Chinatown Beef King, 牛车水牛腩王

Mixed Beef Noodle, Dry ($4)

We say this is closer to the Taiwanese beef noodle, served with pickled vegetables. In fact, the hawker speaks with an accent of a Taiwanese at his stall (#01-115) at the ABC Brickworks Food Centre.

Taste is great, without being overly salted. It was well balanced and appetizing. In fact, we were pleasantly surprised with the generous serving of ingredients - cow stomach, tender beef slices and tendons in our minimum order. Great value found today.

Beef Tendon Kway Teow, Soup ($5)

实惠园, Shi Hui Yuan Hor Fun Speciality

Mushroom with Chicken Drumstick ($4)

Years before Shi Hui Yuan got listed on the Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2016, we used to come by their stall (#02-33) at the Mei Ling Market, but always at the wrong timing - after 2pm, or on Monday to Wednesday which happened to be their off days. Now that the initial vibes of Michelin endorsement have died off, we didn't have to fight the queue. Still, their signature braised chicken feet are sold out.

Without a queue in sight, we were certainly doubtful.

But was immediately regretful of our small serving when we tasted the luscious gravy of the rice noodle. We certainly came across very few, who could achieve an essence of flavors, with such light seasoning! We like it. Without a gripe for the tender chicken drumstick, the well soften and thick Chinese mushrooms are examplary!

Now we are really looking forward to tasting their signature braised chicken feet with mushrooms. This stall is another 'old flavor' found, a gem.

Bedok Beef Kway Teow

Beef Noodle, dry ($3.50)

Beef noodle is quite a rare offering in Singapore's hawker centres. So we will always take note of the good ones. Maybe you would like to tick this (stall #01-45) on your list when you next visit the Changi Village Food Centre.

The gravy was scrumptious, and not overly salted. But we can't say the same for the accompanying soup. The beef is tender and flavorsome. We really enjoyed it. Then the toppings of sourish pickled vegetables, cincalok and fresh lime squeeze further enhanced our experience. This is ultra appetising.

Yummy Delights 美食摊 - Fried Crayfish Tang Hoon

Fried Dong Feng ($4), Seafood Fried Rice ($4)

Business isn't good at this old stall which has seen its glorious days at Sixty Stalls (六十摊) Food Centre along Corporation Drive, where patrons filled tables with plateful of fried Crayfish 'Dong Feng' or Tang Hoon (a type of transparent vermicelli made from mung bean starch). It costs just $4 then, and serving was lavish with seafood! It was most memorable.

After relocation to the Taman Jurong Market Food Centre (#02-87) more than 10 years ago, the bustle is now gone. And we seem to be the only table of patrons for lunch today.

Fried Hokkien Mee ($4), and the entire spread.

It must have been difficult to maintain food standards when turnover is so low... But the seasoned chef relieves our worries with fresh seafood and proven recipe. Albeit the unsavory Hokkien noodle and modest serving which left us all still hungry.

Nostalgia bought us back here. And i'm just thankful that the old hawker is still in business.

Fried Chili Crayfish ($12)

Fried Hor Fan ($4)

財 Hor Fan - Fish, Beef, Prawn or Seafood?

Beef Hor Fan ($4)

Hungry?

One simply can't resist the tantalizing look of hot slippery Hor Fan kway teow. And you wouldn't miss it at the Yuhua Village Market and Food Centre where proud patrons paraded their delicious looking purchase before descending to chow. 

I fixed my sight upon the tender beef/fish slices which stood out right on top of their plateful! Oh! I want that too! And i had - the least MSG plate of Hor Fan than the usual. Yum. Satisfied.

Beef Stewed Rice (Mui Fan), rice in gravy ($4), Fish Hor Fan ($4) 

Top Beef, 一哥牛腩

Stewed Mixed Brisket with rice (left, $6.50), Stewed Beef Brisket with rice (right, $6)

10% discount with the Kopitiam Card

Most of us avoided food courts, don't we? Reasons being the more expensive food pricing and the less than appetizing food offerings compared to those at old hawker centres. Today's visit is somewhat different, as we are revisiting a stall we knew from year 2008-2009.

During those years, Top Beef was operating on the roof top food court in Marina Square Mall before it moved out quite suddenly. By chance, Ric located them in the Feast Kopitiam, at level 3 of Jurong Point.

Am glad to see that business is still as good, or even better because of the heavier human traffic here. If you loves stewed beef, this is a must try stall.

福南街, Hock Lam Rice Menu

Beef Noodle with assortment, dry ($6.50)

I can't help craving for noodles if you brought me to Hock Lam, so i couldn't understand Ric's want for their fried rice? "How can it be good since that wasn't their signature?" i baffled.

Garlic Fried Rice with Stewed Beef ($6.50)

Upon receiving Ric's order, the cook set to work nosily in the kitchen with his wok and fierce fire, after a couple minutes this was served with a side of beef soup.

And how was it? Well, i can't help pinching continuously from Ric's plate! The fried rice was well done and the stewed beef was surprisingly excellent ;)

Toa Payoh - Hwa Heng Beef Noodle

I used to wonder how this delicious looking bowl of crystal noodles draped in rich brown broth tastes like... being Buddhist then, Mom forbade us to try Beef.

Mixed Beef Bee Hoon, dry ($3)

I didn't even know it was dry styled, as it looks appealingly moist to me.

During my 1st order to Ric, "i want the black sauced noodle, soup."
"Dry ones, you mean? That's a dry version." He answered laughingly.

Mixed Beef Kway Teow, Soup ($3)

Then, i go about learning to appreciate the rich soupy version.

We however, never fail to miss out on the dry version with additive thick brown sauce, accompanying a squeeze of lime juices and acidly chili sauce with cincaluk.

Conversely, our experience of MSG overdosed at a Hwa Heng stall, 27 Maude Rd today, left much to be desired. We aren't MSG tolerant, else everything is well :)

Thaksin Beef Noodle

It was indeed a conspicuous signboard that reads "Thaksin", of the much recogized Thaksin Shinawatra who was then Thailand's Prime Minister turned politics fugitive now.

We were at Seah Im Food Centre that was just across HabourFront Bus Interchange.

It seems i just had to order from the stall.
And NO, the server doesn't wear Red... Hehe... as Ric was joking.

Pad Thai Fried Kuey Teow, without Beef ($3)

With added dried Chili bits, the mild looking Pad Thai can be fiery!

A nominal fare of Pad Thai but certainly a lighter rendition of our local Fried Kuey Teow. Not bad eat ;)

Crayfish Ipoh Hor Fan!

Crayfish & Prawns Hor Fun ($5)

Late lunch with no queue at Tuck Kee, i opted for them while Ric had the Outram Fried Kway Teow.

Nice filling plateful of fresh Seafood while it isn't as oily as Ric's Kway Teow.

We had been walking around; sourcing out interesting good food around China Square but still landed up at Hong Lim Food Centre ;)

荣记, Ipoh Hor Fun

We were early for lunch today as we planned to catch the aerial display of the Singapore Airshow that starts at 1130am.

Our favourite stall at Changi Village Food Centre - Guang Xing only operates from 12pm sharp; so that left us with the other option - the opposite stall, Rong Ji Ipoh Hor Fun.

Ipoh Hor Fun ($3)

Mushroom Chicken Feet Noodle ($3)

Despite being all decked out with recommendations from our various local Foodie Talk shows, the fare from Rong Ji is only mundane.

The best part?
The well-braised Chicken Feet and crisply fried Dumpling :)

Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sah Ho Fun

Crayfish & Prawns Hor Fan ($5)

Queuing up at 德记（怡保）沙河粉, stall No. 41A was a year ago affair in Nov '08! Today is however, mom's first try of this legendary dish.

Eating heartily, Mom loves the dish! Gravy, Chili and all of its seafood freshness.

I gave her my half of the Crayfish ;)

Malan Noodle @ Bras Basah

I was pleasantly surprised to spot 马兰拉面，Malan Noodle stall as i roamed the level 1 Foodcourt of Bras Basah Complex.

The young chef was busy pulling and twisting the wheat paste into long noodles on the displayed counter while smiling and inviting us for an order with them. Pleasant.

Braised Beef Noodle ($4.50)

"Hand-pulled" noodles or "La Mian", an art of kneading, stretching and whirling wheat paste into strands of noodles is my favourite kind of Noodle.

And when an average bowl at Malan's Singapore Expo branch sets you back at least $6.50, here you are charged at a very minimum of $4.50 only :)

金虫草, Golden Chinese Caterpillar Fungus Essence Set ($6.80)

They did not actually mention Cordyceps herbs being used in this Soup dish but it kind of suggests that, right?

Anyway, the soup was rich and flavorful. Brewed together with tender Chicken drumstick, lean Pork meat and simple Chinese herbs; i do feel rejuvenate by the warm broth ;)

Hock Lam Beef Soup

Yeah, i'm guilty for being a sucker for 1-for-1 makan deals. That's the reason why we're here within such a short frame of time from our last visit.

On top of that, i do, of course misses eating their Beef Noodles :)

Beef Noodle (Soup), with Mixed Beef & Tendons ($8.50)

The 1-for-1 Dinner deal is for Weekdays only, after 6pm; where the area is mostly deserted save for the nearby clubbing patrons. Condition being: Large bowl had to be purchased for the deal.

We had a try of the soupy version today. It was a lighter eat yet equally enjoyable compared to the dry version we had previously.

Read here for my more detail review.

Hock Lam Beef

Yeah, we have a hard time locating Hock Lam at China Street.

The brand name that's been around since 1911 and counting, famously specialising in Teochew Beef Kway Teow; this is but our first try.

Beef Noodle (dry) with Mixed, 牛杂 ($5.50)

Our mixed beef bowl includes sliced Beef, Tripe, Shin and Beef Balls but without the Tendons. Noodles with Tendons are favorably priced at $6.50 and $7.50 per Small bowl serving.

Their age old recipe in original Teochew style comes with salted vegetables strips and plenty of crushed ground nuts. The broth was equally good, flavorful yet without a tinge of MSG.

A dribble of Lime juices and their spicy sour Chili mix to the thick broth ascends one to Heaven...

Seemingly pricey to us initially, we were won over after savoring our generous serving bowlful!

Enjoying almost a Century old recipe. Priceless!

Hor Fan Craving...

I had Hor Fan 河粉 craving today.

So we were at Jalan Batu Food Centre again to share a plate of Hor Fan from 泉记海鲜煮炒 (#01-40) and some Satay.

Aesthetic lacking? Can see the many ingredients swimming in the gravy?

A gentle toss revealed the well-browned Hor Fan Kway Teow.

Tuck in to this $3 plateful, enough to feed 2 small appetites :)

If you have taste buds for "heavy" tasting food, you would loved Chuan Kee Cooked Food. The Hokkien Zi Char dishes here were most reasonably priced and come in big serving.

We only have them once in a blue moon cos' we prefer food of lighter taste. Requesting for low Salt maybe a solution? Yes.

Top Beef Brisket

Our last visit here at 一哥牛腩 was in June '08! We had our fingers crossed and pray that the modest little stall at Level 4 of the Marina Food Loft is still in operation.

Beef Hor Fan ($3.80)

Smooth, slippery Hor Fan noodles with thick succulent Braised Beef slices.

Mixed Beef Assortment Rice Set ($5)

Everything was well-braised, flavorful yet provides that chewy sensation to each bite. Spicy-sour chili dip heightens our enjoyment. And sweet Beef soup was served with each of our order.

If you loved Braised Beef like we do, you should be here to support this Hong Kong stall. Pricing was reasonable as serving was large.

It was much value for money and in fact, tastier than our usual economic Campus fare in NTU!

Hong Kong Braised Beef Noodles

My tiredness caused by my running around the city these days can actually discourage me from blogging on my new finds.

But thinking back on my dinner at the 4th level of Marina Square Food Court - Food Loft, i do not wish to do injustices by not blogging about the nice bowl of braised beef assortment i had.

With no intention of blogging, i do not remember the details of the stall. I could only recall that it was a Hong Kong-styled Braised Beef Noodles, at about $4.50 a bowl.

Decent sized serving; every piece were soft and chewy to the bite. And no funny taste whatsoever as i'm not familiar with the parts of the cow :) But every cut is a good bite.

And in our cramped city, i enjoy dining in an environment that offers a sense of spaciousness, like the one here; having a vast sea view of the Singapore cityscape and the Esplanade, can make a meal truly more enjoyable.

This is why i choose dining here over dining at the many restaurants :) Oh, cheaper food expenses also.

Beef Hor Fan @ Dover Rd Market

Weekend crowds at hawker centre are joy-killer, you've got to try your luck at the parking lots and beat the queues at the popular food stalls.

I was reluctant to suffer with the city crowds so Ric suggested visiting this old and remote food market in Dover Rd, Blk 31. Yeah, i love these places...! Food is often prepared by old stall vendors who know their cooking and prices can be kept reasonable with their low rental rates.

We chanced upon this cooked food stall '河升美食' managed by an old couple and a lady; the old man being the chef. Business was brisk but not to an extend of long wait, so we decide to try its Beef Hor Fan (dry).

And we were not disappointed. A little oily but not at all salty. Priced at $3, beef slices were not aplenty but the 'wok hei' of the delicious smooth noodle strips left us fighting over it.

I'll be back soon, with an empty stomach. And what a delightful evening today!