Sin Ho @ Bedok North Street 1 Market and Food Centre - Serving One Of The Best Har Cheong Kai In Singapore

So I have heard about this zi char stall at Bedok North Street 1 Market and Food Centre that serves one of the best Prawn Paste Chicken (Har Cheong Kai) in Singapore, and they are sold out pretty fast. The gang arrived as early as 5pm at Sin Ho zi char stall for dinner, so that we manage to have the so-called legendary prawn paste chicken which even MissTamChiak has to made several trips to eat it. The stall sells fish soup in the day, and at night it is turned into a zi char stall offering hearty and comforting cooked dishes.

Prawn Paste Chicken 4.5/5

The sight of the Prawn Paste Chicken ($8 for 6pc/ $12 for 9pc / $16 for 12pc) with its reddish exterior is already a sign of what is good to come. In fact, I could even smell the fermented shrimp paste fragrant when the dish is served. Crispy on the exterior, yet juicy inside flavoured with the distinct fermented shrimp paste, no wonder this dish is so popular with the diners here. In fact, almost all the tables ordered the prawn paste chicken.

Crayfish Seafood Soup 3.5/5

The Crayfish Seafood Soup ($15) is light and sweet. You can find crayfish, clams, tofu, prawns, cabbage and more items in it. I suspect the soup base is what they used for their fish stall, as they also offer the normal Batang Soup on their dinner menu. Though the portion is generous, it lacked that crustacean robustness in the soup.

Prawn Omelette 4/5

The Prawn Omelette ($6) may look like a simple dish, but it is executed to perfection. It has a nice wok hei aroma with a fluffy interior and comes with big juicy prawn in it.

Sambal La La 3.8/5

Last but not least, we had the Sambal La La ($15) with plump and juicy flesh. I personally prefer it to be spicier, but for those that can't take too spicy, this will be just nice.

While most of the stalls are closed for the night, the hawker centre is buzzing with Sin Ho's diners. As it is in a hawker centre, the table seating may not be suitable for large families. And do remember to go early if you want to try the prawn paste chicken, or else prepared to be disappointed.


Sin Ho
Blk 216 Bedok North Street 1
#01-75
Singapore 460216
Nearest MRT: Bedok (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Wed-Sun: 5pm - 9pm
(Closed on Mon-Tue)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Take Exit B. Cut through the housing estate and walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Mei Xi Kitchen @ Clementi Ave 3 - Selling Hakka Yong Tau Foo And Seafood Soups

I seldom dine at Bgain 442 Eating House at Clementi Ave 3 so I am not sure whether Mei Xi Kitchen is new or not. It is definitely new for me as I don't remember seeing it previously. At the front of the stall, it sells Hakka Yong Tau Foo but if you go to the side (inside the coffeeshop), it sells a variety of seafood soup (Crayfish Grouper, Batang, Dory Fish) while sharing the same place.

Batang Seafood Soup 3/5

I decided to order the Batang Seafood Soup which comes with slices of Batang fish, prawn, tomato,  mushroom and minced pork. I understand the soup base is from boiling old chicken and scallop. However it taste rather light, lacking depth and robustness.

While the soup was rather weak in terms of taste, the seafood was fresh and good. As for the minced pork, it is well marinated and flavourful. They have added dry sole fish to elevate the flavour. However, it has an unpleasant fibrous texture.

Overall I think the stall still has rooms for improvement. More effort is needed in the making the soup base to make it more flavourful. Currently it just taste like bowl of normal soup with ingredients thrown in.


Mei Xi Kitchen
Bgain 442 Eating House
Blk 442 Clementi Ave 3
#01-121
Singapore 120442
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

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

Two Hana @ Century Square - Bringing Two Cultures, Korean And Western Together

There are quite a number of restaurants and eateries to check out at the newly re-opened Century Square mall. One of these restaurants and eateries is Two Hana which is located near the mall's taxi stand. It is a Korea meets West cafe concept offering a eclectic menu featuring all-day dining, light bites, hearty mains, alluring dessert, refreshing drinks and specialty coffee from All Press.

Two Hana Drumlets 3.5/5

Since it is a Korean inspired cafe, then we can do without the Korean fried chicken. The Two Hana Drumlets ($9) comes in 2 flavours - Honey Butter and Spicy Yangnyeom. It is a sweet and spicy combination with deep fried crispy skin. The honey butter sauce drumlets are topped with popcorn and almond while the spicy yangnyeom comes with sesame seeds.

Korean Cauliflower Fritters 4/5

Kimchi Mac & Cheese Bites 3.5/5

For some light bites on the menu, there are the Korean Cauliflower Fritters ($8) and Kimchi Mac & Cheese Bites ($9). The cauliflower is coated in a light crispy tempura batter and glazed in a sweet and spicy sauce. Up a notch with the kimchi mac & cheese whereby the cheesy filling is spiced up with kimchi chucks enveloped by crispy breadcrumbs.

Bulgogi Sidewinders 3.5/5

If you find having fries alone is rather boring, then the Bulgogi Sidewinders ($9) will be a nice change with its abundance of toppings such as beef bulgogi, creamy bulgogi sauce, kimchi bits, onions and parmeson cheese. It may sounds and looks messy but the combination actually comes together quite well.

Korean Slaw & Rocket Salad 3/5

If you want something light and healthy, there is the Korean Slaw & Rocket Salad ($9). The green consists of an assortment of rockets, cabbage and red cabbage. It is topped with pear, parmesan, mandarin orange, citron jam, yogurt and raisins. I enjoyed how the fruits and jam lend a citrus touch to the earthy greens.

Kimchi Bibimwrap 3/5

A staple Korean dish is the bibimap which is usually served in a bowl. How about the Kimchi Bibimwarp ($12), bibimap in a wrap? The wrap is stuffed with kimgaru rice, spinach, namul, shiitake mushrooms, fried garlic, egg, lettuce, cabbage, toasted sesame dressing and fried garlic. This is a meal on its own. You can also opt not to have rice in the wrap.

Striploin Bap 4/5

Rice bowl has been one the latest food trends in Singapore. Jumping on the bandwagon is the Striploin Bap ($13), its Korean interpretation of the rice bowl. Beautifully seared striploin slices, together with servings of kimchi, spinach, beansprout namul, caramelised onions and poached egg rest on top of the kimgarou rice. In fact, I find the bowl a bit small for the generous servings.

Crisp-Battered Pacific Cod 3/5

The Crisp-Battered Pacific Cod ($14) is served on a bed of doenjang mashed potatoes and comes with a choice of kimchi veloute or honey soy mayonnaise sauce. Unfortunately the highlight of the dish is the doenjang mashed potatoes, made from 60% potatoes, 40% butter and doenjang sauce. The bland tasting pacific cod is overshadowed by the creamy mashed potatoes with chunky bites.

Korean Seafood Cioppino 4.5/5

The dining group's favourite has to be the Korean Seafood Cioppino ($12), brimming with a medley of mussels, clams, prawns, mushroom and carrots stewed in tomatoes cream base. Diners can have a choice of tofu or soft rolls to go with the rich and creamy soup. It's like have a bowl of lobster bisque.

Gochujang Braised Lamb Shank 3.8/5

I thought the Gochujang Braised Lamb Shank ($24) is rather special. Unlike the usual, it is braised in a gochujang tomato sauce. While the braised sauce was delish, I was lacked down by the texture of the lamb shank. I was expecting it to be more tender. It seems that the lamb shank needs more hours in the pot.

Apple Caramel Waffles with Doenjang Caramel Ice Cream 3.5/5

As for dessert, I tried both the Apple Caramel Waffles with Doenjang Caramel Ice Cream ($9) and Strawberry Waffles with Honey Citron Ice Cream ($9). The waffles are crispy and dense. The addition of fruits help to cut those density with the yummy ice cream providing the home run.

Strawberry Waffles with Honey Citron Ice Cream 3.5/5

Overall, I feel that Two Hana serves some interesting Korean meets Western dishes but some are not at that level yet. There is potential in the dishes but probably needed more refinement to reach to excellent. Putting the food aside, the cafe serves great coffee using beans from All Press. So don't forget to get your caffeine fix whenever you drop by the cafe.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Two Hana
Century Square
2 Tampines Central 5
#01-21
Singapore 529509
Tel: +65 62604339
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Tampines (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tampines MRT station. Take Exit C. Turn left and walk to traffic light junction. Cross the road and walk down Tampines Central 5. Walk to Century Square. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

First Street Teochew Fish Soup (第一街潮州鱼汤) @ Upper Serangoon Road - One Of The Best Fish Soups, Be Prepared To Queue Up To 45 Minutes

I have grown up in Hougang but I did not know about this awesome fish soup stall near my home. It is only after I moved to the West then I know about its existence. I have to travel all the way back to the East to visit First Street Teochew Fish Soup (第一街潮州鱼汤) to find out for myself why the stall has a constant long queue of customer willing to wait up to 30-45 minutes, just to have their fish soup.

Batang Sliced Fish Soup 4/5

The stall offers a variety of fishes for the fish soups such as batang (mackerel), promfret and red garoupa. Customers also have a choice to add rice, porridge or mee sua to go along with their fish soup. We started with the Batang Sliced Fish Soup ($5.50/$7.50/$9.50) which comes with fresh slices of mackerel, tang oh vegetable and slices of ginger to remove any fishy taste.. The soup was light and sweet. We added mee sua at an additional cost of $0.50 to go with the bowl of comforting fish soup.

Red Garoupa 4.2/5

A popular and limited quality at the stall is the Red Garoupa ($8/$10). During my first visit, it was sold out and I was second time lucky. I also noted the pricing varies depend on market price. It was priced at $9/$11 during my first visit. I preferred the red garoupa over the batang fish primarily because of the firmer and bouncier texture of the fish meat.

Mixed Soup 4.5/5

My favourite among the dishes I tried is the Mixed Soup ($5/$7$10) which comes with batang fish, greens, squid, fish maw, fish cake, prawn, salted vegetables, ginger, fried shallots and minced pork. The highlight is the minced pork with is mixed with tee poh (dried sole fish). The stock of the fish soup is all the same but the additional of the minced pork with tee poh gives the soup an extra punch, elevating the flavour to a new level.

While queuing for my order, I noted that the stall is quite flexible with the order. I noticed a lot of customers requested to add minced pork in the batang fish soup. After tasting the mixed seafood, I released the minced pork which comes with tee poh, giving the soup the unami finish.

First Street Teochew Fish Soup at Serangoon North Ave 4 was started in 1989 by Mr William Lim. The father runs the stall with his two sons, Desmond and Aaron. Previously they have a few spin off branches including one nearby at First Centre at Serangoon Avenue 4  but all closed now.


First Street Teochew Fish Soup
1014 Upper Serangoon Road
(Jalan Rengkam)
Singapore 534752
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Kovan (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 8am - 3pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Kovan MRT station. Take Exit C. Turn right onto Upper Serangoon Road. Walk down Upper Serangoon Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Kovan MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Kovan MRT station (Stop ID 63031). Take bus number 80, 81, 82, 101, 107, 112, 113, 136 or 153. Alight one stop later. Walk to traffic light and cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Teochew Style Seafood Soup @ Ayer Rajah Food Centre

One of the nearest hawker centres near my home is 503 West Coast Drive Food Centre. Majority of the stalls there sell Malay food with limited choices of Chinese food. One of those Chinese stalls I recently visited is Teochew Style Seafood Soup.

Seafood Soup 3/5

I tried its Seafood Soup ($4/$5) which is sweetened with the use of clams and prawns. Besides that the clear soup also comes with other ingredients such as batang fish, tofu, squid, crab stick and vegetables. I can't say this is the best I have tried but it is hearty enough for a satisfying meal. There is also a tom yum version if you like spicy food.

Besides the seafood soup, the stall sells other items such as sliced fish and fried fish soup or beehoon. They even have a selections of braised items to complete your meal.

Pig Trotter 2.8/5

To complete my meal, I ordered the Pig Trotter ($4) to go with my seafood soup and rice. While the braising sauce was good, the pig trotter was tough and dry. It also needed more time for the meat to absorb the the braising sauce flavour.


Teochew Style Seafood Soup
Ayer Rajah Food Centre
Blk 503 West Coast Drive
#01-18
Singapore 120503
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17171). Take bus number 78. Alight 5 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 18 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Clementi Bus Interchange. (Stop ID 17009). Take bus number 285. Alight 5 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 18 minutes. [Map]

You Yi (友谊) Fish Soup @ Havelock Road Food Centre - Great Seafood Soup and Fried Fish That Tastes Like Fish & Chips

During a recent project, I went down to Havelock Road Food Centre to have lunch and I noticed a queue at You Yi (友谊) food stall that sells Seafood Soup, Fried Fish Soup, Mian Fen Guo and Ban Mian.

Seafood Soup 4/5

As I was alone,  I could not order everything to try. After browsing what is popular among the patrons around the tables in the hawker centre, I decided to order the Seafood Soup ($3.50) and a separate side of Fried Fish ($2). The seafood soup is the clear and sweet type, without the rich crustaceans flavour.  In the bowl of seafood soup, you can find tofu, fish ball, crab meat ball, prawn, fish, minced meat and tomato.

Fried Fish 3.5/5

The Fried Fish which I added on as a side dish is really chunky and it felt like having a mini version of fish and chip. Unfortunately this was pre-fried and it did not have that enjoyable crispiness. Even so, I could still bite in bits of crispy batter and I could only imagine how good this is when they were just out of the hot boiling oil.

If you are in the vicinity, I would recommend trying its seafood soup and fried fish. During my visit, I noticed many patrons were having their Tom Yam Ban Mian Soup. In my next visit, I shall give the tom yam ban mian soup a try.


You Yi (友谊) Fish Soup
Havelock Road Food Centre
Blk 22A/B Havelock Road
#01-30
Singapore 162022
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Bukit Ho Swee Link. At Bukut Ho Swee Link, turn left and walk to Jalan Bukit Ho Swee. At Jalan Bukit Ho Swee turn right and walk to Jalan Klink. Walk down Jalan Klink and look out for a staircase that goes down the slope. Take the staircase to the bottom. Turn right and follow the covered walkway to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Pocoloco @ Snow City - Heartland Italian Restaurant With Microbrewery

Being a westerner in my entire life, I have only visited the Snow City at Jurong East once. Pocoloco, located at Level 2 of Snow City, gave me the reason to visit this place again. Already has a branch at Ang Mo Kio, what's different about this branch is that it comes along with a microbrewery! Yes, right in our heartland Jurong.

Pocoloco is conceptualised as a casual and affordable Italian restaurant. Do not associate it with any of your pasta/pizza joints. What they serve to your table are genuine recipes crafted from chefs' culinary experiences in the Italian dining scene. They do not do course by course service but instead sharing. Hence, in no time, our table was filled with all the food that we had ordered, from appetisers, to pasta to mains, except our dessert. Such no frill local way of service also helps to lower the cost, which enable them to charge just heartland prices.

Funghi 3.5/5

Capesante 3.5/5

Our evening had a good start with their well sautéed Mushroom ($6) and Baked Scallops ($12). The sliced mushroom is way better than any fries if you would like something to go along with beer. Just hints of herbs and garlic, its meaty texture and inherent savouriness make it even more delectable. Shielded under a robust layer of capsicum puree with flavoured butter, the baked scallops were flavoursome, juicy with a firm bite.

Burrata 3.5/5

Burrata is a quintessential dish in Italian restaurant. I'm surprise to see it on their menu. At $16, by far perhaps the most affordable which I have seen. Served with rocket salad, tomato & parma ham, albeit a classic combination, their homemade dressing makes the difference. Tangy and refreshing, it hits the right note. Although the cheese was not as fluffy and pillowy as I would like it to be, the dressing makes up for it.

Since it is a microbrewery, you must try their locally brewed beers. They have a nice alfresco area for you to chill with your favourite pick. An interesting choice would be their Verde, which is brewed using seaweed barley malt. ($7 a glass)

Zuppa di Pesce 3/5

We were expecting more from their Tomato Seafood Soup ($6) after 3 good appetisers. No doubt the seafood was fresh but it lacks that bit of tang which might help to lift the flavour.

Caesar 3/5

Their Caesar ($7) was ok but what's notable is their homemade Caesar dressing freshly made with anchovies. It is not at all creamy and oily like the commercial type.

The menu offers quite a selection of pasta, priced between $9 to $12, as well as risotto that cost a couple of dollars more. Mains are dishes of chicken and beef, together with a Catch of the Day, priced between $15 to $20. We decided to try their Chef Specials, enticed by their handmade tagliatelle and the fact that I'm not so into chicken or beef towards the end of the day.

Lobster with Handmade Tagliatelle Black & Green Pasta 3/5

The so called pasta special of the restaurant is the Lobster served with Handmade Tagliatelle Black & Green Pasta ($22). Instead of flavouring their pasta with spinach, their was done with Nori. The pasta was slightly thicker than usual but was light and al dente, which impressed me. However, I couldn't really detect the seaweed taste. The lobster might be a little overcooked as I was struggling to remove the meat from its shell which is a tad disappointing. Perhaps best to stick to their regular menu which cost me only half the price but better in taste. I was told their crabmeat pasta is really popular.

Roasted Canadian Pork Rack 2.8/5

For mains, we had Roasted Canadian Pork Rack ($20) coated in mustard and green herbs. I really like the mustardy coat which flavours the pork really well, especially at the charred edges. It tasted like a classic pesto but with tanginess. The best part is the meat by the rib. I felt that the rest of the meat too tough and dry, and a bit gamy.

For sweet ending, we had Tiramisu and Chocolate Lava Cake. Between the two, I would recommend their tiramisu. It is not easy to find a good tiramisu and Pocoloco does it pretty well. The cheese layer may still be a bit thick for me but I appreciated its sweetness. The liqueur seems to be added in situ, hence I could really taste the bitter sweetness. What seems to be missing is the shot of espresso.

For such pricings, usually it means dining with a huge crowd, with people sitting so close to you that you don't get to have good, private conversations with your loved ones. However, over at Pocoloco, you have almost all - the ambience, friendly service, decent food and fresh beers.

Written and photography 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.


Pocoloco
Snow City
21 Jurong Town Hall Road
Level 2
Singapore 609433
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW Line, NS Line), Chinese Garden (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Jurong East MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Jurong East Bus Interchange (Stop ID 28009). Take bus number 66 or 335. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

1) Alight at Chinese Garden MRT station. Take Exit A or C. Cross the road and walk to bus stop opposite Chinese Garden MRT station (Stop ID 28349). Take bus number 335. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]