Other Hawker Food

Just beside VeganBurg, we had the wonderful opportunity to try out the legendary Kim’s Famous Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee. Just like other online reviews, he is known for serving up $15 Claypot Hokkien Mee to willing customers in the 1980s which would be ~$26 today. Even without the inflation, the more prudent or perhaps even ignorant amongst us, would still likened $15 for a plate of Hokkien Mee to daylight robbery. Apart from the Hokkien Mee, Mr. Tan Kue Kim himself is just as well-known and is recognised by his long-sleeve shirt and gold rolex which he wears even while frying the dish.

Picking up $20 worth of his fried edible gold, the noodles came wrapped up in 1 large banana leaf.

A wet Hokkien Mee, it reminded me of Yong Heng Fried Baby Squid Prawn Mee @ Bukit Batok Street 11, my benchmark for a good wet Hokkien Mee. While Kim’s failed to deliver as much ‘wok hei’ as the latter, one of my dining companions did remark that it was rare to find such a huge uncut portion of squid hiding within the noodles. And though I was unable to obtain a picture of it while it still looked appetising, I’m just contented to have tried yet another well established hawker stall which seemed to have maintained a consistent quality through the years. One of the better wet Hokkien Mee, I do hope their business is not significantly affected by the current pandemic.
Taste: 8.5/10 (Worth a try if in the area)

More takeaways around Eunos and Tai Seng at:
https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/04/13/takeaways-for-circuit-breaker-eunos-tai-seng/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-6EldcHQ7-/?igshid=1r8usyy4mj6zr

Relocating (again) just a few days ago to Block 107 Jalan Bukit Merah S(160107), Ye Shang Hai is well-known for dishing out high quality food at economical prices till the wee hours of the morning. It is no wonder then that the restaurant is even more sought after by taxi drivers. ⁣
Opening Hours:⁣
𝟭𝟬𝟬𝟬-𝟬𝟯𝟬𝟬 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆⁣
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Not to be confused with 夜来香 which has since occupied one of their previous locations at Bukit Merah View with a very similar facade, Ye Shang Hai is widely known for its (apparently) 97-year-old boss who consistently spots a hip and swanky fashion style and tongue-in-cheek humour. ⁣
See video by ourgrandfatherstory:
https://youtu.be/MMsiUHeBZpQ
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Having tried other Teochew porridge restaurants in the past, I didn't think much about it even as online reviews raved about it. Honestly, how good can Teochew porridge get right? And so, while it was on my wishlist I certainly did not go out of my way to patronise the restaurant. Thankfully for all of us that day though, we happened to be in the area.⁣
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I was genuinely shocked by the quality and value of all of the food we had, leading us to a second order shortly after. Their 卤三层肉 (Braised Pork Belly), 大肠 (Large Intestines) and 蒸肉球 (Steamed Meatballs) deserves special mention. ⁣While the braised pork belly was outright tough, its sweet umami glaze was addictive enough to convert me. The large intestines were mind-blowingly good as it spotted a juicy and fleshy texture and had absolutely no stench at all, easily the best intestines I've ever eaten. I learnt that the fleshy texture here was no accident as Chefs who are more devoted to their craft would spend time stuffing intestines within each other to artificially make them more plump. While I did find their meatballs decent, it was not something that caught my tastebuds. Nonetheless, my dining companions were pretty unanimous that it was one of the best meatballs they've had. To be sure, the bulk of the dishes were too saltish on their own, but it's due to this over-seasoning that makes them exceptional accompaniments to the otherwise neutral tasting porridge.⁣
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Currently, they are offering an 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝟯 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀. Ordering about 10 dishes that day, the total cost came up to $39 for 5 of us and already, it seemed like we were having a buffet. 𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀.
Price: 10/10
Taste: 8.5/10
Ambience: 7.5/10
Overall: 9/10

Priding themselves for serving Rojak which does not contain Shrimp Paste / Hae Ko, their Rojak is suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans as well. In fact, it was the owner's detest for the pungent smell of the shrimp paste which led to the eventual establishment of The Rojak Line. After waiting about 5-10min, it was finally ready. Again, I'm no connoisseur of Rojak but this was delicious as it came with crisp, warm and freshly toasted You Tiao (They literally place them in the oven upon ordering) and fresh, chilled fruits. This was no accident as they had invested in a chiller to store their fruits shortly after their initial opening and are apparently, the first Rojak stall to have its own chiller. A culmination of sweet, savoury, umami and slight sourness, I enjoyed every element of the Rojak, drenched in their unique thick black sauce.

Ultimately, while their Rojak is more expensive on average and the waiting time may be a tad too long, I do concur with the vision for their stall - 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗷𝗮𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲.

PS: It was a welcoming sight to see the staff handling all their ingredients with gloves and their provision of a hand sanitiser at the stall's front.

When the pot for 3 ($20) arrived at our table with the sauce and oil mixed in, we figured that this was likely due to our table situated far away from the stall, causing the owners to be fearful that their bottles of oil and soya sauce would be misplaced. No matter though, as it allowed me to have a fairer comparison with Ah Ching's which also came with the sauces mixed into the rice.Arguably the most important aspect of a good claypot rice, I tasted the rice first. It turned out to be marginally better as it was slightly sweeter (Though this could simply be due to a greater helping of dark soya sauce) but similar in terms of texture. The charred crispy edges of the rice were still edible but leaned on the edge of being cancerous. Some portions were practically charcoal black. While this may be a sign of an uncontrolled fire, the rice did spend a longer time in the claypot before it was eventually mixed at our table.Of all the components, I thoroughly enjoyed their Lup Cheong (Chinese Sausage) the most for it was surprisingly smoky and sweet to the point of being subtly alcoholic. Fans of salted fish would rejoice as thick visible chunks could be found, compared to Ah Ching's which were barely noticeable, if any. With regards to the chicken, their generous portions of meat were also wonderfully fragrant, with the charcoal smoke imbued and penetrating through the flesh of the meat. Again, comparable to Ah Ching's.
That being said, 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘄𝗸𝗲𝗿, 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗵 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴'𝘀 simply because their's were boneless, awarding them huge brownie points for a lazy customer like me who may otherwise naively bite into a piece of bone upon failing to remove it properly.

2 stalls from 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲, which is 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 as the hawker will be returning to Nursing to help combat against Covid-19 and future potential threats, is 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿. Opened just 2-3 months back, it's helmed by a young hawkerpreneur, Ambel Pong. Selling a variety of tea cakes, scones, muffins and even whole cakes, I was drawn to the stall due to the unusual cafe-esque food it offers. Thereafter, I learnt that Amber had always wanted to start her own business and was on a mission to bring affordable cafe food to the masses. Prior to this, she worked as a Pastry Chef in Agathé Pâtisserie, Melbourne, for a year before coming back to Singapore where she could be found at The Starter Lab for 5 months.The Headless Baker opens from 𝟬𝟳𝟬𝟬-𝟭𝟰𝟬𝟬 from 𝗪𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗻 with new bakes every week! In fact, one can pre-order whole cakes from them through their website as well.

Fun fact: Reflecting on the beginning of her journey, Amber drew inspiration for the name of her stall. She reflected on how we're often 'headless' (clueless) in the next steps of our life and that even when we may feel in control, with grand plans laid out in the years ahead of us, we'll never know when life will throw us yet another curveball.
A sucker for high quality affordable food, I tried their 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 ($𝟒) and 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐮𝐥𝐚 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐚 ($𝟐). 

Overall, the Singaporean in me will 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗮 for both its value and quality. Think about it: Why settle for 1 Earl Grey Lavender when you can grab 2 Pandan Gula Melaka?

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/03/10/hawker-review-the-headless-baker-chuan-kee-boneless-braised-duck-ghim-moh-market/

Checking off another Michelin Bib Gourmand stall off my list, I headed down to Ghim Moh Market to grab a plate of their signature boneless duck rice drenched in a pool of velvety, mildly thick dark sauce. Trying the rice first, my tastebuds were blown away by the sweet and umami sauce coating every single grain of their firm and fluffy rice. This set the standards for their duck high. Personally, I like my duck moist, tender and imbued with the braised sauce it is soaked in, with just a hint of gaminess. On top of it, I would expect a thin layer of fat beneath the skin for extra satisfaction. While the duck managed to achieve most of this, 'most' was unfortunately not enough to meet my high expectations of a #michelinbibgourmand stall. While the meat was flavourful it was just too tough and on hindsight, I was glad that I had picked their set meal option which came with braised Tau kwa (Firm beancurd) and braised beans instead of $5 worth of duck. On the other hand, the soup provided on the side, a component some hawkers tend to overlook, proved to be exceptional. A strongly herbal dang gui flavoured broth, it's a great palate cleanser. While I personally already have a favourite duck rice stall in the West (Clementi Market), I'm always glad to find scrumptious food in the West. Ghim Moh Market certainly has numerous hidden within and I can't wait to uncover them all. :)
Taste: 8/10

𝗧𝗟𝗗𝗥: I totally agree with @danielfooddiary review.

The amount of char siew here was notably marginal. There were but a handful of thinly sliced pieces. Offering a fattier cut, great char and sweet umami glaze on top, I can understand how this could elevate a bowl of wantan noodles. Still, they are incomparable to hawker stalls specialising in roast meats as they were slightly tough and dry. Also, I do prefer my char siew in thicker cuts for they allow its juices to more satisfyingly flow as you sink your teeth into it.

The meat within the wontons here were well-seasoned and had that peppery spice one would find in a siew mai. Plump and juicy, my dining companions enjoyed it though I felt that a little more of the dumpling wrapper could have been left dangling from it for that textural contrast and pleasurable 'slurp'.

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/02/28/hawker-review-east-village-traditional-claypot-rice-engs-char-siew-wantan-mee-novena-regency/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9HUMG1n4ob/?igshid=w6vi0wlxu2sh

After perhaps my 3rd bowl of rice, my admiration for the humble grains of rice soon turned into one of deep reverence. Despite lowering itself with its light flavour profile, the tiny grains of pearl still won me over as I sub-consciously filled my bowl repeatedly with ladles more of it. It was thin and small, like Taiwan's 珍珠米 (Pearl rice), allowing it to soak up all the other flavours packed within that pot. It was firm and crunchy providing an addictive bite. It was sufficiently moist, perhaps due to the sesame oil, leaving me fascinated and bewildered on its impossibly good texture. So enchanted was I by the rice that I promptly asked the staff if I could be enlightened on the type of rice used. Thankfully, their chef came out thereafter and told us that it was 老米 (Literally, old rice) and that it was required to ensure that the rice be cooked all the way without being charred as unlike typical steamed rice, it's required to withstand the intense heat within the claypot after it has been steamed. While the chef claimed that I could find such rice in the supermarket, I have yet to verify that myself.

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/02/28/hawker-review-east-village-traditional-claypot-rice-engs-char-siew-wantan-mee-novena-regency/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9HUMG1n4ob/?igshid=ndqhs1tn6mgv

Came back here again for tuan yuan fan (Reunion Dinner). Ordering their CNY Menu for 7-10 pax @ $468 nett, we were served a total of 8 dishes.
1) Famous JB 101 Combination (Smoked Duck, Prawn Fritters, Salad Lonster, Salted Egg Fish Skin)
2) Golden Pumpkin with Crab Meat
3) Braised Chicken with Sliced Abalone
4) Bailing Mushroom with Nai Bai
5) Steamed Grouper in Superior Sauce (HK Style, Preserved Radish, Nonya)
6) Shimmering Golden Butter Lobster
7) Imperial XO Golden Fried Rice with Conpoy
8) Fried Ice Cream (Durian & Vanilla flavour)

Generally, I found their food decent as per my previous visit. The difference being that all sorts of seafood were added this time round to justify the price. I'm not too sure if I'm supposed to taste any pumpkin in the 'Golden Pumpkin with Crab Meat' soup though as it tasted just like a typical Chinese fish maw soup.

Highlights that day would probably go to their fried rice and the sauce of the butter lobster. With crunchy bits embedded in the rice, it tasted much better than it looks despite not having that legendary 'wok hei' taste. Paired with their chili and the lobster's butter sauce and I could probably devour (at least) 3 bowls of it. :)

See them blowtorch the lobster and more information about the service that day at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B7v1eCVnLg5/?igshid=1w13et1uynqda

(Part 2 of 2)

Out of all the dishes I had that day, this would probably be the highlight of the meal. It came with seaweed, yam, lettuce, tomatoes, golden mushrooms, parsley and chunks of fish all immersed in a thick flavourful broth (of which I drank 3 bowls). Simply delicious.

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6iUCp7Hp1h/?igshid=o8qgwg6mx3w7

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2019/12/26/hawker-review-famous-jb-101-firewokz-wcega-tower-21-bukit-batok-crescent-25-12-19/

(Part 1 of 2)

This was my first time encountering such a dish and it tasted both tangy and sweet somewhat like a sweet and sour pork but with discernible notes of orange to provide the tangy flavour to the dish. It's quite innovative and a refreshing take on typical 'zi char' dishes but while I will recommend one to try it out, I'll probably stick with the classics in future.

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6iUCp7Hp1h/?igshid=o8qgwg6mx3w7

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2019/12/26/hawker-review-famous-jb-101-firewokz-wcega-tower-21-bukit-batok-crescent-25-12-19/

I only realised that I may have been 'cheated'/paid wrongly halfway through the meal upon comparing what I ordered to the menu. A 7 piece Yong Tau Foo Set (With noodles/rice/kway teow) would have costs $5.60 according to the menu but I'm not too sure why I was charged the Yong Tau Foo (9pcs) instead. :/

Yong Tau Foo Dry (7pcs) ($6.30)
Anyways, my contained 1 tomato, a bunch of golden mushrooms, a bunch of green vegetable, 2 pieces of tofu with fish paste, a slice of eggplant and a piece of bitter gourd with fish paste. A spicy fiery orange chili sauce and sweet dark red 'chee cheong fan' (hoisin) sauce can be found at the counter. The fish paste found within the ingredients were definitely not the freshest and I felt that the one found in the tofu was a tad too little. I didn't think any particular ingredient stood out which made the entire dish unremarkable and insipid. Nevertheless, it was a decent bowl with a generous serving of kway teow. The soup provided at the side was not too bland either though my dining companion said that it was just ordinary. Overall, if the price of this was meant to be $6.30, I would definitely not recommend as there are a far greater variety of dishes that can be found at more affordable prices. It's great for a filling meal though.
Price: 5/10
Taste: 5/10
Overall: 5/10 (Have it only if you really feel like eating Yong Tau Foo at Foodfare)

Picture of their menu can be found at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B50Ro_egEMI/?igshid=fwiv7tyysh46