Kway Chap

 "I've been craving the kway chap from this stall run by an elderly couple, and I'm excited to finally have the chance to enjoy it again now that they've reopened."

Kway Chap

It took a little while for our food to be served, but it was well worth the wait. The platter included slices of fishcake, and the innards were impeccably cleaned, free of any gamey taste. 

Two Pax Meal - $9

Each item on the plate was beautifully braised, striking a perfect balance of savoury saltiness and subtle sweetness. 

In terms of location, my friends and I compared this Kway Chap with the one from Jalan Batu Market & Food Centre. After much discussion, we all agreed that the Jalan Batu stall is more aligned with our taste preferences, making it the one we’d return to.

Kway Chap

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Kway Chap
Location: Jalan Benaan Kapal Food Centre, 56 Jalan Benaan Kapal, #01-03, Singapore 399644

Teochew City 潮州城

Check out Teochew City, where Tradition meets innovation in every dish. Nestled among the industrial areas in Kallang, we were amazed by how Teochew City showcases the Classic Teochew Braised Duck with modern twists on timeless favourites. 

Teochew City

Our eyes are immediately drawn to the striking high shelves counter, a centrepiece that epitomizes elegance and sophistication, especially the showcase bottles of alcohol 

The dining environment perfectly blends traditional charm and contemporary sophistication and is designed to provide a comfortable and memorable experience for every guest.

Environment

Let's look through the menu and order some dishes!

Menu 

Stepping into the exclusive 20-seater private room, a perfect blend of sophistication and intimacy designed to provide an unparalleled dining experience. The moment we entered, we were greeted by the warm, ambient glow of elegant swirl lighting that gracefully descended from the ceiling. The room is tastefully decorated with walls adorned with tasteful artwork and subtle accents, enhancing the room's sophisticated aesthetic without overwhelming the senses. 

Exclusive 20 Seater Private Room

Savour the rich and diverse flavours of Teochew City's Braised Duck Platter, a delightful assortment of meticulously prepared ingredients that promises a symphony of tastes and textures. This dish features tender braised duck, accompanied by a harmonious selection of peanuts, quail eggs, Tau Kwa,  pork belly and cut cucumber.

Braised Duck Platter 卤水五拼 - $48

Experience Teochew City's exquisite twist on the classic Shark Fin Soup. The presentation is elegant, served on a wooden box, cradling the double-layer metal bowl with fried green pepper snacks. 

Sour & Spicy Sharks' Fin Soup 黄焖汤烩鲍翅 - $48

The Shark fin is perfectly cooked, offering a tender and silky texture that effortlessly blends with the robust and flavourful broth.

Silky Shark Fin

Wet Tissue

Savour Teochew City's unique invention, Spinach and Crab Meat Fried Rice, is a culinary masterpiece crafted with fresh and premium ingredients. While the dish was served, we noticed the vibrant green of the spinach beautifully contrasted with the succulent pieces of crab meat, creating a visually appealing and appetizing presentation. The dish has edame and orange fish roes to enhance its presentation. A bowl of fried rice crackers was provided to top the fried rice if you feel like adding additional texture to your dish.

Spinach & Crab Meat Fried Rice 蟹肉苋菜炒饭 - $22

A dish that masterfully combines premium seafood with a luscious, sweet-savoury glaze. This elegant offering is a celebration of texture and taste, bringing together the delicate essence of sea cucumber and the succulent richness of scallops, all enveloped in a perfectly balanced honey sauce.

Sea Cucumber & Scallops in Honey Sauce 蜜汁炸海参带子 - $22

The Mashed Taro with Gingko & Pumplin is a Teochew Classic Dessert, showcasing the creamy texture of mashed taro, complemented by the delicate flavours of ginkgo nuts, crunchy slices of water chestnut and the natural sweetness of pumpkin.

Mashed Taro with Gingko & Pumpkin 素金瓜福果芋泥 - $4.80  Yuan Yang Sesame Glutinous Rice 素鸳鸯芝麻软糕 - $8.80 

The kway teow noodles are the heart of this dish, showcasing their characteristic silky-smooth texture and ability to absorb the rich flavours of the accompanying ingredients. Each strand is perfectly cooked, providing a delightful chewiness that pairs beautifully with the crispiness of the preserved radish. Though it looked simple with a few ingredients, it takes a skillful chef to whip up a good plate of such classic dish.

Teochew Style Fried Kway Teow with Preserved Radish 潮州菜脯粿条 - $16

Stir-Fried Cordyceps Flower with Royale Chives is a testament to Teochew City's dedication to quality and innovation. This dish is perfect for those seeking a healthy, flavorful, and unique dining experience. The cordyceps flowers, known for their subtle earthy flavour and tender texture, are the highlight of this dish. The chives are expertly stir-fried to retain their bright green colour and nutritional goodness, adding a vibrant and appetizing look to the dish.

Stir-Fried Cordyceps Flower with Royale Chives 土草花青龙菜 - $16

Whether you are savoring a hearty meal with family, hosting a business dinner, or celebrating a special occasion, Teochew City provides a refined and welcoming atmosphere that makes every visit truly special. The combination of impeccable service, exquisite cuisine, and a beautifully designed dining environment ensures that Teochew City is not just a restaurant, but a destination for those seeking an unforgettable dining experience.

Teochew City 潮州城
Location: Mapletree Hi-Tech Park Food Court, 163 Kallang Wy, #01-12, Singapore 349256

Kallang Claypot Lala

Claypot Lala / Prawns / Crayfish has been a trending dish in the culinary scene nowadays, garnering significance attention and popularity. The use of claypot enhances the flavours by providing even heat distribution and retaining moisture, resulting in a rich, aromatic dish that is both comforting and delicious 

Kallang Claypot Lala

Many food stalls and restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon with this rising popularity, offering their version of claypot Lala. These establishments vary in their recipes and cooking techniques but the core appeal remains the same: a delightful combination of tender clams and a savoury aromatic broth service in the rustic charm of a claypot with burning charcoal fire. 

Condiments Counter

The table is set with an array of fresh ingredients, from thinly sliced meats to vibrant vegetables from our orders through the reusable menu. While we were waiting for the claypot of Special Lala Broth to be ready, we chit chat among ourselves.

Ingredients.

A cloud of fragrant steam escaped as we lifted the lid of the clay pot, revealing the contents within. I was flabbergasted and excited by the sight that greeted me with these plump, jumbo Lala clams. Their shells were widely parted to reveal its tender, succulent meat.

Jumbo Lala

They were nestled in a rich, aromatic broth, glistening with the hint of fried garlic and ginger strips. The unexpected bounty took my breath away, and I could not wait to sink the spoon in and grab myself a sip of its broth.

Lala

There are 3 Lala dishes available, Lala White Bee Hoon, Lala Mui Fan and Lala Bee Hoon Soup. As a fan of Lala White Bee Hoon, I could not resist this dish. The broth from the plate of Bee Hoon tasted the same as what was from our claypot. The taste was considerably fine with Jumbo Lala, prawns, egg and vegetables making up the dish. 

Lala White Bee Hoon - $5.80

Having the Lala cleared from the pot, its time to put in our ordered ingredients. Let’s start dipping our thin layer of meat into the savoury hot claypot broth for seconds to get this cook!

Shabu Shabu

The playful me could not resist to create some joy out of the meal and decided to do the flip and roll of the Shabu Shabu over the pair of chopsticks.

The Flip & Roll of the Meat

We order a serving of Tiger Prawn and it came in a tray of 4. The prawn meat was succulent and bouncy topping up the speciality Lala broth with additional umami flavours. 

Prawns

As usual, we prefer not to cook these prawns over the fire for a long time as it might lost the texture we wanted.

Cooked Tiger Prawns

The ambiance of a charcoal pot fire is definitely cozy and inviting, with warm glow and gentle crackle. The dining experience was made better as we gather over this warm pot during a cool weather after a rainy day.

Bubbling Broth

If you enjoy Lala over Charcoal Fire, you may want to try out Kallang Claypot Lala that is located in the industrial estate.

Steamy Rustic Claypot with Food

Kallang Claypot Lala

Location: 10 Lorong Bakar Singapore 348744

Siang Garden

We visited this corner of the industrial food canteen one of the evenings and decided to have our meals there at Siang Garden. Like many canteen, there will be a Cze Char stall is always.

Siang Garden

Grab their Fish Head Steamboat Promo at 50% off. For a $40, Small Portion, you will pay just $20 or $30 for the large portion. Their Promotion is valid from Monday to Friday after 3pm. For Weekend and Public Holiday, 11am - 9pm.

We enjoy their charcoal Fish Head Steamboat, which offers a delicious blend of flavours and texture with yam, tomatoes, vegetables, fried fish, etc.

Charcoal Hot Pot - $20 (Small) 

The broth has subtle herbal notes and a rich satisfying flavour that enhances the meal. 

Fish Chunks

We even enjoyed the thick chunks of fish that were used in the steamboat. These chunks were fried fish before putting them into the steamboat.

Fish

We enjoyed the Fish Head Steamed boat with some other Zi Char Dishes. We ordered seafood white bee hoon too. It was moist and quite a decent dish without too much elaboration for their ingredients were pretty standard with eggs, vegetables, Lala, prawns and squid. 

Seafood White Bee Hoon

The Prawn Paste Chicken was voted the better side dishes we ordered. It was well executed with prawn paste marinate and a crispy outer skin.  A satisfying crunch gives way to the tender meat beneath. Beware of that instant burst of rich, spicy juice that floods one's mouth also ended with a fiery symphony of flavors igniting the taste buds. 

Prawn Paste Chicken 

The Seafood Tofu is a comforting dish always from the Cze Char Stall. Served in a claypot with assorted ingredients like mushrooms, tofu, snow peas, squid, prawns, carrots etc soaked in the gooey sweet gravy. It can be eaten alone or paired it with a bowl of white rice.

Seafood Tofu - $19

Overall, the place was quite airy and not so crowded in the evening when we had our meals there. The food overall was decent. There is also Free Parking available at Lor Bakar Batu after 5pm.

Siang Garden
Location: 5 Kallang Sector, #01-01 Singapore 349279

Wah Kee 華記

One of the popular stalls in Bendemeer Hawker & Food Centre. Ever wonder why is the queue so long on a normal looking plate of Wanton Mee?

Stall of Wah Kee

Let's us find out what this plate of Wanton Mee is a crowd pleaser. The noodles are springy and generously coated in their sauce with some blanched vegetables given by the side.

Wanton Mee 

This is the star on the plate. Their Char Siew deserves a compliment with the sweet savoury sauce coated over the meat and charred edges. Take a look at the meat, not only were they perfectly BBQ, the meat strikes a good balance of both fats and meat too.

Char Siew

As for the given Wantons in the bowl of soup, they are smooth and goes well with the plate of noodles. 

Wantons

Rating: 3 / 5

Wah Kee 華記
Location: Bendemeer Market & Food Centre, 29 Bendemeer Road, #01-81 Singapore 330029

Toa Payoh 93 Soon Kueh 大巴窑93筍粿

Recently we learnt from social media that this stall in Bendemeer Market & Food Centre makes Soon Kueh on the spot and we decided to check the Kuehs out. 

Bendemeer Market & Food Centre

As soon as we reached the Food Centre, I headed to this stall and saw 4 staff in the stall whereby 3 of them were busy preparing ingredients while the other 1 was occupied taking orders from the customers in the queue.

Stall of Toa Payoh 93 Soon Kueh

Forget about the moulded print that we often see on the Png Kueh as there is none here. Nonetheless, these QQ pinkish texture skin of the Png Kueh is definitely worth my trip here.

Png Kueh - $5 (5 Pcs)

I'm not a fan of Png Kueh as there were many times I get to eat those that have dried fillings as well as a thick layer of skin. However, these handmade kuehs that were freshly made on the spot had given me a different perception of it. The fillings were moist and chewy on the go.

Png Kueh Fillings

I love the silky texture of the Soon Kueh. Ingredients like shredded turnip, mushrooms and dried shrimps were well encased by the chewy skin.

Soon Kueh - $5 (5 Pcs)

All are good but we find that the thick layer of the skin can be improved. 

Ingredients of Soon Kueh

The texture of Abacus Seeds is chewy and unlike some places, the Hakka Abacus Seed can be loaded with flour. For the make of Abacus seed, Yam taste is prominent and I would say that they have nailed it. This traditional Hakka dish is fragrant with fried garlic coupled with other ingredients including black fungus as well as preserved vegetables (Mei Cai).

Hakka Abacus Seed - $3

Just take a look at the chewy Abacus Seed with other ingredients. I can't just stop popping these bite-size items into my mouth!

Close up of Hakka Abacus Seed

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Toa Payoh 93 Soon Kueh 大巴窑93筍粿
Location: Bendemeer Market & Food Centre, 33, #01-52, Singapore 330069

Heng Kee Lor Mee 興記鹵麵

A visit to Bendemeer Market & Food Center had shocked me. Despite the pandemic, the hawker centre was way too crowded than what I expected. 

Stall of Heng Kee Lor Mee

The Lor Mee is unique in its way with a good with its fried pork belly, halved braised egg and 2 fried wontons. The fried pork complemented the noodle well together with the not so starchy gravy. If you enjoy crunching some bits in your bowl of Lor Mee, I would say that it is quite addictive here.

Lor Mee - $4.50 (Big)

There wasn't any long queue during the order but with the amount spent and the quantity of food we received here, I would say that its value for money.

Fried Pork

Rating: 3 / 5

Heng Kee Lor Mee 興記鹵麵

Location: Bendemeer Market & Food Centre, 29 Bendemeer Rd, #01-87, Singapore 330033