Heartland by Enjoy @ Tampines - Introduces New Dishes With Familiar Flavours That Comes With Creative Twists

Tucked away in the heartlands, Heartland by Enjoy has expanded its menu with new dishes that blend familiar local flavours with modern café-style influences. From crispy sharing bites and fusion mee pok creations to hearty rice sets, comforting fish curry, and indulgent desserts, we dropped by to see whether these latest additions are worth the trip.

Block Party Mac & Cheese 2/5

New on the menu is the Block Party Mac & Cheese ($6.90), a fun little sharing dish made with breaded and deep-fried mac and cheese bites. They were nicely fried with a crisp exterior; however, we were expecting the centre to be much creamier and gooier. Instead, the filling was a little dry for our liking, so it unfortunately didn’t quite hit the spot for us.

Ultimate Garlic Mee Pok 3/5

Mee Pok Carbonara 2/5

Out of curiosity, we tried both fusion mee pok dishes on the menu. The Ultimate Garlic Mee Pok ($15.90) comes with smoked duck and has a pleasant garlicky aroma, though we were hoping for a bolder garlic flavour. The Mee Pok Carbonara ($14.90), on the other hand, is topped with an egg that adds richness and creaminess, giving it a flavour profile closer to an authentic carbonara.

While both dishes offer an interesting fusion twist, we found the mee pok a little too soft, with the alkaline taste coming through more than we’d like. Cooking the noodles to a firmer, more al dente texture would greatly improve the overall experience.

Ayam Gepuk Berempah Set 4/5

Another new addition is the Ayam Gepuk Berempah Set ($13.90), which we found to be really good value for money. The set comes with BBQ chicken thigh, fragrant coconut rice, a fried egg, peanuts, ikan bilis and three different sauces on the side.

Our chicken portion was a little dry that evening, although we were assured this is not usually the case. We really enjoyed the rice. It had a lovely coconut fragrance, and the use of basmati rice kept every grain nicely separated instead of clumping together. A hearty and satisfying option for the price.

Kampung Barra Fish Curry 4/5

One of our favourite dishes from the evening was the Kampung Barra Fish Curry ($27.90). A whole piece of barramundi fillet is used, which means you get to enjoy the fish without having to deal with bones. The curry was rich and comforting, with a nice balance between sweetness and spice without being overly heavy. It also comes with tofu, tofu puffs and vegetables that soak up the curry beautifully. We also liked the crispy tofu skin served separately on the side. It added a nice crunchy contrast and was especially good dipped into the curry.

Drinks 4/5

We tried three drinks — the Coconut Smoothie ($7.90), Avocado Gula Melaka Smoothie ($7.90) and Coconut Coffee Ice Blend ($7.90). All three were enjoyable, with rich flavours and just the right amount of sweetness. A refreshing option which made them easy to drink alongside the heavier dishes.

Sago Gula Melaka 5/5

The Real Chendol 5/5

We ended our meal with two desserts — the Sago Gula Melaka ($5.90), which is new to the menu, and The Real Chendol ($6.90). Both were excellent and easily our favourite sweet treats of the evening. The standout was undoubtedly the gula melaka, which was rich, fragrant and tasted authentic without being overly sweet. These are definitely worth saving some room for.

Heartland by Enjoy’s newest menu offerings are a mix of hits and misses, but there are certainly dishes worth returning for, like the Kampung Barra Fish Curry and desserts.

The restaurant itself has a cosy neighbourhood charm, although the dining area is quite compact with tables placed close together. It also gets very busy during peak meal hours, so be prepared for a short wait if you’re dropping by. Overall, it’s a worthwhile spot for comforting local flavours, especially if you’re in the area and looking to try something new.

Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Heartland by Enjoy
Blk 481 Tampines Street 44
#01-267
Singapore 520481
Tel: +65 87766757
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Nearest MRT: Tampines East (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10:30am - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Tampines East MRT station. Take Exit A. Cut across the HDB blocks and walk to Tampines Street 42. Cross the road and walk down Tampines Street 44. Walk to the destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Old Airport Road Zheng Zong Lor Mee @ Tampines Street 43 - Sisters Of Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee Open Own Stall

Have you tried the famous Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee at Old Airport Road hawker centre? Recently the sisters of Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee has opened their own stall at Tampines Street 43. The stall name is Old Airport Road Zheng Zong Lor Mee, located at the coffeeshop beside the market. As words get around of their opening after seven months, there is a constant snaking queue for their lor mee now.

Lor Mee 4.5/5

I heard that the sisters start the day as early as 130am to start preparing the gravy and ingredients in order to open the stall by 6am. That is a lot of hard work behind a comforting bowl of noodle in a thick and viscous gravy.

The Lor Mee ($4/ $5/ $6) comes in three sizes. We have the largest portion loaded with shredded batang fish, braised pork, braised egg, beansprouts and parsley. The serving is very generous. Not forgetting the garlic and vinegar, which is the soul of a good bowl of lor mee. You can also add a dollop of chilli sauce and some chopped chilli to spice up the enjoyment.

I have not tried Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee, but accordingly, to my friends, the gravy is lighter in flavour in comparison. For a first-timer like me, I find it acceptable and well balanced. It definitely makes the spot as one of the top lor mee stalls in Singapore.

Apparently, the stall also sells prawn noodle. I didn't try it, but if you do, do let me know whether it is good? 


Old Airport Road Zheng Zong Lor Mee
Blk 477 Tampines Street 43
#01-192
Singapore 520477
Tel: +65 97126849
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Nearest MRT: Tampines East (DT Line), Tampines (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Thu-Tue: 6am - 1pm
(Closed on Wed)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tampines MRT station. Take Exit A or D. Walk to Tampines Bus Interchange (Stop ID 75009). Take bus number 28, 29, 293 or 553. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tampines East MRT station. Take Exit A. Cut across the housing estate. Walk to Tampines Street 42. Cross the street and continue to Tampines Street 43. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Woon Woon Pek Beehoon @ Changi Village Food Centre - A Steady Plate of Seafood With White Beehoon

A popular trend in 2017 is the number of white beehoon stalls that have been sprang up across the island. One of them is Woon Woon Pek Beehoon which started back in July 2016 at Changi Village Food Centre by Javien (34 years old) and Reece (36 years old) who quitted their corporate careers to move into food and beverage business. With the help of Reece's father who is a chef with 52 years of experience.

The stall offers a variety of seafood such as lobster, crayfish, prawn, lala, sliced fish and scallop to go with their rice vermicelli. I decided to go for the Lala Crayfish White Beehoon ($10/$20/$30) which comes with the lala clams, crayfish, cabbage, pork lard and white beehoon. The portion is good for 2-3 persons.

Lala Crayfish White Beehoon 4.2/5

I have to say the plate of Lala Crayfish White Beehoon is actually quite well executed. The beehoon probably has been wok fried first to achieve the wok hei flavour before being braised together with the seafood and chicken stock for the beehoon to absorb the flavours. Pork lard is further add to boost the already flavoursome plate of white beehoon.

Woon Woon Pek Beehoon
Changi Village Food Centre
Blk 2 Changi Village Road
#01-52
Singapore 500002
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Nearest MRT: Tampines East (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 11am - 9pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tampines East MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Tampines East MRT station (Stop ID 76031). Take bus number 9. Alight 15 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tampines East MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite block 230 (Stop ID 76221). Take bus number 19. Alight 15 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

Guang Xing Original Taste Fish Head Bee Hoon @ Changi Village Food Centre

My partner was telling about this hawker stall at Changi Village Food Centre that was featured in some food variety stall that sells quite awesome sambal fish head. Some on a Sunday a couple of weeks back, we made our way to the far east of the island to check out Guang Xing Original Taste Fish Head Been Hoon (广兴原味鱼头米粉) stall at Changi Village Food Centre. A long queue was formed at the stall and we have to wait up for a good 45 minutes for our food.

Sambal Fish Head 4.2/5

The Sambal Fish Head ($10/15/20) is the reason why we have made the journey to the far east. This fiery looking dish packed a punch and will set your mouth on fire. I am not sure what species of fish the stall used but it was firm and bouncy. The sambal was definitely the highlight cooked with the delectable fish head and bitter gourd. The aroma sambal also has a hint of Hua Tiao wine making it more fragrant. The stall is also popular for its Black Bean Sauce Fish Head with bitter gourd.

Fish Soup 4.2/5

It was a blessing that we ordered the Fish Soup ($4) from the stall too. It helped to cool off the burning tongue. The fish soup was light, refreshing and flavourful. The fish slices was also fresh and moist.


Guang Xing Original Taste Fish Head Bee Hoon
(广兴原味鱼头米粉)
Changi Village Food Centre
Stall #01-31
Blk 2 Changi Village Road
Singapore 500002
Nearest MRT: Tampines East (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
N/A

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tampines East MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Tampines East MRT station (Stop ID 76031). Take bus number 9. Alight 15 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tampines East MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite block 230 (Stop ID 76221). Take bus number 19. Alight 15 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]