Cuisine Better Days Chicken Rice (饱家味国) @ People's Park Centre - Young Female Hawker, Natalie Opens Her Own Chicken Rice Shop

Natalie, the face behind the beloved Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice in Ang Mo Kio, has carved her name in the local food scene. Her journey started as a young, determined hawker alongside her family, where their Hainanese Chicken Rice swiftly gained fame for its delightful flavours. This family legacy, rooted in her father's cherished recipe from a renowned chicken rice brand, was soon embraced by media and food enthusiasts alike.

Fast forward to the present, Natalie embarks on her solo adventure, opening her very own chicken rice shop - Cuisine Better Days Chicken Rice, nestled in People's Park Centre. The spotlight remains on her as she single-handedly orchestrates the entire show - from cooking to cashier duties, waiting tables, and even keeping the space spotless — a true testament to her dedication and hard work.

Hainanese Chicken Rice 4.5/5

Consistency remains paramount to Natalie's craft. She continues her tradition of using premium grade A kampong chicken, just as she did at Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice. This choice imparts a remarkable tenderness and succulence to her poached chicken. What sets it apart is the subtly sweeter taste compared to the typical broiler chicken.

While some things remain the same, Natalie introduces a new twist in the form of her chilli sauce. Sporting an intensified punch of pungency and spice, this sauce carries an exhilarating kick that appeals to those fond of bold flavours. However, those averse to intense spiciness might want to tread cautiously.

Still, on the journey of refining her craft, one area where Natalie is working towards consistency is her rice. On my initial visit, the rice was an aromatic, fluffy delight. However, my second outing witnessed a slight variation, with a tad more moisture and a somewhat muted fragrance.

Natalie's passion is evident in her future plans to expand the menu. She intends to incorporate a diverse selection of Hainanese dishes and sides, thus transforming her offering into a complete culinary experience. This evolution guarantees more options for diners seeking a wholesome and delightful meal, ensuring that Cuisine Better Days Chicken Rice is destined to remain a name to reckon with.


Cuisine Better Days Chicken Rice (饱家味国)
People's Park Centre
#01-01
101 Upper Cross Street
Singapore 058357
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Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit D. Turn left and walk to the back of People's Park Centre facing State Courts building. At the back of People's Park Centre, turn right and walk down the  walkway. Walk to the end of walkway, along the stretch of shops to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Tam Chiak Kopitiam - The Most Trendy Coffeeshop In Hougang by Chew Chor Meng, MissTamChiak and Zhou Chong Qing

Tam Chiak Kopitiam, located at Blk 212 Hougang Street 21, is a dream come true for Mediacorp actor Chew Chor Meng. Together with partners including MissTamChiak (Maureen Ow) and Zhou Chong Qing, they have transformed the previous coffeeshop into a modern and trendy space. The name "Tam Chiak" is derived from their partner MissTamChiak, a renowned food writer in Singapore known for promoting our local hawker culture.

Upon entering Tam Chiak Kopitiam, you'll notice the familiar Yeo Yeo Huat signboard, which holds sentimental value as it originated from the popular Mediacorp TV series "118", in which both Chew Chor Meng and Chong Qing acted. This cherished signboard from the longest-running Chinese drama produced by Mediacorp is now proudly displayed in Tam Chiak Kopitiam, evoking nostalgia and fond memories.

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888 Mookata

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When the new team took over the coffeeshop, they decided to revitalize the food offerings, retaining only two stalls from the previous establishment. One of them is 888 Mookata, a venture by Chew Chor Meng and Chong Qing. To celebrate its reopening, 888 Mookata is running a 15% discount promotion for eight days.

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Chef De Pasta

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The other stall that the team chose to keep is Chef De Pasta, a Western food stall with a loyal following and glowing Google reviews for its restaurant-standard dishes at affordable coffeeshop prices. The humble stall owner, with prior experience as a hotel chef, brings a wealth of culinary expertise to the table. Many reviewers particularly recommend its Japanese fried garlic rice, which is a delightful addition to its menu.

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Dan Lao (蛋佬)

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Tam Chiak Kopitiam also showcases an exciting lineup of young hawkers. One of the new stalls is Dan Lao (蛋佬), which gained popularity at Maxwell Food Centre. Led by a team of young hawkers, Dan Lao is renowned for their fluffy egg omelette over fragrant rice, paired with various toppings such as luncheon meat, chicken cutlet, and char siew. It's best enjoyed with their fragrant homemade sambal, prepared from scratch.

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Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang

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Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang, a Michelin Plate restaurant with multiple outlets in Singapore, opens its doors at Tam Chiak Kopitiam. Founded by ex-cabin crew Noorman and his wife, they bring their signature Ayam Taliwang to the coffeeshop, offering a tantalizing taste of Indonesian cuisine. Furthermore, they will introduce a new Halal-certified Curry Rice concept, adding diversity to the local culinary scene.

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Flaky Haus

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Flaky Haus at Tam Chiak Kopitiam breaks away from the traditional coffeeshop offerings by specializing in freshly baked croissants with different fillings such as tuna and egg mayo. They also offer a selection of cakes to pair with a cup of traditional local coffee or tea.

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Wen Kang Ji

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Wen Kang Ji, known for their renowned Wanton Mee at Golden Mile Food Centre, takes a different culinary direction at Tam Chiak Kopitiam. Instead of selling wanton mee, they offer Big Prawn Noodles and Teochew Style Red Grouper Fish Soup, accompanied by delectable side dishes like fried dumplings and wantons, ensuring a satisfying and complete meal experience.

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Oppa Kitchen

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Oppa Kitchen, a Korean stall by Singaporean singer Ang Jun Yang, is helmed by Korean Chef Nick, who brings his extensive experience cooking authentic Korean cuisine. Alongside classic dishes like Bibimbap, Army Stew Ramyeon, Rabokki, and Bulgogi, they introduce local-inspired creations such as Chilli Crab Korean Fried Chicken and Curry Fried Chicken, offering a fusion of Korean and local flavours.

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De Sinn Chicken Rice

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De Sinn Chicken Rice, a personal favourite of Chong Qing in Yishun, is a stall beloved for its delectable Chicken Rice. With its origins in Novena and a second outlet in Yishun, this brainchild of 31-year-old Dervin, an animation graduate, has garnered a loyal following. The quality and taste of their Chicken Rice keep customers returning week after week. I also heard it will be a Halal-certified stall.

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Ru Ji Kitchen

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Ru Ji Kitchen, a popular fishball noodle stall, expands its presence to Tam Chiak Kopitiam after successfully operating in hawker centres. Joanne's father in Holland founded this family-run business and has expanded to two additional outlets at Old Airport Road and Redhill. Renowned for its handmade fishballs and homemade sambal, Ru Ji Kitchen delivers authentic flavours and culinary craftsmanship in each bowl.

Tam Chiak Kopitiam offers an array of delightful options, showcasing the passion and expertise of its partners and stall owners. From traditional flavours to innovative concepts, this coffeeshop is a haven for food enthusiasts seeking a diverse and satisfying culinary experience.


Tam Chiak Kopitam
Blk 212 Hougang Street 21
#01-349
Singapore 530212
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Nearest MRT: Kovan (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6am - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Kovan MRT station. Take Exit C. Turn left and walk towards Kovan Hawker Centre. At Kovan Hawker Centre, turn left and walk straight to block 211 towards the bowling centre. At block 211 cut through the carpark and walk to destination. It is just beside the bowling centre. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Garden Street Kway Chap (呀侖街粿汁) @ Bukit Panjang - Popular Kway Chap Stall In Serangoon Opens New Outlet In The West

Helmed by third-generation hawker Jason, the popular Garden Street Kway Chap from Serangoon Market & Food Centre has now found its way to the West, in Pending, Bukit Panjang.

From its times in the 1940s till now, the stall has been serving up comforting bowls of herbal kway chap. In addition, they offer a variety of meat and non-meat options, from small intestines, pig stomach, and pig skin, to braised beancurd, fried fishcake and braised eggs. This new outlet also features two new menu items, the Pig Organ Soup ($5) and Pig Stomach Soup ($5).

Kway Chap 4.2/5

Ordering is straightforward. There is the Kway Chap Set for 1 ($5), Set for 2 ($11) or even the Non-meat Set for 1 ($4.50). If you are keen on a la carte, that is also available at varying prices for the ingredients.

We tried an assortment of ingredients, and the standouts were the tender and very well-cleaned pork innards and the slices of fried fishcake. Their innards were braised lightly and not gamey.

The Kway ($0.60 for small) came in a smooth, lighter-flavoured broth. If you are hungry, go for the bigger bowl at $0.90.

The queue looked short when we arrived on a Saturday morning, but expect a bit of a waiting time.

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.


Garden Street Kway Chap
Kim San Leng Coffeeshop
259 Bukit Panjang Road
#01-36
Singapore 670259
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Nearest MRT: Bukit Panjang (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 730am - 8pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bukit Panjang MRT station. Take Exit A2. Walk to Bukit Panjang LRT Station. Take the LRT to Pending Station. Walk to Bukit Panjang Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bukit Panjang MRT station. Take Exit A2. Walk to bus stop at Bukit Panjang MRT station (Stop ID 44029). Take bus number 171. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to Bukit Panjang Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Bukit Panjang MRT station. Take Exit A2. Walk to Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange (Stop ID 45009). Take bus number 976. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to Bukit Panjang Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 14 minutes. [Map]

NiuNiu Tea & DuDu Rice @ Whampoa Drive Food Centre - Taiwanese And Korean Street Food In Hawker Centre

I first get to know NiuNiu Tea & DuDu Rice during Covid when it is doing home delivery. Since then, it has moved on to opening a hawker stall at Whampoa Drive Food Centre selling Taiwanese-Korean street food cuisine. It is a combination that is unique to the local hawker scene.

You may wonder why Taiwanese and Korean street food. It is quite simple as these are food close to the heart of Ryan, the young hawker stall owner. Ryan's parents are from Taiwan, while his wife is Chinese-Korean. If I am right, the interesting stall name is named after his two daughters too.

Lu Ru Fan 4/5

The bowl of Lu Ru Fan ($4.70) comes with braised pork, a whole braised egg and pickled vegetables on top of fragrant pearl rice. The braised pork leaned towards more fatty parts, which is my preference for a bowl of braised pork rice. However, the braising sauce is a bit on the light side. I prefer it to be richer.

Oden 4.2/5

To go with my bowl of braised pork rice, I also ordered a bowl of Oden ($1.50 for 3pc) from the oden bar, whereby customers can pick their oden from a selection of assorted Eomuk, Daikon, Konjac, assorted Balls and assorted Sausage. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the unique pairing of braised pork rice with a bowl of soupy oden. It's like how Chinese usually like to have soup for their meal.

Besides what I had, the stall also sells other items like Taiwanese Mee Sua, Taiwanese Crispy Chicken Cutlet, Tteokbokki and Gimbap.


NiuNiu Tea & DuDu Rice
Whampoa Drive Food Centre
Blk 90 Whampoa Drive
#01-82
Singapore 320090
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Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line), Novena (NS Line), Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 12pm - 830pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to bus stop at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple (Stop ID 07211). Take bus 130. Alight 5 stops later. Cross the road. Walk down Balestier road towards Whampoa Drive. Turn left onto Whampoa Drive. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road and walk to bus stop opposite Novena Church (Stop ID 50031). Take bus 21 or 131. Alight 6 stops later. Walk down Balestier road towards Whampoa Drive. Turn left onto Whampoa Drive. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus 145. Alight 6 stops later. alk down Balestier road towards Whampoa Drive. Turn left onto Whampoa Drive. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

Redhill Pork Porridge @ Redhill Food Centre - Chef Cao Yong & Misstamchiak Opens Hawker Stall Selling Hainanese Pork Porridge

Finally, the shutter of Redhill Pork Porridge at Redhill Food Centre is drawn up again but with new owners. The previous owner, Mr Han has retired, and new owners have taken over the stall. The new owners are non-other than Chef Cao Yong, Maureen Ow (aka Misstamchiak) and Chef Kenny.

Why pork porridge? I understand from Misstamchiak that her family used to sell Hainanese pork porridge, and she helped at the stall on weekends. So when she learned about Mr Han's retirement plan, it was like a higher calling for her to start a new venture close to her heart.

Together with Chef Cao Yong and Chef Kenny, they took over the stall. While they retained Mr Han's recipe, they incorporated better quality ingredients into the bowl of porridge, such as the handmade mushroom meatball and thick-cut pig's liver.

Their bowl of Hainanese Pork Porridge ($3.50/ $4.50) comes with tender pork slices, thickly-cut pig's livers, handmade meatballs and crisp deep-fried youtiao. You can add an egg for additional fifty cents. The porridge is thick and smooth, where you still get the grain's texture. The highlight for me is the soft and bouncy, thick-cut pig's liver, a texture that you probably will not expect or have eaten before. I understand this is from the famous noodle stall known for its pig's liver. No wonder it is so good.

Currently, the stall only opens from 6am to around 9am or till sold out, selling about 250 bowls each day. Why the short hour? Actually, the previous owner also operates for about 3 hours each day only. The new owners are considering extending the opening hours, but they would prefer to take one step at a time to smooth out the operations. Staffing probably is another consideration if they plan to extend the opening hours.


Redhill Pork Porridge
Redhill Food Centre
85 Redhill Lane
#01-90
Singapore 150085
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Nearest MRT: Redhill (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 6am - 9am (or till sold out)
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Redhill MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left towards the taxi stand. Continue walk down Tiong Bahru Road until the traffic light junction. Cross the road onto Redhill Close. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Mr Meepok @ Clementi West Street 2 - Local Bak Chor Mee With A Japanese Twist By Young Hawkers

Recently a new Bak Chor Mee stall - Mr Meepok opened in my hood at Clementi West Street 2. I noticed a couple of young men running the stall. The stall has five items on the menu - Signature Minced Meat Noodle, Daily Noodle, Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle, Handmade Fishball Noodle and Laksa

While queueing for my order, I noticed one of the staff was busy losing the noodles and weighting them into individual portions. It seems like everything is measured to perfection for the one noodle dish.

The stall is better known for its Japanese-influenced bak chor mee, such as the Signature Minced Meat Noodle and Daily Noodle. The signature minced meat noodles come with an onsen egg and other accompaniments such as meatballs, minced pork, abalone slice (mock) and braised mushroom. The daily noodle is Japanese-style maze soba using meepok, paired with onsen egg, chashu, seaweed, and minced meat..

Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle 4.2/5

Since this is my first time visiting the stall, I decided to play safe and go for the traditional Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle ($3.80). It's also a test of whether the stall gets its fundamental right. It did not disappoint. The noodles cooked to al dente have a delightful bite. The well-balanced mixture of chilli sauce and fragrant vinegar made each strand of noodles a slurping enjoyment.

As for the accompanying ingredients, they are probably from suppliers. They are decent but not fantastic. I even added $1 for 3 more fishballs. 

Overall, it is a good and above average bowl of bak chor mee. The texture of the noodles is a stand out tossed in a delicious concoction of chilli sauce and vinegar. It is worth a miss if you are in the neighbourhood. I will be back to try its Japanese influenced bak chor mee.


Mr Meepok
Blk 727 Clementi West Street 2
#01-1294
Singapore 120727
Tel: +65 87791844
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 7am - 2pm, 5pm - 945pm
Sat-Sun: 7am - 3pm

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]

Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway @ Bukit Batok - Ex Master Chef Finalist Opens Latest Stall In The West

Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway is opened by ex-Master Chef finalist Aaron Wong. I first went to queue at his first stall when it opened at Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre, but it was sold out by the time I reached there. Since then, I have been procrastinating to check out the stall as I heard the queue can be up to an hour. So this time round, I decided to drop by his latest stall at block 177 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 with a few of my friends.

Signature All-In-One Combo 4.2/5

I decided to have the Signature All-In-One Combo ($5.50), which comes with the handmade mee hoon kway, minced pork, pork slices, pork ball, shrimp ball and ikan bilis. It also comes with a bowl of soup with an egg.

Give the bowl of noodles a good toss to get the black sauce to coat the chewy dough. The first thing I notice is the amount of black sauce. It is not a lot. I would say it is just sufficient. The dough also has a more delectable chewy bite which I enjoyed. It is almost like having gnocchi. What surprises us is that there was a smoky flavour. I didn't see any stir-frying of the noodle; hence I suspect it is from the black sauce.

Overall, I like the delicious bowl of mee hoon kway. There was a lot of textures at play complemented by the smoky flavour. I should try the soup version on the next visit to find out the difference.


Jiak Song
Get Together Coffeeship
Blk 177 Bukit Batok West Ave 8
Singapore 650177
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Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 8pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bukit Batok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 43009). Take bus number 941. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]