broth as well!

If you prefer leaner meats, the Pork Rib would be your go-to. The absence of fat did not omit much flavour as the ribs were almost falling off the bone. Each rib had been infused with the broth so well that we couldn’t stop our chopsticks for seconds and thirds!

Less seen in Bak Kut Teh, especially in Singapore, would be the Pork Tail. This fatty part of the pork is a must-try. It has a chewy texture, offering a different mouthfeel compared to the rest of the meat portions. It also adds richness to the broth!

If you want extra flavour, you can add some Hua Diao (Chinese Rice Wine) or Martel Cordon Bleu to the broth. It may sound a little daunting but once the stronger kick of alcohol is boiled off, the faint aroma of wine is rather addictive. It adds such a different dimension to the Bak Kut Teh, pairing well with the 18-herb blend that makes up the broth.

BRAISED PORK LEG

If you’re a fan of deep-dark gravy and super indulgent pork trotter, Kota Zeng Zong Bak Kut Teh’s rendition of this dish will have your mouth watering. Thick cuts of pork leg are simmered in a soy-based gravy till they are impeccably tender and juicy. Just a few pokes with your chopsticks and the meat simply pulls apart.

What we loved about this dish was how delicious the gravy was. It was so rich, savoury and had a hint of sweetness that brought a great balance. The pork that was braised in this gravy had been thoroughly infused with the complex flavours.

This is a great dish to pair with rice – remember to soak the rice with that delectable gravy. Definitely a must-try when Kota Zeng Zong Bak Kut Teh opens in Singapore!

WHITE PEPPER PIG’S MAW SOUP

If you like peppery Bak Kut Teh broth, this is the soup for you. The soup is rich with that spicy pepper kick but it’s less fatty. Inside the soup are a mix of pig’s intestines, white cabbage, abalone and mushrooms.

While we liked the signature broth, this was a nice contrasting flavour and when enjoyed with rice, it’s super addictive too!

SIDE DISHES

Bak Kut Teh is never complete without some sides to cut through the fatty meat. Choose from an array of side dishes to complement your soup and rice.

Of course, with Bak Kut Teh always comes the You Tiao (fried dough fritter). These crispy bites soak up the rich soup so wonderfully and yet still hold that satisfying crunch! Bak Kut Teh would not be the same without a side of these.

Order a plate of fresh Vege (lettuce of leaf lettuce) topped with soy sauce, sesame oil and deep-fried shallots. It is the perfect green accompaniment to the braised meats and rice.

Something more unique is their version of Tau Kee which is somewhat of a cross between Tau Pok and Tau Kee. It’s super “QQ” and has a lot of flavours, soaking up the broth as you eat it alongside your Bak Kut Teh.

Our favourite side dish had to be the Spanish Mackerel Fish Otak. It differs from the Singapore otak you find as it’s twice as meaty and has actual fish chunks strewn inside the mildly sweet-and-spicy dish. It’s best eaten mashed into rice, mixed in with a little bit of the braised pork gravy!

We hope you’re excited for this new Bak Kut Teh store in town because we definitely can’t wait to have this special broth and tender pork again! It’s even better when you don’t have to cross the causeway just to have it!

Kota Zheng Zong Bak Kut Teh
15A Lor Liput
Singapore 277730
Nearest Station: Holland Village

This post was brought to you by Kota Zheng Zong Bak Kut Teh Singapore.

Fans of CROQUANT CHOU ZAKUZAKU’s luscious cream-filled puffs and desserts now have a reason to rejoice! The famous Japanese brand will be setting up shop in Singapore at ION Orchard on 30th of November 2019!

They will be taking over the current spot of BAKE Cheese Tart which will be exiting the Singapore market by end October 2019..

Here’s a sneak preview of what they will be offering! You can expect their signature Croquant pastry filled with a creamy custard (S$2.80 for 1 pc, S$10.50 for 4 pcs), their ZAKUZAKU Soft Hokkaido Milk Ice Cream (S$6) and their HIYAZAKU which is a crispy puff filled with ice cream (S$3.80).

They will also have some Singapore-exclusive goodies, so keep an eye out for those!

2 Orchard Turn
#B4-33, ION Orchard
Singapore 238801
Nearest Station: Orchard

Having made the local news headline in 2016 after receiving a stamp of approval from pop singer Adele at her concert, Zazie has become the go-to brunch spot in San Francisco. Since it was our first time visiting the Bay Area, we knew we couldn’t miss the opportunity to experience a weekend brunch here.

Located in the quiet Cole Valley neighbourhood, which is about a 20 minutes Uber ride from Union Square, this quaint cafe already had a queue in place when we arrived at 8.45am, which was 15 minutes before it opened. As they do not have a reservation system in place, we were required to wait in line to write our names and party size on a sign-up sheet that was placed outside the cafe.

This first-come-first-served system definitely helped with managing our wait time expectations. We were eventually secured a table in the crowd-favourite garden area, which was located at the back of the cafe.

Contrary to its name, the area is actually well-covered and cool in temperature which made it exceptionally cozy, like we were in someone’s backyard.

To start us off, we had the Le MUNI (US$6), which was one of their signature brunch spirits. This non-alcoholic refresher is aptly named after the city’s main public transportation, and made with sparkling lemonade, Perrier, lavender simple syrup, blackcurrant and a dash of lemon zest. We had expected it to taste a like a citrus soda but what we got was a refreshing pick-me-up that wasn’t gassy and left a rather interesting elderflower after taste.

For our mains, we opted to try the best of both worlds with the savoury scrambled eggs Genevieve (US$18) and the sweet Sara Jane’s Pancake Flight (US$19).

Upon reading the description of what’s to come in Genevieve, we had assumed that we would be getting the Black Forest ham, white cheddar, avocados and scrambled eggs separately.

But, to our surprise, the dish came with the ham and cheese mixed in, giving us quite a fresh take on the idea of scrambled eggs.

Served with an accompaniment of their home fries, which were chunks of potatoes fried with garlic, this was a truly appetizing dish which hit all the right spots.

As we were not able to choose between the available pancake options, we went with Sara Jane’s Pancake Flight, which was similar to a sampler dish that offered the buttermilk pancake, the gingerbread pancake and the French toast.

The highlight of the trio was definitely the gingerbread pancake that was paired with the cafe’s homemade lemon curd. When taken together, the cinnamon from the pancake complements well with the tartness of the curd and ultimately delivers an interesting sweet aftertaste unlike the traditional combo of flour and syrup.

Though we were already starting to feel the after effects of a food coma, we still had room for dessert and as they say, you cannot leave Zazie without trying their brunch special coffee cake (US$9).

The Double Lemon Coffee Cake is a eureka lemon sour cream pound cake that comes with Meyer lemon glaze and spring blueberry sauce. If you are someone who doesn’t like their cake too sweet, this would be right up your alley.

Different from the usual rich and dense pound cake, the cafe has created a version of the cake which offers up just a hint of sweetness. It also helps that the cake has an overall moist and light texture which helped round up our brunch without making us feel like we were bursting at the seams.

Zazie
941 Cole Street
San Francisco
CA 94117
USA
Tel: 415-564-5332
Mon to Fri: 8am – 2pm, 5pm – 9.30pm
Sat, Sun and Holidays: 9am – 3pm, 5pm – 9.30pm

Can you believe that behind this pretty pink vending machine lies an entire café?

Situated just a stone’s throw away from Mangwon Market is Zapangi, an Instagram-famous café which has a brightly-lit pink vending machine door. Translating to ’vending machine’ in Korean, Zapangi is literally known for their iconic vending machine door.

Here, you can expect a range of cakes served in tins, doughnuts, coffee and their signature milk tea. Zapangi is a café that anyone who has a love for all things pretty or wants a picture to jazz up their Instagram feed should patronise.

If you are heading there via public transport, take the subway to Mangwon Station and take exit 2. Just a short 5 to 10-minute walk through a local neighbourhood would get you to this pretty café!

Besides the iconic pink vending machine door that Zapangi is known for, they serve a neat range of classic desserts and drinks that taste as good as they look. If you’ve ever noticed your Instagram feed brimming with posts of a mermaid cupcake served in a metallic tin, well, you can now join the trend and get one for yourself at Zapangi.

Thier menu is limited to sweet treats, including tin cakes and doughnuts, and beverages, all costing no more than 10,000 won. We suggest you order a cup of their signature milk tea to go with their insanely cute cakes and doughnuts!

Save a spot in your itinerary when you’re heading to Seoul for Zapangi not just so you can snap a few OOTD pictures with their iconic vending machine door, but to indulge in their adorable confectioneries.

If we were you, we’d share them on Instagram because if it isn’t on Instagram, it didn’t happen.

Zapangi Seoul
400-2 Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Daily: 10am -11pm
Tel: +82 2 325 8185

For more recommendations, read our Seoul’s travel guides on the best places to discover in the city.

Zi Char (also known as Zhi Char/ Cze Char/ Tze Char/ Zhu Chao) refers to comforting Chinese home-style dishes cooked upon order, usually eaten at humble local eateries and coffee shops in Singapore.

Every Zi Char stall has different selections of a la carte dishes, and it is perfect for communal dining. The idea is to order a few dishes (or many), and everyone digs in together.

From butter pork ribs, prawn paste chicken wings to spring onion deer meat, here is our Guide to 21 Popular Zi Char Dishes that you will commonly find in zi char stalls across Singapore.

#1 BUTTER PORK RIBS

Butter Pork Ribs are succulent melt-in-your-mouth pork ribs that have been marinated in spices and cooked with butter powder. It is delightfully rich and has a sweet lingering aftertaste.

#2 CEREAL PRAWNS

Cereal Prawns is one of the bestselling Zi Char dishes. The prawns are deep-fried till golden brown, coated in butter cereal (sometimes spicy) before being seasoned with salt, sugar and pepper. And if you request, some stall owners would be kind enough to deshell the prawns for you before frying.

#3 CHILLI CRAB

The chilli crab is our national dish, and ranks number 35 on World’s 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN Go in 2011. A mud crab is used in this local delicacy, where the crustacean is stir-fried in chilli and tomato sauce. Best eaten with deep fried mantou buns!

#4 CRAB BEE HOON

Crab Bee Hoon is a claypot dish of springy rice noodles with crabs in a milky and sweet broth. The broth is characterised by its peppery taste and slight smokiness. Depending on the stall, some Crab Bee Hoon is actually served in a dry version. 

#5 CURRY FISH HEAD

Curry fish head is a dish that is largely influenced by both Indian and Nyonya cuisine. Typically, a red snapper’s head is used and stewed in a fragrant curry broth together with a myriad of vegetables such as eggplants, tomatoes and ladies’ fingers.

#6 DEEP FRIED CRISPY CHICKEN

As its name suggest, deep-fried crispy chicken is literally what it is. These tender chunks of meat are fried over high heat and sometimes eaten with salt.

#7 FISH HEAD STEAMBOAT

When ordering fish head steamboat, diners can choose from either a fish head or slices of fish meat dunked in semi-sweet soup. The bubbling hotpot lit by charcoal flame usually comes with assorted vegetables and tofu, and is a great dish for communal dining.

#8 FRIED SOTONG

Fried Sotong is a favourite of many and is a ubiquitous dish on many menus. Depending on the hawker, it is basically a dish of fried calamari rings which are usually battered or served with fragrant sauce.

#9 FURONG EGG

Furong Egg aka Egg Foo Young originated from mainland China. This Chinese delicacy is really an omelette with onions and shrimps, thickened with corn starch and served with gravy on the side. Simple but oh so good.

#10 HOTPLATE TOFU

Hotplate tofu is hands down one of the most satisfying Zi Char dishes. Served on a hotplate (hence its name), egg tofu is served atop sizzling egg, minced pork, assorted vegetables and a mixture consisting oyster sauce, light soy sauce and chilli bean paste. Best eaten with fragrant white rice!

#11 MEE GORENG

Mee Goreng inherently exudes both Chinese and Malay culinary styles, though most Zi Char stalls cook theirs the Chinese way. The tangy moist noodles are simultaneously sweet and spicy, hence packing a punch of flavour with every mouthful.

#12 MOONLIGHT HOR FUN

Moonlight Hor Fun (or what we affectionately know as yue guang he fen) is a plate of stir-fried kway teow (flat noodles) with bean sprouts, a selection of seafood and topped with a raw runny egg yolk. The exact ingredients may vary from vendor to vendor.

#13 NGOH HIANG

Ngoh Hiang, otherwise known as Lor Bak, is a Chinese snack served not just in Singapore’s Zi Char eateries but also across many other Asian regions. A meat filling – consisting of various spices and condiments – is wrapped in a beancurd skin, rolled up and fried, and cut into slices. It is usually eaten with a sweet sauce.

#14 PORK RIBS KING

Pork Ribs King is known as ‘jing du pai gu’ or ‘pai gu wang’ in Mandarin. The aromatic pork ribs are crispy on the outside and unbelievably tender inside – an absolute crowd pleaser this sure is, and is one common dish in a typical Zi Char meal. Caramelised sugar is used to sweeten the dish, and it is sometimes finished off with a sprinkle of white sesame seeds.

#15 PRAWN PASTE CHICKEN WINGS

Prawn Paste Chicken Wings are more affectionately known by its Cantonese name ‘Har Cheong Gai’. As its name suggests, the chicken wings are marinated in fragrant shrimp sauce, and together with the batter, the wings are deep fried into a plump and juicy state.

#16 SALTED EGG YOLK PRAWNS

Salted Egg Yolk Prawns are our all-time favourite and something that we religiously order since we were young. Prawns are dipped into salted duck egg yolk, before being stir-fried into a golden hue alongside curry leaves, chilli padi and minced garlic.

#17 SAMBAL KANG KONG

Sambal Kang Kong is such a simple but wonderful veggie dish. Water spinach is stir-fried with spicy sambal chilli paste, and the kickass spiciness is what Singaporeans are so addicted to.

#18 SAMBAL STINGRAY

Sambal Stingray is alternatively known by its Malay name, Ikan Bakar. The Chinese would call it ‘mo gui yu’, which literally translates to ‘monster fish’. The seafood is charcoal-grilled, then topped with generous amounts of sambal chilli paste and served with cincalok (Malaysian fermented shrimp sauce).

#19 SPRING ONION DEER MEAT

Spring Onion Deer Meat is more often than not prepared with ginger and spring onion and served on a piping hotplate. Venison is wonderfully tender and drenched in a seemingly simple but complex sauce created from soy sauce, white wine and oyster sauce.

#20 SWEET AND SOUR PORK

Sweet and Sour Pork is possibly the most well-known Zi Char dish amongst Westerners abroad. These flavourful meat chunks – usually pork – are stir-fried with bell peppers and diced pineapple. Crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside, Sweet and Sour Pork is another of our all-time favourite.

#21 YAM RING

The physique of the scrumptious Yam Ring is shaped like a Buddhist monk’s alms-bowl and is loaded with fresh succulent prawns, chicken chunks, carrot slices, crunchy cashew nuts and mushrooms.

Illustrations for ladyironchef by Chen Xuan.

I am in love with tomatoes. It may sounds crazy, but I’m head over heels in love, and addicted to them. Who the hell eats tomato as snack while watching TV? Me. The irony is, I remember my mother used to force me to eat tomatoes when I was young and back then, I gave all sorts of excuses not to eat them. I only started to like them after the beauty blogger told me about the benefits of having tomatoes. Okay I digress, but there’s a reason why I’m talking about tomatoes — Spanish cuisine makes heavy use of ingredients like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, beans and mushrooms. Honey, we are having Spanish food today!

Zsofi Tapas Bar is a quirky and fun Spanish restaurant located in the heart of Little India, Singapore. I know it’s a rather strange place to go for Spanish food, but hey, there’s French food in Little India too!

Look at that beauty up there. Tell me, who can resist not eating the Spanish Paella?

I think the Spanish Paella is an amazing creation. It may seem simple enough to throw in a variety of ingredients like prawn, mussel, tomatoes, chorizo, saffron into a pan, but preparing a good paella is never easy.

I like the Paella Valecia ($35) from Zsofi Tapas Bar. Tasty isn’t exactly an appropriate word to describe it since there are so many flavors within. I’m not too sure if this is the best Spanish paella in Singapore since I haven’t tried that many before, but it is definitely one of the better paella.

Be it with a group of friends, or in the company of loved ones – I love the idea of having Sangria with a few Spanish tapas and Paella after a long day of work.

One day, I’m going to fly to Spain and take lots of photos to make all of you jealous. But until then, I can only visit the Spanish restaurants in Singapore to satisfy my cravings for paella, chorizo, churros and Spanish Tapas.

Sometimes, it’s good to step out of our comfort zone and explore new places and experience new cuisine. If you have never tried Spanish Cuisine before, it’s time to read my list of Spanish restaurants in Singapore. Zsofi Tapas Bar serves a free tapas with the purchase of every alcoholic drink.

Restaurant Review
Zsofi Tapas Bar
68 Dunlop Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6297 5875

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