建安, Jian An Cooked Food - A Fisherman Table

Steamed Red Grouper, Teochew Style ($26/ seasonal price)

Steamed Red Grouper, HK Style ($23/ seasonal price)

We found a gem for seafood at the new Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre. And we have been returning weekly for these.

Favorite being their fresh Teochew steamed fish and plump crayfishes. The steamed fish was almost impeccable; well-timed steaming preserved the tenderness of sweet meat. And its tasty sauces going so well on rice, was not overly salted as well.

Every other dishes are well-executed.
An affordable kitchen to entrust a good meal with your family.

Stall #01-23

Steamed Red Grouper, with Preserved Radish ($24/ seasonal price)

Butter Sotong ($10)

Chili LaLa ($8)

Chili Crayfish ($26/ seasonal price)

西北人家, Xi Bei Ren Jia

Since visiting China, I came to love cold rice noodle. They called 'liang pi', 凉皮 or 'liang fen', 凉粉. This kopitiam stall at 722 Clementi West St 2 probably serves the best in Singapore. An appetizing dish that's tangy, spicy yet refreshing at the same time. I could finish a bowl by myself.

The ramen are the regular fare, and the fried dumpling less desirable. But they serve large egg+chives pancake ($1.50 each) with generous filling. Do remember to get it.

Cold Rice Noodle, 凉皮 ($3.50)

Braised Beef Ramen ($4.50)

Fried Dumpling ($5)

华利, Hua Li Fried Carrot Cake, TOP 10!

Fried Carrot Cake, White (M, $4)

I wasn't reading the TOP 10 hawker food list in Singapore. It was a coincide that Hua Li in the Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre is listed. Yes, delivery is skilful; they are indeed, a notch above the rest.

The pan frying item is not overly oily, and the seasoning done just right. It was sinful, but worth the occasional indulgence.

Never mind the signboard featuring on carrot cake; don't miss their fried oysters.

Fried Oyster (M, $6)

Stall #01-24

Tanglin Halt Original Peanut Pan Cake

Peanut Pan Cake ($0.80)

I thought I had all the best Chinese pancake, until today.

This popular stall in the Tanglin Halt 48A Market opens 0330-1130hrs only (closes on 1, 3, 5). No wonder Ric has not been able to get me any!

If like me, you haven't had any from this stall; don't tell me you love pan cake.

唯一辣沙, Wei Yi Laksa & Prawn Noodle

3. Prawns, Cockles, Fried Bean Curd ($4)

Better late, than never.

This is a bowl of delicious laksa we have been missing. Came twice to the Tanglin Halt 48A Market  for early lunches, but always misses it as the stall closes early; right after selling out for breakfast. How’s laksa for breakfast? Too strong for me. Weird. Never.

Never say, never.

The laksa is great! I’m willing to have it for breakfast. And repeat for a second. All ingredients use is fresh tasting! and the broth of good flavor. I bet you can’t get this elsewhere on this island, seriously.

Their prawn noodle sold out early. We'll try again next time.

2. Chicken, Prawn, Fried Bean Curd ($3)

香港龍華, Hong Kong Lung Hwa Roasted Delight

Roast Meat + Roast Duck Rice ($4.50)

Definitely a great value plate of roasted meat rice at 127, Toa Payoh West Market and Food Centre!  Chunky pieces of juicy meat, with a good gravy/ sambal chili, sides of green vegetable and warm herbal soup will send me here every time. Just like many of their followers.

A peek into Lung Hwa, we saw the huge roasting oven responsible for their scrumptious roast!

Smokin' Joe

Premium New Zealand Reserved Ribeye Steak ($18)

Served with fries, house salad and brown sauce.

Our first visit to Smokin Joe at the Yishun Park Hawker Centre. Yes, they are the western food hawker stall which invested $10K in a premium oven. Such premium grill promises 'to seal in a rustic and smoky flavour in meat', and is usually found in high-end steak houses.

The grill today was more than perfect (you can judge by the color and texture of the steak from the photos!). Their brown sauce was awesome. We eagerly planned for another night here, completed with a good bottle of red.

Alas, it was not to be. 

The ribeye steak was dry, and has few tough-to-chew veins. The Kurobuta pork collar ($18, 200g pork served with fries, corn and house salad) was juicy and flavorsome. But without a reliable good steak, we couldn't find a reason to come back.. 

烧味天堂, Roast Paradise

Char Siew/ Roasted Pork (200g, $10), Chicken Rice ($0.80)

Roast Paradise in the Old Airport Road Food Centre was featured on TV; and its snaking lunch queue drew us. Managed by 2 budding hawkerpreneurs, we do find their young roast work remarkable.

For the health conscious, yet food gourmet die-hard, the meat here has just the right amount of fats that tantalizes your taste buds while not making you overly guilty. Their roasted pork is savory and its crust crackling.

Definitely one of the more impressive roast meat stall... But if like me, you prefer oily old school roast, check this out.

China Dumpling Stall @ 87 Whampoa Drive

Xiao Long Bao ($3.50, 6 pcs) 

Guo Tie ($3.50, 6 pcs)

After Crystal Jade; after Paradise Dynasty, thought it would be tough finding a Chinese dim sum that delights in the hawker center, but we did! It is this little stall in 87 Whampoa Drive kopitiam, ran by a hardworking and friendly China lady.

Were definitely impressed with the pan fried dumpling (Guo Tie)! The good soup dumpling (Xiao Long Bao), and the plump and meaty fried dumpling. Kept us returning.

Fried Dumpling ($4.50, 6 pcs)

妹妹, Mei Mei Roast Meat

Roasted Duck, Meat, Char Siew for 2 pax + Rice ($14)

Couldn't forget, nor wipe off the delicious grease from my lips.

Crispy duck skin, crunchy roasted pork and utterly juicy meat.

Read a good recommendation from Dr Leslie Tay, and arrived at Blk 3014 Ubi Rd 1 to reminisce a good roast from former helper at old Kay Lee. Now that Kay Lee has lost its touch; this is the place to go for some gratifying indulgence.

Ah Lock 豆腐店 : Hakka Tofu Bowl

Hakka Tofu Bowl (Signature), $5.50

I love Hakka Thunder Tea, and thought Ah Lock Tofu serves something similar but no. Instead the presentation reminds me of Korean bibimbap, and its healthy clean ingredients of Japanese cuisine.

At the Yishun Park Hawker Centre, you get this fusion of Hakka Yong Tau Foo and Thunder Tea - atop pump Japanese grains. Healthy taste is in this one with their Alfalfa sprouts and shredded seaweed. Too plain for you? Soak up some of their mild spicy sweet dipping sauce.

This is refreshing, healthy yet very tasty.

合记, He Ji Braised Duck since 1970

Platters for 2 pax ($12.60)

As good as these pictures looked with my new cam (Sony a7R II, on Zeiss 35mm f2.8), they really are tasty. At 726 West Coast Market Square, you wouldn't miss the stall (#01-162) with its long lunch queue.

Their fragrant rice is a must order, or the kway chap (rice cakes) in light herbally broth. Moist duck meat that was skillfully sliced; soft pig's skin and springy innards. The braised flavor is just right, none overly salted nor plain.

This has got to be the braised duck stall in the West! We see ourselves returning.

Nyonya Chendol

Original Chendol ($1.50)

Following Four Seasons Cendol, we are seeing Nonya Chendol stalls popping up in a few of our hawker centres haunt - at Bukit Timah, Old Airport Rd and Whampoa.

Nonya Chendol offers consumers the old time, basic chendol (without red beans, sweet corns or attap chee) at an affordable dollar fifty. Just add 50 cents for the top ups if you like.

Us? We like life simple.

焱, Yan Fried Bee Hoon & Chicken Wings

Fried Bee Hoon ($0.60), Fried Chicken ($1.20)

Simple plate of fried vermicelli with fried chicken wings - got some to jest when Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee personally queued to buy it for his family. After the episode, queues at the already popular stall (#01-09) in the Redhill Lane Food Centre got really unbearable. That was in Jun, 2014.

Savoring the fare today got me to respect my prime minister's taste for food.

The springy vermicelli is lightly seasoned, just like home cooking. We really like it. The freshly deep fried chicken wings are savory, crisp, and juicy. One of the best you can get out here. I want to buy it for my family too.

Master Tang's Wanton Noodle, Bukit Batok

Wanton Noodle ($3.50)

Remember Master Tang from HK Crystal Jade Kitchen? The Hong Kong chef is now operating from a kopitiam at Blk 233, Bukit Batok East Ave 5.

The food is still as good, if not better. I love his wanton dumplings best. Here is our previous visit to their old outlet at Sixth Avenue, Bukit Timah. Our verdict stays.

Will definitely visit again; many times, as this new location is so much more convenient.

Beef Tendon Stewed Beef Brisket Noodle ($6)

Prawn Dumpling Soup ($4)

百年, Bai Nian Yong Tau Foo

Weekday Lunch Promotion: Mon-Fri, 1130-1400hrs

Yong Tau Foo Set ($5.80, include 1 chicken wing)

Bai Nian, in the cool comfort of air-conditioned food court in Viva Business Park will be the yong tau foo stall you would wanna eat. You don't select your pieces here and only vermicelli is available, but the serving lady would ask helpfully if you take bittergourd, and if you like more vermicelli; at no extra cost.

A standard bowl comes with 7 pieces of hand-filled yong tau foo - prawn ball, pork, bittergourd, beancurd, white, black and gold bean curd rolls. Each filled with well-textured fish, prawn, squid or the pork fillings. This is especially good. With their chili sambal and freshly fried chicken wings too. Must try.

We would be returning.

白, Sembawang White Bee Hoon

The Original White Bee Hoon (L, $15++)

You have to agree, that not having the original white bee hoon - from the kitchen that makes this dish famous - meant you have yet the real thing. The little cze char kitchen has grown itself to be the White Restaurant.

Eggy, milky and syrupy. I never expect the taste of it to be this direct, yet flavorsome. Many emulators of the 'white bee hoon' bombarded their recipe with much seafresh-ness to give you the oomphs; forgetting that homely taste if well managed, can be all the more impressive. This original 'white bee hoon' retains its unique character, and refuses to be a seafood soup bee hoon.

No 'wok hei' to the vermicelli which was simply simmered in the tasty broth. Yet, the dish scores high on our chart. Add that squeeze of lime and sambal chili for more surprises. We like this white bee hoon.

Handmade Teochew Kuey, 手工潮州粿

Revisiting the stall. Was delighted to see a lighted up signboard.

We were told there is a wait of 20 mins for the steaming. So we guarded the stall jealously, knowing the limited quantity of each tray. We needed more to pack home. Many customers dropped in. But there were no reservations; money was refused too. As that would be too much to handle for the old hawker.

Camping right in front of the stall, we were rewarded with all the available selections. While the others hurriedly, scrambled in. Everyone, die-hard for old-school flavors.

Glutinous Rice Kueh, Yam Kueh, Soon Kueh (anti-clockwise, $1.20 each)

德记, De Ji Cooked Food

Noodle Soup ($3)

At this corner of the Kebun Baru Food Centre, tables were easily littered with red, empty bowls from De Ji. The bowls looked worn out, with visible scalding marks on them! Never mind melamine leaching; i'm simply looking forward to slurping in some good, hot soup.

The flavorsome soup, made thicker by the flour from the sheng mian (noodle) used, is seriously toothsome. I almost emptied the bowl. The ingredients are simple, but fresh - fish cakes, fish balls, pork slices, pork liver and lettuces. A comforting lunch, after a busy morning.

Be warned. The lunch hour queue does get a little too long.

Noodle Dry ($3)

Stall #01-23