The two young hawkerpreneurs that have started Truly Curry Rice at Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre has closed their stall and made a bold expansion move, taking over an entire coffee shop inside an industrial building at Kampong Ampat with a rather hip name - Truly Test Kitchen. Located on level seven of the industrial building, Truly Test Kitchen is a concept that consists of Truly Curry Rice, and another 3 other stalls - Truly Western, Mian and Handmade Meatball Porridge.
Hainanese Curry Rice 4/5
I was quite amazed to see the inner rice clean of gravy, after sitting there for quite some time with gravy coated all over. That to me was already a huge plus. The consistency of the curry allows it to just glaze the rice without drowning it. It is flavourful yet not overpowering the other dishes. I highly recommend their braised dishes - Radish, Chap Chye and Bittergourd.
Curry Chicken Noodle 3.5/5
Homely Noodle 3.5/5
From the Mian Stall, we had Homely Noodle and Curry Chicken Noodle. I have never seen such a huge portion for only $3.50. After observing that most customers working in the area will head straight to the rice stall without giving the noodles or porridge stall a chance. The two hawkerpreneurs increased the portion for a value return to counter that. Hence, both noodles and porridge are made extremely hearty to satiate their hunger. Homely Noodle is something that comforts your soul, while the Curry Chicken Noodle sets to fire your energy for the rest of the afternoon.
Homemade Pumpkin Cakes 3.8/5
Their Homemade Pumpkin Cakes are also worth trying. They are slightly differently from the usual. Crispy on the outside soft on the inside, the special sauce and chilli at the side make it extra moreish.
Meatball Porridge 3.8/5
Chunky homemade meatballs and velvety porridge, the liking for their Porridge is unanimous. Thick and gluey, this hearty porridge is slow cooked for 2 hours to achieve such consistency. Hence, you wouldn't see your porridge turning watery till your last drop. That happens when potato starch was being added to quicken the thickening process.
Chicken Chop Baked Rice 3.5/5
Chicken Chop 4/5
From Truly Western, their Baked Rice, Chicken Chop and Chicken Waffle ($4.50 each) are their popular dishes. Their baked rice is more towards the Hong Kong style. Perhaps it's the batter, I must say their Chicken Chop is really good, hence be it we had it by itself or as Chicken Chop Baked Rice, both were equally satisfying. Their pasta, however, pale in comparison.
Pasta 2.8/5
Their Chicken Waffle ($4.50) may excite you as much as it had excited our table. Isn't it interesting to see how hawker food has evolved? Some may see it in a negative way but such evolution may give people a chance to taste new things that is almost out of their imagination. This particular dish actually made an old couple coming back for it consecutively everyday for weeks!
Chicken Waffle 4/5
Joel and Deniece, former forex traders and colleagues, are the two young people who made it happened, barely after a couple of years after Deniece's dad handed over the hawker stall at Telok Blangah Food Centre to them. They took over the defunct coffeeshop on the 7th storey of the industrial building, spent months to get the entire space up and running, to what you see today. Hungry for success, you can see that in their eyes.
I can't imagine how this place was like back before Joel and Deniece took over, but to see so much energy going on at a level so high up in an industrial building on a Saturday, Truly Test Kitchen has definitely breathed a new lease of life into this place.
Written 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.
[CLOSED]
Truly Test Kitchen
Jun Jie Industrial Building
153 Kampong Ampat
#07-05
Singapore 368326
Nearest MRT: Tai Seng (CC Line), Aljunied (EW Line)
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat: 7am - 2pm
(Closed on Sun)
Direction:
1) Alight at Tai Seng MRT station. Take Exit B.Walk down Harper Road. Turn right onto Playfair Road and then left onto Mactaggart Road. Walk to the end of Mactaggart Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]
2) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the overhead bridge. Walk to bus stop opposite Aljunied MRT station (Stop ID 81081). Take bus number 62. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to Kampong Ampat road. Turn left onto Kampong Ampat road. Continue on Kampong Ampat. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]
