Work like a Slave.. Live like a King

Sorry for the lacked of updates yet again. For some of you, you might already know that I am currently in Phuket managing a conference. For the rest, hang in for another week and I will be back with more fantastic food reviews. Meanwhile, while working hard like a slave, I will be living luxuriously like a King in a USD$245/night hotel room at the JW Marriott @ Phuket Resort & Spa at Mai Khao Beach, Phuket.

Resting place before the Bell Counter

Lobby & Registration Area

Check in!!!

Check out the toilet...you can even open up the shutters for an "Open" Concept

Lazy Corner within the room

Lotus Pond... where the welcome reception will be held

Lotus Pond... from another angle

Pool area... in front of Lotus Pond facing the sea

Reflection Pond...overlooking the Lotus Pond

Reflection Pond...such tranquility!

Performance at the Reflection Pond

The Main and the Supporting

It is often said a great movie is often due to its main lead, and how often the supporting cast is often neglected. However, in a particular kopitiam tucked at the corner near Kallang MRT Station, both the main lead and supporting cast gained from the wonderful partnership.

At Jalan Sultan Prawn Mee off Geylang Lor 1, every Sunday afternoon is a battleground in the kopitiam. Finding a table for 4 is at least a 10-15 mins affair, and waiting for the noodles to appear on your table is at least another good 45 mins.

So being a smart foodie like any other Singaporeans, I suggested ordering a plate of Wu Xiang, the only other stall in the kopitiam, while waiting for the noodles to come. But since everyone else thought about it, the Wu Xiang took as long to arrive as the noodles.

In fact, my serving of Wu Xiang came after we were midway through with our noodles. The Noodles despite the long wait was however worth it. My bowl of Prawn Beehoon & Mee Soup with Pork Ribs, along with the generous serving of fried lard and chilli powder was a perfect combination.

The usage of the thicken version of Bee Hoon (Author’s note: NOT Chor Bee Hoon) was also a brilliant move, as the normal thinner ones tend to suck the soup dry, considering there wasn’t much to start of with.

Rating

Food: 4.5/5 (One of the best prawn noodles I have tried)
Service: 2/5 (The wait was long and tables are often not cleaned)
Ambience: 2.5/5 (Hot, and tables too close for comfort)
Price: 3.5/5
Total: 12.5/20
No. 2 Jalan Ayer
(off Geylang Lorong 1)

Hawkers' Galore

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Small Talk: Congrats to Des on her winning in 98.7FM DJ control contest!!!

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To all my avid readers, sorry for the lacked of updates recently, due to the sheer amount of work from the upcoming events I am dealing with. So in order to reward you guys for your unwavering support, I have decided to do multiple write-ups on the recent hawkers’ galore I have tasted. Right before I started on my new job, I headed back to Maxwell Food Centre for the famous Zhen Zhen Porridge for breakfast before an interview. Usually long queue will be formed during lunchtime; therefore I was not surprised to see that the queue was already forming at 9am for breakfast as well.

The value of this Cantonese congee stall is that the workers are not stingy with their condiments in their food. More so, the amount of chicken pieces I get from the chicken congee was bounteous.

The Yu Sheng, or raw fish (Chinese Style Sashimi) was also fresh and plentiful for a $2 portion.

Mixed well with the generous helping of sesame, spring onion, ginger, garlic, and a drizzle of lime juice, you have the perfect supplement for your congee.

Rating

Food: 4/5
Service: 2.5/5
Ambience: 2.5/5
Price: 4/5
Total: 13/20
Maxwell Centre #01-54

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Another interview the following week took me to Tekka Market for lunch.

This time round, I spotted another long queue forming at the first stall – Heng Gi Roasted Goose and Duck Rice. Without any hesitation, I spent the next 20 minutes queuing for my roast duck drumstick with rice.

Distinctively, the rice is served in a bowl instead of plate. Although some will complain that the duck is roasted for too long, and thus too salty, and the gravy too oily, I find that the meat does goes well with my rice, and the meat was luscious and full of flavour.

And if you happen to be one of those who love roasted duck wings, they are sold at $2 each and get sold out real quickly (I know because the lady in front of me bought 20 portions for takeaway).

Rating

Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambience: 2.5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Total: 13/20
Block 665 Buffalo Road
#01-406 Tekka Food Centre

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The last location was a Sunday lunch, and I was brought to the temporary site of “Old Kallang Airport Food Centre”. And whenever I am there, a stall I would certainly not miss would be that of Nam Sing Fried Hokkien Mee.

The stall can be easily spotted as the elder brother who is the chef wears a protective goggle to fry his noodles.

The difference in his fried hokkien mee is that he uses normal rice vermicelli (Bee Hoon) instead of the usual thick ones (Chor Bee Hoon) used by many. I notice that these bee hoon are not soaked for too long and thus when fried along with the yellow noodles, it doesn’t break easily and the gives it a ‘springy’ texture.

Also, with a hint of ‘Wok Hei’ before the stock of prawn head is added, the hokkien mee is simply aromatic and delicious. The generous serving of squids and prawns also make the 30 minutes waiting time seemed insignificant. The stall also stood by it’s principle of not serving sambal chilli to their customers and only cut chilli is dished out.

Rating
Food: 5/5
Service: 3/5
Ambience: 3/5
Price: 4.5/5
Total: 15.5/20
Old Kallang Airport Food Centre

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So while waiting for the hokkien mee to arrive, I was quick to spot that another long queue forming outside Sin Bee Hiong Hokkien Lor Mee.

Due to the easier preparation of the dish, I was able to get my Lor Mee within 10 minutes. However, had I been any slower in my decision to sample that stall, I would have missed it, as I was their last customer of the day – to the disappointment of many behind me.

The good thing about being the last customer is the liberal serving of the Deep Fried Fish Meat at $4. With a hint of black vinegar in the gravy, the noodle is simply excellent. The gravy is not too thick and starchy compared to many others, but yet it still manages to retain the strong flavour.

Rating

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Ambience: 3/5
Price: 3.5/5
Total: 14.5/20
Old Kallang Airport Food Centre

What's the Opposite of Beauty II?

Continuing on the journey along Cheong Chin Nam Road, I chanced upon a gem tucked beside 7-Eleven. I never knew about this gem until I heard about it from my Malaysian friends in Perth. This gem is Kuching Kolo Mee.

You will never know the difference between our local Mee Kia and the Sarawak Kolo Mee until you tried it yourself. Ubiquitous in Sarawak, the mee is curlier, firmer, crunchier, and also lighter. What’s more, besides the Char Siew and Veggies toss in it, the Mince Pork Topping is aromatic and delicious. Now, at our very doorstep, Jia Xiang Sarawak Kuching Kolo Mee presents you this opportunity for you to sample it.

Fried with shallots, the minced pork is miles ahead as compared to the normal cooked mince pork we get from our local noodle stalls. However, despite the high marks scored on the noodles, the wanton soup that I ordered was a huge disappointment.

The soup itself was plain and could probably make do with more pork or chicken bones and ikan bilis in it to bring out the taste. The wanton was also full of skin and lacked meat it in. I was quite sure my own wantons I made in Perth was much better, and the soup much tastier.

Rating

Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambience: 3/5
Price: 3.5/5
Total: 13.5/20
Cheong Chin Nam Road

What's the Opposite of Beauty?

People often associate the opposite of beauty as ugly. However to those staying in the Western side of Singapore, the opposite of Beauty World is often associated with the word ‘delicious’. I reckon since I was mentioning about the stretch of Cheong Chin Nam Road, let me continue on my quest to introduce you the other delicacies found along this row of shophouses. Somehow along this road, there is another strong association between a famous local delicacy and the franchise serving it. Think famous chicken rice, and immediately the favourite Boon Tong Kee comes to mind. Although along the same stretch, it faces a formidable foe - Five-Star Chicken Rice. (Known for their lean kampong chicken, which somehow I think the lack of oil makes their chicken less fragrant, and lacked of punch.)

However with Boon Tong Kee, you are ensured that their rice is aromatic and their chicken juicy. Apparently, similar to the cooking methods of another famous stall, Tian Tian Chicken Rice, in Maxell Food Centre, the whole steamed chicken is dipped in cold water before serving to make the meat tender. Other dishes I tried that evening were the Deep-Fried Tofu served with Mayonnaise and Fried Spinach with Century and Salted Egg.

I have to say the tofu is getting pretty normal and uninteresting compared to the very first time I ate at their River Valley outlet, but the spinach was pretty good.

The serving was huge and the century and salted egg was generous. The whole garlic used also gives the dish an extra punch, resulting in the each ingredient working harmoniously with one another. However, like what people always say, every good things comes with a heavy price to pay.

Rating

Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambience: 3/5
Price: 2.5/5
Total: 12.5/20
18 Cheong Chin Nam Road
Singapore 599742