Lim's Cafe @ Chinatown Complex · Hawker Centre Espresso Coffee

If you come to Chinatown Complex food centre, and want to lim kopi (drink Nanyang coffee) - don't need to consider - just head straight for Lim's Cafe at stall #02-31.

Stall name: Lim's Cafe

Address: 335 Smith Street, stall #02-31, Singapore 050335 (Chinatown Complex)

Nearest MRT: Chinatown station

Hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm (Weds off)

Zheng Xing Mei Shi Desserts · Tau Suan @ Albert Centre & Beauty World 正興美食

Whenever I am around Albert Centre, I'll pop in at Zheng Xing Mei Shi stall and see if they are open for the day. If yes, I'll treat myself to a little tub of tau suan 豆爽. I've always have a sweet tooth for the hot mung bean dessert and Zheng Xing's version is a nicer one.

Stall name: Zheng Xing Mei Shi 正興美食

Address: Albert Centre, 269 Albert Street, stall #01-64, Singapore 180270

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Bugis station

Tel: 9271 7912

Hours: 10:00am - 6:00pm (Sat, Mon, Thurs off)

Ye Tang Chendol @ Beauty World 椰堂

Stalking Beauty World Centre Food Court, we stumbled upon Ye Tang Chendol tucked in an inside corner at the far end (of the same row as Hong Wen Mutton Soup stall). Chendol in Singapore today is dominated by franchises but Ye Tang Chendol is a standalone stall. I like the taste and fragrance of Ye Tang's chendol.

Stall name: Ye Tang Chendol 椰堂

Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, stall #04-26, Singapore 588177 (Beauty World Centre level 4 food court)    

Nearest MRT: Doorstep of Beauty World station

Tel: 9099 2289

Hours: 11:00am - 8:45pm (Mon & Tues off)

Top 1 Home Made Noodle · Ban Mian & Mee Hoon Kueh @ Beauty World Centre 一级棒好吃面粉粿

Whenever I go to Beauty World Centre these days, two stalls stand out with the longest queues - one is Top 1 Home Made Noodle and the other is Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken. I've tried the chicken stall a few times, and today was my first time trying the mee hoon kueh and ban mian. A viral type website touted it as "The Best Ban Mian in Singapore and JB".

Stall name: Top 1 Home Made Noodle 一级棒好吃面粉粿

Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, stall #04-44, Singapore 588177 (Beauty World Centre level 4 food court)

Nearest MRT: Doorstep of Beauty World station

Tel: 8338 4483

Hours: 10:30am - 8:30pm (Weds off)

Decker Barbecue @ Robertson Quay · Truly Decadent Texas BBQ in Singapore

I became a fan of Decker Barbecue after tasting some of their delivered smoked meats during the height of Covid 19 restrictions. Today's my first time at Decker Barbecue's outlet at Robertson Quay and I saw why their smoked meats stand out.

Restaurant name: Decker Barbecue

Address: 60 Robertson Quay, #01-17, Singapore 238252

Nearest MRT: 10 minute walk from Fort Canning station

Tel: 6635 8565

Hours: 12:00 noon - 4:00pm | 5:00pm - 10:30pm (Mon off, lunch on Sat & Sun only)

History of Nasi Ambeng · Nasi Berkat · Nasi Tumpeng · What's the Difference?

Nasi Ambeng (pronounced um'bng) is boiled rice served together with various side dishes. It is a popular dish sold in restaurants and food stalls in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Nasi Ambeng is derived from Nasi Berkat originally from Central Java, Indonesia. Nasi Berkat in turn is related to Nasi Tumpeng, one of Indonesia's national dishes.

Marguerite Restaurant @ Gardens by the Bay · Flower Dome Singapore 🌼 European Fine Dining

✍️ 21 Oct 2023. Happy to be at Marguerite at Gardens by the Bay again 😊 Four hands dinner with Marguerite owner chef Michael Wilson and his special guest chef Prateek Sadhu, former owner chef of renowned Masque in Mumbai.

Chef Michael presented four and chef Prateek the other four of the eight course dinner trans European-Indian culinary adventure.

Sri Aachi Aappakadai @ Tekka Market · Popular Freshly Made Appam (Hoppers) in Little India Singapore

Stalking Tekka Market, I noticed that Sri Aachi Aappakadai, the appam stall has a constant and the longest queue during breakfast time here.

Stall name: Sri Aachi Aappakadai

Address: Tekka Market, stall #01-219, Singapore 210665

Nearest MRT: Doorstep of Little India station

Tel: 9482 0439

Hours: 6:00am - 9:00pm (Weds off)

Old School Cantonese Peanut Porridge with Dried Oyster & Conpoy @ Tanglin Halt Market 扇貝蚝豉花生粥 @ 美味小吃

Buddy Jem had been telling me about this old school Cantonese porridge at Tanglin Halt. It's not going to be in anyone's Instagram or flex worthy list, but a touchstone of nostalgia for some. It is a very humble dish commonly done in Cantonese families when many Singaporeans still cooked at home.

Stall name: 美味小吃 (no English name)

Address: 48 Tanglin Halt Road, stall #01-02, Tanglin Halt Market, Singapore 148813

Nearest MRT: 5 minute walk from Commonwealth station

Hours: 6:00pm - 12:00 midnight (Weds & Sun off)

45 Sims Drive Kway Chap @ Sheng Hui Coffee Shop · Preferred by People who Live Here

Buddy Peter said I should check out the kway chap stall at block 45, Sims Drive. I did notice the little low profile stall before and many customers eating their food, but the Sims Vista area just have too many good food stalls to try. So, I only finally made it today. Thank you Peter for your recommendation 🙏

Stall name: Kuey Zhap · Pig's Organ Soup 粿汁 · 猪杂汤

Address: 45 Sims Drive, #01-150, Singapore 380045 (inside Sheng Hui Coffee Shop steps from Sims Vista Food Centre) 

Hours: 5:00am - 1:00pm

The Fabled Bugis Street We Lost · History & Self Guided Tour from Kampong Bugis to Bugis Junction

I was excited to stumble upon an online conversation about memories of Bugis Street. It turned out that the conversation revolved around how the participants missed the experience of shopping for trinkets at Bugis Street 😔 There was no mention of Bugis Street before the 1990s, even though the conversation was supposedly about nostalgia.

Then, I realised how jurassically ancient I am 🦖 😅 But, more importantly, how quickly my memories of 1960s Bugis Street is already buried under layers of time. That makes me sad and hence I wrote this post.

Singapore Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Champion @ Beauty World Centre Level 4 Food Court

After enjoying the marvellous beef brisket noodle at Beauty World Centre's Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken stall, we came back today for what else..... - their signature soya sauce chicken. I eat soya sauce chicken a lot at home since learning how to make it myself in the 1980s, but still got blown away by Beauty World Centre's rendition. Why this stall keeps blowing me away hah? 😅

Stall name: Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Noodles Rice

Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #04-48, Singapore 588177 (stall #04-48 at level 4 Beauty World Food Centre)

Nearest MRT: At Beauty World station

Hours: 11:30am - 7:00pm (Weds off)

Sims Vista Market & Food Centre · Local's Guide to 10 Popular Food Stalls

Sims Vista Market & Food Centre is a popular hawker haunt in Geylang and one of my personal favourites. The sprawling hawker centre has a friendly, relaxed, laid back feel. Clean, comfortable, highly accessible by public transport (steps from Aljunid MRT station) and most important of all, it has a good range of delicious dishes from popular food stalls.

Sims Vista Market & Food Centre

Address: 49 Sims Place, Singapore 380049

Nearest MRT: 5 minute walk from Aljunid station

Beauty World Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle • Beef Brisket Noodle & Giant Shrimp Dumpling Blew Me Away

After hearing buddies Sean and Jem raved many times about the giant shrimp dumplings at Beauty World Food Centre's Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle stall, I long wanted to give it a try myself. Today, I finally had the chance to taste the famous shrimp dumpling and got a guided tour of one of Sean's favourite food haunts. I also got blown away by this stall's beef brisket noodles. Thank you Sean 🙏

Stall name: Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Noodles Rice

Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #04-48, Singapore 588177 (stall #04-48 at level 4 Beauty World Food Centre)

Nearest MRT: At Beauty World station

Hours: 11:30am - 7:00pm (Weds off)

Singapore Hawker Culture is Singapore's Migration Story • A Tour of Singapore Hawker Centres

Origin of Singapore Hawker Culture

Singapore hawker culture is unique in the same way as Singapore history is unique. In particular, the story of Singapore's multicultural hawker culture is Singapore's unique migration story. Singapore is a born migrant society and a country of many ethnicities. We can trace Singapore's complex migration history by eating our way through Singapore's hawker centres. (Image courtesy of flickr.) 

10 Nasi Ayam Dishes from Indonesia · Chicken Rice Adventure Across the Archipelago

Indonesia is a vast, diverse archipelago that spans over 5,000km and populated by 1,300 ethnicities. Across the archipelago, Indonesians share many things, including a rice culture, love for spices / sambal and chicken. We take a trip across the archipelago from west to east to taste Indonesian dishes made with the trinity of chicken, spices / sambal and rice. Each variation reflects regional characteristics yet shares commonalities with chicken rice dishes across the country. 

Hock Heng Fish • Seafood Soup • Longest Queue @ Sims Vista

You know, I have been loitering around, stalking hawker stalls at Sims Vista for a while and somehow never seen a queue forming up at this particular corner before. The queue snaked around the corner and I couldn't see what it was about. Anyway, I just quickly lined up behind in order not to lose out 😛 When the queue turned the corner, I saw it was for Hock Heng fish & seafood soup.

So..., it is good to be kiasu, again. I was already quite full from the morning's tastings, but decided that I can still tuck in another bowl of fish soup.

Stall name: Hock Heng

Address: 49 Sims Place, Singapore 380049 (stall #01-31, Sims Vista Market & Food Centre)    

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Aljunied station

Hours: 5:00am - 1:00pm (Mon, Weds, Fri only)

Pontian Mei Gui Yuan Sambal & Jia Xiang Noodles Online from The Alley Foods 🆘 My Emergency Snack

I have a little secret. At home, I standby raw wanton mee which I blanch and toss in Pontian Mei Gui Yuan Sambal 笨珍玫瑰园烧鱼辣酱 🌶  It is always so deliciously, satisfying whenever I am hungry at odd times at home.

Sometimes, when I am day dreaming, I wonder if I should open a wanton mee stall using Pontian Mei Gui Yuan Sambal as my "secret weapon", hehe 🤫🤭  It beats quite a lot of wanton mee stalls out there, in my opinion 😄😜

Hidden Gem Alert 💎 Best Steamed Tapioca Cake @ Sims Vista F C Stall #01-05 • AMK 628 Hao Qing Xiang 好清香

While stalking hawkers at Sims Vista food centre, chef Chung Deming tipped me off about a good steamed tapioca cake. Stall wasn't opened, so I came back the next day to look for AMK 628 Hao Qing Xiang 好清香 stall #01-05. "Good" is a gross understatement, this one of the best steamed tapioca cakes that I have tasted. It is a gem 💎 Thanks chef 🙏

Stall name: AMK 628 Hao Qing Xiang 好清香

Address: 49 Sims Place, Singapore 380049 (stall #01-05, Sims Vista Market & Food Centre)

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Aljunied station

Hours: Breakfast & Lunch (Mon off)

Meng Boon Teochew Fishball Noodle with Signature Fried Fishballs @ 45 Sims Drive • 明文潮洲魚圓面

Stumbled upon Meng Boon Teochew Fishball Noodle at block 45 Sims Drive which is a short walk from Sims Vista Market & Food Centre. Meng Boon is an old noodle stall with a loyal, multi generation following.

Stall name: Meng Boon Teochew Fishball Noodle 明文潮洲魚圓面

Address: Sims Drive, Block 45, Singapore 380045 (inside 45 Brewcoffee)

Tel: 9621 6680

Hours: 6:45am - 3:30pm (Mon off)

Warong HJH Kamisah • Friendly Three Generation Indonesian Food Stall @ Sims Vista

I asked my Facebook community for help on where's a nice nasi ayam penyet stall and Hong Liang Jing recommended Warong HJH Kamisah at Sims Vista Food Centre. Thank you very much 🙏

Stall name: Warong HJH Kamisah

Address: 49 Sims Place, Singapore 380049 (stall #01-13, Sims Vista Market & Food Centre)

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Aljunied station

Hours: 8:00am - 2:30pm (Fri off / ayam penyet available only after 11:30am)

Hollywood Braised Duck Rice 🦆 Duck Porridge · Kway Chap @ Sims Vista 好莱坞鸭饭 · 鸭粥

✍️ 7 Jan 2024. Raining cats and dogs today. We ran here at Sims Vista Hawker Centre for shelter after we aborted plan A as our targeted stall was closed contrary to their published hours 🙄 (not unusual in Singapore and Malaysia 🙄 x2).