Local/Singaporean

Housed in West Mall’s Koufu (Level 4), this noodle stall is one of the relatively popular stalls. Although the price is on the higher side for most of their items, they offer an interesting twist to the regular BCM and fishball noodles you get elsewhere, with some of the premium bowls offering Japanese ramen eggs and abalone pieces.

The Sanwan noodle comes with 3 balls - a pork meatball that was dense and savory, a fried fishball that had a firm exterior but soft fish meat upon biting into it, as well as a regular fishball that was bouncy and tender. The amount of meat (minced meat and lean pork slices) was also considerably generous. Their savory chili did pack a punch but might make your noodles rather oily.

On the side, you’d also get a bowl of steaming hot pork broth that’s nice to warm up your stomach before you start the meal! The food court was however a bit cold so that might cool your food down rather quickly but there are other popular options including koo kee YTF, pepper lunch and pao fan.

Housed in the same coffee shop as Ponggol Nasi Lemak, Yi Ji Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee serves a dryer than usual version of our comforting dish. Using a mix of thin beehoon and thick yellow noodles, we felt that this dish offered a nicer contrast in textures compared to hokkien Mee served with thick beehoon. The dish was well-flavored and one could taste the rich seafood umami flavors when slurping the the delightful noodles. For this $8 portion, about 4 or 5 prawns were given. There were also chewy mock abalone pieces that went surprisingly well with the noodles.

What spice lovers would really appreciate is the spice level of the chili given at the side. With “super spicy” written on the banner of this stall, one could be certain to satisfy their desire for the mouth numbing sensation that comes alongside their bright red chili sauce.

Do check it out if you’re at the coffee shop! It’s certainly an above average plate of hokkien Mee that is sure to leave your tummy (and soul) satisfied.

Was at Cherki on a Friday night for dinner and the place was really packed. Thankfully, we already made reservations on Chope.

As we previously tried the lobster linguine and really liked it, both of us ordered the same dish again. The linguine was cooked to an al dente texture, and the laksa flavors were infused nicely as the gravy (which wasn’t too watery) coated each strand of pasta. The addition of tau pok pieces that soaked up the rich coconut-based sauce made this dish reminiscent of the hearty traditional laksa we’re familiar with.

Other than the half lobster that was served in the shell on the side, lobster pieces were also hidden in the linguine. The lobster was on the smaller side, understandably so because of the price. I found mine to be a bit fishy that day but the partner found his to be fine.

We also shared a side dish - chicken satay in peanut sauce encased in pappadom shells. While the name suggests that the chicken pieces are wrapped in regular tortilla found in Mexican dishes, the use of crispy crackers we enjoy in our Nasi Briyani was rather ingenious. The chicken pieces were coated in a slightly sweet peanut-based sauce, which was a bit sweet for my liking but would remind you of the traditional satay sauce. While novel, the price is a bit on the high side for the portion given. However, it can be something interesting to try in a group, where one can experience Indian and peranakan flavors all in one dish.

Visited Cherki on a weekday evening and it was quite crowded so it’s advisable to make a reservation before heading down. In this dish, the rice was fried with foie gras fat and shredded duck, which gave each mouthful a delightful fragrance. One can also taste the wok hei in every bite. The piece of foie gras served above the fried rice was also nicely executed, with a rich mouthfeel that somehow complimented well with the Asian flavors of this dish. The chili on the side was also delicious, offering a decent level of spice. While the serving of dish may be on the small side for bigger eaters, it is highly recommended for a taste of Peranakan flavors with a modern twist that is not easily found elsewhere. Overall, the standard at Cherki is pretty high despite its steeper than average prices but being able to use your Burpple vouchers would surely help!

Located at B2 of Jewel, The Hainan Story offers a wide range of Hainanese delicacies, including chicken rice, pork cutlet and curry rice. It was a popular spot and we had to wait awhile for a seat on a Friday evening. Food was however served quickly upon ordering through our phones.

For the curry rice dishes, one could select between a sunny side-up or the long bean omelette (pictured), as well as between spicy lady’s finger or chap chye (pictured). While decent, the omelette was nothing special. I felt the same way about the chap chye, which included pieces of fish maw, mushrooms, carrot and cabbage drowning in a thick viscous sauce. The tempeh pieces and koropok were more special. For the protein, the dory fish was fried well, with a crunchy surface and tender meat beneath the breading. The curry sauce coating the rice grains was flavorful and the chili sauce given at the side gave the dish an extra hint of spiciness desired for spice lovers.

The egg tarts, while served cold, were also pretty decent. The buttery base was fragrant and the eggy centre was tender.

For a place like Jewel, we feel that the prices are acceptable and the standards are pretty good too.

Was around the Hougang area and decided to take a bus down to this coffee shop where a Ponggol Nasi Lemak outlet was at. We were there around 7pm on a Monday evening and while the queue was long, often with at least 10 pax in line to order, the staff were really efficient in completing the orders. A lady would ask those waiting in line how many packets of Nasi Lemak they’re ordering and if you want to dine in or takeaway. Thereafter, when you’re reaching the cashier, you can order the sides to go along the rice.

The Nasi Lemak was fragrant, with the rice grains nicely separated and cooked to the right texture - not too mushy nor undercooked. We also liked that the egg yolk remained runny and would be drizzled over the coconut rice to provide extra creaminess. The otah was flavorful and not too spicy, and it came in a larger than expected serving compared to the otah one would get elsewhere. However, it doesn’t have that char that otah found in hawker centres have that some might desire. The fish was also fried to a crispy texture but might not be the easiest to eat due to the tiny bones. The lady’s finger was slightly spicy and retained its crunch.

While I didn’t order the chicken drumstick or chicken wings, these two items were hot favorites at this stall. My dining partner who ordered the chicken drumstick was amazed by its huge portion (it was bigger than the drumstick we got from KFC recently. It was also really crunchy and would give a satisfying addition of protein to one’s enjoyable local delicacy.

Lastly, the amount of chili given was sufficient and it wasn’t too sweet. However, it was a bit oily and the oil was coating our rice grains towards the end of the meal. We didn’t find the chili very special but the fragrance of the coconut rice and well executed accompaniments made this meal a truly satisfying one.