Sunday, October 1, 2017

Yishun Park Hawker Centre - A Modernized Concept Food Centre


  • Operating Hours: 6 AM - 10 PM
  • Operating Days: Daily
  • Address: 51 Yishun Avenue 11, S 768867
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  • Yishun Park Hawker Centre is the latest hawker centre which comprises of a three-storey complex managed by Timbre Group, located at the junction of Yishun Ring Road and Yishun Avenue 11.
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    Above the hawker centre are two level of parking space. Do take note that they do not have free parking on Sundays and public holidays.
    They have even pinball machines just beside the drinks shop, at $1 per game.

    You can top-up using cash to your the Tuck Shop app account via the machines located at the center of the Hawker Centre. The only way of topping-up is by cash at the moment (which kind of defeat the purpose of going cashless).
    You can choose to scan the QR code on the Tuck Shop app to pay for your purchases, or you can also use the traditional way via cash. When you purchase food at Yishun Park Hawker Centre, you will have to put an extra $1 deposit for the food tray. The deposit will be returned when diners leave their trays at the return station. The purpose of this is to encourage diners to clear their own table by returning the trays for the next diner to use the table.
    By using app credit, you will enjoy 10% off food purchases within Yishun Park Hawker Centre.

    Enough of all the administrative information, let's get the food!

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    Ajisai Japanese Ramen (#01-42)
    Operating Hours: 10 AM - 9 PM
    Operating Days: Daily

    Opened by real Japanese chef, Saito Hiroki, who is 74 this year.
    The decoration of their menu looks like you are at an authentic stall in Japan, and what's more attractive is their ramen priced as low as $3.50. 
    Their signature dish is the Pork Chashu Ramen ($3.50) as recommended by the owner, look at all the items that were sold out just in the afternoon.

    It looked very simple, the broth was made up with the combination of pork and chicken bone. As for the tastewise, for the price, there was a hint taste of the Japanese ramen, but do not expect the standard to be like anything near the usual restaurant style. Well, at least they are not using Maggi mee to cook it. 

    Laying on top of the noodles was a slice of pork char siew with alternating layers of fat and meat. The meat was tasteful, but the texture was similar to any other pork, however, a bit overcooked and not that tender.

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    Hua Hua Cooking & Eating 花花 (#01-41)
    Operating Hours: 6 AM - 10 PM

    Operating Days: Daily

    The Hokkien Mee and Char Kway Teow stall is opened by a Vietnamese living in Singapore since 2005. And she speaks very fluent Mandarin!
    I was attracted by some patrons who order her Char Kway Teow, so I went ahead to order it as well. This stall is located just beside the Ajisai Japanese stall.
    Unlike other hawkers who fry up their noodles ahead in big batches, they cook each plate individually.
    The taste of their Char Kway Teow is undoubtedly different from most of the other Char Kway Teow I've tasted. From the first bite, I can taste Fish sauce, and they are very generous with the amount of fish cake, cockle and dark sauce used. All the ingredients were also very fresh!
    I would personally recommend you to try this stall.

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    Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang (#01-33)
    Operating Hours: 7.30 AM - 8.30 PM
    Operating Days: Closed on Mondays

    It is a halal stall where Rice is served with Indonesian-style grilled chicken opened by a couple. Some interesting fact is that they have worked as Cabin Crew at the same airline before this, and that makes me wonder why they have decided to venture into the food industry.
    This stall offered their signature dish, a fusion of Malay and Indonesian dish name Ayam Taliwang, where the chicken thigh is marinated before being grilled.
    This stall has constant queue which we didn't want to miss out as well.
    You get to choose to have either sweet chili or spicy chili. The sweet chili was well-balanced, not very spicy, the spicy chili which was very good and additively spiky to my tongue.
    Coconut fragrant rice, fried chicken, egg, tempeh, peanuts and ikan bilis - all on the plate. Although all the items are pretty standard, I enjoyed the coconut fragrance that the rice carries and their marinated chicken thigh, which is marinated before being grilled. One of the dishes not to miss when you are in this hawker centre.

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    Ah Tan Wings Har Cheong Gai & Chicken Wings (#01-40)
    Operating Hours: 11 AM - 1 PM & 6 PM - 9 PM
    Operating Days: Closed on Wednesdays

    This stall has the longest queue I've seen so far in this hawker centre. It was operated by a pair of brother and sister aged 28 and 25 years old respectively. They are indeed the young hawkers of the new generation! They mainly serve prawn paste chicken, and Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) as the selling items on their menu.
    They are open only at 6 PM, however, when we were there at 7 PM the queue was very long! 
    When it was my turn, I saw that the shrimp paste wings, Okonomiyaki were all sold out! So we were left with Atas Har Cheong Gai cutlet.
    The cutlet was made up with 2 pieces of fried prawn paste chicken, with shaker fries and salad.
    The fries and salad were good, but what  amazed us was the cutlet! Their cutlet was very crispy with every cut, just cutting it can be a satisfaction to one. The meat was tender and really have full taste of the prawn paste! Each bite was a pleasure to my tongue!
    While their Atas cutlet is priced at $7, it is worth it for the taste and texture. I will definitely come back for their Okonomiyaki and their shrimp paste chicken wing alongside with the cutlet.
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    Tuck Shop
    Operating Hours: 6 AM - 10 PM
    Operating Days: Daily

    The Hawker Centre’s only drink stall. It is actually a combination of a self-service retail store and gastro bar! Not only they sell kopi and toasts, they also offer cappuccinos, lattes and even beer!

    Most of items were self service, including ice.

    They even have beer on tap counter!

    So once you have ordered everything, you will have many trays on your table. You cannot give your tray to cleaners to clear up as they will cost you $1. You will need to return the trays to the return counter for your $1. Now, they only have 1 tray return location near the entrance, which you might need to walk a distance to return the trays if you are seated at the far end of the hawker centre. You are only able to put 1 tray at a time at their tray return counter, else they might recognize it as just 1 tray and return you just a dollar. During peak hours, what we've encountered was the "Tray Jam", as we have to queue just to return our trays. At the end of the day, I have 6 $1 coins back into my pocket. 

    All in all, Yishun Park Hawker Centre is a modernized hawker centre trying out a cashless concept. However, we felt that they have still defeat the purpose of going cashless as you will still need to use your cash to top up for the credits. You will also end up having many coins with you when you leave the place from all the tray returns. 

    As all the hype of this new hawker centre right now, crowd will definitely be expected. Do try to avoid visiting during weekend dinner time.

    Friday, September 29, 2017

    Duck Master 鸭师傅 - Roasted duck at $15?!

  • Operating Hours: 10.30 AM - 9 PM
  • Operating Days: Daily

  • Address: 
  • Chinatown - 1 Park Road, People's Park Complex, #01-K99, S 059108
  • Textile Centre - 200 Jalan Sultan, #01-05, S 199081
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  • At last, we are able to get our hands dirty on 鸭师傅 Duck Master's roasted duck for just $15! Located at the ground floor of People’s Park Complex, the shop can be easily seen as it is fronted by rows of ducks spinning in an electric oven as they roast. Since its operation, orders have been stacking up, with waiting time as long as three hours. Customers have to place their orders and return at a later time to collect their ducks.
    Cheap best food nice good Jalan Sultan Textile Centre Roasted Duck
    Other roast ducks available anywhere else are usually roasted in the morning and sold throughout the day. This results in a duck that is relatively dry and cold. Even if it's roasted to order, the price can get quite high.
    Cheap best food nice good Jalan Sultan Textile Centre Roasted Duck
    This attractive price also means that you have to be prepared to wait in line. It can take up to three hours during peak hours. Look at the number of ducks preparing to be roasted in the oven.
    Cheap best food nice good Jalan Sultan Textile Centre Roasted Duck
    So if you decided to wait, you make payment, get a queue number and collect the duck at a specific time slot given. If you do not want to go over and wait for hours, they do offer online ordering as well, just choose the time slot you would like to collect and go over to the stall. Just take note ordering online will need to pay an additional processing fee of 45 cents. 
    When you are at Duck Master, you have to take a look at the three transparent glass oven that shows rows of ducks spinning slowly inside. Roasted right in front of you to witness the whole carousel roasting process.
    Cheap best food nice good Jalan Sultan Textile Centre Roasted Duck
    They do not chop the duck for you, it was whole, on its own, head and all attached (Duck feet or duck wings not included). 
    Why they do not offer to chop the duck? All their ducks are roasted on the spot for takeaway. They believe that it would be optimal to rest the duck and keep the juicy goodness within the duck until it is ready to be consumed. Chopping it immediately after roasting will result in the juices escaping from the meat. Another reason is to save the manpower, so you could get them at such a low price. But you able to get it chopped up at $3 just beside their shop. No cutlery is provided to us too. They only provided one small cup of chilli, do ask for extra if you need it. 
    Cheap best food nice good Jalan Sultan Textile Centre Roasted Duck
    The herbal smell of the freshly roasted duck can be smelled through the bag as we were bringing it home. It came hot and roasted, it's not totally roasted till the skin is very crispy, but it is still better than most. You will also find chestnuts, garlic and other spices stuffed in the duck. The skin is slightly crisp and with a light layer of fat underneath.
    Cheap best food nice good Jalan Sultan Textile Centre Roasted Duck
    The meat is tender, flavored and moist that even the breast meat is an enjoyment as they were easy to tear off. They've opened another branch at Textile Centre, so if you're looking to get your hands on their ducks, do visit this new shop so as to lessen the waiting time. Size is good to share with family. I'm so addicted to it and will order it again even if I have to queue for it, because it's really worth it for the price!

    Wednesday, September 27, 2017

    Keng Eng Kee Seafood 瓊榮記海鮮 - Michelin Guide Zi Char Restaurant


  • Operating Hours: 
  • 12 PM - 2.30 PM and 5 PM - 10 PM
  • Operating Days: Daily
  • Address: 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-136, S 150124
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  • Reservation Number: 6272 1038

  • Keng Eng Kee Seafood 瓊榮記海鮮 pronounced as qióng róng jì, also known as KEK, is one of the Michelin starred restaurant that is located in a quiet Bukit Merah area, beside Alexandra Village Hawker Centre. KEK has started their family business since 1970, from a Hainanese Chicken Rice stall to the current 3rd generation Zi Char operation. KEK has an interesting family love story between the eldest daughter of the 1st gen owner and their employed full-time chef, which more information can be found on their menu. 
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    We were there at 6pm on a Sunday, and many tables outside the coffee shop were already occupied with a big crowd. 
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    Some of the KEK's signature dishes are Coffee Pork Ribs, Salted Egg Yolk Crab and of course the Chilli Crab.
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    Interesting history of KEK can be found on the menu.
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    The first dish served to us was KEK's signature Coffee Pork Ribs. This is definitely a must order dish for all coffee lovers. Rich and strong aroma Coffee scent, mixed with sugar and oyster sauce - the Coffee Pork Ribs is really a good dish to mix with white rice. Some of the zi char stalls tend to overcook their sauce, which would make the Coffee Pork Ribs tough and bitter. However, the Coffee Pork Ribs served here was exactly the opposite. Tender and boneless, the meat from the Pork Ribs was soft and chewy with the coffee aroma.
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    The next dish that came up was KEK's signature salted egg crab. Creamy sauce with the combination of salted egg yolk and the right amount of evaporated milk used, the sauce itself is already the star of the dish. We were told that at KEK, the owner will ensure that all the crabs used are fresh and up to a certain standard. The crab meat was fresh and thick, and the sauce served was enough for you to scoop and eat it on its own.
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    Next came was the stir-fried brinjal. This dish has good wok hei taste, which makes me went for a few more pieces. 
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    Next came was the "Choy Hiang" tofu, which the staff recommended. Deep fried homemade tofu with stir-fried minced pork & canned vegetable, this dish is good to mix with white rice! The tofu was smooth on the inside and crispy on the outside, it is definitely a good try.
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    Up next is their homemade Hay Chor (prawn roll)! The beancurd skin was filled with minced pork, prawns, carrots and water chestnut. It was then deep fried until golden crispy. For the price ($2 each piece) and the amount of good stuff inside, it is really worth it though it is still a little more pricey as compared to other zi char stalls. I prefer to eat my hay chor without any sweet sauce as it is flavorful enough.
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    A whole load of good stuff in a piece of Hay Chor.
    SGfoodfeed Lunch Dinner food restaurant Alexandra village hawker KEK
    The last dish that came was their signature Chilli Crab. By then, we were all having high expectation on this last dish, especially after we have tasted the salted egg crab. The Chilli crab, of course, did not disappoint us as well. The gravy is da bomb! The best method of eating the sauce is, of course, to eat it together with fried mantou. It is such a pity that at KEK, they don't serve fried mantou, but served Chinese steam pau instead. For those who would like to have an extra serving of the chili crab sauce, you will have to pay an extra $4.

    All in all, KEK Seafood is definitely up to the Michelin star standard. All the dishes that we ordered are suitable for our liking. It is definitely one of the zi char places I would keep returning.
    What I like about KEK is their fast service. The first dish was served just 5 minutes after we order. All the dishes were also subsequently served within 30 minutes. Despite our indecisiveness on what to order (due to a big group with 8 of us), the staff at KEK did not stress us to order, which to us, they are very customer friendly. Most importantly, despite their constant good business with many patrons, the food quality at KEK is up to standard as they have their own system in place to prepare the food. I would definitely recommend KEK to anyone who wants quality and affordable food.