Tan Xiang (炭香) Charcoal Fishhead Steamboat @ Polaris Woodlands - Bringing the Delectable Fishhead Steamboat to the Northern Region of Singapore

Tan Xiang Charcoal Fishhead Steamboat, the brainchild of celebrity Ben Yeo and Chef Cao Yong, has swiftly become a household name in Singapore's dining scene. With their flagship outlet in Kallang already drawing crowds, their newest establishment in Woodlands promises to bring the same delectable fishhead steamboat and zichar dishes to the northern region of Singapore.

During the bustling grand opening, we seized the opportunity to indulge in their 5-6 Pax Set Menu ($158), a tantalising spread featuring a selection of signature favourites and enticing new creations.

Signature Red Grouper Head Hotpot

At the heart of our feast was the Signature Red Grouper Head Hotpot. Delighting our taste buds, the fish slices were served separately from the bubbling broth, ensuring they remained impeccably tender without being overcooked. Compared to their other outlets, the soup base at the Woodlands branch boasts an even richer depth of flavour, probably owing to some subtle tweaks and enhancements. Regardless, each spoonful of the aromatic broth was a triumph for the palate.

Signature XO Charcoal Yam Ring

An intriguing departure from the conventional yam ring, the Signature XO Charcoal Yam Ring captivated us with its striking black hue, courtesy of the infusion of charcoal powder. Beneath its crispy exterior, the yam ring exuded a delightful fragrance and a distinct yam flavour. It was adorned with succulent prawns, scallops, snow peas, and cashew nuts stir-fried to perfection in a fragrant XO sauce.

Stir-fried Mushroom with Chinese Kale

For a refreshing vegetable dish, we savoured the 3-in-1 Stir-fried Mushroom with Chinese Kale, a delightful medley of textures and flavours. Unlike the standard fare, this dish incorporated mushrooms alongside the customary beansprouts, offering an extra layer of crunch and depth to the dish.

Zhen Jiang Spare Ribs

The Zhen Jiang Spare Ribs captivated our palates with their tantalisingly sweet caramelised crust, each tender morsel bursting with succulent juiciness. The delightful balance of sweet and savoury flavours left us longing for more.

Signature Hometown Spring Chicken

A newcomer to the menu, the Signature Hometown Spring Chicken stole the spotlight with its tender, succulent meat. Poached to perfection, the chicken, likely sourced from kampong chickens, boasted a luscious texture and was beautifully complemented by a generous heap of ginger.

Claypot Fragrant Drunken Clams

The aroma of the Claypot Fragrant Drunken Clams teased our senses as it arrived at our table. Each plump, juicy clam was bathed in a fragrant Hua Diao wine, infusing the dish with an irresistible depth of flavor that left us craving for more.

In summary, Tan Xiang Charcoal Fishhead Steamboat in Woodlands continues to uphold its reputation for delivering exceptional culinary experiences. With its winning combination of signature favourites and innovative new creations, it's no wonder that this establishment has quickly become a go-to destination for discerning food enthusiasts in the North.


Tan Xiang (炭香) Charcoal Fishhead Steamboat
Polaris
101 Woodlands Ave 12
#01-06
Singapore 737719
Tel: +65 8465 5070
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Nearest MRT: Admiralty (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Admiralty MRT station. Take Exit C. Cross the road and walk to bus stop opposite Admiralty MRT station (Stop ID 46771). Take bus number 904. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to Woodlands Lane. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Yakiniku Kura @ Woodlands - Yakiniku In Coffeeshop Serves Affordable And Good Quality Yakiniku Set Menus

Situated within 785E Woodlands Rise Food Paradise coffeeshop is Yakiniku Kura, a Japanese Yakiniku Stall offering yakiniku sets, perfect for those looking for an affordable charcoal yakiniku experience in the North. While the coffeeshop setting might not be the most suitable for yakiniku, we managed to grab a seat outside, which is more ventilated.

They offer a wide variety of set menus to cater to solo diners and large groups, starting from $7.80. It includes Pork and Chicken Set ($7.80 for 150g), Karubi and Kata-Rosu Set with Beef Short Plate and Chunk Eye Roll ($10.80 for 120g), and Wagyu Beef Steak Set with authentic Wagyu Beef Striploin ($18.80 for 120g). All sets are served with rice, soup, and a side dish (usually kimchi) for a complete meal.

We opted for the Premium Beef Platter (from S$35.80 for small), which has generous servings of short plate, chuck eye roll, oyster blade, beef tongue, meltique striploin, and short rib. All platters are served with three dipping sauces — yakiniku sauce, sweet sauce and ponzu sauce.

We also had the Wagyu Beef Steak, a top-up of S$15 for 100g of premium wagyu, and the Hokkaido Snow Pork Belly Set (from S$9.80). The meats are superbly tender, with a distinct charcoal flavour from grilling over the charcoal fire.

While you're there, don't forget to try their most popular set menus like the "Shiok" Rib Set with Premium Beef Short Rib ($14.80 for 120g) and Marbling Beef Set with Meltique Beef Ribeye/Striploin ($13.80 for 120g).

Photos and words by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Yakiniku Kura
Blk 785E Woodlands Rise
#01-16
Singapore 735785
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Nearest MRT: Sembawang (NS Line), Admiralty (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 230pm - 1030pm
Fri-Sun: 230pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Sembawang MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Sembawang MRT station. (Stop ID 58211). Take bus number 858. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Admiralty MRT staton. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop opposite Admiralty MRT station (Stop ID 46771). Take bus number 904. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to Woodlands Rise. Turn left, cut through the housing blocks and walk to destination. Journey time about 18 minutes. [Map]

Teochew Meat Puff @ Woodlands Industrial Park, Wave9 - Snaking Queue For Their UFO-shaped Meat Puff

Oyster cake is a rarely seen snack in Singapore nowadays. There probably left only one or two places in Singapore still selling them. If I am not wrong, one is in Maxwell hawker centre, and the other is at Jalan Besar hawker centre. Thanks to MissTamChiak, I get to know another new stall - Teochew Meat Puff in Woodlands Industrial Park selling this delicious snack.

Teochew Meat Puff used to operate at Pasar Malams, it has no choice but to change its business model, settling into a permanent stall in a coffeeshop at Wave9 building in Woodlands Industrial Park under the current COVID pandemic.

Be prepared to queue if you plan to try the UFO-shaped meat puff. The latest I heard the wait is up to 2 hours now. The stall owner, Keith, will pour a layer of rice batter into a metal spatula, followed by the meat mixture, celery and another layer of rice batter to cover it. Peanuts are then sprinkled on top before sending it into the hot oil, deep-fried to a golden brown. If you observed each meat puff carefully, you would notice that the peanuts pattern help to differentiate the different flavours.

Oyster Pork Meat Puff

All together the stall sells 6 different flavours of meat puff. They are Oyster Pork ($3.50), Prawn Pork ($3.50), Octopus Pork ($3.50), Crab Pork ($3.50), Scallop Pork ($4) and Vegetable ($2).

Octopus Pork Meat Puff

The meat puff is crispy on the exterior with juicy pork filling. My favourite is the pork and oyster filling. I find the briny taste of the oyster complements the savoury pork filling better than the rest. I will go for the pork and octopus if you prefer a more textural enjoyment in each bite. Last but not least, don't forget to have it together with the chilli sauce. 

Pork Shrimp Meat Puff

The last I check on Teochew Meat Puff Facebook page, the stall owner, is very apologetic to his customers for the long wait. They are currently trying to negotiate with the coffeeshop to take up the space beside their stall so that they can add extra equipment to deep-fried more meat puff. You may not know, but each meat puff takes about 15 minutes.


Teochew Meat Puff
Wave9
71 Woodlands Industrial Park E9
Singapore 757048
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Admiralty (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 8pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Admiralty MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop opposite Admiralty MRT station (Stop ID 46771). Take bus number 964. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]