Family Meals

My first ever Peking Duck and I finally understood the reason for the rave & the price. I hope the glistening on the duck tells you everything. I’m salivating as I’m typing this. The meat is so so so tender and I also had so much joy 啃-ing the takeaway bones as supper.

Had the chance to try their bamboo clams as well! The 冬粉 absorbs the freshness of the clams and the garlicky- soy sauce so well!! Wa it fits my Asian palette so well on so many levels.

Rich in collagen, the fish are soft and fragrant.

Their Cereal Sotong is another must order! Can’t believe just two of us finished this huge portion but the buttery, milky notes made it really addictive!

@kengengkee (also known as "KEK Seafood") is a MICHELIN Plate Restaurant I am familiar with as it’s one of my family favourites for “zi char”. Seeing forever-cheerful Paul, his brother, Head Wayne and the rest of their family never fails to spark joy.
Having dined at KEK Seafood several times, I obviously have my must-haves, of which the Claypot Liver is tops. It is imperative to be enjoyed in the unique KEK style, that is with plain white rice popped in and given a good stir. Trust me, you do not know how sublime liver can be until you‘ve tried this.
Apart from having a very good supplier because the liver tastes really fresh, the kitchen team treats the cooking of the liver like a science to ensure it arrives perfectly cooked (it has to be soft!) on the customer’s table. So if the customer is seated in the air-conditioned area, which happens to be twice as far from the kitchen as a customer seated in the al fresco section, cooking time is halved. This is because they take into consideration that the liver will continue to cook in the claypot as it’s being carried all the way there by the wait staff. Honestly, I was so impressed when I heard this.

Have been on a hunt for Heng Hwa/Putien cuisine across the island — but I have never really heard of 莆田 阿盧章菜馆 which is hidden in Kerk’s Kopitiam in a rather obscure corner of Woodlands at Woodlands Norrh Plaza until somewhere before Singapore’s “Circuit Breaker”. The stall had seemingly opened in the coffeeshop somewhere in December 2019, and was also featured on a television programme on MediaCorp Channel 5 in March 2020.

Was here for the Putien Fried Bee Hoon; the variant here is also stellar in its own right having absorbed the stock entirely — immensely tasty whilst coming with a good proportion of clams, sliced pork, cabbage and mushrooms that almost guarantees some condiments to be picked up with the bee hoon every time. That being said, the dish that left us craving for more was the Eggs Oysters — the Heng Hwa version of the dish served here differs from the local variant with the eggs being fluffy (almost akin to an “Asian” scramble, if you get what it means), topped off with plump and fresh oysters. While the usual local variants sees the two elements being separate items that compliments one another, the Heng Hwa rendition served here seems to be more well-integrated — the briny flavours of the fresh oysters being infused to the eggs that binds the two elements together; very enjoyable within the zippy, brown-coloured chili dip that provides a tang to cut through the heaviness.

I am rarely impressed with food within the neighbourhood, but I actually truly enjoyed whatever I have had at 莆田 阿盧章菜馆 — despite just having tried just two dishes here, I guess they have pretty much hit the spot right here with their well-executed Heng Hwa/Putian that delivers in terms of flavours and freshness. Would most certainly be back again; a hidden gem that Woodlands residents would be proud of having in their neighbourhood!