Hawker Food

We finally ventured to the top floor of Beauty World for the much anticipated brunch at You Peng Noodle Dumpling House.

This place has a thousand reviews and just about as many fans. Needless saying I'm now part of their fan club too, as I have left the table extremely satisfied with my juicy meaty doughy treat.

The Xiao Long Bao filling and soup taste nice - the light pork broth and meat can compete with much pricier establishments. The only thing I could fault is the skin, sightly too thick for me. I did jokingly tell my lunch date that I could probably throw the bao at the wall, and it still wouldn't burst. ( which I guess it's safer than the paper-thin skinned baos that end up spilling in the steaming basket at the lightest of touches.)

The pot stickers were very nice as well, slightly soupy inside and well crisped on the outside. One additional highlight of the meal (not shown in the photo) was the shou zhua bing pancake: savory, crispy, fresh and piping hot, without being too greasy.

You Peng is great value for money, a definite recommendation for dumpling aficionados.

For once I'll have to say: sorry Anthony Bourdain, but you should've crossed the Ann Siang Hill.

There's a lot of hype around the chicken rice establishments at Maxwell, which works for me, as it keeps my hidden treasure at Amoy away from hungry crowds. Stall #02-94, Min Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice is an authentic purveyor of culinary happiness, perfectly balancing the richness of the fragrant rice with the sweet tenderness of the chicken meat and bite of their fantastic chilli sauce.

Both roasted and Hainanese, the chicken meat is flavorful and juicy with each bite. What's even more remarkable is that the skin is not fatty at all, yet tender and tasty, making every lunch break at Min Kee a real treat.

(Shhh...don't tell the Maxwell crowd)

If you're in the CBD area (or don't mind the trip there from wherever you may be) you have to try the AhLiang Ipoh Hor Fun at the Amoy - stall 02-122.

Shredded chicken and smooth rice noodles go really well together in the rich herbal zhup that will leave you with the best aftertaste in the world. This is a meal you definitely won't want to brush your teeth after. Oh, and if you want the perfect trifecta, add on the deep fried fish dumplings. They're always so good fried to golden perfection, crunchy on the outside and bursting with flavours inside. Once the zhup gets in the mix, you'll definitely have something to write home about.

Oh, and if you're properly kiasu, you'll know to wait patiently for the uncle to pull out a freshly fried batch of dumplings. The tastiest 3rd degree mouth burns ever.

Do you know that famous fish soup place at Amoy Street Food Centre?

Well... This ain't that one, but (here's the catch) their soup is seriously kick-ass. The auntie at 01-04, New Hong Kong Porridge is always smiling (I guess happy to poach customers from the next door fish soup stall) and always up for customizing the soup even if she's not sure it's the best idea. So if you're a weirdo like me, she'll gladly serve you a big spoonful of century egg in your soup...just because protein, right?

It's steaming, it's wholesome, it's my working overtime soul bandaid, so check it out!

Here's the deal: while there are enough superior dim sum joints around, stall 46 at Maxwell is a reliable Saturday tea-time purveyor of glutinous rice topped with tender chicken bits - the basic Lo Mai Kai that needs neither tampering with, nor excuses.

It's consistent, it's yummy and no additional words are needed to describe it. We did try for the first time their chives+prawn beancurd roll and dipped in chilli sauce it added the kick much needed to wrap up our snack time and start making dinner plans.

Two thumbs up.

I'll start with He Zhong Carrot Cake. It is dubbed by many as the best in the West, and I'm now proudly one of those many. It is mind blowing! The perfect texture and taste balance, from the sweetness of the scrambled egg to the savoury carrot cake, I could feel my stomach getting full, yet my mouth could not stop chomping on this amazing food! If overeating is a sin, I'd gladly spend my afterlife in purgatory just for this cake.

Now let's move on to Zhong Zhong Fine Spice. The stall is a decadent display of amazing Chinese fare like Ngoh Hiang, prawn fritters, beancurd, yam rolls and you tiao, ready for the picking. Once you pick your battles, the sizzling tub of hot oil will turn your selection into delicious crispy deep fried happiness. Add a side of bee Hoon, and you'll be ready (just like me) to crawl back home after breakfast for a much deserved and needed nap.