The Lobby Lounge @ Shangri-La Hotel Singapore - Experience Local Hawker Fare For Breakfast At Weekend Semi-Buffet

In collaboration with local hawkers to serve authentic local hawker fare, The Lobby Lounge, Shangri-La Hotel Singapore presents their Breakfast Buffet with an enticing array of local heritage dishes for everyone to enjoy iconic hawker fare in town, all under one roof. The authentic Singaporean breakfast spread showcase 6 specially curated Singaporean breakfast items from the ala carte menu, which include: Nasi Lemak ($19) from The Coconut Club; Roti Prata with Dhalcha and Fish Curry ($12) from Springleaf Prata Place; Carrot Cake ($12) from The Lobby Lounge’s Chef Yong Jia; Dry Wanton Mee ($14) from Shang Palace’s Executive Chef Mok Kit Keung; Soft Boiled Eggs with Kaya Toast ($12) from The Lobby Lounge’s Signature; Hainanese Porridge ($12) from The Lobby Lounge’s Signature.

Nasi Lemak 4.2/5

Prepared with the original recipe from The Coconut Club, a Michelin's Bib Gourmand Singapore 2018 awardee, the Nasi Lemak ($19) is a perfect medley of flavours. It featured a base of aromatic pandan-scented rice infused with coconut milk and served with an array of topping including the crispy anchovies, peanuts, fried egg, sliced cucumber and homemade sambal chilli for that kick of spice. The dish is completed with a crispy chicken leg deep fried till golden brown.

Dry Wanton Mee 4/5

A perennial favourite amongst the locals, the Dry Wanton Mee ($14) features soft and springy al dente noodles tossed with a special black sauce and barbequed pork by Shang Palace's Chinese Executive Chef Mok Kit Keung. The dish is topped with tender char siew and crunchy leafy greens and accompanied by a bowl of flavourful pork and shrimp dumpling soup.

Hainanese Porridge 3.8/5

The Hainanese Porridge ($12) is a simple, comforting bowl of breakfast. The silky congee is cooked with tender minced pork balls and meat slices, with the flavours enhanced with a dash of sesame oil and ginger. Served with a side of crispy fried strips of Youtiao to dunk into the porridge, perfect for soaking up the goodness.

Savour other nostalgic dishes in line with unlimited helpings of it, such as a plate of economic bee hoon, luncheon meat, cabbage and fried egg.

Soon Kueh 4/5, Chwee Kueh 4.2/5

We love the signature Soon Kueh by Ah Yee. A popular Teochew snack in Singapore, it is made with hand-kneaded dough from rice-tapioca flour. What we like is the tender and springy skin with the right amount of bite to it. The fillings are generous - an aromatic combination of shredded carrots, black fungus, turnip and dried shrimps.

The Chwee Kueh - Tiong Bahru Jian Bo Shui Kueh’s signature dish is also a favourite. Yet another popular Teochew snack well-loved for its firm rice cakes topped with sweet and savoury preserved radish. It's the perfect breakfast to kickstart your morning with.

Chee Cheong Fun 3.8/5

The Chee Cheong Fun hit the spot with its thin silky smooth skin and generous glaze of sweet black sauce. Perfectly springy and chewy, the delicate rice rolls had us going back for more.

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.


The Lobby Lounge
Shangri-La Hotel Singapore
Lobby Level
22 Orange Grove Road
Singapore 258350
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Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 730am - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheellock Place via ION. Exit Wheellock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Cross the road at the traffic light junction and turn left towards Royal Thai Embassy. Walk down to the end of Orchard Road. Turn right onto Orange Grove Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 23 minutes. [Map]

Chef Kang Noodle House @ Jackson Square (Toa Payoh) - Michelin Bib Gourmand Wanton Mee

I had heard of the snaking queue with waiting time up to 2 hours at Chef Kang Noodle House when it first opened in December 2018 at Jackson Square. You can't blame the popularity of the hawker stall when it is opened by one Michelin starred Chef Ang Song Kang of Chef Kang's Kitchen. The fairy tale continues with the recent release of Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019. Chef Kang Noodle House is one of the 58 awardees of Michelin Bib Gourmand 2019. What an achievement of the wanton mee stall, winning such a prestige award in less than a year of their opening.

There are only 3 items on the menu. Noodle with Char Siew and Wanton ($5), Noodle with Shredded Abalone, Char Siew and Wanton ($10), Char Siew ($10). I ordered both the noodle dishes to try.

Noodle with Char Siew and Wanton 4.5/5

For five dollars, you get a plate of noodle with fatty char siew, pork lard, greens and wantons. What impresses me at Chef Kang Noodle House is down to each component on the plate of wanton mee. The char siew is fatty with a nice char on the exterior. Just look at the layer of fats and lean meat. The noodle is springy with a delightful bite, complemented by the delicious dark sauce. The wanton was plump and generous filling such as prawn, minced pork, black fungus and water chestnut. In fact, I find it more towards a dumpling than a wanton.

Shredded Abalone, Char Siew and Wanton 4.8/5

For another extra five dollars, you get shredded abalone with the char siew wanton mee. Initially, I thought the shredded abalone is chicken. It does look like it isn't it? The chicken itself can be quite dry to go with the noodle; hence, the soft and bouncy texture of the abalone is a good replacement enhancing the full enjoyment and balance of the dish.

Do note that Chef Kang Noodle House is located inside Jack Square, surrounded by building blocks. Hence it can't be sighted from the main road. One needs to make its way into the industrial cluster, and it is located in the canteen around in between block A and B.


Chef Kang Noodle House
Jackson Square
Block A
11 Toa Payoh Lorong 3
Singapore 319579
Nearest MRT: Braddell (NS Line),

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 8am - 4pm
Sat-Sun: 8am - 2pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Braddell MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Block 111 (Stop ID 52161). Take bus number 235. Alight 3 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus number 28, 73, 88, 155, 157, 159, 163. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Eng's Char Siew Wanton Mee @ East Village - The Claypot Rice Is More Popular Than The Wanton Mee

This may sounds a bit weird but I am at Eng's Char Siew Wanton Mee for claypot rice and not wanton mee. Yes, the East Village outlet sells claypot rice and some zichar dishes on top of their signature wanton mee with hot fiery chilli sauce. The outlet at East Village is franchised by Ah Ching the ex-chef of Geylang Claypot Rice. Hence the used of the name Eng's Char Siew Wanton Mee, selling wanton mee alongside his claypot rice. This is the only place where you can get both wanton mee and claypot rice.

Charcoal Cooked Claypot Rice 4/5

The Charcoal Cooked Claypot Rice ($7/$13/$23) uses old grains here. It is cooked from scratch, first over the gas stove for the rice grains to dry up and then transfer over to the charcoal stove, cooking for another 25 minutes together with the ingredients and sauce. The whole cooking process takes about 45 minutes. Hence be prepared to wait if you did not pre-order before turning up at the outlet.

During my visit, almost every table was having the claypot rice. Two things stood out for me in the claypot rice. First the chicken is very tender and the portion is quite substantial. Most of the time when I visit other claypot rice stalls, I have to request to any more chicken but I do not need to do so here. Second is the crispy brown rice grains at the bottom of the claypot. Ah Ching has developed a technique that allows him to get that crispy consistency at the bottom. While I enjoyed the claypot rice, I felt it somewhat lacked the robust flavours compared to other well known claypot places. Maybe the savoury dark sauce is not fragrant enough or it needs a further boast in flavours such as addition of salted fish or more flavourful Chinese sausages.

French Beans 4/5

As there is basically no vegetable in the claypot rice, we decided to order a plate of French Beans ($7/$9) to go along with the rice. It is simple but well executed with a delightful crunch.

Claypot Pork Knuckles 4/5

Besides the claypot rice, we also had the Claypot Pork Knuckles which was the special of the day. The pork knuckles which has absorbed the essence of the braising sauce, was fatty and juicy. Perfect to go along with my claypot rice.

If you are planning to try the claypot rice here, I would recommend calling the outlet to pre-order the clayot rice first. If not, you must be prepared to wait for around 45 minutes as the claypot rice needs to be cooked from scratch. While waiting you may want to have a plate of wanton mee then.


Eng's Char Siew Wanton Mee
East Village
430 Upper Changi Road
#01-09
Singapore 487048
Tel: +65 98680934
Nearest MRT: Tanah Merah (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanah Merah MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Tanah Merah MRT station (Stop ID). Take bus number 2, 9 or 48. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Chee Kei (池記) @ Changi Airport Terminal 2 - Another Popular Hong Kong Wanton Mee Opens In Singapore

With the opening of Mak's Noodle in Singapore back in 2015, another popular Hong Kong wanton mee brand - Chee Kei (池記) has landed at Changi Airport Terminal 2. Located at the public area of the departure hall near the sky train area, the Singapore outlet share the space together with Ya Kun.

Shrimp Wanton Noodle 3.8/5

Today with my colleagues, we dropped by the newly opened Chee Kei for lunch. At first sight, one may find the Shrimp Wanton Noodle is pretty costly at $8.95. Though the bowl may look small, the noodle portion is pretty substantial. It also comes with their signature shrimp wanton in silky wanton skin, that is plump and comes with fresh crunchy shrimp. While the wanton soup is sweet and packed with robust flavours from the dried scallop, the noodle was slightly overcooked. It did not have that QQ texture.

Besides the shrimp wanton noodle, the menu offers a huge varieties of noodle selection such as Beef Brisket Noodle, Chilli Meat Braised Noodles, Braised Pork Tender Rib Braised Rice Vermicelli and many more.

Beef Noodles 3.8/5

We decided to also try the Beef Noodles ($7.95) which comes with thinly sliced beef. I like the fact that the beef is still slightly pink, not overcooked. Unfortunately, the bowl of noodle is lacked down by the overcooked noodles, which did not have the springy texture.

Dumpling in Chilli Oil 3/5

Besides the noodles, we also tried some of their side dishes. The Dumpling in Chilli Oil ($10.95) comes with the same plump wanton that is found in the shrimp wanton noodle. Unfortunately the chilli oil was lackluster, it lacked the pungent vinegary spicy kick.

Beef Tendon with Turnip 4/5

We also tried the Beef Tendon with Turnip ($12.95) which has absorbed the delicious braising sauce, and cooked to a delightful bouncy soft texture. I would recommend ordering a plate of it to go with the noodle, making it a complete meal.

Overall, I feel the wanton noodle is satisfying but not top notch. The kitchen and operations also seems quite overwhelmed by the crowd. Hopefully time will smoothen the operations and that translate to consistency and quality to the food


Chee Kei
Changi Airport Terminal 2
Departure Hall
60 Airport Boulevard
Singapore 819643
Tel: +65 62413124
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Changi Airport (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 24 hour

Direction: 
1) Alight at Changi Airport MRT station. Take Exit A. Go to departure hall. Walk towards Sky Train direction. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Guan Dynasty @ United Square - Offering Handmade Dim Sum and Hong Kong Roasted Delights

Guan Dynasty is a new dim sum restaurant that has opened at United Square. The restaurant tucked in a corner of the basement, is the latest concept by Guan Chee which also owns other brands such as Guan Chee Hong Kong Roasted Duck, I Fish and Sumber Ayam.

Steamed Signature Dace Siew Mai 3.5/5, Steamed Pork Rib with Black Bean Sauce 3/5

We started with the Steamed Signature Dace Siew Mai ($6.80) and Steamed Pork Rib with Black Bean Sauce ($5). The siew mai was plump and juicy. The pork rib unfortunately was a bit too fatty for my liking.

Steamed Hot & Spicy Dumpling 2.5/5

I find the Steamed Hot & Spicy Dumpling ($5) disappointing The dough for the dumpling was too thick and the sauce was not fragrant too.

Steamed Rice Roll with Crispy Shrimp 4/5

Not all the dim sum items are bad here. Take for the Steamed Rice Roll with Crispy Shrimp ($6.50). It is a delectable contrast of texture where one will get the play of smooth silky rice roll and sweet crispy shrimp.

Baked Black Pepper Duck Bun 4.2/5

Steamed Custard Bun Salted Egg Yolk 4/5

For the selections of bun, I tried the Baked Black Pepper Duck Bun ($5.50) and Steamed Custard Bun Salted Egg Yolk ($5.20). Comes in charcoal black is the duck bun which has a slight crust on the exterior. It is stuffed with minced duck pieces in a sweet peppery sauce. As for the custard bun, the soft and fluffy bun is filled with oozing salted egg yolk sauce that is fragrant, sweet and creamy.

Guan Dynasty Roasted Duck 4.2/5

Guan Chee started its business with Hong Kong roasts back in the days when it is a humble stall in Hougang back in 1983. With up to 35 years of roasting experience, no wonder their Guan Dynasty Roasted Duck ($12.80 per portion) is roasted to a delightful succulent with crispy skin.

Shrimp Wonton Noodle Dry 4.2/5

Not to be missed is the Shrimp Wonton Noodle Dry ($6.90) which is really good too. The egg noodles are springy and did not have the alkaline taste. It even comes with huge wonton that is stuffed with crunchy shrimp.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Guan Dynasty
United Square
101 Thomson Road
#B1-09/64/65
Singapore 307591
Tel: +65 65656465
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Novena MRT station (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit B1. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Legendary Hong Kong @ Jurong Point Shopping Centre - The Closest Thing To Hong Kong Cafe In Singapore

I have not been back to Legendary Hong Kong at Jurong Point Shopping Centre since my last visit in 2015. Since I am back at Jurong Point to run some errands, I decided to drop by Legendary Hong Kong for lunch.

Wonton Noodle Soup 4.2/5

The first thing I noticed is the pricing has gone up by a dollar for the Wonton Noodle Soup ($7.80). The standard of the noodle is still quite consistent, thin and springy. The wanton remains huge , with fresh and bouncy shrimp wrapped within.

Beef Brisket & Tendon Noodle 3/5

The other noodle dish we ordered is the Beef Brisket & Tendon Noodle ($8.80). Using the same springy noodle as the wanton mee, I have no complain of its texture. However the beef brisket was a bit on the tough side. I expected it to be more tender.

Roasted Duck Leg 4/5

I think I was a bit hungry during my visit, so I ordered another Roasted Duck Leg ($9.80) to go along with my wonton noodle. The meat was fat and juicy with a layer of crispiness on top.

French Toast Hong Kong Style 4/5

Not to be missed is their French Toast Hong Kong Style ($3.80). It is a multi textural enjoyment. Crispy on the outside coated with egg while soft and fluffy inside. Have it together with honey and butter for an all encompassing enjoyment.


Legendary Hong Kong
Jurong Point Shopping Centre
63 Jurong West Central 3
#03-80
Singapore 648331
Tel: +65 67941335
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Boon Lay (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Boon Lay MRT station. Take Exit C, D, E. Walk to the new wing of the shopping centre. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Koung's Wan Tan Mee @ Geylang Lorong 21A - Popular Wanton Mee But Failed To Make Into My Favourite List

I have been seeing quite a number of online coverage about Koung's Wanton Mee at Geylang. Since I was around the area on a Saturday afternoon, I decided to make a slight detour to check out the place. Located in a coffeeshop at the corner of Sims Avenue and Geylang Lorong 13, the coffeeshop is crowded with customers for their wanton mee during my visit.

Wanton Mee 3.5/5

A plate of Wanton Mee starts from $4 here. You can choose to add more noodles and/or ingredients for extra cost. I decided to go for both, costing me $7 per plate. It comes with a few strands of vegetables, slices of char siew and egg noodles tossed in a homemade chilli sauce.

Personally I do not like the noodles here. It is the thicker and firmer type. I prefer the thin and springy type like those Hong Kong wanton mee. Putting that aside the other components like the char siew, chilli sauce and wanton actually make this a delectable plate of noodle, no wonder it has a great fan base all these years.

While I didn't like the noodle, I have to applaud the fact that the stall makes their own char siew at the stall, wrapped their own wanton and dumpling, as well as frying their own chilli sauce.

Koung's Wanton Mee
205 Sims Avenue
(Geylang Lorong 21A)
Singapore 387596
Tel: +65 67480305
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Aljunied (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 8am - 8pm
Mon: 9am - 8pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to the overhead bridge at Aljunied Road. Cross the road. Walk along the MRT track towards Sims Place. Turn right onto Lorong 21A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Tanjong Rhu Wanton Noodle @ West Coast Plaza - A New Wanton Mee Stall At West Coast Plaza

Level 2 of West Coast Plaza has undergone some renovation. Gone is Country Manna and replacing it is Food Scholar Food Court with a number of new stalls. One of them is Tanjong Rhu Wanton Noodle. Even though new, it already attracts a long queue for its wanton noodle.

Wanton Mee 3.8/5

I am not sure but I suspect this is a franchise stall as I have seen a number of Tanjong Rhu Wanton Noodle around the island, in fact there is already another one just across the road of West Coast Plaza, located inside the coffeeshop at block 722 Clementi West Street 2.

The highlight for the bowl of Wanton Noodle ($4.50) is actually the thin and springy noodles. It has a slight, almost untraceable alkaline taste, masked by the garlicky chilli. The chilli needs more character to complement the springy noodle. The char siew is decent but not great. I also feel that they are a bit too stingy with the char siew. Last the wanton itself. It is meaty and wrapped in a thin translucent sheet, however the stuffing is under seasoned.

Dumpling Soup 4/5

To go along with the Wanton Noodle, I also ordered a bowl of Dumpling Soup ($5). Compared to the wanton, the dumpling really stands out more. The well seasoning of minced pork, shrimp and black fungus is packed with flavours and textures.

If I am not wrong, the original stall should be in Jalan Batu. I have not tried it so I can't compare the different. Based on my visit, I find the noodle has a good texture to it. I prefer the dumpling more than the wanton, so I probably order the dumpling noodle instead of the wanton noodle in my next visit.


Tanjong Rhu Wanton Noodle
West Coast Plaza
Food Scholar Food Court
Level 2
154 West Coast Road
Singapore 127371
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: TBC

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station. (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 201. Alight 2 stops later. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]