Food-at-Large

Food-at-Large

Featuring The Dragon Chamber, Kau Kee Restaurant 九記牛腩, Singkoba (Telok Ayer), Lan Fong Yuen 蘭芳園, Small's, Foodie Market Place, Lam's Noodle House (Teck Chye Terrace), Jiak Mee, Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee, Boon Kee Dessert
The Hungry Fatty
The Hungry Fatty

I have previously posted about a wonderful little Thai stall in the S-11 kopitiam in Bishan Central. Miss K and I are big fans of their wonderful unpretentious Thai food and were disappointed to find the stall emptied abruptly at the end of last year with a simple notice telling customers that they have shifted to AMK.

We visited their stall soon after their opening after CNY and struck a conversation with the friendly Thai couple running the stall. According to them, the rent for the Bishan stall was more than doubled to nearly $12k, making it hard to sustain their business. They have therefore shifted to a kopitiam nearer to their place. The problem is that amk ave 10 is a rather old housing estate and unlike s-11 in Bishan, there isn't much of a spillover effect from J8 or the Mrt station. Whilst rent is lower, the number of customers have dropped drastically though they can still cover their costs.

We love their pad thai. For $7, you get a generous portion of rice numbers topped with four big prawns which have been shelled, butterflied and deveined them. Flavourswise, it is subtly sweet and savoury with a good helping of wokhei.

This is one of the best plates of pad thai in town and we would really hate to see them go out of business so please drop by and support them!

1 Like

Located in the same kopitiam as Wano Niku, Mom's Chicken is a little gem that is often overshadowed by its neighbours.

The stall first started as Jeong Koryo Jokbal (pig trotter) but has since expanded its offerings to include fried chicken and other standard Korean fare.

I was craving tteokboki that night but wasn't expecting much from Mom's Kitchen tbh. Surprisingly their tteok was soft yet chewy with a nice bouncy texture. The sauce was also a good balance of sweet, savoury and spicy. It also came with a generous portion of Korean fishcakes and spam.

For those who fancy Tteokbokki, do check this out!

1 Like

Unkai has been around for some time but I have only made a trip down to check them out recently.

They were pretty much sold out by the time I got there so I tried the comparatively "boring' salmon and teriyaki chicken bento instead.

I liked that the salmon was not overcooked and dry and the sauces was not saccharine sweet. The chicken was also tender and juicy.

Fresh sashimi, oysters and scallops are certainly not dishes you would find in a hawker centre. Hopefully I get a chance to try them the next time I visit Unkai!

2 Likes

Being a Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient, Lao Fu Zi often attracts a queue. It is also rather slow moving because each plate of CKT is made to order instead of in bulk.

I do admire the hawker for his dedication to provide each customer with a fresh plate of CKT. His CKT is the dry version with a decent amount of wok hei. It is also sweeter than most plates of ckt. Gerald from TeamofTwo stated in his review that it tasted similar to the kway teow you get from the economical beehooon stall in the morning. A little harsh IMHO but I can see why he described it as so as it is dry and rather sweet.

It is an above average plate of CKT though I don't really get the hype. It's definitely not a plate I would go across the island for or stand in line for 30 to 45 minutes. I will however gladly grab a plate if I was craving a ckt and there isn't a queue!

1 Like

"Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee in the day, Western Barbecue in the night (and Nam Xing HKM whenever it is open)" used to be my mantra when it comes to meals at Old Airport Rd FC.

Pre-COVID, I would usually visit Old Airport Rd FC at least once a month but this was my first trip in a really long time. It was kinda late in the evening but my chicken chop from Western Barbecue was sadly disappointing. The chicken meat itself was a little tough and dry and the sweet garlic sauce was watery, bland and simply meh. Hopefully I just caught them at a bad time because this was really far from what used to be one of my favourite plates of chicken chop!

1 Like

I am probably not the only one confused but there is actually not one but two Korean restaurants by the name of "Myung Ga" in the Bukit Timah area. I usually frequent Myung Ga II at Bukit Timah Plaza but it was closed the night I visited so I decided to check out Myung Ga III at Beauty World instead.

According to the wait staff, Myung Ga II and III are separate restaurants whose owners are friends. They aren't related but have similar (if not the same) menu.

The good is rather similar. The tonkatsu is huuuuuuge as with all Korean style tonkatsus with a nice sweet sauce. I ordered a takeaway which was probably why the pork cutlet came in pieces instead of one huge slab. The meat was well marinated and the crust shattering crisp. I do prefer Myung Ga II's version because it was a little more tender and juicy but it might just be because I had their tonkatsu fresh instead of sitting in a box for the 45 minutes drive home.

I do want to know though... Is there a Myung Ga I?!?

1 Like

I like to call Pork Belly with Red Beancurd (南乳炸肉), the porky equivalent of har cheong gai

To create this dish, red fermented beancurd (紅腐乳) is used to marinade the pork belly, enhancing its flavours, tenderising the meat and adding additional moisture. It also serves to 'cure' the pork belly of its 'gamey' aftertaste. Red fermented beancurd which incorporates red yeast rice also gives this dish a distinctive deep red tinge, flavor punch and aroma.

Wok Master's rendition of this dish was a little on the dry and tough side but still savoury!

1 Like

Homemade tofu is a dish you can find in some but not most tzichar eateries because it is time-consuming and labour intensive to produce them and they are often produced in limited quantities to ensure that they are fresh.

I don't usually mind the slight premium charged (as with all things homemade/handmade) because fresh tofu has a soft silky texture and yet holds its jiggly shape well. It also has a cleaner taste.

Wok Master serves theirs deep fried and topped with mayonnaise and chicken floss, beautifully arranged like petals around a flower. The crust layer is crisp and the tofu interior soft. The combination of mayonnaise and floss cannot go wrong.

I did however feel that the homemade tofu could have been used in a much better way. I mean this is a dish that anyone could easier replicate at home with store bought ingredients without much difficulty and it would taste rather similar... It would have been better off letting the homemade tofu shine by braising it or with a simple sauce.

2 Likes

Sanbei Chicken literally means 'three cups' chicken because the braising sauce is traditionally made using one cup each of soy sauce, sesame oil and huadiao wine. It also usually contains sliced ginger, garlic and basil.

Wok Master's sanbei chicken was thoroughly enjoyable. The braising sauce in particular was really well balanced - the savoury soy sauce, the nutty sesame oil and the fragrant sweet huadiao wine. It also combines beautifully with the spicy ginger, buttery sweet garlic and minty herbaceous basil.

I'm sure you wouldn't be able to stop lapping up the sauce over rice!

1 Like

The wonderful thing about tzichar eateries is that you usually get a wide range of dishes. There are however a few "standard" dishes such as pork ribs coated in a sweet sauce. The usual suspects are honey, marmite and champagne pork ribs.

Wok Master has a rather unusual style for theirs - honey sambal sauce. I must say though that this didn't really work for me as I couldn't taste the spices and the sauce tasted bitter-sweet and didn't pair too well with the pork ribs.

1 Like

I have been back at Wok Master on 3 occasions after the #burpple #eatup in November 2023.

The main draw for me is that Wok Master serves good tzichar food at affordable prices in a comfortable aircon environment, making it perfect for large group meals without breaking the bank.

Their signature curry fish head comes with a half fish head in a rich lemak curry gravy full of fried taupok, tomatoes, eggplant, lady's fingers and long beans. It is the perfect dish with the current rainy weather.

The curry gravy is perfect over rice with a good balance between creamy rich and tangy sour. The fish is of good portion and was fresh on every visit. This is a must order if you do visit!

1 Like

For a $1.50 top-up, you get to enjoy Katsu-an's clam miso soup instead of the standard miso soup.

I love the sweet, juicy and plump clams in the soup and there were plenty in each bowl. The soup itself was rich and full of umami. It's a little pricey but I do recommend the top-up!

1 Like

Forever hungry and always a fatty.

What To Read Next

Asian Delights
Asian Delights Hey there, fellow foodies! Ready to embark on a culinary adventure across Singapore with Burpple Beyond's Asian Delights? I've got the scoop on some of the best spots in town where you can indulge in mouthwatering dishes without breaking the bank. So grab your appetite and let's dive in! Enjoy these places with #BurppleBeyond deals!
Burpple
Flavourful Fiesta
Flavourful Fiesta Hello, fellow food enthusiasts! If you're anything like me, you're always on the hunt for the next great meal, and what's better than finding those meals at a steal? That's right, today I'm taking you on a flavour journey through some of the best Burpple Beyond deals that promise not only a feast for your taste buds but also for your wallet.
Burpple
Sweet Temptations
Sweet Temptations Embark on a sweet journey through Singapore with Burpple Beyond's Dessert Delight, featuring an array of delectable treats from some of the city's most beloved dessert spots. Take note of these places with #BurppleBeyond deals!
Burpple
Gelato Delights: A Sweet Journey Across Singapore
Gelato Delights: A Sweet Journey Across Singapore Gelato lovers rejoice! Singapore is brimming with delightful spots to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings. Take note of these places with #BurppleBeyond deals!
Burpple
ADVERTISE WITH US
ADVERTISE WITH US