Xi Men Jie (西門街) @ The Rail Mall - New Casual Eatery Serving Popular Taiwanese Dishes

Taiwanese casual eatery Xi Men Jie (西門街) opened in 2015 and has steadily expanded to eight outlets across Singapore. The latest addition is located at The Rail Mall, conveniently situated at the end closest to The Rail Corridor.

Stepping in, the interior is bright, clean, and spacious. The menu focuses on popular Taiwanese staples, including Mee Sua, Braised Pork Rice, and Street Snacks, alongside a variety of noodles, fried rice, soups, and porridge options.

Ocean Blue Sparkle

We started with the Ocean Blue Sparkle ($6.90), a white peach-based drink with jelly cubes. This was too sweet for our taste. The beverage choices here are vast, ranging from bubble tea to homemade drinks and more classic hot beverages.

Xiao Tang Bao Soup Dumplings 3.8/5

The Xiao Tang Bao Soup Dumplings ($7.90) was served in a portion of six. Each dumpling carried a decent amount of savoury soup and tender meat.

Taiwan Smoked Sausage Egg Fried Rice 3/5

Next, we had the Taiwan Smoked Sausage Egg Fried Rice ($9.50). While we appreciated the use of pearl rice, the dish could be much better seasoned. Other fried rice options include pork cutlet, crispy chicken cutlet, and more.

Braised Pig Intestine Mee Sua 3.8/5

Last but not least, we had the Braised Pig Intestine Mee Sua ($8.90), a hearty and well-seasoned rendition. The mee sua is also available with other toppings, such as oysters and shredded chicken.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Xi Men Jie (西門街)
The Rail Mall
398 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 678049
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Nearest MRT: Hillview MRT (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Hillview MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Upper Bukit Timah Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Abundance @ Redhill - Popular Taiwanese Restaurant Rolled Out New Dishes

Nestled in the heart of Redhill, Abundance stands tall as a popular Taiwanese restaurant, beckoning food enthusiasts to savour the rich tapestry of Taiwanese flavours. Intrigued by the restaurant's reputation, I ventured to Abundance to explore its offerings, specifically diving into its latest creations.

Gua Bao 3.8/5

I commenced with the timeless classic, the Gua Bao ($7.90). A tender slab of pork belly embraced by soft, fluffy buns adorned with salted vegetables and crusted peanuts. While the amalgamation of textures was commendable, I found the flavour profile slightly leaning towards sweetness, longing for a more pronounced savoury note.

Herbal Braised Pork Rice 4/5

Transitioning to the new dishes, I delved into the Herbal Braised Pork Rice ($12.90) — an ingenious fusion of Lu Rou Fan and traditional Herbal Pork Ribs Soup. Succulent pork belly, simmered in a harmonious blend of herbs, graced the dish. The accompaniments, including pickled cucumber, Taiwanese garlic sausage, and a fried sesame egg, elevated the experience. The bed of Japanese pearl rice served as a canvas for this delicious bowl of rice.

Stir-Fried Emperor Sprouts 3.5/5

Another new dish is the Stir-Fried Emperor Sprouts ($11.90). Bathed in flavourful chicken stock and crowned with crispy garlic, the dish promised a crunchy texture and aromatic finish. While the crunch was delightful, a slightly heavier hand with seasoning would enhance the overall taste.

Golden Chicken Mee Sua 4.2/5

The aromatic Golden Chicken Mee Sua ($13.90) is the other new creation, featuring mee sua directly imported from Taiwan. These delicate wheat noodles boast a silky texture that is both smooth and tender. Complementing this delightful base is a succulent pan-fried chicken thigh, expertly cooked to juicy perfection. The dish is further enriched with a fragrant blend of sesame oil and premium Shaoxing Hua Diao Jiu, creating a flavourful symphony that invites you to savour each mouthful. Immerse yourself in the delightful essence of yellow wine that permeates this exquisite creation, making it a truly aromatic and satisfying dish.


Abundance
Blk 63A Lengkok Bahru
#01-378
Singapore 151063
Tel: +65 80321880
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Nearest MRT: Redhill (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Redhill MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Tiong Bahru Road. Cross the road and turn right onto Tiong Bahru Road. Walk down Tiong Bahru Road to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Monki (台灣小吃部) @ The Star Vista - Homely And Comforting Taiwan Cuisine

Monki (台灣小吃部) is a Taiwanese restaurant that has moved into Star Vista, located just beside the taxi stand. I remembered visiting the cafe previously at Holland Drive, but I was only there for desserts. I will try out some of their snacks and mains this time.

Taiwan Century Egg Tofu 3.8/5

We started with the chilled Taiwan Century Egg Tofu ($8), generously topped with pork floss and bonito flakes. While it is an appetising starter, I felt the century egg lacked that pungent I was looking for.

Double Mix Mee Sua 4.2/5

There are a few combinations for the Mee Sua, and I went for the Double Mix Mee Sua ($11), picking the big intestine and oyster. The big intestine was not gamey. I recommend adding more vinegar and a dash of chilli to elevate the taste profile to enjoy the thick, smooth, and slurping goodness.

Taiwan Braised Pork Rice 4.2/5

The Taiwan Braised Pork Rice ($9) comes with fragrant and fluffy rice topped with fatty braised pork. I like that it is very saucy, allowing the rice to soak up the delicious sauce for a delightful mouthfeel. It even comes with a braised egg and tau pok.

Taiwan Fried Chicken Cutlet 4/5

We also ordered the Taiwan Fried Chicken Cutlet ($8) to complete our meal. It is incredibly huge, tender and juicy with a crispy coat.

The dishes here felt homely and comforting. Maybe I have been missing Taiwan since the closure of the border due COVIID.


Monki (台灣小吃部)
The Star Vista
1 Vista Exchange Green
#01-41
Singapore 138617
Tel: +65 62588112
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Nearest MRT: Buona Vista (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 1030am - 9pm
Fri: 1030am - 930am
Sat: 9am - 930pm
Sun: 1030am - 830pm

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

Eat 3 Bowls Station (呷三碗車站) @ Pasir Panjang - Homecoming With Its 2nd Outlet In The West

I visited Eat 3 Bowls Station (呷三碗車站) when it first started as a hawker stall at Seah Im Food Centre back in 2017. However, the hawker stall is no longer around as the young hawkers have opened a dine-in restaurant at Crawford Lane. Sometime early this year, it opened its 2nd dine-in outlet at Pasir Panjang, nearer my home.

Braised Pork Rice 4.5/5

A must-have is the Braised Pork Rice ($5). I enjoyed their version of braised pork with a mix of fatty and lean cuts. What makes it even more delectable is the soft and pearly rice underneath, absorbing the delicious braising sauce.

Chicken Rice 4.2/5

The Chicken Rice ($5) may look plain, but the shredded chicken is well flavoured. The caramelised shallots lent a lovely fragrance to the tender chicken. Though the rice used is not those flavoured Hainanese chicken rice, the plain, soft and pearly rice complements the shredded chicken excellently.

Bittergourd Pork Rib Soup 4.2/5

I remembered having the Bittergourd Pork Rib Soup ($5.50) when I visited their hawker stall. Back then, it was so bad that I give it a score of one out of five. This time, it is much flavourful and refreshing. It has redeemed itself.

Braised Chinese Cabbage 4.2/5

I also remembered having the Braised Chinese Cabbage ($5.20) back then. It is stewed to a delightful softness. Compare to the previous version I had, this version is richer in taste with the pungent aroma of dried shrimp.

Oyster and Intestine Mee Sua 4.5/5

Another signature at Eat 3 Bowls Station is the Oyster and Intestine Mee Sua ($7.20). It is probably the most authentic Taiwan rendition I have eaten so far. It uses red mee sua, plump oyster and bouncy pig intestines for the bowl of slurping goodness. The addition of garlic and vinegar completed the full appreciation of the mee sua.

Though Eat 3 Bowls has an East outlet, I haven't visited it as it is pretty far from my home. I am glad it has returned to the area where it first started, nearer to my home. Now I can easily satisfy my craving for Taiwanese cuisine.


Eat 3 Bowls Station (呷三碗車站)
103 Pasir Panjang Road
Singapore 118531
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Nearest MRT: Pasir Panjang (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun: 11am - 8pm
(Closed on Tue)

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

Lao Jiang Superior Soup (老江一品汤) @ Jcube - Known For their Superior Soup And Dry Mee Sua, Opens 5th Outlet

Founded in 2011, Lao Jiang Superior Soup (老江一品汤) has recently opened its 5th Outlet at JCube. Their traditional soup broth is boiled for more than 4 hours using locally sourced ingredients.

Doubled Boiled Chicken Essence Soup 4.2/5

One of the must-have here is the Doubled Boiled Chicken Essence Soup ($14). I was surprised to be given an additional sachet of essence to be poured into my soup upon served. The soup was flavourful with a slightly gelatinous texture, and the chicken thigh was pleasingly tender.

Superior Soup Noodle 3.8/5

Their regulars over the years head down for their Superior Soup Noodle ($9.50). Akin to a seafood soup, it comes with sliced fish, prawns, fish maw, fish ball and more. There's a variety of noodles to choose from, or you can also choose to simply have it with rice. With all other flavours imparted from the various ingredients, the soup was savoury sweet. And not known to many, you can actually request for a refill of the soup broth for your noodles! However, for the ingredients per se, I feel the quality of them can be improved.

Homemade Vinegar Pork 3.8/5

The same goes for Homemade Vinegar Pork with Rice ($9.50). Served with both trotter and slices of pork belly, the gravy itself hit the right spot- sweet and piquant. But for the meat portion, there were some really tender parts and some really tough parts, which to me is a real pity.

Dry Mee Sua 3.5/5

Another of their signature noodle dish is the Dry Mee Sua ($12). Red yeast noodle is used in place of the regular mee sua. The toppings for the mee sua include minced meat with black fungus and thin slices of crispy pork belly. The latter was quite moreish, and it didn't leave a greasy feel even though it was deep-fried. As for the minced meat topping, I can imagine it flavouring more hardy noodles like a typical Bak Chor Mee, but the delicate mee sua fell flat under it.

In conjunction with their opening, some promotions are going on, including between 1st – 31st Oct, purchase 1 Fried Spice Pork Belly or 1 Prawn Paste Chicken Wing at $5 with every order of soup. $5 local delights are limited to the first 20 orders of soup per day for Oct 2020. Other terms and conditions apply, please check with the restaurant.

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.


Lao Jiang Superior Soup
Jcube
2 Jurong East Central 1
#01-19
Singapore 609731
Tel: +65 69706977
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Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am - 10pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 930am - 10pm

Directions: 
1) Alight at Jurong East MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk towards Jurong Gateway Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Legendary Bak Kut Teh (發传人肉骨茶) @ Rangoon Road - The Real Deal Of A Good Bak Kut Teh

There are two Legendary Bak Kut Teh outlets in Singapore. One is at Rangoon Road while the newest outlet is located at South Bridge Road. The restaurant is originally known as Founder Bak Kut Teh run by the daughter of Founder Bak Kut Teh in Balestier. The restaurant in Balestier is run by her dad and brother. Due to a change in business strategy to expand the Founder's brand, the daughter renamed her restaurant to Legendary Bak Kut Teh. Like every F&B business, business is affected by the pandemic. It has to adapt and also jump onto the food delivery bandwagon.

Bak Kut Teh 

Not to be missed is their Bak Kut Teh (發传人肉骨茶) which uses the same original family recipe. Customers can also choose the type of pork ribs for their Bak Kut Teh, using fresh Indonesian pork and Sarawak peppercorn. To be frank, I have just recently eaten at Founder Bak Kut Teh and I personally prefer the version at Legendary which is more robust and peppery. 

Salted Vegetables

Peanut

Tau Kee

Dang Ou Soup

Having the Bak Kut Teh alone can be quite boring. I usually like to order a couple of side dishes to complement the meal. I had the Salted Vegetables, Braised Peanuts, Tau Kee and Dang Ou Soup which are really yummy to go long with the pork rib soup.

Mixed Pig Organ Soup

Mee Sua

Besides their Bak Kut Teh, I also enjoyed their Mixed Pig Organ Soup. I even order a bowl of Mee Sua to go along with it. This is my ideal combination. 

Sesame Oil Chicken

Although Legendary is known for their Bak Kut Teh, the menu is quite extensive with many delectable cooked dishes and steamed fish. One of them is the Sesame Oil Chicken which is cooked to tender and blanketed in a layer of aroma from the fragrant sesame oil. 

Braised Pig Trotter

If you are not afraid of the fats under the Braised Pig Trotter's gelatine skin, you will enjoyed the well braised flavour of the succulent meat. This goes very well with a bowl of steamed rice.

Royal Chives

For a balance diet, the crunchy Royal Chives cooked with bean sprouts will be a delectable textural enjoyment.

Ngoh Hiang

Last but at least, crispy on the exterior and meaty inside is the Ngoh Hiang. You can also get crunchy bits of water chestnut in it too. 

Although we are in Phrase 2 of the circuit breaker and restaurants are allowed to accept dine-in customer, Legendary Bak Kut Teh has kept its island-wide delviery service for the time being. For enquiries and order, you can WhatsApp them at 96450125.

Legendary Bak Kut Teh (發传人肉骨茶)

154 Rangoon Road

Singapore 218431

Tel: +65 62920938

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Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:

Daily: 9am - 11pm

Direction: 

1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT Station. Take Exit B. Walk to traffic junction. Cross the road and walk down Rangoon Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Penang Authentic Delicacies @ Golden Mile Food Centre - Cone Tower Penang Fried Kway Teow Wrapped In Banana Leaf

We did not plan to check out Penang Authentic Delicacies at Golden Mile Food Centre initially. It was after a disappointing lunch, we decided to find something else to eat that we chance upon this stall at the food centre.

Ah Gong Penang Fried Kway Teow 3.8/5

Our attention is quickly drawn to the Ah Gong Penang Fried Kway Teow ($3/$5) which is wrapped in banana leaf and served as a cone tower. Apparently this is how their Ah Gong used to serve it, concealing the aroma. I am not sure how truth is this as I have never seen it in Singapore and even Penang. Anyway, let see how the food taste.

The plate of Penang Fried Kway Teow comes with prawns, clams, pork lard, fish cake, Chinese sausage, beansprout and egg. Unlike our local char kway teow which is sweet, this is packed with savouriness with a slight hint of smokiness. The version is slightly drier but not oily.

Penang Ah Gong Mee Sua Pork Soup 3.8/5

Besides the Penang fried kway teow, we also tried the Penang Ah Gong Mee Sua Pork Soup ($4). The smooth and silky mee sua comes in a light but sweet broth, accompanied by ingredients such as minced pork patty, pork balls, sliced pork and pig's tongue. I am rather delighted with the generous serving but I find the thinly sliced pig's tongue lacked texture.

Besides the Fried Kway Teow and Mee Sua Pork Soup, the stall also offers other items on the menu such as Duck Meat Kway Teow Soup, Penang White Curry, Fried Mee Tai Mak and Fried Mee Sua.


Penang Authentic Delicacies
Golden Mile Food Centre
505 Beach Road
#01-11
Singapore 199583
Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 9am - 8pm

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 the flow of traffic. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]