Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee @ Bukit Batok - Singapore's Traditional Delicacy That Falls Short Of My Expectation

Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee has been opening several stalls around the island in recent years with the latest outlet in the West. The stall is located at Gather Together Coffeeshop at block 177 Bukit Batok West Ave 8. 

Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee's original stall is at Old Airport Road, run by Mr Ng Hock Wah, who should be 74 years old this year. He learnt the art of cooking hokkien mee since 18 years old. He is a legend himself, cooking and mastering that only one dish for 57 years.

Fried Hokkien Mee 3/5

Traditional Fried Hokkien Mee comes with only chopped red chillis. However, to cater to the younger generation, the stall has introduced sambal to go with the noodle. I know there are split views of Nam Sing's hokkien mee among my foodie friends. Most of them does not like it. I have never tried it, so this will determine which side of the fence I stand on.

The plate of Fried Hokkien Mee comes in $5, $8 and $10. It is the dry version using thin vermicelli. It seems the ratio of beehoon is much more than the yellow noodle. I am probably used to eating hokkien mee that has a slurping texture. This version with a mouthful of thin beehoon is too dry for me. In addition, the prawn stock is almost undetectable. It is more like a plate of fried beehoon rather than fried hokkien mee. Now I understand why most of my food friends do not like it. I am not a fan of it too.

Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee
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]

Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee @ Jurong West Ave 5 - A Delicious Discovery In The Old Jalan Bahar Camp

Little did I know the old Jalan Bahar Camp at Jurong West Ave 5 has been redeveloped. The old camp area now sits a Sheng Siong Supermarket, warehouse and food court. Not known to many, there is an excellent Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee in what is known as the Sheng Siong Food Court or FM Food Master Food Court.

The fried hokkien prawn mee stall offers quite a variety such as Slipper Lobster Fried Hokkien Mee ($10), Big Prawn Fried Hokkien Mee ($8), La La Fried Hokkien Mee ($8), Roasted Pork Hokkien Mee ($8) and Fried Hokkien Mee ($4/ $5/ $8). There is even a Premium Fried Hokkien Mee ($25) which comes with slipper lobster, la la, big prawns, roasted pork and squid. On top of that, it sells Fried Carrot Cake and Fried Oyster.

Roasted Pork Fried Hokkien Mee 4.5/5

I only tried the Roasted Pork Fried Hokkien Mee ($8) as I am alone. The stall woks up a wet version of the hokkien mee, which reminds me of Xiao Di Fried Prawn Noodle. It comes in a generous portion of prawns and roasted pork, soaked in a robust prawny broth packed with depth. Even the chilli goes very well with the slurping goodness.

Overall, it is a good plate of fried hokkien prawn mee. However, if there is any room for improvement, it needs more wok hei to the plate of goodness. According to my friend who lives nearby, it also depends on who is behind the wok. The young Malaysian chap fries a better plate of hokkien mee.


Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee
Sheng Siong Food Centre
Blk 9 Jurong West Avenue 5
Singapore 649487
Nearest MRT: Boon Lay (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Boon Lay MRT station. Take Exit C, D, E. Walk to Boon Lay Bus Interchange (Stop ID 22009). Take bus number 199. Alight 3 stops later. Enter the old camp via the side gate. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

The Canopy Cafe @ Marina Bay Golf Course - Chao Ta Bee Hoon, Hokkien Mee, Penang Fried Kway Teow At A Golf Course?

I would never think I would discover The Canopy Cafe at Marina Bay Gold Course as I don't play golf; hence it is not a place I would ever visit. If not for my friends The Ranting Panda, I would not have known of the hidden gem that offers a delicious selection of local zichar dishes.

The Canopy Cafe located on the second floor is an alfresco cafe with the dining area having a stunning view of the CBD landscape and the golf course.

Johore Fried Bee Hoon 3.8/5

The Canopy has an eclectic menu ranging from Western, Japanese, Snacks and Local dishes. The highlight is their local dishes. Who on earth would imagine you can get a plate of Johore Fried Bee Hoon ($9) or better known to many as "Chao Ta Bee Hoon" in a cafe at Marina Bay Golf Course. Though you could not get that crisp compare to JB Ah Beng, the flavours and smokiness are there.

Penang Fried Kway Teow 4/5

The Penang Fried Kway Teow ($9) fares much better than the Johore Fried Bee Hoon with its wok hei aroma. You can also find prawns, fish cake, egg and beansprouts in the plate of rice noodles. I felt that the generous egg serving further enhanced the flavour.

Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee 4/5

My favourite is the Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee ($9). It serves the wet version with the noodles soaking up the robust prawny stock. My only slight disappointment is the accompanying chilli sauce. I find that it does not go well with the noodle.

Tahu Goreng with Special Sauce 4.2/5

A surprise for me is their Tahu Goreng with Special Sauce ($8.90). Unlike the usual sweet sauce with a lot of peanuts, the deep-fried tofu comes in a pool of red chilli, beansprouts and cucumber. Don't be scare by the sea of red; it is not very spicy. It is kind of sweet, a bit like Thai chilli sauce but it still has the sambal fragrant.

Prawn Paste Fried Chicken Wings 3.5/5

While the Prawn Paste Fried Chicken Wings ($9.90) comes in a crispy batter coat, it lacked the prawn paste flavour. Putting that aside, it is an enjoyment deep-fried chicken wing, crisp and juicy.

In my wildest imagination, I would never expect a cafe at a golf course can dish out such delicious local dishes. It is not easily accessible by public transport but for those that drives, you may like to visit the place as it has a lot of parking with a beautiful dining view. By the way, do not mistake Canopy Cafe with the ones at Bishan Park and Hort Park.


The Canopy Cafe
Marina Bay Golf Course
80 Rhu Cross
#02-01
Singapore 437437
Te;: +65 63425742
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Website
Nearest MRT: Stadium (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 730am - 930pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Stadium MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Singapore Indoor Stadium (Stop ID 80199). Alight 4 stops later. Walk down Rhu Cross Road until the Vistor Centre. Walk further down and turn left again onto Rhu Cross Road into Marina Bay Golf Course. Journey time about 18 minutes. [Map]

YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle @ Golden Mile Food Centre - Hokkien Mee By A 21 Years Old Hawker

I was alerted by my friend, MissTamChiak that there is a pretty good Hokkien Mee stall - YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle at Golden Mile Food Centre cooked by a young 21 years old hawker. That is pretty young to take up the spatula and cook Hokkien Mee, which needed a lot of skill.

Hokkien Mee with Thick Vermicelli 4/5

The Hokkien Mee here is the dry type and comes in two versions for customers to choose. You can request for either the thick or thin vermicelli. I would recommend the thin vermicelli because it tends to soak up the broth and smoky wok hei more.

For $5 a plate, it comes with prawn, pork belly slices and squid. Not forgetting that you can add your own pork lards. As for the chilli, it is not bad, but my followers will know that I prefer the tangy type, which I think is more appetising.

Hokkien Mee with Thick Vermicelli 4.2/5

For 21 years old, I have to say Andre woks up a really delicious plate of Hokkien Mee which is already better than a lot of places. He picked up the skill from his father who used to sell fried hokkien mee at Changi Village. By the way, the father is also helping out at the stall too. He also shared that his son skill is not perfect yet, but I am sure with time and experience, he will only get better.

For those that are taking away their order, the hokkien mee will be wrapped in opeh leaf which enhances the flavour. Overall, this is a decent plate of hokkien mee that is way better than many places. I personally feel that the stall should improve on the chilli sauce to make it more enjoyable.


YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
Golden Mile Food Centre
505 Beach Road
#01-57
Singapore 199583
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Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 10am - 9pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Nicoll Highway MRT station. Take Exit A. Take the overhead bridge and cross over to Beach Road. Walk down Beach Road along with the flow of traffic. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

New Ubin Zhongshan Park @ Ramanda By Wyndham Singapore - Truly Singaporean Tze-Char In A Hotel Restaurant

New Ubin has opened its third outlet at Ramanda by Wyndham Singapore at Zhongshan Park. It is their first restaurant in a hotel and an interesting collaboration to bring a truly Singaporean Tze-Char experience into a hotel restaurant.

Foie Gras Egg Special 4/5

A decadent spin to our traditional Singaporean soft-boiled eggs breakfast is the Foie Gras Egg Special ($10.50). The soft-boiled eggs come with pan-seared foie gras with a sprinkle of truffle salt. It is a hearty and comforting atas breakfast to start the day.

Double-Fried Eggplant 4.5/5

The Double-Fried Eggplant will be enjoyed by both young and old. They are thinly sliced and double fried to a delightful crisp coated in a savoury sweet sauce. Its really addictive and you probably won't know that you are eating eggplant.

Pork Jowl 4/5

While I enjoyed the tender Crispy Pork Jowl ($14 for 125g), I thought it lacked the char and crispiness to make it tastier. Applaud to the special concocted sauce consists of miso and gula melaka, that matched the pork excellently. This dish is only at Chijmes and Zhongshan Park outlet.

Prawn Paste Chicken 3.5/5

The Prawn Paste Chicken ($18 for 6pc) is deep fried to a delightful crispy exterior. However it lacked the distinct prawn paste flavour which is slightly disappointing.

Chicken and Pork Satay 4.2/5

Chicken and Pork Satay ($6 for 5 sticks) is not your typical tze-char dish but it gives diner a taste of the local street food. From the uneven char on the surface of the grilled meat, it suggested that they are charcoal grilled with a hint of smokiness. Having it together with the accompanying peanut sauce for a full enjoyment. If pineapple is added to the peanut sauce, that will be even better.

Fish Roe with Petai & ambal Chinchalok 4.8/5 

I am glad that New Ubin offers the Fish Roe with Petal & Sambal Chinchalok on their menu. I have not seen it being served in other restaurants before. I simply adore the grainy deep fried fish roes with petai cooked in sambal and chinalok. It just blown me away how delicious it is. I am definitely ordering this when I return.

Hong Kong Kai Lan 2 Ways 3.5/5

Not really a new dish but he Hong Kong Kai Lan 2 ways ($15/$20/$25) provided the need greens for a balance diet.

Boss Bee Hoon 4.2/5

The Boss Bee Hoon ($12) may look unassuming but it is packed with robust flavours on top of that smokey wok-hei, demonstrating the chef's wok skill while not burning the beehoon.

Hokkien Mee 4.5/5

I was rather surprised New Ubin serves an awesome plate of Hokkien Mee ($15/$30). Their version is the wet type. The noodles are cooked until it absorbed the robust broth. Most important, it even comes with pork lard! That itself is a winner.

New Ubin is probably the very first Tze-char restaurant to bring the concept of premium beef to the table. It was a hit and it soon became their signature. We tried both the USDA Black Angus Rib-Eye ($16 per 100g) and "Zabuton" Cut Mishima Reserve "Ultra" US Full Blood Wagyu ($66 for 300g). It is served together with caramelised onions, potato wedges, house-smoked sea salt flakes and heart attack fried rice. The beef itself is already beautiful on its own, hence it didn't need any sauce for me. I prefer to have it in its nature flavour.

Double Heart AttacK Fried Rice 4.2/5

Not to forget the Heart Attack Fried Rice that comes with the USDA Black Angus Rib-Eye. Unfortunately you can't order the heart attack fried rice on the ala carte menu, it only comes with the beef. This is because the fried rice if fried using the beef's fats. It is also served with a sunny-side up egg. The regulars will know of the off menu Double Heart Attack Fried Rice which comes with 2 sunny-side up eggs instead.

Classic Chilli Crab 4.2/5

Singaporean loves their crabs, especially the Classic Chilli Crab ($48/500g, $68/800g, $98/1kg). Remember to order some Deep Fried Mantou ($4 for 3pc) to wipe up the chilli crab sauce. I like the fact that the sauce is not too sweet and it still has that fiery spicy kick.

Garlic Baked Crab 4.2/5

Besides the classic chilli crab, the crab is available in black pepper, white pepper, salted egg and garlic baked. All the different cooking method are commonly available in Singapore but the Garlic Baked Crab is something new to me. Unlike the rest which are saucy, this is like a dry version for the diners that like the aroma of garlic.

Banana Gula Melaka 4/5

Dessert wise, we tried the Banana Gula Melaka ($10). The banana slices caramelised in gula melaka and served with house-made coconut ice cream. Simple it may be but it is an enjoyable dessert to end the dinner on a sweet note.

Kaya on Toast Baguette 4.5/5

I was a bit sceptical to know that the Kaya on Toast Baguette ($8 for 5pc) is on the dessert menu. Isn't kaya and toast a local favourite breakfast but why is it on the dessert menu? Putting that aside, I strongly recommend you to order this even when you are already full. Do save some space for the fragrant homemade kaya and French butter. I promise you, you won’t regret it.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


New Ubin Zhongshan Park
Ramanda By Wyndham Singapore
16 Ah Hood Road
Singapore 329982
Tel: +65 97406870
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Website
Nearest MRT: Novena (NS Line),Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Fri-Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 530pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Irrawaddy Road. Walk towards Ren Ci Community Hospital direction along Irrawaddy Road. Turn onto Shan Road and walk to the end. At the end of the Shan Road, cross Balestier Road to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Toa Payoh bus interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus number 139 and 145. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Toa Payoh MRT station along Toa Payoh Lorong 2 (Stop ID 52189). Take bus 56, 105 or 153. Alight 1 stop later. Cross the canal. Cut through the cluster of HDB flats and carpark towards block 103 onto Ah Hood Road. Continue on Ah Hood Road to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Subrosa Private Dining @ Jalan Besar - Exclusive Farm-To-Table Fine Dining Experience Without An Ostentatious Price Tag

With home private dining getting popular in Singapore, a new private dining restaurant concept has sprung in the F&B scene. One such new establishment is Subrosa Private Dining at Jalan Besar. The private dining restaurant is helmed by both Executive Chef Steven Snowdon from London and Consulting Chef Francis Lee from Singapore, offering an amalgamation of East and West. A 7-course menu is priced at $128 for lunch and $168 for dinner.

Artisan Bread Selection

Our 7-course dinner started with a selection of homemade Artisan Bread. However I was drawn to the homemade Truffle Butter that was arousing my senses while waiting for the bread to be served. I have to refrain myself from picking up another piece of the bread to finish up the truffle butter.

Fresh is Best 3.8/5

Next we moved to a cold starter, Fresh is Best. The fresh and sweet scallop is paired with fermented melon, cucumber, dill, lemon and smoked trout roe. I applauded the chefs effort in making his own pickled and fermented fruits and vegetables. It did give the dish a vibrant taste. However I thought there was a bit too much flavours at work masking the natural sweetness of the scallop.

The Cocktail 4/5

We were in luck as the crabs were just delivered the morning of our visit. The Cocktail comes with crabmeat that has been painstakingly removed from its shell. It is presented in a glass with aerated shrimp. The richness of the aerate shrimp tastes almost like crab roe. The bloody mary tomato is a lovely touch to cut through the richness.

Quaking Cod That 4/5

The Quaking Cod That is another dish on the menu that showcases the influences of both East and West. The fat and buttery cod fish is wrapped in a layer of nori and topped with ginger and shimeji. This is served together with an aromatic duck consomme. An interesting combination that replicate the Asian steamed fish.

Palate Cleanser 4.2/5

Before moving on to our next course, we are served the palate cleanser which is Lychee Sorbet with morello cherry granita, chocolate mint and preserved mandarin orange. It is a well received break to refresh the palate after all the rich flavoured dishes.

Oh 'Dang! 4.8/5

After travelling around the world , we are back home with Oh 'Dang!, a local rendang dish consists of ox cheek, carrot puree, purr and topped with coconut flakes. The fork tender ox cheek took me by surprises with its texture and robust rempah. I didn't expect the restaurant to be serving me such a well executed local dish.

Remember Mee 3/5

The other locally inspired dish is the Remember Mee or Hokkien Mee a luxurious take using the  lobster with yellow noodle and bee hoon. I don't quite get the idea when the broth is pour into the plate at table side. It fell short of my expectation as the noodles didn't get to absorb the robustness of the broth. The pro is it comes with pork lard.

Tropical Passion 4.5/5

Wrapping our 7-course dinner is the Tropical Passion. When I first read the menu, I thought I will be served a plate of fruits with the description just mentioning the dish consists of coconut, mango, lime and passionfruit. It was a pleasant surprise with the exquisite presentation.

You probably has the same doubt as me what makes Subrosa different from other restaurants? Apparently you can’t just walk in and you need to make reservation 2 days prior. Hence it is categorised as a private dining restaurant. I also understand the chefs are flexible with their menu and they will try to accommodate to your request within the capability.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Subrosa Private Dining
369 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208997
Tel: +65 66100555
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Boon Keng (NE Line), Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
11am - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Horne Road. Turn left onto Horne Road. Walk to the end of Horne Road. Turn right onto Tyrwhitt Road. Turn left onto Beatty Lane and walk to Jalan Besar Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Boon Keng MRT station. Take Exit C. Turn left onto Boon Keng Road.  Walk to Bendemeer Road. Turn right onto Bendemeer Road. Walk down Bendemeer Road to Jalan Besar Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]