Golden Mile Food Centre, otherwise known as Beach Road Food Centre, is making a return after renovations on the 28th of February (Sun).

This food centre used to be where I go to after “settling stuff” at the Army Market upstairs – the place of relief for many army boys and NSMen. Buy in-camp things upstairs, then go downstairs eat.

Opened since 1975, it has a good mix of stalls both upstairs and downstairs. Most of the Halal stalls are located at the basement level.

There are many other famous and worthy stalls here, such as Bugis Long House Lim Kee Beef Noodles, Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice, Charlie’s Peranakan Food, Mr Baguette, Haji Kadir Food Chains (for Tulang and Roti John), Deen Tiga Rasa, and Koothurar Nasi Biryani.

For your convenience of navigating, I listed the basement stalls first, followed by Level 1. Also note I have not included all the famous stalls only because I try to write about stalls that I have personally tried before.

Here are 18 must-try stalls at Golden Mile Food Centre While opening timings are stipulated, some stalls may not open on 28th Feb, or may close before indicated hours.)

Hainan Hokkien Mee
#B1-34 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 6294 6798
Opening Hours: 10am – 3pm (Mon), 10am – 5pm (Tues, Thurs – Sun), Closed Wed

Hokkien Mee can divide fans – there are supporters of the wet and saucy; while others enjoy the dry and flavourful.

This is the DRY version.

The Hokkien Mee at this stall stands out for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is cooked fresh on order. Secondly, the method of preparation is different, as the noodles are fried along with the stock until they completely absorb the flavousr.

This gives you a rich taste in every mouthful.

The Fried Hokkien Mee ($4) though disappointedly had a small serving size, came with delicious chilli for a tasteful kick to the noodles. Rated “Food King Good” with many fans. Hainan Hokkien Mee (Golden Mile Food Centre)

Ashes Burnnit
#B1-24, Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 9270 4670
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8:30pm (Mon – Sun)

In case you have not realised, Ashes Burnnit occupies the same exactly stall location as Burgs by Project Warung previously.

The partners split ways, but there is slight differentiation in the recipe for Ashes.

A main highlight is the price. The basic Ashes Smash Cheese Burger (single patty) complete with handcrafted beef patty and American cheese, is priced at $5.90 with fries.

Pretty neat price, and more value than those offered by the typical fast-food joints.

You can also expect Truffle Mushroom Burger ($8), Best of Both World ($9), Fried Chicken Burger ($5.90), and Grilled Chicken Burger ($6.50).

I thought that the Truffle Mushroom Burger ($8) was good stuff with its juicy beef patties with slight char on the outside, though the truffle cream sauce lacked that ‘aroma’ people would love.

The fries slightly seasoned and crisp, were quite the bomb. For health-conscious people, you can add $2 to replace with salad. But then again, why have salad when you can have those golden fries?

Wedang
#B1-19 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 12pm – 8:30pm (Tues – Sun) Closed Mon

The stall looks non-descript and ordinary, no newspaper cuttings what-so-ever, and you may just walk past it without a hint of its accolades.

It was once awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand, moved to the East (‘lost’ the Bib Gourmand) and returned back here.

Wedang’s offerings are straightforward – Tahu Goreng (Malay style fried tofu with spicy peanut sauce, Gado Gado (a style of Indonesian salad with peanut sauce), Mee or Bee Hoon Soto Ayam (yellow spicy chicken soup with noodles or rice vermicelli) and Nasi Ayam (chicken rice), all at $3.00 per plate or bowl.

The Bee Hoon Soto Ayam ($3), a Javanese-influenced dish of rice vermicelli with a deep fried begedil (potato cake), shredded chicken in yellow spicy chicken stock, was pleasingly tasty.

Its soup base came across as being balanced, cloudy yet not overly rich, spicy but manageable. It was not as salty as some of the Mee Soto I have come across.

Ah Xiao Teochew Braised Duck
#B1-43 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 9109 8026
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 3:30pm (Mon – Fri), 9:30am – 1:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Traditional duck rice that will hit you with the perfect dose of nostalgia.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle at Golden Mile Food Centre, this particular stall shines like a star for selling the nostalgic braised duck rice.

Founded by Mr Peh Thiam Ting, Ah Xiao Teochew Braised Duck has been serving authentic Teochew-style braised duck since the 1990s. It is now helmed by 2nd generations owners.

The simple and homely preparation and flavours take you back in time and make you nostalgic for home. A quarter of Braised Duck goes at $10, 1/2 at $18, while a whole Braised Duck is priced at $36.

Their signature Braised Duck Rice ($3) is prepared with simple and traditional flavours that were warmly comforting and quite tender. Worthy of mention are the two types of chilli sauce given.

The lor (sauce) poured on the rice in particular, albeit light, was mostly on the sweet side and complemented the aromatic grains perfectly.

Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo
#B1-44 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 10:45am – 3pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

This food stall at Golden Mile Food Centre is family owned, established since 1958 with genuine and authentic recipe of Yong Tau Foo passed down from generations and improved to perfection.

They receive a swarm of loyal customers every day, and continue to brighten their day with one of the best Yong Tau Foo servings in town.

They have a Teochew fish-based variety of Yong Tau Foo ($0.50/piece with minimum of 8).

The dish is prepared with homemade ingredients and comforting and homely flavours.

I loved the fresh taste of fishballs and fish paste, made with yellowtail dish meat with no additional flour or addictive. Yes, just pure fish meat.

Their pig intestines are also one of the most popular items you can add.

The fish soup to me was more average though, maybe because it lacked that soy bean sweetness or I went too early in the morning. Maybe next time I would order the dry version as I found the deep-fried wanton and tau kee soaked within the soup as well. Bummer.

Da Po Hainanese Chicken Rice & Curry Chicken Noodle
B1-53 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Tues – Sun)

”My curry nice or not? How did you hear about us?” Auntie was super friendly when she found out it was the first time my friend had tried her Curry Chicken Noodles.

The Curry Chicken Noodles ($5, $6) came with big pieces of poached chicken, soft potatoes, fishcake slices, tau pok, soft bean sprouts, and the best thing… pig’s skin.

They were indeed generous with the ingredients.

The curry gravy which was made with fresh coconut milk, didn’t taste overly greasy and was quite ‘drinkable’ – you could just finish the entire bowl.

I would say it was just balanced and not too rich or lemak.

Poached chicken was tender and quite moist. This Curry Chicken Noodles stall also sells Chicken Rice.

Yew Chuan Claypot Rice
#01-73 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 9137 5661
Opening Hours: 12pm – 8:30pm (Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri), 4pm – 8:30pm (Sat, Sun), Closed Thurs

Close to 40 years in the claypot rice business, this couple team is still going strong at its original stall at Golden Mile. The owner was sheepishly proud that her stall was rated Number 1 over the other famous Holland Drive and
Chinatown stalls on a local television competition many years ago.

The main dish – Claypot Chicken Rice, is the star of this food stall. It comes in varied portion sizes. You can get it for $12, $18, $24, $30,

However, warning warning, you have to wait a good half an hour as the stall is often crowded as your food is prepared fresh on order. But fans say this is well worth the wait.

Yew Chuan’s Claypot Rice is a classic – fragrant rice which was topped with tender marinated chicken pieces, tasty Chinese sausages, fresh green vegetables and light traces of salted fish.

The winner was the soya sauce, thick and dark, yet not overly salty which would usually make one thirst.

Added with a formulated sweet chilli sauce, the combination was aromatic and addictive.

Cooked over charcoal, the moist rice was soft and fluffy on the bite. It complimented well with the slightly salty meat and sausage slices. One wished for some mushroom pieces for an added texture though.

Choon Kee Roasted Delights
#01-74 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 3pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Sat), Closed Wed, Sun

Choon Kee Roasted Delights is one of my latest finds. The roast specialist first started in Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2 5023 canteen, and has now relocated to Golden Mile Food Centre.

Despite being ‘new’, there is typically a semi-long line here. Always sold out early, sometimes by late lunch.

On its menu are Char Siew Roasted Pork Rice ($4, $5), Roasted Duck Rice ($3.50, $5), Roasted Duck Char Siew Rice ($5) and 3 Combi Duck Rice ($6). For the family, you can order the 3 Combo Duck Set ($8, $12, $20).

For this price, you could be amazing with the portion of meats given. (Just look at that plate.)

This is one of those few sio bak that I truly enjoyed, with a sizable-crunchy skin that could go ”cruck cruck” as you take those satisfying bites.

The Char Siew was chopped till thick slices with a tender bite, with a good proportion of lean meat to fats.

91 Fried Kway Teow Mee
#01-91, Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 9830 0965
Opening Hours: 11am – 2:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Enjoy greener and healthier options at the Char Kway Teow to fulfil your cravings with less guilt.

Named after the stall’s number at the Golden Mile Food Centre, 91 Fried Kway Teow Mee 91翠绿炒粿條面 is known for its healthier version of Char Kway Teow – no pork, no lard, added with toppings of chye sim.

Their rendition of Fried Kway Teow Mee ($3.00, $4.00, $5.00) caters to health-conscious diners watching their calories and fat intake.

Portion seemed to be relatively small, compared to the average stall (Mine’s the $4 version.)

To add a nice, crunchy texture, they sprinkle some fried whitebait on the top. Mix them up with the kway teow before eating.

May not be everybody’s style as some would like theirs with more sauce, pork lard and wok-hei, but this is worth a try. Also recommended with a Michelin Plate. 91 Fried Kway Teow Mee (Golden Mile Food Centre)

Chung Cheng Chilli Mee Prawn Laksa
#01-59 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 6:30pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

You may just dismiss this stall as yet another Prawn Noodle stall, but it is THE Chilli Mee that is the outstanding dish.

Selling Chilli Mee, Prawn Mee, and Laksa, priced at $3.00, $4.00 or $5.00 depending on the portion size, Chung Cheng is talked about its signature chili paste.

What makes this house-made chili paste special is the combination of belacan, dried shrimps, garlic, onion and some secret spices.

The signature chili paste was generously used in Chili Mee and Prawn Mee, with huge dollops of it scooped from a metal pot and added to the noodles. The soup Prawn Noodles was comparatively more average, so get the dry version. Chung Cheng Chilli Mee (Golden Mile Food Centre)

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

This Hokkien Mee gained some social media limelight as it was spotted that a 21-year old hawker is doing up the frying.

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.

It has been described by the young hawker Andre as “carbonara” style, which is just in between wet and dry.

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 was considered generous with crispy pork lard, and you would find good wok-hei within. YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle (Golden Mile Food Centre)

Zhao An Granny Grass Jelly
#01-58 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 9146 7313
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 6:30pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), 1:30am – 6pm (Tues)

Get a cold serving of delicious and healthy Grass Jelly based on a fine-tuned recipe passed down from generation to generation.

Every component of the recipe is fresh and homemade.

You can get a bowl of either hot or cold topped with nata de coco, palm seeds, longans, and sea coconuts, served in traditional porcelain bowl.

The consistency of the grass jelly definitely had the typical homemade taste rather than the generic factory one, refreshing, slightly sweet with natural ‘bitterness’.

Also get a cool chin chow drink with grass jelly strips ($1.50), especially after having some Claypot Rice or Hokkien Mee nearby.

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

This hawker stall will grab your attention for a lot of reasons. 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 skin.

Yes, fish skin is the start here.

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.

Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodles
#01-89 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 98219566
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 7:30pm (Thurs – Tues)

“One person one set”. The stall has a variety of both dry and soup version of beef noodles, available at $4, $5, $6 and $7 depending if you want stewed beef, beef balls, or tendon.

But they do not offer Beef Soup or Beef Ball soup ala carte unlike most other stalls. Well, well.

The stall typically comes with a line so you might have to wait a little for your turn.

While there is a limited selection, the Dry Beef Noodles ($5) came with delightful sticky thick gravy almost bursting with flavor. I liked that the portion was just nice, which covered every strand of the rice noodles.

Soup could have been more robust with fuller flavours though.

Boon’s Noodles – Mee Hoon Kueh 面粉粿（自制）
Golden Mile Food Centre #01-86, 505 Beach Rd, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 4pm (Mon – Thurs, Sat – Sun), Closed Fri

Boon’s Noodle is well-known for its chewy mee hoon kueh, and power-packed chilli which keeps its fans coming back.

There are choices or prawn, fish, seafood, minced pork, broccoli and tomatoes available in both soup and dry versions.

Customers can choose mee hoon kueh, you mian, ban mian, to even koka noodles, po chai mian (unusual), and mee sua. A bowl is generally priced at $4.50 or $5.50.

The mee hoon kueh, you mian and ban mian are handmade daily to achieve a fresh and pleasant texture with a good bite.

Each bowl is actually hand-pulled and cooked only upon order. Most of the ingredients such as the black sauce, ikan billis, braised mushrooms and chilli sauce are all made in-house.

One of the specialty ingredients is the onsen eggs which comes with every bowl, as it helps coat the noodles well together with the specially made black sauce with a sweet tinge.

The stall also uses sayur manis vegetables which goes very well with the soup.

Flourful Delight 知味面点
#01-73 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 11am – 2pm, 6pm – 8pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This corner-stall changed hands quite often, but I was curious enough to try when I spotted a short line and hawkers hand-making the dumplings on the spot.

Oferrings include Braised Beef Noodles ($5.50), Braised Pork Ribs Noodles ($4.50), Dan Dan Noodles ($4), Zha Jiang Noodles ($4), Dumpling Noodles ($4), Pan Fried Dumplings ($6), Wanton In Chilli Oil ($4.50) and Xiao Long Bao ($4.50).

The Guo Tie ($6) I had were surprisingly delicious, had a thin-crisp with juicy fillings or fresh pork and chopped chives. Good stuff.

One Prawn Noodle
#01-93 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

This prawn noodles come with a difference, and is inspired by the flavours of Penang orawn noodles and Japanese ramen broth.

The stall is headed by Gwyneth Ang, with more than 10 years experience working in established restaurants like Burnt Ends, Tong Le Private Dining and Forlino.

Considering the quality fo the ingredients, prices are inexpensive, with offerings of Sliced Pork Prawn Noodles ($5), Pork Ribs Prawn Noodles ($6), Pork Intestine Pork Ribs Prawn Noodles ($7), to the 3 Combination Prawn Noodles.

Get the soup version to experience the gao gao rich broth, and experience that umami. One of the most promising Prawn Noodles I had lately.

75 Ah Balling Tang Yuan
#01-75 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 62938702
Opening Hours: 11am – 8:30pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 8:30pm (Sat, Sun)

For a dessert treat at this food centre, 75 Ah Balling stall has a nice variety of Tang Yuan filled with a variety of delicious fillings.

Their peanut soup is the most popular choice (because the peanuts are really soft), but there are also ginger, almond and longan red dates soups. A single bowl of soup is only $1.40.

You can pair it with glutinous rice balls aka Ah Balling filled with peanut, sesame, yam, matcha and red bean.

4 pieces along with soup comes in $2, five pieces for $2.30 and six pieces for $3.

You can mix and match a variety of flavours, though the recommendation is the peanut soup and ah balling with red bean or mixed fillings.

Other Related Entries
25 Must-Try Amoy Street Food Centre Stalls
10 Adam Road Food Centre Stalls
10 Pek Kio Food Centre Stalls
10 Berseh Food Centre Stalls
10 Serangoon Garden Food Centre Stalls

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

This would be a piece of sad news for many hawker food lovers, that both Tanglin Halt Market and Tanglin Halt Food Centre will be demolished by the end of 2021.

It was announced that 31 blocks in Tanglin Halt are slated to be torn down under the Housing Board’s Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers).

I have been making my way here ever since the news was announced some time back. The one thing is that was impressionable was its old-school charm (probably cannot find this around in Singapore anymore) and quaint vibes. It reminded me of the times when Margaret Drive Food Centre ended its run back in the good-old days.

There are stalls that open from wee hours in the morning, and even if you come here late at night you would find customers having Economic Beehoon.

For those who have not been here before, there are two food centres – one called Tanglin Halt Market which is Block 48A, and the other Tanglin Halt Food Centre diagonally across at 1A.

Some of the more well-known stalls include Tanglin Halt Original Peanut Pancake, Jiu Ye (for Chee Cheong Fun), Cheng Mei Shi Lor Mee on one side; and Hakka Thunder Tea, Tong Kee Chicken Rice, Tian Xiang Wanton Mee, and No. 1 Western Food. Just to name a few.

Here are 10 Tanglin Halt Market and Tanglin Halt Food Centre stalls you can try:

Wei Yi Laksa & Prawn Noodle 唯一辣沙
Tanglin Halt Market #01-20, 48A Tanglin Halt Road, Singapore 142048
Tel: +65 9782 1012
Opening Hours: 5:30am – 12:30pm (Tues, Wed, Sat, Sun), Closed Mon, Thurs, Fri

Wei Yi Laksa & Prawn Noodle opens in the wee hours of the morning at 5:30am, but only for 4 days a week.

Their Laksa is so famous that you can see a short line forming even before the stall opens to serve their customers.

The basic Laksa bowl with chicken and fried bean curd starts from $3. You can get their complete bowl of Laksa ($5, $8) which is quite generously filled with chicken, prawns, cockles, and fried bean curd.

Loved the enticing presentation and the mouth-watering aroma of the dish with bright and lovely colours from all the different ingredients.

The chicken slices, prawns and especially the tau pok were delicious when well-soaked in that gravy.

Won’t say that I totally enjoyed the gravy as I found it lacking in that particular “oomph” and was a tad oily. But you like something that is light yet flavourful, then this Laksa is for you.

Tanglin Halt Delicious Duck Noodles
Tanglin Halt Market #01-20, 48A Tanglin Halt Road, Singapore 142048
Opening Hours: 5am – 2pm (Tues – Thurs, Sat), Closed Mon, Fri, Sun

I believe this is one of the few stalls in Singapore that serve up only Duck Noodles, with no Duck Rice.

Aptly called “Delicious Duck Noodles”, the stall has been around for decades since 1969, serving up Duck Noodles (from $3), along with other parts such as gizzard, tongue and feet.

The Duck Noodles had a rather pleasant old-school taste, with tender stewed duck pieces and noodles in thick soya sauce base gravy.

The one impressionable element was the soup – strong aroma, distinctive rich taste, and full-bodied (but interestingly not in the herbal way).

Guangzhou Mian Shi Wanton Noodle
Tanglin Halt Market #01-04, 48A Tanglin Halt Road, Singapore 142048
Opening Hours: 4pm– 12am (Tues – Sat), Closed Sun, Mon

This stall may be under-the-radar even for many Wanton Mee lovers, because it is at Tanglin Halt (not that near any train stations), and opened at rather ‘non-traditional’ peculiar hours.

But if you have near mid-night cravings for Wanton Noodles, you know where to head to.

Filmmaker Eric Khoo called it as one of his favourite stalls, and you would always see a line of customers here.

These Wanton Noodles ($3.50) has a particular old-school taste – the sauce is kind of simple (and little) and char siew to the dry and thin side. Yet, it continues to attract people.

So WHY? I think partly because the overall combination works, and you probably find a taste of “growing up” here that is getting harder to find elsewhere.

Plus, the 3rd generation hawker (we call him “Xiao Di”) here works his charm and is very polite – beats me why nobody featured him in a food video yet.

Mei Wei Xiao Chi
Tanglin Halt Market #01-02, 48A Tanglin Halt Road, Singapore 142048
Opening Hours: 6pm– 1am (Wed – Mon), Closed Tues

Wait, there are actually 4 Economic Beehoon stalls at the Block 48A side of Tanglin Halt Food Centre – which is a really high proportion. Plus, 3 of them opens till late at night.

I have tried Mei Wei Xiao Chi (supposedly the OG stall), Piao Xiang Xiao Chi, Mei Jia Fried Bee Hoon, and You Quan before, and noted they are actually all quite similar in styles.

I like each in various ways, and noted all have their fans. (My friend who stays in the hood said go for You Quan at night.)

Their no-frills Bee Hoon may look plain in colour, but actually had light flavours cooked from stock and soy sauce. Customers may love it for the bits of bean sprouts and carrot for that varying texture.

The star is their Chicken Wings ($1.20) that are displayed skewered on sticks, with crispy batter and five spice flavour.

Mei Wei Xiao Chi also sells peanut Porridge ($1.10), Green Bean Soup ($1.10), Red Bean Soup ($1.10) and Bubor Hitam ($1.10).

Chef Hainanese Western Food
Tanglin Halt Food Centre #01-04, 1A Commonwealth Drive, Singapore 141001
Opening Hours: 7pm – 9pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed Thurs

While the stall only opens at 7pm or so, you may see a line forming here from 6:30pm or even earlier.

Nestled in the Tanglin Halt Hawker Centre, this is one of the most visited stalls for dinner, and for a very good reason.

A father-and-son team helms the stall, and you would find the calling and cooking in clock-work efficiency.

You will find traditional Hainanese style food with authentic Western flavours that are wholesome and filling. The price is quite affordable, but due to the limited working hours and only dinner time servings, customers are often welcomed by snaking long queues (and yes, please maintain your social distance).

Their Mixed Grill Platters ($10) are very popular, which offers a serving of pork chop, tender chicken chops, fish cutlet and chicken sausage.

Along with the meats, there was a dollop of coleslaw, baked beans, baked potato and crinkle cut fries. It’s a lot for one person, so make sure you bring your appetite with you.

While I am never that a fan of Grilled Pork Chop due to possible tough meat and slight gamey taste, this stall offers one of the best versions at $6.

Tender and well-marinated meat with a subtle grilled taste and a citrusy tang from the sauce. Old-school flavours, generous portion, the only thing holding me back is the long queue and longer wait.

Indulgence @ Commonwealth
Tanglin Halt Food Centre #01-09, 1A Commonwealth Drive, Singapore 141001
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 9pm (Mon – Fri), 5:30pm – 9pm (Sat), Closed Sun

Located at the same Tanglin Halt Food Centre, the menu here is expansive.

Wait? Aglio Olio for $3?

Indulge in delicious Italian hawker stall food with inexpensive pasta dishes in huge heaps to satiate your cravings. The portion size at this stall is everything.

The dishes come loaded with generous toppings and sides, and the service is quite efficient and swift.

Western food items include Chicken Chop ($6.50), Crispy Chicken ($6.50), Chicken Cutlet ($6.50), Pork Chop ($7), Crispy Dory ($6.50), Grilled Dory ($7) and Ribeye Steak ($16).

Customers can top-up with pasta choices of chicken Bolognese, carbonara, alfredo and pomodor.

The Chicken Chop with Carbonara Pasta ($11.50) I ordered should be enough to feed two, as it came with a creamy and heavy base.

The delectable thing about it was the crispy bacon strips that were plentiful and delicious, along with a glorious cracked egg atop the heap of pasta.

I thought that the chicken chop was slightly too charred, though some would think it adds to the smoky taste.

Queenstown Lontong
Tanglin Halt Food Centre #01-21, 1A Commonwealth Drive, 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.

Alimah’s Kitchen
Tanglin Halt Food Centre #01-21, 1A Commonwealth Drive, Singapore 141001

This low-key, under-the-radar Muslim stall is also deserving of support, and many say that their Nasi Lemak (fragrant rice and crispy wings) is better than some of the famous brands out there.

Opened by husband and wife team Yusof and Alimah, they also serve up Mee Soto ($2.50), Soto Ayam ($2.50), Mee Rebus ($2.50), Lontong ($2.50), and Mee Siam ($2.50).

I had its Mee Siam ($2.50) and was surprised by its homely and nutty flavours, all at an inexpensive price.

Their Kuih Kuih and Epok Epok if available, are also well-received.

Jing Shu Shi (Curry Rice) 京熟食
Tanglin Halt Food Centre #01-23, 1A Commonwealth Drive, Singapore 141001
Opening Hours: 5:30pm – 9pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This Curry Rice stall is extremely popular with the residents nearby, and you would always find a queue here.

While I was not exactly ”wow-ed totally, I think this had something to do with the inexpensive pricing, fragrance of the curry, and crispy pork chop pieces. (Some of the items and taste remind me of the Curry Rice at Beo Crescent.)

Shun Xing Hot & Cold Desserts
Tanglin Halt Food Centre #01-30, 3A Commonwealth Drive, Singapore 141001
Opening Hours: 7am – 9pm (Mon – Sun, with periodic off days)

Few have written about this local dessert stall, but I think it deserves a highlight for its $1 sweet treats.

Not reading wrong. Most of its deserts are priced at $1.

These include Cheng Tng, Red Bean Soup, Green Bean Soup, Tao Suan, Bo Bo Hitam, Sweet Wheat Porridge, Bo Bo Cha Cha, Ice Kachang and Chendol.

The slightly more ‘premium’ items are still affordable at $2, with choices of Soursop Ice, Aloe Vera Ice, Durian Ice Kachang, and Strawberry & Peach Ice. I liked it that the desserts are generally not too sweet.

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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.

Other than modern hip burgers joints such as Shake Shack, Five Guys and Carne Singapore, there are also a couple of burger hawker stalls such as Skirt & Dirt (Tiong Bahru Food Centre) and Ashes Burnnit worth looking out for.

In case you have not realised, Ashes Burnnit occupies the same exactly stall location at Golden Mile Food Centre as Burgs by Project Warung previously.

The partners split ways, but there is slight differentiation in the recipe for Ashes.

Ashes Burnnit has also opened at Alexandra Village Food Centre and 69 Bedok South Ave 3.

A main highlight is the price. The basis Ashes Smash Cheese Burger complete with handcrafted beef patty and American cheese, is priced at $5.90 for a single patty complete with fries.

Pretty neat price, and more value than those offered by the typical fast-food joints.

They are considered one of the first hawker burger brands to offer charcoal bun burgers.

The beef patty is prepared with a combination of different types of beef to get the perfect amalgamation of taste, flavour and texture.

Burgers served are cooked to order, so that customers can also experience the ‘gourmet’ burger all freshly-prepared.

I ordered a Ashes Smash Cheese Burger double patty with fries ($8.40), and what I enjoyed was the juiciness of patties with a good mouthfeel – neither too loose or densely packed.

Something interesting I noted was the addition of fried shallots, which gave a bit of texture and local twist.

You can also expect Truffle Mushroom Burger ($8), Pulled Brisket Burger ($7.50), Fried Fish Burger ($7.50), Fried Chicken Burger ($6.50), and Grilled Chicken Burger ($6.90).

I thought that the Truffle Mushroom Burger ($8) provide good value with its juicy beef patties with slight char on the outside, though the truffle cream sauce lacked that ‘aroma’ people would love.

The fries made from Russet Burbank potatoes, slightly seasoned and crisp, were quite the bomb. I wished they were hotter, but perhaps cannot be helped as they can be quite packed during peak-hours.

For health-conscious people, you can add $2 to replace with salad. But then again, why have salad when you can have those fries?

Tip for you: there is an off-the-menu item called “Best of Both World Burger” ($9).

This burger combines juicy beef patty and creamy mac & cheese – messy but mouth-watering rich. Even though they have removed it from the showcase menu, it is available upon request.

Ashes Burnnit
Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, #B1-24, Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 9270 4670
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Other outlets:
Alexandra Village Food Centre, 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-61, Singapore 150120
Springleaf Eating House, 69 Bedok South Ave 3, #01-468, Singapore 460069

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Skirt & Dirt (Tiong Bahru Food Centre)
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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.

There are a number of noteworthy hawker stalls at Golden Mile Food Centre which are helmed by young 20 to 30 something hawkers who go into this line with a passion.

Some of them include Ashes Burnnit (for burgers), YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle, The Original Vadai, Shen Bakmi Noodle, Fudo Western, Chef Choo Signature and Yong Kwang Yummy Seafood, and I think they do deserve a spotlight.

Being a prawn mee lover, I was quite enticed by One Prawn Noodle.

The stall is headed by Gwyneth Ang, with more than 10 years’ experience working in established restaurants like Burnt Ends, Tong Le Private Dining and Forlino.

When Gwyneth was working in the restaurants, her favourite question for fellow colleagues was ”What would be the death-row meal? (I know, slightly morbid.)

She then thought that… hers would be Penang Prawn Noodles.

Therefore, her prawn noodles come with a difference, and is inspired by the flavours of Penang prawn noodles and Japanese ramen broth.

So disclaimer first: you cannot go expecting local hae mee.

Considering the quality of the ingredients, prices are inexpensive, with offerings of Classic Big Prawn Noodles ($5, $7), Pork Ribs Big Prawn Noodles ($6, $8), Prawn Balls & Big Prawn Noodles ($6, $8), to combination bowl of Supreme Prawn Noodles ($10).

Noodle choices include yellow mee, thin or thick beehoon.

Customers can also add on extra ingredients such as prawn balls ($2.50), big prawns ($2.50), pork ribs ($2.50), beancurd roll ($0.50), vegetables ($0.50), whole egg ($0.50) and sliced fish cake ($0.50).

Get the soup version to experience the gao gao (thick) rich broth that come in a distinct tangerine-orange colour, and that umami.

Accordingly, the hawker brews the broth for hours by simmering pork bones to get that distinct taste and subtle sweetness that comes through.

Also, the prawn heads are blended and ‘washed’ with the broth for multiple times to fully extract the flavours.

The chilli element has been removed from the soup to cater to the local customers, but you can request for sambal to be added.

The one other thing I noticed was the fried shallots fragrance. They insist on making their own fried shallots and shallot oil for that aroma.

This is also one of the stalls that add the unusual prawn balls – kind of reminds me of Le Shrimp Ramen except that these were softer.

Between the soup and the dry version, the soup stands out a lot more due to the hot, robust broth. One of the most promising Prawn Noodles I had of late.

One Prawn Noodle
#01-93 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road Singapore 199583
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.

The Original Vadai is one of the unusual stalls that ‘moved’ from pasar malam (which are more temporary in nature) to fixed outlets within hawker centres.

Due to COVID-19 which resulted in the suspension of bazaars, the business managed to find new lease of life despite the challenges, and it has currently 3 outlets.

Other than the Halal-certified stall at Golden Mile Food Centre, there are also outlets at Joo Chiat and Amoy Street Food Centre.

Vadai (sometimes spelt as “vada” or “bada”) is a type of savoury fried snack from India, which can be described as fried fritters.

It is commonly made with legumes, sago or potatoes.

However, the Prawn Vadai offered from The Original Vadai is quite different from those found in India, said to be a fusion or Singapore originated dish.

Accordingly, the Prawn Vadai has been around as early as 1970s, made with traditional lentil vadai topped with prawns – typically crispy with a coarse texture.

Mdm Jumana Rani from The Original Vadai tweaked the recipe to make it lighter, fluffier, and more suitable from the local tastebuds.

She first introduced it at the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar about 30 plus years ago, and it became an instant hit.

So Prawn Vadai was technically born in Singapore, and you cannot find it anywhere else in the world (not even in Malaysia according to the owners).

Other than Prawn Vadai ($1), other varieties include Ikan Billis, Grago, Vegetable, Chilli, Dhal, Onion, to even Cheese and Chocolate.

If you are thinking of buying this back to eat much later… then no.

The best way to appreciate this Vadai is to have it freshly out to appreciate that crispy outer later with fluffy and light interior – can be described as almost like donut.

I liked that it was not too greasy as well.

They used to include smaller prawns but switched it to larger ones as they looked more presentable (aka instagrammable), and the prawns lent that additional savouriness and crunch in terms of texture.

If you prefer something saltier, then go for the Ikan Billis Vadai which is also priced at $1.

Oh say, the Vadai is best eaten when paired with a fresh green chilli, just to add that kick. If you prefer a version closer to what you get in India, then go for the Dhal.

Just in case you are craving for other food instead of Vadai, there are also skewers of Chicken Wing, Liver, Gizzard, Chicken Skin and more. Each skewer stick is priced $2 or $4, and is often missed.

The Original Vadai – Amoy
Amoy Street Food Centre #02-84, 7 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069111
Opening Hours: 8am – 4pm (Mon – Sun), Closed Sat, Sun

The Original Vadai – Golden Mile
Golden Mile Food Centre #B1-32, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 12pm – 7pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

The Original Vadai – Joo Chiat
82 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427379
Opening Hours: 12pm – 7pm (Mon – Sun)

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

Zion Riverside Food Centre, also known as Zion Road Food Centre, is one of those unusual popular centres located next to a ‘river’ – technically Alexandra Canal.

With a relatively long history founded since 1976, it is located near River Valley Road and directly opposite Great World – considered one of the prime locations in Singapore.

This is where you can still find affordable eats, with many stalls still being here since as I was young.

During the ‘good old days’, Zion Road Food Centre was a popular supper place for those who chiong Zouk and clubs nearby. Those were the days.

Even though there it may be one of the smallest food centres around with 32 stalls, its offerings definitely do not pale in comparison to any of the other famous ones.

It has recently undergone a few months’ renovation with a brighter-lit interior, new rooftops, an automated tray return point, and addition of some tables. I spotted a robot around a night, though during my next visit it wasn’t there anymore.

Here are 10 of the Zion Riverside Food Centre Stalls: (Note: not all stalls are opened yet eg the Prawn Noodles and Carrot Cake, and several stalls are typically “sold out” before indicated closing hours)

No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-17
Opening Hours: 12.30pm – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Char Kway Teow With Michelin Recommendation Previously Patronised By PM Lee
Easily the stall with the longest queue. The stall sells only Char Kway Teow fried-to-order in varying sizes, with the $4 plate being the basic option. It has even been patronised by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong before.

Their Char Kway Teow ($4, $5, $6, $8) is known packed with robust flavours and a hint of spiciness with pieces of crispy pork lard.

I found that the rice noodles were darker than usual, due to the substantial addition of the sweet sauce which also gave it a robust flavour.

The kway teow (flat rice and egg noodles) was springy and full of wok hei, mingling with a medley of fresh juicy cockles, fish cake, crunchy bean sprouts, egg, and lup cheong (Chinese sausage) blended in a black sauce and topped with gu chai (Chinese chives).

If you love cockles, you will love the many pieces that are in your plate.

Some love the wetness of the noodles (or should I say dryness), though others thought it could be moister overall (compared to say Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee).

However, I do find the standard slightly inconsistent at times. But when I get a good plate, it is really worth the calories. (Again, not all the times.)

Zion Road Big Prawn Noodle
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-04
Opening Hours: 11am – 10:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Hae Mee With Broth That Packs An Umami Punch
This Michelin-Bib Gourmand Prawn Noodle stall has done well enough to open a full-fledged eatery at South Bridge Road, though I thought there were differing standards between the two.

If you find this reminding of you the Prawn Noodle stall at Adam Road Food Centre, that is because the two hawkers are siblings.

To differentiate, this stall has been renamed from the original Noo Cheng, Fresh Taste Prawn Noodle, to the current Zion Road Big Prawn Noodle.

The stall serves both dry and soup versions of their signature prawn noodle from $6 onwards. The size and number of the prawns do get progressively larger with the prices, but I always order the most affordable bowl.

Some new-comers may just scream at the price, at $6, $8, $12, $16, $20, $25. Do not be surprised, I actually hear the $20/$25 orders more frequently than expected.

Because I am there really for the soup.

Cooked for hours with pork ribs and prawn head, the broth was incredibly tasty (and I don’t get MSG attacks after.) Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle (Zion Road)

Lau Goh Teochew Chye Thow Kway
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-26
Opening Hours: 11am – 3:30pm, 6pm – 11pm (Mon, Wed – Sat), 8:30am – 4pm (Sun). Closed Tues

Black and White Carrot Cake by Deaf Hawker
Carrot Cake seller Peter Goh might seem to be your usual hawker at first sight. In fact, he was extremely polite and smiled thoroughly, asking if you wanted more chilli and pepper.

It was only after reading a sign that I realised that he was deaf, and had to take orders by either lip-reading or through gestures.

Disability had not prevented him from taking over this popular stall from his father (who is Lau Goh).

The stall specialises in classic Teochew style carrot cake and sells both black and white carrot cake ($4 onwards depending on portion size). Those who cannot decide between the two options can simply get the black and white mixed version – the best of both worlds.

I found his version to taste ‘healthier’ and less greasy than usual, probably because Peter used vegetable oil instead of lard.

Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap Braised Duck
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-24
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Sun), Closed Wed

Michelin-Recommended Tender Braised Duck and Smooth Kway Chap
I initially wondered about the stall name, though it had no relation with the other famous chicken rice of similar name.

Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap Braised Duck specialises in Kway Chap ($3.50 onwards) which comes with braised eggs, duck meat and other ingredients. I liked that the rice noodles used was smooth and silky.

There are two types of chilli sauce, and I would recommend a combination of both. The thicker chilli for the meats, and the watery type for the kway and beancurd.

As for the Braised Duck Rice ($3.50, $4.50 for set), the braised duck would be soaked in the salty braising sauce, moderately-tender and flavourful.

The stall is run by a relatively young Madam Yang, and although the recipe was derived from the internet and through experimentation instead of being some age-old family recipe, it has already earned the stall popularity from customers. Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap Braised Duck (Zion Road Food Centre)

Xin Fei Fei Wanton Noodle
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-06
Opening Hours: 9.30am – 1:30pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed Thurs

Springy Old-School Wanton Mee
Seriously, I have no idea what the relation to the famous Fei Fei Wanton Noodles is. But to no offence to Fei Fei fans, I liked this version much more.

The stall specialises in Wanton Mee ($4.20, $5.20, $6.20). While it looked plain and unassuming in presentation, once you take a bite, you would know what I mean.

The noodles were thin and springy, coated in this addictive, somewhat lardy sauce. Its slightly plump and crisp deep-fried wanton were also worthy of mention.

Even though the bright-red char siew looked on the dry side, it was surprisingly not-too-tough with a sweet tinge.

Long queue, long wait.

There are also offerings of Dumpling Noodles ($4.20), Wanton Soup ($4.20), Fried Wanton ($4.20) and Oyster Sauce with Vegetable ($3.20).

Ah Wang La Mian Xiao Long Bao
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-22
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Cooked To Order La Mian and Guo Tie
This is one of the newest and most popular stalls in the food centre. It moved several times within the same place (three times?), and is now located at Unit 22.

Ah Wang La Mian Xiao Long Bao specialises in Guo Tie or Pan-Fried Dumplings ($6.50 for 10 pieces), Xiao Long Bao ($5 for 7 pieces), and Steamed Pork and Chive Dumplings ($5.50 for 10 pieces).

The Guo Tie dumplings had a thin and crisp outside layer, while the fillings of minced meat and vegetables were juicy. The stock within might just spurt out if you eat them hot.

For you would prefer something more substantial, you can try the Dan Dan Noodles ($4.50), Beef Noodle Soup ($4.50), Zha Jiang Mian ($4), Sour & Spicy Noodles ($3.50) or any of the other La Mian offerings.

I noted that the Hot & Spicy Soup seemed popular as it was often sold out.

Seng Huat Western Food
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-12
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 8:30pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Thurs

Western Food That Has Been Around Since 1986
The stall operated by an elderly uncle and auntie has been around since 1986. It sells classic western food items such as Sirloin Steak ($9), Mixed Grill ($9), Grilled Fish ($5) and Pork Chop ($6.50). (They used to have more exotic options such as Ostrich Steak.)

They also have Chicken Chop and Chicken Cutlet Rice dishes which comes with fried egg for just $4.00

If not, go for the old-school classic options such as Grilled Chicken Chop and Chicken Cutlets ($6.50) which comes in sizeable portion of fries and baked beans.

Riverside Good Food
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-20
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm (Wed – Mon), 11:30am – 6pm (Tues)

Fried White Kway Teow and Hokkien Mee
Interestingly, this stall used to generally have a shorter line than the other Fried Kway Teow stall, but gotten much attention of late due to a television documentary feature on Channel 8.

Riverside Good Food operated by a husband-and-wife team, sells a variety of local delights such as Fried Hokkien Mee ($5 onwards), Fried Bean Sprouts with Cockles ($6, $8) and Fried Oyster Omelette ($5 onwards).

The special item here is the White Kway Teow ($4.50 onwards) in order to differentiate from the other Char Kway Teow stalls. It tasted which is like normal fried rice noodles without the addition of sweet black sauce. Perhaps less flavourful and ‘healthier’, so might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

Soon Lee’s Pig Organ Soup
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-13
Opening Hours: 10am – 2:30pm (Mon – Sun)

One of the more underrated stalls here, and has been in the centre for one of the longest.

They serve up peppery bowls of Mixed Pig Organ’s Soup ($4.20, $6.20), Lean Meat Soup ($4.20, $6.20), Mee Sua ($4.50, $6.40) as well as Meat Ball Soup ($4.20, $6.20).

Add on ingredients such as braised egg, tau pok, salted vegetables, braised pork belly, braised intestines and braised stomach ($0.60 – $2.00 per serving)

For rice lovers, look out for their specials of Pig’s Trotter Rice ($4.20), Braised Intestine Rice ($3) and Minced Pork Rice ($3). Top it up to a set-meat with includes a choice of Mixed, Meatball or Lean Meat Soup.

Mohamed Sultan Road Hot & Cold Cheng Tng
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-32
Opening Hours: 12pm – 9pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Cheng Tng of Old Family Recipe
I need to tell you that this version of Cheng Tng is entirely different from the traditional types you may be used to. If you come here expecting the usual Cheng Tng, you may be quite disappointed.

Their version of this dessert comes with canned longans and lychees that may put off some fans of the classic recipe off.

The base is also clear (and not brownish), with some of the sweetness coming from the canned syrup (I guess). Can be too sweet at times due to the syrup included.

The stall only sells a few items, including Hot/Cold Cheng Tng ($2), Ginkgo Nut Longan Soup ($2.50), Ginkgo Nut Soup ($2.50) and Ginkgo Nut Sweet Potato Soup ($2.50). I would usually add on the soft ginkgo nuts.

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The first thing I noted about this Western food stall at Golden Mile Food Centre was the hawker donning a chef’s uniform.

”But, not hot ah???”

Chef Choo Siew Leong who is in his 30s, explained that wearing the chef’s attire was HOT especially in a stuffy hawker centre environment, but this made him look professional with more pride when serving food.

Would you call this an under-rated hawker stall? Yes and no.

There have been certain features and reviews on the Italian food stall, but the crowd still seemed quite moderate. Perhaps people don’t often associate Italian pasta with hawker centres?

Chef Choo previously worked at Pete’s Place at the basement of Hyatt Hotel – probably one of the first places in Singapore I got exposed to more authentic-tasting Italian food myself.

I was actually on the lookout for young hawkers that were 20 or 30 something to feature on Food King, and found stalls here such as YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle, One Prawn Noodle, Ashes Burnnit, The Original Vadai, and Yong Kwang Yummy Seafood.

The husband-and-wife team helms the stall which had an Italian-looking exterior as well, serving up hearty portions of Spaghetti Carbonara ($6.50), Spaghetti Bolognese ($6.50), Chicken Chop with Garlic Rice ($5.90), Norwegian Salmon with Teriyaki Sauce ($6.90) and Pork Chop with Garlic Rice and Mushroom Cream Sauce ($6.90).

For something lighter, there are Cheesy Fries ($5.50) and Caesar Salad ($5, $7 with chicken).

All at inexpensive prices considering the quality of the ingredients.

The first dish I tried there was the Japanese Scallops Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce ($12.90) because some of the signature items were sold out.

While price may feel like it is on the high side if you compare with other hawker centre dishes, you are getting the real deal here.

The tomato sauce, not from pre-made packages or cans, sealed the deal – bursting with that tangy-sweet goodness in a rich, robust and slightly spicy sauce.

The scallops were plump and fresh-tasting, and there was some white wine added to bring out that fragrance.

I made it a point to return, and had a Pork Chop with Aglio Olio ($7.50).

The next thing that left an impression was how garlicky it was – perhaps the pasta I had with the most amount of minced garlic of late.

If you love totally garlicky Aglio Olio, then this is for you. If you are uncomfortable with too much garlic, then you would have been a love-hate relationship, because those slices of pork chop were quite yummy and soft on its own .

There were also chopped chilli padi for that bolt of extra kick. Not very ‘Italian’, but Chef explained he modified the recipe to suit the local tastebuds.

”Singaporeans love garlic and spice, have to change a bit.”

The real star item of the entire menu was the Sizzling Seafood Spaghetti ($7.90 for 1 pax, $13.90 for 2 pax portion), served (complete with the crackling sound and steam) in a cast iron skillet on a wooden coaster at your table. Get those cameras ready.

Wah, restaurant feel in a hawker centre.

The generous portion of mussels, clams and prawns, along with the thick tomato sauce (maybe too thick for some?) infused with shots of white wine, made this a worthy hawker dish to have.

Indeed restaurant quality pasta in a hawker centre. I know I may be expecting much, but hopefully I get to experience handmade pasta at Chef Choo Signature one day, which I feel would elevate his food to another level.

Chef Choo Signature
Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Rd, #B1-45, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

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One Prawn Noodle (Golden Mile Food Centre)
Ashes Burnnit (Golden Mile Food Centre)
The Original Vadai (Golden Mile 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.

You may find the name of this stall at Golden Mile Food Centre baement vaguely familiar. That is because it is related to the famous BBQ Stingray Stall “Star Yong Kwang BBQ Seafood” at Alexandra Village Food Centre.

Young hawker Chris Eng who is in his mid-20s helms this off-shoot with his wife; while his dad manages the original Alexandra Village stall.

While he is considered to be young, he has actually spent more than 15 years in the hawker industry, helping out his dad since 10. He eventually became the zi char head chef when he was only 16.

No stingrays to be found here though, as the focus is on zi char dishes.

The chef-recommended dishes include Claypot Crab Bee Hoon (seasonal price), Chinese Spinach with 3 Eggs ($12, $18), Cereal Prawn ($18, $28), Sambal Sotong ($12, $18), and Black Pepper Crayfish ($5 for 100g).

Other zi char items include Prawn Paste Chicken ($9), Salad You Tiao ($9), Cereal Prawn ($18), Sambal Sotong ($12), Sweet & Sour Sliced Fish ($12), Por Ribs Deluxe aka Pai Gu Wang ($10), and Moonlight Hor Fun ($6).

The must-order here is the Salted Egg Pork Ribs ($12, $18) which came with rich, creamy and grainy sauce – not like the usual ones which would be more milky and sweet.

I mean, just look at that sauce.

Accordingly, Chris would first marinate the pork for about 90 minutes, then deep-fry the ribs for added crispiness.

The house-made salted egg sauce is done with a special process of steaming the salted egg, which are first mashed with margarine, then mixed with evaporated creamer and a blend of seasonings.

Loved that the ribs came in big chunks, but yet still retained their succulence.

During another visit, I ordered the Oyster Omelette ($8) which didn’t arrive like what I was expect. You know, like the typical crispy and starchy Orh Luak.

This came in a round-shaped with a single thickness (reminding me of the Taiwanese Shih Yeh style), and when you break it apart you would notice the light fluffiness of the eggs.

The San Lor Hor Fun ($5) has become one of the signature dishes. While I found it on the saltier side, it is undeniable that the fish slices were thick and fresh, accompanied with the alluring wok-hei.

Perhaps more of those beansprouts could help add some refreshing crunchiness and balance out the richness.

As Chris is the only person behind the wok for now, do give some allowance in terms of time for your dishes to come. The Salted Egg Pork Ribs is quite well-worth the wait.

Yong Kwang Yummy Seafood
#B1-55 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 12pm – 2pm, 5pm – 9pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon, 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.

This prawn noodles stall is recommended by MasterChef Singapore Season 2 winner Derek Cheong. (Congrats Derek and all the contestants for braving this!)

During the start of the season, I asked the engineering student what his favourite hawker dish was, and it turned out to be Prawn Noodles aka Hae Mee.

He added that he would get his bowl from Loyang Way Big Prawn Noodles, at 64 Loyang Way.

”The broth is so umami rich and with a nice mix of prawn and pork flavour. Topped with a generous serving of fried shallots, which boosts the flavours even more.”

While stall can be too far-flung East for many, especially when hidden in an industrial estate, there are also two other outlets namely at Albert Food Centre (near Bugis) and Bedok 85 better known as Fengshan Food Centre which may be more convenient to get to.

On its menu are Big Prawn Noodles ($5, $7, $9), Pork Ribs Prawn Noodles ($5, $7, $9), Abalone Prawn Noodles ($8, $10) and XL Big Prawn Noodles ($13.80).

Customers can also add on ingredients such as pork ribs, prawn, pig’s intestines, abalone, pig’s skin and sliced pork (additional $1 to $3).

The first thing that left an impression was that the stall was generous with its ingredients, included with pork ribs and three halves of the prawns – all at $5.

And wow, the soup had umami.

If you had always been disappointed with diluted prawn noodle broth that didn’t pack a punch, this was rich and gao gao, made more aromatic with fried shallot and pork lard fragrance.

Plus, it was not too salty or thick.

There was a sweeter tinge, which I assumed was due to addition of rock sugar – some may or may not enjoy this.

However, after having more, I noted that the soup was on the greasier side, so I couldn’t really finish it in the end even though I liked the initial first spoonfuls.

Between the soup and the dry, I thought that the soup version left a deeper impression.

However, the dry noodles were considered competent and certainly above average. Perhaps when compared to the other famous prawn noodle stalls, the mixture of sauces lacked that magical oomph.

People would enjoy the tender and succulent pork ribs which was easy to bite off without sticking to your teeth; and the prawns were cut in convenient halves for easier eating.

Loyang Way Big Prawn Noodles
64 Loyang Way, Singapore 508754
Opening Hours: 7am – 3pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Other outlets at:
Bedok 85 Fengshan Market & Food Centr, #01-26 Blk 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Albert Centre Market & Food Centre #01-108, 270 Queen Street, Singapore 180270

Other Related Entries
Beach Road Prawn Noodle House (East Coast Road)
Chef Kang Prawn Noodle House (Toa Payoh)
Prawn Noodle Bar (Duxton Hill)
Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodle (Pek Kio Food Centre)
Zion Road Big Prawn Noodle (South Bridge Road)

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

Green Chilli Chicken Rice may be around since 1999, but it received new-found attention end of last year when it was rated “Food King Good” in NOC’s “The BEST Hawker Of 2020”.

The hawker stall at Sims Vista Market & Food Centre serves up only one dish – Green Chilli Chicken Rice ($5.00) for one set.

Due to high demand, they are limiting the quantity of orders to 5 sets per person.

The food centre is a short 6 to 10 minutes’ walk from Aljunied MRT station. Note that Sims Vista Market & Food Centre will be closed for renovation from 3 May 2021 to 2 Jul 2021.

This dish may remind you of Ayam Penyet, though this deep-fried chicken is topped with fresh green chilli hijau.

It also comes with basmati rice, crackers and small bowl of soup (heard the soup is free-flow).

Even without the green chilli, the drumstick on its own was quite yummy, with a sedap thin crisp layer on the outside, plus the meat was well-marinated and succulent.

The green chilli added a touch of smokiness, though it was not as spicy as what you would have imagined. Didn’t have a punch but was mellowly-tasty – a bit salty, a tad fiery, a touch of tanginess.

The basmati rice reminding me slightly of some Nasi Lemak rice due to its faint fragrance, was light and fluffy. It didn’t steal away the thunder from the chicken.

Though overall with the chicken and fish-flavoured crackers, some customers may find it on the dry side – like it needs some sauce or something.

Certainly a one-of-a-kind hawker dish, and would recommend you coming off-peak or the wait can be really long (like half an hour or more).

Green Chilli Chicken Rice
Sims Vista Market & Food Centre, 49 Sims Place, Singapore 380049
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 1:30pm (Sun – Thurs), Closed Fri
(Note: Sims Place Blk 49 Food Centre closed for renovation from 3 May 2021 to 2 Jul 2021.)

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

Wait ah, I don’t even stay anywhere near Ang Mo Kio, so it is a surprise (to myself) I managed to put this together (after multiple trips up North).

I realised there were not many listicles on this 726 Ang Mo Kio Food Centre anyway, but I did find a few interesting stalls there like the super popular stall with interesting system (talking about Xi Xiang Feng Yong Tau Foo 喜相逢.)

Before you scream, ”Where’s my Vincent Western Food?”, I heard good things about it but didn’t get to try it despite many visits. I don’t want to use screen-grab photos from random IG accounts just to include it in.

Here are 10 stalls you MAY want to try at Ang Mo Kio Central Food Centre: (I generally went for those with semi to long queues.)

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

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.

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).

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. I agree that one or two of the deep-fried items could have tasted better if freshly-fried, but no major complaints. Xi Xiang Feng Yong Tau Foo 喜相逢 (Ang Mo Kio)

Yunos N Family (Ang Mo Kio)
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-01, 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.

Hup Hup Minced Meat Noodle
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-39, Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

Hup Hup Minced Meat Noodle is known for its old-school Bak Chor Mee topped with round-shaped crackers.

I combed through reviews, even those left in 2009, and found a disparity. It seemed that something happened along the way, and both food and service was not quite like in the past.

This Bak Chor Mee stall DID get listed in the Singapore Michelin Guide under “Michelin Plate”. Which got me wondering – did the inspectors queue and experience this “service” as well?

If you are expecting the usual Bak Chor Mee with vinegar and all that, this is not quite the norm.

There was that strong ketchup taste beneath, which reminded me of noodles I had when I was still schooling. For purists who love your vinegar, then you are likely to frown upon this.

Noodles were slightly starchier and thicker than the usual mee kia, but that probably worked well with the sauces.

The savoury braised sliced mushrooms and four pieces of round crackers which added some crisp (somewhat like wanton skin) were the highlight. Hup Hup Minced Meat Noodle (Ang Mo Kio)

Ang Mo Kio Char Kway Teow
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-28, Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 4pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This Char Kway Teow stall is seldom written about (compared to those Zion Road, Hong Lim and Bedok South), but it sure has quire a fanbase and you often spot a moderate queue here.

The line can be long, but the hawker is considered fast in dishing out the plates.

The stall just serves up Fried Cockle Kway Teow ($3.50), added with Chinese sausages and quite a bit of crunchy pork lard.

The texture is slightly to the soft and wet side (but not overly as compared to Apollo’s) and I thought the magic is in its smokiness and robust flavours that permeated throughout.

It was slightly on the sweet side due to the dark sauce added, so can be jelak (rich) after a while. Get someone to share this, and you should love it.

Centre Satay Bee Hoon
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-12 Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm (Wed – Mon), Closed Tues

If you are visiting Ang Mo Kio, there are two stalls in the same food centre which serves up Satay Bee Hoon – Centre Satay Bee Hoon and Chiok Seng.

Being around since 1979, Centre Satay Bee Hoon boasts of more than 40 years of experience in cooking the dish, meticulously perfecting the preparation from the satay sauce to each ingredient.

The Satay Bee Hoon ($4, $5, $6) comes with plenty of rice vermicelli along with chewy-delicious cuttlefish, kangkong, fresh prawns and cockles, sliced pork, and tau pok.

Accordingly, the peanuts were dry-roasted first, then added to the sauce which had to be cooked for a laborious long period of time.

There was a pleasant nutty flavour to the sauce which was generous and coated the bee hoon nicely. If I were to nit-pick, I thought that the pork slices were slightly on the tough side.

Lim Hai Sheng Cooked Food
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-09 Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 8am – 4pm (Mon – Sun)

The one thing you would notice is the stall still sells Carrot Cake for $2 (with $3 and $4 options).

But you can tell my $2 portion was really quite small – good as a ‘snack’ I suppose.

Between the White and Black, it seems they are better known for their White Carrot Cake, reviewed to have a “nice crispy” layer. (Appears they used to only sell the White in the past.)

There were some parts which were crispy, but I suspect they used to be much better.

Seng Bee Chicken Rice
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-31 Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

If you just judge by Chicken Rice alone, then this stall can be said to be pretty much average, though they have been featured in “Where The Queue Starts” on MediaCorp Channel 8.

My AMK friend described this as ”not like super duper nice, but it is categorically nice chicken rice.”. I kind of agree.

The thing special is they also serve up other variants, such as Lemon Chicken Rice ($3.80), Thai Chicken Rice ($3.80), Chicken Wing Rice ($3.30), Curry Chicken Mee ($5.00), along with sides of Crispy Tofu ($4.50).

Other than the typical red chilli sauce and dark sauce soy, there is also the option of a green chilli garlic sauce.

The deep-fried chicken cutlet was quite crispy though not life-changing; and the rice on the slightly greasy side but still considered flavourful.

Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-41, Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 10:15am – 8:45pm (Mon – Sun)

This is one of those ‘not-famous’ random stalls that I tried, but it turned out to be not too bad and so I decided to include it here.

The non-descript stall serves up Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles ($3.50 onwards), Fried Carrot Cake ($2 onwards), and Oyster Omelette.

The Hokkien Mee was of the wetter style; while it could do with more wok-hei and ‘stickiness’, there were tasty flavours of the seafood broth you could taste within. Portion is not bad for its price as well.

Ban Chuan Duck Rice
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-19, Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 7:30pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Sun), Closed Wed

There are two relatively famous Duck Rice here – one is Sin Choon Braised Duck (unfortunately always closed when I visited), and Ban Chuan Duck Rice. Sin Choon appears to be the stall with the better rating.

Ban Chuan serves up Braised Duck Rice ($3, $4), Duck Meat Noodles ($3, $4), Kway Chap ($3.50, $7), and Braised Intestines ($4).

The portion was considered generous with soft braised peanuts, and they also offer yam rice. People may like the side serving of hot herbal soup, though I found it on the sweet side.

It was a decent plate of Duck Rice – meat appropriately tender though could do with more robust flavours.

Four Seasons Cendol 四季煎蕊
724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-34, Singapore 560724
Opening Hours: 9am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Four Seasons Cendol is commonly recognized by many to serve the one of the best cendols in Singapore. Other than an outlet at Toa Payoh Lor 8 (the more popular outlet), I just discovered a branch at Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 Food Centre.

Keep your expectations high when you visit this place for a rich and creamy bowl of sugary delight.

Every bowl is prepared on order and swiftly put together within a minute so you don’t have to wait too long. It is exceptionally tasty and the presentation is also Instagram worthy (shoot your photos fast in this hot weather though).

I got myself a bowl of Cendol for $2.20. The bowls already have attap seeds and red beans, filled up with thick green jelly and ice shavings in adome of deliciousness.

The gooey Gula Melaka topping gave the cendol an appeasing, sweet lingering aroma. Special mention goes to the big red beans which were very soft (there are no small red beans by the way.)

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.

Not sure if you are in the generation that would remember the good-old Odeon Beef Kway Teow opposite the old Odeon Theatre at North Bridge Road.

The first time I tried this brand of Beef Noodles was at the now-defunct Scotts Picnic Food Court. In fact, it probably one of those Hainanese Beef Noodles I fondly remember till now.

My mum would bring me that after shopping at CK Tang, and we would share a bowl of that gooey goodness. Wonderful memories.

In case you are a Beef Noodle fan, some of the well-known stalls in Singapore include Hong Kee Beef Noodle (Amoy Street Food Centre), Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodles (Golden Mile Food Centre), Hong Heng Beef Noodle (Ang Mo Kio Kebun Bahru Food Centre), Zheng Yi Hainanese Beef Noodles (Tai Thong Crescent), Joo Chiat Beef King (various locations), and Blanco Court Beef Noodles (Aperia Mall).

While the original name with “Odeon Beef Kway Teow” cannot be used anymore, you can still find that nostalgic taste at Bendemeer Market & Food Centre near Boon Keng (not in Toa Payoh just in case.)

However, the opening hours of “Toa Payoh · Hwa Heng Beef Noodles” is only from 10am to 2:30pm from Wednesdays to Saturdays. And I have been there a couple of Saturdays to try my luck, but the stall was never opened.

I must have been there about 6 to 7 times, and got fortunate one random weekday (like, finally). Even though I went slightly off-peak lunch hours, there was a long line that took about close to an hour to clear.

On the menu are Beef Noodles ($5.00) in soup or dry versions; while you can pick combinations with beef balls, mixed beef with or without tendon, or tendon noodles.

That bolt of nostalgia just hit me when I had my first mouthful of that smooth and sticky gravy over the strands of thick vermicelli.

I didn’t go like ”Wow, this is the best beef noodles in Singapore”.

While the gravy looked dark and possibly robust, it was more mellow taste and I was expecting something more intense.

However, everything else that went into the bowl, from the cuts of thin-sliced tender beef, soft beef balls, salted vegetable, to that light sesame oil fragrance made it a sumptuous, comforting treat.

The other key element was that familiar thick chilli sauce with slight-acidic chincalok, which would add another dimension (or magic!) to the dish.

Even though I saw 8 out of 10 customers ordering the Dry Beef Noodles, I ordered the Soup version to compare, and boy I loved it.

The soup with floating beef flotsam was warm, robust, light herbal notes, flavourful enough and not too salty – just nice.

Toa Payoh · Hwa Heng Beef Noodles
Bendemeer Market & Food Centre #01-86, 9 Bendemeer Road, Singapore 330029
Opening Hours: 10am – 2:30pm (Wed – Sat), Closed Sun – Tues

Other Related Entries
Hong Kee Beef Noodle (Amoy Street 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.

So I travelled all the way to Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre to try Reimondo Seafood Congee. Didn’t have space for anything else – just this.

This is an interesting duo storey food centre in the East, with more of the hipster hawker stalls such as Wild Olives, Prawnaholic, and Fins & Feathers located on the upper level.

Anyway, I think almost every food website in Singapore has featured Reimondo Seafood Congee haha, so I didn’t see the urge to head down earlier. Food King calls this “restaurant quality food in a hawker centre”, and ranked 3 stars “Food King Good”.

There is an interesting backstory of how the hawker Raymond Tan turned from a convict to a millionaire to a hawker, and I also learnt he used to sell Crab Wanton Noodles at MacPherson – which I quite enjoyed, though the stall is now defunct.

On its menu are four items – Seafood Congee ($6.90, $12.90), Smoked Salmon & Lala Congee ($3.50), Tea Smoked Salmon ($9.90) and Prawn UFO ($4.90 for 4 pcs) which are like flatten deep-fried pieces of wanton.

Surprisingly, there wasn’t a long wait and I got my food almost quite immediately.

Even though I have eaten quite a number of top-notch Congee in Singapore, I would say Reimondo’s version still stole my breath away, and probably deserve a spot to be one of the best hawker renditions.

How did they achieve that smokiness?

It was not just about wok-hei anymore, but that smoky flavour permenating every spoonful till the last (though I am not sure how it would be after dabao).

There were also generous ingredients for $6.90, ranging from Japanese scallops, prawns, clams, tea smoked salmon flakes to a kani stick.

The consistency of the congee was just right, not too thick or thin (but I would imagine some people prefer a thicker style).

The youtiao pieces were deep-fried till crunchy, adding a delightful contrast to the smooth texture.

There was some dashi and seafood flavours in the base, which gave it the base ‘Japanese feel’.

I was slightly more indifferent towards the highly-raved Tea Smoked Salmon ($9.90), perhaps because I heard too many good things and expectations were raised higher.

It was served looking pale orange, on the colder side, subtle tea flavour, and moist. May be a tad on the saltier side for some, but I can see this is value-for-its-money and quality.

A flavour-packed seafood congee at this price. And the smokiness is just so alluring. Looking forward to the day Raymond re-introduces Crab Wanton Noodles again.

Reimondo Seafood Congee
Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, 110 Pasir Ris Central, #02-07 Singapore 519641
Opening Hours: 12pm – 3pm, 5pm – 8pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun)

Other Related Entries
10 Must-Try CONGEE In Singapore
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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.

Wen Kang Ji Wanton Noodle 文康記 may be one of the newest stalls at Golden Mile Food Centre, located at one of the more secluded corners, but it has certainly gathered quite a bit of buzz amongst wanton mee aficionados.

Who’s Wen Kang?

He is actually the baby boy son of one of the chef-owners – who used to cook at Tsui Hang Restaurant in Scotts Road.

If you arrive before stall opening hours say at 10am, you would be given a number tag to wait around. The queue did start forming long at 10:30am.

Due to the various calling of number tags and long line (with no one to manage the queue), it did get pretty confusing during certain moments. Perhaps give them a while to settle and come out with a better system?

Although the closing hour indicates 5pm, they are often sold out earlier.

On the menu are Wanton Noodles ($5, $7) along with Dumpling Noodles ($4), Dumpling Soup ($4) and Wanton Soup ($4).

The noodles are priced higher than the usual, and for a good reason… the Char Siew which is roasted in-stall.

A friend told me that the $7 Jumbo Bowl was too much; while another commented $5 was little. I thought the $5 was just nice.

So just look at that gloriously glazed ”bu jian tian” (literally meaning “don’t see the sky”) Char Siew.

An underarm cut of the pork is used, with a good lean meat-fat ratio to maintain its juiciness during roasting.

Lovely char layer, succulent meat, no major complains for this price – this was as good as those served in some top Chinese restaurants. (Except that I marginally prefer Tiong Bahru Market’s Zhong Yu Yuan Wei’s as those seemed to be better marinated.)

The bite of the noodles reminded me of Kok Kee Wanton Noodles – the current version after being bought over by Jumbo Group, not the older style.

Actually, even the orange plate, the chilli and the more soupy sauce would remind many of Kok Kee’s. Except drum-roll…, people may actually prefer Wen Kang Ji’s.

Thankfully, I also ordered the Dumpling Soup as the swee gao were wrapped packed with soft minced meat and shrimp, while the wantons had a larger skin to fillings ratio.

Soup was cloudy looking, but didn’t taste as intense as it looked.

If you are the type who emphasise Char Siew more than other elements in your Wanton Mee, then Wen Kang Ji certainly ranks among the best you can find in Singapore.

Wen Kang Ji Wanton Noodle 文康記
505 Beach Road, Golden Mile Food Centre, #B1-29, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 5pm (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.

My friend Nicole @pinkypiggu who found great love for Chong Qing Noodles due to her current idol Xiao Zhan 肖战, decided to find some of the best versions in Singapore.

We made our way to Upper Boon Keng Market and Food Centre, which is in fact my first time ever to this hawker centre.

DaShao Chong Qing Xiao Mian 大少重庆小面 has gained a good reputation for selling authentic Chong Qing style noodles with hometown flavour, at inexpensive pricing. A basic bowl starts at $3.

Fun fact: this style of noodles is called Xiao Mian 小面 literally “small noodles” to signify the simplicity and humbleness of this everyday Chinese dish.

The noodles are usually served as breakfast or lunch in small eateries everywhere in the Chongqing city.

Although the hawker Wei Liang Cheng is not from Chongqing itself, he made his way there to pick up the ropes after he fell in love with the dish.

Through the process, he learnt how to fry chillies, prepare the meat sauce and beef in order to bring out the most original taste.

“DaShao” 大少 is Liang Cheng’s nickname in school, which means “little master”.

There is also some backstory for this stall: In memory of his mother who passed away from cancer, he decided to dedicate his life to making and selling noodles. (The stall was opened 13th December, which is his mother’s death anniversary.)

If you looked up the top left hand of the signboard, you would notice a plum blossom design. “Mei Hua” is the name of his mum, and this flower print symbolises her watching over his stall.

On the menu are ChongQing Mala Noodles ($3, $3.50, $4) – no meat toppings type, Shredded Chicken Noodles ($3.50, $4, $4.50), Minced Meat Noodles ($4, $4.50, $5), Beef Noodles ($4, $4.50, $5), and Pea Minced Meat Noodles ($4, $4.50, $5).

You can add a fried egg at additional $0.50, cooked with olive oil as Liang Cheng wanted to present a healthier version. Even though the Chinese style of fried egg is typically ‘fully cooked’, you can request for runny egg sunny-side up.

While the default mode of noodles is ‘localised’ to the palates here, meaning less spicy and ma (numbing), customers can inform the hawker that, “I want the authentic Chongqing taste” – which was what we ordered.

Worthy to note is the thin noodles had a delicious chewy bite, light and almost-springy, complementing the sauces well.

They are served in measurements of ”liang” 两, and one ”liang” is equivalent to 50 grams. Most customers go for two “liang”.

Even though I ordered medium spicy, I thought that it was moderately fiery with strong numbing sensation, and may prove to be too much heat for some Singaporeans. But eat this during a rainy weather, and it would be quite shiok.

The chilli oil is wok-fried in-stall, prepared using a combination of four different types of chillies sourced from China. Each batch requires 4 hours in the making.

Special mention goes to the minced meat sauce, which is adapted from the recipe of Liang Cheng’s mum – coming with special aroma and unique homestyle savoury taste.

My favourite of the lot turned out to be the Pea Minced Meat Noodles, which had this classic beany flavour and soft deliciousness. Something unique I have never tried before.

Da Shao Chong Qing Xiao Mian 大少重庆小面
Upper Boon Keng Market and Food Centre #01-81, 17 Upper Boon Keng Road, Singapore 38001
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 8pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

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Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao (Chinatown Point 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.

Sometimes we just need that belly-warming congee 粥 for that sense of comfort during more troubled days.

Happy Congee 滿粥了 may just do that, earning quite a reputation among foodies craving for Cantonese-style thick congee and Chee Cheong Fun.

The stall first opened within Bgain food court at ARC 380 Jalan Besar.

It has quickly expanded with outlets at 56 New Upper Changi Road, Hougang Ave 8, 130 Jurong Gateway Road (Bgain 130 Eating House) and Waterloo Centre near Bugis. Boss huat ah.

The head chef behind these stalls used to be behind 大碗粥 House of Congee – previously located at one end of Boat Quay selling more than 40 types of congee on the menu. Oh, those supper days.

Starting with the congee, choices include Hong Kong Boat Congee ($5), Black Iberico Pork ($5), Lettuce & Chicken Shredded Congee ($4), Fresh Toman Fish Congee ($5), Seafood Abalone Congee ($8) and Century Egg & Minced Meat Congee ($4).

The Seafood Abalone Congee ($8) was expectedly thick, smooth and gooey, almost pearly-white in colour.

Generous ingredients too, with an abalone – surprisingly not bad/hard-tasting, prawns and sliced fish in the mix.

Would this rank as some of the top congee you can get in a kopitiam in Singapore? Probably yes.

However, what could push it to a higher level would be more wok-heat (which Mui Kee has) or more oomph in the flavours itself.

The Black Iberico Pork ($5) came with slices tender without a strong ‘meaty’ taste.

However, I wished there was a congee version with handmade meatballs, just to add more textural variety to the bowl.

It was instead the Chee Cheong Fun aka Rice Noodle Rolls that left the deeper impression.

Some of the top-selling plates is the Triple Sauce Rice Noodle Roll ($3.50) and Mala Chicken Shredded Rice Noodle Roll ($5), but I wanted to try a Zha Liang 炸兩 because this is harder to find in Singapore. Perhaps usually in middle-higher tier dim sum restaurants.

This is made with tightly wrapping the rice noodle roll around youtiao (deep-fried dough sticks), and the beauty is to appreciate the contrast between silky-smooth sheets and the crispy, fluffy interior.

Quite well-executed, I will come back for this.

Happy Congee 滿粥了
Bgain @ Lavender Food Court, 380 Jalan Besar, ARC 380, Singapore 209000
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 8:30pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Sun), Closed Wed

Other outlets:
Bgain Old Street Coffee House, 681 Hougang Ave 8 Singapore 530681
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 7:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Kopi Kia @ Upper Changi, 56 New Upper Changi Road Singapore 461056
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 4:30pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

Bgain 130 Eating House, 130 Jurong Gateway Road Singapore 600130
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

261 Waterloo Street, Waterloo Centre, Singapore 180261
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

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Reimondo Seafood Congee (Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre)

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It was my maiden trip to the far-west at Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre & Market, which is managed by NTUC Foodfare.

A friend who stays at BP recommended Father & Son’s Fried Carrot Cake (popular due to hunky hawker Walter Tay), You Xiang Teochew Noodles, Zai Lai Prawn Noodle’s Lor Mee, and Hai Nan Hometown.

He mentioned that Chye Lye Ah Ma Mee Sua, more affectionally just known as “再来” (which literally means “come again”), has the longest queue though he wasn’t a big fan personally due to the ‘porky’ taste.

I decided to try it anyway due to the rainy weather. They have other two outlets at Kampung Admiralty Hawker Centre and Toa Payoh Central.

There is also a 再来 Chye Lye Lor Mee at the same Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre which offers Lor Mee, Prawn Noodles, and Laksa.

The menu is lean, with Ah Ma Mee Sua ($4), Ah Gong Tou Chiam ($4.50), Ma Ma Sheng Mian ($4), and Bee Hoon Soup ($2.80, $4).

You get to have noodles you don’t commonly find elsewhere. The “Tau Chiam” is soy bean noodles which looks like ban mian; while “Sheng Mian” is not crispy noodles but somewhat like thick yellow noodles.

Its signature Ah Ma Mee Sua ($4) came with bountiful ingredients of sliced pork, large handmade meatball, a generic meatball, stewed mushrooms, liver slices and egg.

Worthy of mention is the soft handmade meatball with bits of salted fish within.

Even before I started tucking in, the strong aroma of the Chinese wine would just hit your nose – probably a love or hate it (or don’t get it) situation. I suspect this would appeal to customers of a certain generation who grew up with having such styles of Mee Sua right at home.

The Mee Sua was thin, silky with soft texture and mouthfeel, though might have a slight-salty aftertaste. Thankfully, it didn’t soak up the soup that much after being left for a while.

I can imagine why people would love the soup as it was prominently fragrant, flavourful and comforting, not similar to the usual styles (like when you purchase from a ban mian stall).

However, if you are not that fond of Chinese wine and a possibly strong porky taste, then you may feel this bowl is too much for you.

Chye Lye Ah Ma Mee Sua 再来阿嬷麵線
Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre & Market, 2 Bukit Panjang Ring Road, Singapore 679947
Opening Hours: 9am – 3pm, 5pm – 9pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Other outlets:
Kampung Admiralty Hawker Centre #02-21, 676 Woodlands Drive 71, Singapore 730676
Opening Hours: 10am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

J99 Eating House, 186 Toa Payoh Central #01-402, Singapore 310186
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 8:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Other Related Entries
Uncle KKM, Hai Xian Zhu Zhou 海鲜煮粥 (Bukit Panjang)
Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway (Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre)
Mian Zhuang 麵荘 (Hong Lim Food Centre)
Soon Heng Pork Noodles (Neil Road)
Bai Nian Niang Dou Foo (Albert Street Food Centre)

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Honesty speaking, while there are more Japanese stalls appearing in hawker centres around Singapore, the quality can be a hit-and-miss.

Yao Japanese Rice House with its striking yellow signboard and caricature of “Yao” at Tanjong Pagar Food Centre piqued my curiosity, specialising in Japanese-style Omu Fried Rice and Curry Rice.

While you are there at the hawker centre, some of the popular stalls to look out for include Rong Xing Yong Tau Fu, Delicious 美味 Mee Rebus, Pandan Leaf Nasi Lemak, Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puff, Issan Thai Food, Ming Kee Cooked Food, and Kueh Ho Jiak.

No websites have covered this Japanese Rice stall though – strange, and so I have decided to give it a try (as part of what food bloggers should do is share these hidden gems).

On the menu are Omu Fried Rice dishes with Japanese Curry Sauce ($4.50), Mushroom Cream Sauce ($4.50), Teriyaki Chicken ($5.50), Thai Style Chicken ($5.50), Braised Pork ($5.50) and Salmon with Wasabi Mayo ($6.50).

Customers can top up with grilled chicken, chicken cutlet, grilled pork loin or pork cutlet for $1.70 extra each.

Compared to many Japanese casual eateries and cafes, this food here comes at a fraction of the price. I mean, Salmon Omu Fried Rice at $6.50 – where to find?

All dishes come served with miso soup, but the soup is not available with takeaways. Understandable.

I had the Japanese Curry and Chicken Cutlet ($6.00), and the most impressionable part was the hot silky-runny egg.

While the egg didn’t wrap around the rice perfectly, it was certainly on par in taste and texture if not better than what some of the cafes serves. (You can pay top dollars for café brunches, but not can do their eggs well.)

Some may find it slightly on the saltier side, but I think the plainer-tasting short-grained rice kind of balanced it off.

The Japanese curry all thick and smooth came with a spicier kick than the usual, but was absolutely manageable in terms of the spice levels.

There was even pickled radish and carrot on the side to cut through the richness.

I would have enjoyed the Salmon with Wasabi Mayo ($6.50) better if the slab of fish wasn’t that dry. But at that price, I am not complaining much.

The wasabi mayo had a sweeter and milder touch, and won’t become an intense nostril hit.

If rice is not your thing, also available are Potato Salad options with pork cutlet, grill pork loin, chicken culet and grilled chicken, paired with Japanese Curry, Tonkatsu or Black Pepper sauce.

Yao Japanese Rice House
6 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #02-42 Tanjong Pagar Food Centre, Singapore 081006
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 3:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Other Related Entries
Tanjong Pagar Food Centre Hawker Guide
Rong Xing Yong Tau Fu (Tanjong Pagar Food Centre)
Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puffs (Tanjong Pagar Food Centre)
Issan Thai Food (Tanjong Pagar Food Centre)

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Xin Lu Teo Chew Fishball Noodle has been around for more than 50 years, having humble beginnings at the now-defunct Margaret Drive Food Centre. (Also read: 10 Must-Try FISHBALL MEEPOK In Singapore)

It is located at Mei Ling Food Centre (kind of near the Queenstown area), and the hawker centre houses other famous stalls such as Shi Hui Yuan Hor Fun Speciality, Mei Ling Street Handmade Carrot Cake, Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice, and Lao Jie Fang 老街坊 known for Beef Brisket Noodles.

There is another fishball noodle stall here though – Hup Kee Teochew Fishball Mee.

The current hawker-owner learnt his ropes from his father, helping him since he was 8 years’ old. Even though he studied to be a designer, he decided to make a career switch by helping the stall.

”I don’t just sell fishballs, I sell a piece of history.”

The ingredients of the Teochew Fishball Noodles are considered ‘no-frills’, with fishballs, noodles, seasoning like vinegar and tang chye (preserved vegetables), so the rest is up to the skills of the hawker.

While there are other variations elsewhere such as Bak Chor Mee or those added with sliced fishcakes, Xin Lu keeps theirs to just fishballs and noodles.

The fishballs are handmade in-store with saito fish (wolf herring) and yellowtail fish, resulting in old-school savour with supple bounciness and slight chewiness.

They are slightly larger than the usual – almost ping pong sized, and you may find them on the plainer side in terms of taste – but I think the richer seasoning in the noodles help balance it out.

Nothing too salty about the soup as well, keeping it plain and simple.

The mee pok even after being da bao still retained a good al dente bite, well tossed with the heavier sauces with pork lard and fried shallot fragrance.

Something to note is that the chilli sauce was on the spicier side, with quite even coating on every strand of noodles. Did bring back those memories of good-old days.

Xin Lu Teo Chew Fishball Noodle 新路潮洲鱼圆粿條面湯
159 Mei Ling Street, Mei Ling Food Centre #02-05, Singapore 140159
Opening Hours: 5:45pm – 3pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed Thurs

Other Related Entries
10 Must-Try FISHBALL MEEPOK In Singapore
Ah Ter Teochew Fishball Noodles (Amoy Street Food Centre)
Hock Seng Choon Fish Ball Kway Teow Mee (Bedok South Food Centre)
Ru Ji Kitchen (Holland Drive)
Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee (Albert Food Centre)

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Talk about some of the best Ban Mian in Singapore, and the usual suspects are China Whampoa Ban Mian (Whampoa), Top One Handmade Noodles (Beauty World Food Centre), Qiu Lian Ban Mian, and of course L32 Handmade Noodles at Geylang.

In terms of Dry Ban Mian, I think this famous stall at Geylang Lor 32 (thus the name) can easily be ranked as one of the Top 3 in Singapore. 1st for some, perhaps?

The wait can be quite long especially during peak hours, so some customers may not feel it is worth that long wait (can be an hour) because it can get stuffy and hot in this coffeeshop.

For those of you in Tampines, there is another outlet at Food Tempo.

This little stall is owned by a couple who make Ban Mian out of their love for cooking. In fact, they were not the original owners of this stall, but it was through trial-and-error that they perfected this recipe.

On the menu are Ban Mian with toppings which range from pork, chicken, fishballs, meatballs, prawns, sliced fish, clams, fish head and prawns with sliced fish.

Noodles available include ban mian, U-mian, mee hoon kway, bee hoon and mee sua.

Each bowl cost from $4.60 to $7.30.

Coupled with their handmade noodles and star ingredients of anchovies and meat or seafood ingredients, the Ban Mian is a considered a bowl of heaven to many.

All their ingredients are said to be fresh and soup MSG free. One of their other ‘formulas’ is to leave the soup to simmer for over 10 hours a night before.

What I liked was the pork slices and minced pork that didn’t have a ‘strong’ taste and was soft and tender; matched with hot piping, comforting soup with light seafood sweetness.

Some may prefer soups that are more zhong kou wei (rich)?

However, it was the Dry Bee Hoon Kway, tossed in a sweetish black sauce that stole my heart. I would recommend adding some of the chilli sauce in to balance out the sweetness.

To me, what’s the draw was the chewy texture of the unevenly shaped noodle pieces, and you can savour it better without it getting too soggy in the dry version.

Worthy to mention is the side serving of hot soup with a raw egg. Reminder to leave it there for a while to be cooked, but don’t forget about it.

L32 Handmade Noodles
558 Geylang Road, Lor 32 Geylang, Singapore 389509
Tel: +65 9770 2829
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

10 Tampines Central 1, Food Tempo #01-60, Singapore 529536
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Delivery available on GrabFood (islandwide delivery) and Foodpanda.

Other Related Entries
10 Delicious DRY BAN MIAN In Singapore
10 Must-Try BAN MIAN In Singapore
China Whampoa Ban Mian (Whampoa)
Mian Zhuang 麵荘 (Hong Lim Food Centre)
Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway (Telok Blangah Crescent 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.