Hawker Food

𝐒𝐨𝐲𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐥𝐞 04-48 (4.5⭐️; $5.50) - Transported to Hong Kong with their springy and al dente noodles and canto-style soy sauce chicken. Paid more for the drumstick option and it was worth the ultra succulent meat. Paired with an aromatic soup with deep herbal flavour.

Was craving Penang Char Kway Teow after my recent visit to JB so decided to visit Malaysia Boleh. Authentic enough rendition that’s less greasy but consequentially less flavourful. Served with generous crunchy beansprouts and 2 decently fresh peeled prawns. Added 50c for egg and thought it would be scrambled/ mixed in with the noodles but turned out to be an omelette with charred parts. Overall yummy and satisfying meal.

Enjoyed the thick broth that was rich in umami prawn flavour without being jelat. Despite the broth being sieved, the finish was a tad powdery which ultimately lowered the overall enjoyment. The basic bowl included 2 pre-peeled prawns and tiny slices of pork meat that were on the tougher side. Saw more positive reviews for their pork ribs so would recommend trying that over the slices.

Only serving 1 dish, this popular store sells uniquely delicious green chili chicken rice. The sets includes an entire chicken drumstick, basmati rice, and crunchy koropok. The mildly fried chicken is tender with slightly crispy skin (don’t expect the crispness of ayam penyat) and the overall meal is a delightful balance of sweet savory spicy green and red chili sambal.

They offer self-service soup which had quite a punchy spice flavour. Found it too strong on its own but enjoyed drizzling it onto the plain rice. Do expect a 15-30 min wait and early closure when they run out (they closed at 1pm instead of the stated 1.30pm on the weekend).

📍Green Chili Chicken Rice, 01-09, Sims Vista Market & Food Centre, 49 Sims Pl, Singapore

Sweet potato balls (4 ⭐️; $3/10)
Muah chee (3.5 ⭐️; $2.50)
🍴Have been on the hunt for sweet potato balls after falling in love with them in Taiwan and glad to find them at a humble coffee shop. Lady boss was also sweet enough to let me try an assortment of her traditional Chinese snacks.

The sweet potato balls were addictive with a thin crisp exterior and chewy sweet potato interior. While less crisp and airy compared to Taiwan night markets, we enjoyed the smooth and naturally fragrant sweet filling (good to know that zero sugar is added!).

The muah chee was of enjoyable soft and chewy texture. Well-coated with either peanut or black sesame. Personally preferred the tastier chunkier peanuts and found both to be on the sweeter side with the sugar bits.

📍S夫人, Teck Seng Coffee Shop, 588 Balestier Road, Singapore

Still one of the best fish soups around if you’re willing to wait 20-40 mins for a bowl

1) 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 - Enjoyed the juicy and medium-rare beef that was well-marinated and balanced by the earthy mushroom duxelles. Encased in buttery puff pastry and while we appreciated the ratio of meat:pastry, personally found the pastry on the soggier side and lacking the expected flakiness. That aside, this dish is usually valued way more so those looking to try can consider this wallet friendly option

2) 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐤 - Personal favourite among the meats for the flavourful marination and tender bite

3) 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 & 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐩 - Enjoyed the chicken chop while the wings were unfortunately on the dry side and could be more charred

4) 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 (or Dutch potato) - Thin cut and crispy fries that added a good balance of carbs

5) 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐝 - Appreciated the refreshing greens and pineapple salsa to cut through some meaty richness

Recommend by the Michelin guide, this Lor Mee store that has 5 outlets across the island.

Al-dente eggy noodles are well coated in the thick sauce. The sauce was unevenly gooey but still enjoyable in starchy consistency. The basic savory sauce was quite mild on its own so would recommend adding in the vinegar, garlic, and chili to your liking.

Enjoyed the ingredients of braised egg and shredded batang fish, with the star being the fragrant homemade meatballs deep fried to have a crispy exterior.

📍@fengzhenglormee, 417 Yishun Avenue 11, Singapore

It’s a sad day when my ex-favourite lor mee store quality has dropped significantly. First warning sign should have been the absence of lines compared to the long queue at the nearby competitor. Not sure when commercialization happened but they have expanded to 6 branches across Singapore. Gone are the original friendly store owners who always served with a smile and patience (despite the crazy queues), and instead replaced by stern uniformed staff.

The soup was thin and diluted, and lacking in the needed starchiness to adequately coat the flat yellow noodles. Also found it to lack seasoning and depth despite adding in vinegar, sambal, and chili.

The generous variety of ingredients was a saving grace; we enjoyed the tender pork belly, fried fish, and braised egg. That said, given that one eats lor mee for the rich savory broth, this was a let down that we are unlikely to get again.

📍@xmxlormee, 01-116, 51 Old Airport Road, Singapore

Finally tried the popular hawker store known for Hong Kong style scrambled egg rice bowls. The eggs were undoubtedly great - silky, soft, and fluffy and added a creaminess to the jasmine rice. The chicken cutlet was well-marinated and nicely fried to have a crispness that went well with the egg and rice. Comparatively, found the thin charsiew pieces more lackluster and lacking in seasoning and char.

Not sure if it was slightly off but the drizzle of soy sauce/ gravy seemed to be lacking and the eggs were quite bland and oily on their own, making the overall bite a tad one-note. That said, we were huge fans of their fried chili which elevated the other components.

📍 @danlao_sg, 01-73, Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street, Singapore

Comforting option in the recent rainy weather. Smooth congee that’s just the right in between of thick and silky, mixed evenly with runny egg, flavoured minced pork, and savory century egg/ sweet peanut. Aside from the doughy and heavy youtiao, we had no complaints about the porridge.

We also tried their Sheng Mian and enjoyed the rich soup broth and firm noodles. That said, the nearby Toa Payoh Lor 8 Seletar Sheng Mian is just a touch better.

📍Fong Hup Koka Noodle, multiple outlets around Singapore (Toa Payoh, Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, AMK, Hougang, Tampines, Woodlands, Canberra)

Expect a wait at this popular Toa Payoh minced meat noodle store. Only one item on the menu with choice of dry/soup and various noodles. Their meekia was firm and springy, and remained aldente even at the end. Bee tai mak was QQ and with an enjoyable chew. The ingredients were quite standard fare but well-executed with tender pig liver, minced pork, beansprouts, and juicy braised mushrooms.

The sauce was on the thinner side and didn’t coat the noodles well, resulting in initial bites to be on the dry and bland side despite adequate mixing. Would recommend adding in some soup and allowing time (~10 minutes) for the noodles to soak up the saucey blend of fried lard, spicy chili, and tangy vinegar for truly hearty and slurp-worthy bites. Might be back to try their soup version next time!

📍@laihengmmmm, 01-611, Blk 73 Lor 4 Toa Payoh, Singapore