Ah Sin Family Eating House @ Sin Ming Road - Unpretentious Zichar Place With Homecooked Dishes

Together with my foodie friends, we visited this unpretentious Zichar place at Sin Ming Road for lunch on a weekday. Ah Sin Family Eating House looks like an eatery set back in the 1980s with a few tables and plastic chairs scattered around. During our visit, the place is crowded and popular with office workers in the area.

Pig Trotter Kai Lan 3.8/5

I have eaten stir-fried kai lan with garlic or even dry sole fish, but Pig Trotter Kai Lan is something new for me. Thought the stall uses canned pig trotter that we usually used to cook pig's trotter bee hoon, it does give the simple vegetable dish a new way of appreciating the greens. It would be better if the pig's trotter flavour can come across stronger.

Tofu with Prawn 4/5

Tofu with Prawn is quite a common dish served in most Zichar stalls. What binds the two ingredients together is the delicious eggy sauce. It is somewhat like those hor fun sauce.

Oyster Omelette 4.2/5

Our favourite is the Oyster Omelette fried to fragrant, and not oily. Check out the huge and plump oysters atop the fluffy egg too. 

Steam Fish Head 4.2/5

Last but not least, we have the Steamed Fish Head cooked Teochew style. The sourness from the sour plum enhanced the sweetness of the moist fish flesh. You can also find tofu and mushroom in the dish.

Though Ah Sin Family Eating House is not any fancy restaurant, their dishes are your comforting homecooked dishes that will warm your heart.


Ah Sin Family Eating House
Blk 22 Sin Ming Road
#01-256
Singapore 570022
Tel: +65 91506980
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Ang Mo Kio (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 9am - 2pm, 5pm - 9pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Ang Mo Kio MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange (Stop ID 54009). Take bus number 130. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 18 minutes. [Map] 

Golden Cafe @ Craig Road (Tanjong Pagar) - Affordable Zichar DIshes In The CBD

Golden Cafe unknown to many is a homegrown zichar brand established in 1988. It started in Boat Quay before relocating to its current home at Craig Road in Tanjong Pagar. Together with a few foodie friends, we had lunch at the Golden Cafe.

Crab with Thick Bee Hoon Soup 3.8/5

Golden Cafe offers several cooking methods for their crabs, and we decided to go for the Crab with Thick Bee Hoon Soup (Seasonal Price). The crab is fresh and sweet, cooked together with the thick bee hoon in a flavoursome and milky broth. Personally, I think they should change the thick bee hoon to a firmer type. The one it is using now is too soft to my liking.

Yue Guang Fried Hor Fun 3/5

Another noodle dish on the menu that we tried is the Yue Guang Fried Hor Fun ($6.30). It reminds me of the Moonlight Hor Fun from Keng Eng Kee Seafood. Hence my benchmark has been raised significantly. In comparison, the version at Golden Cafe is lighter in flavour. While I can taste the wok hei smokiness, I felt the dark sauce lacked the sweetness and aroma to make my taste buds break into a dance under the moonlight.

Special Made Beancurd 4/5

Besides the two noodle dishes we had, we also tried a couple of cooked zichar dishes from the menu too. First up is the Special Made Beancurd ($10/$14). I think this is a bonus dish. Not only do you get to enjoy the silky smooth beancurd, but it also comes with vegetables and mushrooms.

Oyster Omelette 4/5

I also enjoyed the Oyster Omelette ($10/$14). It is beautifully executed, not oily and yet fluffy. It even comes with plump and juicy oysters. I am not sure what is the sauce that is drizzled over the oysters, but it further elevated the whole taste profile.

Sweet & Sour Pork 4/5

Next dish we tried is the Sweet & Sour Pork ($10/$14). This is one of my favourite zichar dishes to order, but not many places do it well. Golden Cafe gets my thumbs up. The meat and flour ratio, as well as the sweetness, are all well balanced while still retaining a nice tender texture within unlike many places that sting on the meat, coating it with a lot of flour.

Nonya Grouper 3.8/5

Last but not least, we have the Nonya Grouper (Seasonal Price). Too often we will either order curry or assam fish; hence I thought it will be a good change. The grouper was steamed to perfection. The nonya sauce was nice, but it seems that it lacks something to brighten it up.

Overall, the Golden Cafe serves pretty decent zichar dishes at affordable prices in the central business district area. For office workers in the area, you can also grab a quick lunch with the affordable rice and noodle dishes starting from as low as $5.80.

Note: This is an invited tasting


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Golden Cafe
5 Craig Road
Singapore 089665
Tel: +65 63233773
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 1130pm
Sat-Sun: 3pm - 1130pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. Walk to Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road and walk to Craig Road. Continue on Craig Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Dining At Home During Circuit Breaker - Keng Eng Kee (KEK) Seafood

Keng Eng Kee Seafood at Alexandra has always been one of my go to places for zichar dishes with my family, friends and even overseas friends visiting Singapore. While I can't dine-in at the restaurant during the COVID-19 circuit breaker period, I am glad that it now offers island-wide delivery, bringing its delicious food to every corner of Singapore.

Moonlight Horfun

If you have been to KEK Seafood, you will probably notice a popular dish on every diner's table. It is none other than their Moonlight Horfun. The dish got its name from the runny egg yolk that shines brightly on top of wok-fried rice noodles that is packed with intense flavours. You need not worry as the dish travel well with distance during delivery.

Salted Egg Prawn

We had the Couple Set Menu B, which consists of the Moonlight Horfun, Salted Egg Prawn, Spinach with Ikan Bilis and Coffee Pork Ribs. The salted egg prawn has huge and crunchy, coated in finger-licking good salted egg sauce. What I like about the sauce, is they use real salted egg yolk to make it instead of powder.

Spinach with Ikan Bilis

I didn't bring justice to the Spinach with Ikan Bilis. The ikan bilis is packed separately, and I forgot to garnish it to the dish when I took the photo. It is very thoughtful of the restaurant, so that the ikan bilis remains crispy, providing the contrasting texture for the vegetable.

Coffee Pork Ribs

Another popular dish at KEK Seafood is their Coffee Pork Ribs. If you have dined at the restaurant before, you will smell the coffee aroma from a distance. Besides the aroma, the pork ribs are tender and juicy too.

Takeaway and island-wide delivery are available at https://kengengkee.oddle.me/en_SG. Besides a la carte menu, it even have couple and family set menus for easy order. You can also order their sister brand burgers from Wok-In Burger on the same site.


Keng Eng Kee Seafood Restaurant (琼荣记海鲜)
Blk 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1
Singapore 150124
Tel: +65 62721038
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Queenstown (EW Line), Redhill (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 5pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Queenstown MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Queenstown MRT station (Stop ID 11149). Take bus number 195. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Redhill MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Redhill MRT station (Stop ID 10201). Take bus number 33 or 120. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time 10 minutes. [Map]

Dine At Home During Circuit Breaker - Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant

Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant at Jalan Bukit Merah has been one of my favourite Teochew restaurants to go to whenever I am craving for some delicious Teochew cuisine. The family restaurant has been around for more than 60 years with the third generations helping out in the restaurant. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, it has been a challenging time for a lot of F&B. Especially for a traditional restaurant like Ah Orh Seafood, they have to adapt, moving to takeaway and delivery, allowing diners to dine at home during the circuit breaker measure period.

Braised Duck, Pork Belly and Tofu

Having visited the restaurants on many occasions, there are some signature dishes that I will always order. One of them is their Braised Duck, Pork Belly and Tofu platter. This is best enjoyed together with the chilli and white vinegar dipping sauce.

Fish Maw Soup

Unlike other fish maw soup which is either clear or starchy form, the Fish Maw Soup at Ah Orh Seafood has a grainy texture with chunky pieces of fish maw. Until today I am not sure what is added to get the grainy texture, but I suspect it is sesame.

Oyster Sauce Vegetable

The Oyster Sauce Vegetable may not be the prettiest dish, but what makes it a lovely dish is the addition of fried sole fish that elevated the whole enjoyment.

Oyster Omelette

Lastly is the fluffy Oyster Omelette with plump fresh oyster. I like how the restaurant packet the oyster separately from the egg omelette so that the sauce doesn't make the omelette soggy during delivery.

While I can't dine at Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant during the circuit breaker period, I am glad that I can still satisfy my craving for delicious Teochew food with its takeaway and delivery services. Besides the a la carte menu, the restaurant has also rolled out 3 dishes set menu at $45 and 4 dishes set menu at $55. Customers even get a 15% discount if they pick up the order themselves. It also offers island-wide delivery services at $10 delivery fee, free delivery for order above $80 or location within 3km of the restaurant.


Arh Orh Seafood Restaurant (亚乌海鲜楼)
Blk 115 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-1627
Singapore 160115
Tel: +65 62757575
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 2pm, 530pm - 9pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Jalan Membina to the end of the road. Turn left at Jalan Bukit Merah. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Lai Bao @ Toa Payoh Lorong 1 - A New Affordable 1960s-inspired Zichar Stall

Lai Bao is a brand new 1960s inspired zichar stall at Toa Payoh Lorong 1 opened by the Baoshi F&B Management Pte Ltd. The zichar stall seeks to bring affordable Singaporean zichar cuisine to the masses with recipes passed down by their grandmas as well as family recipes from their childhood friends. Diners can look forward to a menu rooted in Chinese traditions but sprinkle with some unique twist.

Charcoal Silken Tofu 4/5

Charcoal seems to be the new trend for Chinese restaurants lately, and now we can even have it at the neighbourhood zichar stall. The Charcoal Silken Tofu ($5/$8/$10) modernise the classic dish, giving the soft silky tofu a contrasting layer of crispy charcoal-coasted exterior.

Old School Sweet & Sour Pork 3/5

Another classic dish that incorporates the charcoal powder is the Old School Sweet & Sour Pork ($8/$10/$12). I am not sure whether it is due to the black vinegar used or the charcoal powder, it lacked the zestiness I was expecting from a dish that I enjoy.

Duck Fried Teochew Duck Fritter 3.8//5

Both creamy in the interior and crispy on the exterior is another classic Teochew dish, Duck Fried Teochew Duck Fritter ($10). Smoked duck meat is mixed with hand-mashed yam and encased in deep-fried popiah skin.

Ginger Spring Chicken 4/5

A simple but yet tasty dish is the Ginger Spring Chicken ($6 half/ $12 whole). Not only is the chicken moist and juicy, the hand-cut ginger and garlic sauce gives it a subtle fragrance, allowing each bite to be savoured with relish.

Lai Bao Wok Fried Fine Bean 4.2/5

Lai Bao Wok Fried Fine Bean ($7/$9/$11) is a vegetable dish that is packed with textures and flavours. Stir-fried to a delightful crunch is the fine bean complemented by the crispy yam strips for extra bite. It is further flavoured by the dried cuttlefish, Chinese sausage and chye poh head for a fragrant finishing.

Crispy Fried Aubergine & Pork Floss 4/5

The Crispy Fried Aubergine & Pork Floss ($7/$9/$11) is a vegetable dish that will be enjoyed by both young and old. The aubergine or eggplant is thinly sliced, deep-fried and drizzled with savoury pork floss.

Grandma's Recipe Pork Belly 3.8/5

Braised over low heat until soft and tender are the mouth-watering Grandma's Recipe Pork Belly ($12). However, I felt that the braising sauce was lacking the richness and the robustness that I would seek for a tasty braised pork belly dish.

Lai Bao 13 Spices Black Pepper Crab 4.5/5

Not to be missed is Lai Bao 13 Spices Black Pepper Crab ( $30 for 1 Crab / $50 for 2 Crabs). Each crab weighs around 600-700g. Besides the peppery kick, the crustacean is elevated by an aromatic blend of 13 spices, allowing the sweetness of the crab meat to come through even more.

Seafood Lala Ying Yang Hor Fun 3.5/5

Good for sharing or as a one-dish meal is the Seafood Lala Ying Yang Hor Fun ($5/$7/$10). The hor fun is packed with wok hei, drenched in a light and sweet lala gravy. The rice noodle dish also comes with clams, prawns, fish slices and topped with deep-fried hor fun for that extra crunch. It is a hearty dish, but I would prefer the gravy to be heavier in flavour to match the smokiness of the wok's breath.

Sixties Fish Head Charcoal Steamboat (Grouper) 4.2/5

The highlight at Lai Bao has to be their Sixties Fish Head Charcoal Steamboat (Grouper $15/$25/$35, Snapper $10/$18/$24), using traditional recipes and cooking methods. The all-natural collagen soup is simmered over charcoal for 10 hours brimming with fresh ingredients such as hand-minced meat pie, cabbage, seaweed, yam, black fungus, cherry tomato and tofu.

Lai Bao
Blk 168 Toa Payoh Lorong 1
#01-1040
Singapore 310168
Tel: +65 62615825
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus 141 or 231. Alight one stop later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

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]

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]

Hong Kiat Seafood Restaurant @ Comfort Garden - Al Fresco Dining Like In the Early 80s

I thought I have been transported to Singapore in the early 80s or somewhere in Johor Bahru when Lawerence of Kopi More brought us to Hong Kiat Seafood Restaurant at Comfort Garden in Choa Chu Kang. Occupying the corner space along the row of shophouse, it is al fresco dining here, under the starlight outside the shopfront.

Steamed Shark's Head 4/5

Our dinner started with the Steamed Shark's Head that is cooked in a beautiful soy sauce with aroma of the deep fried garlic and sesame oil. This dish is not about meaty fish flesh but appreciating the shark cartilage and collagen of the shark's upper jaw area.

Sambal Kang Kong 4.5/5

The Sambal Kang Kong is a very common dish on the menu but I have to say this is really well executed. The greens remained crunchy and the spotlight goes to the sambal that simply perfumed it. It has a very kampong flavour to it.

Deep Fried Garlic Pork 4.2/5

What surprises me is actually is the Deep Fried Garlic Pork. I thought it will be dry but it turned out the deep fried pork is crispy on the exterior and tender inside. This is flavoured by the aromatic garlic, elevating the whole dimension of the dish.

Gan Xiang Fish Head 4.5/5

My favourite dish goes to the Gan Xiang Fish Head. It is said that all Malaysian chef has their whole secret recipe for Gan Xiang sauce. It is like the master sauce that goes so well with anything. The special sauce is spicy, savoury and packed with a robustness that is just shiok.

Crab Bee Hoon 3/5

I would probably skip the Crab Bee Hoon. The crab is not as fresh as I would have preferred. The bee hoon also failed to soak up the essence and the broth lacked depth.

I have to set the expectation for foodies who want to check out the restaurant. Hong Kiat is more of a zi char place than a restaurant. For those that is particular about hygiene, you probably may not feel comfortable dining in such environment which brings back memory of the early 80s dining scene. It is quite rare or almost not possible to find such dining experience in Singapore anymore.


Hong Kiat Seafood Restaurant
Comfort Garden
216 Choa Chu Kang Ave 1
Singapore 689477
Tel: +65 67630304
Website
Nearest MRT: Choa Chu Kang (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 4pm - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Choa Chu Kang MRT station. Take Exit A, B or C. Walk to Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange (Stop ID 44009). Take bus number 172. Alight 5 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 18 minutes.

2) Alight at Choa Chu Kang MRT station. Take Exit A, B or C. Walk to Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange (Stop ID 44009). Take bus number 983. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes.