In 2010, I published “The End of Char Kway Teow” which was a clarion call for us to do something about beloved hawker dish whose popularity has been waning in recent years. Back then, I had already observed that the we only have a handful of Char Kway Teow masters left and most of them are nearing retirement […]
Char Kway Teow might be facing an uncertain future, but for Hokkien Mee, the future looks promising. In recent years we have seen next generation hawkers like Xiao Di, Hokkien Man and Liang Ji enter the fray. Today, we showcase our youngest contender, Andre Ong, 22, who started his Hokkien Mee stall at Golden Mile […]
Updated 26 Mar 2021 When I last wrote about Chai Ho Satay in 2013, the satays were going for 38 cents each! They have since increased to 50 cents but are still one of cheapest satays you can find! Not only are they cheap, I think the satays are actually better than the last time […]
If I asked you what is the quintessential Singaporean dessert, would you have picked chendol? Probably not. In fact, when I did a poll in 2008 to pick Singapore’s favourite dessert, bean curd come up tops, followed by cheng tng and orh nee. Ice kachang, which used to be the posterboy for Singaporean desserts only […]
Nasi Lemak is not complicated. At its most basic, all you need is a fragrant rice, an addictive sambal tumis, crunchy ikan bilis and peanuts and a perfectly fried egg with crisp edges and flowing egg yolk. The Malaysians will insist that it has to be hard boiled to be authentic, but for me, a perfectly fried egg beats a hard boiled egg any day. The other stuff, like fried Ikan Kuning, chicken wings, luncheon meat etc are bonus extras. Again, some might insist that the fried fish or fried chicken wing is essential or that luncheon meat should not even be mentioned. That's fine! You are free to choose whatever you like so long as you feel shiok after eating your nasi lemak.
There are three types of roast duck in Chinese cuisine. The most famous is Peking duck where the emphasis is on the crispy skin that is eaten with pancakes, spring onions and cucumber. The most common is roast duck which is the one we find at most Cantonese roast stalls. Here the emphasis is on […]
Singapore Next Generation Durian Culture: 99 Old Trees, Durian Story, Spike Empire, Bao Jiak
We are in the middle of a durian revolution spearheaded by next generation durianpreneurs that are redefining the durian culture in Singapore! When I started writing about durians in 2012, most durian sellers were known by "Ah" something. So, we met durian uncles like Ah Loon, Ah Seng and Ah Kok. In the last few years however, we are seeing a new wave of durianpreneurs who go by modern English names!
Hawker centres have traditionally been the place where Singaporeans can find cheaper versions of restaurant food. In the 60's, it was the Hainanese who brought Western dishes like steaks, pork chops and chicken chops out from the expensive restaurants and into the heartlands. In the 90's the same thing happened with Italian pastas. The trend continues with the latest being a slew of gourmet hamburger stalls to hit the neighbourhood.
Boon Keng Fish Head Bee Hoon: Fishmongers know fish
But, as you know, just because a fish is fresh doesn't necessarily mean that it is the best. Where the fish comes from also plays a big role and the price also depends on whether the fish are airflown or shipped to Singapore.
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!
Da Shi Jia Big Prawn Noodle: The evolution of Singapore food
Singapore cuisine is undergoing puberty. In the last decade of so, it has quickly evolved from simple, austere hawker food to the stand alone restaurants with some even trying to elevate it to the level of fine dining!
