Welcome to Duxton.

Was going around Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre and noticed quite a lot of changes amongst the tenants in the red zone especially around the same area as where one can find notable establishments such as that of Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap 金记潮州卤鸭. Whilst most of the newer tenants seem to lack the ability to draw much attention, New Horse Noodles 新马干捞面 did manage to pique our interest — this is a fairly new stall that is situated beside the outlet of AiXin Wanton Noodle 爱心云吞面 there; located right at the corner, the stall is right behind Ding Dang Pan Mian 丁当板面 and has a facade that faces the HDB blocks at Sago Lane. Run by two (2) young hawkerpreneurs, New Horse Noodles specialises in serving up Handmade Hakka Yong Tau Foo alongside Malaysian-style dark sauce noodles that are also handmade in-house; there seems to be quite an emphasis on handmade components that suggest its sincerity to serve patrons their best and their passion for the craft that they try to serve up.

Priced at $6.50, the Handmade Hakka Yong Tau Foo Set does feature a bowl of Malaysian-style dark sauce noodles that comes with crispy pork lard and fried shallots; it also does come with a bowl of soup on the side which comes with elements such as corn on cob and carrots — Yong Tau Foo elements here will include the Tau Kee (beancurd skin), stuffed bittergourd, stuffed tofu and stuffed tofu puff. Giving the bowl of noodles a good toss before digging in, we note that there is sufficient black sauce to go around all of the noodles — considering how the noodles are handmade, we did notice how the noodles do not come with any alkaline-y notes that are typical of commercially-made yellow noodles; the noodles also do carry a springy and bouncy texture with a bit of chew whilst the dark sauce provides much of the slightly sweet and savoury notes. The addition of pork lard also gives it an extra umami note against that of the dark sauce, while the crispy pork lard adds a crunch to provide a bit of a textural variance to the bowl of noodles. The bowl of soup was pretty refreshing in contrast; there is a lingering note of natural sweetness coming from the inclusion of corn and carrots whilst it ends off with a clean finish. The handmade Yong Tau Foo pieces are said to be stuffed with a mix of pork and seafood filling — there is no undesirable porky stench that came along with them, while the proportion of pork does give the pieces a good bite. Don’t forget to dip the Yong Tau Foo pieces into their chili sauce that they provide on the side; this does come zippy and zingy with a gingery note typically found in the chili that usually accompanies Hainanese-style Chicken Rice, though we liked how it wasn’t overly infused with calamansi juice to avoid carrying that heavy tang that comes at the back that one might experience with some Hainanese-style Chicken Rice chili out there.

[Chinatown, Singapore 🇸🇬]

8 pieces of made in house Yong tau foo which includes bitter gourd, egg plant, fried fish cake, bean curd, fish cake, stuffed bean curd skin, fish ball.
S$6

Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu
Address : 335 Smith St, #02-88, Singapore 🇸🇬 050335
Open : 5am - 1.30pm

~ What we had ~

Starters: Soupe a l'Oignon\Classic French Onion Soup
Mains: Joue De Boeuf\Red Wine Braised Beef Cheek with Mashed Potato, Grilled Lamb Rack
Dessert: Tarte Fine Aux Pommes\Signature Apple Tart

~ Verdict ~

Starters: Surprisingly good. Beef stock was flavourful. The only downside was the bread was slightly overtoasted. 🧅🍲
Mains: Beef cheek was tender and the portion was quite generous! However, it can get quite "jelak" towards the end. The lamb rack definitely outshone the beef dish. 🥩🍖
Dessert: The signature dish. Highlight was the crust. 🍎🥧

Visitors should be one of the cafes that one would come across if scrolling around social media in recent times — these folks had most certainly made their mark in the local F&B scene despite it being a new entrant considering the number of posts about it on social media that is going around. Situated at the foot of Blk 7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, Visitors takes over the former premises of the now-defunct Badaro Korean Seafood — other dining establishments within its vicinity would include that of the outlet of DOPA and Lad & Dad. Visitors is an establishment by the team behind Noci Pasta Bar at Suntec City; the interior of the establishment is an entire vibe of its own that feels like an attempt to replicate that of a cozy, minimalist living room with a Japandi touch; there is also an outdoor dining area that is decked like a patio space at the entrance as well. Being a cafe with a Korean-style element in the menu, the food menu is split into sections dedicated to Croissant, Brunch and Dessert, while the beverages menu is categorised into segments such as Coffee, Special, Tea, Wine and Beer.

Due to the number of items unavailable in the Brunch section of the menu by the time we had made our visit to Visitors on a weekend before 12 noon, we found ourselves going for the Croissant Butter Selection — this essentially an item in which features their butter croissants being sliced into halves with patrons having the ability to choose between two (2) different toppings to go along with the halved croissants. For our order of the Croissant Butter Selection, we went for the Honey Ricotta and the Prosciutto & Arugula options; the latter coming as a chargeable option that requires a top-up of $1 above the default base price. The Honey Ricotta would be the crowd-pleaser between the two toppings that we had opted for — the butter croissant on its own would fit well for those whom do not like their croissant to be too buttery; it does however come pretty light and crisp, while the airy, laminated interiors of the pastry does make it a light vehicle to have alongside the toppings above it. The ricotta cheese does come smooth and rich; it does seem to carry a creamy consistency, though not particularly heavy nor cheesy flavour-wise and pairs very well with the drizzle of honey that gives everything a light hint of floral sweetness for a contrast of flavours. Meanwhile, the Prosciutto & Arugula will appeal to those whom are into savoury flavours more; the butter croissant is lightly drizzled with olive oil, whilst the prosciutto provides the saltish-ness that one would typically expect out of cured meat — the inclusion of arugula adding a slight bitterness to cut through the savouriness with a sprinkle of pepper and salt to bring the other elements to taste. A very simple item that works well as a light munch whilst at Visitors.

Bagels in Singapore? 🤔 not surprising BUT Vegan Bagels hmmmm 🧐 Ahimsa Sanctuary has burritos, bagels, sourdoughs and so much more for your choosing 😍

I got myself a Egg Bacon and Cheese Bagel 🥯 Feel like a child eating this as one bite, and everything inside starts dropping on my plate HAHAHAHA 🤣 Taste wise? Its delicious, tempeh tofu and the sauce, simply 😋😋

Vegan restaurant with no alliums option available. Vibes is giving overseas 🫶

Conveniently located near Maxwell MRT, somewhere by the roadside.

Highly recommended for a short lunch getaway here during work or even weekends 🥳

One of my favourite Korean lunch spots at Tanjong Pagar! The Spicy Soft Tofu Stew ($10) and Kimchi Stew ($10) are super flavourful and come with a generous amount of ingredients. I like that the kimchi stew is not too sour as well. Great value for money!

Had my meal at Ahimsa Sanctuary. I got Impesto, double sourdough. To be honest, I have no idea what is inside, seems like its sliced tomato, cashew pesto, lettuce, grilled tofu and veganaise 🥰 (i got the ingredients list from google 😂)

What matters is that, its absolutely tasty, the crispy exterior and the way all ingredients mixed together 😋😋 💯 % worth a try! Vibes here is peaceful, it feels like you are transported to another dimension to enjoy your meal while you are there ☺️

Fully Vegan, alliums free options are available as well 🥳

Conveniently located beside Maxwell MRT.

HIGH RATING recommendation for all my fellow vegans 🤓 this is a MUST try ‼️

There has been quite a number of new tenants that had recently moved into Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre of the late — whilst we had recently mentioned about Heritage Yong Tau Foo which had appeared in the yellow zone of the food centre, another stall that had moved in a couple of months back in the green zone of the food centre would be Santan & Spice. These folks can be found occupied a stall unit in the row right next to where the now-defunct Zhu Zhu Zai 猪猪仔 used to be located. A stall that is Muslim-run, Santan & Spice serves up Nasi Lemak as its primary offering — this would include four (4) variants where one can opt for either the Nasi Lemak Ayam or Nasi Lemak Ikan, and whether to pair it with their Sambal Sotong. Another item which Santan & Spice offer would be their Tahu Begedil — so keep in tabs with their Instagram page for the availability of the item.

The Nasi Lemak Ayam comes without much surprises in terms of the elements it features — think Ayam Goreng Berempah (Wing), anchovies, peanuts, sambal chili and an omelette, and is priced affordably at $4.50. What we found rather interesting with the Nasi Lemak at Santan & Spice is seemingly the use of glutinous rice for its coconut milk-infused rice — the rice does come with a sticky texture that is quite unlike most Nasi Lemak that we have come across, all that while the rice does carrying a very light saltish note that tickles the tastebuds. The highlight of the Nasi Lemak Ayam for us would be the Ayam Goreng Berempah (Wing); these does come warm when we made our visit slightly before lunch peak hours — the exterior does come with a crisp whilst the meat within is still tender and juicy. The Ayam Goreng Berempah (Wing) was also very well marinated with very distinct notes of turmeric and lemongrass as well. The omelette that came alongside was pretty run-of-the-mill but decent, while the anchovies still carried a crunch for a variance of textures for the Nasi Lemak Ayam. The sambal that came alongside with the Nasi Lemak Ayam came more saltish than sweet without the grease; complimented the Nasi Lemak itself pretty well whilst carrying a suitable note of spiciness which would be pretty manageable for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness.

One of the stalls that we had been noticing its existence during its fitting-out phase at Chinatown Complex Food Centre was actually that of Heritage Yong Tau Foo 怡保客家酿豆腐; these folks are not to be mistaken for another establishment that used the same namesake at Marina One which had since ceased operations by the time this stall has sprouted up. Heritage Yong Tau Foo is located in the yellow zone of Chinatown Complex Food Centre; these folks can be found situated within the same row of stalls as where one would be able to find Shen Xi Imperial Soup 沈希第一補汤. Taking up a corner stall unit, these folks are also fairly recognisable considering the use of a brown signboard that is fairly atypical for a hawker stall in general. As the Chinese namesake of the establishment suggests that the stall serves up Hakka-style Yong Tau Foo with roots from Ipoh, Malaysia — apart from serving up assorted Yong Tau Foo with noodles, the stall also does serve up Asam Laksa as one of its signature dishes as well.

Noting that the Asam Laksa is a signature offering alongside its assortment of Handmade Mackerel Yong Tau Foo offerings, it is needless to say that we had decided to give their Asam Laksa a try — Heritage Yong Tau Foo serves up their Asam Laksa in two different sizes; Regular and Big, which we found ourselves goigg by for the Regular portion size. Heritage Yong Tau Foo does not describe the elements featured in their Asam Laksa, though one can expect the usual elements found in the Penang Assam Laksa that tend to come with tamarind, pineapple, raw onions, cucumber, mint leaves, prawn paste (optional) and Laksa noodles. Giving the bowl of noodles a good mix for the prawn paste to be integrated with the broth, we liked how the Asam Laksa here carries a refreshing note with a slight savouriness and a bit of funk from the prawn paste — a characteristic that a good Asam Laksa should carry. Here, the addition of prawn paste provides just enough umami without being particularly overbearing — all that whilst the tamarind in the broth provided a good sourish tang that also carried a slight hint of spiciness that should work well with those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness alongside the slurpy rice noodles. The addition of various elements like pineapple, raw onions and cucumbers added a refreshing crunch to further compliment the tanginess of the broth — the pineapple giving an additional touch of sweetness amidst the tang, while the raw onions added a zing; all that whilst the mint leaves gave extra aromatics to the dish. Whilst at it with the Asam Laksa, don’t forget to add the Sha Kok from the assortment of Handmade Mackerel Yong Tau Foo items available for patrons to pick and choose at the counter — the Sha Kok (otherwise known as Yam Bean Fritters) is a classic at stalls serving up Ipoh Hakka-style Yong Tau Foo that comes with a slight sweetness and delivers a crunch; best to be paired with their zippy chilli sauce on the side!

Had been passing by Henly Huat Drinks Food Court for quite a while whenever we are around the Outram Park neighbourhood — this will be the coffeeshop located at 120 Neil Road that is at the cross junction between Keong Saik Road, Neil Road and Craig Road that is just diagonally opposite from Shake Shack’s location there. It does seem that the coffeeshop has seen a recent change of tenants in some of the stalls operating there — located deep within the coffeeshop right beside the outlet of Chai Chee Minced Meat Noodle there is 角头GataoSG. An establishment that serves up Taiwanese cuisine, 角头 GataoSG was a brand that had first started out in Johor Bahru, Malaysia at Austin Heights — they had since ceased operations there. Being a dining establishment situated within a coffeeshop, the offerings at 角头GataoSG is less varied than what it used to serve up in Malaysia; the menu at their Neil Road location consists of their signature fried chicken cutlets, bento sets and side dishes — their braised pork rice dish being pretty affordably priced at $3.90.

Priced at $9.50, the impression of the Crispy Chicken Popcorn Bento with Braised Meat on first sight is how generously-sized the bento is — the plate definitely comes with a bit of heft considering the generous load of rice, braised meat, chicken popcorn, pickled cucumbers, preserved vegetables, lava eggs, and Taiwanese sausage that came along with it. All of the elements served up with the dish were pretty well-executed; our favourite was undeniably the chicken popcorn which are chunks of fried chicken that came with a crisp, golden brown batter on the outside, while the meat within comes juicy and tender. Seasoned with paprika, it does come with a slight kick of spiciness that should be manageable for those whom are tolerable to lighter levels of spiciness. The braised meat itself came with ample braising liquid to flavour up the portion of rice beneath it; the minced pork carrying a savoury note while the consistency of the meat was on the leaner side to provide a good bite — does not come with any undesirable porky stench considering how it has absorbed the flavours of the braising liquid. Other elements like the pickled cucumbers and preserved vegetables adds an element of tang or crunch that resets the tastebuds from all the meat and carbs; the Taiwanese sausage was a little bit on the drier side but props should be given to them on how there is an attempt to style it to make it looks slightly more unique; the lava egg comes with soft whites and a runny egg yolk that is all jammy which is a crowd pleaser on its own.

The House Chung Dam offers a thoughtfully curated dining experience, with an elegant yet comfortable ambience that makes it suitable for both casual occasions and more special evenings. The service was attentive and well-paced, with staff demonstrating professionalism and a good understanding of the menu.
What stood out most were the cuts—fresh, high-quality, and prepared with care, allowing the natural flavours to come through. The makgeolli was another highlight, smooth and well-balanced, complementing the meal beautifully. Overall, the freshness of the ingredients and the attention to detail made the experience both satisfying and memorable.
It is certainly a place I would revisit, especially for its consistent quality and well-executed Korean cuisine.

The House Chungdam is a unique Kbbq experience that stands out from the rest of the options along Tanjong Pagar.

Unlike the typical kbbq spots, it has a warm, minimalist setting with bright lighting, creating a clean, upscale aesthetic.

The food did not disappoint as well. I liked how they introduced dishes that differ from standard kbbq fare, like the potato cheese jeon. As a huge proponent of cold noodles with kbbq, I love the mini cold noodles option that served as a perfect complement to round off a hearty meal.