Ah Yee's Soon Kueh

Located at the basement of Dunman Food Centre, Ah Yee's Soon Kueh has one of the best soon kueh (steamed Chinese dumpling with rice flour skin and chopped turnip filling) in Singapore.


Handmade on the spot and served piping hot, Ah Yee's soon kueh are undoubtedly fresh and tasty. Reasonably priced at 80 cents per piece, I was amazed by the generous variety and superior quality of the ingredients which ranged from crunchy turnip strips to mushroom, carrot and fragrant dried shrimps.

Although I am not a fan of soon kueh, I was certainly impressed by Ah Yee's and would definitely return for more.

7.5/10

Ah Yee's Soon Kueh
Dunman Food Centre
Blk 271 Onan Road
#01-05

Ocean Economic Rice

When I was having dinner with my friends at the Toa Payoh branch of Mellben Seafood some weeks ago, I noticed a long queue in front of this economic rice stall named Ocean Curry Fishhead. Curious to find out what is so special about this economic rice, I returned on another day to try it for myself.


I ordered a plate of rice with curry vegetables, curry chicken and fried omelette which costs $3.30. Richly scented with a distinctive lemon grass fragrance, the curry gravy is spicy and savory. I was most impressed with the fried omelette which came with fresh shrimps.

Yet to try its other signature dishes such as curry fishhead, sambal prawn, mutton rendang, sambal cockles, oyster sotong etc, I would certainly bring my family down to Ocean Curry Fishhead for dinner soon.

7/10

Ocean Curry Fishhead
Blk 212 Toa Payoh Lorong 8

Tan Soon Mui Soya Beancurd

At only 50 cents a bowl, Tan Soon Mui soya beancurd at Serangoon Gardens Food Centre must be the cheapest in Singapore. Unless you can still find those soya beancurd in some primary school canteens, which if I remembered correctly, used to cost only 20 cents.


Served in a porcelain bowl, the soya beancurd is soft and smooth with a traditional flavour.

Although it says offer on its signboard, I have not seen a price increase, at least for the past 2 years. If you patronise Serangoon Garden Food Centre for dinner, do complete your meal with a bowl of sweet soya beancurd from Tan Soon Mui.

7/10

Tan Soon Mui Soya Beancurd
Serangoon Garden Food Centre
49A Serangoon Garden Way
Stall 41

Ishi Mura House Special Ramen

This Japanese-themed foodcourt on the level 3 extension of Northpoint Shopping Centre looks more like a restaurant on the outside. Which is why even though I have been working in Yishun, I never knew that Ishi Mura is a foodcourt until recently.

An interesting concept of food stalls with an impressive variety of delicious Japanese food ranging from ramen to baked rice and omelette rice, pizza and pasta, okonomiyaki, bento and burger, sushi and sashimi etc, I decided to have the house special ramen after much hesitation.


Reasonably priced at $6.90, the house special ramen comes with a prawn, two scallops, a piece of char siew (braised meat) and half a braised egg. Filled with delightful seafood essence and a slight milky tinge, the special soup is sweet and flavorful and goes very well with the springy ramen. The authentic homemade chilli paste is remarkably spicy and savory. The fresh scallops and prawn are also juicy and tasty.

Delicious yet affordably priced, Ishi Mura ramen will certainly give Ajisen ramen a run for its money.

7.5/10

Ishi Mura (Northpoint)
Northpoint Shopping Centre
930 Yishun Avenue 2
#03-47/50

Blanco Prawn Noodle House

When I passed by Jalan Kayu last weekend, I was delighted to see a new addition to its stretch of delicious eating places - Blanco Prawn Noodle House.


I ordered the $5 bowl of pork rib prawn mee which comes with 4 pieces of pork ribs and 3 pieces of halved prawns. What immediately impressed me was how the thick and mouthwatering soup, which was concentrated with the flavours of prawn and pork rib, complemented the noodles so well. The halved prawns are sweet and the pork ribs are fleshy and tasty.

Though similar in names, I do not know if Blanco Prawn Noodle House is related to the famous Blanco Court Prawn Noodle at Beach Road. Nevertheless its pork rib prawn mee is certainly fantastic enough to keep me coming back to Jalan Kayu for more.

7.5/10

Blanco Prawn Noodle House
Jalan Kayu
Closed on Tuesdays

Leung Sang Egg Tart

Located in the heart of Chinatown, the delicious egg tarts from Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries go for only $0.70 instead of the usual $0.90 after 6pm. Compared with the pricey $1.30 egg tarts from the famous Tong Heng Confectionery across the road, one may think that the Leung Sang egg tarts are inferior in quality but I beg to differ. After trying the egg tarts from both Leung Sang and Tong Heng on several occasions, I still feel that Leung Sang's egg tarts taste much better.


The special crust of Leung Sang's egg tart is thick and crispy and exudes a delightful butter fragrance with every bite. The flavorful egg custard is soft and smooth and just right in terms of sweetness.

An egg tart from Leung Sang, together with a cup of hot Lipton tea, makes the ideal afternoon tea that I would crave for. Come down and try it for yourself if you haven't.

8/10

Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries
18 Sago Street

Bishan Malacca Claypot Chicken Mee Sua

While searching for something different to try for dinner at Bishan, I found this stall located above Bishan interchange which sells claypot mee sua (fine vermicelli).


I ordered a bowl of claypot chicken mee sua which costs $4. Served bubbling hot in a claypot, the delicate mee sua is coated with thick soya sauce gravy that is delightfully sweet and savory. The fleshy chunks of chicken are tender and well-marinated and go very well with the spicy chilli sauce with a sourish tinge.

If you are a fan of claypot braised chicken, Bishan Malacca claypot chicken mee sua is something new and delicious that you wouldn't want to miss.

7/10

Bishan Malacca Claypot Chicken Mee Sua
Bishan Bus Interchange Food Court
Level 2
514 Bishan Street 13

Queensway Famous Curry Chicken

When I was at Queensway Shopping Centre a few months ago, I couldn't help being attracted to the irresistable aroma of Nyonya curry which came from this stall on the ground floor. Named Queensway Famous Curry Chicken, this stall has both curry chicken and Katong laksa.


I ordered a bowl of curry chicken and a plate of plain rice which cost only $3. Concentrated with the delightful fragrance of coconut milk, the exceptionally thick gravy is remarkably sweet and spicy, reminiscent of the delicious homemade curry which I used to savour when I was a kid. Although so good that you can have it on its own, the mouthwatering curry comes with 3 pieces of chicken and 2 pieces of potato.

During my subsequent visits there, Queensway Famous Curry Chicken has never failed to consistently impress me as one of the best in Singapore. Besides being famous for soccer jerseys and running shoes, Queensway Shopping Centre has a famous curry chicken which indeed lives up to its name.

8/10

Queensway Famous Curry Chicken
Queensway Shopping Centre
Level 1
1 Queensway
Singapore 149053

Wow Wow West Chicken Chop

Behind this Western food stall in ABC Brickworks Food Centre is a heartwarming story of how the owner, who spent part of his childhood in Boys' Town, decided to give ex-convicts a second chance by hiring them to run his stall. However this is not the reason why Wow Wow West is so popular. Instead it is well-known for its Western food that is not only very delicious but comes in super generous portions.


I ordered the chicken chop which costs $5. Although it was a crowded Friday evening, the service was efficient and I was served within 15 minutes of ordering. Indeed living up to its reputation, the generous portion of chicken chop is the largest that I have seen so far. Perfectly grilled with a delightful charred aroma, the tender chicken chop is topped with savory black pepper sauce that accentuates its distinctive flavour. The complementary coleslaw is also plentiful and tasty.

Enough said, the chicken chop is one of the best that I have tasted in Singapore. While a heartwarming story may entice customers to try the food, it is the outstanding culinary standard that will keep them coming back for more. Wow Wow West has both.

8/10

Wow Wow West
ABC Brickworks Food Centre
#01-133
Closed on Sundays

Ajisen Ramen Hokkaido Seafood Ramen Lunch Special

I was never a fan of ramen (Japanese handmade noodle) because I used to think that ramen tastes the same as instant noodle. Only after my friend brought me to Ajisen Ramen for lunch did I realise my misconception. From then on, I became a big fan of Ajisen's $10.90 ramen lunch special which comes with a bowl of ramen, a plate of side dish and a drink ($12.83 with service charge and GST).

My favorite lunch special combination is the Hokkaido seafood ramen and white fish with hot green tea.


Topped with scallop, sotong and crabmeat slices, the Hokkaido seafood ramen is popular for its special soup base that is slightly milky in consistency and filled with the irresistable essence of seafood. The tasty soup goes very well with the ramen which has a smooth and flour-like texture. I like to add dried chilli flakes because they make the soup spicy yet do not alter its authentic flavour.


The white fish, which is actually fried crispy nuggets stuffed with fresh fish meat, tastes great with the savory chilli sauce. The hot green tea helps to quench every bit of thirst at the end of the sumptuous meal.

For an affordable yet satisfying ramen set lunch, I strongly recommend Ajisen Ramen. With 17 outlets scattered all over the island, there is almost certainly one that is near to you. Come down and try it for yourself today.

7.5/10

Ajisen Ramen
http://www.ajisen.com.sg/contact.htm

Mohamed Sultan Road Cheng Tng

The standard of a cheng tng depends on two things: the flavour of the soup and the variety of the ingredients. The best cheng tng that I have tasted in Singapore so far is Ye Lai Xiang at Bedok Corner Food Centre. Coming close in second place would be Mohamed Sultan Road cheng tng at Zion Riverside Food Centre.


A bowl of cold cheng tng which costs $1.50 comes with a wide range of ingredients eg dried longan, fresh longan, lychee, gingko nut, sweet potato and sago seed. Delightfully sweet and highly addictive, the refreshing soup has a special flavour that distinguishes it from other cheng tng.

If you frequent Zion Riverside Food Centre for lunch or dinner, do remember to try Mohamed Sultan Road cheng tng if you haven't.

7.5/10

Mohamed Sultan Road Hot & Cold Cheng Tng
Zion Riverside Food Centre
No 32

Western Chow Hainanese Beef Stew

After trying the delicious beef stew from Jacob's Cafe, I decided to embark on a journey to try the other beef stews in Singapore. My next stop is Western Chow at Bishan Central.


A plate of Hainanese beef stew, which costs only $6.50, comes in a generous portion that is certainly worthwhile for its price. Served with carrot and potato, I was delighted to find huge chunks of beef inside the stew. Creamy and peppery, the savory stew goes very well with the rice. While extremely tenderised, the beef seems to have lost its natural beefy flavour which is something very essential in a dish like beef stew.

Although Western Chow's Hainanese beef stew is cheaper and comes in a larger portion, I still prefer the beef stew from Jacob's Cafe. Nevertheless if you crave for beef stew but do not wish to travel all the way down to Changi Village, Western Chow at Bishan Central is certainly worth trying.

7/10

Western Chow
Blk 504 Bishan Street 11
S-11 Coffee Shop
#01-444 S(570504)

Million Fishball Noodle

I vaguely recalled having this fishball noodle a few years ago but it did not leave a lasting impression. Nevertheless when I was at Bishan Central for dinner last week, I decided to try Million fishball noodle for a second time.


I ordered a bowl of fishball dry mee pok which costs $3. Upon taking my first bite, I was impressed with the springy consistency of the dry mee pok and how well it blended with the spicy chilli sauce. It was a long time since I last had mee pok so well-cooked that it tasted so springy. With a distinctive fishy aroma, the tasty fishballs are reasonably bouncy in consistency and go very well with the noodles.

Even though I am not a fan of fishball noodle, I thoroughly enjoyed Million fishball dry mee pok. Come down to Bishan and try it for yourself today.

7.5/10

Million Fishball Noodle
Kim San Leng Food Centre
Blk 511 Bishan St 13 #01-522

Rochor Original Soya Beancurd

Of the many soya bean stalls and franchises in Singapore eg Selegie, Mr Bean, Jollibean etc, my vote for the best soya beancurd still goes to Rochor original soya beancurd.


Located opposite Peace Centre in Selegie, a bowl of Rochor original soya beancurd costs only $1. Silky smooth in texture, the flavorful beancurd disintegrates effortlessly with every bite, exuding a distinctive soya bean aroma that is simply irresistable.

Rochor original soya beancurd is definitely outstanding for its extraordinary smoothness and amazing soya bean fragrance. After trying it, you wouldn't want to settle for other soya beancurd anymore.

8/10

Rochor Original Beancurd
2 Short Street

Ming Ji Clam Prawn Mee

While most traditional prawn noodles come with prawn, pork rib and pig's tail, I was excited to find a prawn noodle at Sembawang Hill Food Centre which comes with clam.


A bowl of Ming Ji clam prawn mee which costs $3 comes with several slices of fresh clams and halved prawns. Although sprinkled with fragrant pork lard, the soup could have been thicker and more flavorful. Nevertheless I enjoyed the juicy clams.

I must agree that Ming Ji clam prawn mee is certainly value for money in terms of its ingredients. If you have not tried prawn noodle with clam, come down to Sembawang Hill Food Centre and try it for yourself.

7/10

Ming Ji Clam Prawn Mee
Sembawang Hill Food Centre
590 Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574419

Yong He Taiwan Beef Noodle

Located at Geylang Lorong 27A, Yong He Eating House is famous for its dou jiang (soya bean milk) and you tiao (chinese fried breadstick). Today I decided to try its Taiwan beef noodle instead.


A bowl of Taiwan beef noodle which costs $4, comes with handmade noodle (la mian) served with generous chunks of beef. When I saw the reddish colour of the soup, I was immediately reminded of the super spicy la mian from Crystal Jade but I was wrong. The chilli-flavoured soup of Yong He Taiwan beef noodle is fortunately less spicy and more pleasing to my taste buds. I was impressed by the remarkable tenderness of the tasty beef chunks.

If you have the craving for delicious beef la mian at coffeeshop prices, do come down to Yong He and try its Taiwan beef noodle today.

7/10

Yong He Eating House
517 Geylang Road
(Near Geylang Lor 27A)

Jason Penang Pork Rib Prawn Noodle

I only found out recently that ABC Brickworks Food Centre at Bukit Merah has plenty of delicious food ranging from fried hokkien mee, handmade fishball noodle, top grade char siew, Western food etc. If Hong Lim Food Centre is known as a food paradise, then I feel that ABC Brickworks Food Centre deserves the same title.


When I was there for dinner last weekend, I decided to try the Penang pork rib prawn noodle from Jason Penang Cuisine. Certainly value for money, a bowl of Penang pork rib prawn noodle which costs $4 comes with 3 big deshelled prawns and 5 pieces of pork ribs. Filled with the concentrated essence of prawns and pork ribs and the distinctive flavour of spices, the unique soup of Penang prawn noodle is more salty than sweet as compared to the traditional prawn noodle. I was initially skeptical when the stallholder suggested that I add the special chilli paste, instead of the usual sliced chilli, into the soup but after doing so, I was impressed by how the spicy chilli paste enhances the authentic flavour of the soup. The prawns are fresh and sweet and the pork ribs are meaty and tasty.

Whether you are a fan of Penang cuisine or not, if you like the traditional Hokkien prawn noodle soup, you must not miss Jason Penang pork rib prawn noodle. I will certainly return to try its other signature dishes eg fried kway teow.

7.5/10

Jason Penang Cuisine
ABC Brickworks Food Centre
Blk 6 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-112

Fu Lu Shou Curry Yong Tau Foo

I used to patronise Geylang East Food Centre for lunch when I was working around there two years ago but one stall that I never tried was the yong tao foo with the long queue. Perhaps I was not a fan of yong tao foo then but today I decided to try the curry yong tao foo to find out how good it is.


Reasonably priced at only $0.30 per piece, Fu Lu Shou Yong Tau Foo comes with an impressive variety of dishes ranging from fishball, meatball, fishcake, crab meat, wanton, ngor hiang, dried beancurd, cuttlefish, mushroom and vegetables etc. With the delightful sweetness of coconut milk and the subtle fragrance of lemon grass, the mouthwatering curry gravy is the best that I have tasted so far, just of the right thickness and spiciness and not oily at all.

Besides noodles, you can also choose to have Fu Lu Shou yong tau foo with the special yam rice. If you are a fan of curry yong tau foo like me, come down to Geylang East Food Centre and try it for yourself today.

7.5/10

Fu Lu Shou Niang Tou Fu
Geylang East Food Centre
Blk 117 Aljunied Ave 2 #01-33

Nan Sun Horlicks Soya Bean Milk

As a fan of soya bean milk, the two which I love most are Rochor and Selegie. When I was at Maxwell Food Centre for breakfast last weekend, I jumped at the opportunity to try the special Nan Sun Horlicks soya bean milk.


I ordered a cup of hot Horlicks soya bean milk which costs only $1.30. Concentrated with the natural fragrance of soya beans and the distinctive flavour of Horlicks, the soya milk is delightfully creamy and sweet.

Thicker in consistency than the conventional soya bean milk, Nan Sun Horlicks soya bean milk is certainly worthwhile trying if you are looking for something different.

7/10

Nan Sun Horlicks High Calcium Soya Bean Milk
Maxwell Food Centre
12 Murray Street #01-04

Holy Grill Teriyaki Chicken

There are at least 3 Western Food stalls in Old Airport Road Food Centre but the one that caught my attention was Holy Grill Authentic Western Cuisine. From the menu displayed on its brightly-colored signboard, I decided to order the teriyaki chicken which costs $5.50, with coleslaw and tasty rice as my two complementary side dishes.


Having waited for 30 minutes, I was famished when my dinner was finally served. Topped with thick teriyaki sauce, the grilled chicken chop comes in a very satisfactory portion that is indeed worthwhile for the price and the wait. Expertly grilled with an outer layer that is delightfully charred and crispy, the delicious chicken chop is tender, fleshy and flavorful. Together with coleslaw and tasty rice, it was a very sumptuous dinner.

With competition from neighbouring Western food stalls, Holy Grill certainly has an outstanding grilled chicken chop. I have yet to try its other signature dishes eg grilled salmon and prime ribeye but from the long waiting time, I can guess that they must be as good, if not better.

7.5/10

Holy Grill Authentic Western Cuisine
Old Airport Road Food Centre
51 Old Airport Road #01-27

Hock Choon Lor Mee

I heard about this lor mee stall at Eunos Market which has long queues during weekends and decided to try it for myself.


Although Hock Choon sells both lor mee and laksa, I noticed most of its customers having lor mee instead.

I ordered a $3 bowl of lor mee which comes with braised meat, braised egg and fried fish nuggets. Sufficiently thick and not overly sticky, the savory gravy coats the noodles very well. The delightful combination of braised meat and braised egg with deep fried fish nuggets gives the lor mee a semi-traditional flavour.

Overall, Hock Choon lor mee is one of the more delicious lor mee in the heartlands of Singapore. If there is anything lacking, it would be fried fish which I believe would greatly improve its rating and popularity.

7.5/10

Hock Choon Lor Mee
Eunos Market And Food Centre
4A Eunos Crescent
#01-25

Shanghai Char Siew Chee Cheong Fun

Located in Chinatown Complex Food Centre, Shanghai Chee Cheong Fen has a variety of special chee cheong fun (steamed rice noodle roll) at very affordable prices.


I especially love its char siew chee cheong fun which costs only $1.20. Served with sweet black sauce, chilli and sesame seeds, the appetizing chee cheong fun is stuffed with abundant servings of fresh and tasty char siew (Chinese roasted pork).

Certainly value for money and comparable with the standards of famous dim sum restaurants, Shanghai char siew chee cheong fun is definitely one of the best that I have tasted in Singapore.

8/10

Shanghai Chee Cheong Fen
Chinatown Complex Food Centre
#02-174
335 Smith Street Singapore 050335

Jacob's Cafe Beef Stew

After I read the book Tell It @ Jacob's Cafe written by Towsoon Lim, the founder of Jacob's Cafe, I was curious about its famous beef stew, so I went down to the restaurant at Changi Village on a Friday evening to try it for myself.

Seated at the alfresco section of Jacob's Cafe, I enjoyed the cosy and soothing ambience and almost did not realise that I was actually on the void deck of a HDB flat. I ordered a bowl of beef stew and a plate of rice which cost $10.20. With no service charge and no GST, the prices on the menu are exactly what you pay on the bill.


Indeed value for money, the delicious beef stew comes in a satisfactory portion served with generous chunks of beef and pieces of carrot and potato. Concentrated with the sweet essence of beef, the mouthwatering soup is delightfully thick and irresistably flavorful. The beef chunks, though tasty and fleshy, could have been less tough and more marinated.

Overall it was a sumptuous dinner at Jacob's Cafe. I absolutely loved the special ambience of the place and would certainly bring my family and friends down to try its other recommended dishes eg Hainanese mutton stew and chicken curry.

7.5/10

Jacob's Cafe
Blk 5 Changi Village Road
#01-2049 Singapore 500005
Closed on Sundays

Uncle Sim Home Cooked Nyonya Economic Rice

I walked past this economic rice stall in Whampoa Food Centre and was immediately attracted by its colourful signboard. On it featured the signature Nyonya dishes such as curry fish head, curry chicken, special omelette, sambal sotong, fried chicken etc.


I ordered a plate of plain rice with sambal long beans, fried omelette and curry chicken, which cost only $2.50. Concentrated with the distinctive aroma of coconut milk, the mouthwatering curry gravy is thick and flavorful with the right mix of sweetness and spiciness. Besides the outstanding curry, the crunchy sambal long beans and the tasty egg omelette also complement the rice very well.

Uncle Sim home-cooked Nyonya economic rice is certainly one of best that I have tasted in Singapore. More importantly, its delicious dishes are very affordably priced despite its superior culinary standards. Bring your family down to Whampoa Food Centre and try it for yourself today.

8/10

Uncle Sim Home Cooked Nyonya Food
Blk 90 Whampoa Food Centre
#01-63
Closed on Tuesdays

Teck Kee Cheng Tng

Whenever I visit Adam Road Food Centre for dinner, I never fail to complete my meal with a bowl of refreshing cheng tng from Teck Kee.


Reasonably priced at $1.50, the cheng tng comes with a wide variety of ingredients such as sweet potato, dried longan, fresh longan, white fungus, gingko nut, jelly etc. The saccharine sweetness and soothing coolness of the cheng tng readily quench one's thirst after a sumptuous dinner.

Besides cheng tng, Teck Kee also has other hot and cold desserts eg ice kachang, bubur hitam, tau suan etc. Do try it when you are having lunch or dinner at Adam Road Food Centre.

7/10

Teck Kee Hot and Cold Dessert
Adam Road Food Centre
Closed on Mondays