Tony Johor Kaki Travels for Food · Heritage · Culture · History

Adventurous Culinary Traveler's Blog with 66 million+ reads 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com

Tekka Centre Best Hawker Food Adventure @ Singapore's Little India

Tekka_Centre_Little_India

Tekka Centre located in Singapore's Little India is a foodie haven, especially of Indian cuisine though the hawker centre has Malay, Chinese, Western and even Sri Lankan stalls.

Yue Lai Xiang Delights @ BLK 22 Sin Ming Road. United Colours of Artisanal Mee Hoon Kueh & Ban Mian Noodles

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Buddy jio (invited) me to join him at Yue Lai Xiang Delights at block 22, Sin Ming Road for mee hoon kueh and ban mian - two comfort dishes which I like.

NOT Singapore Tours by Betel Box. Rediscover Kampong Glam & Chinatown with Music. Don't Waste your SingapoRediscovers Vouchers

Kampong_Glam_Tour

Betel Box tours always stand out because it not only open our eyes, mouths (for tasty food) but also our minds. Betel Box tours experience is transformational as it changes our way of seeing Singapore beyond the recycled 
clichés in brochures and magazines.

Honest Review Horiginal Beef Noodle with Oxtail & Short Rib. Are we Seeing the Creation of an Original Singapore Beef Noodle?

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Horiginal Beef Noodle stall serves a beef noodle like no other in Singapore - truly an original. Founder Micheal Ho and business partner / head chef Randy Pang strive to create a new Singapore beef noodle that could become the next "bak chor mee" of Singapore - a homely comforting national staple.

Yakader Muslim Food @ Tekka Market. Singapore's Briyani Wonderland

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Tekka Market in Little India is a briyani lover's paradise. There are more than 10 different hawker stalls serving this popular dish at affordable prices. To pick a stall to try, I circled the three rows of stalls and stalked them for a while until some stallholders recognised me before I ordered anything 😂

Pro Tips on Best Food Stalls @ Haig Road Market & Hawker Centre

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Haig Road Market & Food Centre is not a big hawker centre but it has several famous stalls which attract foodies from all over Singapore. (Here are the top stalls listed according to stall number, not by ranking.)

Charcoal Traditional Toast @ 24 Sin Ming Road. Champions League Kaya Butter Toast Benchmark

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After a big lunch, as usual Aaron will need a little more before he feels full. So, I suggested coin prata at 24 Sin Ming Road since I heard so much about it but haven't tried it yet. Since we were here, Aaron ordered coffee and toast as well 🤷 The coin prata was nice but it turned out that it was Charcoal Traditional Toast that wowed me.

Honest Review of Song Kee Fishball @ 100 Yio Chu Kang. Flagship Stall of Top Singapore Fishball Noodle 松记餐室

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Today, I finally tasted the famous Song Kee fishball and her kiao fish dumpling at their flagship stall at 100 Yio Chu Kang Road. It is next to Serangoon Stadium and 10 - 15 minutes walk from Serangoon MRT station.

Honest Review Ah Sing Teo Chew Minced Meat Noodle @ Hong Lim Hawker Food Centre. Is the New Kid on the Block a Chip Off the Old Block?

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By now, most fans of the legendary Ah Kow bak chor mee would know that he has retired. His stall unit at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre has been taken over by Ah Sing Teo Chew Minced Meat Noodle 亚诚潮州肉脞面.

Review of Ah Ter Teochew Fishball Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle @ Amoy Street Food Centre

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I had late lunch today at 3pm at Amoy Street Food Centre. Almost all the stalls were closed this Saturday afternoon. I nearly gave up combing the two storey hawker centre when I spotted Ah Ter Fishball Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle.

Bakery Brera & Fine Foods. Artisanal Panettone & Stollen Singapore

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If you are still shopping for panettone and stollen for Christmas, check out Bakery Brera & Fine Foods at block 8, Empress Road (just next to the hawker centre near Farrer Road MRT station).

T.G. Fish Porridge @ Haig Road Hawker Centre. One of the Best Teochew Fish Soup I've Tasted

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I stumbled upon T.G. Fish Soup at Haig Road Food Centre using the most primitive way of food hunting. Stalk the hawker centre for stalls with the longest queues. In the Internet age, there are far more efficient ways to "hunt" for food but that would take away all the fun of a real food hunt 😄

Stall name: T.G Fish Porridge


Address: 14 Haig Rd, stall #01-50, Singapore 430014 (stall in Haig Road Market & Food Centre)


Hours: 8:00am - 3:00pm

Pro Tips on the Best Food Stalls @ Geylang Serai Malay Market Hawker Centre

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Geylang Serai Malay Market & Food Centre is the Halal food central of Singapore hawker centres. There are over 60 food stalls on level two above the wet market. People from all over the island join residents to shop and eat at the famous food stalls here. These are the 10 most popular stalls in Geylang Serai Food Centre. (List is according to stall number, not ranking.)

Restaurant Quality Hawker Lunch @ Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen @ #02-83 Chinatown Complex Green Zone

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I've been to Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen 砂煲小厨 @ stall #02-83 in Chinatown Complex food centre many times. I organise meet ups here with full confidence as the meal will always leave my eating buddies in awe with its excellence (without breaking my bank).

Singapore River to Chinatown Heritage Food Trail 到大坡走走,找美食

Singapore_River_Chinatown_Walking_Food_Trail

This self guided walking food trail takes you through historic sites from Singapore River to Chinatown with two delicious hawker centre food stops (plus an optional traditional pastry shopping stop).

The walk aims to give you a deeper appreciation of our heritage hawker culture by tracing its roots from the time of Raffles to today. The trail can be completed within an hour or 2 - 3 hours including meals.

Pro Tips on What to Eat @ Hong Lim Hawker Food Centre Singapore

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There are over 60 food stalls over 2 storeys at the popular Hong Lim Market & Food Centre in Chinatown. Eating here for decades, these are the stalls I took the most calories from. Tell us what are your favourites too 😋

Shao Teochew @ Frankel Avenue Menu & Review. Oh that Marinated Chilled Roe Crab! 🦀 烧

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Shao 烧 positions itself as a casual Teochew restaurant and it is exactly that. It's not the traditional Teochew restaurant the likes of Ah Orh or Chin Lee but the personal interpretation of youthful boss, Jack who was born and grew up in the cradle of Teochew cuisine in Swatow, China.

Puteca Abate Deli & Bistro. Excellent Italian Street Food at Friendly Prices in a Hip Hangout

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We met up for lunch at Italian owned Puteca Abate at Keong Saik Street and enjoyed their excellent pasta, panini (sandwiches), roasts and pastries. I will be back because Putera Abate is centrally located, serves delicious food at reasonable prices in a pretty and cosy space with cheerful vibes.

Painting the Town Red with Singapore Artist Tung Yue Nang in Chinatown 邓汝能

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If you have been to Singapore Chinatown during the last two years, you might have stumbled upon an artist painting or drawing a street scene. He is non other than Tung Yue Nang 邓汝能.

Teck Kee Cooked Food Sheng Mian. Longest Queue "Singapore Ramen" @ Kebun Baru Ang Mo Kio 德记熟食

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I have been on the look out for good noodle stalls in Singapore, and so when I saw uncle Bob shared this sheng mian 生面 from Teck Kee Cooked Food 德记熟食, I couldn't wait to taste them myself. I did today, and they were really delicious.

Where to Eat Empurau ● Most Expensive Unforgettable Fish in Singapore 忘不了

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Today is my first time tasting the legendary Empurau or "unforgettable fish 忘不了". It has the reputation of being the most expensive fish in Singapore and Malaysia. We had it at Zai Shun Curry Fish Head in Jurong East near Yuhua Village Market & Food Centre.

But, what makes the Empurau fish, unforgettable?

Where to Buy Panettone & Pandoro Italian Christmas Bread in Singapore? What is the Difference?

Panettone_Pandoro_Italian_Bread_Singapore

Recently, buddy was obsessed with traditional Italian Panettone & Pandoro bread and I caught the craziness from him. Now I don't know who is more nuts about these delicious breads. Gifting and eating panettone & pandoro is a revered Italian holiday ritual.

History of Chinese Migration & Roots of Hawker Food Culture in Singapore

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Singapore hawker centres are well known for their delicious melting pot of Malay, Indian, Chinese and other cuisines. In this article, we take a closer look at Chinese migration to Singapore, and the different flavours it brought to our communal dining spaces.

Yuan Lang Soy Sauce Chicken Master @ Chinatown Complex Food Centre 元朗油鸡博士

Yuan_Lang_Soy_Sauce_Chicken_Master_Chinatown_Complex_Food_Centre_元朗油鸡博士

Ever since buddy Fong told me about Yuan Lang Soy Sauce Chicken Master (stall #02-41), it was at the top of my mind to try the next time I am in Chinatown Complex hawker food centre. Finally did today and I was wowed by the tasty poached kampung chicken.

Angel Horse Teochew Fish Soup @ Albert Market & Food Centre 仙马潮州鱼汤

Angel_Horse_Teochew_Fish_Soup

We were around Albert Food Centre for an errand and so decided to have brunch here. We had Angel Horse Teochew Fish Soup 仙马潮州鱼汤 and enjoyed it. The fish was fresh, flavours were mild and well balanced. It was a tasty, comforting, good value meal which explains the stall's popularity.

Famous Lao Wu Mutton Soup @ Blk 532 Ang Mo Kio 老吴記羊肉

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Ah Huat jio (invited) me to join him at Lao Wu Mutton Soup @ 532 Ang Mo Kio which is a stall in Sunday F & B kopitiam. 老吴記's mutton soup is nice - its flavours are mild with neither pungent mutton gaminess nor strong herbal and ginger taste. Hence, it is extremely popular.

Knife Cut Shaved Noodle Shi Xiang Ge @ Bishan Bus Interchange 食香阁.刀削面

Shi_Xiang_Ge_Bishan_食香阁

Stopped over at Bishan MRT Station while running errands today. Went to the food centre above the bus interchange to look for lunch. It is a small hawker centre with just 10 food stalls. The two stalls with queues were the la mian / shaved noodle stall and the Cantonese roasts stall. This time we opted for Shi Xiang Ge La Mian / Shaved Noodle stall because shaved noodles are rarely found in Singapore hawker centres.

Stall name: Shi Xiang Ge La Mian Shaved Noodles 食香阁

Address: Bishan Street 13, Bishan Bus Interchange, Bishan Cafeteria, Singapore 570514

Nearest MRT station: Bishan

Tel: +65 9151 3586

Hours: 10:30am - 9:30pm (Tues off)

History & Memories of Clifford Pier Singapore

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Known to locals in Cantonese as "Hong Tang Mah Tow 紅燈碼頭" or Hokkien as "Ang Teng Beh Tau" which means Red Lantern Harbour, Clifford Pier held many memories for me.

Best Char Siew & Roast Pork in Marsiling Mall & Woodlands by Fu Shi Traditional Roasted. Wanton Mee

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Ah Huat owner-chef of Fu Shi Traditional Roasted. Wanton Mee stall at Marsiling Mall food centre is constantly improving his char siew, roast pork belly, roast duck and noodles. They were already very good when I first had them years ago - today, Ah Huat has taken his craft to new heights.

Singapore in the 1850s as seen from Mount Wallich by Percy Carpenter


This painting of Singapore at Sunrise from Mount Wallich was an oil on canvas painted by Percy Carpenter in 1856. The panorama from the peak of Mount Wallich is a wonderful historical artefact in that it provides a glimpse and valuable insights of Singapore in 1856 (164 years ago). 

Singapore had thrived and boomed in less than 40 years after Raffles first stepped foot on Singapore River in 1819. In this short 30 odd years, the population of Singapore exploded grew from around 200 in 1819 to some 81,000 by 1860.

58 Minced Meat Mee 利發肉脞面 PK. Which is the Best Bak Chor Mee at Marketplace @ 58 Upper Changi?

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Judging by the queue at The Marketplace @ 58 near Tanah Merah MRT station, most people here are fans of 58 Minced Meat Mee stall. There is another soup bak chor mee stall 利發肉脞面 in
 the same hawker centre. I tried both this morning, one after another. Which is the best?

Sin Huat Eating House Crab Bee Hoon @ Geylang Lor 35. Enigmatic Seafood Shop Draws Dignitaries & Celebrities to Singapore's Red Light District

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Sin Huat Eating House and its eccentric owner-chef Danny is a legend and enigma in Singapore's culinary world. Five of us gathered here for a dinner which we knew will be memorable and will add to our own foodie stories.

Mr Biryani Firetop Claypot Dhum Biryani @ AXA Tower Basement

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Today, four of us went to try Mr Biryani's Firetop Claypot Dhum Biryani set at their AXA Tower outlet. The set comes with a claypot of biryani, 2 starters and 2 side dishes for $88+. The biryani and dishes were packed full of flavours and aroma. All four of us guys were fully stuffed and talked about skipping our next meal 😄

Wildfire Burgers @ NAFA Bencoolen Street. Gourmet Burgers & Surprise Fried Chicken

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After hearing so many makan buddies raved about Wildfire Burgers @ NAFA, I was very curious to try it - finally had the chance today as we were nearby at Bugis Junction / National Library. We enjoyed the Wildfire burgers and also especially love their fried chicken.

Under Rated Ice Kacang Gula Melaka of Chinatown 雪花飛昌記冷熱甜品

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The three 雪花飛 traditional dessert stalls in Chinatown Complex food centre enjoy the love and loyalty of their multi-generational fans. But, as the Chow brothers get older, their legacy is fading. Their signature Ice Kacang Gula Melaka may vanish from Singapore's hawker scene when they retire. Sadly, it may not be missed by the newer generations as 雪花飛's Ice Kacang Gula Melaka is relatively under rated and under the social media radar.

A Nice Meal @ Jew Kit Sembawang. More than Hainanese Chicken Rice

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Bumped into Ah Huat at a hawker centre and we chatted over kopi. The topic inevitably centred around what else? New places to eat which we uncovered recently. Ah Huat suggested that I check out Jew Kit Hainanese Chicken Rice at Sembawang Shopping Centre. He has been there several times and he liked it.

Ellice Handy My Favourite Recipes ● Observations from the First Singapore Food Cookbook

Ellice_Handy_My_Favourite_Recipes

The cookbook My Favourite Recipes by Ellice Handy is a legend among Singapore chefs and home cooking enthusiasts. First published in 1952, most have read or at least heard about it. I recently borrowed a copy from the National Library, the eleventh edition published in 2012.

Was Singapore Just a Fishing Village before Raffles?

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Raffles and his role in Singapore history loom large in public consciousness. However, the history of Singapore as a trading hub did not start with Raffles in 1819. There is ample evidence that a kingdom of Singapura and thriving sea port existed over 500 years before Raffles stepped foot on Singapore.

History of Raffles Statues in Singapore

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Most visitors to Singapore River would see this statue of Raffles at the spot where he first stepped foot on Singapore in 1819.

Jing Ji Fish Ball Noodles. 40 Year Stalwart of Sembawang Hills Food Centre

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I've been wanting to tick Jing Ji Fish Ball Noodles off my eat-list since Matt pointed out the Sembawang Hills Food Centre stall to me nearly a year ago. Finally got to try it this morning after a few visits (say until macam like people trying for a baby like that... 🤔 ).

Cavenagh Bridge. A National Monument of Singapore

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Cavenagh Bridge is my favourite bridge on Singapore River as I feel it is the prettiest and it has an interesting history.

Soon Heng Pork Noodles. Soup Bak Chor Mee in Chinatown @ Neil Road & Keong Siak Road

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If you follow my blog you will know that I am fascinated by the story of Singapore's unique soupy type bak chor mee (minced pork noodle 肉脞麵). I am visiting all the soup bak chor mee stalls one by one, and today I am at Soon Heng Pork Noodles at Neil Road in Chinatown.

Makan House by Ollella. Indonesian Classics & Kueh @ 454 Race Course Road

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Most Indonesian kueh lovers in Singapore know Ollella but I just realised that they have a nice little diner tucked away at 454 Race Course Road named Makan House by Ollella. Located about 7-8 minutes walk from Boon Keng MRT station, now I know another delicious Indonesian classics & kueh hang out at the city fringe.

Michin Korean BBQ & Hotpot near Kim Keat Palm Market & Food Centre in Toa Payoh

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We went to Michin Korean BBQ & Hotpot at Toa Payoh block 18 near Kim Keat Palm Market & Food Centre. Truth be told, I am not naturally attracted to table top BBQ & Hotpot buffets but it turned out that we all enjoyed ourselves. At this price point, we are pleased with the quality and taste of Michin's food.

Two Basket Hawkers of Singapore & Vanishing Heritage Hawker Food


Growing up in 1960s Singapore, I was fortunate to see the last legs of Singapore's two-basket hawkers before they disappeared.

Private Chef Dinner @ The Riverhouse @ Clarke Quay

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The Riverhouse @ Clarke Quay houses three concepts - Yin Bar, Yang Club and MiMi Restaurant. Now we can call Jeremy 📞 9726 8082, The Riverhouse's operations manager to arrange private dinners by MiMi Restaurant's chef Sam Chong.

Tony Boey Johor Kaki Food Blogger Connects People, Places & Cuisines with History 梅天成

✍️ 6 Apr 2024. Who is Tony Boey, Johor Kaki?

Tony Boey is my name, Johor Kaki is my social media platforms. My main efforts are in my blog, and I also have Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Tony Cafe Famous Fried Chicken Wing & Meat Ball @ The Adelphi near City Hall MRT Station

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Tony Cafe have been on my eat-list since reading buddy Jill's hilarious post about how Tony Cafe's boss won't let her have more than one fried meat ball even though she was a long time regular 😄