Yuan Yuan Claypot Rice (源源砂煲饭) @ Bukit Batok - Claypot Rice with 40 Years of Heritage Opens New Stall

After 40 years, Yuan Yuan Claypot Rice has a new stall in the recently renovated and brightly-lit Mei De Coffeeshop in Bukit Batok. Founded initially by Uncle Seah at ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre in Bukit Merah in 1982, his son and second-generation owner, Raymond Seah, officially took over in 2019. Raymond then explored an apprenticeship model intending to preserve his father's legacy.

Cooking with charcoal fire is not an easy skill, especially to master the different techniques required for cooking single pax claypots versus bigger claypots that serve 2 to 5 pax. Raymond focused on imparting the craft of cooking single pax claypots to his apprentices, and that is what you will find here in Bukit Batok, the first stall to be helmed by his trained apprentice chef. The chicken stock and homemade secret black sauce will continue to be made and supplied by Raymond.

Claypot Rice 砂锅饭 4/5

Each portion of Claypot Rice ($8) is served with a generous drizzle of the homemade black sauce and a classic mix of ingredients - marinated chicken, lup cheong, liver sausage, salted fish and vegetables. Please give it a good mix before digging in!

The result of cooking over charcoal fire shines through, as you get a lovely smokiness in terms of fragrance and taste. There was also a nicely-charred crust at the bottom of the pot, which is one of my favourite things about claypot rice.

I enjoyed how the black sauce is not too sweet so that while it adds on sweetness, it doesn't end up overwhelming the flavours of the other ingredients. The chicken chunks were tender and thoroughly marinated with a lingering hint of hua diao wine.

Deep Fried Prawn Rolls 五香虾枣 3.8/5

The Deep Fried Prawn Rolls ($8) was served piping hot as they are freshly fried upon order. Each of them had a thin, crunchy exterior that reminded us of fried wanton skins. The well-packed filling was perfectly seasoned with a distinct touch of star anise.

Seasonal Vegetables 油菜

If you need more greens to go with your claypot rice, the Seasonal Vegetables ($4/$6) are also available for order.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Yuan Yuan Claypot Rice
Blk 273 Bukit Batok East Ave 4
Mei De Coffee Shop
Singapore 650273
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Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bukit Batok MRT station. Walk to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 43009). Take bus number 177. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes [Map]

Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice @ Bukit Batok - Getting My Chicken Rice Fix Before Malaysia Flesh Chicken Export Ban

With Malaysia banning the export of fresh chicken to Singapore from 01 June 2022, hopefully, this is short term for Malaysia to stabilise domestic supply and price hike. Nevertheless, it causes a swarm of customers at various chicken rice stalls around the island before the ban kicks in. As a result, some stalls may close for a while or change to selling other stuff without fresh chicken until the ban is lifted.

One of my favourite chicken rice stalls is Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice, an awardee of Michelin Bib Gourmand. It has expanded with several stalls across the island in the last year. I visited one of their stalls at Bukit Batok to have my chicken rice craving.

I had the Duo Chicken Rice ($5/$6), which comes with steamed chicken and Roasted Chicken. We also added a braised egg. The rice is fluffy and fragrant with tender chicken. I also like the accompanying achar giving it a refreshing touch.

Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
Get Together Coffeeshop
Blk 177 Bukit Batok West Ave 8
Singapore 650177
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Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 8pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bukit Batok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 43009). Take bus number 941. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

The NeighbourWok 街坊 @ Bukit Batok - Another Good Plate of Fried Hokkien Mee In The West

My friend Jennifer (@qiuuing), who stays at Bukit Batok area, has been eating the Hokkien Mee from The NeighbourWok 街坊, and I have been drooling over her delicious food posting. She arouses my curiosity about what makes the plate of Hokkien Mee so good that she has been a repeat customer.

To prepare to wait up to a good 30 minutes at least. While I was there, there were many delivery orders and customers patiently sitting around the coffeeshop, waiting for their collection buzzers to sound. I would recommend waiting away from the stall. This is because the whole coffeeshop becomes very smokey whenever the stall cooks a new batch.

The Fried Hokkien Mee ($4/ $5) comes with egg, prawn, pork belly slices, squid and pork lard. The style reminds me of Come Daily Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee at Toa Payoh. It is the gooey type, neither too wet nor dry, soaking up the flavoursome stock.

To enjoy the fried hokkien mee to the fullest, let the sour tinge from the accompanying sambal chilli perks up the appreciation of the slurping goodness, further fragrant by the pork lard bits. It is a decent plate of fried hokkien mee worth the calories if you stay in the West.

The Neighbourwok 街坊
Blk 207 Bukit Batok Street 21
#01-118
Singapore 650207
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Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 11am - 830pm

Direction:
1) Alight A Bukit Batok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 43009). Take bus number 189. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2 Alight A Bukit Batok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 43009). Take bus number 173. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway @ Bukit Batok - Ex Master Chef Finalist Opens Latest Stall In The West

Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway is opened by ex-Master Chef finalist Aaron Wong. I first went to queue at his first stall when it opened at Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre, but it was sold out by the time I reached there. Since then, I have been procrastinating to check out the stall as I heard the queue can be up to an hour. So this time round, I decided to drop by his latest stall at block 177 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 with a few of my friends.

Signature All-In-One Combo 4.2/5

I decided to have the Signature All-In-One Combo ($5.50), which comes with the handmade mee hoon kway, minced pork, pork slices, pork ball, shrimp ball and ikan bilis. It also comes with a bowl of soup with an egg.

Give the bowl of noodles a good toss to get the black sauce to coat the chewy dough. The first thing I notice is the amount of black sauce. It is not a lot. I would say it is just sufficient. The dough also has a more delectable chewy bite which I enjoyed. It is almost like having gnocchi. What surprises us is that there was a smoky flavour. I didn't see any stir-frying of the noodle; hence I suspect it is from the black sauce.

Overall, I like the delicious bowl of mee hoon kway. There was a lot of textures at play complemented by the smoky flavour. I should try the soup version on the next visit to find out the difference.


Jiak Song
Get Together Coffeeship
Blk 177 Bukit Batok West Ave 8
Singapore 650177
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Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 8pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bukit Batok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 43009). Take bus number 941. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Tasty Thai @ Bukit Batok Street 11 - Phuket-style Thai Kway Chap

Thai-style kway chap is not common in Singapore, not to mention Phuket-style Thai Kway Chap. However, there is a stall, Tasty Thai, at Bukit Batok Street 11 that offers such a style of kway chap. I understand that the stall is opened by an ex-restaurant manager and his two partners.

Thai-style Kway Chap 4/5

Unlike the Bangko-style kway chap, which comes in a clear peppery soup and crispy roasted pork, the Phuket-style Kway Chap ($4.90) comes in a dark herbal soup. Prowling through the bowl of kway chap, I can find Thai sausage, meatball, pig's skin, pork belly, egg and rolled up rice sheet.

I also noticed that the rolled rice sheet used by Tasty Thai is much thicker than the type used in our local kway chap and Yaowarat Thai Kway Chap, which I didn't enjoy. However, I like the herb-based soup compared to the peppery type. To heat up the taste profile, I would recommend adding some Thai chilli flakes to the soup.

Thai Pork Trotter Rice 3/5

Besides the Thai-style kway chap, the stall also offers Thai Pork Trotter Rice ($4.90) on the menu. I was excited to see the item on the menu, but it fell short of my expectation. The meat was on the tough side, and the rice was a bit hard for me. Even the chilli sauce lacked the tanginess to whet up the enjoyment. In conclusion, it didn't manage to reignite my fond memories for one of my favourite Thai street food.

Tasty Thai
Blk 150 Bukit Batok Street 11
#01-246
Singapore 650150
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok MRT (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 8pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bukit Batok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 43009). Take bus number 991. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Laifaba @ Prestige Centre - New Location, Expanded Menu With Even Tastier Wanton Mee

Laifaba first opened its door at Scarlet hotel and has made a name for itself in offering superb Wanton Mee. It has now relocated to Prestige Centre at Bukit Batok with an expanded menu that comprises rice and other roast meats.

Though located in an industrial area, the interior was made very charming, adorned with retro homewares, posters, a table fan and a radio that work!

Signature Char Siew Wanton Mee 4.5/5

When I first tried Laifaba last year, its Char Siew and Crispy Pork left a deep impression. I have a newfound liking for its Signature Char Siew Wanton Mee ($5.00 Small) this time round. Working closely with suppliers, both the wanton skin and noodle are made with improved recipes. One very noticeable difference is the reduction in alkaline, and I very much prefer this lighter and tastier version. Even the wanton seemed much juicer. I recommend topping up $2 to upgrade the regular char siew to its signature Bu Jian Tian Char Siew. Given the amount of fats in there, I felt the meat had been roasted with much precision to attain the beautiful caramelisation on the exterior and rendering just enough fats for flavours while keeping the meat portion tender.

Meat Platter 4/5

Adding two more roast meats into their menu, we had a platter of Soy Sauce Chicken, Roast Duck and Crispy Roasted Pork ($16 Small). The Soy Sauce Chicken was commendable. The meat was very tender, and the skin was flavourful without being too sweet. The pork was still as good as I remember how it was to be with its succulent meat and crackling skin. The Roast Duck paled a little in comparison but was decent. This portion is good for two people as rice or noodles are available as add-ons.

Shrimp Dumpling Soup (tasting portion) 4.5/5

I like the soup as well. The dry wanton mee does come with a small bowl of soup but try the Shrimp Dumpling Soup ($8) that comes with four large and juicy shrimp dumplings. The soup had a good depth of sweetness and umami flavour, which surpassed most that I had tried so far. I had a go at its Fried Shrimp Dumplings ($8) too, but they weren't as impressive. The skin turned quite soggy and greasy after a while.

Other elements that might draw you back to Laifaba are perhaps the various chilli concoction for the different dishes. There is a special orangey chilli sauce that is very fiery, a red sauce for a regular spicy dry noodle dish, and a refreshing and tangy chilli paste for the roast meats.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Laifaba
Prestige Centre
71 Bukit Batok Crescent
#02-02
Singapore 658071
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon- Sun: 8am - 330pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17171). Take bus number 106. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to Bukit Batok Crescent. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

Baba Steven's Private Dining - Our Cheapest Private Dining Experience

Our next private dining adventure brought us to the humble home of Baba Steven's Private Dining at Bukit Batok. The chef is Mr Steven Quak who is in his 70s and used to work in a Peranakan Restaurant. We are hosted by his wife while he sweated it out in the kitchen preparing our Peranakan feast. We paid $480 for a table of 8 pax which works out to be $60 per pax.

Pineapple Tarts 3.5/5

While we waited for the rest of the group to turn up, we were offered some home-baked Pineapple Tarts to snack on. They also made these for sales too. The pineapple jam is not too sweet and it is complemented by the buttery pastry.

Bakwan Kepiting Soup 3.8/5

Having tried a number of Bakwan Kepiting Soup, I find the version here is much cleaner and lighter in taste. While the meatball was a bit firm, it stood out for the addition of the bamboo shoot for that extra crunch.

Sambal Lady Finger 4/5

The Sambal Lady Finger is simple but it shone through that simplicity with the beautifully blanched and crunchy lady fingers paired excellently with the homemade sambal. Though the sambal can be more spicy.

Chilli Sotong 4/5

Another homely and simple dish is the Chilli Sotong. Fresh bouncy sotong cooked with chilli, allowing the ingredients to speak of themselves.

Tulang Babi Sio 4.2/5

Well braised prime rib with fall of the bone meat is the Tulang Babi Sio. Besides the tender meat, I really enjoyed the tanginess in the sauce, so much that I was drenching my plate of rice with them.

Ayam Buah Keluak 3.8/5

Most of time when I have Ayam Buah Keluak, the chicken turned out rather dry. I am glad that uncle Steven manage to keep them juicy and tender, with the nuttiness of the acquire fruit shining through.

Nonya Chap Chye 3.8/5

I like the Nonya Chap Chye for the fact that it is cooked to a delectable crunchy bite. I only wish that the fermented beancurd flavour can come across stronger.

Beef Rendang 3.5/5

Unlike the saucy version which I usually have, the Beef Rendang is like a dry version with a thick coat of rempah blanketing the tender beef.

Ikam Kuah Lada 4.5/5

Last but not least we have the Ikam Kuah Lada. This is a dish that I have not eaten before. In the orangey curry-like gravy it comes with chunky stingray and eggplant. The gravy is quite unique with a peppery kick to it. I am glad to discover a new dish for my food journal.

Besides opening his house for private dining, Uncle Steven also do a bit of takeaway catering too. All you need to contact him. Psst...besides Peranakan food, he can cook Thai food too.


Baba Steven Private Dining
Blk 204 Bukit Batok Street 21
Singapore 650204
Tel: +65 97506564
Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok

Ah Lipp Famous Penang Prawn Noodles @ Bukit Batok Street 11 - A Slurping Good Bowl Of Penang Prawn Noodle

Ah Lipp is a new stall that has recently opened at Bukit Batok Street 11, selling Penang hawker fare such as Penang Prawn Noodles, Assam Laksa and White Curry Mee. The stall adopts a queue system whereby customers place their orders, pay up and wait for their queue number to be displayed. A similar concept like clinic or hospital.

Prawn Noodles 4.5/5

Initially I wanted to order the big prawn noodle but it was not available. Hence I settled on the normal size prawn, Prawn Noodle ($6). The bowl of noodle comes with 3 pieces of prawn, tender pork ribs, pork slices and slices of fish cake, topped with fried shallots. The noodle is held together by a rich and robustly prawn shell flavoured soup base, which also has a hint of spiciness.

Assam Laksa 2.8/5

While I applaud the used of the thick beehoon for the Assam Laksa ($3.50) with cucumber and pineapple, I felt that the assam broth lacked of depth and it tasted rather diluted. While I understand the part on cost saving but it felt it is not assam laksa if I could not really find mackerel in the bowl of noodle.

White Curry Noodle 4.2/5

The other noodle dish on the menu is the White Curry Noodle ($4.20) which comes with sotong, fish cake, cockles, chicken and tau pok. I was excited to find cockles in the noodle. Just like how I enjoy my bowl of laksa. The broth is not as lemak as our nyonya but it is packed with robustness. Add the chilli sauce into the soup for the extra oomph.

Overall I am quite impressed with the prawn noodle and white curry noodle. It is worth the calories. However, the assam laksa still has rooms for improvement.


Ah Lipp Famous Penang Prawn Noodles
Yong Xing Mian Jia Coffeeshop
Blk 155 Bukit Batok Street 11
Singapore 650155
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Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 730am - 8pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bukit Batok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 43009). Take bus number 941. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]