Retired from his globetrotting career, Charlie now runs one of Singapore's best porridge stalls in Chinatown Complex Food Centre's green zone.
But, Charlie is restless and his hands still itch 😝 So, on his off days (Mondays), he serves dishes from his restaurant and hotel days, Omakase style. Call Charlie ☎️ 9850 3529 to arrange.
Charlie's son Bryan is helping him at the wok ♥️
So, we foodies tan tiok lor 赚到啰.
So, we had a feast by Charlie at his Weng Kiang Kee Porridge stall last Monday.
I came not knowing what dishes to expect - it's an Omakase mah. But, I know for sure that every dish will be great.
We were not disappointed at all 👍
Flying kick chicken 😝
Charlie started us off with lo mai gai 糯米鸡 - a traditional Cantonese dish not found in hawker centres and rare even in Singapore restaurants nowadays.
It's tedious to make.
I had it in Toronto and Charlie's former neighbour Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen stall.
Charlie's rendition was so good!
The golden brown skin was lightly crisped, the meat was moist tender, while the glutinous rice filling was nutty tender and nicely savoury sweet. The glutinous rice didn't feel starchy nor did it clump together.
Must ask for this lo mai gai 糯米鸡 when you call Charlie to arrange for your Omakase session.
东坡肉 Dong Po Rou or stewed pork belly.
I have eaten some dong po rou in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and China, and from my limited exposure, Charlie makes the best that I can recall.
The meat was soft tender, the fat and skin so smooth and velvety. Melt-in-the-mouth sounds so cliche, but it is most apt.
Tastes so sweet savoury delicious. I have to keep how many pieces I ate a secret from my heart doctor 😂
In the choice between eat or don't eat this dong po rou, the heart rules (over the mind) and the heart takes the hit 🫢
That's life 🤷
Jumbo chili prawns.
Large deep fried prawns served smothered in the same type of sauce as chili crab.
Topped with hyper umami prawn roe.
Umami bomb complemented with complex tangy spicy sweet savoury flavours from the sauce. Fresh meaty crustaceans.
We love the sauce so much that kaki kaki dashed to a restaurant nearby to buy fried mun tous 馒头 (buns) to mop up the whole tray of flavours. Thank you buddies!!
A huge grouper fish steamed and smothered in a nutty 豆酥 or crispy soybean crumb sauce.
Buddy Chua said better eat this fish quick because it was very 委屈 or oppressed 😂 He meant the fish was too big for the tray and Charlie had to bend its tail 尾曲 🫢
My kaki kaki so fun 😀
The fish was meaty, tender and naturally sweet. Well complemented by the 豆酥 sauce which I was tasting for the first time. I like it.
排骨王 Cantonese style pork spare ribs.
Tender deeply infused and enveloped with savoury tangy sweet flavours.
Gout alert 🚨
Eat now, pay pain later 😂
The thick pork liver slices were very fresh, cooked through (no bleeding) with scallion, ginger and savoury sauce. Tender, powdery, spongy, flavourful.
干炒鱼头 Fried fish head.
Chunks of fish head with lots of meat and soft tissue with head bones, stir fried with a deeply flavoured thick savoury aromatic sauce. Cooked together with scallion and brinjal (eggplant) which absorbed flavours well.
Need patience and the help of some liquor, wine, sake, beer and other spirits to work through this 😂
Buddy Jimmy brought a special drink 🤫 IYKYK 😅
By the way, this is a hawker centre so can BYO but as always, drink in moderation and don't drive 🙏
Charlie will never let you leave less than 110% full. But, it's our own fault lo....
He never force us to eat.. wat.... . It's us who couldn't resist 😂
Caramelised noodles, fresh pork lard croutons, beefy beef - all the bad irresistibly good stuff.
Wok hey gaw hor 牛河 (beef hor fun or rice noodle). Toasty roasty savoury sweet rice noodles with spongy tender beef slices.
You have been warned 🫢
Give Charlie a call ☎️ 9850 3529, if you like to try his Omakase. Talk to him about your preferences, budget, etc. You will probably have different dishes from us, handpicked by chef Charlie from the wide repertoire from his decades of global experience on three continents. Charlie also does Western cuisine.
Thank you to kaki kaki for the fine drinks, home made dessert and your company 💪
Stall name: Weng Kiang Kee Porridge
Address: 335 Smith Street, stall #02-082, Singapore 050335 (Chinatown Complex Food Centre)
Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Chinatown and Maxwell stations
Tel: 9850 3529 for Omakase
Hours: Pre-arranged Mondays only
Read more 👉
Hawker Omakase - uniquely Singapore hawker culture.
Another top chef who does outstanding Omakase is Chef Chik at Haig Road Food Centre.
Written by Tony Boey on 2 Jul 2026
Who is Tony Johor Kaki?
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