Botan Japanese Restaurant: Chef Thomas’ Special Signature Set!
Fans of veteran Chef Thomas Kok will know that our gallivanting chef has moved five times since I first wrote about him at Hokkaido sushi in 2011. And, I am not even his oldest fan, I’ve even met customers who have been following him since his Nanten days in the 80’s! Having been in the […]
Singapore Roast Chicken Recipe: Modified for the Home Cook
I love the Singapore hawker style roast chicken! In fact, I think I’d go so far to say that if given a choice, ipso facto, I’d choose roast over white. A good roast chicken is juicy and tender and draped with a beautiful bronzed crinkly skin. It is complemented with cilantro, cucumber and green onions […]
Yong Chun Wanton Noodles: Next Gen Old School
There is nothing more satisfying than some eggy noodles covered with a yummy sauce to start the day! That is why this next gen hawker couple gets to their stall at 3am in the morning to start cooking the charsiu and frying the pork lard so it is ready for their customers by 5.30am!
Chaoniu Beef Hotpot: A slice of Chaoshan cuisine in Singapore!
I first came across this beef hotpot when I visited my ancestral village in Chaoshan (Teochew) last year. It was so good that I remember thinking that someone should start a beef hotpot in Singapore! Well, someone must have read my thoughts and the restaurant was opened soon after I came home! You might be […]
Soul Food Enterprises: Purposeful Private Dining
When my friend first invited me for lunch at Soul Food, I really wasn't expecting much. The usual reason for visiting such social enterprises are to offer support for their cause rather than to specially go there for the food. That has so far been my experience.
Seng Hock: The Butterfly Fritter: You Char Kway’s lesser known sibling!
I've been re-awakened to the simple pleasures of the butterfly fritter (beh hei ji) lately. I have always enjoyed them, but they have never really shared the same limelight has their older sibling, the youtiao. I guess it's because youtiao is much more versatile, as it appears in other dishes like rojak, pork porridge and tau suan whereas, the butterfly fritter is a standalone snack.
Choon Kiat Hainanese Chicken Rice: Boondock Gems
I have said it before, I will say it again: There are a lot of undiscovered hawker gems hidden in our industrial estates!
East Treasure Specialty Prawn Noodles: By Astons
It might be "The End of Char Kway Teow" but other dishes like prawn mee are enjoying a culinary rennaisance! While a lot of hawker dishes are still struggling to break out of the $3-$4 straightjacket, Singaporeans are willing to pay anywhere from $3 to $20 for a bowl of prawn noodles.
Chef Damian D’Silva’s Ayam Curry Kapitan Recipe
You might be wondering what is the difference between Ayam Kari Kapitan and the ubiquitous chicken curry that we are all familiar with? Well, in short, this curry is made without curry powder and instead of curry leaves, its fragrance is accentuated by Kaffir lime leaves and calamansi lime juice. I have been wanting to […]
Xinghua Delights: Authentic Putian food in Sembawang!
When I first wrote about Putien restaurant in 2006, there were but four restaurants in Singapore selling Heng Hwa cuisine. At the time, it was such a novelty to have prawns served in a bamboo case and to experience the unique texture of the extra fine Heng Hwa bee hoon. Since then Putien Restaurant has […]
Hill Street Fried Kway Teow: Hawker Legend!
Did you know that there are not one, but two famous Hill Street char kway teow stalls? The more well known one is located at Bedok which has been taken over by the son of the original hawker. The other one, which doesn't get as much publicity, is located at Chinatown Complex Food Centre.
Pure Pandan: Specialty Chiffon Cakes!
In 2010, I published my pandan chiffon cake recipe after months of trials and failures. It's satisfying to know that the effort didn't go to waste as the recipe is still the most popular on the internet. What I didn't realise was the far reaching impact of that recipe until when I met with Mark Ng, the owner of Pure Pandan.