$3.50 for a single person set, super worth it. Love that they clean the insides of the pig intestine, and the Kway chap is very smooth.

Still an amateur at making the egg look slurplicious, pardon me. On the other hand, beef curry udon for $8.50 NETT, soft boiled egg for an extra $1

$5.50 for this baby. No wayyyyy

Veronica Phua puts it so aptly, 'Two thick yet lightly fluffy pancakes are so generously filled with blueberries and ricotta cheese bits, every mouthful is absolute heaven. As if that is not enough, three pieces of crisp bacon add a savory dimension to what is already wow'. Finish off with their wonderful coffee, and you've got the perfect brunch. Sit outside if the weather is nice! Photo by Veronica Phua.

Dessert-lovers rejoice - Kki is finally open after their 8-month hiatus, and in a more convenient location to boot! Grab a cuppa to go with your stunning cake, and relax in this lovely space. Go for the Onigri, a Basil Dark Chocolate mousse cake with a Bitter Orange soft-core centre.

Pho Hanh focuses on unpretentious, flavourful, comforting, Vietnamese food. This unassuming restaurant along Joo Chiat with a humble storefront and decor whips up some great classics. Go for the Special Beef Noodle Soup ($7) - a light soup with robust flavours, filled with generous servings of sliced beef, beef balls and brisket. Also try their Lot Lot Roll with Fried Beef (a simplified version of Bò lá lốt), fried beef wrapped in fragrant herbal betel leaf, a nice treat.

Pho Hanh focuses on unpretentious, flavourful, comforting, Vietnamese food. This unassuming restaurant along Joo Chiat with a humble storefront and decor whips up some great classics. Go for the Special Beef Noodle Soup ($7) - a light soup with robust flavours, filled with generous servings of sliced beef, beef balls and brisket. Also try their Lot Lot Roll with Fried Beef (a simplified version of Bò lá lốt), fried beef wrapped in fragrant herbal betel leaf, a nice treat.

There are almost as many "orh luak" or fried oyster stalls at this food centre as there are oysters in the sea nearby. Ok, that may be a bit of an exaggeration :) Nevertheless, it doesn't matter how many of them there are, because for me, it has to be Song Kee. Theirs is perfectly fried every single time with just the right balance of egg, starch and oysters. It goes without saying they also happen to have the perfect vinegary chilli sauce.

Let's face it. Every "zhi char" dish is measured by its "wok hei" strength. It shows the chef's cooking skill because acquiring that smokey perfume in food is tricky. Only with the very high heat of open fires, and a deft hand attached to very strong arm muscles, is that achieved. I liken it to something straight out of Harry Potter - the magical art of conjuring fiery fragrance :)
Anyway, this $6.50 plate of "Chun Kee Hor Fun" (essentially broad rice noodles stir-fried with lots of sliced fish, spring onions and beansprouts) packed plenty of "wok hei". I wolfed it down quickly enough as it was delicious. Admittedly though, in terms of aesthetics, I wish the noodles were less white. I know it's weird to say this but somehow to me, brown noodles tend to look more appetising than plain ol' white.

Ran by the 2nd generation of Founder Bak Kut Teh, this place serves equally top notch Bak Kut Teh behind a more comfortable backdrop. There's a/c and al fresco option, with soothing instrumental music helping you bring down that pipping hot peppery soup. The ribs are soft and tender, occasionally marbled with fats. The soup plays a clean note on the peppery side, you don't have to gasp for air after every spoon of it. With ample parking found in the area, I'll definitely come back again!

Tucked away in a cosy corner of the OId Badminton Hall, Brawn & Brains makes you feel right at home once you step in, complete with friendly smiles and warm greetings. With a delightfully unpretentious vibe, you can either enjoy a quick and delicious lunch bite, or stick around with a book and enjoy a great latte and homemade Earl Grey pound cake. Photo by Huixuan Tan

While it's almost certain that the Hougang and Bedok communities are already well-acquainted with this neighborhood favourite, the rest of the city might not yet be. The food is cheap and tasty, and the ambience friendly and relaxing. Highly recommended dishes include the Pad Thai at $5, thick-based Tom Yam at $6 (really hot) and stir-fried Mince Pork with Basil ($6).