The President's Picks!

In my post on Kway Guan Huat Poh Piah, I mentioned that this is one of the stalls that our President frequents. You might have noticed that I also created a new label called "President's Picks" which showcases some food that President Nathan likes to eat. So, aside from Kway Guat Huat, I also know that our President drinks the Teh Tarik at Hilmi Sarabat Stall as well as tar pau the prawn noodle soup from Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodle. ($4 portion, not the big prawn one).

Now, whether our President is a foodie or not is anyone's guess, (I am placing my bet that he is) and you might be wondering, "So what?". Well, I think that being a man who can basically have access to any food that he wants from anywhere around the world, he should have quite a discerning palate. Anyway, I think he has done a great job as President and this is just my simple way of honoring him.

So, do you know of any other stalls that the President frequents? Do write in and let us know!

There is also another new label called "Heritage Hawkers" which lists out all the Hawkers that have been feeding Singaporeans for generations. Eateries like Zam Zam (who just turn 100), Hock Lam Beef Kway Teow, Tong Ya Coffee and Saji's Indian Food are just some examples. I am trying to cover as many of them as I can, so if you know of any that should be part of the list, please write in to tell us as well!

Kway Guan Huat: The Presidential Poh Piah

With smart on 1st trip, ieatfamily on 2nd trip

A thing of beauty!

If you are a Poh Piah lover, then you really have no excuse if you have not been to Kway Guan Huat. Not only is this eatery a part of the Singapore food heritage, the Poh Piah here is quite simply, darn shiok. At last, a Poh Piah that made it into the "Really Must Try" list.

Just take a look at the skin. Nice and translucent, yet it holds a chock full of filling without breaking or allowing the sauce to ooze out. The texture is chewy and it leaves that wonderful sweet carbo aftertaste upon chewing. The second most important ingredient is, of course, the turnip filling. The savoury sweet filling here has that wonderful umami oommph. It's no wonder as they actually de-shell Sri Lankan Crabs in order to add crab meat into the filling. You can't really see the crab meat, but you can definitely appreciate that crustacean sweetness. Thirdly, the homemade crispy bits which are actually made from some sort of fish paste adds that wonderfully sweet crunch to the Poh Piah.



Put them altogether and you get a wonderful matrix of flavours and textures. Chewy (skin), crunchy (crispy fish bits), juicy (turnip), crispy(lettuce and bean sprouts), sweet (sauce) and spicy (chilli) plus and interesting contrast between the warm filling and the cool vegetables. This is the inexplicable beauty of a expertly rolled, fully packed and turgid Poh Piah. 4.6/5



There is only one thing that I am not quite happy with and that is the fact that the filling is microwaved just before making the Poh Piah. I felt that traditionally, it should be scooped up while it is still bubbling in the pot. I think it would have made a difference to the amount of juiciness.


Crispy bits and Poh Piah skin ($16 per kg) can be bought separately

The best thing about the Poh Piah here is that it is fully customizable as well. They sell the standard version here for $2 each. But if you came all the way from Tuas and just want the premium stuff, just ask Zita to pack for you the works ($3.50). And you can even get to choose from not just one, but four different types of crunchy bits. Ahhh, heaven!

Zita is the Lao Ban Niang here and she has told me that she welcomes her guests to bring their own stuff to put into the Poh Piah. Crispy Pork Floss and XO sausages immediately comes to my mind. Some of her other customers have added stuff like seaweed.


Poh Piah Set for 2 $16 (Eight sheets of Poh Piah skin - refillable)

If you like to roll your own Poh Piahs instead, they also sell Poh Piah sets here where you get the filling in a claypot and all the ingredients so that you can do it all yourself. I thought it was quite ingenious. You pay them a little more to do the work yourself! Hmm, it's just like paying to go pond fishing I guess. They also sell sets that you can bring home to have your very own Poh Piah party.



Now if you think that making a Poh Piah is easy then think again. Amagada and I made our own Poh Piah initially, but we got Zita to make one for us and boy there was a difference. It's got something to do with the proportion of ingredients and also how you roll the Poh Piah. One of the crucial things that I observe is the initial side folds. Notice that she brings both sides to meet each other in the middle before proceeding to roll the Poh Piah? That makes the Poh Piah really full and the double layer of skin gives it more skin to chew on in every bite.

Conclusion

What else can one ask for in a Poh Piah? The fundamentals are all there and you can even bring your own fantasy filling. Plus, the old shop has got a rustic charm and a sense of history to it, being able to trace its roots all the way back to 1938 when it was being sold from a push cart. It really doesn't get better than this.

Oh and before I sign off, I was told that the President's maid comes regularly to tar pau the Poh Piah home. Guess that's another one to add to my list of Presidential Hawker Stalls.

Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat
Original Poh Piah Skin & Kueh Pie Tee
95 Joo Chiat Road
63442875
Zita 96773441
Open 10am to 8pm daily
Closed on Mondays

Hilmi Sarabat Stall: Ah The President's Teh Tarik... At last!

Do you still remember my last post on our President's Teh Tarik? Well, I thought I would never have a chance to drink of the Presidential Brew since the "Michael Bolton" and I both share the same working shifts.

But yesterday was my lucky day! I happened to be down at Marine Parade Food Centre and lo and behold, the President's Teh Tarik Man was on duty! It so happened that the other Teh Tarik man had returned to Indonesia for the Hari Raya Holidays, so he was working an extended shift.

The "Michael Bolton" was telling us that since the last post, he has had many new customers coming by asking for the President's Teh Tarik as well as questions like whether the President really came by in his shorts, T shirt and flip-flops on Sunday mornings to buy his Teh Tarik. Alamak, those readers who really asked this question, please own up. I already told you that that would have been a breach of Presidential protocol! Once you become a President, you must never be seen in flip-flops.

Anyway, I was just over the moon that "Michael" (I still don't know his real name) was on duty that day. This time round, I did not need to haggle, all I needed to do was to order the President's Teh Halia Tarik and it was delivered to my table.

Maybe its just psychological, but the brew was indeed befitting of royalty. Full bodied and fragrant with an excellent post-gustatory ginger punch. It really put the tiger in the tank. So good, I had to order a second cup. 4.6/5

Conclusion

Our President really knows his Teh Tarik!

Hilmi Sarabat Stall
Marine Parade Food Centre
#01-146
5.30am to 11pm
Presidential Teh Tarik only available up till 12.30pm normally, but this month up to 3pm

Hilmi Sarabat Stall: Presidential Teh Tarik

Want to drink the Presidential Teh Tarik? Hop down to Marine Parade Food Centre and look for this Sarabat store and you too can feel like the President.....at least for 10 minutes. Of course the President does not come down to the stall himself to drink the Teh Tarik. That would mean a lot of work for the Security Guards who will need to get the Presidential Body Guards and also arrange for the neighbourhood police to partition off a section of the carpark for the presidential entourage. So much red tape for a cup of Teh Tarik. Instead the President's driver comes by to Ta Pau the Teh Tarik back to the Presidential Mansion.



Although this stall is opened throughout the day, the President's Teh is only available during the mornings up till 12.30pm. That is because it has to be made by a particular man who is code named "Michael Bolton" to protect his real identity. (Actually I think it is because of his hairstyle). Anyway, the "Michael Bolton" only works the morning shift, so the Presidential Teh Tarik was not available when I got there at 2.30pm in the afternoon.

Ah, but you astutely observe that I managed to take pictures of him and are wondering why he cannot make a Teh Tarik for me since he is still around. I wondered too. I pleaded with the "Michael Bolton" for at least 15 minutes to no avail. The man just would not make me a cup of Teh Tarik. Frustrated, I unleashed my secret weapon.......iwatch_ueat.

Now, if iwatch_ueat can't get him to make a cup of Teh Tarik, no one can. Trust me, this lady can even get a loan shark to give her money when she needs to.

Anyway, after 15 minutes of negotiations, she came back empty handed. Well not really, I did not get my Presidential Teh Tarik, but I got a good explaination why not. You see, they prepare the tea beforehand and because his shift was in the morning, the batch of tea that is already prepared was not done by him. So it would taste different even if he were the one adding the milk and tariking it. It so simple, why didn't he tell me earlier?

Anyway I had the Teh Halia Tarik made by the partner and it was very very good! There was enough punch from the Ginger, the Tea was strong and it was creamy and smooth. Sip, gulp....Aaaahhhhh! 4.5/5

Conclusion

If the one made by the partner was already so good, I wonder what the one made by the "Michael Bolton" would taste like? Looks like I have to visit this place on a Sunday morning in order to get a taste of the authentic Presidential Teh Tarik!

Hilmi Sarabat Stall
Marine Parade Food Centre
#01-146
5.30am to 11pm
Presidential Teh Tarik only available up till 12.30pm

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles: Ladies and Gentlemen, We have a Winner!

With smart, iwatch_ueat, PK and ColdStorage

Prawn Mee Soup with XL Prawns $8

I think I have found the preeminent prawn mee at last.

Up till now, I have found that most of the top rated stalls were just as good as each other and have been having difficulty proclaiming one to be my favourite. That is to say, if someone from overseas wanted to taste a prawn mee, I would choose from the few top stalls that I have blogged depending on convenience.

Not anymore. Now if my Japanese friend wanted to try prawn mee, I would bring him to the other stalls ONLY if this one was closed.

The prawn mees that I have taken so far all had soups that were really salty and gave you that impression that lots of MSG was used. This one is different. This one had an unique taste which I initially could not identify. I just knew that is was a spectacularly pleasing taste and it wasn't predominantly MSG. It was one of those flavours that you really can't put your finger on, but you know that you have tasted it before and really enjoy it.



It was only after finishing the bowl of soup that I realised what it was! It was that unique taste you get in Lobster Bisque!! Ooooo, that "extract of crustacean shell and all the stuff in the head" taste! Wow, this old couple really know how to squeeze out the best from a prawn.

The owner was tight lipped about what goes into the soup. But after must pestering, he did reveal that it contained 6 seafood ingredients. I also found out that he fries the prawn head and shell and squeezes out all the yummy stuff!

The prawns here are also some of the biggest XL prawns you can find. So sweet and juicy, phwa say! The noodles were also excellent. We had the dry mee pok and the texture and taste of the noodles were equally spectacular. 4.75/5

Conclusion

We have a winner! This prawn mee soup stands one head above the rest because of that unique taste. I have been thinking about it everyday since I ate it last week and even made a trip back this week.

PS: Its rated high because it is different. If you are looking for that usual bowl of prawn mee you might be dissappointed as it is not as salty as the rest.

Wah Kee Prawn Noodles
Blk 41A Cambridge Road Hawker Centre (Pek Kio)
#01-15
96883633
7.30am to 2pm
Closed on Mondays

Recommended by eslim and smart