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 All is not gloom and doom in the hawker front. We all complain that it is going downhill and that everything is getting outsourced such that hawkers are now more like traders rather than cooks but there is a glimmer of hope over the horizon. I guess with all things, it is a cycle we are talking about. We go from handmade to factory made and then when it looks like everyone is selling the factory made stuff, the handmade stuff suddenly becomes a unique proposition for consumers which some clever hawkers will capitalize to their advantage.
So this is the story with Carrot Cake. Just when you thought that all Carrot Cake is being outsourced, some stalls see the opportunity to differentiate themselves by steaming their own Carrot Cake. Somehow, it gives the stall a feeling of authenticity.
And the strategy works. Everytime I chance upon a stall that bothers to steam their own Carrot Cake, I will stop and order a plate. That's half the battle won. The other half boils down to the taste.
I guess when it comes to the taste of the Carrot Cake itself, one should be able to taste the difference with the white version since it is not masked by the black sauce. I must honestly tell you that the white version is not that great, which is a bit of a dissappointment. However, the black version of the Carrot Cake is well worth wasting a few Calories for. The Uncle fries it till it has all that wonderfull caramelized charred bits which is oh so heavenly! 4.25/5
Conclusion
Now, I wonder if there is really any point in steaming your own Carrot Cake if you can't really taste the difference in the white version. It's the black version here that is really good, but that has more to do with the frying technique and the recipe behind the sweet sauce.
So tell us, does your favourite Carrot Cake stall steam their own Carrot Cake? And do you think it makes a big difference? Guan Kee Changi Village Food Centre
#01-02
11am to 11pm
Closed on Mondays
With Wahcow, Cactuskit, WahcowMaiden, Khim, Liverpool Pumpkin Tempura Prawns (4 prawns $12)It is funny, but everytime a fancy restaurant incorporates some local flavours to Western Cuisine, we call it "Fusion". However, when a Cze Char incorporates some Western Flavours into their cooking, we don't really think of it as "Fusion", do we? Take Cereal Prawns for example. I am quite sure Cereal is not used in traditional Chinese cooking. But some very clever chef came up with this dish years ago and now everyone loves it. You hardly hear anyone complain that this dish is "non-traditional" or "Fusion".
This particular Cze Char Stall has been around for 30 years but it is only in the last two years that it has become increasingly popular. The increased in popularity came about when Ah Yoke, the feisty 60 year old Lao Ban Niang cum chef, decided to start experimenting with new flavours drawn from our current culinary climate.
Take the pumpkin tempura prawn for instance which is a cross between Japanese style tempura prawns covered with a gloriously rich Pumpkin Butter Cream which reminded me of a thick and savoury Pumpkin soup. The Pumpkin Butter Cream was quite an eye opener for me especially since I really like a good Pumpkin Soup. The sauce is so addictive that I could simply eat it with my rice and be as satisfied as little Jack Horner (you know the one who pulled out a plum and said "what a good boy am I"). Aside from Pumpkin and Butter, Ah Yoke also added some fresh chilli and curry leaves into the secret sauce. Simple but satisfyingly Shiok! 4.5/5
Crispy Ter Kah (Pork Knuckle) $15
The other dish that got the "Wows" from our kakis was this Crispy Ter Kah which really is Ah Yoke's version of the famous German dish. She manages to get the skin to be as crispy as Keropok with a nice layer of chewy subdermal fat to compliment it. Ah Yoke was explaining that she goes to a lot of trouble trying to extract the "porky" stench and excess fats from the Pork Knuckle. First, the pork knuckle is pressure cooked for 20 minutes to extract the fats, then it is slowly simmered in herbs to remove get rid of the stench.
One of the ingredients that is used in the Pork Knuckle is Red Yeast Rice which Ah Yoke said was added because it negates some of the ill effects of eating Pork fat. Now, you might think that this is another old wife's tale, but she is actually quite right. Red Yeast Rice contains lovastatin which is actually a cholesterol lowering drug. The "Statins" are a major class of drugs that are used to lower cholesterol levels, so our hawker aunty knows what she is doing! However, whether or not the addition of Red Yeast Rice to the Ter Kah is going to help with your cholesterol levels is debatable. So don't be too happy if you have high cholesterol, because this is NOT your license to indulge in Ter Kah!
The chilli sauce is quite unique as one of the key ingredients is apricot jam and it actually goes really well with the Ter Kah. My only grouse is that the meat itself was a little dry, otherwise the crispy skin and the chewy layer just beneath it is really quite a treat. 4.25/5
Marmite Pork $8
If you, (like me) enjoy Jing Dou Pai Gu (Pork Ribs) then you will enjoy the variations of the dish that you can order here. The Pork is nicely seasoned and has just the right amount of tenderness. You know how some Cze Char places go overboard on the use of bicarb in tenderizing the pork so that it has the consistency of fishcake? Here, it is tender but you still get enough bite in the pork. Basically, you can order the same deep fried pork with Pumpkin Butter Cream, Marmite or Mongolian sauce. We tried the Marmite Pork that day. It was good but I felt the Marmite flavour could have a bit more kick. Judging from the quality of the fried pork, I can think it is quite a sure bet that the Jing Dou Pai Gu would be really good. 4/5
Conclusion
If you are looking for your next Cze Char to visit, then Siang Hee is a good bet. Our kakis have either already gone back there or are planning a return visit with the family.
 Siang Hee Restaurant
Blk 89 Zion Road
#01-137
S160089
11am to 10.30pm
Closed once every 3 weeks on Tuesdays
97364067 Ah Yoke
What to do next?
Check out the review from the advance party led by PChong
Check out the food across the street at Beo Crescent!
There's several good eats at the Zion Road Food Centre too!
With my Teochew Ah Di, Wahcow Mee Pok Tah $3 Here's another one of those stalls that you better be quick to taste because the original hawker is already past 72 and even though he still looks like a "Lao Yankee", and behaves like one, he himself admits that at most he has 10 years of Mee Pok Tak left in him. Actually, he still looks quite good for a 72 year old. When I asked him why he wears a long sleeved shirt while he cooks his Mee Pok, he simply replied, "Cos I want to look good!"
Talking about the subject of aging, I know for most of our readers, hitting the eighth decade might still be quite a long time away. For us who are hitting middle age, it is like "Oh my, I am more than half way there, and the 2nd half is going to go quicker than the first half". I once heard a preacher (An Anglican Bishop in his 70's) say that every morning when he wakes up he goes, "Ay! I am still around!". It is almost as if after you cross the life expectancy age (78 for men, 82.8 for women), every day is a bonus. Are there anyone here that fall into this category?
Anyway, if you do have the fortune of passing the life expectancy age, then it really does give you the passport to do whatever you want, right? I mean, who cares if your Doctor tells you to stop smoking? "Ay, Doc, been smoking for 50 years and my bus still arrive at the interchange. You asking me to stop now?" Well, if you are in that category, then when it comes to food, I guess you can also just indulge in a bit of Mee Pok Tar which has a chilli made with good old Pork Lard.
Mr Liang proudly tells me that his chilli is made from Pork Lard, Buah Keluak, Hae Bee and Dried Chilli. For a person who always orders Mee Pok Tar mai Hiam (no chilli), I can tell you that this is one stall that I would ask for extra chilli. You see the main problem I have with Chilli is that most stalls just want to make their chilli hot hot. However, the chilli here is not overly spicy but the flavour is oh so addictive that you can just sit there and just pick on it with your chopsticks.
The other "champion" item is the Fish Dumplings (Her Giao) which Mr Liang still proudly makes himself. The slightly gooey texture of the meat filling is very good and it is one of the most memorable Her Giao that I have had.
Too bad the Mee Pok itself was not as QQ as I would like it to be. Otherwise it would have scored a higher rating. 4.25/5
Conclusion
Very good bowl of Mee Pok Tar and you get quite a big bowl for $3! Do yourself a favour and order a bowl of Giao Soup and try the chilli especially if you are the type who don't usually take chilli. It might just make you change your mind.
Mr Liang, 72 and still wants to look good!
 Ah Hor Teochew Kway Teow Mee
12 Verdun Road
Bet Sam Leong and Syed Alwi Roads
7am to 4pm
Wed closed
81274249
Mr Liang
Recommended by ice. Read her review here
 It was reported that a recent poll done by Shin Min newspaper voted Tampines Round Market the Best Hawker Centre in Singapore. OK, I agree Tampines Round Market has got a pretty good selection of Hawkers but I was suprised that it was voted the best. If you ask me, I think Old Airport Road Food Centre should be one of the contenders for Best Hawker Centre. The other contenders in my books would be Maxwell Road and Golden Mile Food Centres.
How would you judge a great food centre? For me it is mainly based on the number of great stalls around and the variety of food that you can find there. So, on one of those "Don't know what to eat days" you should be able to just pop down to the Food Centre, have a look around, and end up with a table full of great eats. And for me, Old Airport Road Food Centre is just one of those places. There are lots of good stalls around and I think you can find almost any hawker dish there, even uncommon ones like this Fuzhou Fish Ball noodle. And it is not just that it is available, this particular stall also happens to be quite popular and there is almost a perpetual queue till around 11pm when they close.
If you are looking for something warm for a light supper, this Fuzhou Fishball and Meatball soup might just do the trick and it is quite good value too! For $3, we counted at least 4 of each type of ball. The Meatball is a bit unusual and is sort of like a big Wanton that is filled with a pork filling. It has quite a special taste and is something you don't come across very often because it is imported from China (which might not be a good thing nowadays, but I still quite like it).
The Fuzhou Fishball is specially made in their factory and for those who might not have come across it yet, it is basically a fishball filled with meat. Fuzhou style fishball has quite a different texture to Teochew fishball as there is a higher ratio of flour to fish meat. So it is more doughy rather than springy to the bite. The soup is tasty (?msg++) and full of protein precipitate. 4/5
Unfortunately, most of our kakis found the Bak Chor Mee so so only. Nothing exceptional but an above average Bak Chor Mee which you can find late at night if you are hankering for this dish. 3.75/5
Conclusion
I am not really familiar with Fuzhou food. Any Fuzhou people out there who would like to recommend other Fuzhou places to eat?
 Meng Kee Foo Chow Fish Balls
Old Airport Road Food Centre
Stall 103 (Facing Main Road)
7am to 11pm daily
Closed on Sundays
 Have you ever had one of those experiences when you eat something and suddenly felt as if you were being transported back in time to a scene from a distant past? I am sure you have. Actually taste and smell can help trigger memories which are hidden in the subconscious mind. For example, there is one particular smell that I sometimes still come across that would invoke memories of my days at the PAP kindergarten in Toa Payoh Lor 1. It might have been the mixture of dilute red bean soup, mildew, sweat and dried urine but I haven't come across the exact same sort of smell in kindergartens nowadays.
When it comes to food, there is one that really transports me back to my primary school days at St Andrew's Junior School. I wrote about this before in my previous post on Rajis Indian food. It is a really simple dish of Indian Mee Siam which is simply Orangey Beehoon in a sweet gravy served with hard boiled eggs, but the taste is distinctive and very unlike the more common Nonya and Malay version of the dish. We used to buy a plate for 30 cents and the old man gave us a quarter of an egg cut with a piece of string hanging from the handle of the pot which I am sure was not changed for the 10 years I was in school. In fact, I think I might have eaten eggs cut from the same string as my seniors for who knows how many generations. Wierd thought that we might all be united by the same string.
 Anyway, I know I am not the only one reminiscing about this type of mee siam as I did come across a lady who was asking me for exactly this Indian Mee Siam. It's just one of those fast dissappearing heritage foods that you might like to try before it's too late.
Tastewise, its sort of sweeter than the other versions of Mee Siam but savoury at the same time. In case you are wondering, the principal ingredients that go into the Mee Siam is Tau Cheo (Bean Sauce), Candlenuts and dried whitebait. This is actually my favourite version of mee siam and I wonder why it is not readily available. Maybe I am one of the few that likes it because I grew up eating it in school? 4.5/5
I don't know if Indian rojak is also losing popularity or not, but it seems to me that you don't really see a lot of this nowadays except in 24 hour joints where the rojak is procured from a supplier. Sajis still insist on making their own fresh daily and it is a tradition that I hope will enjoy a renaissance. To say that it is losing popularity simply because it is FRIED FOOD would not make that much sense since we are all enjoying deep fried stuff like Tempura and Donuts. Perhaps the dish needs to have a little makeover to appeal to the younger generation?
Conclusion
This is in all sense of the word, "Old School" Mee Siam!
Post Script:
What new flavours of Indian Rojak would you like to see? Maybe something more healthy? More vegetables perhaps? Or maybe something more fusion like cheese or salami? Or perhaps it is something that you used to enjoy that is not available nowadays? This stall owner is quite open to exploring new ideas so write in and let us know!
 Sajis Indian Food
Blk 262 Waterloo St
#01-29 Nan Tai Eating House
9am - 7pm
Closed: Last Monday of the month
Sabeek 81395647
With Amagada Uni Shot $12There is little doubt that Japanese food is still the current favourite foreign cuisine amongst Singaporeans and the trend doesn't look like it is going to wane anytime soon. You get a sense of this just by observing the number of new Japanese eateries that are appearing everywhere. But we also know this from the poll results that was done earlier this year. So judging from the trend, I think we are going to see more Japanese eateries appearing and they are going to move away from the general Japanese fare to more regional and specialty cuisine as the restaurants try to differentiate themselves from the established players.
One of the new players in the scene is Tomo Izakaya. An Izakaya is basically the Japanese version of a Tapas Bar or Dim Sum restaurant, in the sense that they serve a variety of small dishes which you can order to accompany your drinks. Being situated in Clarke Quay, I think this concept would work well with the afterwork crowd looking for a place to unwind.
The food here is quite decent and there are several items which really caught my attention. The first was the Uni shot which is fresh Uni submerged in Sake with a wasabi and soy dressing. The Uni here is very fresh and the restaurant prides itself in having their seafood flown in from the famed Tsukiji Market in Tokyo twice a week. Certainly a very nice starter! 4.25/5
Tuna Bowl (Part of Tempura Udon Set) $16
Aside from the freshness of the seafood, another indicator of the quality of a Japanese eatery is the standard of the sushi rice and the wasabi. The rice is is very good and perfectly seasoned such that, like the Gardenia Bread slogan from long ago, it's "So good, you can even eat it on its own!". 4/5
 Braised Pork $12I highly recommend the Braised Pork dish. I think the photo speaks for itself. The braised pork was superbly done with that "melt in your mouth" texture and that elusive "Kong Bak" taste. I would be very happy to come here and just eat this! 4.5/5
Saikoro Steak Lunch Set $14The lunch sets here are pretty good value which is an important consideration in our current economic climate. Most of them are priced in the teens and you get quality that you can taste in a very cosy setting.The Saikoro Steak Lunch was very good value as I got more cubed Australian Sirloin than I expected for the price. The meat was a good and was tender and flavoursome. I thought that the sauce could be a little sweeter to give it a bit more ooomph. 4.25/5
 Sashimi Plate $58Being an Izakaya, they strive to serve all your favourites here and that must include Sashimi. I am not a big fan of Sashimi but I can appreciate that the seafood here is very fresh. I especially liked the amaebi (sweet prawns) and the uni (sea urchin). Of course, you get what you pay for so don't come here expecting really cheap prices since all the seafood are flown in from Japan. 4/5
 Beef RobatayakiIf you are going for drinks and nibblies, then I am sure you will end up with some Robatayaki dishes. I tried a few and in general they were good but not quite spectacular as it lacked that charred flavour that I was expecting. They don't serve Karubi beef or US Angus which I feel should be included in any joint that wants to label itself as a "Robatayaki" which has the connotation of a higher end form of Kushiyaki. I also couldn't find Butabara (Pork Belly) on the menu which was again something I would expect at a Robatayaki joint. I think this is one department that can be spruced up prior to their official opening. 3.5/5 Salmon Roe ShotConclusionThis would be wonderful place to hangout with a few friends after work for drinks and a few bites to eat as the location is great and it's got a really cozy laid back ambiance. The lunch sets are pretty good value and the Braised Pork is something I would highly recommend if you have a few calories to spend. I do hope to see them expand their Robatayaki menu to include good quality Karubi and Butabara. Update: 23 Oct 2008Sorry there was an error with regards to the Braised Pork Set. The Braised Pork is not part of the lunch set but can be ordered as a separate dish on its own.  Tomo Izakaya
3A River Valley Road (Clarke Quay)
#01-04 (opp bridge)S179020
63330100
Open for Lunch and Dinner
This was an invited review
 Kopi $1.10 I was told that if you wanted the best cup of Kopi from Killiney Kopitiam, you still had to go back to the original shop at Killiney Road where the coffee is brewed by an old Hainanese gentleman who has been making the Kopi there for the longest time. Now, I have always enjoyed the Kopi and Teh from Killiney Kopitiam, but never really blogged them because, well, they are everywhere and everyone knows about them already. But when I heard about the old man, I decided that I must pay the original kopitiam a visit.
"Ah Gong"
As it turns out, I was a little late. Four years too late as a matter of fact. The old man in question, affectionately known as "Ah Gong", retired in 2004. (Now who was it in the forum that told me about him?) Anyway, I was unfortunate not to have ever tasted the Kopi from this legendary "Barista" who had spent 54 years of his life brewing Kopi in the very same shop till he retired. Such was his dedication that he never had time to start a family and thus on retirement, he did what a Salmon would do and went back to Hainan island. Unfortunately, "Ah Gong" died last year at the age of 86 after having served close to a million cups of Kopi. (Assuming he makes 500 cups a day for 54 years with 2 weeks break each year)
You don't get people like "Ah Gong" anymore, so here's a little tribute to him for his contribution to our Singapore food Heritage. I am very sure that some of our readers will remember him fondly. Do write in and let us know yeah?
Kaya Toast
According to the Singapore Book of Records, this original shop at 67 Killiney Road is Singapore's oldest existing Hainanese Coffeeshop, having been around since 1919. The shop used to be known as Qiong Xin He and was a typical Hainanese Coffeeshop which served really good Kopi and Kaya Toast. It was only in 1993 that the shop was bought over by Mr Woon who then changed the name to Killiney Kopitiam and started expanding its operations. Fortunately, when Mr Woon took over Killiney Kopitiam, he managed to persuade "Ah Gong" and two other Hainanese men to continue serving the Kopi and Kaya toast.
Now, I used to think that franchising and expansion was a bad thing for our Singapore food heritage. There are some franchises out there which I feel have deviated too far from the original recipe. However, with Killiney, somehow they managed to still preserve a part of our heritage that would have otherwise been lost back in 1993. Now at least, I can still get a good cup of Kopi accompanied by Kaya Toast that is made to a certain standard at several locations around Singapore.
Whether it is a placebo effect or not, both Amagada and I felt that the Kopi C that day was about the best cup of Hainanese style Kopi compared to the rest of the other Killiney stores that we frequent. It was smooth, aromatic and very fragrant with only a slight tinge of bitterness and acidity. 4.75/5
French Toast
This issue about vanishing Heritage Hawkers is something that we should be concerned about. The good old hawkers of yesteryear who, like "Ah Gong" consider their jobs their life's calling are getting very rare. For many Heritage Hawkers their craft ends the moment they retire because for a lot of them, their kids have been educated and are not willing to carry on the family business. Over the next 10 years, we will be seeing hawkers from the post war "Baby Boomer" generation dissappear from our food scene. I think something has to be done to preserve some of these famous names.
Now, if we can draw upon what we learn from Killiney Kopitiam, it would seem apparent to me that one of the ways to preserve some of these Heritage Hawkers is for their businesses to be acquired with plans for expansion. Purists may baulk at the notion, but it is either we do that or we can just enjoy them in their current state for the next few years before they fade into history. I think for a lot of these hawkers in their 60's who do not have an heir apparent, an attractive retirement plan might be a good way of getting them to part with their skills. I feel that if they have been building up their "Brand" for the last 40 years, that this brand as value and this value can be repackaged into a sort of pension for the hawker so that he can still have some steady income, go into semi retirement and act as consultant to ensure that their recipes and skills are passed onto the next generation. This idea is not new and there are some other people who have already taken on the task of preserving our Heritage Hawker Brands, but this needs to be accelerated over the next 10 years in order to preserve some of these famous stalls. I must admit that not all of them work out well, but for those that do, like in the case of Killiney, it is a piece of tradition that has been preserved for posterity.
Fresh Bread with Butter and Kaya
Here's a little something from the regular customers of the kopitiam which you might want to try. Rather than ordering the usual Kaya Toast, get there first thing in the morning and try their fresh bread with butter and their fragrant Kaya which incidentally is still hand made with freshly squeezed coconut milk. You will have to get there early in the morning because by the afternoon these traditional bread would have already become a little stale. If you think about it, the real reason for us to toast bread or make french toast is because stale bread doesn't taste good. But freshly sliced bread is super soft and you can really savour the taste of the butter and Kaya while you enjoy nibbling on the soft texture of the bread. 4.25/5
Conclusion
Great Kopi and Kaya Toast and a legacy of an old Hainanese man preserved for future generations to enjoy.
 67 Killiney Road
Singapore 239525
Tel: 6734 9648 / 6734 3910
Mon, Wed to Sat - 6am to 11pm
Tues, Sun & PH - 6am to 6 pm
What to do next?
Check out the other stalls where you can get a great cup of kopi
See where else you can get traditional Hainanese food
Remember to vote for the dialect group you are in!
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Guan Kee Changi Village Food Centre 
