Local/ Hawker Delights

otherwise known as 煲仔饭, this dish requires both the right techniques and equipment to reach its full potential. i like how their claypot rice tasted the same 10 years ago and in fact, improved, since most of their tender chicken pieces are deboned now. aside from that, you’ll find yourself relishing in every single grain of fragrance topped with umami flavour of the good quality salted fish bits and chinese sausage slices.

the only noticeable difference i noticed was that the 锅巴 (scorched rice) portion are lesser than last time’s! if you enjoy them, leave the rice for a little longer before you stir.

soft yet slightly chewy, infused with aromatic coconut. the best part of it is that it is less sweet yet still delectable!

generously filled with molten gula melaka, be prepared for it to burst in your mouth at first bite. (scroll for photo - i had a hard time keeping the liquid in the kueh for the photo 🙈)

oh, so soft and jiggly. imagine, the localised version of warabi mochi that’s extra fragrant (with that distinct gula melaka flavour) coated in a layer of grated coconut.

my sister's pick - fresh, mild flavoured with a hint of smokiness. as a squid lover, she nodded towards how well-made the dish was, with a good bite yet not too rubbery. we had it with 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈 which we agreed was good in unison and 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒍 that was a simple and fuss-free addition.

a special shoutout to their 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆-𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆 that left lingering heat even after finishing. all in all, a hawker delight that i'll be back for, that's worth your visit.

👦🏻 & i’s favourite - the curry was fragrant, with a tad of tanginess and a resemblance of homecooked food, so comforting. best paired with the rice! i also loved how the fish was fresh and so tender. we had it with their 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓, a well-made appetiser which was my dad's pick, where we got a very solid yes from him. paired with 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒍 𝒌𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒌𝒐𝒏𝒈, an easy choice for nasi padang lovers.

fragrant, smoky and full-flavoured - 👦🏻 & my second favourite! at $5, this plate is a steal and one i know i'd definitely be back for. we had it with their 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒉 which was chunky, soft and even had pieces of fish within. their 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒗𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔 also made a mark on us with its well-stewed cabbage pieces and jicama that was aromatic with a good spice kick.

super crispy, hefty serving! got a little jelat towards the middle but nonetheless a very fragrant chicken cutlet.

the grilled chicken - smoky, juicy with a hint of spice from the sauce. a decent chicken chop definitely! the fries was the highlight for me, it was coated in a golden batter and hands down one of the crispiest fries i’ve had.

basic and decent!

𝗛𝗮𝗶 𝗟𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗮𝗻 - 海兰板面.鱼汤‘s tom yam ban mian ($4.50) was decent but not mind blowing. i’m somewhat convinced that i must have not tried their signatures so i will be back to try something else.

spicy lovers, rejoice. @alimama_maxwell’s green chilli chicken rice ($6.50) packed a punch with its built up spiciness of its green chilli blend, red chilli dip and stewed-to-perfection curry vegetables. aside from the very slightly dry inner, there’s nothing else i can pick about this dish. def coming back!