Of all the hawker dishes in Singapore, I find Economic Bee Hoon one of the hardest to decide which is “the best”.

Some Economic Bee Hoon stalls are popular due to its geographical location (near schools, offices, factories), affordability, or perhaps they are only other breakfast stall n the entire food centre.

Also, there are other varying factors that affect quality, such as the time of the day visited (mornings are typically fresher than afternoon), or whether that wing is just out of the hot oil.

I was recommended to Mei Wei Economic Bee Hoon 美味咖喱杂菜饭 at 7 Crane Road (at Katong, East Coast area).

This “Poh Ho Restaurant” is no simple coffee shop, also housing the popular Hock Thye Noodle House which is known for Wanton Noodles, and Famous Crispy Prata Indian Muslim Food (Mr and Mrs Mohgan’s Super Crispy Roti Prata which used to be here moved further down the road.)

The Bee Hoon stall is a walk-and-you-would miss kind of place, serving Economic Bee Hoon in the morning, then Curry Vegetable Rice aka Chye Png from noon onwards.

The ingredients displayed do not depart from the typical, such as fried egg, luncheon meat, fried fish fillet, fried chicken wings, and cabbage.

I hear there is also the crispy Hainanese Pork Chop, but as I gone down about 10am plus, there weren’t many items left.

Score. The beehoon which was taken out of a container, was still steaming hot when served.

There was such a tasty soy and oyster sauce flavour, evenly fried without being too wet or dry, and not greasy at all.

While I added a dollop of chilli which enhanced its flavours, the bee hoon could hold on its own without the sauces as well.

Special mention goes to the fried fish fillet, which adds a special batter to the supplier delivered ones. So there was this extra crisp, but yet the inside still remained soft and rather juicy.

Expectedly, I was full of hopes for the prawn paste fried chicken wings, but because that had been left out for a while, it wasn’t as crispy as I would have wished for. But I did hear good things about it.

Nostalgic taste, flavourful, simple things done well.

Mei Wei Economic Bee Hoon 美味咖喱杂菜饭
Poh Ho Restaurant, 7 Crane Road, Singapore 429356
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 4pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
Bee hoon is only sold in the mornings while curry vegetable rice is from noon onwards

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Lor mee 卤面 is a popular Singapore hawker noodle dish with Hokkien origins.

It is categorised by thick gravy cooked with corn starch, five-spice powder and eggs, added with ingredients such as hard-boiled eggs, fish flakes, fish cake, ngor hiang (meat rolls) or fried fish – depending on the stall.

To complement the savoury flavours, customers add a drizzle of the rice-based black vinegar (usually the Chinkiang), some minced garlic, and for spice lovers, a dollop or two of sambal chili.

For this Lor Mee listicle, I tried more than 20 famous stalls, and I personally found this hawker listicle harder to compile than the usual – because the famous stalls are located at far ends of the island, with very long queues, and operate for short hours.

And it is starchy and filling, so I cannot cover more than a stall a day. (For food centres with 2-3 famous Lor Mee stalls, I go back on separate trips to try all of them.)

To me (while some may not agree with), the most important component of Lor Mee is the ’lor’ (gravy) itself. I am always looking out for that ‘magic’. It should be flavourful, and can hold on its own even without including additional vinegar, chilli or garlic.

Popular Lor Mee stalls in Singapore include Tiong Bahru Lor Mee (Old Airport Road Food Centre), Xiang Ji Lor Mee (Old Airport Road Food Centre), Yuan Zhi Wei (Whampoa Food Centre) Hoe Heng Lor Mee (Toa Payoh Lor 8), Jue Dai Lor Mee (Ci Yuan Food Centre), Zhi Xiang Lor Mee (Toa Payoh Lor 4), Ang Mo Kio Lor Mee (Chong Boon Market), Ah Mah Lor Mee (328 Clementi Ave 2), Heng Kee Lor Mee (Bendemeer Food Centre), Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee (Amoy Street Food Centre), Soon Heng (Beo Crescent), Soon Heng Food Delights (Tanjong Pagar) and Ma Bao Lor Mee (216 Bedok Food Centre).

Just to name a couple. Here are 10 more luscious Lor Mee you can find in Singapore:

Xin Mei Xiang Zheng Zong Lor Mee 新美香卤面
51 Old Airport Road, #01-116 Old Airport Road Food Centre, Singapore 390051
Opening Hours: 6am – 2pm (Fri – Wed), Closed Thurs

I remember Xin Mei Xiang Zheng Zong Lor Mee at Old Airport Road Food Centre winning (back in those days) the “Best Lor Mee” in “Just Noodles 面对面” on television hosted by Kym Ng.

The line does get very long during peak hours, with estimated wait of at least 20 to 30 minutes, and bowls can be sold out before closing hour.

Some customers may not find this worth the very long wait in the heat though.

What’s noteworthy in their Xin Mei Xiang’s Lor Mee ($4, $5, $6) is its generous serving of ingredients – you get your money’s worth.

The sauce, a key element in a good Lor Mee, was quite unlike any others I had before – thick and flavourful as it was prepared with five-spice and other seasonings.

The balance of being vinegary and spicy was done just right. Quite a complete bowl in terms of getting the different elements right from ingredients to the lor.

I never intended to finish that sauce but I did anyway. While some customers may feel it is on the plain side, it was not as starchy and didn’t give me that uncomfortable-filling feeling.

Ah yes, there is another similar-sounding Xiang Ji Lor Mee (#01-81) and Tiong Bahru Lor Mee (#01-124) in the same food centre, if you happen to crave for Lor Mee and Xin Mei Xiang is closed. Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee (Old Airport Road Food Centre)

Feng Zhen Lor Mee 鳳珍鹵麵
Taman Jurong Food Centre, #03-146, 3 Yung Seng Road, S 618499, Singapore
Opening Hours: 5am – 3pm (Tues – Sat), Closed Sun, Mon

People do travel all the way far-west to Taman Jurong Food Centre for this one stall – Feng Zhen Lor Mee.

With amazing flavours hitting all the right notes, it is no wonder this stall has all the great elements to attract Lor Mee fans to the stall.

Long queues are a common sight, but the efficient service is commendable. Try to avoid peak lunch time though.

There is both the basic Lor Mee ($3) and Fish Lor Mee ($4, $5) included with fish flakes. There were so many toppings such as scrumptious deep-fried meatballs that the noodles weren’t even visible.

Here’s what I like about the Lor Mee: the gravy had good consistency, moreish with well-balanced flavours that went amazingly well with the tender meatballs.

If there was one thing I needed to nit-pick, some parts of the ’lor’ was not well stirred, so could be clumpy at parts.

Besides Lor Mee, they also serve fried prawn rolls which make for tasty appetizers to go with your meal.

Feng Zhen has another outlet at 787B Choa Chu Kang Dr; while they have relatives sell Ah Ma Lor Mee at 328 Clementi Ave 2.

Keng Heng Whampoa Teo Chew Lor Mee 慶興黃埔潮州鹵麵
#01-63 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 9844 4853
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 2pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

It is hard to miss with the large flashy signboard compelling you to get a steamy bowl of Lor Mee, and no matter what time of the day you visit the stall, you will always be met with snaking long queues.

You may have to wait a good half an hour for your order even on weekdays.

The classic Teochew style Lor Mee is priced at $3 – $5 which I found reasonable. The large portion size was quite huge and shareable if you are not too hungry.

The bowl was loaded with tender pork belly balanced with the crisp and crunch of the fish skin (which is not commonly found in other Lor Mee stalls), fishcakes, fried wantons and chunks of crispy fish.

The gravy had a distinct sweetish taste of its own with the same starchy thickness its loyal fans all know and love. But not everyone would enjoy the gooeyness.

Oh yah, may want to go easy on the chilli as it can get overwhelmingly spicy.

Lorong Ah Soo Lor Mee 羅弄阿蘇卤面
105 Hougang Ave 1, Hainanese Village #02-51, Singapore 530105
Opening Hours: 12pm – 3:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closd Mon

This Lor Mee hawker stall is said to be in the business for more than 50 years, with old-school flavours that are a favourite with Hougang residents.

Make sure that you get to the stall during the early opening hours at noon, or prepare to wait at least 30 – 45 minutes for your order. They may also sell out earlier.

A bowl is reasonably priced at $3.50 or $4, and includes ngor hiang, fish cake, and braised duck meat.

This stall does not include fish flakes as it is labour intensives and the owner is worried there may be bones which affect many of their regulars who are more elderly.

As it is difficult to prepare the gravy (can get burnt or too watery if left there for long), the hawkers make just two big pots, cooked and seasoned till it is well-balanced with the right consistency.

The gravy may come across not as rich or robust as the usually stalls, but there was something delightful in terms of its lightness – you don’t feel so jelak. A nostalgic taste which is harder to find nowadays.

Soon Lee Lor Mee 顺利滷麵攡
Circuit Road Food Centre, Blk 79 Circuit Road, #01-07, Singapore 370079
Tel: +65 9298 0115
Opening Hours: 12pm – 8pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon, Tues

While Lor Mee is typically a morning breakfast affair, Soon Lee starts operating from noon onwards till early dinner time. (They used to serve from dinner till 2-3am but changed their operational hours.)

Soon Lee Lor Mee Stall has been around for more than 40 years.

Their ingredients comprise of their specialty fried fritters, fried fish, braised pork belly and hard-boiled egg (instead of braised).

All these ingredients are prepared fresh daily before business, and even the eggs are freshly cooked.

A bowl is sold at $3, $4, $5, though I would recommend getting the bigger bowls as the small may be too little in portion for the hungry customer.

I think why people like this stall is due to its old-school tasting gravy, which has a sweetish aftertaste. The crispy fried fritters also help to add crunch and textural contrast.

Zhi Xiang Special Lor Mee 智翔特制滷麵
93 Lor 4 Toa Payoh #01-49, Singapore 310093
Tel: +65 8233 0721
Opening Hours: 5am – 2pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This stall is called “special” for a reason. The one thing that differentiates this from the other places it the addition of fried yam fritters.

Only the $4 version comes with the yam.

It is served in a separate bowl, with some bite-size pieces that you can dip into the dark gravy. It is more towards the crunchy size, somewhat like Mamee noodles.

While it added more textural layer, this is carb in carb on carb, and so can be rather filling.

The other components were more or less standard fare, though ngor hiang given also came in the entire long piece, and not cut into smaller slices. A not bad bowl.

Lor Mee 178 鹵麵178
30 Seng Poh Road, Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre #02-23, Singapore 168898
Opening Hours: 7am – 2:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Lor Mee 178 has been listed in the Singapore’s Michelin Guide with a “Michelin Plate” (not “star”) for quite a number of years, previously also frequently featured in local television food programmes.

On a side note, there are two famous Lor Mee stalls at Tiong Bahru Food Centre, the other being Tiong Bahru Lor Mee (#02-80). Both have equally long queues.

Lor Mee 178’s signature Lor Mee ($3.00) is a bowl of thick, flat yellow noodles in viscous gravy (the lor).

Unlike the ones in other Lor Mees, its flavourful gravy is not too starchy and has a good consistency to it. You could finish slurping a bowl without feeling too full.

I personally think that the lor was slightly on the ‘safe’ side, and may be seen by some as bland or not-soimpressionable.

Would suggest going for the upgraded version with additional topping of crispy fried shark fritter ($4.00), evidently the winning element in this dish.

71 Lor Mee
115 Bukit Merah View, #01-71 Bukit Merah View Food Centre, Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 6am – 1pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon, Tues

Slightly long queue here, though people not staying around Bukit Merah won’t have heard of this Lor Mee.

To me, there are two things that are appealing – the crispy bits and the consistency of the gravy.

At $3, the Lor Mee is very reasonably priced, as the portion size is quite filling, with crunchy pork bits, fish cake and ngor hiang.

The lor was not too starchy, and had a semi-sticky gooey consistency that was neither thick nor watery. Comforting for the tummy. Lor Mee 178 (Tiong Bahru Food Centre)

Best Lu Mian In Town
91 Whampoa Drive, Whampoa Food Centre #01-19, Singapore 320091
Opening Hours: 8am – 2pm (Sat – Thurs), 8am – 3pm (Fri)

This is testament that a good stall name can keep people curious and customers coming.

So, is this REALLY the “BEST Lu Mian In Town”?

While I don’t really think so (opps) – perhaps the gravy could be less thick-starchy and more flavourful, this is indeed a way that definitely catches every passerby’s attention. The other thing to beware of at this stall is the snaking long queues.

The stall only serves Lu Mian in $3 and $4 serving bowls. You will find the serving size quite generous with ample amounts of pork, fried fish, and even some crisp chicken pieces.

The braised pork slices were quite tender and delicious.

You can customize your bowl with the noodles of your choice, and addition of garlic, chili and vinegar to your taste.

With that said, there is another popular Lu Mian stall in the same food centre, called “Yuan Zi Wei”.

Hui Wei Lor Mee
159 Mei Chin Road, #02-14, Mei Ling Market & Food Centre, Singapore 140159
Opening Hours: 8am – 2pm (Wed – Mon)

Okay, the famous Hai Tang Lor Mee may not be around anymore at Mei Ling Food Centre, the newer Hui Wei Lor Mee though an unknown name (for now) serves up quite a noteworthy version.

Starting at only $3 (or $4), the Lor Mee is affordable and plentiful.

Plenty of ingredients were buried under a dark looking and thick gravy which may not look quite appetizing, but is a treat once you dig into it.

While the gooey gravy could do with more robust flavours, the other components such as the pork slices lor bak, half a braised egg, and those large pieces of deep-fried battered fish made this a very decent bowl to have.

The fish when soaked in the gravy, retained that slight crispiness and was quite a thick fleshy piece.

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Fans of good-old Bak Chor Mee must have been missing Macpherson Minced Meat Noodles 麦波申肉脞面, which had been attracting long queues at Opal Crescent.

After its closure due to rental issues (plus Uncle Yap has been talking about retirement), they were wondering if it would be back.

Surprise, surprise.

Macpherson Minced Meat Noodles 麦波申肉脞面 will be reopening in Woodlands, at Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre on the 31st of July (Fri).

For those staying around Tai Thong, worry not as there will be another outlet coming soon (September/October), and its location will be within 1.5km from the old location at Upper Serangoon Coffeeshop.

The stall is known for serving up Minced Meat Noodles aka Bak Chor Mee, Fish Ball Noodles, Chicken Feet Noodles, Pig’s Trotter Noodles and Xiao Wan Mian.

Their dry Bak Chor Mee may just be a shoo-in for one of my personal Top 3 favourites in Singapore.

Watch owner Uncle Yap cook up his noodles, and you know that your bowl is in good hands.

The only thing is the line can be rather long during lunch hours, and the operating hours were considerably short.

What works for its Bak Chor Mee is its balance of sauces, just the right proportion of vinegary goodness and spiciness from the chilli.

And it always come piping hot with the steam almost reaching your face as you toss the noodles around. That is also why I would say just have the noodles there and then, and not dabao.

The pork slices were tender, and the savoury braised mushrooms would add that final magic.

I am quite fond of the Soup version as well.

The soup came very hot and ‘floating’ with many ingredients from minced pork to sliced braised mushrooms, flavourful with slight sweetness as it is cooked with soybeans and ikan billis.

Ah, the taste of umami.

There is that bit of old-school flavour as well, matched with al dente mee kia.

Get the fishcake if you still have stomach space.

Macpherson Minced Meat Noodles
Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre, 4 Woodlands Street 12 #01-18 Singapore 738623
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 2:30pm, 5pm – 7:30pm (Mon – Sun)
(Anticipated reopening day 31 July 2020)

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Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee (Albert Food Centre)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Mee Siam which means “Siamese noodle” in Malay, is a local hawker dish which makes for an ideal breakfast type of food. (Okay, so I wanted to write this because it is quite under-rated.)

A basic Mee Siam comprises of rice vermicelli (bee hoon) along with tau pok and hardboiled egg, all of which are in a tangy and sweet-spicy gravy.

While there are dry versions around, this listicle focuses on the wet style which is more commonly found in Singapore.

For this Mee Siam guide, I generally highlighted stalls which has Mee Siam as the star dish. There are a couple of stalls around which offered not-bad Mee Siam, but they may have ‘stronger’ Mee Rebus or Mee Soto (thus you may find some of your favourite stalls in future guides).

Also, there are a couple of chain stores such as (some) Killiney Kopitiam, Qiji and Kaffe & Toast which serve up pretty-decent Mee Siam as well.

Jia Xiang Mee Siam
#01-35 Redhill Food Centre, Blk 85 Redhill Lane, Singapore 150085
Opening Hours: 9am – 8pm (Mon – Fri, Sun), 11:30am – 5pm (Sat)

Two words – old school!

There is usually a steady queue for the Mee Siam ($3), Lontong ($3) and Nasi Lemak ($3). All of which were reasonably priced considering the portion size.

The owner has been serving up Mee Siam for more than 50 years, having learnt the recipe from her mother. Don’t be fooled by the faded signboard, because it is the food that really matters.

You get a myriad of ingredients spread atop the orange bee hoon such as hard-boiled eggs, tau pok, tiny fried crouton-like flour puffs (which makes this really different), a thin piece eggs, fried ikan billis, and finished with a dollop of chilli and self-made shallot oil.

Once you taste the gravy, you know where the magic is – the right proportion of sourness with that zing. Some people may find this more sour and tangy than the average version, but I find this is where the allure is.

Also, this is one of the few Mee Siam stalls in which you can ‘upgrade’ your plate with other ingredients such as ngor hiang, fish cakes, fried omelette and tau kwa.

The Royals Café
19 Upper East Coast Road, Singapore 455209
Tel: +65 8481 0080
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

On its menu and website, you would find that The Royal Café’s Mee Siam is rated “Best Mee Siam In Singapore”.

The Royals Café has a bakery style setting, for diners to enjoyed a nice spot at the Crescendo Building. Most people visit the place to buy baked goods such as whole cakes and breads. The dining area itself is a bit small and cramped, but has a laid-back and causal vibe which is ideal to enjoy your meals in a peaceful setting.

The Signature Nyonya Mee Siam ($7.90) contains ingredients such as prawns, egg, bean sprouts, taupok chives and homemade sambal chilli on beehoon.

The paste itself is said to be made using 12 – 15 different ingredients to give it that richer and tastier flavour.

There was something unique about the gravy of this particular Mee Siam, mainly in the texture which was rich and creamy with semi-thick consistency.

Not forgetting a tangy punch to balance the savoury components of the dish.

Delicious 美味 Mee Rebus, Mee Siam, Lontong
7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #02-02 Singapore 081006
Opening Hours: 8am – 1pm (Mon – Tues, Fri – Sun), Closed Wed, Thurs

This stall only sells 3 items – Mee Rebus, Mee Siam and Lontong, all affordably priced at $3.50.

It is quite an under-rated stall looking at how little coverage it received, but the line of customers and regulars do not lie. Some of its items are sold out quite early during the day (like lunch time) so do not come too late.

The Mee Siam, complete with the thin orange rice vermicelli and tangy piping-hot gravy, tasted rather old-school (like those I had while growing-up) – a taste that is fast disappearing.

Mazni’s Family
Amoy Street Food Centre #01-71, Singapore 069111
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 2pm (Mon – Fri), Closed Sat, Sun

Mazni’s Family was initially known for its Ayam Penyet and was previously located at Changi Airport Terminal 1, but they have shifted all their focus to the classic Malay treats like Mee Siam, Mee Soto, Lontong and Mee Rebus.

All the dishes are prepared with wholesome flavors and authentic taste, and reasonably priced to make them an instant favorite of the crowd.

Mazni’s Family’s Mee Siam ($3) is one of my most favourite dishes at the stall.

You cannot help but devour every spoonful even if you are not that hungry. I loved that sweet and tangy orangey gravy that coated every strand of the vermicelli noodles.

Plus the Mee Siam came in a bowl, so you are getting quite a bit of that decadent gravy.

You can also get a begedil ($0.60) to add a rich texture and a perfect balance of savouriness to the dish.

Lao Chao Zhou 老潮州
Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre #01-18, Block 20 Ghim Moh Road, Singapore 270020
Opening Hours: 8am till sold out (Mon – Sun)

The stall opens at 8am, and is usually completely sold out by afternoon. There are two items on its menu – Satay Bee Hoon ($4, $6) and Mee Siam ($3) which are both popular.

Their Mee Siam ($3) with beansprouts, taupok, egg, chives, chilli and tiny shrimps, is definitely worth a try with a lovely assam twang. Yup, not many Mee Siam come with crispy shrimps which add some light crunch and saltiness.

The sweet-spicy gravy was just slurp-worthy tasting like how a grandma would prepare with a well-guarded recipe.

The broth has a bright Assam tang and not so sweet unlike some that makes you want to surrender your fork immediately after the first bite.

Squirt in the wedge of lime, mix in some sambal and there is the comforting bowl of noodles that hits the right points on sweet and sour.

Grandma Mee Siam
665 Buffalo Rd, #01-311, Tekka Centre, Singapore 210665
Tel: +65 9634 1228
Opening Hours: 8am – 3pm (Mon – Sun)

This stall at Tekka Food Centre is running successfully for over 40 years, so one can only imagine the homely flavours with a recipe of Mee Siam passed down from generations.

What is special about this stall is that you can also order ngor hiang pieces on the side, with items such egg roll, sausage, cuttlefish, fried fish fritters, and meat balls (priced between $1 to $3 per item).

At only $2.50, the Mee Siam itself was quite inexpensive and filling, with plenty of spring onions for garnishing and a touch of sambal for that kick.

The gravy itself had some slight sweetness and tanginess, though I would think some may refer a gravy that is richer and more robust.

Hup Hup Mee Siam
80 Circuit Rd, Singapore 370080
Opening Hours: 6am – 2pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

Hup Hup Mee Siam gained quite a bit of social media attention from the “Hawkers United” group on facebook.

This 2nd generation hawker stall serves a variety of dishes that make for the perfect comfort food on a rainy day, from Mee Siam, Laksa to Lor Mee.

There are two serving sizes of Mee Siam ($3, $3.50) in which the vermicelli noodles were topped with bean sprouts and fried bean curd, and there was split boiled egg on the side to complement the dish.

The gravy is made with fresh coconut milk instead of prepacked ones, and also has a different taste from the usual.

I thought that it was the homemade chilli that gave it that special ‘lift’, but it could be considered very spicy for some.

Shi Xian Mee Siam
409 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #01-24, Singapore 560409
Opening Hours: 7am – 12:30pm (Wed – Sun)

Shi Xian Mee Siam at Ang Mo Kio’s Teck Ghee food centre attracts a single long queue, for customers craving for simple and homely Mee Siam (and Mee Rebus) with wholesome flavors and homemade gravy.

But they are considered quick, and the wait would be about 15 minutes or so?

All their normal bowls are priced at $2.50 – very affordable, but you can always top it up for a larger portion for just $0.50.

The plate did look very simple in presentation, but it was the flavoursome gravy that was fragrant and rich along with the little fried shrimps and onions that would win fans over.

The bee hoon itself was also soft and supple, complementing the wholesome gravy really well.

Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa
Blk 531A Upper Cross Street, Hong Lim Market & Food Centre #02-66, Singapore 051531 (Chinatown MRT)
Opening Hours: 10:15am – 3pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

When I texted my friend I wanted to try Hong Lim’s famous Fruit Juice Crayfish Mee Siam, she thought I left out the “and” and meant fruit juice and clayfish and mee siam.

No, no, no. This dish is everything in one.

This Michelin Bib Gourmand listed stall serves up Fruit Juice Mee Siam which can divide opinions (some love, some not quite), because it is just so different from all the rest.

Hawker Daniel Soo uses only fresh products and ingredients because health for customers is his number one priority.

The Mee Siam is more tangy, sour and slightly citrusy, very unlike any other mee siam you ever tried. There is no assam added, only some “secret ingredients” which he refused to reveal.

A special blend of juices is concocted in place of the usual tamarind water used. This not only cuts through the richness of the Mee Siam gravy, but lends a fruity fragrance to the dish.

Robert Mee Siam
91 Whampoa Drive, #01-43, Singapore 320091
Tel: +65 9838 8229
Opening Hours: 9am – 2:30pm (Sat, Sun, Tues, Wed), Closed Mon, Thurs, Fri

The Robert Mee Siam stall is quite economical, and a good option when you want to eat something delicious and filling on a budget.

Their signature dish is Mee Siam at $3, with additional egg or bee hoon at 50 cents each.

At first glance, a regular serving of Mee Siam seems quite different than what you’d expect. Instead of the thick orange gravy, the colour looks on the paler side.

But once you dig into your meal, you will discover a hint of sweet and assam-sour taste from the gravy.

This is not as rich as I would have loved, but a not-bad nostalgic tasting plate. The topping of chives added a nice crunch.

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

I first came in contact with Rong Xing Yong Tau Fu when I was doing a Tanjong Pagar Food Centre Hawker Guide, and the chatty lao ban niang left quite an impression, recommending me enthusiastically which items I should take.

This is one of Tanjong Pagar Food Centre’s most popular stall, yet it is still slightly under-rated in terms of the Yong Tau Foo ‘arena’.

Due to the filming of Hawker Academy 小贩学院 for MediaCorp Channel 8, I came in contact with boss Anne again who was the mentor for the two trainee hawkers; while I was the judge of the Yong Tau Foo episode. (You can still catch it on MeWatch Hawker Academy Episode 2.)

Her passion to the craft is undeniable. As the stall opens from 7am, she would be there for the prep work from 2am!

There is so much that goes into a humble dish of Yong Tau Foo, from the soup cooked with ikan billis and soya bean; the braising and cooking of thirty over individual YTF pieces; not forgetting about the homemade chilli sauce which requires strength in frying.

Note: A family member has also opened a “Rong Xing Hakka Yong Tau Fu” located at the Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre but let’s leave the family drama out of this.

Over at Rong Xing Yong Tau Fu, a piece goes for 70 cents here, with a minimum order of $3.50.

Do come before peak hour lunch, as its popularity does result in a long queue. And it is sold out right after lunch.

The best part of this dish here would be the soup with umami, cooked with soya beans for that light sweetness.

In fact, you would find quite a number of soft soya beans within the soup which I enjoyed.

If you are undecided at what pieces to choose from, the all-time favourite includes the meat balls and fried tau-kee.

There are both deep-fried and soup versions of the meat balls, which were all handmade to a reasonably large size, and were quite bouncy and juicy.

My vote would go to the deep-fried balls for a better contrast with of the crispy exterior and meaty fillings. Oh yes, the stall would cut the meatballs into two so that it is easier for the customers to consume without staining their tops.

Another winning aspect is the mixture of sweet dark sauce and chilli – added with dried shrimps. Use them sparingly.

Rong Xing Yong Tau Fu
Tanjong Pagar Plaza, Block 6 #02-04, Singapore 081006
Opening Hours: 7am – 2.30pm (Tues – Sat), Closed Sun, Mon

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

With the relative success of gourmet burgers found in hawker stalls such as Hammee’s, Burgs by Project Warung, Ashes Burnnit and Dirty Buns, it is quite predictably so we will see more burger stalls popping around.

Some are riding on the bandwagon, but there are others who go what it takes.

Skirt & Dirt first got my attention as it is opened at my favourite Tiong Bahru Food Centre and has an intriguing black signboard with a stacking-burger logo.

So why not?

I visited them anonymously, and was first surprised to see the prices.

$5.80 for a Cheese Skirt Beef Burger? $7.80 for a set with soup and fries?

Bonus: they also provide croutons to put on the soup. We (customers) got a good deal here.

(Anyway, there will always be people still complaining, ”Why so expensive?” but have no qualms about their Shake Shack and Five Guys, but let’s not go there.)

They are possibly the first hawker stall in Singapore to serve Cheese Skirt Burger, which has the cheese seared with a salty, cracker-like texture which is also an eye-catcher.

The patties are more of 100% beef rump, which was juicy and complemented the crispy texture of the cheese skirt very well.

If I have a feedback, I wished there was a double patty option for a better, fuller bite, and better balance the saltiness and crunchiness of the cheese.

Oh yes, the cheese may get rather soggy if you takeaway, so it is best if you can have it there and then.

Also on the menu are Duck Confit Burger ($6.80), Burger of the Month – to keep things interesting ($5.80), Dirt Fries ($4), Soup of the Day ($2), Cajun Fries ($3) and Garden Salad ($3).

The Duck Confit Burger is also one-of-a-kind here, with meat prepared in the wee hours of the morning daily.

While the pieces were tender and not gamey, I felt that the pieces were not substantial enough for the burger. Again, I won’t mind they give a double portion version and up its price for that item.

A promising new gourmet stall in the Tiong Bahru neighbourhood with good pricing, which should attract hipsters around in time to come.

Skirt and Dirt
Tiong Bahru Food Centre #02-66, 30 Seng Poh Road Singapore 168898
Opening Hours: 11pm – 7pm (Mon – Sun)

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Compared to other hawker centres in the Redhill area such as ABC Brickworks Food Centre, Alexandra Village Food Centre and Redhill 85 Food Centre, perhaps 115 Bukit Merah View Food Centre is less talked about.

But there are quite a couple of star stalls that would get people from far away to come to this part of Singapore.

It is no uncommon to find long lines at some, one even beyond mid-night. No kidding.

Some of the good hawker stalls there include Happy Duck Braised Duck Rice & Kway Chap (#01-38), Bukit Merah View Fishball Minced Meat Noodle (#01-45), Hong Xing Handmade Fishball and Meatball (#01-07), Sisaket Thai Food (#01-01), R&D (#01-39), Kim Huat Wanton Mee (#01-05), Depot Road Wanton Mee (#01-84), We Western (#01-19), Wen Xin Fish Soup and Lu Wei (#01-40), Qing Tian Desserts (#01-42).

Here are 10 more:

Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang 柴船头羊肉汤
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-51, Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 11am – 1:30pm (Tues – Sat), Closed Sun, Mon

Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang 柴船头羊肉汤 with more than 30 years of history, has been included in the Michelin Bib Gourmand.

And it is just opened for 2.5 hours a day (or less when sold out), so a long line is always formed even before opening hours.

The stall serves up a variety, from mutton meat, balls, tendon, tripe to even brain, all priced affordable at $5, $6, $7 or $8.

I ordered a Mixed Bowl, and all of that with rice is only at $7. Plus, I hear that soup is re-fillable.

Compared to the Hainanese styles, this soup is more towards the Teochew-style which is slightly peppery and herbal.

The Mutton Soup came across very pleasant, flavourful with slight aromatic herbal taste that didn’t overpower (compared to some other soups which could be just one-dimensional herbal or peppery).

The meats and parts came across as tender and soft, had slight gamey taste, best savoured with a dip of the tangy chilli (similar to what you get from a beef noodle stall). Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang (Bukit Merah View)

Yong Chun Wanton Noodle
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-56, Singapore 151115
Tel: +65 9028 1285
Opening Hours: 5:30am – 1:30pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun)

Bukit Merah View Food Centre actually has quite a high proportion of wanton noodle stalls – Depot Road Wanton Mee, Kim Huat Wanton Mee, R&D, and Yong Chun.

I have tried all of them, and they all have varied styles which will appeal to different fans. Yong Chun probably has the longest queue for now due to a viral video.

The stall serves up Wanton Noodles ($3, $4, $5), Dumpling Noodles ($3, $4, $5), Shredded Chicken Noodles or Horfun ($3, $4, $5), and Chicken Feet Noodles ($3.50, $4.50).

What I enjoyed was the springiness of the noodles that had a good eggy (can say al dente) bite to it, matched with soft char siew that is cooked in a wok rather than roasted.

Special mention goes to the dumplings (I ordered on a separate occasion) that were plump and meaty with minced pork and water chestnuts.

Special tip for you: The sister actually owns a Bak Chor Mee stall at ABC Food Centre called “Chun Seng” (noticed the similarity in signboards and styles and asked).

Na Na Homemade Curry
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-47, Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 11am – 7pm (Mon – Sat) Closed Sun

Na Na Homemade Curry is one of those few stalls dedicated to just selling the Chinese style of curries and only curries.

Sometimes also known as the “Marina South Curry”, owner Mr Yap Hock Kee opened a curry-and-rice shop at the now-defunct Marina South food court inspired by his grandmother’s Peranakan style curry in 1989. (However, there are those who say it didn’t taste like the same as before.)

The offerings include Curry Fish Head (market price), Curry Chicken ($3.50), Curry Chicken Drum Stick ($4), Curry Vegetable ($3), Curry Mutton ($4) and Curry Pork Rib ($4).

The curry arrived looking potent, with fiery colours of orange-red, seemingly devoid of the typical coconut base.

The Curry Pork Ribs gravy had a fuller mouthfeel, very marginally to the sour side compared to the Chicken version. Na Na Homemade Curry (Bukit Merah View)

Charcoal Grilled
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-09, Singapore 151115
Tel: +65 9271 2208
Opening Hours: 5:30pm – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Perhaps another under-rated stall at this food stall. This stall may not have the typical eye-catching signboard and seems to serve many items from Rojak, Cuttlefish Kangkong to Taupok, customers really go for their charcoal-grilled Satay.

They come in varieties of Pork ($0.60), Chicken ($0.60), Mutton ($0.70), with Ketupat at $0.80.

While serving may take a while during peak hours, the meat was juicy with a caramelised exterior and beautiful char that was not overly-burnt, best when dipped in satay sauce with sweet pineapple puree.

Yip Economic Bee Hoon
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-33, Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 6am – 12pm (Mon – Sun)

Sometimes, I do wonder why this Economic Bee Hoon enjoys such as long queue, and I think perhaps it got to do with the variety, pricing, and servings.

Their Traditional Bee Hoon starts from $1 which is quite affordable, and also offers Fried Noodles and Fried Kuay Teow options.

Matched with some of their popular items such as Chicken Cutlet ($1.20), Fish Fillet ($1), Sotong Fillet ($1), Luncheon Meat ($0.60) and Fried Prawn Dumplings ($0.50).

There are also other deep-fried items such as Tau Kee Fish Cake ($1), Ngor Hiang ($1), Chicken Nugget ($0.40) and Hash Brown ($0.80) which would appeal to the kids.

With a wide menu including Peanut Porridge ($1), Chee Cheong Fun ($1) and Yam Cake ($1), customers have a lot of options to choose from.

Bukit Merah View Carrot Cake
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-37, Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 7am – 1:30pm, 4:30pm – 1:30am (Mon – Sun)

One of the under-rated Carrot Cake stalls in Singapore, this is my go-to place for late-night cravings as it is opened till 1:30am.

The bonus? The stall is opened from 7am.

This is where both White and Black versions have their own fans. A pity that while they used to mill their own rice and steam the cakes, they have switched supplies.

A positive thing is while the cakes are generally in bigger cubes, they remain soft with distinct trace of radish. Also, loads of eggs given.

The black version is unlike the usual, with a tinge of savoury-sweetness, though I personally prefer a richer version.

Oh yes, the brothers take on varied shifts at this stall, so the very same item can taste somewhat different both day and night.

786 Char Kway Teow
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-28, Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 12pm – 8pm (Mon – Thurs, Sat – Sun), Closed Fri

786 Char Kway Teow is a hidden gem of Bukit Merah View, as this is one of the few Char Kway Teow stalls around that is Muslim-owned.

It is quite a challenge to find the halal food options, especially when it comes to signature dishes like Char Kway Teow, and they prepare the dish with halal ingredients without compromising on the taste and quality of the dish.

The Char Kway Teow is available in Regular ($3) and Big ($5) serving sizes, which was quite generous and filling. Slightly to the wet side.

The dish had all the traditional ingredients with springy yellow wheat noodles that are stir-fried in a rich sweet black sauce and hints of garlic.

The pork lard is replaced by generous amounts of chye sim vegetables, cockles, eggs and a very distinct shiok-ness coming from the wok-hei.

71 Lor Mee
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-71, Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 6am – 1pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon, Tues

Slightly long queue here, though people not staying around Bukit Merah won’t have heard of this Lor Mee.

To me, there are two things that are appealing – the crispy bits and the consistency of the gravy.

At $3, the Lor Mee is very reasonably priced, as the portion size is quite filling, with crunchy pork bits, fish cake and ngor hiang.

The lor was not too starchy, and had a semi-sticky gooey consistency that was neither thick nor watery. Comforting for the tummy.

Soon Li Yong Tau Foo
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-78, Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 12am – 3am (Note: Hours vary and stall may open later than midnight, and close earlier than indicated.)

Where do I even start? Contrary to its name “Soon Li” 顺利, which in Chinese means “smooth flowing”, there is nothing “shun li” about the whole buying process.

First things first, this Yong Tau Foo supposedly opens at midnight, and closes about 3am. HOWEVER, it can change its operating hours as and when.

It is best to go with at least one other person to command and conquer OR divide and conquer. There are supposedly 2 queues – one to pick items on the right, one to pay on the left.

An indicative pricing could be anything from $8 to $20 plus.

The star of the Yong Tau Foo to me was the soup base, cooked with deep fried ikan billis and pork belly. Tasty, full of flavours, surprisingly not overly salty or oily.

As for the items themselves, I say… go for the pork belly.

Mr Bakery 面包哥
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-51, Singapore 151115

Do I want to save the best for last? Perhaps.

Instead of the usual hawker food, this stall serves up a variety of breads such as Honey Kuih Bahulu, Fish Burger, Chicken Burger, Cheese Sticks, Sweet Potato Bun, Otah Cheese Bun, Azuki Red Bean Burger, to Mexico Chocolate Bun.

But the item I am always here for is their best-selling Golden Baked Tapioca Kueh ($1.30) – think people call it Kueh Bingka Ubi, said to be baked for 1.5 hours without flour.

Best if you get it straight when it is fresh, the cake is rich and flavourful, thick yet fluffy. Not too sweet so you won’t feel jelak, especially good when paired with Kopi o Kosong.

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Challenge or opportunity?

The COVID-19 proved to be a period none of us would have expected, similarly for this family whose many members found themselves out of jobs.

However, they found strength together, made the best out of the situation, and turned to selling Ngoh Hiang and Bee Hoon online.

The recipe was actually passed down by their great-grandmother, modified slightly by their grandmother. So you can say it is a recipe that was passed through 4 generations.

The “Circuit Breaker” period even tough, proved to be an encouraging time for them as they found support from friends, online customers, and strangers who became regulars.

Their stall may be difficult to find for those unfamiliar with the Lavender area, within a coffeeshop at 462 Crawford Lane somewhere of walking distance from Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles or Tolido’s Espresso Nook.

The menu is straight-forward, with offerings of Ngoh Hiang ($5), Fried Beehoon ($2), Fried Chicken Wings ($2 each).

There are sets of Ngoh Hiang with Bee Hoon ($6.50) or Rice ($5.50). Soon to be available are Prawn Fritters mixed with different flour to make to it chewy like mochi.

Hmm… old-school.

Their Bee Hoon would appeal to those who crave for simplicity, not drenched in sauces, neither greasy nor oily.

It reminded me of very versions cooked up by friends’ mothers or grandmothers – in a good way I guess.

My favourite parts were the crunchy cabbages that were fried together, also to make it a little sweeter too.

If you do a close-up on the beehoon, you would find little fried shrimps and scallions added for fragrance.

The Ngoh Hiang ($5 for solo order) is their signature dish that mainly uses prawn, water chestnut and pork meat. The ingredients are cut by hands so that the texture of the meat will be chewy.

However, some of you may find it lacking of something… 5 spice powder, and so may be ‘thrown off’.

To me, what worked was the portion and length. It was a 7-inch long meaty roll that you possibly cannot find anywhere else at this price.

What I would recommend is to add some of their ‘garlicky’ chilli dip with a little sour, sweet and spicy taste. Just a dip will do, as it can prove to be fiery for some.

The Fried Chicken Wings ($2 each) were marinated over long hours with special sauce to ensure the sauce enters the meat.

Also, a little of alcohol was used to make it taste a little sweet and fragrance at the same time.

Customers would therefore find it browner than a usual version, and perhaps lacking of a usual crisp battered layer as they do not add too much flour so that people can get to eat the original taste of the meat.

Some people if looking for a more ‘commercialised’ taste, may be slightly disappointed.

What you get here is simple things done right, with that homely feeling.

Sim’s Ngoh Hiang
462 Crawford Lane, #01-29, Singapore 190462
Tel: +65 9456 1018
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Nothing to do with “Wing Chun” – the Southern Chinese Kungfu style, Yong Chun Wanton Noodle 永春云吞面 can be said to be putting on a good fight, and is enjoying a constant long queue at Bukit Merah View 115 Food Centre.

This particular Bukit Merah View Food Centre actually has quite a high proportion of wanton mee stalls – Depot Road Wanton Mee, Kim Huat Wanton Mee, R&D, and Yong Chun, and they all come with relatively long lines.

I have tried all of them, and they all have varied styles which will appeal to different fans: Depot Road Wanton Mee for it spinach and tomato-based noodles with plump dumplings; Kim Huat Wanton Mee (not related to Mr Brown) for its old-school flavours; R&D for springy noodles.

Yong Chun probably has the most buzz for now due to a viral video from SethLui’s team.

Worthy to take note that the stall opens before sunrise at 5:30am till about 1:30pm (or sold out) to cater to the workers and elderly in the vicinity who have early breakfast.

That also means the young hawkers also have to be at the stall from 2am plus to start preparation. It is very hard work and sacrifice.

The stall serves up Wanton Noodles ($3, $4, $5), Dumpling Noodles ($3, $4, $5), Shredded Chicken Noodles or Horfun ($3, $4, $5), and Chicken Feet Noodles ($3.50, $4.50).

What I enjoyed was the springiness of the noodles that had a good eggy (can say al dente) bite to it, matched with soft char siew that is cooked in a wok rather than roasted.

I would have personally preferred the roasted type with the caramelised slightly-charred exterior, but this somehow worked and also came across as less greasy and easier to bite (for the older folks).

The base sauce was also on the slightly sweeter side, with a particular old-school savour.

Special mention goes to the dumplings (I ordered on a separate occasion) that were plump and meaty with minced pork and water chestnuts.

Special tip for you: The sister actually owns a Bak Chor Mee stall at ABC Food Centre called “Chun Seng” (noticed the similarity in signboards and styles and asked). 春 symbolising “spring” is their mother’s name.

Yong Chun Wanton Noodle
115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre #01-56, Singapore 151115
Tel: +65 9028 1285
Opening Hours: 5:30am – 1:30pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed Tues

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Singaporeans can travel the distance for food, even all the way far-west to Taman Jurong Food Centre for this one stall – Feng Zhen Lor Mee. (Also read: 10 Best LOR MEE In Singapore)

I will leave you to decide if it is worth trip, especially if you stay say at Tampines or Pasir Ris (or further).

Taman Jurong Food Centre located at 3 Yung Sheng Road, not near to any MRT stations. However, there are stalls foodies head for including 58 Minced Meat Noodle, Tien Lai Rice Stall (for roast meats), Tom’s Kitchen (for Western food), Sikkander’s Briyani, Butternut, Xin Sheng Gor Hiang Prawn Cracker, and BBQ Seafood.

Long queues are a common sight at Feng Zhen Lor Mee, opened from 5am in the morning. While the efficient service is commendable, try to avoid peak lunch time though as the line does go a loop to the back.

There are both the basic Lor Mee ($3) and Fish Lor Mee ($4, $5) available included with fish flakes.

In terms of presentation, there were so many toppings such as scrumptious deep-fried meatballs that the noodles weren’t even visible.

Here’s what I liked about the Lor Mee: the gravy had good consistency, moreish with well-balanced flavours that went amazingly well with the tender meatballs.

If there was one thing I needed to nit-pick, some parts of the ’lor’ was not well stirred, so could be clumpy at parts. Perhaps people who prefer something richer (”zhong kou wei”) would feel it needs more ‘oomph’ and have to add more vinegar.

But amazing flavours hitting most of the right notes and arriving suitably warm, it is no wonder this stall has all the great elements to attract Lor Mee fans to the stall.

However, some people may feel it is “over-rated” because the difference would be subtle, and not far better than say the above-average ones in the neighbourhood.

Besides Lor Mee, they also serve fried prawn rolls which make for tasty appetizers to go with your meal.

Feng Zhen has another outlet at 787B Choa Chu Kang Dr; while they have relatives sell Ah Ma Lor Mee at 328 Clementi Ave 2.

Feng Zhen Lor Mee 鳳珍鹵麵
Taman Jurong Food Centre, #03-146, 3 Yung Seng Road, S 618499, Singapore
Opening Hours: 5am – 3pm (Tues – Sat), Closed Sun, Mon

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Talk about some of the best Laksa in Singapore, and stalls such as Sungei Road Laksa, Janggut Laksa, Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa, Wei Yi Laksa & Prawn Noodle, and 328 Katong Laksa should come to mind.

Khoon’s Katong Laksa & Seafood Soup located at Sembawang Hills Food Centre serves up another variation of the “Katong Laksa”, though it may not be as in-the-radar as compared to the rest.

The “Katong Laksa” style is generally categorised with the thick vermicelli (cu mi fen) cut into rather short strands, so diners just need to scoop the noodles up with a spoon without the use of chopsticks.

The stall was recently featured in MediaCorp’s Hawker Academy 小贩学院. As I was a judge on the programme, I made it a point to try out the mentor’s version.

The Laksa is available in options of $3, $4, and $5; also offered are Fried Fish and Sliced Fish Soup.

Making the gravy rempah base is a laborious task, which includes more than 10 ingredients of candlenut (buah keras), belachan, dried shrimps, tumeric, ginger, minced garlic, shallots and more.

Compared to other styles of Laksa, they do not add that much coconut milk so you would find it easy to slurp without being too cloying.

But if you are used to the robust kind, you may find like the gravy to be richer-tasting. I would have personally preferred if it was slightly more aromatic overall.

There was a certain lightness and not too spicy, but even those who cannot take the heat would likely find this manageable.

Khoon’s Katong Laksa & Seafood Soup
Sembawang Hills Food Centre #01-26, 590 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574419
Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

As MasterChef Singapore is coming back with a Season 2, some viewers may be wondering what happened to its Season 1 alumni.

Winner Zander Ng has hosted “On The Red Dot: Chef’s Mission”, conducted cooking workshops and collaborated on a few pop-up cooking events; while runner-up Genevieve Lee has started her online bakery Sourbombe Baker selling Italian-styled doughnuts.

And it is Aaron Wong who first opened up a hawker stall.

Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway at Blk 11 Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre gained some buzz due to the MasterChef Singapore factor. Ex-contestant Aaron is known for his “neighbourhood Ah Beng” persona and always seen with a trucker cap.

By the way, Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre is located opposite SAFRA Mount Faber, and do not confuse this with the other Telok Blangah Food Centre.

While you are there, other famous stalls in the same hawker centre include Soon Heng Fishball Noodles, Fei Lou Porridge, Uncle Lee’s Hong Kong Noodle & Rice, Su Yuan Vegetarian, Teochew Hand Made Squid Ball and Hai Kee Teochew Cha Kuay Teow (though this is opened later afternoon onwards).

Note that at Jiak Song, as every bowl is made-to-order and the line is very long, orders may take up to more than an hour’s wait. Food can also get sold out by lunch time.

I counted about slightly more than 10 customers in front of me, but I only got my food came unexpectedly slightly after an hour.

Aaron revealed that the average time needed to prepare each bowl would be about 2 minutes (dough hand-rolled upon order), but there may be a couple of customers who ‘bulk buys’ above 10 bowls.

Wait till the buzz comes down, or have a lot of patience. (Don’t buay song before you jiak song.)

There may be another reason so for its popularity: a bowl of Mee Hoon Kway in soup or dry version goes for an inexpensive $3.50.

For more liao, there is an All-in Combo with pork slices, pork ball and shrimp ball at $5.00. You can also opt for a Ban Mian option.

While the dry Mee Hoon Kway gets tossed in little sauce, it was the texture that was appealing – doughy-soft, smooth and chewy and quite unlike the typical styles.

While portion of the noodles may not be too far, it was adequately filling.

I liked the addition of pork and shrimp balls – almost Beauty in The Pot style, though would have preferred if there was a juicier bite.

The soup version was clean-tasting yet flavourful, with an obvious fragrance from the shallot oil.

With the texture of Ban Mian on the softer side, I suspect this bowl may work better when dined-there rather than da-bao.

Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway
11 Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre, #01-108, Singapore 090011
Opening Hours: 9am – 1pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon (or till sold out)

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

I made a random trip to Golden Mile Food Centre (or Beach Road Hawker Centre) some time back for Chung Cheng Chilli Mee and Zhao An Granny Grass Jelly, and couldn’t help noticing YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle along the same row.

The line wasn’t very long. And so I ordered a plate, noticed that the hawker was very young, even thought it was a decently-good plate even worthy of comparison with Hainan Hokkien Mee downstairs.

Funny how the ‘power’ of social media works, and this Hokkien Mee stall has been appearing on my feed frequently of late. Maybe because I am always searching for Hokkien Mee any way.

YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle is manned by 21-year old Andre and his father.

Andre started learning how to fry the noodles during his teenage years, when his dad was helping out at Changi Village Fried Hokkien Mee at Toa Payoh Lor 8 Food Centre.

The boyish hawker also maintains an IG account called @cookingwith_andre and it seems like noodles are his most frequently presented dishes. He also hopes to get a “Michelin Star” one day.

The Hokkien Mee comes in four pricings – $4, $5; while the $6 and $8 portions are served on orh peh leaf.

The style is closer to the dry side with slight stickiness, and so customers may just relate this to the other dry Hokkien Mee downstairs.

Andre described the texture as “carbonara” style, which is just in between wet and ry.

I am opened to both, and loved how the strands of noodles ‘captured’ the distinct essence of the prawn stock. As though you get that rich seafood flavour every mouthful you take.

Though I would think some may find this a notch salty overall.

Portion is considered generous with crispy pork lard, and you would find good wok-hei within.

Some famous Hokkien Mee in Singapore may be considered ‘over-rated’ but I think You Fu does have that ‘magic’.

While I think this is a 7 or 7.5 out of a 10, it is heartening to know that Andre takes in constructive feedback and seeks to improve every time.

So I am looking forward to trying this again say months down the road.

However, I hope that I don’t sound like a wet blanket here but I do have my concerns.

Not sure if you remember some of the viral stalls by young hawkers at Golden Mile Food Centre which includes YaLoh Herbal Roast Duck, Three Good Guys with Salted Egg Xiang Guo (think they moved to Kim Tian?), Vegetarian Dry Ban Mian by Sudouku, Illuwa Korean Food and more.

They all enjoyed positive reviews, a string of customers, but there is a part of me wondering, “Where did they go?”

There are a lot of Hokkien Mee fans rooting behind Andre and his dad, and I am definitely one of them.

YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
505 Beach Road, Golden Mile Food Centre #01-57, Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 9825 7449
Opening Hours: 10am – 8:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Mee Rebus is one of the iconic hawker noodles dishes in Singapore, of yellow noodles served with thick and spicy potato-based gravy.

“Rebus” means “to blanch” in Malay, and therefore “Mee Rebus refers to “blanched noodles”.

The ingredients of Mee Rebus are typically included with hard-boiled egg, bean sprouts, fried shallots, tau kwa (fried beancurd) and spring onions.

This listicle was slightly harder to write than the usual hawker guides due to the similarity in ingredients and preparation method of varied stalls; and many stalls sold a fair number of items other than just Mee Rebus – making it harder to ascertain if Mee Rebus is indeed their ‘best’ product.

Due to the richness and starchiness of the dish, I also needed to space apart having them, sometimes returning to have a second taste.

Other than the usual famous Mee Rebus stalls, I have also included a couple of under-the-radar ones, and they were surprisingly noteworthy. Enjoy!

Yunos N Family (Ang Mo Kio)
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6, Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

It took me a while to decide which Mee Rebus I should put at the top of this list (since there are all very close), but Yunos N Family is that one plate I would most like to have again.

With a history of over 39 years of scrumptious goodness, this stall had a humble start at Hashtings Road before moving to Ang Mo Kio during 1979. The recipe and taste of their dishes are said to have remained unchanged since the good old days.

The Mee Rebus can be added with several options of meats such as chicken, wing, drumstick, ekor (oxtail) and babat (tripe). The stall also serves well-grilled satay, and this is another item you should include for a heartier meal.

On the note of satay, do order the Mee Rebus Tarik ($4.80) which includes satay sauce and meat. “Tarik” means “pull” in Malay, and so three sticks of satay would be ‘pulled’ into the sumptuous bowl.

When you get that bowl of Mee Rebus with indulgent thick and nutty gravy with a touch of sweetness, you know you are in for a good treat. I found the gravy smooth yet multi-layered, departing from just an ordinary bowl.

Inspirasi
208B New Upper Changi Road, #01-11. Singapore
Tel: +65 6589 8494
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Inspirasi at Bedok Interchange Food Centre has running successfully since the 1970s. The stall is famous for its delicious Malay fare and a long line of devoted customers that you just cannot avoid, but hungry fans should just stick through.

The stall is known for its Mee Rebus, Soto Ayam, Mee Soto and Chicken Porridge, all super affordably priced at $2.50. These are hard to find prices. Add bergedil (fried potato) for extra 50 cents.

While the queue may be long, the stall clears the line quite fast.

Okay, I LOVE the Mee Rebus here for that consistency in the gravy. Top-notch with lots of flavours going on from savoury, sweet to spicy, added with fresh cut chopped green chillies for that refreshing kick.

Some customers may feel it may not be that worth the hype, but must also remember you are getting this for only $2.50.

Queenstown Lontong
1A Commonwealth Drive, #01-21 Tanglin Halt Food Centre Singapore 141001
Tel: +65 9182 2189
Opening Hours: 7am – 2pm (Mon – Fri), Closed Sat, Sun

Of all the popular Malay food stalls listed here, perhaps Queenstown Lontong is the least talked about on social media.

One of the reasons is because it is located at the quieter side of Tanglin Halt Food Centre, but its line early mornings don’t lie as well.

Boasting a business since the 1960s, Queenstown Lontong won’t disappoint with its delicious recipe passed down through 3 generations.

While the stall says “Lontong”, they also serve up Nasi Lemak ($3), Mee Rebus ($3), Mee Siam ($3), Laksa ($3), Mee Soto ($3), and Soto Ayam ($3).

The presentation was not quite like the others, and the gravy was rich, robust, and came piping hot. Another plus point was their home-made sambal with ikan billis that added a beautiful touch of sweetness.

I also need to talk about its Bergedil. Instead of the typical flat round shape, you get two deep-fried potato balls with fluffy fillings. How lovely.

Rahim Muslim Food
#01-01, 453A, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, Chong Boon Market, Singapore 560453
Tel: +65 9786 7362
Opening Hours: 12:30pm – 7pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

The stall is currently operated by the third generation of hawkers, and has been around for over 60 years.

Call it the social media snow-ball effect, but it has been frequently featured of late, recommended on Makan Kakis on Gold 905 and Night Owl Cinematics rating this 3 Stars “Food King Good”.

So little note: you will be welcomed by long queues and perhaps tedious wait here.

There are three types of Mee Rebus served: the “Normal” ($3.50), “Power” with egg and cut chicken ($4.50), or “Extra Special” with chicken drumstick ($6).

All come with special satay sauce added.

I loved the huge portion (very filling) topped with succulent chicken and egg drenched in lip-smacking thick potato gravy with that element of roasted nuttiness.

Not so sure about the chicken which had some turmeric flavour, but overall could be on the blander side.

(My Ang Mo Kio friend and I who tried both famous Mee Rebus stalls in AMK concurred that while both added satay sauce, the mixture of flavours seem to work better at Yunos.)

Afandi Hawa & Family Mee Rebus
14 Haig Rd, #01-21, Singapore 430014
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 8pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Sun), Closed Wed

Be prepared for a delightful serving of Mee Rebus with crab, mutton and shrimps.

While you may not find these ingredients within your plate, they impart those complex flavours and umami-ness to the gravy. Well, you may find some mutton strips.

This rather-famous hawker stall is located at Haig Road Market & Food Centre, and is known for Malay dishes.

The signature Mee Rebus ($3) I had was inexpensive yet scrumptious, with the standout element for me even before diving in for a spoonful was the thickness of its gravy.

The potato starch gravy added an appetizing richness to the dish, without being overly heavy. Possibly the best plate you can find at this part of Singapore.

P&Z Eating House
1 Changi Village Road, Singapore 500001
Opening Hours: 7:30pm – 4pm (For Mee Rebus), – 9pm (For Other Food)

How many places in Singapore dare to claim they sell the “Best Mee Rebus In Singapore”?

P&Z refers to Pat and Zara, the two women who are the pillar of support to this shop.

The shop used to be located at Geylang, but have moved to opposite Changi Village Food Centre. (Take note that while Google states the shop closes at 9pm, the Mee Rebus is sold out by 3 to 4pm. I found it out the hard way after travelling across half the island for this.)

The Mee Rebus ($3.50) had rather thick and earthy tasting gravy, with a spice kick that would hit you towards the end.

There was no fanciful ingredients added, but the magic is in that old-school familiar taste of the sauce. The other thing was that the noodles didn’t have the strong alkaline taste, and was well-cooked with softness.

Selamat Datang Warong Pak Spari
Adam Road Food Centre #01-09, 2 Adam Road, Singapore 289876
Opening Hours: 7:45am – 9pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

It is not often you find a stall specializing in just Mee Soto and Mee Rebus, and Selamat Datang Warong Pak Spari is probably where you need to head down if you love Mee Soto.

Items served included Mee Soto ($3.50), Bee Hoon Soto ($3.50), Mee Rebus ($3.50), Sup Ayam or Chicken Soup ($5.50), Sup Babat or Beef Tribe Soup ($6.50), and Bubur Ayam Chicke Porridge ($3.50). Top up with a Bergedil (deep-fried potato cake) at a dollar.

The recommended is the hearty bowl of Mee Rebus ($3.50) which comes with cut green chillies, coriander, fried shallots and a whole egg.

The thick gravy is also on the spicier side, and a dash of sambal kicap (spicy sweet soy sauce dip) gave the flavours a whole new dimension.

Siti Nur Liyana
Adam Road Food Centre #01-14, 2 Adam Road, Singapore 289876
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 10pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed Thurs

A competitor of the above-mentioned stall at the Adam Road Food Centre offers you a trip down memory lane with traditional and comforting flavors.

There are those who head down here for the Nasi Lemak instead of the other two famous stalls.

Also available are Mee Siam, Lontong (both only for breakfast), Mee Soto Ayam, Tahu Goreng, Mee Bandung, and Mee Rebus. (I saw a lot of people ordering the Mee Rebus and therefore I was curious.)

The Mee Rebus ($3) had a scrumptiously thick gravy with a pleasant sweet-nutty taste. Plus, it was served hot such that you could see steam coming out as you lift the noodles up.

With just the right balance of spices, the heavenly sweet potato cake aka Bergedil ties the flavours nicely with garnishing of fried shallots, tofu, green chili and celery.

I found that the noodles were also cooked to the softer side, which gels in better with the sweet gravy.

Suhaime’s
Geylang Bahru Market and Food Centre, #01-2879, Blk 69 Geylang Bahru, Singapore 330069
Opening Hours: 6am – 3:30pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

You may have noticed the words “Trade Mark” and “inheritors of Geylang Lorong 1 Mee Rebus” on the signboard at this stall.

The recipe is said to be from a previously-famous street stall at Geylang Lorong 1, and the current owners chose not to take short cuts in the cooking.

The Mee Rebus ($3) came with the usual ingredients of yellow noodles accompanied with boiled egg, tau pok, bean sprouts, fried shallots, and spring onions.

Of all the plates I ordered for this listicle (more than 15 of them), this came the most piping hot, though I was looking for some accompanying chilli as I couldn’t find any.

The consistency was neither too thick nor watery – comforting plate, but I felt it could do with more robust flavours or a spicier take to make it more memorable.

Delicious 美味 Mee Rebus, Mee Siam, Lontong
7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #02-02 Tanjong Pagar Food Centre, Singapore 081006
Opening Hours: 7am – 3pm (Fri – Tues)

This stall at Tanjong Pagar Food Centre is known serve only three items, and you find fans for all these dishes of Mee Siam, Lontong and yes, Mee Rebus.

I found their wholesome bowl of Mee Rebus having homely childhood flavours, like the good-old one I had in my primary school.

Their Mee Rebus ($3) has a simple presentation with familiar flavours that could make you feel nostalgic again.

The dish contains generous amounts of bean curd, shallots, bean sprouts, green chilies and an egg.

I loved the consistency of the gravy that coated the yellow noodles nicely and made every spoonful truly slurp-worthy. Auntie also helped squeeze some lime over the noodles, which added that light touch of tangy flavour.

Note: they often sell out early.

Other Related Entries
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10 NASI LEMAK In Singapore

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Perhaps the popularity of King Of Fried Rice has lead others to think that this is probably a good name to gain some attention.

Will we see the likes of “King Of Bak Chor Mee”, “King Of Laksa”, and “King Of Ban Mian” soon?

Ah, this new stall has the confidence of naming itself “King Of Pao Fan”. I asked and it is NOT related to King Of Fried Rice at all.

It is so called because they use mainly the ‘king of seafood’ such as lobsters and big batang fish.

Pao Fan is slowly gaining popularity in many Chinese (especially Teochew) restaurants in Singapore.

“Pao” 泡 means “submerging”, while “fan” 饭 refers to rice, though not to be confused with the usual porridge.

In terms of the cooking process, porridge is cooked using rice grains simmered in water or stock; while for Pao Fan the rice grains are first steamed then drenched in the broth.

Typically, crunchy rice is poured over upon serving.

This stall is a short walk away from Bugis+ and Albert Food Centre located within a coffeeshop.

It has offerings of Fried Fish Pao Fan ($5.50), Sliced Fish Pao Fan ($7), Duo Style Pao Fan ($6), Fresh Prawn Pao Fan ($17), and Half Lobster Pao Fan ($18).

I went for the safe choice of a Duo Style with both fried fish and sliced fish. To be fair, I though that the broth cooked with a combination of pork and fish bones was both comforting and flavourful, topped with crispy fried egg floss.

There was a certain pepperiness, though it could be brought down a notch in order not to overpower the sweetness of the ingredients.

The fishes were fresh-tasting; and so if I have to nit-pick, it would be the rice which I thought could have better contrast. The sprinkled rice didn’t have the crispiness, while the other grains could have been softer.

This is so as to better contrast Pao Fan with say a usual Teochew Fried Fish Porridge.

Due to Pao Fan getting trendy, the pricing, and striking name, I think social media channels would start covering this stall. If they can fine-tune, I believe popularity will come knocking on its door.

King Of Pao Fan
Waterloo Centre, 269 Queen Street, #01-237 Stall 4, Singapore 180269
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

Other Related Entries
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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

If you have been to Kopitiam at Tampines Mall Level 4 recently, you would have realised it has revamped with a modern look, housing many attractive stalls that serves up iconic Singapore hawker favourites.

Three of the stalls are note-worthy as the brands have been recommended by the Michelin Guide.

They include HJH Maimunah Mini known for its Halal Indonesian and Malay cuisine; Shi Hui Yuan for its smooth Horfun and braising sauce; and Hawker Chan which received the honours of being the cheapest Michelin-starred meal in the world (set to open later in the month).

Enjoy a hearty meal from the 20 stalls there, including Teppanyaki Omu Curry Rice & Donburi, Pig Organ Soup & Porridge, Pin Wei Chinese Mixed Rice, Korean Cuisine, Original Fish Soup, and Beauty Nutritious Soup.

Hungry for more? Here are some of the highlights:

HJH Maimunah Mini (Traditional Malay Cuisine), Stall 15&16
HJH Maimunah was the stall which received the most attention when I visited, with a line of hungry patrons wanting to try from this Michelin Bib Gourmand recommended brand. The queue clears quite fast though.

Established in 1992 by Mdm Mahiran & Mr Didih, their objective is for foodies to have easy access to fresh and tasty Indonesian and Malay cuisine.

If you are craving for some Nasi Padang, top-selling items to include with your rice are Ayam Bakar Sunda aka BBQ Chicken ($4.50), Beef Rendang ($4) and BBQ Selar Fish ($6). I am a fan of its spiced Beef Rendang cooked till tender, fragrant with a touch of sweetness.

Also look out for the Signature Lemak Siput Sedut ($6 – $8), a type of snails (available seasonally) cooked in coconut-based gravy.

For convenience, get the Set Meats such as Sambal Sotong Set ($5.50) includes with sotong, 2 sides and rice; or Beef Set ($7) with beef, 2 sides and rice. If you come in a pair or in a small family, the Classic Ambeng Platter ($24.80) certainly looks sumptuous and tantalising.

Shi Hui Yuan, Stall 19
Shi Hui Yuan which originated at Mei Ling Street Food Centre was awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand Award for consecutive years, and this time you can try their food without travelling to the West.

The stall is famed for its Hor Fun in collagen-rich gravy and herbal braising sauce. Accordingly, that braising sauce has been stewed continuously over the last 30 years with chicken and duck meat and bones for that rustic flavour.

The founders developed a recipe using over 30 herbs such as dang shen, yang shen xu and luo han guo, in line with their Cantonese cooking philosophy of “food as medicine”.

Get your hands on a plate of Hor Fun topped with braised chicken ($5.40), chicken drumstick ($6.20), braised duck ($6.20), duck drumstick ($7.20), braised chicken feet ($6.60), braised mushrooms ($4.80), or even plant-based giant wanton ($7.20).

For that all-in-one plate, the Blissful Set ($7.80) comes with a medley of chicken drumstick, duck, spare ribs, braised egg and mushrooms with a bit of everything, with slippery-smooth horfun.

Koo Kee Yong Tow Foo Mee, Stall 20
Koo Kee Yong Tow Foo Mee under Gao Ji Food has been around since 1954.

Recommended items include Yong Tow Foo soup ($5.30), Laksa Yong Tow Foo with Chee Cheong Fun ($6.20), Spinach Yong Two Foo Set ($6.70), to even Hot Plate Bean Paste Yong Tow Foo with rice ($5.60).

The must-order is the Koo Kee Set Meal ($6.70), included with a bowl of Yong Tow Foo, specialty egg noodles, along with a plate of Kang Kong with fermented bean curd sauce.

What’s special about their Yong Tow Foo is that it comes in a standard set of 5 pieces comprising of Tau Hu (soft white bean curd spread with fish paste), Tau Pok (bean curd puff with fish paste), Tau Kuah (fried firm bean curd with fish paste), Tau Kee (fried bean curd skin with fish paste), and Fishball.

The pieces are best dipped into the sweet sauce (secret recipe) and chilli sauce for greater flavour.

If you find their soup sweet and tasty, that is because it is simmered with soya beans and ikan bills using the same recipe for the last 60 plus years.

Worthy to mention is the fragrant meat toppings on the noodles, prepared using chicken as a healthier alternative.

Qiu Lian Ban Mee, Stall 2
When you talk about comforting Ban Mian in Singapore, Qiu Lian Ban Mee is always a shoo-in.

I remember Qiu Lian Ban Mee giving that sense of warmth during growing up years. And I just realised that Qiu Lian has been around since 1988, and its beginning started with founder Mdm Ong Qiu Lian (yes, she is a real person) who was an enterprising housewife who came up with this unique soup and chili recipe.

Qiu Lian started her first stall using a small hand-held noodle maker, and the fresh noodles in flavourful soup became popular, and the rest is history.

Offerings at this Kopitiam include Qiu Lian Ban Mee ($5.70), Bee Hoon Soup ($5.70), Tom Yum Mee Hoon Kuey ($6.50), Big Prawn U-Mee ($6.80), and Dumpling Ban Mee ($7), all come with choice of Ban Mee, U-Mee, Mee Hoon Kuey, Bee Hoon, Ee-Mee or Mee Sua.

There are three elements which I thought made this bowl work – the handmade noodles with the right thickness and chewy-springy texture; soup that is delectable on its own even without any toppings; and the crispy anchovies.

Just a dip of the special chilli sauce, for the Ban Mian would taste even better.

Wanton Kolo Mee, Stall 5
I remember having Jin’s Sarawak Kolo Mee first at Amoy Street Food Centre, and it can be found now in the East of Singapore.

The recipe was the brainchild of the owner’s father who invested some 40 odd years into researching and developing the recipe of the noodles, made from duck’s egg.

The special thing about this stall is that it marries both the familiar Singapore Wanton Noodle with Sarawak Kolo Mee together, creating this “Wanton Kolo Mee”.

The signature dish here is the Sarawak Wanton Kolo Mee ($5.20), with other offerings of Chicken Cutlet Mee ($5.70), Fried Wanton Kolo Mee ($5.70), Dry Kway Teow ($4.80) and Dry Spinach Mee ($4.80).

Add on a side dish of Boiled Wanton ($2.80 for 7 pcs), Fried Wanton ($2.80 for 8pcs), or Wanton Soup ($3.50 for 10 pcs with vegetable).

The Sarawak Wanton Kolo Mee is prepared with ingredients of minced pork, slivers of sliced char siew, boiled wantons, fried wantons, healthy greens and the special duck’s egg noodle – which was springy and light, tossed in minimal but fragrant sauce.

Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles, Stall 8
Craving for some juicy, bouncy fishballs? Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles started off as a pushcart stall in 1968, and still maintains its tradition of making their fishballs daily.

Only pure yellowtail fish is used in the making to maintain that bite – no preservatives, no fillers, and no surimi.

The fishcakes are made from pure yellowtail fish and shaped by hand; while the fish dumplings are with yellowtail fish kneaded and rolled into a delicate skin to wrap fragrant pork filling within.

Head over to Li Xin for some Fishball Noodle ($5.00 for dry or soup), Fish Dumpling Noodles ($5.50), Fish Cake Noodles ($5.50) and Laksa ($5.50)

I would usually go for the meepok here, tossed with homemade chilli sauce and topped with crispy lard. What’s special is their base sauce which is to the spicier side with a good kick.

Heng Hwa Hometown Cuisine, Stall 9
Heng Hwa cuisine characterised by seafood dishes as it is close to the coastal area of Fujian province is less commonly found in food courts in Singapore, and so am glad to find one at Kopitiam Tampines Mall.

Heng Hwa Hometown Cuisine is started by Tai Ho Soon 泰和順 – a restaurant at 61 Kampong, which specializes in Putian Xinghua cuisine.

Tai Ho Soon uses fresh ingredients with less seasoning and processing for more authenticity in their dishes; and every chef is recruited from Putian.

Rice and noodle dishes offered are the Heng Hwa Lor Mee ($6.90), Heng Hwa Fried Bai Guo ($6.90), Heng Hwa Sweet Potato Noodles ($6.90), Heng Hwa Signature Mee Sua ($7.50), Scallop & Tou Shui Seaweed Braised Rice ($7), Heng Hwa Golden Fried Rice ($7) and Hometown Mustard Green Porridge ($4.80).

Pair this up with a la carte dishes of Heng Hwa Lychee Pork ($12), Red Rice Wine Claypot Chicken ($12), Spicy La La ($10), Cabbage Beancurd Seafood Soup ($7), Stir Fried Pea Shoots ($8), and Spinach in Supreme Stock ($10).

The recommended signature is the Heng Hwa Fried White Bee Hoon ($6.90), of thin rice vermicelli fried with prawns and clams, in rich pork bone stock till the flavours are absorbed. Not forgetting the topping crunchy peanuts.

Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee-Mini Wok, Stall 12
This is the “Mini Wok” version of the Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee brand known for their Singapore-style Cantonese zi char cuisine.

The founder of the original brand, the late Mr Loh Mun Hon had passed down his recipes and skills to his disciples, who started their own “Hong Kong Street” restaurants with his blessings.

They are best known for Har Cheong Kai aka Deep Fried Prawn Paste Chicken which are crispy and juicy, marinated with a secret concoction of fermented prawn paste and a mixture of spices.

On the menu are more than 40 zi char local delights, including Pork Rib Rice ($6.80), Sweet & Sour Pork Rice ($6.80), San Bei Chicken Rice ($7.80), Har Cheong Kai Rice ($7.80), Black Pepper Beef Rice ($6.80), Fried Rice with Salted Fish ($5.80), San Lao Hor Fun ($6.80), Hokkien Mee ($5.80), and Bean Sauce Beef Hor Fun ($6.80).

The Signature White Bee Hoon ($6.80) is wok-fried with rich broth till the vermicelli absorbs the flavours, and with generous amount of prawns, lala and vegetables, further topped with crispy lard.

There are also set menus available for 3-4 pax starting from $38.80, for example with BBQ Stingray, Cereal Prawn, Mixed Seasonal Vegetable with Mushrooms.

Riverside Indonesia BBQ, Stall 14
This is one of my favourite stalls at Kopitiam, Plaza Singapura and they also have an outlet here. Though Riverside Indonesian BBQ first started out in 1996 as a restaurant at Riverside Point specialising in Indonesian BBQ.

On its menu are the Ayam Panggang Grilled Chicken set ($6.50), Ayam & Ikan Panggang Grilled Chicken + Fish Set ($8.50), Ikan Panggang Grilled Fish Set ($6.50), Gulai Ayam Set ($6.50) and more.

Each set comes served with curry drenched white rice and freshly-made sambal chili.

Customers can add also on items from squid, chicken, fish, vegetable, to egg.

The best-selling Ayam Panggang ($6.50 for set) is marinated with a yellow sauce made with Indonesian herbs and spices before being grilled over open flames for those smoky flavours.

What people really like is that tantalising signature black sweet sauce that the grilled chicken is dipped into just before serving. Sedap!

Devil Chilli – Mala Hotpot, Stall 17
Devil Chilli Mala Hot Pot is the spin-off brand of Xiao Man Niu Mala Xiang Guo – which has obtained the Halal certification.

The popular item here would be the Mala Xiang Guo or Mala Dry, in which customers pick their favourite ingredients such as chicken meat, seafood, mushrooms, various balls and vegetables to be wok-fried with special spices in high heat.

Accordingly, the mala paste is made with over 20 herbs, spices and ingredients for a more robust taste. I found the Mala Xiang Guo to be fragrant and not too oily, closer to the spicier (la) side rather than numbing (ma).

Also available is a soup style of Chongqing-styled Hot Pot, prepared using their own secret Halal-certified Mala Paste and Mala Chilli Oil, with spiciness level customisable.

Those who prefer ala carte options can choose from their selection of Sour & Spicy Noodles ($6.80), Mala Noodles ($6.80), Pickled Fish ($16.80), Mala Fish ($16.80), and Mala Sliced Beef ($16.80).

Fitra Hainanese Chicken Rice, Stall 18
Fitra is one of the few Halal-certified Hainanese-style Chicken Rice stalls around, that also specialises in other repertoire of chicken dishes.

Other than their signature Hainanese Steam or Roasted Chicken Rice ($4.70), there are also dishes of Chicken Char Siew Rice ($4.70), Three Treasure Rice ($7.50), Curry Chicken Noodle ($5.50), Chicken Dumpling Noodles ($5.50), Chicken Macaroni ($4.70) and Chicken Porridge ($4.70).

Get the Hainanese Roasted Chicken Rice Set for 1 pax ($6.70) which also comes with vegetables and soup, with the chicken served separately.

The rice was fragrant, cooked with chicken stock, garlic, ginger and pandan leaves, best dipped with some of the dark soya sauce and specially-made chili – which was towards the sweeter side.

The Pau Shop, Stall 1
Behind The Pau Shop are two experienced Dim Sum chefs, Chef Lee Chu and Chef Yap Yoke Ying.

Chef Lee Chu is a veteran Dim Sum Chef who hails from Hong Kong and previously worked at Mayflower Restaurant (Changi Airport) and Dragon City Chinese Restaurant; while Chef Yap was also from the famed Mayflower Restaurant and Tropicana Theatre Restaurant.

The Pau Shop prepares and delivers daily fresh Baos, Dim Sum and Bakery items to the stall.

Popular items include Siew Mai, Har Kow, Chicken Claws, Beancurd Roll, Egg Tart, Lor Mai Kai, Lotus Leaf Rice, Fan Choy, Salted Egg Yolk Pau, and Large Pork Pau.

Hawker Chan, Stall 11 (Coming soon)
Hawker Chan needs little introduction, well-known to be “The World First Hawker Michelin-starred Meal” and “The Cheapest Michelin-starred Meal In The Word”.

This is his first stall under the Kopitiam brand, and first within a food court.

The reason for success is due to fresh ingredients to prepare the dishes daily; and many hours to prepare the sauce for marination and to achieve the signature flavour and tenderness.

Signature items to look forward to include the Soya Sauce Chicken Rice, Roasted Pork Noodles, Char Siew Rice, Pork Rib Rice, Roasted Pork Hor Fun and more.

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Kopitiam.

The rainy weather nowadays makes me crave for a hot bowl of belly-warming porridge in Singapore.

For the purpose of consistency, this food guide includes mainly the inexpensive Cantonese or Hainanese thick-style of Porridge found in local food centres and coffeeshops.

Enjoy!

Sin Heng Kee
Blk 685 Hougang Street 61, Singapore 530685
Tel: +65 9118 1569
Opening Hours: 7am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

Sin Heng Kee takes up an entire coffeeshop at Hougang Street 61, always swarming with people and its best to go in early. Apparently, there is another outlet at 101 Yishun Ave 5, #01-19/21.

They serve extremely thick concoction, which is the result of hours and hours of boiling to right consistency.

The recommended bowl is the Signature Porridge ($5) which includes a mixture of pig’s organs, pork slices and meat balls; while you can also order the Century Egg with Lean Meat, Sliced Fish or Triple Egg Porridge ($4, $4.50).

The congee itself could be a bit bland to some, but the texture was nicely-creamy when mixed with yolk. The best parts were the minced pork and mixed organs which were tenderly-soft. I would have liked the bowl better if I didn’t feel that thirsty after the meal.

You can also get fried dough fritter ($0.80) with the congee. However, it comes in a plastic bag and unfortunately soggy. Most regulars who bothers to, would go to the opposite kopitiam to ta-bao freshly-fried ones, and the shop seems to allow that.

Johor Road Boon Kee Pork Porridge
638 Veerasamy Road, Singapore 200638
Tel: +65 6296 9100
Opening Hours: 6:45am – 2pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This is a slightly under-the-radar stall (at least on the social media sphere), but don’t be deceived as this Hainanese porridge stall attracts a constant crowd and often sold out way before closing time of 2pm.

This stall within a kopitiam at Veerasamy Road (near Jalan Besar) starts operations at 6:45am.

The basic bowl starts with $3, and there are various options such as pork, chicken, sliced fish, cuttlefish, or a combination of the ingredients.

Additional egg or century egg cost $0.50 extra, and I would reckon it is worthwhile to add both.

Rest assured this is a nourishing, filling, belly-warming bowl, and you would find the texture much-thicker than the usual ones.

The grains are still slightly distinguishable, but yet it is overly still smooth. The winning point are the tender pieces of pork without a strong ‘porky’ smell.

Zhen Zhen Porridge 真真粥品
Maxwell Road Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street #01-54, Singapore 069184
Opening Hours: 5:30am – 2:30pm (Mon, Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed Tues, Thurs

There are several stalls famous for congee at Chinatown and Maxwell Food Centre, such as Tiong Shian Porridge Centre and Hoe Kee Porridge, but many have a soft spot for Zhen Zhen Porridge.

However, the waiting time was a bit longer than I would have liked. As mid-morning is their rush hour, you may want to get there a bit early.

The queue was not entirely the reason for the wait, as the aunties inside took a painstakingly long time to cut up the ingredients and get orders.

Choose between Fish Porridge, Chicken Porridge, Sliced Fish with Shredded Chicken and Century Egg, Century Egg and Chicken, and Fish Belly Porridge ($3, $4, $5).

The congee was warm and pleasant with thick and dense rice grains cooked to a perfect consistency. Every spoonful was full of delicious ingredients like meat, chicken, and century egg along with other peripherals of spring onion, shallots and chopped preserved vegetables.

It is easily one of the better congees around Singapore with its smooth texture and varied constituents.

Note: While there are stated opening hours, Zhen Zhen Porridge may close as and when.

Hong Kee Porridge
31 Commonwealth Crescent, #02-89 Market & Food Centre, Singapore 149644
Tel: +65 9067 5755
Opening Hours: 6am – 2:30pm (Mon – Sun)

This stall hidden within Commonwealth Crescent Food Centre is known among residents in the vicinity for serving the ultimate comfort food, a good old bowl of hearty and delicious porridge.

You can choose from Pork, Fish or Fish Head Porridge, starting from $3.

The recipe has been passed down since 4 decades to bring you old-school flavors that we all loved and found comfort in growing up. With an affordable price and a generous serving size, you can’t go wrong with this dish.

The porridge itself, unlike many other stalls serving the dish, wasn’t bland at all. You may find the consistency to be slightly wetter compared to the usual thick and creamy ones, perhaps to cater to the elderly customers who are regulars.

The bowl didn’t have a typical porky or fishy smell, rather earthy and delicious taste.

Soon Lee Porridge
#01-50, 448 Clementi Ave 3, Singapore 120448
Opening Hours: 6am – 7pm (Mon – Fri), 6am – 4pm (Sat), Closed Sun

This is the perfect comfort food to warm you up, found at Clementi 448 Food Centre.

The Hainanese style porridge is one in which the boiled rice is presented in a grainy texture rather than a smooth paste.

Available choices are Pork, Chicken or Fish, at $3 or $4. Add $0.30 for the egg. However, be prepared to wait and do check on the estimated timings with the stall person.

At the Soon Lee Porridge stall, you can see the pots of congee lined up on the stove, which are only flavoured with ingredients and their secret savoury sauce upon order.

The more it cooks, the better texture and consistency it gets.

I found their Pork Porridge having this lovely thickness (thicker than the usual which fills you up) with warm, homely taste. The ingredients tasted quite fresh with well-balanced seasoning.

Congee 88
127 Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre Lor 1 #02-29 Singapore 310127
Tel: +65 9475 2678
Opening Hours: 7am – 3pm (Tues – Sat), 7am – 2pm (Sun), Closed Mon

88 粥品 (88 Zhou Pin) at Toa Payoh serves up a familiar yummilious taste of Hong Kong styled congee, the quality kind that you would find along the roads of Nathan Lane. On a fine breakfast outing, the single bowl relieved my cravings for Kowloon street food.

What’s Congee without the good old familiar youtiao? The dough stick was freshly deep-fried on the spot and served one long stick on top of the bowl in its entirety.

Some of the recommended Congee included the Meat Ball & Century Egg, Prawn Ball and Meat Ball & Intestine Congee where the meatballs were home-made with a secret recipe.

If you wonder why you could get hotel quality food in a hawker centre, that was because Chef Au worked in Westin Hotel, Raffles Hotel and Hong Kong’s Shangri-La before he moved up to set up his own stall.

Chai Chee Pork Porridge
#01-23, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Opening Hours: 5:30am – 3:30pm, Closed on alternate Wednesdays
(An alternate stall at the front will open during evening times till late)

Pork Porridge is real comfort food for me, and I would crave for a bowl once in a while.

Chai Chee Pork Porridge is one of those stalls that you would usually find people queuing at the market.

In fact, they are so popular that they have 2 stalls – one which they open in the day, and the other at night till late. The earlier stall becomes a preparation stall for the night stall.

The Pork Porridge was cooked until it is thick and smooth with an almost gluey texture filled with yummy minced pork and lean pork meat, topped with you tiao and spring onions. Such a bowl of happiness.

Xian Ji Porridge
57 Eng Hoon Street (Tiong Bahru), Singapore 160057
Opening Hours: 7am – 9:30am (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This is quite an under-rated congee stall, though it is frequently sold out early in the morning. Yes, it operates for 2.5 hours or less.

It is run by two sisters who work tirelessly, stirring the pot several hours before the opening hours to get the rice grains to a perfect smooth and creamy consistency.

A bowl ($7) with an egg (additional $1) contains chunks of fresh pork meat, minced meat balls and small intestines, generous portions of chopped vegetables (watercress), and some pepper and soy sauce.

Flavourful, full of ingredients, and extremely comforting.

Ah Chiang’s Porridge
65 Tiong Poh Road (Tiong Bahru), Singapore 160065
Tel: +65 6557 0084
Opening Hours: 6am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

Ah Chiang’s Porridge at Tiong Bahru has been my regular favourite since the good-old days, though I must say they used to be better – say 2-3 years back when there was visibility more ingredients.

The shop is run on the principles of a healthy, hearty meal at an affordable price.

The setup is quite simple and minimalistic with the porridge shop, opening at 6am and serving simmering hot fresh porridge.

Each bowl of porridge is prepared post ordering, cooked over charcoal so be prepared to wait around 10 to 15 minutes.

The congee is essentially Cantonese style and combines other ingredients like pork, seafood, chicken, vegetables, or century egg. Usually my favourite would be the Mixed Pork Organs with Meatballs.

Or get the Mixed Pork Porridge which comes with springy, handmade pork balls, succulent sliced meat and an array of pig intestines.

While it may look simple and plain, it has a creamy consistency with fresh ingredients. Add some soy sauce, pepper and cut chilies, and you have got yourself a delightful bowl.

You can also find it within The Hainan Story at Hillion Mall and JEM.

Ri Ji Porridge
269B Queen Street, Singapore 182269 (Bugis MRT)
Phone: +65 9815 8230
Opening Hours: 7am – 7pm (Mon – Sun)

This congee stalls goes back to 1976. It was first started by Mr. Wong, and the family recipe has been passed down since then with innovations and improvements to bring its regular patrons the best-selling Cantonese porridge in the area.

The business is small and robust with the servers working tirelessly to make the most palatable and rich congee. According to Dr Leslie Tay from ieatishootipost.sg, the porridge is cooked via a steaming process.

Varieties available here include Pork Congee ($3), Fish Congee ($3.50), Cuttlefish and Peanut Congee ($3.50), and Century Egg Congee.

Although the congee looked simple, and possibly one of the ‘plainest’ I had (in this list), the consistency was smooth and slippery, and didn’t feel jelak (rich) finishing the entire bowl.

While you are here, not to be missed is also the Chee Cheong Fun ($2).

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

“Rasa sayang Eh, Rasa sayang sayang eh, Hey lihat nona jauh, Rasa sayang sayang eh…”

Residents around Ang Mo Kio should be familiar with Rasa Sayang Western Food stall previously located at the S-11 coffeeshop.

It used to attract very long queues for its mega-sized Chicken Cutlet, and I would remember heading all the way there to line up if I got any Hainanese kopitiam-style Western food cravings.

(Also read: 10 Affordable Old-School Western Food Found In Singapore’s Hawker Centres )

A couple of years back, the stall within S-11 was taken over by new owners, and its popularity and reviews well… kind of dipped (Currently 2.8 on Google).

Good news for its fans: the original stall has reopened at Block 347 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, at a coffee shop opposite AMK Hub and a couple of minutes’ walk away from its previous location.

Some of the available favourites include Chicken Chop ($6.50), Pork Chop ($7), Chicken Cutlet ($7), Salmon Fish ($9), Fish and Chips ($6.50), Chicken Wings Set ($7), Lamb Chop ($12) and Chicken Cutlet Spaghetti ($7.80).

For those who order from the steak and chop menu, you can choose from mushroom, black pepper, garlic butter and sambal chilli sauce.

My default order was typically the Chicken Cutlet in the past, and the friendly uncle would oblige pouring a little of the garlic butter sauce over – because I liked the garlicky ‘fragrance’.

At a value-for-money pricing, the meat would come in a huge slab, complete with the crispy crumbed outer layer and succulent inside with that old-school flavour.

Queues are expected to be very, very long.

(Photo credit: Jeffrey Huang)

Rasa Sayang Western Food
Blk 347 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, Singapore 560347
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10pm (Mon – Sun), or till sold out

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

After a few months wait, East Coast Lagoon Food Village has reopened again, and many hawker food lovin’ Singaporeans did not wait to make their return. The East Coast Plan continues to be quite exciting.

I certainly found the centre a lot cleaner, cooler (those big fans), with the usual popular stalls making a return.

Some people call this the “Newton Circus of the East”, understandable because there are a number of Fried hawker food (Hokkien Mee, Fried Oyster, Char Kway Teow), BBQ Chicken Wings, Grilled Seafood, Sugarcane juice stalls and the likes. (The one thing I still do not like are some stalls being more pushy to potential customers.)

Note: Not all stalls have reopened yet, and I haven’t got to queue and eat all the “must-tries”.

For the purpose of this guide, I also included those with long lines or are typically recommended (Will fill them back when I got to eating them.)

Song Kee Fried Oyster
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 15
Opening Hours: 1pm – 1am (Mon – Sun)

Probably the stall with one of the longest lines at East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Song Kee serves up Oyster Omelette ($4, $6, $8, $10) aka Orh Luak and Oyster Egg ($6, $8, 10).

After trying, I can understand why. The succulent oysters have the rather ‘fresh’ taste, though some customers may not like it as it feels rather ‘raw’.

The portion came with quite substantial fragrant and fluffy eggs as well, and not so starchy. On the flip side, some may prefer more tapioca starch and a crispier version – so really depends what style you enjoy.

The chopped Chinese parsley and spicy-tangy chili help to enhance the flavours and pack a nice punch.

Geylang 29 Charcoal Fried Hokkien Mee
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 32
Opening Hours: 4pm – 9pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This is the sister outlet of the popular Geylang Lor 29 Hokkien Mee at East Coast Road.

On the menu are Charcoal Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles ($6, $10, $10), along with Pork Belly Satay ($1.50 each, min 6 pcs) and BBQ Sotong ($10, $15, $20).

What I loved the most about their dish was the distinct, classic flavour that can only come through the charcoal fire preparation of this famous dish.

The smokiness was its unique factor, though I personally found it on the saltier side. While I remember the East Coast Road’s version to be more memorable, this is one of the more famous stalls to check out here.

Haron Satay 55 (East Coast Lagoon Food Village)
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 55
Tel: +65 6441 0495
Opening Hours: 2pm – 11pm (Tue – Sun), Closed Mon

Probably East Coast Lagoon Food Village’s most popular Halal Satay stall, at Stall #55.

They also have the Haron Satay Café at Upper East Coast Road

Founded by Haron Abu Bakar in 1980, Haron Satay 55 (named one of Singapore’s Hawker Masters by The Straits Times) has remained popular for its consistent quality and generous amounts of meat per stick.

Haron’s signature juicy satays are available in chicken, mutton, and beef ($0.70 per stick; minimum of 20 sticks).

These well-marinated meats are grilled upon order, so you get them hot, tender and succulent.

That appealing aroma comes from the lemongrass in the marinade. If you get the chicken satay, you’ll taste a balance of sweetness and savoury with a hint of smokiness.

To further boost the flavour, dip them in the accompanying creamy homemade peanut sauce. Followed by sliced onions and cucumbers.

Lagoon Chicken Curry Puff
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 28
Opening Hours: 1pm – 9pm (Sun – Mon), Closed Tues

Another classic, but take note that this stall is always closed as uncle needs to take a break.

This Lagoon Chicken Curry Puff ($1.40) has a similar style to Katong’s, with a slightly thicker but butter dough.

The handmade puffs have fillings which taste more sambal than curry, and you can actually see small bits of chilli within.

Ah Hwee BBQ Chicken Wing & Spring Chicken
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 14
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2am (Mon – Sun)

There are many BBQ Chicken Wing stalls at East Coast Lagoon, so I was looking out for one with a line and not the usual chain stall found elsewhere.

The stall sells Charcoal BBQ Chickwn Wings ($1.30) and Spring Chicken ($8.00).

And oh, the wings were actually quite delicious crisp – probably one of the most ‘crispy’ layered BBQ wings I had in Singapore in a while.

The deep-brown outer layer was slightly sweet, while the meat was nicely marinated, remained moist and not too oily at all.

Zuo Ji Duck Rice
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 29
Opening Hours: 11am – 7:30pm (Mon – Fri), 9:30am – 7:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Choon Hiang
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 46
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Han Jia Bak Kut Teh & Pork Leg
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

Lagoon Leng Kee Beef Kway Teow
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 33
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)

While many of us are more used to the Hainanese style of Beef Noodles with thick brown gravy, this stall serves up a Teochew style – and only in a soup version. Do not request otherwise.

The Beef Noodles ($5, $7) is served looking simply with kway teow and soup. While the broth looked light and plain, it was still quite flavourful after boiling with beef bones for hours.

Some customers may find this on the blander side, but I thought it was a comforting bowl that departs from the other greasier food served in this food centre.

This is a one-man show stall, so be patient in waiting for your bowl.

Lagoon Famous Carrot Cake and Popiah
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 40
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri), 8:30am – 10pm (Sat, Sun), Closed Tues

Black or white? When in doubt, pick both.

This no-pork no-lard stall sells Crispy White Carrot Cake ($4, $5, $6), Sweet Delicious Black Carrot Cake ($4, $5, $6), and Mixed Yuan-Yang Carrot Cake ($6, $7, $8).

I generally prefer my White Carrot Cake to be on the crispier side, so my vote goes to the Black Carrot Cake which has tasty-sweetness without being too oily. The carrot cake was also on the soft side, which some may prefer.

This stall is also quite famous for its Popiah ($2.20) – quite tightly wrapped with addictive crunchy bits.

Stingray Forever BBQ Seafood
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 43
Opening Hours: 4:30pm – 11:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Again, there are many BBQ Seafood stalls here, and for this, I went with the SG food bloggers recommendation. lol

Other than Chilli Crabs, Black Pepper Crab with Egg Frost and BBQ Crab, other seafood items include Grilled Squid ($12, $24), Fresh Salmon with Garlic ($12, $24), Cod Fish with Oyster Sauce ($12 for 100gm), Sambal Lala ($12, $24), Gong Gong ($12, $24), Samba Sea Mussels ($12, $24) and Cockles ($6, $12).

This is a no pork, no lard stall.

To me, what was special about the Sambal Stingray was the sauce, very nutty and fragrant and different from the typical ones. Accordingly, about 20 to 30 ingredients are used in the making, and the stingray is barbecued together with the sambal sauce (rather than spreaded on top later).

Hwa Kee BBQ Pork Noodle 華記雲吞麵
East Coast Lagoon Food Village Stall 45
Opening Hours: 5pm – 12am (Mon, Tues, Thurs), 5pm – 12:30am (Fri, Sat), 12pm – 12am (Sun), Closed Wed

The stall is known for its Wanton Noodles ($4, $5, $6), while it also serves up Wanton Hor Fun ($4, $5, $6), Prawn Dumpling Noodles ($4, $5, $6), Char Siew Rice ($3, $4, $5) and Fried Wanton ($3, $4, $5).

While the wantons were pretty-much average, the star of the dish was its sweet caramelised, well-roasted char siew pieces which matched well with the springy noodles and sweetish sauce.

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

First things first, if this is your maiden visit to the stall, do NOT join the long line YET but instead choose the Yong Tau Foo food items first. (Also read: 10 Must-Try YONG TAU FOO In Singapore)

So yes, pick your food before queueing up.

Different YTF stalls, different rules, so go with their system.

Xi Xiang Feng Yong Tau Foo 喜相逢 is easily the hawker stall with the longest queue at Ang Mo Kio Central Food Centre at Blk 724.

Other popular stalls there include Yunos N Family (Mee Rebus and Satay), Ang Mo Kio Char Kway Teow, Sin Choon Braised Duck, Hong Chong Wanton Noodles, Lim Hai Sheng Cooked Food (Carrot Cake), Centre Satay Beehoon, and Hup Hup Minced Meat Noodle.

There are a few styles you can choose here: dry, soup or laksa.

Other than mee hoon and noodles (additional $0.50), there is also the choice of chee cheong fun ($0.80).

As for the YTF items, there are more than 40 to choose from, each ranging from $0.60 to $1.

Note that each customer has to pick a minimum of 5 items (and some can take quite long making this important life decision).

I must say they have one of the most deep-fried choices for a YTF stall. Things are replenished quite fast.

While there are quite a number of negative reviews of the stall, they mainly revolve around the long wait and grumpy hawker. (Come to think of it, quite a number of famous YTF stalls – the pick & choose type, get the ‘honours’ of being reviewed with ‘rude’ hawkers.)

The wait was about half an hour for me.

I tried both the Laksa and the Soup versions, and my vote would definitely go for the Laksa – rich, coconuty-creamy, and when you eat towards the end there would be ‘sediments’ of dried shrimp.

Plus the bowl came added with quail eggs, remained piping hot and considered quite shiok to slurp.

The soup version is apparently cooked for more than 6 hours with old hens, and I liked the soft soy beans and light saltiness of the broth imparted from the ikan bilis.

Wishing it was more full-bodied. Not saying this was no good, as the soup itself was quite on par with several above average YTF stalls in Singapore.

Plus point: I noted that the bee hoon used was of a different type, and remained thin and springy even after being soaked in the soup for a while.

The YTF items that I picked haphazardly (pressure/stress from customers front and back taking their time to change orders) turned out to be fresh-tasting, and even their fishcake had a certain bounce.

I agree that one or two of the deep-fried items could have tasted better if freshly-fried, but no major complaints.

Shall try the dry version with chee cheong fun next time.

Xi Xiang Feng Yong Tau Foo
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6, #01-23, Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 7am – 6:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.