Cheap Gems

This cashless takeaway concept is situated near SGH, and offers MOS burger items (seem to be the non-pork items) as well as in-house food and drinks. I got myself the Korean noodle with toppings of luncheon meat, egg and greens. Pretty standard but the combi makes a good filling lunch. The veggie is crunchy and the yolk is still runny. Good if you're in a rush as you can pre-order the food here, and dabao or eat it on the seating area. However they serve the food in disposables and due to the pre-order and self-collection method they might not support BYO. Perhaps they can collaborate with lunch box rental providers out there then?

A homegrown brand that I just found out about and apparently they have already had a number of branches in town. There is no particular ingredients that stand out but their noodles are generally light (the chili is quite spicy though), quite filling and overall a for-everyday dish. Nice auntie at the counter too! Service can be rather slow as everytime I drop by during weekday dinnertime it is always a one-woman show.

The quality explains the hype. The soft, crunchy skin goes well with the generous filling and it is affordable too! The chili is quite strong but does not overpower the filling.

This new stall opens early in the day and closes early too - as of today they close at 2:30pm. They sell bcm, fishball noodles and this special noodle that seems to be a crossover of both. The fishballs are springy and soft. Overall this bowl of noodle does not really taste artificial and is not overly salty, some may find this underseasoned but I think this is ok.
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In frame: special noodle [$4]

This corner stall has been seeing long queues and loyal customers over the years. The food is not exactly the healthiest - say moist bee hoon and noodle, fried stuffs, sunny side up and one type of vegetables. However affordability, comfort and fuss-free-ness keep the customers coming back. They used to run out of ingredients quite early but these days, I'll just take it that they prepare more to sell till later? The taste has not changed over the years too.
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In frame:
• bee hoon, veg, hot dog, fish fillet [$2.40]

From HIN hor fun. The first thing to note is that the portion is super huge. The soup is nicely thick and consistent and they use real hor fun. The beef is also tender and well-cooked.

Had it for take away from Hock Soon, so it may not taste as hot and fresh as if you have it on site. They are generous with the radish and overall portion is good too, however it felt a bit underseasoned and the chili isn't as strong as how I prefer it to be, to the point the dish feels a bit jelak. However there are good reviews about them so this stall certainly has its own fans. Maybe I should have ordered the black instead as it has great reviews.

Another takeaway/delivery, I know it isn't eco-friendly at all but I reuse and recycle whatever I can, I promise! Uncle Penyet is one of the TGIF food during NUS days. The not only one, but two dory are fried till golden crispy perfection, and the meal is served with lettuce, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes which provides a respite from the fried items. The curry gravy complements everything (the good thing about takeaways is I can adjust the amount of sauce added myself) and the sambal is so so spicy and taste so distinctive that nah, those Korean noodles just can't beat it! Not forgetting the crispy crumbs that I love so much and when I eat there I'd get more of them. The portion is big enough I can eat two meals with one order. And they maintain the quality over the years - keep it up!

Fluffy french toast, two slabs of butter, generous servings of kaya on the side, and kopi to top it off. They are all done rather right, and as a fan of not-so-crispy toast I love their version.

I find this stall to have a more flavorful meat and soup compared to its neighboring competitors. But overall the BCM stalls at this part of Tiong Bahru Market do not see enormously long queues compared to their immediate neighbors - the boneless chicken rice and curry rice therefore this is great for quick lunches. The aunties and uncles manning the stall at most of the lunchtime are attentive without seeming to be overly nice too! They remember I don't like liver so they always ask me if I want it that day. You also can add a pair of meatballs for $1.
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In frame:
• Bak chor mee [$3]
• Kopi C siew dai from the drink stall a few stalls down (which is also famous!)

Mee pok with their signature fishballs. This is the $3 portion. The soup is done just nice - not overly salty, not overly flavored, but definitely not bland. Additional fishball (so chewy!) at $1.5.

IMO they used too much MSG in the soup, but after the renovation they seem to reduce that. Same as during their pre-renovation days, the ingredients are fixed, but each of them still chewy and good nonetheless. Now they also allow cashless payment, making lunch more convenient. Drinks are alright, but if you don't fancy the drink here a number of cafés and Tiong Bahru Market is also nearby!

Anyway if you da bao they also give you the soup separately.
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In frame:
• Dry Yong Tau Foo [$5]