A Jie Cafe Menu & Review · Ipoh White Coffee & Traditional Delights Hangout Locals Don't Want Tourists to Know 阿洁白咖啡茶坊

Ipoh offers a different kind of cafe hopping experience with local characteristics which every visitor must try. The combination of dishes and coffee are uniquely Ipoh. During this trip, we went to A Jie Cafe in Taman Hoover which is popular with locals though relatively hidden from tourists.

Restaurant name: A Jie Cafe

Address: 61, Persiaran Tokong, Taman Hoover, 31650 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Tel: +6012 527 6771

Hours: 9:30am - 5:00pm (Mon off)

Johor Jaya Restoran Swee Kee Chicken Rice · 水记海南鸡饭·炖汤

Met up with buddy KC in Johor Bahru for brekky and lunch. We haven't met since the Covid 19 lock down in Mar 2020. We lunched at Restoran Swee Kee Chicken Rice's Johor Jaya outlet which is located at Jalan Dedap 13 near to the RHB bank branch.

Restaurant name: Restoran Swee Kee Chicken Rice 水记海南鸡饭·炖汤

Address: No. 31, Jalan Dedap 13, Taman Johor Jaya, Johor, 81100 Johor Bahru

Tel: +607 357 0645

Hours: 8:30am - 6:00pm (Tues off)

Mei Ling Food Centre · Song Heng Fried Kway Teow & Hokkien Noodle 陈松兴

Today's food foray is costly in calories, carb and cholesterol. Finding myself in Mei Ling Market & Food Centre, I circled the 50 - 60 food stalls to decide which to bet my meagre calorie, carb and cholesterol budget on.

Stall name: Tan Song Heng  陈松兴

Address: Stall #02-40, Mei Ling Market & Food Centre

Nearest MRT: 10 minutes walk from Queenstown station

Hours: 10:00am - 1:00pm (off on 1st & 15th day of lunar month)

Pangkor Island Breakfast & Lunch Hotspots @ Sungai Pinang Kecil Village · Taste of Pangkor is the Taste of the Sea

Courtesy of Flickr

Pulau Pangkor (off the coast of Perak state, Malaysia) is a group of tiny islands which together is less than 3% the size of Singapore. About 20,000 people live on the islands. It is famous for its beaches, seaside resorts, and duty free shopping. Besides tourism, Pangkor's main industry is fisheries. So Pangkor Island is a seafood lover's paradise.

The Chinese in Pangkor Island have their unique cuisine which makes the best of the island's fresh seafood, especially fish. One of the best ways to experience hyperlocal Pangkor cuisine is to visit Kampung Sungai Pinang Kecil and join friendly locals for breakfast or lunch.

Kampung Sungai Pinang Kecil Village

Address: 32300 Pangkor Island Perak Malaysia

Chinese Seafood Dinner in Pangkor Island @ Restoran Pasir Bogak 高佬海鲜饭店

For our first dinner in Pangkor Island, Christine brought us to Restoran Pasir Bogak 高佬海鲜饭店 which is very popular with locals and tourists alike. I like it too as it is an authentic hyperlocal experience, ingredients are fresh, dishes are delicious, and prices are reasonable. Only drawback is the place is very crowded and often no tables are available for walk-in customers with no pre-booking.

Restaurant name: Restoran Pasir Bogak 高佬海鲜饭店

Address: 80 & 81 Taman Bogak Permai, Pasir Bogak, 32300 Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia

Tel: +6012 522 7757 (Agnes) 📞 +605 685 1733

Hours: 6:00pm - 11:00pm (Mon off)

Ex - Din Tai Fung Chef @ Sungai Pinang Kecil · Kedai Kopi Lam Ah · Pangkor Island

I was in Sungai Pinang Kecil in Pangkor Island looking for hyperlocal food, cuisine that defines this little fishing village off Malaysia's west coast. The last thing on my mind was global chain Din Tai Fung style dishes.

Stall name: Yi Ke Zhan 一刻站 in Kedai Kopi Lam Ah 南亚茶室

Address: 32300 Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia

Tel: +605 685 2495

Hours: 8:00am - 1:00pm

Famous Lao Er Hainanese Seafood Curry Noodle @ Sungai Pinang Kecil · Pangkor Island 著名老二海南海鲜咖哩面

Sunrise in Pangkor Island. 

We stayed with buddy Christine's family whose village home is perched at the top of a ridge off the main road at Sungai Pinang Kecil village on the eastern shore of Pangkor Island. In the morning, we can hear the call to prayer from Masjid Sungai Pinang Kecil, the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves shaken by monkeys, and the distant muffled roar of fishing boats going out to sea.

Stall name: Lao Er Seafood Curry Noodle

Address: Sungai Pinang Kecil, 32300 Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia

Tel: +6012 598 5278

Hours: Breakfast till lunch

Stalls I Like @ 127 Toa Payoh West Lorong 1 Food Centre · Small Hawker Centre Rich in Nostalgia

Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre is a nostalgic place for me as I past here literally a thousand times during my secondary school days - my school, First Toa Payoh Secondary was just across the road. I still come here occasionally as there are a few nice old hawker stalls at the food centre on the upper floor.

Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre (Lorong 1)

Address: 127 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, Singapore 310127

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Braddell station

Famous Ipoh Dry Curry Noodle, Curry Loh Mai Kai & Tan Cha (Egg Tea) @ Kedai Kopi Yee Fatt 怡发茶室

I requested buddy Gary who was born and now retired in Ipoh to show me some places off the tourist belt which he and Ipoh people love. Gary suggested a few names and we quickly settled on Yee Fatt as he mentioned a tea known as 蛋茶 or literally egg tea which I have never tried before. Christine chimed in which made me even more excited as I couldn't make out her description except that it is something very special 😬

Stall name: Kedai Kopi Yee Fatt  怡发茶室

Address: No. 39, Jalan Kampar 31650 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Tel: +60 12-520 3281 📞  +60 5242 1043

Hours: 7:00am - 2:00pm (Mon off)

Tian Xiang Wanton Noodle · Heavenly Fragrance @ Margaret Drive Hawker Centre 天香雲吞面

We gathered at the spanking new Margaret Drive Hawker Centre. I came early to survey the food stalls. Stalwarts from the demolished Tanglin Halt hawker centre like Thunder Tea Rice and Tong Kee Chicken Rice have moved here together with many others into the double storey hawker centre.

Circling the hawker centre, stalking the stalls, the divine aroma of lard and sesame oil from Tiang Xiang wanton noodle stopped me in my tracks.

Stall name: Tian Xiang Wanton Noodle 天香雲吞面 

Address: Blk 38A Margaret Drive, stall #02-41 Margaret Hawker Centre, Singapore 142038

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Queenstown station

Tel: 8181 8786

Hours: 7:00am - 1:00pm (Weds & Thurs off)

Origin & History of Singapore Prawn Noodle 新加坡蝦麵

Xiamen city in Fujian province of China has an iconic prawn noodle dish. Sea prawns are plentiful along Fujian's shoreline, especially during summer, hence prawn noodle 蝦麵 is also called summer noodles 夏面 in Fujian.

Bukit Timah He Zhong Carrot Cake · Chai Tow Kway · My Favourite from the 1980s 合众菜头果

When I come to Bukit Timah hawker centre, two stalls come to mind. One, the Teochew fish soup and second, the chai tow kueh (fried carrot cake). There's a chai tou kueh stall by a father and son team where I always ate and ta-bao (takeaway) in the 1980s. 

I don't know the name of the stall - in the old days, we just know our favourite stalls by location (is it just me? 😬 ). This was "Bukit Timah chai tow kway" but their actual name is He Zhong Carrot Cake (I found out today, 40 years later 😛 ). I was thrilled that the stall is still around today 😯

Stall name: He Zhong Carrot Cake 合众菜头果

Address: 51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, stall #02-185, Singapore 588215 (Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre)

Nearest MRT: 3 minutes walk from Beauty World station

Tel: 8498 9211

Hours: 6:00am - 8:00pm

Ah Soon Prawn Noodle · Hokkien Mee · Simpang Ampat, Bukit Mertajam, Penang 大侠蝦麵 · 福建麵

Penang style prawn noodle stall on the Bukit Mertajam i.e. mainland side of Penang.

Stall name: 大侠虾面卤面

Address: 3, Lorong Kendi 7, Taman Merak Jaya, 14100 Simpang Ampat, Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Tel: +6011 1080 7553

Hours: 10:00am - 5:00pm

Handpicked Best of Beauty World Food Centre · What to Eat Near Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

I used to live and work near this private hawker centre at Beauty World Centre. I also come here after my weekly Bukit Timah Hill trek (last time 😜 ). The fourth level hawker centre hasn't changed much physically in the last 20 years. Some old favourites are still here and there are quite a few excellent newcomers. Prices here are comparable with public hawker centres.

Beauty World Food Centre

Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Level 4, Singapore 588177

Nearest MRT: At Beauty World station

Indian Roots of Southeast Asian Cuisine • Indian Origins of Malay & Indonesian Food

Curry stingray in Johor, Malaysia

When we discuss Indian heritage cuisine in Singapore and Malaysia, most of us assume or presuppose that Indian cuisine was brought here by indentured labourers during the British colonial era (from the 1800s). That is only partially true. 

Indian cuisine have deeper, much older, more pervasive influence in Southeast Asian cuisine (not just Singapore and Malaysia) that dates back over 2,000 years.

This post is about the origins of that deep Indian influence, often overlooked today buried under many layers of our multicultural influences and time. As the dishes evolved and become localised (indigenised) over 2,000 years of adaptation, their Indian origins become less obvious.

Hawaii Fried Chicken Rice Restaurant in Phnom Penh អាហារដ្ឋានបាយមាន់ហាវ៉ៃ

This is not a recommendation, I mean, I am not suggesting anyone make a special trip for this. This is a "foodilogue" of interesting food I tried during my trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia and I personally would seek out more food like this 😬 I like it though it was not what I expected.

Restaurant name: Hawaii Fried Chicken Rice អាហារដ្ឋានបាយមាន់ហាវ៉ៃ

Address: #190 E0 Street 130, Sangkat Phsar They 3 Khan, Phnom Penh, Cambodia (diagonally opposite Le Hotel at the intersection of Street 130 & Street 49)

Tel: +855 9267 1913

Hours: 6:00am - 3:00pm

Good Ol' School Mee Siam @ Mawar Fadirah Muslim Food Marsiling Lane Food Centre

Stumbled upon this old school mee siam while I was wandering around Marsiling Lane hawker centre. It has the taste and feel of the mee siam at my primary school.

Stall name: Mawar Fadirah Muslim Food

Address: 250 Admiralty Road, Singapore 739981 (stall #01-20 Marsiling Lane Market & Food Centre)

Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Woodlands station

Hours: 10:00am - 10:00pm (opens 11am on Mon)

Braised Pork Rib Mee @ Tampines Round Market · Teo Kee Mushroom Minced Pork Noodle

Accidentally found myself in Tampines Round Market during lunch 😬 Made a couple of surveying rounds around the Round Market and found that only two stalls have queues - the kolo mee stall and the pork rib noodle stall. For this round, I opted for the latter as I haven't tried this type of noodle before. Neither can I think of another stall that sells this kind of noodle in Singapore or Malaysia, so I was curious.

Stall name: Teo Kee Mushroom Minced Pork Noodle 潮记香菇肉脞面

Address: 137 Tampines Street 11, stall #01-05, Singapore 522137

Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Tampines station

Tel: 9780 4181

Hours: 6:00am - 2:00pm (Mon & Tues off)

New Generation is Making Sang Heng Teochew Noodle in Johor Bahru Great Again!

Dear fans of Sang Heng Teochew noodle at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, the shop is re-opened by uncle Ah Seng's nephew, sister-in-law and younger brother. The noodle and Teochew lor meat are faithful to the old taste during uncle Ah Seng's time. In some aspects, I even feel they have raised it to a higher level, in my humble opinion.

Stall name: Kedai Makanan Sang Heng 甡興茶餐室

Address: 7, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru (15 minutes walk from JB CIQ)

Tel: +6016 723 2989 ☎ +6012 787 8010

Hours: 7:00am - 2:00pm

Hidden Gems & Favourite Stalls @ Eunos Crescent Food Centre

Eunos Crescent Market & Food Centre is not big, just some 50 food stalls but some of its stalls are top of my mind for some of my favourite hawker dishes.

Eunos Crescent Market and Food Centre

Address: 4A Eunos Crescent, Singapore 402004

Nearest MRT: At Eunos station

Tok Panjang Singapore · Nyonya House by Rempahs

Attended the tok panjang dinner by Nyonya House by Rempahs yesterday evening. It's a nice spread of Nyonya dishes presented in traditional Peranakan celebratory style and warm hospitality.

Restaurant name: Nyonya House by Rempahs

Address: Balestier Plaza, 400 Balestier Road, #02-01, Singapore 329802

Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Novena station

Tel: 8820 2353

Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm (tok panjang timing by arrangement)

Seng Kee Bak Chor Mee · Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2 · No Holds Barred Umami Fish Maw Soup

Buddies from Johor jio-ed to meet up in Singapore and as usual I am the one who has to suggest where to eat 😬 Johor buddies wanted bak chor mee. I suggested Seng Kee Mushroom Minced Pork Noodles as I remembered that I quite enjoyed myself when I tasted it in Serangoon Garden hawker centre. But, that was six years ago and I haven't visited them since the founder moved to 5023 Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2, late last year.

Stall name: Seng Kee Mushroom Minced Pork Noodles

Address: 5023 Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2, Singapore 569526 (inside Chop Hong Lik food court)

Nearest MRT: 20 minutes walk from Ang Mo Kio station

Hours: 7:00am - 1pm (Sun off)

Redhill Kway Chap · Shi Le Yuan · The Best Thing is the Bowl of Kway 實叻園

Stalking Redhill Market and Food Centre, I noticed that Shi Le Yuan 實叻園 kway chap is one of the few stalls with a long queue. There is a line of 6 to 10 people the whole time I was at the food centre till the stall closed at 1pm 😲 I joined the queue after trying another stall and was one of their last customers today - lucky me 😄

Stall name: Shi Le Yuan 實叻園

Address: Redhill Market & Hawker Centre, 85 Redhill Lane, stall #01-82, Singapore 150085

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Redhill station

Tel: 9857 7850

Hours: 7:00am - 1:00pm (Mon off)

Best of Taman Jurong Hawker Centre · Three Levels of Good Food! Ol' Sixty Stalls 六十档

This well loved food haven began life in 1972 as Yung Sheng Food Centre - the first food centre built under Singapore's hawker centre building programme. It was known affectionately as "Sixty Stalls 六十档" as it had 60 stalls then. It was later demolished, combined with Taman Jurong Market to become Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre which opened in 2005.

Ol' Sixty Stalls 六十档 image courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Located in Singapore's far west, Taman Jurong serves the factory workers and residents of Singapore's industrial estate. Though there are fewer factories in Jurong today, the food in Taman Jurong still has the old school, gut filling appeal and affordability of its heyday. I've known ol' Sixty Stalls since my days in Jurong Camp (HQ 3 Div).

Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

Address: 3 Yung Sheng Road, Singapore 618499

Nearest MRT: 10 - 15 minutes walk from Lakeside station