Hawker Spotlight: Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee

When I want to satisfy my craving for Bak Chor Mee (Minced meat noodle), I will often head down to Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee to meet my needs. The food pictured here is taken from the outlet at Hong Lim Food Centre. Be prepared to queue for quite some time here, especially on the weekends. This is because the stall is only open 4 days a week (Thursday to Sunday). 

"In Singapore, follow queue won't go wrong right?"

I suppose you can say so, when it comes to hawker food anyway. Your bowl of noodles is served with dumplings, mushrooms, minced pork, salted fish and tossed in vinegar and oil. This strays from the standard make-up of a Bak Chor Mee recipe we have come to see at many food courts around Singapore. There are no fishballs, fishcake or meatballs here, just good old plain minced meat noodle. The verdict? It's definitely worth your time and money, but it'll be enjoyed the most by those who like dumplings and minced pork, as these 2 items are the more outstanding ones. There is a little bit of salted fish in each dumpling, which greatly enhances the flavour and makes the dumpling more fragrant. The minced pork is done such that the pork is very fine, and I like the fact that there isn't that much fat in the minced meat. It can taste a little salty especially with the vinegar and tiny bit of salted fish as a garnish, but it's still okay when taken with the soup. The soup is just your typical clear soup, but like I mentioned earlier, makes it much easier to wash down the saltiness in your palate. 

However, the portions are definitely insufficient for those heavy eaters, and those who want more variety in their Bak Chor Mee will most likely be disappointed as well. It's yet another sad instance where quality hawkers have raised their prices such that it's definitely not value for money in terms of portion, but have solely placed customers returning to enjoy the flavour of the food. That being said, I would still come back and pay premium for their Bak Chor Mee, which is probably one of the better ones around. They have another stall at Old Airport Road Food Centre, another foodies' haven. However, I find the Minced Pork Mee to be better at this stall, although the one at Old Airport is more generous with their portions. Do head down if you're in the area!

Expect to pay: $5

#02-42
Hong Lim Food Centre
531A Upper Cross Street

UPDATE: The Humble Loaf @ Katong Shopping Centre

Sorry that the posts haven't been coming as often lately. Been rather busy and haven't had the time to update the blog. That being said, if you haven't given The Humble Loaf a try, it's a great time to do so now as they have a lunch set for only $10 nett.

It includes, a choice of sandwich, pastry and one of their drinks. 

Taken from The Humble Loaf's Facebook Page

Ham and Gruyere Sandwich

This is your classic ham and cheese sandwich, improvised with parsley and garlic butter. As you can see, the bread is well toasted making it very crispy,which is to my liking. However, those who want soft breads can opt for it not to be toasted, The bread used is their Mutigrain Chiaseed Loaf ($6/loaf) which smells and tastes great. I would have preferred more ham though.

Spicy Tuna Sandwich

I loved this sandwich because of the spicy tuna, which was not too salty. It also wasn't saturated with mayo or onions. The cured cucumbers tasted fresh and did not have any bitter aftertaste. The same multigrain chiaseed bread was used. Personally I felt that this was better than the Ham and Gruyere sandwich.

Shoyu Caramel Latte

I upgraded the Americano in the meal in favour for a Shoyu Caramel Latte, which I have enjoyed on mutiple occasions. The subtle saltiness of the shoyu and the hint of caramel syrup somehow go well together and tastes great as a latte. The coffee here might not be the strongest (The coffee is from Highlander) but it tastes okay. Not the strongest coffee but smooth enough to keep you satisfied. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Pardon the overexposure on the cake. This dessert was brilliant. It literally melted in your mouth, and to me, it was largely reminiscent of the molten chocolate lava cakes that are around. The chocolate quality is decent (tastes something along the lines of hershey's baking chocolate) and it is extremely moist. I like strong, dark chocolate, and hence the bitterness of the chocolate was balanced well against the sweetness of the cake overall. The best part? It only costs $2 to buy this ala carte, a price I haven't seen since my school days.

Cinnamon Chocolate Roll

Delicious stuff. This is best eaten hot/warm as the chocolate tastes best in a semi-melted state. The bread used in the roll is also tasty, although it is slightly more chewy than I expected. The bread is fragrant as well, providing a safer alternative that is not as sweet for the discerning eater.

It was hard to get seats when I was there earlier today, and most people were seen ordering the lunch set. So don't miss out now if you're in the area!

Read the full post on The Humble Loaf here: http://eatwheresia.blogspot.sg/2014/01/the-humble-loaf-katong-shopping-centre.html

Don't say good deal bojio!

Twelve Cupcakes

Cupcake fever has been going on in Singapore for quite a while, and it was quite recent that Twelve Cupcakes, arguably one of the fastest-growing and most popular cupcake chain in Singapore, increased their prices. It now costs $3.20 per cupcake for their regular range, and $3.70 for their more premium flavours, some of which include alcohol. The question is, is it worth the hype and money we shell out for it?

I would say that their cupcakes in general are good. You definitely get what you pay for with their regular flavours such as PB Jelly, Cookies and Cream, Red Velvet and Espresso. Their other more special flavours such as Longan, Raspberry White Choc and Strawberry Champagne are certainly better than their regular ones. That being said, the primary distinction between the cupcakes is through the whipped cream which is flavour accordingly. There is a generic selection of either chocolate or plain cupcakes, and then the respective-flavoured cream is put on top. Without the cream, one cupcake would be largely indistinguishable from the other. Although this is somewhat disappointing for a few flavours, you get a consistent result of a moist and not-too-sweet cupcake base, and a well-made whipped cream topping. Those cupcakes which claim to have alcohol in them do have trace amounts of it, but its certainly insufficient for people who want the full flavour that is promised. 

"But you're not answering my question, is it worth it?" I would say at regular price, no, not really. Unless you have a party or a function, which makes it pretty neat for you to bring a box or two of Twelve Cupcakes, which is rather classy and neat in the box and bag. Or perhaps someone is celebrating their birthday and you want to use a cupcake as a substitute for cake. Or perhaps for the occasional indulgence, I guess it's fine. However, there are a few promotions at closing time that might be of interest. They usually go for Buy 4 get 2 free near closing time, or 6 cupcakes for a fixed rate of $12, regardless of whether the flavours are under the regular range or premium range. They also do have occasional tie-ups with credit cards so that makes this little luxury a little more affordable. In summary, if you don't mind paying premium for a cupcake that is of a guaranteed quality, then go ahead and get it! Otherwise, I would probably be more frugal as you probably can make your own cupcakes to a standard that's pretty similar, if not better than theirs.

UPDATE: Chye Seng Huat @ Tyrwhitt Road

Went back to Chye Seng Huat on a weekend and boy was the crowd crazy. Hard to find even a place for two, and 15 minutes of frustration later, finally got a comfy seat with backrest (yay). Decided not to go for their filtered coffee but rather their pressured coffee this time. After all, I always prefer pressured coffee. Had the almond croissant again which I love, but the chocolate brownie which I had the other time was gone. Probably a seasonal offering ):

Decided not to go for their Nuts + Bolts Espresso, and instead went for their Throwback, which was a blend of Brazilian and Sumatran coffee beans. I loved it as it was much stronger than the Nuts + Bolts, as I compared the taste between single shots for both the blends. I myself had a double shot Throwback Espresso (pictured below) which is a nice upgrade if you love coffee (it costs just $0.50 for one additional shot). The Throwback was also more bitter and heavy, and it made the Nuts + Bolts taste much milder in comparison. However, the Throwback isn't a permanent brew so I would catch it while you can! 

View the full post on Chye Seng Huat Hardware here:

http://eatwheresia.blogspot.sg/2013/12/chye-seng-huat-hardware-tyrwhitt-road.html

Odeon Beef Noodle @ Food Republic Wisma Atria

Just a short post to promote my favourite beef noodle. Take note that this probably isn't the original because they have a whole slew of franchisees, but I find this to be one of the better ones. This is primarily for convenience as I am in Orchard much more than other places. This  costs $6 currently for the whole set including the beef soup with beef balls at Food Republic's Wisma outlet. I used to eat this when it was located at the basement of the current Scott's Square, years before their overhaul. What makes me like this version of beed noodles so much is its gravy. Sure, it's starchy, but just the right amount and is extremely flavourful. The beef soup is also AWESOME, but I would take it dry as the soup doesn't taste as good when you order their beef noodles in soup. The cook here is rather generous with the beef slices, which are well done. Like I mentioned earlier, this isn't the original so the sauces aren't as nice as I remember them to be, but they're better than average. Do give this a try the next time you're at Food Republic Wisma Atria

Expect to pay: $6 onwards

The Humble Loaf @ Katong Shopping Centre

Many people have the misconception that Penny University is the only cafe worth going to in the East. However, I've recently found a gem in one of the most unexpected places ever. Katong Shopping Centre primarily caters to people who are looking for domestic helpers as a large portion of the shops here are maid employment agencies. On a trip to try the famous Delicious Boneless Chicken Rice in the food court, I stumbled upon this modest-looking cafe. It's name? The Humble Loaf. There are only 3 tables for 2 inside this little shop, apart from the counter seats, and hence I felt abit paiseh to whip out my camera and take photos due to the intimate setting. Therefore, I'm using these pictures available on The Humble Loaf's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/thehumbleloaf?fref=ts) 

Picture taken from The Humble Loaf's Facebook Page

The Humble Loaf is best known for their baked goods, and they often sell out way before their closing hours. Despite being a small cafe in a rather ulu place, The Humble Loaf has a steady stream of regulars, or people coming into the store to enquire about their goods as well as to place orders. The cafe serves coffee from Highlander, which is decent enough. My personal favourite is the shoyu caramel latte, which has a distinct flavour of shoyu which makes it a quirky cuppa for me. They also serve tea as well, but their coffees are evidently more popular when I was observing the other guests. They also serve sandwiches and eggs, which are freshly made on the spot upon order. The pastries were also fairly cheap (I remember brownies going for the price of approximately $2.50) and change on a daily basis, depending on what the cafe decides to bake. 

Picture taken from The Humble Loaf's Facebook Page

Picture taken from The Humble Loaf's Facebook Page

Do pay them a visit while they're in the area, or do what many people do and take away their freshly baked loaves of brioche and other baked goodies. However, the place definitely cannot accommodate large groups of people so that's certainly a drawback, but it's always good to start small and be sustainable. 

Expect to pay: $5-10

#B1-92
Katong Shopping Centre
865 Mountbatten Road

UPDATE: Read my second post on the Humble Loaf here! With pictures too!
http://eatwheresia.blogspot.sg/2014/01/update-humble-loaf-katong-shopping.html

Hawker Spotlight: Whitley Road Big Prawn Mee @ Old Airport Road Food Centre

Yet another gem in Old Airport Road Food Centre, Whitley Road Prawn Mee is yet another decorated stall that serves good quality food. I won't comment much on the noodles, which are your typical egg noodles that you would get from the market, but what's special about this stall is the prawn broth. The broth is sweet and flavourful, and not too oily or heavy. The prawns are average, but of a decent size. The prawns are also sliced in half to make it easier to eat, but that's also an excuse for a smaller serving of prawns. I usually order the $3 version which just comes with prawns when I come here every other week. The $5 version comes with the pork ribs, which I found to be average in terms of the portion they serve as well as the overall taste. For a better Pork Rib Prawn Mee, I would head on to Noo Cheng Adam Road Prawn Noodle in Zion Road Food Centre. However, I personally prefer the prawn broth here which I find to be richer.

Expect to pay: $3-5

#01-98
Old Airport Road Food Centre
51 Old Airport Road

Hawker Spotlight: Toa Payoh Rojak @ Old Airport Road Food Centre

Rojak stalls in Singapore are everywhere, but I only eat the rojak from one place on a regular basis, and that's the one at Old Airport Road Food Centre. It's name? Toa Payoh Rojak.

I've been patronising this stall for a good number of years now, and their stream of patrons have always bene constant. You have to take a queue number first, and subsequently you make your order when your number is called. Hence you could say it's like any other numbering system you would expect to find in hospitals, clinics or the like. The stall is usually manned by the old man and his wife, as well as his son-in-law. There is a slight difference in how the rojak made by each individual comes out, but more on that later. 

A key selling point in the stall's fame is the shrimp sauce that is used in the rojak, but from what I have observed, it isn't handmade, but rather ordered by the tin. The secret to the sauce includes more sugar, with lime and lemongrass added to the sauce. There is also a secret ingredient that is usually stored in a porcelain mug which I believe is one of the reasons this rojak is arguably one of the best in Singapore. I usually have mine without the chili, but adding a bit of chili allows you to enjoy the dish while still finishing up the shrimp sauce. Personally, I will always just eat the shrimp sauce as it is with the peanuts. 

My recommendation is to have the rojak at the food centre itself, as the dough fritters (you tiao) are hand toasted before they are mixed in the wooden bowl. My only grouse is that they could add more bits of jellyfish strips (a $3 serving entitles you to only one piece of jellyfish) so that more people can try its flavour with the shrimp paste. Overall, the dish is rather sweet, which can make one slightly thirsty after consuming it, but the flavours are all well-balanced as you would expect of in a rojak dish. This is one of the dishes I have each time I go to Old Airport Road Food Centre for a meal when they are open. Highly Recommended.

Expect to pay: $3-5 (a $3 serving will serve 2-3)

 #01-108
Old Airport Road Food Centre
51 Old Airport Road
Closed on Sundays.

On a side note, Toa Payoh Rojak is often confused with the one at Toa Payoh HDB Hub (Soon Heng Silver Stream Rojak). I've tried it before and it doesn't even hold a candle to this one. Perhaps the only reason you would patronise that stall is that the portions are bigger. But I'm never one to compromise on quality for quantity.

Hawker Spotlight: 新美香卤面 Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee @ Old Airport Road Food Centre

Disclaimer: I've lost the photos I took when I went to have Lor Mee here recently, so I'll be using the ones available on their facebook page for now until I go there agan.

When you bring up Lor Mee, there are 2 stalls that come to mind. One is Xin Mei Xiang Zheng Zong Lor Mee, which this post is about, and Tiong Bahru Lor Mee, which is my main basis for comparison. On a regular day before lunch hour (1145am), expect to queue around 45 minutes for this dish. Midway through queueing, you will be asked for your order, and when you actually do reach the counter, your order will be confirmed and your preferences (such as the addition of chilli and vinegar) will be finalised. Don't feel exasperated as people who usually buy from this stall order between 4 to 10 bowls so sometimes the queue can really feel like a Christmas Eve jam. Just start to play a game on your phone or scroll through your news feed and I'm sure you'll get there in no time. 

Image taken from Xin Mei Xiang's Facebook Page

I will usually order the $4 bowl of Lor Mee as it comes with shredded fish, and for noodle choice I'll have mixed bee hoon and egg noodle. I recommend a bit of chilli to go with the dish if you can stomach spiciness, and a bit of vinegar enhances the flavour. The shredded fish is actually decent because you can actually much on 1-2 inch pieces of semi-fried fish, and the lean meat does not have too much of a fatty portion which is good. The crux to this dish is the gravy, which I believe is yet another family secret (the stall is run by a group of sisters and their spouses). The starch added gives it the right amount of consistency and the taste is pleasant, with or without the vinegar (adding vinegar is recommended!). Another good thing about this is that you don't feel thirsty after eating it so that's great too.

Image taken from Xin Mei Xiang's Facebook Page.

On days when Xin Mei Xiang (XMX) is open, you will find like 15 people in the queue at a time (hence the approximate 30-45 minute wait). In contrast, Tiong Bahru Lor Mee (TB) will have like 5 people at a time, if a queue even forms at all (I observed this!). On the other hand, when the former is closed, Tiong Bahru Lor Mee suddenly has a stream of people who probably did not want their trip to Old Airport Road Food Centre ending up as a wasted one. The difference lies mainly in their gravy. TB's one is much thicker and tastes more like the conventional Lor Mee gravy whereas XMX's is lighter and more distinctive. Also, the shredded fish at XMX comes in much larger pieces and is much more flavourful than its counterpart. The lean meat you'll find at TB also is saltier but that's not that much of a concern for me.

Expect to pay:  $3-5 ($4 and above is recommended)

#01-113
Old Airport Road Food Centre
51 Old Airport Road

Joe & Dough @ Milennia Walk

Run out of places to meet up in town but don't want to burn a hole in your wallet? One of the good places to go to is Joe & Dough. The last time I checked, they have a lunch tea set where you can get any sliced cake or pastry paired with any drink for $8. It used to be $6.80 but prices have gone up since then. I used to patronize the outlet outside Carrefour in Suntec City, but the area is now closed and undergoing renovations. Instead I now go to their outlet on the 2nd floor of Milennia Walk. Love the ambiance there due to it being quiet and you can really have a good conversation here. Even if you come at hours where you are unable to enjoy the promotion, their drinks and pastries are still reasonably priced. Furthermore, their coffee is much nicer than other commericalised cafes such as Starbucks and Coffee Bean.

Their Signature Valrhona Chocolate Cake. Goes well with anything (since I love chocolate anyway), although it might be a tad bit dry, depending on when you actually go there and how fresh the stock is. 

Prune Cheesecake. Moist cheesecake that does not feel too rich or heavy, and the prunes accentuate the flavour of the cake.  

Cafe Latte. Your daily cuppa, made from coffee beans that are ground upon order. You don't have to wait long for this, as the barista usually does a swift yet good job when making your order. 

Didn't get any pictures of their cold drinks here, but their iced coffees are generally good, with my personal favourite being the iced mocha. Do note the opening hours of the various outlets before you pay them a visit as they do close quite early for some outlets. 

Exepct to pay: $5-10 a person, depending on how much you order.

#02-31
Milennia Walk
9 Raffles Boulevard

Chye Seng Huat Hardware @ Tyrwhitt Road

Been reading alot of good reviews regarding the food served at Chye Seng Huat Hardware (CSHH) Coffee Bar, and so I decided to head down to give it a try since I was in the area. Currently also on my quest to find good coffee places to meet up with friends instead of patronizing the over-commercialised ones like Starbucks. It is located relatively near Jalan Besar Stadium, in a rather unassuming street. In fact, I even saw Bangladeshi workers sleeping nearby. 

The cafe exudes a nostalgic charm, being true to its namesake, as you can see in the picture below. It occupies the first floor of the shophouse, whilst there is what I believe to be an Arts company on the second level. Seating in the cafe is mainly for a party of one or two people, with larger groups needing to head to the open air spaces outside. However if you are inside, you might want to bring a jacket as the temperatures are relatively low.

The picture below shows the alternate entrance to the one above, and you can see a long queue forming within the cafe even at 2pm.

Not the best image quality, but each of their placards has a phrase "Huat ah" which I found to my quite quaint. Also pictured here is the alternate entrance, which is not sheltered. However, the open air seating space boasts a canopy so you'll not get wet. However, winds do blow a little bit of rain splatter onto your legs, but personally I found it nice, if not a bit romantic.

Water here is free flow! And sugar comes in a common sugar jar as opposed to sachets.

View of the interior and some of the internal seating/retail space

Regular Espresso with Milk ($5.50) NO SERVICE CHARGE!! The staff referred to this as the "latte" and I found the milk to be semi-rich. The texture of the coffee was smooth, but I felt that the milk overpowered the taste just slightly (I like my coffee strong). 

Chocolate Brownie with Cranberries and White Chocolate Chips ($5.50). This was heavenly. I believe they used Valrhona Chocolate for this, which made it extremely rich and it had just the right level of sweetness. Delicious pairing with my coffee, which I took without milk and sugar. Reasonably priced given the size and quality of the brownie.

Almond Croissant ($3.50) This was another good selection, with the price being all right as well. Definitely cheaper than the overpriced Tiong Bahru Bakery. The icing and almonds made the croissant especially fragrant, and it was definitely comparable with the quality of the former.

La Cupula, or the Balanced Brew from Guatemala ($6). The description did not say much except that it was a origins brew. Hence I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was hand-brewed, and made through the filtration method. Waited 15 minutes for this to arrive, and I found the presentation of the coffee interesting. Personally I'm more of a "pressured-coffee" person, but I found this decent. The coffee was rather acidic but at the same time light on the palate. It was extremely smooth without the bitter aftertaste. 

La Minita, or the Bold Brew from Costa Rice. ($6). Prepared in a similar way to the coffee above, but I found this much stronger, which I liked. However, the coffee tasted more common when you compare how exquisite the taste is. 

More of the offerings in CSHH. 

An extremely good find tucked away in a quiet street, definitely a place I would bring my friends to. Probably the most charming cafe I've been to yet. They do serve a breakfast menu but I would probably stick with the drinks and pastries.

Expect to pay: $5-10 per person, depending on what you order. NO SERVICE CHARGE. and GST is included in the prices already. So they're literally charging you NETT.

150 Tyrwhitt Rd, 207563

63960609

Read about my second visit here!
http://eatwheresia.blogspot.sg/2014/01/update-chye-seng-huat-tyrwhitt-road.html