The Hainan Story (海南宝) @ Hillion Mall - 5 Hainanese Brands Under One Roof, Including Ah Chiang's Porridge, Wee Nam Kee And Newspaper Curry Rice

The Hainan Story on a Saturday afternoon was bustling with diners. I see the reason for their popularity, as they have a huge variety of food and offer very family-friendly options.

What is unique about the restaurant's branch here in Hillion Mall is that it houses five different Hainanese brands under one space. These include the renowned Ah Chiang's Porridge, Wee Nam Kee and Newspaper Curry Rice. The space was renovated to look like a vibrantly decorated mini coffeeshop.

Local Beverages

You will find a full list of the familiar local offerings on the beverage menu. We had our usual Kopi and Teh, decently fragrant though a tad sweet.

1980’s Hainanese Pork Cutlet Coated with Potato Chip Crumbs 4/5

On the Western menu by Uncle Robert Hainanese Western & BBQ, we had the traditional 1980's Hainanese Pork Cutlet Coated with Potato Chip Crumbs ($16.80). The BBQ sauce leans sweeter than we'd like, but the crunch on the cutlet was good. We saw several younger diners enjoying this. Other options from the Western menu include pasta, fish and chips and a kids menu.

Mama Wee Curry Chicken Drumstick Set 4.5/5

Newspaper Curry Rice's Mama Wee Curry Chicken Drumstick Set ($9.80) was easily our top favourite of our meal here. The curry here may be different from your liking if you prefer thicker and more lemak renditions, but I loved how this carried a lighter consistency and was superbly fragrant.

My dining companions and I thought this was value for money too. A portion has steamed rice, omelette, sambal tempeh, prawn crackers, drumstick and a side of additive lotus root and brinjal. The accompanying sambal belacan packed a good punch too.

Ah Chiang Mix Porridge Set 4/5

From Ah Chiang's Porridge, we had the Mix Porridge Set: Pork Ball & Sliced Meat ($9.80), which came with half a youtiao. I don't eat porridge that much, but my dining companion, who does, enjoyed this bowl.

The porridge was sufficiently smooth and thick, with a generous amount of tender pork and pork balls. Porridge options here are categorised into pork, batang fish and century egg.

Steamed Chicken Drumstick Rice 3.8/5

Wee Nam Kee's Steamed Chicken Drumstick Rice ($7.10) came complete with a bowl of soup and the classic condiments of chilli, dark soy and ginger sauce. While the chicken meat was tender and succulent, the rice could be much more fragrant.

Laksa with Hainanese Steamed Chicken 3.8/5

If you have laksa cravings, the Laksa with Hainanese Steamed Chicken ($9.80) is a decent option. It is pricier, however, served with steamed chicken, crispy pork skin, fish cake, hard-boiled egg and tau pok.

High-Tea Special 3.5/5

I never expected to see a three-tiered High-Tea Special ($34.80) on the menu! On the base, it features an assortment of fried items such as chicken wings, prawns, fries and ngoh hiang. The middle tier has kaya toast and the traditional Hainanese kueh, Yi Bua. Finally, on top, there are cookies and the eatery's popular mini swiss rolls (orh nee, ondeh ondeh). The set comes inclusive of two drinks.

The two bottom tiers were, unfortunately, average. Our unanimous preferred item was the mini swiss rolls which you can purchase in individual pieces from their bakery.

Speaking about the bakery, do make sure to take a look. The small space is built in the same area as the eatery, accessible from the dining space or from the exterior of Hillion Mall.

Breads were constantly freshly baked, leaving a lovely aroma in the space. We bagged home several recommendations, the Char Siew Bolo ($3.80), Yam Floss Bun ($2.20) and Curry Chicken Polo Bolo ($3.80). All three were fresh and fluffy but could do with slightly more filling.

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.


The Hainan Story
Hillion Mall
17 Petir Road
#01-15/16
Singapore 678278
Tel: +65 69708191
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Nearest MRT: Bukit Panjang (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 730am – 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bukit Panjang MRT station. Take Exit A2. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Fei Lou Fatt @ Upper Thomson Road - White Restaurant Group Opens New Prawn Noodle & Lok Lok Concept

Newly opened at Upper Thomson Road, beside Springleaf MRT station exit 1 is Fei Lou Fatt, a Prawn Noodle and Lok Lok concept by the White Restaurant Group.

Signature Fei Lou Noodle Soup 4.2/5

We started with the Signature Fei Lou Noodle Soup ($20), which comes with 3 half sliced Ang Kar prawns, fork-tender braised pork ribs and abalone in a slurp-worthy bowl of umami-rich prawn broth. The broth's rich flavour comes from the generous use of fresh prawn heads, slow-cooked for up to 10 hours. Unlike other prawn noodles stalls, the pork ribs here are braised, flavouring the tenderness enjoyment.

Signature Fei Lou Noodle Dry 4/5

There is also a dry version of the Signature Fei Lou Noodle Dry ($20), which is tossed in an addictive homemade hae bee hiam volcano chilli that complements the ingredients and the noodle.

The prawn noodle comes with an assortment of choice ingredients such as the Big Prawn Noodle ($16), Prawn Noodle (Small: $8, Big: $11), Prawn and Braised Pork Ribs Noodle (Small: $8, Big: $11) and Braised Pork Ribs Noodle (Small: $8, Big: $11). There are both soup and dry versions, and the choice of noodles include the usual suspects of Bee Hoon, Thick Bee Hoon, Kway Teow and Yellow Noodle to suit different palates.

Big Prawn Zuke 4.2/5

The Big Prawn Zuke ($16) is a unique offering on the menu, inspired by Ochazuke (rice porridge). It is served with fragrant fluffy Japanese rice topped with big succulent Ang Kar prawns and a crispy homemade fried rice cracker for a textural crunch. There is also the Prawn-zuke ($8) version which comes with vannamei prawns.

Braised Pork Ribs with Rice 4/5

I asked the owner which is his favourite dish on the menu, and he recommended that we try the Braised Pork Ribs with Rice ($6.80). It is not the Taiwanese-style version, but it is a delicious rice bowl with fork tender meat.

Lok Lok 4/5

Apart from the mains, customers can pick from a wide variety of over 20 types of Lok Lok ($1.20 to $3) to complement their meal. There are 4 different types of seasoning to choose from - Sze Chuan Mala, Seaweed, BBQ and Furikake. In addition, have them with the dipping sauces (Mayonnaise, Thai Sweet Chilli and Thai Seafood Green Chilli) for the ultimate lok lok experience.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Fei Lou Fatt
928 Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 787121
Tel: +65 62523400
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Nearest MRT: Springleaf (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Springleaf MRT station. Take Exit 1. Walk straight to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice @ Ang Mo Kio Ave 4 - By Daughter Of Five Star Chicken Rice Founder

While exploring the newly opened Thomson East Line brings me to Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice near Mayflower MRT station Exit 3. What caught my attention was a petite young lady behind the chopping board. It is a rare sight in the hawker scene. The stall, run by a sister and brother team, is inside a coffeeshop at block 158 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4. They are the children of Mr Lee Tai Keng, the founder of Five Star Chicken Rice.

The petite young lady is Natalie, who has just finished her Master in Intellectual Property. Instead of joining the corporate world, she decided to open Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice to continue her dad's legacy. Her dad, Mr Lee, founded Five Star Chicken Rice at 224 East Coast Road. He later entered into a partnership with Mr Yeo Ban Seng to open the current Five Star Chicken Rice at 191 East Coast Road. Mr Lee has since sold his share of the business and is no longer associated with the present Five Star Chicken Rice.

So how does Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice fare? I visited the stall twice with two different groups of friends, and they both enjoyed it. The stall uses kampong chicken which is leaner but tastier than the broiler. The poached chicken is tender with a sinful but yet so delicious layer of fatty skin. We have the Half Chicken priced at $15.

If half a chicken is too much for you, you can go for the 1 Person Set priced at $5. I like how Natalie chopped the poached chicken into chunky pieces. However, the rice was not as fragrant on my second visit. Maybe there is some consistency issue which I hope they can get it sorted. An essential element for a good plate of chicken rice is the chilli sauce. The spicy and tangy chilli sauce complements the chicken rice excellently, zesting up the whole experience.

Besides the poached chicken, the stall offers Shredded Chicken Porridge ($3) and Special Chicken Fried Rice ($5). The porridge and fried rice are cooked by her brother, Lex. The fried rice fried a la minute comes with the poached chicken too.

Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice is an unexpected discovery. It is another good chicken rice stall I will recommend. I am glad to see Natalie and Lex, willing to continue Mr Lee's legacy, learning from the Master himself. They have spent months learning and perfecting their skills before opening the stall a month ago in August 2021. If you are in the area, do support them.


Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice
Blk 158 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4 
Singapore 560158
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Nearest MRT: Mayflower (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 730 am - 230pm

Direction: Alight at Mayflower MRT station. Take Exit 3. Walk to destination. Journey time about 4 minutes. [Map]

Coffee Lounge @ Goodwood Park Hotel - Refreshed Taiwan Porridge A La Carte Buffet

Coffee Lounge at Goodwood Park Hotel has recently refreshed its signature Taiwan Porridge A La Carte Buffet by introducing a new tiered offering – Value and Deluxe with two different pricings, as well as additions to the menu.

With the Value Tier (priced at $33++ per adult, $19.80++ per child), tuck into 26 comforting dishes with all-time favourites like Fried Omelette with ‘Chye Poh’ 菜脯煎蛋, Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Egg Yolk 咸蛋蒸肉饼, and Stir-fried Eggplant with Sliced Pork in Chilli Bean Paste 酱爆茄子.

Also, new to the line-up is French Beans with Sakura Ebi 樱花虾四季豆, Three Cup Chicken 三杯鸡, Pan-fried Minced Pork with Salted Fish 咸鱼煎肉饼, Stir-fried Pumpkin with Eggs and Garlic 金瓜丝炒蒜蓉鸡蛋, and more.

Indulge in greater variety with the Deluxe Tier (priced at $48++ per adult and $28.80++ per child). Relish 36 highlights including dishes that are exclusive to this tier, like perennial must-haves such as the crispy Baby Squids in Sweet Oyster Sauce 蚝汁乌贼仔.

Look forward to delectable new dishes such as Deep-fried Beancurd with Minced Pork 肉酱炸豆腐, Stir-fried Lettuce with Fermented Bean Paste 腐乳西生菜 and Crispy Chicken with Sweet Plum Sauce 酥炸鸡西施汁.

Limited to one selection and serving per table is the Chef’s Special, and specially created for the refreshed menu are Wok-fried Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk 咸蛋虾球 and Deep-fried Black Pomfret with Sambal and Chinchalok Dip 参巴黑鲳鱼.

We particularly enjoyed the Salted Egg Chicken 咸蛋鸡, which is extremely juicy and tender, coated with a dry sweet-savoury salted egg sauce. It is so good that it will have you going for seconds. The Crispy Chicken with Sweet Plum Sauce 酥炸鸡西施汁 has nice crispy skin and juicy meat. We felt that the addition of sweet plum sauce complements the savoury chicken pieces very well.

Both tiers also offer an array of casserole dishes from the buffet station. Slow-braised to develop deep flavours or stir-fried with robust and savoury sauces, the dishes are well enjoyed with the unlimited servings of steaming rice porridge with sweet potato.

Some of our favourites include the new Braised Duck Leg with Chinese Spice, Egg and ‘Tau Pok’ in Dark Soya Sauce 卤水鸭腿 and the signature Braised Pork Belly in Dark Soya Sauce 京酱扣肉. Round up the meal with desserts of the day, a delightful Western and Asian assortment that varies daily.

Guests may call (65) 6730 1746 or email coffee_lounge@goodwoodparkhotel.com to make a reservation at Coffee Lounge. Alternatively, online reservations can be placed at https://www.goodwoodparkhotel.com/dining/coffee-lounge.

Taiwan Porridge A La Carte Buffet
Dine-in only at Coffee Lounge
Available daily for lunch from 12pm to 2.30pm & dinner from 6pm to 10.30pm

Value Tier: $33++ per adult, $19.80++ per child
Deluxe Tier: $48++ per adult, $28.80++ per child
Local Beverages: A top-up of $15++ per jug

A minimum of two persons is required for the buffet.
Orders for all diners at the same table have to be of the same a la carte buffet tier.
Pricing includes unlimited servings of porridge and desserts of the day.
Child pricing applies for children aged 6 to 11 years.

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.


Coffee Lounge
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: +65 67301746
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 1. Walk down Scotts Road to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

The Hainan Story (海南寶) @ Hillton Mall - New 5-In-1 Multi-brand Restaurant Brings Together The Best Of Hainanese Cuisine

New at Hillton Mall is The Hainan Story, a 5-in-1 multi-brand restaurant at Hillion Mall. It brings together the following five brands under one roof. They are Newspaper Curry Rice, The Hainan Story, Uncle Robert Western, Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice and Ah Chiang's Traditional Porridge.

Toast with Homemade Gula Melaka Kaya & Cold Butter 4/5

The Hainan Story brand shares the same restaurant name. It offers old-school breakfasts. The Traditional Hainanese Toasts are thick and fluffy with a pillowy-soft centre and crisp crust. This is best eaten with Homemade Gula Melaka Kaya & Cold Butter. Not to forget to go along with a cup of Kopi Gu You. Coffee with a slice of butter.

Ah Kor Hainanese Lamb Stew with Rice 4.2/5

Besides the coffee and toasts, The Hainan Story has several claypot dishes such as Hainanese Claypot Chicken Char Siew Rice ($8.50), Hainanese Claypot Ee-fu Noodle Soup ($8.50), Laksa with Hainanese Steamed Chicken ($8.50) and Ah Kor Hainanese Lamb Stew with Rice ($11.80). I had the lamb stew, which is incredibly tender. The sauce is mildly sweet with a hint of herbal, best to go with a plate of steaming white rice.

Mama Wee's Hainanese Kou Rou Set 4/5

During British colonial rule, a dish that originated in Singapore is the Hainanese Curry Rice, where the Hainanese chefs' combined pork chop from British cuisine, and ingredients like curry chicken, chap chye and babi pongteh from Peranakan cuisine. Offering this at The Hainan Story is the brand Newspaper Curry Rice. There are six different sets such as the Mama Wee's Hainanese Curry Chicken Drumstick Set ($7.80), Mama Wee's Hainanese Kou Rou Set ($8.80), Nanyang Flavour Fried Chicken Drumstick Set ($6.80), Signature Fried Pork Cutlet Set ($8.80), Prawn Fritter Set ($8.80) and Crispy Fried Silver Dory Fish Set ($9.80).

Old English Oxtail Stew 4.5/5

During the British colonial era in Singapore, many Hainanese chefs worked for British families. They created a unique take on western food with their Hainanese roots, giving the classic British cuisine a distinctly Asian take. A must-try dish is the Old English Oxtail Stew ($18.80), braised for hours with fresh tomatoes, spices and onions. The melt in the mouth meat is even paired with homemade mashed potatoes. Another nostalgia dish on the menu is the 1980's Hainanese Fried Pork Cutlet Coated with Potato Chips Crumbs ($14.80).

Chicken Rice Fried Rice with Pork Cutlet 3.5/5

Another interesting dish is the Chicken Rice Fried Rice with Pork Cutlet. The dish used the chicken rice from Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice and paired it with their pork cutlet. Unlike the usual pork cutlet, it is coated with potato chips crumbs instead of breadcrumbs for that extra crunchiness. However, the chicken rice fried rice was a letdown. I didn't taste the chicken rice flavour. It tasted just like regular fried rice.

More famous brands like Ah Chiang's Traditional Porridge and Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice make up the five concepts in Singapore. Ah Chiang's Traditional Porridge offers a bowl of comforting traditional porridge, with close to half a century of porridge-making expertise. Of course, how can we not include Hainanese Chicken Rice from Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice, an iconic dish put Singapore in the world map?

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Hainan Story (海南寶)
Hillion Mall
17 Petir Road
#01-15/16
Singapore 678278
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Bukit Panjang (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 730am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bukit Panjang MRT station. Take Exit A2. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Goodwood Park Hotel Singapore - Celebrates 120th Anniversary With Mao Shan Wang & D24 Durian Delights

Goodwood Park Hotel celebrates its 120th anniversary with a lavish durian dessert buffet spread, featuring Mao Shan Wang and D24 Durian Delights. Available from 17 October to 15 November at Coffee Lounge, indulge in an exclusive line-up of durian delights such as Mao Shan Wang Mousse Cake, Crepe, Swiss Roll and Mini Eclair, including hot D24 favourites such as D24 Puff and D24 Ice Cream!

Mao Shan Wang Mousse Cake

Such a thick layer of pulpy Mao Shan Wang Mousse layered in between airy sponge cake, the Mao Shan Wang Mousse Cake is definitely my favourite of the lot.

Mao Shan Wang Crepe

The Mao Shan Wang Crepe is also highly sorted after with its super thin egg crepe encasing the rich, creamy durian mousse, with no other fillers such as cream or sponge cake whatsoever in between.

D24 Puffs

For D24 Delights, there's a reason why these chubby D24 Puffs are such a huge drawn year after year. Each airy choux pastry is filled with a luxuriant swirl of creamy D24, and it was such a pleasure finishing this pillowy durian goodness. 

D24 Mini Peanut Tart, Mao Shan Wang Swiss Roll, Mini Eclair

There's also petite size durian pastry such as the Mao Shan Wang Swiss Roll, a daintier version of the mousse cake, as well as D24 Mini Peanut Tart and Mao Shan Wan Eclair.

A limited item among the spread is the D24 Ice Cream (one serving per guest). I would prefer it to be lightly more bitter-sweet.

The dessert buffet also includes other pastries and warm desserts such as Cheesecakes, Mango Pudding with Crème Chantilly and Fresh Mango, Cherry Crumble and a Bread and Butter Pudding with Vanilla Sauce. The extravagant Dessert Buffet with Mao Shan Wang and D24 Durian Delights spread is priced at $58.80++ per person, available during lunch from 12pm to 230pm and dinner from 6pm to 1030pm.

Deep-fried Pomfret in Feng Sha Style

Goodwood Park Hotel is also known for its Taiwan Porridge A La Carte Buffet. You can also opt for the Taiwan Porridge A La Carte Buffet inclusive of Dessert Buffet with Mao Shan Wang and D24 Durian Delights at $72++ per adult, $43.20++ per child. Out of the entire spread, we tried a few dishes which were all well executed. The Deep-fried Pomfret in Feng Sha Style was impressive. The meaty part of the fish was skilfully sliced out, leaving minimum to the bones and fried to perfection. As promised, each piece was crispy on the outside, juicy and moist on the inside. The sugary crispy rice puff and raisins topping elevated the crunch factor as well.

Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Egg Yolk

The Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Egg Yolk has a very homely flavour, yet incredibly satisfying. Loosely packed and juicy, the seasoning was just right on bringing out the flavours of the meat.

Fried Omelette with Silver Fish

This UFO looking Fred Omelette with Silver Fish was simple but substantial with silverfish packed within its fluffy interior.

Braised Chinese Mustard with Sakura Ebi

The Braised Chinese Mustard with Sakura Ebi was not just aesthetically pleasing, but soothing to the palate as well.

There are also other ways to enjoy the dessert buffet. It can also be paired with Coffee Lounge’s signature offerings:

- Top-up of Dessert Buffet with Mao Shan Wang and D24 Durian Delights with any A La Carte Main Course order $48.80++ per person.
- 3-course Design Your Own Local Degustation Menu, inclusive of Dessert Buffet with Mao Shan Wang and D24 Durian Delights $62++ per person.
- 4-course Design Your Own Local Degustation Menu, inclusive of Dessert Buffet with Mao Shan Wang and D24 Durian Delights $66++ per person.

The Deli also features five delectable Mao Shan Wang and D24 durian creations from 17 October to 30 November for a decadent treat any time of the day.

Photos and 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. 


Coffee Lounge
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: +65 67301746
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]