Local Delight

Not to be confused with the Michelin-starred Tai Hwa in Crawford, this bak chor mee stall in Hong Lim Market & Food Centre commands similar long queues during peak meal times. And, according to Burpple Tastemaker Julius Lim, the look and taste of both renditions are both pretty similar. With prices starting from $4, the generous serving of Bak Chor Mee sees noodles tossed in a mix of chilli, soy sauce and black vinegar, topped with minced pork, pork slices, liver and pork balls. In Julius' opinion, the x-factor is all thanks to the deep-fried pieces of sole fish (ti por), which he says brings "a certain savoury and smokey enhancer to the entire dish".
Avg price: $5
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Julius Lim

"Freshly fried cutlet atop springy egg noodles, drenched in lemak Chinese-style curry," shares Burpple Tastemaker Jason Wong, who we say is spot-on with his description of this stall's winning dish of Curry Chicken Cutlet Noodles (from $4). The flavourful curry gravy, which reminds Burpple Tastemaker Felicia Sim of her grandmother's cooking, is thin enough to drench the noodles yet thick enough to be utterly satisfying, while the crisp golden and tender chicken cutlet is always freshly fried, thanks to the never-ending queues. Approach the pork lard at your own risk — it's free-flow.

Pro tip: The stall opens from 8:30am and closes around 3pm, so file this away for cheat day brunches. They're also taking a break from now until 7 January, so visit after!
Avg price: $5
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua

Don’t let the queues at Ri Ri Hong Ma La Xiang Guo put you off satisfying your ma la cravings, not when our Tastemakers have discovered a worthy competitor sans crazy crowds. Located right in front of Ri Ri Hong’s second stall (facing Chinatown MRT exit C), this kiosk outside of People’s Park Complex offers similar prices ($1 for veggies, $2 for meat, $3 for seafood). Old Chengdu’s signature is their ma la soup, which packs a numbingly spicy punch thanks to the generous amount of fresh and dried chillies with a tinge of sourness. Their rendition may see a heavier hand on oil, but Burpple Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang was impressed by how well the ingredients soaked up all the flavours. Pairing their bowl with heaps of conjac, luncheon meat and oyster mushrooms, Burpple Tastemaker Irene Arieputri declared this one of the best ma la soups around!
Avg price: $10
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Irene Arieputri

Another Hot 100 list favourite, this Chinese noodle stall in Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre is a respected spot for Xiao Long Bao ($6 for 10), Hong You Chao Shou (dumplings in chilli oil and vinegar, $4.50 for 10) and Zha Jiang Mian ($3.50). The xiao long baos are plump and juicy, and are said to rival those at Din Tai Fung. The hong you chao shou on the other hand sees minced meat dumplings drenched in a bath of vinegar, chilli oil and Sichuan spices. The dumplings are prepared fresh upon order, but Burpple Tastemaker Julius Lim assures us that it is well worth the waiting time. The zha jiang mian is a steal at $3.50, and makes a good bed to soak up dripping sauces from the dumplings.
Avg price: $5
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang

With a wide variety of bah kut teh, condiments and side dishes, it's perfect for everyone - friends, families and even tourists (especially the location of this outlet). Reviews of specific dishes to be posted soon. Photo originally shot by: @justinfoodprints
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Thank you @founderbkt for your wonderful hospitality and passion for local food, and @justinfoodprints for extending the media invite to me.
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🍴 Founder Bah Kut Teh
Hotel Boss
500 Jalan Sultan
Singapore 199020
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The usual fried carrot cake you have comes stir fried with either sweet black sauce or plain, with eggs & caipoh. But this version here is an oily, deep fried, crunchy pack of carrot cake sticks which is simple yet addictive.
It's tough to find stores selling this version of carrot cake these days as it isn't as popular as the usual one. As long as this store continues to sell it, I know I can always come back for more.