Local Fare

4 munchies: Simmered for several hours in a fragrant broth made with a variety of herbs and spices including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui, fennel seeds, and garlic, I absolutely enjoyed the rich flavour and slightly thicker consistency of the broth. Ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender; best eaten dipped with dark soy sauce and the sizzling hot soup. If only there were more places that sell Malaysian-style BKT in Singapore! #Burpproved

4.5 munchies: Just thinking about the ayam goreng served at KL’s most popular nasi lemak restaurant makes my mouth water. The sizeable chicken leg was absolutely smashing – superbly juicy and deep-fried to golden brown crisp perfection. It scored additional brownie points for sprinkling the same savoury batter that had a hint of ginger fragrance atop the chicken generously!

What also really impressed me was the well-cooked rice. With no clumps of overcooked rice on my plate, every grain was so fluffy and infused with distinct coconut flavour. 5 munchies if only the sambal were slightly sweeter and spicier!

The hype (and consistency over the years) is real, guys! #Burpproved

Still doing your last-minute shopping for Chinese New Year goodies? Look no further than Old Seng Choong's cookies that take their inspiration from our local heritage and flavours.

Out of the 4 'Editions' (Lion City, Kampong Spirit, Colonial Days & Festive Blooms) that the cookies have been conceptualised in, my favourite has got to be Kampong Spirit. Under this edition, my top 2 picks are the Cereal Prawn Cookies and Bak Kut Teh Cookies. Because the flavours were so spot on, they’d also make great souvenirs when I visit my overseas friends! #Burpproved

Many thanks to Sixth Sense PR for the invitation to the media launch of Old Seng Choong’s flagship store at The Central!

4 munchies: Succulent slices of kurobuta (Berkshire hog) pan-fried in a sweet and sour sauce that was tangy, tart, and smoky. The wok hei was also strong in this dish, which makes a perfect pairing with a bowl of piping hot steamed white rice. But what was even better was I had it with Wan He Lou’s signature Lobster Porridge! #Burpproved

4 munchies: Did you know that no milk was added to this bowl of fish soup? The boiling of fried fish bones, dried anchovies, ginger, and other ingredients for several hours was the result of the rich, umami, and almost creamy soup stock. The $4.50 bowl might come with a decent portion of fresh sliced fish, but I’d highly recommend the $5 top-up for its premium fish belly for an extra treat! #Burpproved #BurppleChinatown

4 munchies: Simmered and steeped until tender and succulent, the chicken is then coated with a layer of honey to give the bouncy skin some shine and sweetness. Having absorbed all that aromatic soy sauce dressing with a hit of herbal fragrance, every part of the chicken – breasts included – was so juicy and packed full of savoury flavour!

What really amazed us was the excellent braised beancurd featured in the background. Braised using the same sauce for the chicken, the texture of the tofu was ultra smooth yet firm! #Burpproved #BurppleBestofChinatown

Maria Virgin Chicken, #02-189

4 munchies: Having been patronising this stall for the past 6 years or so (though they've been around since 1965), the standard of the wanton mee has not dropped once. The $5 bowl featured here comes loaded with char siew, braised mushroom, 3 fried and 4 steamed wantons, and leafy chye sim. The egg noodles were cooked to the right springiness and did not reek of alkali. Being a sucker for Malaysian-style wanton noodles, the standout for me was the dark soy sauce used to toss the ingredients. Not only was it savoury with a tinge of sweetness, fried shallot and shallot oil were also added to make the sauce extra fragrant! The only letdown was the thick skin used to wrap the steamed wanton; meat filling was also not well-marinated and lacked flavour.

The soy sauce chicken wing noodle is another dish of theirs that I go back for! #Burpproved #BurppleBestofChinatown

Hong Lim Food Centre & Market, #02-48

4 munchies: The crispy lotus root chips engulfed the room with strong salted egg aroma as soon as the plate landed on the Lazy Susan. Dehydrated to retain its crispness, every wheel of the lotus root was sliced thinly and coated evenly with the sweet-savoury, powdery salted egg mix. Curry leaves were added for extra fragrance. #Burpproved

4 munchies: This is what I call a beautiful plate of mess. Besides the usual suspects – crispy pork chop, braised cabbage, and fried egg – that I'd never fail to include whenever I order a plate of Hainanese curry rice, the star ingredient at this famed supper spot was the juicy ngoh hiang (five-spice meat roll). Filled generously with well-marinated minced pork and crunchy water chestnut, the crispy beancurd skin was deep-fried to golden brown perfection. Slather all that curry and concoction of braised and char siew sauces and you're set for a local, mouthwatering experience! #Burpproved #BurppleSGLateNight

4 munchies: There's a reason why a long queue is always spotted at this stall – the gu chai kueh (Chinese chives), soon kueh (turnip), and png kueh (glutinous rice) are handmade fresh daily and stuffed with generous fillings. While the steamed kuehs taste just as great, I'd highly recommend you to get the ones that are pan-fried to order for a crisp exterior and chewy interior. Be sure to grab a few boxes home early because they sell out by 2-3pm each day! #BurppleBestofJurong #Burpproved

4.5 munchies: With such strong wok hei in this show-stopping dish, every bite of the QQ rice noodles filled our mouths with a nice garlicky fragrance as well as a savoury finish from the preserved radish. The Chye Poh Kuay Teow is a dish that is so simple, yet so wonderfully executed. It is best paired with our locally-brewed Rye & Pint Sunday's Brew – a sweet malt pilsner with crisp citrus aroma that complements the savoury fried noodles perfectly. How more Singaporean can you get?

The pairing of the Chye Poh Kuay Teow and Sunday's Brew was part of a five-course Zi Char Craft Beer menu, jointly collaborated by New Ubin Seafood and Rye & Pint to commemorate SG52! #Burpproved

4.5 munchies: I usually raise my eyebrows when restaurants try to be over innovative and infuse funky flavours into traditional dishes, but not this absolutely smashing Bak Kut Teh Xiao Long Bao that commemorates SG52. The broth is painstakingly made with several hours of simmering pork ribs with added herbs, dang gui, pepper, garlic, and other herbal ingredients. Loved how the herbal flavours did not overpower the distinctive, rich pork taste! Its skin was also thin and yet strong enough to hold the tender minced pork and umami-packed soup.

Priced at $5.20 for 3 pieces, the Bak Kut Teh Xiao Long Bao is available from today to 13 Aug 2017 at all Yum Cha outlets. Good news for all Yum Cha members and DBS/POSB cardholders: You get to enjoy 1-for-1! #Burpproved