Hawker Hunting

In the flurry of freshly-steamed snow white flour cake bleeds a deep brown heart of caramelly sweetness.

Plainly speaking, I like my pratas anything but plain.
Tried an egg one ($2.50) at "Cafe O" yesterday and found it really quite satisfactory.
Overall, it's fluffy as the layers of folded dough didn't clump together in a dead heap, and also lightly flaky and crisp in parts - a combo which is incidentally, my preferred texture for pratas. Size-wise, it's bigger than average. Instead of the usual dhal, or mutton and fish curry, this came with a thick-in-a-slightly-starchy-way chicken curry gravy.

Here is an update on my favourite prawn noodles stall. The elderly uncle of #DaDongPrawnNoodles has been recovering from a fall but fortunately, his son Watson has been manning it with his mum, so customers can continue to get their fix.
I have been there twice during this time and was very pleased to have found that nothing has changed and most importantly, the broth tasted just like how his dad has always made it. That rich stock of prawns and pork ribs coupled with the subtle sweetness from loads of garlic, is as fabulous as ever. In fact, I would not have been able to tell any difference had I not witness Watson do the cooking. I was also glad to see that he has re-introduced kangkong because I've always liked that vegetable in my prawn noodles.
The good news is his dad is definitely on the mend, so I'm sure I'll be seeing uncle coming back to visit the stall soon enough.

Opaque with a sweet, rich milkiness, this stall's soup boasts an aromatic heat from slices of ginger too. You can choose between having fish head or pieces of fish (top and bottom bowls respectively in above pic) to go with the thick beehoon. I always pick the latter as it's easier to eat. Plus, with the hefty chunks of fish, it feels like I'm getting more bang for my buck.
(Price: $6 per bowl)

Went on a Monday at 11.30am, their opening time, and was glad to see only one couple ahead of me.
I got the $6 mixed version in a dry-style "meepok", and it came with 3 large fishballs (really bouncy and not as salty as some places'), 2 "tau pok" stuffed with fish paste (a little dehydrated but a soak in the accompanying bowl of soup helped) plus 2 "her keow" (these flat dumplings formed by fish paste skin and stuffed with juicy minced pore were excellent!).
The noodles were also beautifully al dente and the balance of chili sambal and vinegar suited my palate. Just to be clear, I am personally averse to heavy-handedness of the latter when it comes to my "meepok tah", and this suited me fine. If you are hardcore, you can help yourself to the big bottle of black vinegar placed on every table.

Because this is fellow Burppler @happygreedyfoodie's favourite Fried Hokkien Mee in Singapore, I couldn't not give it a try. Once I saw the signboard, I recalled having had it before but we're talking more than five to six years ago, so my tastebuds can hardly recall.
Anyway, today's plate of noodles ($4) turned out to be very satisfactory. It was well fried and the "wok hei" announced its presence loud and clear. Unlike Nam Sing's at Old Airport Road Hawker Centre which is drier and comes with only sliced big chillies, this is thick with some wetness from stock splashed on during the cooking, and is served with chilli padi as well as a spicy dark sambal.
I found it fascinating to watch the elderly couple in action as they moved smoothly together in the confines of their small hawker stall. Like seasoned dancers who've tango-ed for decades, the aunty took the order and as she repeated it to the uncle, she prepared either a plate or a sheet of brown paper for it. Uncle, in his Minion-style goggles, swung into action, cooking every batch of noodles with care. He first fried a big enough portion for a few plates, before dividing it into individual orders and throwing on the prawns, squid and pork belly for that serving. When he deemed it ready, he scooped the noodles onto a plate to transfer to the waiting plate or paper Aunty had prepared. Slick moves indeed 👍😄.

Cooked over hot charcoal, the laksa from this stall isn't the super thick-with-coconut-milk kind. Instead, their gravy is a tad thinner but rest assured it is damn shiok because it is robust in other ways. I always get it with extra sambal.