Zi Char

I’ve been eating at Gu Zao Ren for years now, and it’s one of those places I always find myself coming back to. Brought a friend along this time, and I couldn’t stop talking about the cockles—even before we ordered. They’re always so fresh, and that house chilli? I don’t know what they put in it, but it’s the kind of spicy that makes you reach for more instead of stopping. Honestly, I could finish that whole plate on my own.

We also got the chai poh omelette, hotplate beancurd, and cereal chicken—nothing fancy, just the usual zi char picks, but there’s something about how they do it here that hits different. The omelette is soft in the middle, crispy on the edges, and every bite has that sweet crunch from the radish. As for the beancurd—it came bubbling on a hotplate, soaked in this rich savoury sauce with minced meat and egg. The tofu was silky inside but had this golden crust that gave it such a nice bite.

And of course, the porridge. Their Taiwanese-style porridge is my comfort food—it’s thicker than the usual Teochew kind, with little chunks of sweet potato that make it feel almost like something your mum would make at home. I never leave without getting at least one bowl.