Cheng Ji Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee

I first patronised this stall at Seah Im Food Centre when I was an undergraduate at NUS many years ago. Back then, at the end of a long day, I often had a strong craving for a plate of delicious Cheng Ji fried hokkien prawn mee with a glass of refreshing sugarcane juice for dinner. After I graduated and started working, I no longer patronised Seah Im Food Centre frequently. But having Cheng Ji fried hokkien mee occasionally still brings back plenty of sentimental memories from my university days.


I always ordered a plate of fried hokkien mee with an extra egg, costing $3 in total. Delightfully topped with generous servings of fresh prawns, sotong and fried egg, the mouthwatering noodles are exceptionally flavorful and impressively fried with a distinctive charred fragrance. The savory chilli paste is sweet and spicy and complements the tasty noodles very well.

Nostalgic feeling aside, Cheng Ji fried hokkien prawn mee is very sumptuous and value for money. My only dissatisfaction is that Cheng Ji charges 50 cents for extra chilli. Nevertheless it is still one of my favorite fried hokkien mee and I will certainly be coming back for more.

7.5/10

Cheng Ji Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee
Seah Im Food Centre
2 Seah Im Road #01-59

Holland Village San Lao Hor Fun

Better known for its XO fish head bee hoon, this famous stall at Holland Drive also has fantastic san lao hor fun (sliced fish hor fun). When I first tried it more than 5 years ago, I felt that it was the best san lao hor fun in Singapore.


When I went back there last week, I ordered the san lao hor fun which costs $6. Topped with generous servings of beanspouts and fish, the mouthwatering hor fun is impressively fried with a delightful fragrance and coated with a layer of flavorful gravy. The delicious fish slices are fresh and tasty and blend very well with the beanspouts and hor fun.

After so many years, Holland Village San Lao Hor Fun is still the best in Singapore. Although it is more expensive than other san lao hor fun, its extraordinary quality is unmatched and definitely worth your every dollar spent.

8/10

Holland Village San Lao Hor Fun
Blk 46, Holland Drive
#01-359

Bukit Merah Lane Mixed Seafood Mee Sua

In a coffee shop on the void deck of Blk 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, there is a fish soup stall which has long queues during lunch time. Yet it has no name and has never been featured on any food blog. After walking past on a few occasions when I was on my way to Alexandra Village, I finally decided to try it for myself.


I ordered the mixed seafood mee sua which costs only $2.50 and comes with generous servings of fish, pork slices, pig liver, pig stomach and cabbage. I was initially skeptical about the lack of seafood in this so-called seafood soup but was impressed after tasting it. Well-brewed with the delightful sweetness of fish and pork ribs, the mouthwatering soup is exceptionally flavorful yet not overly fishy, oily or cloudy. The delicate mee sua absorbs the essence of the soup very well. The thick fish slices are extremely fresh and tender while the meat slices are well-marinated and tasty.

Overall this impressive mixed seafood soup mee sua is not only delicious but gives the best value for money. Just like the lunch time crowd, I will certainly be returning for more.

7.5/10

Bukit Merah Lane Mixed Seafood Mee Sua
Blk 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1

Shao Yu Tang BBQ Stingray Set Lunch

From 1130am to 4pm daily, Shao Yu Tang BBQ Seafood at Ang Mo Kio S-11 Food Centre has a special BBQ stingray set lunch for only $4.


Extraordinarily value for money, the BBQ stingray set lunch comes with a reasonably large piece of sambal BBQ stingray, fried egg, sambal fried long beans and plain rice. What distinguishes Shao Yu Tang BBQ stingray from other BBQ stingray is its exceptionally delicious sambal chilli. Accentuating the authentic flavour of BBQ stingray, the special sambal chilli is sensationally spicy and delightfully sweet with the subtle sourness of lime. The fresh stingray is expertly barbecued to the right consistency with flesh that is soft and tasty. Complete your sumptuous lunch with complementary side dishes of sambal fried long beans and fried egg.

Being a fan of barbecued seafood, I must admit that Shao Yu Tang BBQ Stingray is one of the best I have tasted in Singapore. And above all, the set lunch costs only $4. Nowhere else can you find BBQ stingray at this fabulous price. Come down to Ang Mo Kio Central and experience it for yourself today.

8/10

Shao Yu Tang BBQ Seafood
Block 711
Ang Mo Kio Ave 8
S11 coffee shop

Thaksin Beef Noodle

With a flamboyant signboard that is so eye-catching, it is extremely difficult to miss Thaksin Beef Noodle at Seah Im Food Centre.

Thaksin Beef Noodle comes in 4 sizes: Standard at $3.50, Value at $4, Supreme at $5 and Super at $6.


Although this is a halal Thai beef noodle, its taste and ingredients are somewhat reminiscent of the Taiwanese la mian. Concentrated with the delightful essence of beef and the distinctive aroma of spices, the flavorful gravy complements the delicious noodles very well. The dried chilli flakes accentuate the authentic taste of the savory gravy, making every mouthful seem irresistable. To the satisfaction of beef lovers, the large chunks of stewed beef are tender and tasty.

Thaksin Beef Noodle is indeed special and outstanding. Do come down to Seah Im Food Centre and try it for yourself.

7.5/10

Thaksin Beef Noodle
Seah Im Food Centre
2 Seah Im Road
#01-44

Famous Depot 108 Claypot Laksa

Bearing a striking resemblance to Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa
at Alexandra Village, this stall located in the food court of Depot Heights Shopping Centre has been featured on Singapore's Best Food Online Directory, although there was no mention if they were related.


A bowl of $4 Depot 108 claypot laksa comes in an enormous portion, more generous than Zhen Shan Mei's. Delightfully thick and savory, the coconut-filled gravy coats the delicate noodles, making every mouthful seem irresistable. The delicious laksa is well-complemented with a variety of ingredients including cockles, prawns and shredded chicken.

Depot 108 Claypot Laksa certainly has the makings of a great laksa but I still prefer Zhen Shan Mei's because its mouthwatering gravy is more spicy and authentic. Nevertheless if you have the craving for claypot laksa yet discouraged by the perpetual long queue at Zhen Shan Mei, do come down to try Famous Depot 108 Claypot Laksa today.

7.5/10

Famous Depot 108 Claypot Laksa
Depot Heights Shopping Centre
Blk 108 Depot Road #02-16
Singapore 100108

Hjh Maimunah Nasi Padang

Another famous Nasi Padang restaurant in Singapore, Hjh Maimunah did not leave me a good impression when I went there for dinner last year. During that time I felt that the dishes had too strong a scent of Indian spices which I disliked.


When I went there again for lunch with my colleagues recently, we ordered nasi padang with sambal goreng, sayur lodeh (lontong vegetables), curry chicken and sambal kerang (cockles).


The flavorful sambal goreng is a delightful combination of long beans, fried bean curd and tempeh marvellously fried with savory sambal chilli. The sayur lodeh with its coconut-scented gravy complement the plain rice very well. The curry chicken is extremely tender and tasty.


I loved the sambal kerang most as the cockles were irresistably sweet and juicy.


For an air-conditioned restaurant with a comfortable ambience, I must admit that the dishes are very reasonably priced. We paid around $15 inclusive of drinks. If you are a fan of nasi padang, do come down to Hjh Maimunah and experience it for yourself today.

7.5/10

Hjh Maimunah Nasi Padang
20 Joo Chiat Road
#01-02 S427357
Opening hours: 8am-10pm
Closed on Mondays

Zhang Fa Fried Kway Teow

Better known as the fried hokkien mee stall behind the cheng tng stall, I had difficulty finding it when I went to Tanglin Halt Food Centre a fortnight ago. Never did I expect Zhang Fa to be so well concealed within the inner circle of stalls in the food centre until my friend pointed it out to me. Having tried the fried hokkien mee, I felt that it was delicious but certainly not fantastic. However fried kway teow was not only impressive but could easily qualify as one of Singapore's best fried kway teow.

I used to ponder what makes the best fried kway teow. Is it the texture of the noodles, the quality of the ingredients or the taste of the gravy? I found the answer in Zhang Fa fried kway teow: it's none of the above; it's the flavour of the kway teow.


While most fried kway teow comes coated with a layer of savory gravy, Zhang Fa fried kway teow, on the other hand, is dry and flavorful as if every strand is thoroughly infiltrated with the delightful essence of the sauces, not too salty, not too sweet, not too spicy, just right to tantalise my taste buds. It is easy to forget what the ingredients are because they are so well-blended with the irresistable kway teow, you will finish it before you know it. But I remembered that a $2 plate of fried kway teow comes with sausage slices, egg and cockles, thanks to the photo I took.

Sensationally sumptuous, Zhang Fa fried kway teow is one of the best fried kway teow that I have tasted for a long time. Come down to Tanglin Halt Food Centre and experience it for yourself today. If you can't find the stall, remember to search within the inner circle.

7.5/10

Zhang Fa Fried Kway Teow
Tanglin Halt Food Centre (Old)
Blk 3 Commonwealth Drive
#01-346