Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant (开洋海鲜菜馆) @ Clementi Ave 2 - Zichar Stall By Disciple Of One Of The Four Heavenly Kings

For those staying in Clementi, we are blessed to have one of the best zichar stalls in Singapore. Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant (开洋海鲜菜馆) is located inside a coffeeshop at Clementi Ave 2. The man behind the wok is non-other than Chef Hoy Yong, the disciple of one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Singapore.

Fried Hor Fun with Egg 4.5/5

One of their popular items, which you probably get to see on every table, is their Fried Hor Fun with Egg. We have the medium portion priced at $11. For the price, the portion is very generous with prawns, vegetables, fish slices, pork slices, and squids, topped with pork lards. The sight of the runny egg, coupled with the breath of the wok, already made me drool before digging in. It is definitely one of the best hor fun I have eaten.

Pig's Stomach Soup 4.5/5

A must-try if it is your first time visiting Hoy Yong is their Three Treasures - Pig's Stomach Soup, Braised Pork Ribs and Deep Fried Duck Roll. I had two out of the three dishes, starting with the Pig's Stomach Soup ($14). You can taste the soup that has been boiled for hours from its creaminess with a piquant peppery kick. What astonished me was the amount of ingredients in the bowl of soup. You get chicken pieces, fish maw and pig's stomach. It is restaurant quality serving!

Deep Fried Duck Roll 4.5/5

The other Three Treasure item we tried is the Deep Fried Duck Roll ($14). It is a unique and tasty creation. It is like a tempura Ngoh Hiang in the crispy crumb, stuffed with roasted duck, pork and prawn. Best to have it together with the mayonnaise.

Garlic Kai Lan 4/5

When you have a master behind the wok, even the Garlick Kai Lan ($12) tasted great. The greens still retain a delectable crunchy texture, simply stir-fried with garlic, ginger, and some pork lards.

Claypot Egg Plant 4.5/5

The other vegetable dish we ordered is the Claypot Egg Plant ($18). Not shown in the picture is the fried egg hidden inside the claypot, soaking up the delicious sauce. Instead of the usual minced meat, it uses crunchy shrimp coated in batter for extra textural enjoyment.

Herbal Kampong Chicken 4.2/5

To round up our meal with a meat dish, we decided to go for the Herbal Kampong Chicken ($18 Half). It was sauna-bath in aluminium foil wrap, cooked to fork-tender in a flavoursome herbal broth.

Hoy Yong is indeed a gem in the West. Its restaurant-quality dishes make it a notch above many zichar stalls in Singapore.


Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant
Blk 352 Clementi Ave 2
#01-153
Singapore 120352
Tel: +65 67782223
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 530pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 52 and 154. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Dover MRT station. Take Exit A Walk to bus stop at Dover MRT station. (Stop ID 19031).  Take bus number 74. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Mariners' Corner Restaurant @ Sunset Way - The Hainanese Western Restaurant Has Moved To The West

Suppose you are fans of Mariners' Corner Restaurant, which used to be at Maritime House. In that case, you will be glad to know that the Hainanese Western restaurant has moved to Sunset Way at Clementi Street 12. Stepping into the restaurant, I felt that I had been transported to the 1980s, giving me a nostalgic feel.

After browsing through the menu, we decided to add an extra $5.80 for a complete set meal, complementing the main course with a bowl of Salad, Soup of the Day, Garlic Bread. Coffee/Tea and dessert.

We started with the Salad Bowl dressed in thousand island sauce, followed by Garlic Bread and Creamy Chicken Soup. There is nothing wow to shout about but classic old-school starters to kickstart the meal before the main course.

Calamari with Tar Tar Sauce 3/5

We decided to order a plate of Calamari with Tar Tar Sauce ($7.50) for the appetiser. Unfortunately, while we enjoyed the crispy batter, we found the squid was a bit rubbery.

New Zealand Ribeye Steak 4.2/5

For my main, I decided to go for the New Zealand Ribeye Steak ($27) served with baked potato and buttered veggies. For the sauces, there are five choices - black pepper, mushroom, garlic shallot, BBQ and sambal. I decided to go for the black pepper sauce for the steak. I find it value-for-money for the quality of beef and price. What I find weird is the topping for the baked potato. It uses deep-fried garlic instead of bacon. I am not sure this is the norm, but I am used to having it with bacon instead of deep-fried garlic.

Grilled King Snapper 2.8/5

My partner has the Grilled King Snapper ($23.50) paired with Almonds with Lemon Butter sauce for the other main. I thought it was lacklustre, lacking the sharpness in flavour to lift the fresh catch. I was expecting it to be more grilled too. Instead, it was too plain, missing the char-grilled aroma.

Finally, wrapping up our set meal is a slice of Fruit Cake with chocolate sauce. Actually, Mariners' Corner reminds me of Jack's Place with its interior decor and food, providing a nostalgic charm that is slowly disappearing in an urbanised country like Singapore.


Mariners' Corner Restaurant
Blk 106 Clementi Street 12
#01-40
Singapore 120106
Tel: +65 62249928
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 184. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 52 or 154. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Dover MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Dover MRT station (Stop ID 19031). Take bus number 74. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Annyeong Chicken @ Clementi West Street 2 - Korean Cuisine In Coffeeshop Cooked By Korean Chef

Near my hood, there is a Korean stall in a nondescript coffee shop by a Korean-Singapore couple. I am aware of Annyeong Chicken's opening since last year. Still, I procrastinated the visit as the stall has caught the media's attention and attracted long queues every day. The main person behind the cooking is Mr Hong, a Korean who has worked in several Korean restaurants. Unfortunately, the one-person show cannot handle the crowd. As a result, the stall reduced from the original 10 items on the menu to 5 to reduce the waiting time.

Spicy Seafood Noodles 3.5/5

The Spicy Seafood Noodles ($7) comes brimming with seafood such as prawns, mussels and clams in a fiery looking gochujang-based soup. Unfortunately, the soup base is a bit too light for my liking, lacking depth to justify the chewy Korean egg noodles.

Jajangmyeon 4.5/5

Compare to the Spicy Seafood Noodles, the Noodles in Black Bean Sauce ($7) fares much better. The bowl of noodles is loaded with sweet onions and minced meat. Each mouthful is slurping goodness. The addition of julienne cucumber gives it a refreshing and delightful texture bite.

Seafood Pancake 4.5/5

I usually do not order pancakes from Korean restaurants because they are huge. I probably only have a slice or two. Most versions are doughy, but the Seafood Pancake ($12) here is light and crispy. I applauded the chef for adding an egg to the pancake; the enhanced aroma felt like have our local carrot cake. Surprisingly, I finished the whole plate.

Overall, I have enjoyed the food at Annyeong Chicken. I would go back to try its Tornado Kimchi Fried Rice as it was sold out during my visit. I should also try its Korean Fried Chicken which seems quite popular among the diners. As it is a one-person show cooking behind the stall, diners have to be prepared to wait.


Annyeong Chicken
Rong Fa Coffeeshop
Blk 710 Clementi West Street 2
#01-247
Singapore 120710
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 11am - 4pm, 5pm - 8pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17171). Take bus number 78. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Clementi Bus Interchange. (Stop ID 17009). Take bus number 285. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Yakiniku Like @ The Clementi Mall - Authentic Japanese-style BBQ Experience As Cheap As $8.80 Per Set

With the opening of its first outlet at Paya Lebar Quarter back on 03 February 2020, Yakiniku Like has opened another two more outlets at Clementi Mall and Vivocity. Yakiniku Like is known for authentic Japanese-style BBQ experience with good quality meats at affordable pricing starting from $8.80 for a set.

A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Set

The premium A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Set ($32.80) consists of three delectable cuts - zabuton, chunk and brisket. In addition, you get a bowl of rice, seaweed soup, and kimchi or salad to complete the set. You can see the beautiful marbling on the beef from the photo, giving it an intense flavour and tenderness.

Pork & Chicken Set

The cheapest set among the 11 available on the menu is the Pork & Chicken Set ($8.80). Like all the other sets, it comes with rice, seaweed soup, and kimchi or salad. It is not the best cut, but the wallet-friendly price offers a satisfying meal.

Prime Karubi

If you feel the set meal itself is not enough, you can also order the different beef cuts separately as ala carte. Among the available cuts, my favourite is the Prime Karubi. I like its sweetness and tender texture.

Unfortunately, the restaurant is hit by the Phase 2 Heighten Alert, whereby no dine-in is allowed during this period. Worried that you can order online for both takeaway and delivery during this period at https://yakinikulike.oddle.me/en_SG/

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Yakiniku Like
The Clementi Mall
3155 Commonwealth Avenue West
#05-35
Singapore 129588
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Sheng Yi Fa Lor Mee @ Clementi Ave 3 (Clementi Central) - Great To Have My Favourite Lor Mee Back

The popular Lor Mee in Clementi is back again. After moving out from Blk 443 Clementi Ave 3, it was temporary re-located to West Coast Drive. Glad to inform you that Sheng Yi Fa Lor Mee is once again back at the same coffee shop at Blk 443 Clementi Ave 3.

The stall still maintains the same pricing of $4 and $5 for a bowl of Lor Mee. It comes with braised pork belly, deep fried dumpling, ngor hiang and fried fish nugget. I remembered back in West Coast Drive, they added crunchy flour bits but back at its root, it has decided to remove them. Customers still can help themselves to their preference of chilli, ginger and black vinegar.

Why I like Sheng Yi Fa's lor mee is because of its gravy. Unlike other stalls which is starchy and gooey, their version is more like a drinkable braising sauce, packet with depth and robustness.

I was lucky to be able to make some small talk with the stall uncle. Apparently the uncle is asked to come out of retirement (ya once again) by the coffeeshop owner. It is a collaboration between the coffeeshop owner and the uncle. He is imparting his skill to the coffeeshop staffs, hence you can see them preparing and cooking your bowl of lor mee. However uncle is still around for the time being to oversee the consistency.

Sheng Yi Fa Lor Mee
Blk 443 Clementi Ave 3
Singapore 120443
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 7am - 2pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards the end of block 443 facing Clementi Ave 3. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Mei Xi Kitchen @ Clementi Ave 3 - Selling Hakka Yong Tau Foo And Seafood Soups

I seldom dine at Bgain 442 Eating House at Clementi Ave 3 so I am not sure whether Mei Xi Kitchen is new or not. It is definitely new for me as I don't remember seeing it previously. At the front of the stall, it sells Hakka Yong Tau Foo but if you go to the side (inside the coffeeshop), it sells a variety of seafood soup (Crayfish Grouper, Batang, Dory Fish) while sharing the same place.

Batang Seafood Soup 3/5

I decided to order the Batang Seafood Soup which comes with slices of Batang fish, prawn, tomato,  mushroom and minced pork. I understand the soup base is from boiling old chicken and scallop. However it taste rather light, lacking depth and robustness.

While the soup was rather weak in terms of taste, the seafood was fresh and good. As for the minced pork, it is well marinated and flavourful. They have added dry sole fish to elevate the flavour. However, it has an unpleasant fibrous texture.

Overall I think the stall still has rooms for improvement. More effort is needed in the making the soup base to make it more flavourful. Currently it just taste like bowl of normal soup with ingredients thrown in.


Mei Xi Kitchen
Bgain 442 Eating House
Blk 442 Clementi Ave 3
#01-121
Singapore 120442
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Xin Peng La Mian. Xiao Long Bao (鑫鹏拉面小笼包) - Not The Best But A Good Steal At $4 For 6 Pieces Of Xiao Long Bao

Blk 442 Bagin Eating House is located directly opposite Blk 448 Clementi Ave 3 Food Centre. The coffeeshop houses a number of food stalls. I have been monitoring the coffeeshop and it seems that Xin Peng La Mian and Xiao Long Bao is quite popular with the neighbourhood.

Fried BEan Sauce La Mian 3/5

To satisfy my curiosity, a ordered a couple of items from the stall to try. First is the Fried Bean Sauce La Mian ($4). I find the sauce a bit on the watery side and there wasn't a lot of minced meat. Being a carnivorous, I did not feel quite satisfy. However I like the the shredded cucumbers which gives a refreshing touch to the dish. The other worthy note is the well cooked noodle that is firm and has a good bite to it.

Xiao Long Bao 3/5

I also ordered the Shanghai Xiao Long Bao ($4 for 6pc). For the filling is generous, the portion is not balanced. When I lifted the Xiao Long Bao, it falls apart. The dough was also quite thick which did not have a pleasant bite.

Besides the two dishes I ordered. The stall also offers a variety of la mian and dumplings. While it has its own fan base, I feel it just average though I have to admit the pricing is very reasonable.


Xin Peng La Mian. Xiao Long Bao (鑫鹏拉面小笼包)
Bagin 442 Eating House
Blk 442 Clementi Ave 3
#01-122
Singapore 120442
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Na Na Original Thai Food @ Clementi Road - The Popular Golden Mile Complex Restaurant Has Opened A 2nd Branch In The West

Great news for folks staying in the West, the popular Na Na Original Thai Food at Golden Mile Complex has opened a second branch at Clementi Road, at the stretch of shop houses beside Kent Ridge Bus Terminal. It has taken over the space of Fei Fei Wanton Mee. Great to see the change as the wanton mee was nothing close to the original one in Joo Chiat.

Papaya Salad 3.5/5

Our dinner started with the Papaya Salad ($6). The flavours hit the palate like a tank with its sweetness and spiciness, on top of crunchy papaya stripes. It definitely whetted up our appetite.

Phad Thai with Prawn 3/5

I could not say I actually enjoy the Phad Thai with Prawn ($5). The version was a little too sweet for me. It was also quite stingy in the ingredients, the whole plate looked very pathetic.

Red Curry Chicken 3/5

For our meat, we gone for the Red Curry Chicken ($8) which comes with chicken pieces, pineapple, tomato and eggplant. Do not be deceived by the red coloring of the curry, it is not spicy at all. It fact I find it diluted and sweet.

Stir Fried Kai Lan with Oyster Sauce 4/5

Lastly we had the Stir Fried Kai Lan with Oyster Sauce ($7) to complete the meal. This is probably the best executed dish, with the green retaining its crunchiness. On top of that the oyster sauce was balanced, not overly salty, complementing the earthy taste of the green.

During my visit, the kitchen was a bit chaotic with many tables getting impatient waiting for the food. I could not really blame them because it was only a few days to their opening. It probably needs more time to smooth out the operations. Food wise, I thought it was rather average. However the price point is reasonable cheap. By the way, the restaurant is 24 hours!


Na Na Original Thai Food
18 Clementi Road
Singapore 129747
Tel: +65 68732250
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line), Haw Par Villa (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 24 Hours

Direction:
1) Alight at Haw Par Villa MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Har Paw MRT station (Stop ID 16011). Take bus number 10 or 200. Alight 8 stops later at Kent Ridge Bus Terminal. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Haw Par Villa MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Har Paw MRT station (Stop ID 16011). Take bus number 30, 51, 143 or 188. Alight 7 stops later. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station. (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 183 or 201. Alight 7 stops later. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]