EatAlley @ Orchard Gateway - A Malaysian Food Court Featuring Popular KL Street Food Brands

EatAlley, located in basement 2 of Orchard Gateway, is Orchard's latest Malaysian food theme foodcourt. This 150-seater houses 8 top KL street food brands- Koon Kee Wanton Mee, Hong Lai Hokkien Mee, Siong Huat Bah Kut Teh, Kam Heong Braised Duck, Soong Kee Beef Noodle, Fatty Nasi Lemak, and Restoran Chuan Huat.

Kampung Nasi Lemak (adapted for EatAlley) - Founded a decade ago, the Malaysian founder, nicknamed Fatty, has been making nasi lemak kukus the old-fashioned way using wooden steamers. So here we have the signature dish - Nasi Lemak with Ayam Rempah, complete with fried ikan bilis, peanuts, sunny side up egg and sambal ($8.80), finished with a ladle of curry sauce doused over. The rice was incredibly fragrant and fluffy, making it a perfect match with the robust sauce and sambal. The fried chicken leg had a good crunch on the outside, with the meat tender and juicy. We also had a serving of Beef Rendang that was pleasingly tender.

Kam Heong Braised Duck - Established in 1976 by Tan Boon Seong, the Teochew-style Braised Duck is cooked with eight herbs. The duck meat carried a light herbal fragrance and was at its right tenderness, and the sauce left a delectable lingering herbaceous aftertaste.

Koon Kee Wanton Mee (adapted for EatAlley) - Established in the 1940s on Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur, their thin egg noodles, minced pork wanton and roasted char siew are prepared and cooked in-house. We had the Signature Duo Combo of Char Siew, "Flower" Mushrooms, and Braised Chicken Feet with KL-style dark sauce noodles ($10.80). The noodles coated in a flavourful dark sauce had a good bite to it. The pork shoulder char siew was succulent with pronounced layers of fats that stood out against the glossy, blackish caramelized exterior.

Soong Kee Beef Noodle - was founded by Siew Wei Hann's father, who started the business right after the second world war in 1945. What's interesting about their beef noodle is that the dish is made with two components - housemade noodles coated with dark soy sauce and decadent with a scoop of umami-rich minced pork and beef mixture and served alongside a bowl of clear beef soup containing beef tripe, juicy beef balls and tender beef slices from Australia. The latter acquires its light depth of flavour from the brewing of only beef balls without the bones, and its cleaner taste makes it the perfect accompaniment to the noodles.

Uncle Beh Pork Noodle - was started by Beh Chin Kiang's late father in 1963 at a rented stall in Pudu Raya (Pudu market). The Signature Pork Noodle Combo with Kway Teow in Soup ($10.80) features minced and sliced pork and pigs' intestines, liver and kidney. The much-anticipated soup was savoury sweet with a good depth of flavour, and I relished it till the very last drop.

If I were to pick three dishes to eat again, I would go for the Pork Kway Teow Soup, Wanton Mee and the Nasi Lemak. They are my favourites among the 8 stalls.

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.


EatAlley
Orchard Gateway
277 Orchard Road
#B2-12
Singapore 238858
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Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am – 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT. Take Exit C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 2 minutes. [Map]

Lucky Seafood Catering @ Geylang Lorong 17 - You Do Not Need To Travel To Ipoh For Handmade Lai Fun & Hakka Yong Tau Foo

My last overseas travel was to Ipoh with a group of foodie friends to explore the food there. One of the places we visited is Dai Shu Geok (大树脚) Yong Tau Foo. That is when I get to know the local likes to have their Yong Tau Foo with a bowl of assam laksa. For those that are unable to travel to Ipoh during this pandemic period, I am glad to say that Lucky Seafood Catering at Geylang Lorong 17 offers a similar experience. They even handmade their own Lai Fun noodle at the stall. I have to give credit to Miss Tam Chiak for discovering and sharing the place.

Approaching the stall, you will see a variety of fried Yong Tau Foo in the display for you to pick and choose. If you look beyond the display shelf, you will probably find some staffs making and frying the Yong Tau Foo on the spot.

Yong Tau Foo 3.5/5

The Yong Tau Foo that you have chosen and picked will be served in a bowl of soup. 

Sak Kok Liew 4.5/5

A must-have is the Fried Jicama or better known as Sak Kok Liew in Cantonese. The mang or turnip is wrapped with dried shrimps and rolled into a circular shape with beancurd skin. This is then deep-fried to golden brown, giving it an enjoyable crispy bite on the exterior with a crunchy interior. 

Fried Tofu Skin 3/5

I am not a fan of Fried Tofu Skin if it is to be eaten plain. Over here, it is served with an accompanying dipping sauce. My recommendation is to dip it into the Assam Laksa, allowing the fried tofu skin to soak up the savoury broth.

Assam Laksa 3/5

The highlight at Lucky Seafood Catering is their handmade Lai Fun noodle which is used in the Assam Laksa. I really love the freshness and the delectable texture. However, the assam laksa lacks the consistency from my friend's previous visit. We spoke to the owner, and it seems that he is continually adjusting his recipe to suit the customers' feedback. My advice is to keep to his original recipe, which makes him different from others.

Lai Fun Soup 4/5

The best way to enjoy the freshly handmade Lai Fun Soup is to have it plain with some beansprouts and spring onion. 

Kon Loh Mee 3.8/5

If you not into spicy or plain, there is a third way to appreciate the Lai Fun in Kon Loh Mee style. The noodle is tossed in a dark savoury sauce and topped with minced meat.

Curry Chee Cheong Fun 2.8/5

Besides the Yong Tau Foo, you can also order Curry Chee Cheong Fun here. This is a staple dish in Ipoh that comes with pigskin and long beans in a pool of curry sauce. I thought there was too much curry powder in the sauce for my liking. By the way, the cheong fun is sourced from a supplier. They do not make it themselves.

Lucky Seafood Catering

134 Sims Avenue (Geylang Lorong 17)

Singapore 387456

Tel: +65 84049266

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Nearest MRT: Kallang (EW Line), Aljunied (EW Line)

Opening Hours:

Daily: 5pm - 12midnight

Direction: 

1) Alight at Kallang MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Kallang MRT station (Stop ID 80031). Take bus number 2, 13, 51, 63, 67, 80 or 100. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk to overhead bright. Cross the road and walk Sims Place. Walk along the MRT track to Geylang Lorong 17. Turn left onto Geylang Lorong 17. Walk to Sims Avenue. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

White Rose Cafe @ York Hotel Singapore - Malaysia Street Food Fiesta 21 June To 7 July 2019

If you are a fan of Malaysia street food, head down to White Rose Cafe at York Hotel Singapore for its Malaysia Street Food Fiesta promotion. Taking place from 21 June to 7 July 2019, the Fiesta will feature a range of Malaysian street food, all prepared a la minute by the hawkers from Malaysia.

Apom Manis 4/5

With the sides as thin as tuile and the middle soft and fluffy, these freshly made Apom Manis will have you gobbling a few in one sitting. It will be wiser to start off your buffet with this before the queue gets longer towards the end of the buffet.

Klang Bak Kut Teh 4.5/5

I had 2 bowls of Klang Bak Kut Teh, and I regretted not going for a third serving! The soup was similar to a clear and deep-coloured herbal consomme that was richly flavoured by Chinese herbs, spices and pork bones. The pork ribs were tender, and the addition of pig's skins was a bonus.

Char Koay Kat 4/5

Char Koay Kat is a crowd pleaser with its dark, caramelised sauce that flavoured each and every element on the plate. The charred bits of chye poh and garlic were dangerously addictive, and especially so when fish sauce and garlic were added to boost its flavours. Lots of eggs in each plate, which made it even more satisfying.

Penang White Curry Mee 4/5

It was quite a rare opportunity to be able to try this Penang White Curry Mee. The coconut broth on its own surprised me with its depth of flavour. The chilli paste at the side was meant to be mixed in to complete the curry, but it was loaded with so much oomph that I used it as a dip for the ingredients instead, to enjoy it thoroughly.

Nasi Kandar 3.5/5

Nasi Kandar is a northern Malaysian staple originating from Penang, and my favourite element in this dish was the blend of fish and squid curry that was served over the perfectly steamed rice. From the look of it, I knew it would not be overly creamy, and I like how robust it was, with a gentle fieriness only kicking in at the end.

Ipoh Yong Tau Foo 3/5

Ipoh Yong Tau Foo is usually a simple dish that speaks volume with a broth that one craves every now and then. But the chilli here is quite different from the flavour that we are more familiar with. I reckon having the dry version with the soup at the side will give you the best of both worlds.

KL Hokkien Mee 2.8/5

Another dish that we are more familiar with is KL Hokkien Mee. It didn't have that alluring black coat of dark soy sauce, perhaps that was why it wasn't as satisfying as expected. But the chilli was superb.

Ipoh Chee Cheong Fun 3/5

I was elated to find Ipoh Chee Cheong Fun because I wanted to try it again after my visit to Ipoh. You could have it 2 ways - either with minced meat mushroom sauce or curry sauce. But I feel the best way to appreciate the lovely steamed rice noodle rolls is to have it with just the fried shallots and sesame.

Burbur Chacha 2.8/5

Nonya Kueh 2.8/5

For desserts, there are Burbur Chacha, Iced Jelly, an assortment of Nonya Kueh and Fruit Skewers. But nothing beats the freshly made Apom Manis!

Malaysia Street Food Fiesta
Date: 21 June to 7 July 2019
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 10pm

Price
Weekdays (lunch and dinner): S$25 per adult | S$15 per child
Weekends (lunch and dinner): S$28 per adult | S$18 per child

Words and photos 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.


White Rose Cafe
York Hotel
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: +65 68301156
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road towards Goodwood Park Hotel. At Goodwood Park, turn right and walk to the end of the carpark. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Rasa Hakka Restaurant @ Taman Sri Tebrau [Johor Bahru, Malaysia] - My Go To Place For Thunder Tea

A decade ago, I chanced upon Rasa Hakka Restaurant when visiting our neighbour across the causeway, and since then, whenever possible it will be one of the pit stops for my meals. Years back, when someone asked what would be my last meal on earth, I was never certain. As I age and settle into myself, the answer found its way to me. It would be Ham Cha. Most of you probably know it as Lei Cha aka Thunder Rice Tea, terms that I got acquainted with much later in life. It's a dish filled with memories of me helping my mum with the pounding and grinding of the tea leaves, peanuts, in a round wooden vessel with a wooden pestle before we proceeded to a more conventional stone bowl and grinder, then to the current blender. Trust me, the taste is not the same. Anyway, I don't remember a moment that I have never like it, even as a kid and it just satisfies me so much to have a real good one.

Rice Wine Chicken 3.5/5

I brought my parents there this time round to have a taste of their other dishes. My dad chose the Rice Wine Chicken (RM$18 small) straight away. The soul lies with the rice wine of course, and for those who have not ever tasted homemade rice wine before, I must say you are truly lucky. It is a lost trade, at least, till I learn it from my mum. Soon I hope. My dad's instant response towards this dish was "your grandma's one is more fragrant". It was decent enough to satisfy our cravings but the flaw I guess comes from the fact that the dish was not prepared a la minute, and so the flavours of the chicken and the wine didn't fully bind together.

Yong Tau Foo 3/5

I grew up in a family where Yong Tau Foo is made from scratch. Mum will painstakingly scrap the fish meat off from the skin and bones and fill in the ingredients one by one. Those ready-made with white fish paste that shriveled under heat, my mum basically scorns them. At Rasa Hakka, you can pick and choose the Yong Tau Foo at RM$1.80 per piece , coupled with rice or noodles. I would suggest choosing noodles over rice when having Yong Tau Foo in Malaysia for a change. The handmade noodles with the minced meat is really quite delicious. I find the soup here one of the better ones. For the past few times I came, it was consistently sweet with a depth of savouriness. I thought it was even tastier this time round but the Yong Tau Foo itself sadly was less enjoyable. Although they were made of real meat, the meat was too compact and lacked juiciness from elements like water chestnut bits. The saving grace was the add-on noodles.

Thunder Rice Tea 4/5

And of course, my favourite Lei Cha. There are 3 options - White Rice, Brown Rice and Full Vegetables, small or large. I always go for the Full vegetables (RM$12 large) which comes with a bigger bowl of tea too. I don't think the taste of it has changed much over the 10 years, just that they no longer served black-eye peas. Perhaps you could share with me which stalls still serve that. The vegetables here are neither too salty or bland, nor oily. The cai pok has a balanced of sweet and saltiness, hence even though it may seem quite a big scoop, it flavours the entire bowl just right. My favourite part is the generous portion of mani cai, which to me is one of the leading characters to an authentic bowl of Lei Cha, next to peanuts and cai pok. Because it is such a laborious task to prep this vegetables, you will only see this mani cai in independent food stalls in Singapore. I love their tea too, nicely seasoned and rich enough with tea leaves and herbs.

Other everyday Hakka dishes include Deep Fried Pork Belly, Steamed Pork with Preserved Mustard. Within walking distance from KSL shopping mall, Rasa Hakka Restaurant serves well as a fuss-free dining option and a good alternative if you want to take a break from your usual pit stops.

Words and photos 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.


Rasa Hakka Restaurant
No 93, Jalan Keris 1
Taman Sri Tebrau
80050 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Tel: +60 127071449
[Map]

Simei Penang Laksa Speciality @ Yuhua Food Centre - Healthy Penang Laksa and Penang Fried Kway Teow Using Whole Grain Noodle

My attention was drawn to the Simei Penang Laksa Speciality when I was at Yuhua Food Centre the other day. The word Simei stood out for me. It is a neighbourhood in the East. Why did it move all the way from the East to the West? The other thing that caught my eyes is the calories information for their dishs. 290 Kcal for the Penang Laksa and 500 Kcal for the Penang Char Kway Teow.

Penang Fried Kway Teow 3/5

For a healthier option, the stall uses whole grain noodle for their noodle dishes. It is great to see even with the higher cost in using whole grain noodle, the pricing has been reasonable. I can't say that the Penang Fried Kway Teow ($3.50) is the best I have eaten but credit to the well executed frying, infused with wok hei. Digging in the plate of kway teow, I can find pork lard, prawn, cockles, bean sprout and egg. It is a bit spicy too.

Penang Laksa 2/5

The Penang Laksa ($3) brimming with the various ingredients, looked promising when I received it from the stall owner. Unfortunately the broth lacked depth and robustness for a good bowl of Penang laksa. I was disappointed and I didn't finish it.  In addition, while the thick rice noodle has a good firm texture, I was not the authentic noodle used for Penang laksa.

The healthier version of Penang Laksa and Fried Kway Teow is not for me. However for those that prefer to eat healthy, I am sure you will find these a delicious option.


Simei Penang Laksa Speciality
Yuhua Food Centre
Blk 347 Jurong East Avenue 1
#01-199
Singapore 600347
Nearest MRT: Chinese Garden (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Wed-Sun: 8am - 230pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinese Garden MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Boon Lay Way. Turn left and walk to the overhead bridge. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Ho Seng Kee Wanton Mee @ CIty Square Shopping Mall [Johor Bahru, Malaysia] - Duck Egg Wanton Mee

From a push cart stall in the early 1940s to now a full fledge restaurant at one of the most highly patronised mall in Johor Bahru, City Square, Ho Seng Kee Wanton Mee (何成記云吞面世家) has indeed come a long way. Freshly made daily, the noodles are 100% egg based (Duck eggs and Chicken Eggs) and made from high Canadian quality Hard Spring wheat. Sounds like homemade tagliatelle to me!

Black sauce + Chilli sauce 4/5

The signature here is none other than the original Wanton Mee (RM$8.90), in which you get to choose the way you want it to be done - Plain Sauce (original), Home-made Chili Sauce (Spice), Black Sauce or Mixed (black & chili sauce). We ordered one of each. The one that delivers the most flavour is definitely the black sauce + chilli sauce. Malaysian black sauce is known for its sweet-savoury depth, which adds dimension to the overall taste of the noodles. I like the plain version just as much, like how I would appreciate a plate of good Alio Olio. The accompanying soup is sweet, unlike those that are heavy with hei bi.

Original Dry 3.5/5

The texture of the noodles is something to be savoured upon. It is unbelievably springy. We raved about it as we eat, we continued to rave about it as we made our way out. However, our sentiments towards the wantons are the opposite.

The wanton is simply a ball of meat, pepper and salt. I was expecting a pouch of sweet, juicy pork with some diced chestnut for flavour and texture but none of my imagination got translated into our wantons.

Shrimp Wanton Set 2.5/5

We also ordered the Prawn Dumpling Set to try. The prawn dumpling is no better than the wanton, other than sticking a prawn with the 'meatball' together to form the end product. The otah and fried wanton are nothing memorable.

Chicken Roll 3.8/5

The Chicken Roll (RM$8) which is our ngoh hiang, fares so much better with its crispy exterior and balanced ratio of meat and diced water chestnuts.

The noodle is definitely something to come back for, as I don't know where else you can get such good local noodle. On my next visit, perhaps just the plain noodle and a side dish will be good enough.

Words and photos 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.


Ho Seng Kee Wanton Mee
CIty Square Shopping Mall
108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook
Level 6
Johor Bahru, Malaysia
[Map]

Opening hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Da Shan Jiao (大山脚) @ Timbre+ - A Piece Of Malaysia Flavour At The Gastro-Park

I have been to Timbre+ numerous time and somehow I seem to miss this little humble stall at the gastro-park. After knowing about Da Shan Jiao (大山脚), I made a special trip down just to try their Pork Noodle. The reason is simple, not many places in Singapore sells this dish and I hope I can discover a new gem.

Pork Noodle 3.8/5

I ordered a bowl of their Pork Noodles ($4) to try. For a mere four dollars, I have a generous bowl of noodles that comes with many ingredients such as lean pork slices, pork offal, meatball and fishcake. The soup was really sweet and hearty, which goes well with the kway teow. It will be better if the texture of the rice noodle can be thinner and softer.

Besides the pork noodle, the stall also sells a upgrade version with pork ribs in the Signature Pork Noodle ($5) as well as Lor Mee ($3.50/$4.50). If you think noodles is a bit heavy for you. The stall also sells some nyonya kueh and homemade chive kueh that will be just right for breakfast or tea break.

The stall is run by a couple who probably around 40 to 50 years old. It is understand the lady owner comes from Malaysia and hence the couple decided to offer the dish at the stall.


Da Shan Jiao (大山脚)
Timbre+
JTC LaunchPad @ One North
73A Ayer Rajah Crescent
Singapore 139957
Website
Nearest MRT: One North (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 6am - 5pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at One North MRT station. Take Exit A or C. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Royal J's Seafood @ Foch Road - Ipoh Style Fried Porridge

Remember the Fried Porridge  (炒粥) which I blogged in November last year? The owner has closed in stall and moved into a bigger space in Jalan Besar at Foch Road. With the bigger space, the stall owner has renamed the stall as Royal J's Seafood and expanded its menu offering zichar dishes beside the fried porridge.

Fried Porridge 4/5

Compared to what I had the previous time, I felt that the stall owner has fine tuned the recipe but for the better. The dark sauce that is used to fry the porridge seems lighter in colour and taste. However the flavour of the yam has been elevated, giving it a more rounded enjoyment.

Fried Porridge 4/5

Overall the fried porridge is very comforting and hearty. The porridge may look kinda plain but there are actually ingredients such as yam, cuttlefish, dried shrimp, pork, fried shallots, pork lard, crab meat and spring onion in it.

The fact that they are probably the only place in Singapore cooking the Malaysian dish, it is a reason by itself for you to make your way down to try it. Beside that, it is the same coffeeshop where 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist is. More reason why you to drop by the coffeeshop.


Royal J's Seafood
30 Foch Road
Singapore 209276
Nearest MRT: Lavender MRT (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am - 945pm
(Closed on Alt Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Lavender MRT station (Stop ID 01311). Take bus number 133 or 145. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to Foch Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Horne Road. Walk down Horne Road. Turn right onto Tyrwhitt Road. Turn left onto Beatty Lane. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]