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)

Tingkat PeraMakan

BABI PONTAY Set with Nyonya Tauhu/ Cinchalok Omelette/ Barley/ Sago Gula Melaka ($10+)

IKAN GARAM ASSAM Set with Sayur Masak Lemak/ Nyonya Chap Chye/ Lemongrass/ Sago Gula Melaka ($16+)

This is how 2 set meals looks like at Tingkat Peramakan.

We each choose 1 main from their 10 choices of Peranakan dishes ranging from chicken, pork, fish and seafood. Then we took up all 4 selections of the sides (Each set allows us a choice of 2 sides). Price varies ($10+ to $15+) for each main selection; sides included.

Parking is free at the ARC on the weekends. So when it rains hard this Dec, there's nothing better than a one-stop park/ dine venue. Casual café with no-frills menu - fast serving of warm, spicy food for the rumbling tummy.

Quality ingredient; and earnest food preparation. We are satisfied.

IKAN GARAM ASSAM Set with Sayur Masak Lemak/ Nyonya Chap Chye/ Lemongrass/ Sago Gula Melaka ($16+)

宝贝, Babe Seafood Barbeque + BBQ Oyster!

BBQ Oysters ($12)

Large oysters are a rare sight in our local food centres. So we couldn't resist them in the Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre. Our cravings are for fresh shucked oysters, but these BBQ ones does appease the urge, for now.

We love the sambal sotong, and the crunchy kang kong vegetables. Pity the stingray is plain tasting by itself; the fillet missing the natural sweetness of a fish. It was regretful.

BBQ Stingray ($10), BBQ Sotong ($8)

Sambal Cuttlefish Kang Kong ($6)

Stall #01-67

Babas Peranakan, 娘惹小吃

Stall #02-225

We are the early birds, no? But it was already hustle and bustle at this back lane stall in the Chinatown Market and Food Centre. The fried omelet and fried chicken racks were already emptied! It was no surprise. Quoting the uncle behind us, "This is always long queue. Everyday. Everyday it's like this."

The Teochew Baba hawker serves a delicious twist of Chinese Peranakan fare. Spices and dried shrimps were prominent in the vegetables and curries we ate. And everything was freshly cooked. When we reached the front of the line, the fried chicken was just up, from the hot wok.

I can eat this every day.

Long beans, Sambal Goreng, Ayam Goreng ($4.50)

Sayur Lemak, Sambal Brinjal, Fried Bittergourd with Fish Paste ($3)

安记, An Ji

Sauced Fish Head ($13)

Chinatown Market and Food Centre is the place to go for cheap Song fish heads. As much as i'm looking forward to the famous fermented black bean sauce fish heads of An Ji (#02-194), Ric misread the menu, so we ended up with the sweeter 'sauced fish head' instead of the briny 'black bean sauce fish head'.

I was disappointed. But the presentation was impressive - the fish seared with crispy pork lard in orangey sauce. It was pretty. And the fish head was absolutely fresh, the generous gelatin was most pristine. I ate until it was too much even for me, a fish lover.

The bitter gourd dish showcases the prowess of good Cantonese cooking. It was smoky, savory and rustic. The ribs were falling off the bones. We are returning for more.

Bitter Gourd Pork Ribs ($8)

德利饭糜, Teck Ee Porridge & Rice

Steamed Fish Tail with Fermented Black Beans

Late lunch. And I was having one of my pangs - I just want plain porridge. So Ric drove around a few of our popular places, but they were all closed. Happy as a lark when Teck Ee, on Joo Chiat Rd came in sight! They are right next to the popular Dunman Hawker Centre actually.

The choice of dishes is aplenty here! And scrumptious. This is surely one of the better Teochew porridge stalls around. Now we have another on the list to go.

Fried Egg with Preserved Radish, Celery with Pig's Skin, Teochew Fishcake, Bitter gourd with Egg. 2 x plain porridge. ($13.50)

蒸得好, Steamed Meat and Boiled Soup (I)

Steamed Egg ($2.50), Steamed Pork Patty with Lotus Roots ($3.50)

We were finally back to the steamed food stall at the ABC Brickworks Food Centre, planning to try out their 2 main dishes here - steamed egg and the steamed pork patty! These are so popular, you see them on every order on the neighboring tables.

The steamed egg was especially mild tasting and smooth; i could eat it on its own. The pork patty was savory and tender, helping to down our large bowl of rice! Lastly, some warm herbal chicken soup to nourish the body. And we are good.

Herbal Chicken ($6)

Boiled Cockles (See-Hums)!

Boiled Clams ($8)

Dinner was decided on Hua Kee BBQ Seafood as i wanted Ric to try their BBQ squids which i thought he might be fond of. But what really blew our minds tonight are the boiled cockles! Not our first time having them, but it was a long, long time since we last had. This is just bloody gratifying!

The minus point on ordering the clams is having the rest of our dishes served cold - we guess the server waited for us to finish cleaning up our bloody fingers, before serving up the mains...

BBQ Stingray ($12)

BBQ Squids ($15)

蒸得好, Steamed Meat and Boiled Soup

White Rice ($0.50) and Coarse Rice ($0.60) are available.

There was a craving for less oil, less salt, healthy food tonight. And while the braised beef stall wasn't opened, we noticed this popular stall (#01-108) in the ABC Brickworks Food Centre for their steamed meat and soup. Let's try.

The steam pork ribs has a nice fragrant of fermented black beans, and are surprisingly lightly salted. Nice. The chicken soup is yellowish looking! and tasted different from our usual; the flavor of cordecep flowers is strong in this one. The layer of clear, translucent oil on top of the soup should not deter you, for such is natural goodness. 

It was while waiting for our food, that Ric noticed their specialties to be actually steamed pork patty ($3.50) and herbal chicken ($6). Will try them out, soon.

Steamed Pork Ribs w/Black Bean Sauce ($3.50)

Cordeceps Flower Chicken Soup ($4.50)

阿南, Ah Nam BBQ Seafood

BBQ Stingray, Sambal Sotong, 2 rice ($26.20)

It was raining dogs and cats on a Christmas Eve. Islandwide thunderstorms.

We managed to waddle over to the Changi Village Food Centre, and enjoy prompt service from the usually crowded stalls; the weather has probably put off many patrons. Taking the opportunity, we try out Ah Nam which usually have a long wait list.

Hot, spicy and good sambal chili! formed our lasting impression of Ah Nam. Surely the fiercest fan of chili will be satisfied here. It's a shame we have to scrap away some of the good chili paste. We are none too good at spicy food. Alas, the nice smoky fragrant that the cook managed to whip up with the squids, is a bonus!

BBQ Stingray

Sambal Sotong

阿二老火汤, Ah Er Herbal Soup

Stall #01-143 (Closed on every Sat.)

When we last came by the ABC Brickworks Food Centre, we noticed a worker clearing away a trolley full of little soup pot, each tag with a yellow label reading "阿2煲汤". Seems like a good herbal soup stall in sighting! So we made a mental note to return.

And it was only today that i realized Ah Er is the same stall that operates from the Superbowl Leisure Park, on Yuan Ching Road. One which i have been searching high and low for!

Now you noticed the soup here is seriously robust. From the look of it, and the whiff you took, even before you tasted it. The strong ten tonic soup was especially overwhelming, while we wolfed down the more acceptable 'Buddha jumps over the wall' and pig's stomach soup. One has a generous serving of 4 thick Chinese mushrooms while the latter includes some 20 soft ginkgo nuts in 1 pot!

It was while stock last for each of their soup, so like many of their customers, we dare not be late today. And never, ever skip their home cooked pumpkin rice ($0.80), to settle for the plain rice. You wouldn't regret it. Enjoy!

胡椒白果猪肚煲汤, Gingo Pork Triple Pepper Soup ($4.50)

十全人参大补煲鸡汤, Ten Tonic Ginseng Chicken Soup ($5)

极品佛跳墙, Buddha Jumps Over The Wall ($6.50) 

靓汤圆, Stewed Soup/ Steamed Rice

Steamed Pork Ribs w/ Black Fungus ($6), Rice ($0.50)

Herbal Black Chicken Soup ($4.50)

Do you believe in the rejuvenating effect of herbal soup? We do. And i have been quite into herbal black chicken soup lately. I have never tasted one. So mum tells me that genuine 'black chicken' is not only black on its skin, even its bones are darken. Wow, i have to see to believe. 

This herbal soup stall in the Sims Vista Market and Food Centre draws in many office workers during the lunch hour. That got our attention. The popular dishes being the steamed soup, steamed rice, and even a whole steamed fish.

And we finally get to sample some fresh, genuine black chicken in a strong herbal broth. The steamed pork ribs, however, comes with unyielding veins/fat. So just stick to their steamed fish and soup, and you'll be good.

Stall no. #01-03

和记, Hua Kee Seafood BBQ

Grilled Sotong ($15)

There are 3 main BBQ seafood stalls at the Pasir Panjang Food Centre, the largest of them being Hua Kee BBQ Seafood, spanning across 3 stall spaces. And friends who frequent here went straight to order from them for our group tonight.

The stingray fish, Lala and Gong Gong shellfish were all good, but it was the grilled squids that stood out. It was chewy and flavorsome. The most memorable dish of the night.

Boiled Gong Gong ($10)

BBQ Stingray ($12), Chili LaLa ($12) 

厦门十全大补, Xiamen Tonic Soup!

十全大补鸭, Herbal Duck ($5), Pork Liver & Kidney Soup ($4)

When we were here for the famous Yan Ji Wei Wei Seafood Soup at the Woodlands Food Centre. The long queue of Xiamen tonic soup actually reached where we were seated, and one of their customers asked to share our table. So this was how we get to ogle at his plate of gelatinous braised trotters!

Now i say you don't forget to order their soup when you get their special braised trotters. The kidney soup pales in comparison to the ones at Seng Kee Black Chicken, and we didn't try their pork rib soup (Bak Kut Teh), herbal chicken or pig's stomach soup. Instead, it was the herbal duck that we bought. And it was so so good! 

金包银猪脚, Special Braised Pig Trotters ($4.50)