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!

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.

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.

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.

潮记, Teoh Kee Charcoal Roast

Lotus Roots Pork Rib Soup ($3.50)

Ever since we ate at the Outram park roasted meat, i thought i'll never accept anything less. Our impromptu lunch at Teoh Kee (#01-45, Toa Payoh Lor 8 Food Centre) however, proves otherwise.

You see, their boiled soup is quite good. Flavorsome and less grease. The crackling roasted pork is near perfect! While the char siew and roasted duck is sweet and juicy.

A hearty meal with a loved one, beats anything.

Platter for 2 - Sio Bak, Char Siew and Roasted Duck ($12)

肥佬, Fei Lou Porridge

(#01-116)

Come dinner time, there are always 2 long queues in the Telok Blangah Crescent Market and Food Centre. One belongs to the char kway teow, and the other at Fei Lou.

Their bountiful items on the yellow board might make you feel lost. Well, you just have to get what the guys in front are ordering!

Boneless Fried Chicken Wings ($1.20 each), Porridge ($1), Fried Bee Hoon ($1)

Steamed Chicken ($6)

Primarily it's the boneless fried chicken wings! (better than IKEA's) and steamed chicken that makes it to everyone's table. They have this classic 'fried shallot oil with spring onions' dip for their steamed chicken which i find most nostalgic!

The scalding hot porridge and savory fried vermicelli are the carbo to indulge. Occasionally, we will have their herbaceous braised chicken feet with peanuts! Get you a photo of it soon.

Braised Chicken Feet with Peanuts

欧南园烧腊, Outram Park Roasted Meat

(#02-13)

Roasted Pork Belly, Roasted Char Siew, Roasted Duck Platter ($10.50, include 1 rice)

We were right behind a long queue, but remain undeterred. This is especially after seeing the many quiet roast meat stalls in the Chinatown Market and Food Centre during the busy lunch hour; you'll appreciate this queue.

It's not hard to understand the sturdy customer support, once you bite into the sweet, savory meat. The crackling roasted skins are irresistible, so are the juicy chewy bite of the thick cut! Their unique savory taste is quite beyond words. It transports me to the era of my grandparents..

We are so resetting our benchmark for good roasted meat.

肥仔祥烧腊云吞面, Fatty Cheong

Roast Meat, Char Siew and Roast Duck Drumstick Platter ($13), Rice ($0.50)

Much publicity and hype over the roasted char siew of Fatty Cheong at the ABC Brickworks Food Centre; this was nevertheless our first visit.

The dressing of dark sauce over their rice immediately reminds me of our favourite Lee Hong Kee, at the Tiong Bahru market. But it is significantly less flaoursome here. Having high expectation on crispy roast duck, i couldn't wait to tuck in; but was disappointed with the soggy skin. The duck was also tough raw, nearing the bone areas.

The char siew is lightly roasted, and is juicy. The crackling pork belly, however, is the undisputed one. Still, we were prompted persistently, of revisiting Lee Hong Kee soon.

作记, Zuo Ji Duck Rice and Porridge

Platter for 2 - Deboned Braised Duck, Pig's Ear, Duck's Gizzard, Braised Egg ($19)

It has been a long time. We were finally back to visit the famous braised duck stall (#01-29) in the East Coast Lagoon Food Village. Nothing much has changed. The braised duck meat is still as succulent and lavish, and their broiled porridge remains the best on this island.

If there is something we really miss, that no other stalls could offer, it is this gooey porridge. I imagine losing all my appetite, then this is something i would drink in gladly and lick the bowl clean, feeling nourished. No need for anything else.

Hollywood Braised Duck Rice (Lian Kee)

Braised Duck Platter - Duck meat, Duck's Liver, Braised Pork, Egg, Beancurd. 

2 Braised Rice, 1 Porridge, 1 Kway Chap. ($14.10)

Lian Kee Brasied Duck was since 1976. After the closure of the Hin Hollywood Canteen in Aug 2011, it moved to the Sims Vista Market and Food Centre and renamed itself to 'Hollywood'. Now they are next-door to another very well-known braised duck stall, the Tai Dong Duck Rice. Yet business has been brisk.

The most outstanding item from our platter remains with the braised duck meat. It was most succulent. Ignore the duck's liver and braised pork that has been left cold and hard on the serving tray. It is unappetizing. The braising rice is visually appealing, but does little for flavour. Another good option would be their fine gooey porridge and slurping kway chap.

Between Hollywood and Tai Dong, our choice is obvious.

大中 (山仔顶), Tai Dong Teochew Duck Rice

Braised Duck, Duck's Gizzard, and Pig's Ear + Rice + Stewed Cabbage ($13 for 2 Pax)

Where exactly is 'Shan Zai Ding' (山仔顶) that the signboard reads? It is near to the old Boat Quay area, more commonly known as the 'Chai Chuan Tou' (柴船头). Both names were used in our parents' generation. (山仔顶) is the Chulia Street/ South Canal Road now. Many of our now famous, traditional Teochew street food originate from the old Boat Quay area. It was there, where Teochew hawkers congregate, bartering their trades in olden Singapore.

Tai Dong is one such hawker established since 1981. And we were humbled to taste their extraordinary braised duck today. It is savory and of utter fragrance when you bite into the slightly toughen texture of the meat; there is so much character! Yet, you have not tasted the best till you dunk into their specially concocted chili sambal. Then, savor the high grade soya sauce used in their braising gravy by drizzling it generously over the bowl of steaming rice. The last tip is that you order their Teochew stewed cabbage.

We finished the meal, reminiscing the 'old' taste of food that we had once thought was lost... Thank God, it hasn't.

Teochew Stewed Cabbage with Pig's Skin

全记, Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck

Mixed Platter for Two -Boneless Duck Meat, Braised Beancurd, Egg, Peanuts, Duck's Liver and Gizzard,

 1 Noodle, 1 Porridge, 1 Rice ($16)

Originally from Chong Pang City Market and Food Centre at Yishun Ring Rd, Chuan Kee has restarted their operation at the newly renovated Ghim Moh Food Centre. And boy! The place was crowded, with long queues at so many of the popular stalls; and this is one of them with a 30 mins wait in line.

Nice gooey porridge, albeit the overly generous braised sauce, which proved too much salted. The noodle was a personal craving while the dark rice was nicely fragrant.

If you are alone, get their $3 plate which includes a good amount of boneless duck meat, braised peanuts, half a braised egg and some braised beancurd - such good deal we saw from other tables!

A.B.C. Kway Chap Braised Duck

Kway Chap Platter for 2 Pax ($6), Kway Chap x3 ($1.50)

An aromatic whiff of braised sauce allured us to the stall this late afternoon as we strolled the ABC Brickworks Food Centre in search of food. Never mind that there doesn't seem to be any patrons around the stall; Ric was sure his senses do not lie.

So there we have it, their kway chap platter. And as we dug in, customers start streaming in for their braised duck rice. Both packing away and eating here. Are we missing something? But the kway chap is also not bad what? 

Not willing to miss out on any good food, we came back swiftly on the second week, just for the duck rice. And it does explain its popularity. It was a satisfying plate.

Duck Rice Set ($3.50)

吉祥可口, Boneless Braised Duck Rice

Assorted Braised Meat Combo ($23)

On days when lunch hour was tight, this was where we like to pack away economical braised duck rice that comes with a braised egg ($3.50); at 155 Bukit Batok St 11. Quite a heavenly treat for the busy day.

And when we could afford a lunch out together, the guys would order their combo set that includes boneless braised duck, beancurd, tau pok, egg, duck's liver and gizzard. A portion good enough for 4 hungry men. On these rare trips, we would have their hot kway chap in herbal soup instead of the usual plain white rice.

Kway Chap, 粿汁 ($0.50)

88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist

Roast Meat, Char Siew, Roast Duck Platter + 4 Rice ($22)

This is a return visit to 265 Bukit Batok East Ave 4 after tasting our life's best Sio Bak! Imagine a well-roasted pork that has crispy and brittle skin, yet layers of melting fat! It was really good.

But our return trip today (after 3 weeks) is a big disappointment. The skin of the roast pork can't even be bite into, it was dead tough! The only saving grace today was the succulent roast duck. What happened? The stall changes hand?

Our group refused to come back again.

天来饭店, Tien Lai Rice Stall

Roast Duck & Char Siew Platter, 4 Rice ($22)

This is our favorite hunt for takeaway at the Taman Jurong Market Food Centre. We love how the fragrance of their well-oiled rice filled the office when we unpack for lunch. We love the sweet, smoky, fat char siew with its charred burned bits. And most of all, the economics of it with prices being more than reasonable.

On your unlucky day, both roast meat and char siew could be sold out by 1130am. Today we missed the roast meat. So you have been warned. Don't be late.

Kay Lee Dark Char Siew - Die Die You Eat!

Char Siew + Roast Meat ($5), Char Siew + Roast Duck ($7.50)

If i have a 'die die must eat' label, this post goes into it. That's how good it is.

You can forget about Kay Lee's roast duck or roast meat, yet make sure you buy a good portion of their black barbecued meat (Char Siew), at $50 for a kg. The recipe is well worth the 4 million it was sold for; the minimum pack for their Char Siew rice at $4, is a steal for the taste.

The taste, indescribable.