You'll be surprised at how good this hawker stall's local desserts are. Straightforward, sincere and potent. That's what the desserts at Jin Jin scream, in all their sweet glory. The Power Chendol is generous with beans and gula melaka, and is nicely lemak. The Gangster Mango Ice is an indulgent bowl of gorgeous durian puree over chunks of sweet mango. Definitely one for the durian lovers! Share these sweet treats please...
This bakery really takes you back to your childhood. Just like the good ol' days, these traditional buns are stuffed chockful of ingredients like otah, hae bee hiam, coconut, kaya, luncheon meat... The list is almost neverending. They do super simple banana and walnut cakes as well. The best way to enjoy these baked goods is fresh out of the oven, which is not that hard because the buns just keep flying off the shelves. The fact that people buy them by the box is testament to how good they are. Bonus points for cheap prices!
Some say that this is the best braised duck you can find on this island. Braised in a salty, fragrant sauce for a sufficiently long period of time, the duck is able to soak up all that sauce, resulting in tender, moist, and flavourful meat. Ladle the sauce generously on your rice, and all you teochew ah hias will be pleased. Make sure you order classic sides like braised vegetables, pig's ear, and pig's tongue. You'll need to brave the queue for this one!
Soon Huat's pig's organ soup is a slightly cloudy bowl full of lean pork, pig's stomach, liver and intestines. Finished with salted vegetables and topped with parsley, this is a dish to sooth the soul. Even if you're not a fan of innards, you may still enjoy the broth and meat, just politely ask for them to be left out. The broth is addictive, which explains why people go back for refills. They also have sides like braised intestines, pig trotters, and pork belly. If you've never had any sort of pig's innards before, don't worry, just join the queue.
Fruit juice mee siam sounds a little strange, but you'll be surprised to know that it works. Instead of tamarind juice, a mixture of several fruit juices is used in the gravy, adding a refreshing punch and lightening the dish. You get mee siam that's healthier, slightly sour and citrusy, and more tangy, making it less "jelat". For $6, you get poached crayfish on top of chicken, prawns, beansprouts, and an egg.
Everyone knows char kway teow is a sinfully delicious dish, and good ones are hard to find. The char kway teow here is coated in a sweet, special mixture of sauces and with noticeably more egg than elsewhere. Plump cockles, beansprouts and good ol' crunchy pork lard make this even better. Freshly fried, greasy char kway teow laden with wok hei? It doesn't get better than this.
When it comes to Heng Kee's curry mee, don't bother hesitating. Just throw that diet out the window and get in line for a bowl of their mouth-watering curry mee. Located on the first floor of Hong Lim Food Centre, Heng Kee delivers satisfyingly thick curry gravy that carries their signature taste from a priceless age-old recipe. Served with generous portions of tau pok, chicken, fish cake and potato, this bowl of goodness will leave you slurping up every last drop.
Trademarks of good chwee kueh are the kueh, chye poh (preserved radish) and chilli. This simple dish can be hard to perfect but Jian Bo serves one of the best you can find. The kueh is smooth but still has a good bite to it, the chye poh is not overly salty, and the chilli is so very satisfying. It can get quite oily, but this dish is truly worth the calories once in a while, if the craving hits.
Known for ridiculously flavourful and tender char siew because they use the armpit of the pig, this stall will leave you wanting second helpings. Nicely marbled and well marinated, the char siew sells out fast, and the best parts are obviously the charred bits. The noodles are thin, springy and tossed in slightly sweet and salty sauce. There are two types of char siew: Grade A & Grade B, but you gotta go early if you want the premium cut!
What makes Hui Ji's fishball noodles so good is their back to basics, rustic charm. At a mere $2.50 per bowl of handmade fishballs and noodles in delicious special sauce, it is undisputedly one of the most value-for-money hawker eats that provides both quantity and quality. Handmade fishballs. Addictively good chilli. Cripsy pork lard pieces. Need more convincing?
Trust the perpetual snaking queue at Xin Mei Xiang; a favourite among many. The rich, intense prawn-based gravy is just viscous enough to pleasantly coat the noodles without being cloying - add black vinegar to bring it to another level. The noodles are topped with the standard braised pork, ngoh hiang, egg and beansprouts, they also include fried snapper flakes that lend a great texture. The key here is patience, you'll get to the front of the queue eventually.
There are two kinds of people in life: those who like their hokkien mee wet, and those who prefer it dry. But Nam Sing may just please both crowds. Each spoonful brims with the aromatic, umami-rich prawn seafood stock that has been patiently fried with the noodles. Served simply with cut red chili, soy sauce, squeeze the lime all over to brighten up this dish, and slurp up this perfectly moist plate of noodles. Give them a ring before you go down, or count on your luck for them to be open, as they close the stall as they wish.
