Shared this box of happiness from Xin Shan Bakery 心珊烘培 @xinshanbakery with my parents during tea break! You can get these viral Japanese Seinyu (生乳 means milk) Rolls without braving the long causeway traffic to JB cos it's available now in Chinatown! 🍰🇲🇾
Taro lovers will enjoy their 𝐘𝐚𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐲𝐮 𝐒𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞, the all-time favourite amongst the flavours available. The sponge chiffon is fluffy and not too sweet, so you can savour the delicate earthy flavours & velvety consistency of the Thai yam paste swirled within the cake base! Would highly recommend eating this on the day of purchase to enjoy the flavours at its best!
When cravings hit hard, you gotta satisfy them. 🤪 As with every visit to Meng Kee Fried Kway Teow, they have been pretty spot on with the wok hei and portion of ingredients of the Char Kway Teow - there's no denying me from the pronounced sweet-savoury flavour in this sinful mess. I like that the noodles/kway tiao mix leans towards the wetter side and is not too oily. Every strand is evenly coated with an eggy aroma & medium brown hue of the dark soy sauce, but not to the point of being chao ta. I prefer my blood cockles/hums to be cooked a little longer, but I can still taste how fresh & plump they are.
Also, this should be enjoyed as piping hot as possible for the best flavour profile! That explains why I only took a few quick shots before chowing down the entire plate. 🤭
Their Fish Maw Pig's Organ Soup was flavorful with a slight peppery kick. It's also generous with the porky ingredients, though I would appreciate more fish maw instead. 😅
If you are at Toa Payoh, remember to drop by Benson Salted Duck at Lorong 1! Unlike the more commonly seen braised or roasted duck, Salted Duck is less spotted in SG, like the distant cousin you only see once a year at every CNY family gathering. That said, its lower profile doesn’t quell the moderately long queues or its popularity, given only half a duck was left when I reached 12-ish p.m. 🦆
You can eat the duck as is to enjoy the unadulterated briney savoriness, or squeeze in the lime and eat it together with the preserved veg & chilli for a flavour explosion. I read that they first poach the duck with spices to remove the characteristic gamey taste and then submerge it in iced salted water to impart a tender meat texture - similar to how poached chicken is prepared! My only gripe is that it does not have white rice, which would have been the perfect palate cleanser.
A single portion set will set you back for $5, but you get the usual fixings that will satiate your Kway Chap cravings! The braising stock was well-balanced & lighter on the spices but pleasant enough to not overwhelm the pork's natural taste. The ingredients were generally clean-tasting with zero gamey funk, but the braised pork skin was the best of the bunch - stripped clean of fat and braised to a QQ toothsome texture.
The kway was decently smooth but nothing spectacular, and I found myself enjoying the tangy-sweet preserved kiam chye (mustard greens) more. It's not the best I have had thus far (my favourite is Bukit Merah View Kway Chap at Jurong West), but this one is pretty decent! 👍🏻
Also included in every set is a small plate of braised vegetables which I really enjoyed! The cabbage and carrot were braised till soft, absorbing the umami sweetness of the sole fish powder and hae bi (dried shrimp) infused into the chicken stock. There's a homely touch to this dish that reminds me of what my mum would make at home.
Affordably priced at $4.50 as an ala carte, this simple bowl of braised pork rice is definitely not shy on its flavour profile, with the rich soy sauce and star anise flavour of the braised sauce permeating the tender pork belly cubes. The sauce consistency is thicker than most LRFs, so there might not be enough to go with the rice. The braised egg was well-executed with a glistening, jammy yolk. I also enjoyed the pickled cucumbers - crunchy and tangy with a bit of spiciness to balance the saucy flavours in the bowl.
What started as an impromptu exploration in the Whampoa area led me to a new favourite popiah place at 968 Popiah! You’d be hard-pressed (pun maybe intended) to find a popiah shop which is this generous with the mang guang (braised turnip/jicama) in each of their freshly wrapped rolls, and only for $1.80 each! Ingredients are simple and no-frills (with the usual boiled egg, lettuce, beansprouts, sweet sauce and chilli), but this place gets the fundamentals right in flavour and texture. The radish was moist & flavourful, and even the crunchy bits were yummy! I dabao-ed some for my parents & the popiah rolls did not become soggy after the long trip home!
Saw that they also incorporated a Japanese twist to the popiah in the form of Sushi Popiah, perhaps it's something worth trying next visit! 🤪
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📍Address: Quek Hong Chuan Eating House, 81 Lor Limau, Singapore 320081. 12.30 - 7 pm, closed on Fridays.
First time trying 86 Lor Mee recommended by @ohmyaddy...and it sure will not be the last! Definitely got my money's worth with their Signature Lor Mee priced at $6 - look at the heaps of fried items like tempura prawns, fried fish nuggets, chicken cutlet and the more traditional fare like ngoh hiang & braised hard-boiled egg! The fried ingredients were freshly deep-fried on order - my favourite goes to the fried fish nuggets that were chunky & thinly battered while not overly oily.
The gravy is undoubtedly the best part of the lor mee - flavorful with the richness of 5-spice powder and a gooey, starchy consistency that coats beautifully onto the toppings and the noodles buried within. Remember to help yourself to the vinegar, chilli padi and minced garlic for extra depth to the dish! 🍜
For a more traditional and budget-friendly option, go for their Homemade Ngoh Hiang Lor Mee ($4/$5)!
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📍 Address: Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Rd, #01-86, Singapore 199583
This SMASH-ingly hot Green Chilli Chicken Rice from @alimama_maxwell is one of my favourite go-to at Maxwell Food Center! 🚥 I really enjoyed everything on the plate, including the generous serving of sayur lodeh (vegetable Stew in coconut milk) that imbued its lemak richness and characteristic yellow hue on the mound of white rice. The chicken thigh was well-grilled with a crisp coat of better and smashed till tender! But the star of the plate here is the glorious heap of punchy, tangy green chilli sambal on top of the chicken. Lost count of the tissue paper I used to wipe my sweat, but you know it's the real deal when someone with a low spice tolerance (like BB) would gladly finish this lip-smacking green chilli blend. 🥵 For spice lovers, there's also a housemade sambal at the side to turn the heat up even further. 🔥
If you prefer something soupy instead, the stall also serves up a pretty decent prawn noodle and laksa!
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📍 Address: 1 Kadayanallur Street, #01-09 Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184, 11am-8pm
Also topped up $1.50 for their Salmon Miso Soup (UP: $4) because of their ongoing promo! Had little expectations but this was not bad with a decent amount of salmon, tofu and seaweed, though the miso taste is a bit diluted.
Ngee Ann Poly students & alumni might be familiar with this iconic Kaki Fuyong from Blk 51's Makan Place! Heard their ex-chefs have opened Osa Kaki Fuyong 大阪日式蚝蛋 @osa_kaki_fuyong at Beauty World Food Center and decided to check it out! The signature Chicken Karaage Fuyong features chunky chicken karaage pieces decked atop a fluffy omelette bed and glazed with a luscious teriyaki sauce on a sizzling hotplate. The fried chicken pieces come with a crisp batter, though you might need to eat it fast before the sauce makes it soggy. While not the most spectacular presentation-wise, this is a pretty affordable & hearty option to relive the nostalgia considering most items cost between $5.50 - $7.50.
