The adage “Teochew lang haolian” (Teochews love to boast) never fails to validate itself whenever I meet with a (good) Teochew hawker. This time it’s Mr Tay Ah Liat, 73 who has been selling kway chap for almost 50 years! He started his craft as a young 20 something year old at the now defunct […]
Of late, I have started re-visiting some of the hawker stalls which I have written about years ago. When I first wrote about Chey Sua back in 2009, it wasn’t that easy to interview hawkers. In those days, social media was a relatively new and so an inquisitive blogger was greeted which much suspicion. Nowadays […]
Ah Ter Teochew Fishball Noodle Bar: Forerunners of Hawker Cuisine!
Our hawker cuisine has been undergoing a period of maturity in the last decade or so. In the 70’s and 80’s we witnessed the progression of hawkers from pushcarts to hawker centres. Then in the 90’s and 2000s, some of the famous ones moved into the food courts and franchising began. In the last decade or so, we have seen how certain dishes like wanton mee have gone on to open their own specialty restaurants.
Nam Sing Hokkien Mee: The History and Origins of Hokkien Mee!
In this year’s National Day Rally speech, our Prime Minister announced that our hawker culture being nominated for inscription into Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This, he says, will “help to safeguard and promote this unique culture for future generations”. Well, I am all for our hawker culture to be […]
My quest for the ultimate charsiu rice has brought me to Kim Heng Roasted in Serangoon. Foodies living around the area would be familiar about this place which has been around for three decades.
Wong po lou meen, (lit yellow cloth, blanched noodles) is one those old school dishes that is so old that I don't remember eating it as a child! But then again, I didn't come from a family of adventurous gastronomes so that might not mean much.
Mr Avocado Exotic Juice: Avocado Shakes at Alexandra Village! Liquid Gold!
Updated 8 Aug 2018 How time flies! It’s been 11 years since I last wrote about Mr Avocado! I visited the stall recently and finally got to meet the man who started the whole avocado shake phenomena at Alexandra Village Food Centre. He told me that he was the first to start selling avocado shakes […]
A good teh tarik is not easy to make. First you have to start with good ingredients — that goes without saying. You will never produce a good cup of teh tarik with lousy tea dust. But, that is only half of the equation. Even if you have the right blend of tea and condensed […]
Ah Seng Hai Nam coffee is nothing short of a living museum which we can be proud of. The passion that drives the family's insistence of doing everything the old school way in the face of modernization is a true inspiration for us all.
Katong Sin Chew Confectionery: Old School Curry Buns!!
My friend, Cactuskit, has been wanting to introduce me to this old school bakery for the longest time! I don’t know why it took me so long before I finally got to visit, but when I finally held the soft, fluffy and warm buns in my hands, I knew I was holding something special. The […]
Da Sheng Bak Chor Mee: The Key to Better Hawker Food!
Bai Yong Sheng, 36, has been helping out at his dad's bak chor mee stall since he was 15 years old. His father had, in turn, learnt the recipe from his grandfather who used to sell bak chor mee from a pushcart! That makes him an uncommon, 4th generation hawker!
Mui Kee Congee: Iconic Hong Kong Hawker Comes to Town!
Mui Kee Congee is one of those popular eateries which are often on “To Eat” list of anyone heading to Hong Kong for a holiday. So when Mui Kee did a pop-up event in Singapore last year, there was considerable interest. However, the quality of the food was inconsistent and understandably, the reviews were less […]
