This was moment of truth for many CBD workers out there, as The Hungry Guppies decided to compare the two famous stalls at Upper Cross Street:  Chiew Kee Chicken Noodle House vs Chew Kee Eating House. As tasty as the food were the news that surrounded them: this guppy heard that apparently, the two stall owners are actually siblings who have both decided to part their ways. Well, who knows.  Now to the real stuff!

For easy orientation & reference:
- Chiew Kee @ 32 upper Cross St is nearer to Eu Tong Sen St than Chew Kee @ 8 upper Cross St
- Chew Kee @ 8 upper Cross St is nearer to Lau Pa Sat than Chiew Kee @ 32 Upper Cross St

Chiew Kee Noodle House (Upper Cross Street shop 32)

Chew Kee Eating House (Upper Cross Street shop 8)

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Chopsticks flew fast and frenzy as the guppies attacked the chicken.  The chicken from Chew Kee Eating House looked darker than the one from Chiew Kee Noodle House. But the proof is in the eating! And these were the state of the chicken AFTER the face off:

State of chicken after the attack

Noodles from Shop 8 (left). Noodles from shop 32 (right)

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So as you can see from the evidence, the overall winner is … CHIEW KEE NOODLE HOUSE (shop 32)!  For this guppy, I relished the chicken from shop 32 simply because it was tastier and sweeter.  I also too a sip of the sauce from both boxes, one of the other.  My guppy face lit up the moment I tasted the one from Shop 32; it’s simply tastier. The one from shop 8 seemed a bit flatter in taste.

Health Freak Guppy’s rating:

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What other guppies say:

Gobbling Guppy says: I have been eating the shop at no. 8. Cross Street and thought it was so good till I ate from the shop at 32, Cross Street.

No. 8’s chicken is ok, the sauce is not too sweet, and though I don’t take too well to food that is too sweet, shop 32’s slightly sweet sauce was quite satisfying. I guess this dish requires some sweet toasty caramel flavour in the sauce to be good.

Shop 32’s noodle was served with some rich green kalian type of lettuce which is a better look and better value to shop 8’s noodle served with light green iceberg lettuce (like eating slightly limp ‘crunchy water’).  Shop 8’s chicken rice type of chilli sauce probably complements the food better than shop 32’s chilli.

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Laughing Guppy says: I prefer the chicken from shop no. 32 which has a slightly sweet taste to it. The meat was more tender and better-cooked. I tried the rice but not the noodles and felt that the rice from 32 was more oily and had a richer “chicken-rice” taste to it. The rice from 8 was too dry for my liking and was more bland. Although the rice and chicken from 32

were preferred, the chilli from 32 was a disappointment though. It did not compliment the soya sauce chicken at all and it spoilt the taste of the rice too. However, I can always eat soya sauce chicken without chilli so the taste of the chilli is not a big issue for me. My overall vote is still 32.

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Papa Guppy says: Healthy eating is all about making food choices, the tastier food choices that is :-). If I  am to let go and forget about counting calories and fat intake, I would really want to use it on the most yummy food possible, if I know in advance that is. That is why I was so thrilled about this FACE-OFF of the 2 famous soya sauce chicken noodles at Cross Street. I know about them for years now and up till now never really knew which is better as I never had the chance to try both of them at the same time and I always thought that they are almost identical. I was surprised indeed when I tried them ‘side by side’, one morsel after another, it was clear cut for me, Chiew Kee ( 32, Cross Street, the one nearer to Eu Tong Sen Street) was much more to my liking, the meat and chicken skin was not just flavourful but has the right kind of balance between sweetness and ‘saltiness’. But the chilli sauce of Chiew Kee ( 32, Cross St) was not as nice as the chilli sauce of Chew Kee ( 8, Cross St). Guess I cannot have the best of both worlds ..

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Sweet Tooth Guppy says: I have always been patronising the shop no.8, all the while unaware of the existence of another shop selling exactly the same dish. I maintain that the no.8 shop serves better chicken because it is more tasty. However, the people at no. 8 should put in more effort in making the chicken look more presentable.  (No too many bloody looking pieces.. slice the chicken nicely). No. 32’s chicken definitely looks better and tastes pretty ok as well. I like the marinate for no. 8 chicken more as it is not too sweet. When it comes to the noodles, I frankly can’t tell the difference between the two stalls. so it’s a draw! The chilli sauce for no.8 is definitely way better than no.32. No. 32’s chilli sauce is too sweet for this sweet-tooth-guppy who wants spicy and hot chilli and not candy-floss sweet chilli. …

Overall, I will still go for shop 8. But if I were to bring guests to dine at one stall, it would have to be no. 32 as it looks more presentable and doesn’t taste too bad as well.

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Sommelier Guppy says: Certainly prefer the texture of the noodle from shop no. 32. It taste like it has less ghee and the texture is smoother, straighter strands. As for the chicken, I prefer the one from stall no. 32 as well. Somehow, although No 8 is fine, the one from no. 32 has a ‘rounder’ taste with the smell of the sesame oil still lingering in the mouth. The meat is more tender with the juice of the chicken still oozing out as you bite it as compared to the one from No 8 which is a little bit tougher.

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Angel Guppy says: Oh ya … I support no. 32 …the no. 8 mee (noodles) is not so nice, too dry andthe chicken is too raw…oh man just look at all the blood!!!

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Shop No. 8 details:

Chew Kee Eating House, No 8 Cross St

Tel: 62220507

Operating Hours: 9am - 7pm (closed every Fri except public holiday)

Shop No. 32 details:

Chiew Kee Noodle House, 32 Upper Cross St

Tel: 6221 3531

Operating Hours: Daily8am - 7pm (Alternate Wed Off)

By Health Freak Guppy

It was a glorious morning at the office today when Papa Guppy offered the rest of us guppies Ikan Bilis (or deep fried anchovies with chili) from Tanjong Pagar Plaza. The moment I tasted some of those Ikan Bilis, my heart melted even though I knew it was cannibalistic!  (Sorry baby anchovies!) The taste was delectable.  And the ‘kick’ of the chili spice was just nice, meaning, a good enough kick.  The size of the ikan bilis is smaller than usual, giving it a nice texture as you chew … not too chunky.

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Health Freak Guppy’s rating

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What other guppies say about the Ikan Bilis from Tanjong Pagar Plaza

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Papa Guppy says: A few guppies just happened to be swimming around the hawker centre opposite Amara Hotel (Tanjong Pagar Plaza) when we happened to see this lady sitting in front of one huge pot of ikan bilis and scooping them into small containers for sale. It is actually a nasi lemak stall but the chilli ikan bilis must be so good that they are also selling them by the potful. If they can sell so much of it, it must be good then. We “da bao” some back for the other guppies to try.

The chilli ikan bilis from this nasi lemak stall at Tanjong Pagar did not disappoint indeed!. Wow, got real kick in it. Crispy, tasty and spicy, it is good as a snack and I can imagine that it will be real yummy to go with fragrant nasi lemak rice as well.

Sweet-toothed Guppy says: I am so grateful for Papa Guppy for having made this FOODIE discovery!
Kudos for the enterprising hawker who sold this ikan bilis and peanuts in small snack containers. Now, I no longer have to stomach rice, otak, egg and cucumber jsut to satisfy my craving for a crispy, flavourful snack which is sweet and spicy at the same time! YUMMY! Oh did I mention that it taste really fresh too!

It’s never more fun being carnivorous! Sweet-tooth guppy loves to chew on these ikan bilis!

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Angel Guppy says: Nice chili, not too spicy yet very fragrant, very crunchy. Guess this ikan bilis from the stall at Tangong Pagar would go very well with some ice cold beer!

Grumpy Guppy says: “Just the right level of spiciness.”

Sommelier Guppy says: “The size of the ikan bilis is just right. If these tiny fishes are any bigger, I doubt the taste would be as good. The bigger ikan bilis tend to have a bitter taste as their innards are bigger. Another winning point of this ikan bilis from the food centre at Tanjong Pagar is that it has a cripsy, porous texture that really score points with me

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Gobbling Guppy says: Ikan Bilis from Tanjong Pagar is nice. Nuts were crunchy. Ikan bilis did not break my teeth

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Chili Padi Guppy says: It’s spicy enough! Sedap! Well fried with sugar to just the correct degree of caramelisation and not burnt.  Can finish the whole tub in a day!

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Travelbug Guppy says:  “Chili Ikan Bilis” are anchovies fried with sugar and chili till it’s crispy with a caramelised golden colour. Delectable! Usually eaten with “nasi lemak” (coconut rice) or fried vermicelli. A must for tourist wanting to taste the spicier side of Singapore food.

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Details

What: Chili Ikan Bilis

Sweet-Tooth Guppy:

When I first saw Apa Rojak, my first thought was:

OH MY!  SGD4 for a small plate of rojak… *shakes head…tsk tsk tsk…*they must be trying to rip off the curious tourists who come to Lau Pa Sat for a taste of local food..

BUT that was my opinion SEVEN  months ago. Now, I am a true blue APA ROJAK FAN! In fact, ever since I finally succumbed to my craving for rojak one fateful day, there has not been a single week when I don’t willingly fork out SGD 4 for this SUPER delicious rojak.

The ingredients used in the rojak are always fresh, you don’t get limpy cucumbers or soggy bangkwang (chinese turnip). The pineapples are also crunchy and sweet (not sour). There are also slices of apples in Apa Rojak. The you tiao (fried dough stick) is freshly toasted on the spot, right being it was mixed with the other ingredients such that it does not taste greasy and limp.

But of course the winning ingredient that holds all this mixture together would be the flavourful black paste. YUMS! Not too salty, not too sweet, just the way this guppy likes it! Topped with a generous amount of grounded peanuts, Apa Rojak is no longer just a side dish for lunch, it has become a main lunch dish for me. One complaint though: When I ask for chilli for my rojak, it is never spicy enough!!!

Close up of the Yummy Apa Rojak

You can also order rojak without all other ingredients apart from the you tiao!  How’s that? Customisable ROJAK for the picky eaters!

Here’s the menu, for the more adventurous eaters, there are innovative menu times such as snowjak (rojak with mayonaise) and Mango Rojak. Vegetarians can also enjoy this tasty dish as well as they actually use a vegetarian sauce and stir the mixture in a separate bowl as well.

See what I mean by GENEROUS helping of grounded peanuts.

They even use a manual grounder to grind the peanuts. Interesting no?

Lau Pa Sat is full of food stalls and it can be challenging to find Apa Rojak. Here’s Apa Rojak’s sign! It’s located quite near to the center of Lau Pa Sat.

Careful Guppy says: I am actually allergic to prawns and have been avoiding rojak as the black paste contains shrimp paste most of the time. So, I am really glad to learn that Apa Rojak actually serves GOOD VEGETARIAN rojak. Apa Rojak is flavourful but not overpowering . Despite the huge serving for my SGD 4 order, I managed to clear my plate of ALL the ingredients without feeling sick of the taste. Actually, for the sake of reviewing Apa Rojak on Hungry Guppies, I risked having swollen lips and tried the non-vegetarian version of the rojak as well( just a little bit…). There is actually not much difference in terms of taste, between the non-vegetarian and vegetarian versions of Apa Rojak, just that the taste is slightly stronger for the non-vegetarian version.

Fickle Guppy says: I like Apa Rojak as I can just order my rojak with you tiao(s) and no other ingredients. The you tiao is really crispy and goes well with the tasty sauce. It’s a good combination!

Grumpy Guppy says: Once again, Lau Pa Sat has surpasses my usual high standards. Apa Rojak is really yummy! I like the fresh ingredients especially. I simply had to introduce Apa Rojak to my colleagues. They are having a promotion during lunch time, SGD 2 for a small plate of rojak, (ideal for people who just wants rojak as a side dish) but that is definitely not enough for my appetite!  (and usually my appetite is not very huge!)

Travelling Bug Guppy:

Rojak is a fruit and vegetable salad dish commonly found in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia . The term “Rojak” means mixture in the Malay languaue. Some of the common ingredients in the Singaporean version of rojak includes cucumber, pineapple, turnip, you tiao (fried dough sticks), tau pok (fried to-fu) .  Different vendors include different ingredients in this dish.The ingredients are cut into bite-sized portions and tossed in a bowl with the dressing and topped with chopped peanuts. Some tourists may not be able to appreciate the flavourful and unique dressing. However, the more adventurous tourists are strongly urged to give this dish a try.

Details of Lau Pa Sat ’s Apa Rojak:

Address:
Stall #114
Street 1
18 Raffles Quay, Lau Pa Sat Festival Market, Singapore 048582

Opening Hours:

11 am- 11 pm (daily)

This cake shop at CBD claims to be helmed by a Japanese master who has over 20 years of baking experience and has worked for famous confectionery shops like Konditorei Mozart in Okayama. Hungry Guppies, unable to resist the urging challenge from such boastfulness, bought 7 of what’s available on the shelf for tasting. Here are our verdicts:

Strawberry Shortcake

One of my favourites. Haven’t really tired enough shortcakes to compare professionally, but I like it that its not too sweet nor is it too creamy. The thick layer of sliced strawberries underneath the sponge cake burst out fresh juice with every bite.

Strawberry Souffle

Some Guppies like this because its soft. But I personally think its just a taller, less delightful cousin of the strawberry shortcake.

Rare Cheese Mango

Another personal favourite. For starters, I love mango and cheese. The latter was rich enough to keep me wanting more while the sweet mango ensures I don’t feel lactic overdosed.

Fromage Syun

The cheese tart has a nice lingering flavour while the crust is… just an ordinary crust. Pales in comparison to the other cakes as there was nothing to balance off the creamy cheese.

La France (Creme Brulee topped with apricot jam)

I find the jam so sweet I can’t taste anything else. I prefer the traditional creme brulee as the caramel doesn’t overpower the tinge of vanilla sweetness in the custard if done well.

Earl Grey Cheese Tart

Never tried a tea-flavoured dessert before. Well, except the overpopularised green tea. I was surprised by how much of the Earl Grey I could taste. At first I thought Earl Grey would be a weird match with cheese. Turned out not at all.

Maison

And we present to you our unanimous favourite! It has 4 different types of sponge cake - vanilla, green tea, chocolate and coffee. This is how my taste bud dissects: green tea and chocolate comes together to give a sweet yet refreshing taste. Vanilla complements both with a floral flavour. Finally,the coffee that disperse in my mouth just before I swallowed concluded this gastronomic journey bittersweet.

Breakthrough Cafe is run by a Christian based aftercare association, which provides skills to ex-convicts who face difficulties in employment due to their criminal record. Though there’s a meaningful mission behind this eatery, the patrons aren’t there only to do something good.  Breakthrough’s dim sum IS reasonably good, even creative. The two dishes I would strongly recommend are, I believe, their own creation and not found in anywhere else. We were there early morning, at 8am, on Christmas eve. Even though it was pouring, there were 4 other tables of customers already munching away!

My Favourites:

Cod fish ball with roe

The first bite was springy, like traditional fishballs. When I sank my teeth farther into the filling, the juicy roe  bursts into my mouth. This is my favourite part: As I chewed, the roe gives off this garlicky flavour that gradually coats my taste bud. YUM…

Cod Fish Ball

Also made of cod fish, it wraps around crab roe mixed with what I guess is mayonnaise. As delicious as the above mentioned.

Century Egg Congee

This congee is light and slightly watery. Some people like their porridge like that, but I personally prefer one with a very gluey texture and hopefully embodies the flavour of century egg. Nevertheless, this is worth a try.

The other dishes are at the standard of dim sum in average restaurants. There are, however, too many dishes with the mixture of prawn and pork. After a few dishes, there wasn’t much variation in tastes.  Also, our poor Careful Guppy, who is allergic to prawn, had to abstain from most of the breakfast.

Prices are cheap and the staff are amazingly helpful and courteous. There’s no service charge, though I think the staff absolutely deserve some form of appreciation. An air-conditioned and comfortable environment, standard of restaurants in shopping malls. All in all, I think it’s a good place to go to if you happen to be in the vicinity, especially for the Cod Fish Ball!

Address: 101 Upper Cross Street
#01-02 People’s Park Centre

Tel: +65 6533 5977

Opening Hours: Mon–Fri 7am – 5pm
Sat 7am – 3pm (Closed on Sun/PH)

Heard of Les Amis?

I can see you nodding your head excitedly, you foodie guppy!
Les Amis launched a new line of frozen gourmet food a while back and the Hungry Guppies simply had to taste the food.

On a bright Saturday morning, the Hungry Guppies headed to Au Jardin Restaurant ( part of Les Amis group )at the Bontanical Gardens, all excited, armed with their discerning tastebuds.

Guest Guppies waiting eagerly for the tasting to begin!

Tasting begins! Moment of silence follows as the guppies concentrate on using their mouths to eat instead of talk.

Hungry Guppies tasting Lazy Gourmet’s offerings. YUMMY! Does not look or taste like the usual frozen food you get.. Are you sure this is packaged frozen food?

This time around, the tasting was filmed for a Channel U infotainment programme. Yeah! Hungry Guppies is going to be on TV!

Guest guppy Debbie taking a photograph of her Pot au Feu

Grading the soup, giving some comments and feedback.

Examing the many differnt items on the Lazy Gourmet menu. Yums

Chef Assistants waiting anxiously as the Hungry Guppies vote for their favourite main course. It was a tough choice I tell you!

All good things must come to an end eventually. Time for a group photo!

Special thanks go out to the friendly people from Lazy Gourmet , Chef Kevin, who prepared the food for the Guppies, the production company, Threesixzero, guest guppies and everyone else who have made the tasting event a success!

For more information on Lazy Gourmet, please refer to www.lazygourmet.com.sg

JOIN US for our next tasting event! Sign up here now!

Sweet-Tooth Guppy:

After a long hiatus! The Hungry Guppies’ appetite has grown even STRONGER and HEARTIER…Nothing can satisfy the lust of our taste buds…. except for MEAT… loads and loads of flesh..  with bones and fats… We want protein!

Therefore, it’s with immense pleasure and satisfaction that we are recommending this stall at Lau Pa Sat today.

Yes yes yes… I know that some people have labelled Lau Pa Sat as an overpriced food place just for tourists and the yuppies of Shenton Way BUT I beg to differ on this view.

Lau Pa Sat, to me is quite a haven for a good meal. That’s provided you know which stall to buy from. Yes.. the power of knowledge can placate your picky taste buds!

Here’s one stall which didn’t disappoint the Hungry Guppies!

Mang Kiko Lechon Stall #27

 The People behind Mang KiKo Lechon Posing!

Funny!

Come to Mama! Yummy Roasted Chicken

The stall sells roasted chicken, pork, pork belly and though I have never been much of a meat person especially pork… but I MUST say that the roasted chicken is simply fantastic. It is not over-roasted and the meat is not too tough nor is it undercooked with a  strong bloody taste. It is done JUST RIGHT. The meat was marinated well and it is very tasty. I usually don’t eat chicken skin but i gobbled up the skin of this roasted chicken. YUMMY!

The roasted pork on the other hand is delicious! It tastes a little bit like pork satay. I don’t quite fancy the lard but I do enjoy the chewy texture of the lean parts.

Here’s a photo of our takeaway meat dishes.

The meat aren’t chopped to look good but being I am never one for the LOOKS of the food. The TASTE of the food is what matters to me. The meat is served with sliced cucumbers which help to refresh the taste buds in between the hearty mouthfuls of meat. You can also ask for rice to go along with the meat if you need some carbo for your meal.

Another good thing about Mang Kiko Lechon is the selection of sauces that they offer!

Help yourself to the sauces, there’s this salty-soya sauce tasting black sauce, mildly spicy vinegar and wweet sauce (the greenish looking one). No points for guessing the favourite sauce of the sweet-toothed guppy. yes, I like the sweet greenish sauce but I prefer my meat at its original taste. I don’t really need to enhance the taste of the meat with the sauces at all. Yup, that’s how good it is to me! one thing that can be improved: BIGGER servings please!!! hahaha…

Papa Guppy says:Delicious! Ever since last Friday when I first bit into the succulent chicken meat and the tasty roasted pork, I have been looking forward to eating them again. I prefer the roasted chicken for health reasons as the roasted pork is a little too fatty with the lard. Nevertheless, I think that both the chicken and pork are very flavourful. They have been marinated well. I will be happier if they serve more vegetables along with the meat though but otherwise, this is a good stall at Lau Pa Sat for a satisfying meaty meal.

 Chilli-Padi Guppy says: I do enjoy eating the roasted pork but I will try to avoid the more fatty parts as it gets a little “jelat” (heavy-tasting) after a few pieces. The chicken is really arommatic and tasty. Its texture is just right. I like the spicy vinegar sauce which tastes rather special but the other sauces are just as good. Each sauce gives you a different unique flavour but actually, the meat itself is already quite flavourful without the sauces.

 Grumpy Guppy says:I am quite particular with the food I eat and was pleasantly surprised with such a find at Lau Pa Sat. I have never expected something so good to actually come out from Lau Pa Sat as I had a rather bad impresion of it. Infact, I avoid having to buy food from Lau Pa Sat. The roasted chicken is my preferred meat from the stall as it does not taste too fatty unlike the pork (which is good but just a little fatty-tasting). However, I do think that the portion is a little too small. Otherwise, this is still one of the few (really, I can count with one hand) stalls which I will patronise.

Travelling Bug Guppy:

Built in 1894, Lau Pa Sat is the largest remaining Victorian filigree cast-iron structure in Southeast Asia. Located in the heart of Singapore’s business district,Raffles Place, it is usually packed on weekdays during lunch time. It offers a wide and affordable variety of local food. At night, a side-road next to Lau Pa Sat will be closed and patrons can enjoy a meal of satay and seafood sitting on the roads with roadside stalls.

Details of Lau Pa Sat Mang Kiko Lechon:

Address:
Stall #27
Lau Pa Sat
18 Raffles Quay, Lau Pa Sat Festival Market, Singapore 048582

Sweet-Tooth Guppy:

Usually when one mentions pasta, an image of a high-class Italian restaurant with a traditional stove for cooking pizzas is conjured in one’s brains; Faint hint of Italian music…. the aroma of cheese and little Italian flags as decorative ornaments….the pseudo Italian waiter with a moustache which curls up at the ends and speak with a rich imported Italian accent.All that….followed by some nice round holes in your pockets.

BUT HEY! Good Pasta is not just limited to fancy Italian restaurants. It can also be found at Hawker Centres at a more affordable price! In fact, Pasta Express at Hong Lim Market serves some pretty decent pasta. Recommended by Da Pao Guppy, Pasta Express do have some signature pasta dishes.

This is Pasta Express’s Seafood Pasta, served with a generous helping with prawns and squid and clams. This tasted rather hearty with a rich tomato (not those bland and watered down kind) sauce. Not bad at all. For $6, the amount provided will make you feel quite fulfilled.

This is Pasta Express’s Pasta Vongole: Pasta cooked in white wine sauce with clams. YUMMY! usually, i try to avoid shellfish as I don’t exactly like the fishy taste. However, for this dish, my worries were unfounded. The white wine sauce is not too heavy to the extend that one might get sick of eating the pasta half-way through the meal. With a little chilli, this Pasta Vongole tastes just right. However, I would have like to have more clams instead of clam shells but I guess that with the price I am paying… $4.50 for a reasonable serving, I should not be too demanding. Also, if there were some hint of tabasco sauce, this pasta vongole might have tasted even better.

Still, my conclusion is: for the price you are paying, and considering that this is supposed to be Hawker ware, the pasta at Pasta Express is definitely value for money.

One more plus point is that the wait for the food is not too long so it’s perfectly fine to go there for a meal during office hours!

Health Freak Guppy:

I chose a comparatively simple pasta dish - Pasta with tomato and herb and was most impressed with the quality of the pasta. The sauce is freshly cooked, not those that you simply pour out of the jar. Those have so much preservatives, I won’t even go near them! My pasta left me full and extremely satisfied. Will definitely come back here to try the other pasta and maybe some of the other western dishes as well

Sommelier Guppy:

I like the Pasta Vongole from Hong Lim Market Pasta Express because the taste of it is not too heavy. The slight tinge of the white wine sauce works very well with the creamy taste of the pasta. It is a MUST to eat Pasta Vongole with some chilli flakes as this will give the dish a well-rounded taste.

Da Bao Guppy:

I feel that Pasta Express totally deserves the Four Guppy Rating I gave it. I ate the Seafood Pasta which tasted really good, really yummy and I am very happy with the portions of the food. Pasta Express is not stingy with ingredients and their servings and that makes it on top of my ” Da-Bao-Worthy” list. I get quite annoyed with small portions of food as afterall, not everyone eats like a bird, and Da Bao Guppy most definitely doesn’t eat like a bird.

Fussy Guppy:

The Seafood Pasta I had tasted a little “Asian” as I asked for some chilli in it. Still, the fresh seafood with spaghetti tasted just right. I also think this is a good deal for pasta lover. You know it can’t go too wrong when I, Fussy Guppy am not complaing about the food!

Details of Hong Lim Market Pasta Express:

Address:
Blk 531A Upper Cross Street
#02-42 Hong Lim Market

Note: Stall is closed on Sundays

Sweet-Tooth Guppy:

If you loyal reader guppies have been following our entries, the Hungry Guppies went for a good, satisfying meal at Tong Ah Seafood. See Chinatown Tze Char Stall: Tong Ah Seafood.

Now, located in the same outlet is Tong Ah Coffee Shop. Sommelier Guppy mentioned that the Kaya Toast served at Tong Ah Coffeeshop is very good.

Feeling a little skeptical, (you mean there are toast out there which matches my favourite Yakun Kaya Toast?Hmmm….), I was hesitant in trying the Kaya Toast for fear of a disappointing food foray.

However, after some persuasion (ok, I confessed, it did not take much), I gave in to the “Hard-sell” tactics of the rest of the guppies and bit into the Kaya Toast. To my surprise and delight, the kaya toast is  pleasantly crispy, unlike the soft lumpy kinds that some hawker stalls sell. The kaya is not as sweet as the one that I am used to at Yakun but nevertheless, it is quite fragrant as well. Needless to say, the slabs of butter completed the whole wonderful Kaya Toast Experience.

Here’s a photo which I managed to take before all the pieces of Kaya Toast was snapped up. Seriously! These Hungry Guppies move FAST!!!

Just look at the yummy colour of the toast and those “burnt” region. YUMMY! Geez, my stomach is growling as I blogged! Oh my!

The coffee served at Tong Ah Coffee Shop is first-grade stuff.  My cup of coffee was fragrant and rich in flavour. The coffee beans used were probably fresh as there was no bad after-taste. Instead, after drinking one whole cup of coffee, served in the “old-fashioned” kind of cup, I found myself craving for more of this caffine fix.

After the food-filling meal, I found myself thinking, “Hey! This is pretty good stuff….” This place is not only good for Tze Char, but it’s also quite decent as a breakfast place.  I decided to snoop around the coffeeshop more and found these:

No wonder! Seems like I am not the only enlightened one who agrees that Tong Ah Coffee Chop is “quite decent as a breakfast place”!

What other guppies say:

Gobbling Guppy:

I shared 2 slices of Kaya Toast with Sweet-Tooth Guppy as I am currently undergoing a weight loss programme. It’s a pity I had to share though as I do like the taste of the Kaya Toast very much. It is toasted rather evenly, just the way I like my Kaya Toast. However, I still think that the Kaya can be a tiny little bit less sweet. And because of my indulgence in the Kaya Toast, I probably have to run an extra 500 m or more during my morning jog. Well, I say… it’s worth it!If not for the fact that I am accountable for my own weight, I might have gone for seconds!

Sommelier Guppy:

The Kaya Toast is not overly toasted till it’s as hard as a biscuit and I appreciate the kaya not being too overwhelmingly sweet. The coffee goes well with the toast as it balances the sweetness with its fresh coffee bitterness.

Da Bao Guppy:

I had 2 slices of Kaya Toast by myself. They are delicious. The kaya is not too sweet, infact, the sweetness is just right for me. I like how the saltiness of the butter complements the sweetness of the kaya as well. When I go to the coffeeshop on a weekend, I will definitely pack some home for my family. I think they may just like the Kaya Toast as well, especially my little boy boy.

Grumpy Guppy:

The Kaya is not too sweet and that’s good as I won’t be left feeling thirsty. I kind of preferred this toast to the other mainstream brands as it tasted really authentic.

Travelling Bug Guppy:

Kaya toast is a popular snack amongst Singaporeans and Malaysians where kaya is a local spread (not unlike jam)  Kaya is made of eggs, sugar and coconut milk and flavored with pandan leaves.  Kaya Toast consists of, Kaya and usually butter or margarine  spread on two pieces of preferably toasted bread. Kaya Toast is commonly found in many other parts of Asia as well such as Taiwan. It is also said that te

Details of Tong Ah Coffee Shop:

Address: 36 Keong Saik Road

Telephone: 6223-5083

Sweet-Tooth Guppy:

When Sommelier Guppy told us about this Tze Char Stall at Chinatown, Tong Ah Seafood that we must absolutely patronised, all the guppies got into a frenzy. We all know that Sommelier Guppy has a refined palate and high expectations when it comes to food.

Excitedly, the guppies made plans for an “assault” of Tong Ah Seafood. Finally, the fateful day arrived and the Hungry Guppies bounced to the Tong Ah Seafood in high spirits!

What greeted them was a long list of enticing  dishes on the menu. All of which made them smacked their lips in anticipation. After a moment of deliberation, the Hungry Guppies made their orders and swiftly, the food was served. Hot. Delicious. Without the guppies having to wait for too long.

Here are what the Hungry Guppies feasted on:

Salted-egg Cereal Prawns

These are yummilicious. Pity that each Guppy was given only 1 serving, that is one prawn each.  I found myself scrapping the leftover cereal crumbs on the plate after the prawns were all eaten up. The prawn meat was fresh and succulent as well. Overall, this dish was tasty with a slightly sweet and spicy tinge to the well-cooked prawns. The salted egg flavour adds a special touch to the dish.

Pa Pa Guppy had to order this dish as while he was busy fiddling with his recalcitrant camera (which was giving him some problems), all the dishes were snapped up by the rest of the Guppies.

Not too heavy on its taste, the braised pork is tender and lightly flavoured. However, as I am not a great fan of  pork, and have not tasted other braised pork dishes I cannot exactly tell if this dish is superior to that which other stalls offer. Overall, I would grade this dish satisfactory, not a must-try.

A special dish of Tong Ah Seafood, I must say that the sauce has an excellent flavour. The bittergourd, contrary to its name was not too bitter and the meat was not too hard, cooked to the right degree. I guess the cook is probably quite experienced and skillful to know exactly the exact duration of cooking his dishes.

This dish is easily my favourite dish of all the other sumptious dishes. Topped with chinese pickled radish, chinese mushroom and minced pork, the beancurd is soft on the inside with a slightly firm skin. The toppings complemented the smoothness of the beancurd wonderfully. This dish is savoury without being too flavourful. If I can only pick one dish to feast on, along with some white rice, this dish would easily be my choice.

The salted-fish fried rice is not too bad to me but I have eaten my share of better salted-fish fried rice. To me, this dish is too lightly flavoured. I can hardly taste the saltiness of the salted fish! However, this also meant that it complemented the other more flavourful dishes which the Hungry Guppies feasted on. Judging from how Give-Me-Rice-Guppy kept going for more servings of the fried rice, it must have been really good to him. I would never eat the fried rice on its own with no accompanying dishes.

I love this dish! Maybe it’s because there’s a slight sweet tinge to it. The chicken is tender, not overcooked, not undercooked, just right. And the sauce all over the chicken is very very savoury. There’s also aspecial flavour of the curry leaves added to this dish. I must say this dish is a delicacy in its own right. I am rather impressed with it. This dish, along with the beancurd dish mentioned earlier are must-trys of Tong Ah Seafood I must say!

Tze Char Stalls are all over Singapore. But the key in getting a satisfied meal always and simply lie in the stall patronised.

Gobbling Guppy:

The food is GOOD. I love every dish that we ate. The braised pork was tender and juicy with tasty bits of lean meat. The pork with bittergourd is a love at first tasting for me as well. I enjoyed the Beancurd as well as it goes well with the other more flavourful meat dishes that we were having. I think the Salted-fish fried rice is quite tasty as well. I am also quite impressed with the speed that the dishes were served. There was no need for any long waiting time at all. Quality food!

Papa Guppy:

I was skeptical about Tong Ah Seafood initially because I feel that when there’s too much excitement and hype about a certain eatery, there is bound to be some disappointment. I found out that I was not entirely wrong in my pre-assement of Tong Ah Seafood. The food served is delicious but not exactly what I would describe as exceptional. Basically, the bottom-line is the food did not live up to the hype and all the enthusiasm of the Hungry Guppies I think. Still, I may go back there in the future.

Spicy-Guppy:

The Claypot Chicken is my favourite dish.It has a rather pleasant and savoury flavour and I was mildly surprised to find that it has been cooked with curry leaves as well. This is the first time I ate claypot chicken cooked with curry leaves. I guess that must have given it its unique flavour. The rest of the dishes are not bad as well. This is not too shabby a place for a family meal.

Health Freak Guppy:

This meal is not the best option of a health-conscious Guppy. Deep-fried Salted-egg cereal prawns…. FRIED rice with SALTED fish…Fat laden braised pork… Oh My.. I am already looking at spending more time on the threadmill. Still once-in-a-while indulgence in such rich food is certainly understandable… no?

Sommelier Guppy:

I have been eating frequently at Tong Ah Seafood. Infact, I dine there almost once a week. The dish that I really enjoy is the Pork with Bittergourd. Somehow the bitterness of the bittergourd complements the saltiness of the pork very well. I am very impressed with the way the cook controlled the amount of heat used to cook this dish. The bittergourd is not overcooked and the pork has a nice texture to it. I also like the Beancurd with Chai Poh, minced meat and mushroom as it has a very delicate taste to it with much of the saltiness coming from the Chai Poh. I feel that all the ingredients put into this dish has a purpose and they serve their purposes well. From my ample experience of dining at Tong Ah Seafood, Thursday is generally not a good day to dine there,as somehow the food just isn’t as delicious on Thursday. Maybe they have a different cook to come in on Thursdays.

Da Bao Guppy:

To me, all the dishes have their strong points. All are tasty and Da-Bao worthy. Infact, after my meal, I actually packed some beef hor fun back for the family. I would definitely bring my family here for a meal.

Give-me-rice Guppy:

I ate alot. ALOT of Salted-fish Fried Rice. It’s really yummy and I like it alot. I think I, alone ate half of the plate of fried rice.

Expat Guppy:

I enjoyed the food at Tong Ah Seafood but I wonder if some of the dishes may taste even better with some spices and some chilli. My favourite dish is the salted-egg cereal prawn. I think it has quite a special taste.

Travelling Bug Guppy: A Tze Char (pronounced as Zi-Char) stall is a Chinese food stall serving a wide range of a la carte dishes. People usually eat the dishes with rice. Tze Char  literally means   ‘cook & fry’, in reference to the  use of frying (almost always with woks) in preparing the dishes sold at the stall. You need not have a party of people so as to dine at a Tze Char Stall. You can also order one dish which will be served with rice. Popular one-person meal can consist of sweet-and-sour fish with rice and seafood hor fun (rice noodles).

Details of Tong Ah Seafood:

Address: 36 Keong Saik Road

Telephone: 6223-5083

Sweet-Tooth Guppy:

Do you like beancurd?

Guess what the Hungry Guppies found??? Horlicks Soya Bean Curd!

When Pa Pa Guppy (the explorer of the guppies) texted me about the Horlicks Soya Bean Curd… I was EXCITED… I love Horlicks… It was a childhood reward drink for me. Whenever I complete my homework/assignments.. My mum will reward me with a cup of Horlicks… YUMMY…. nostalgia…. Needless to say.. I love beancurd too!hmm… I love all things BEAN.. including MR BEAN! as in the comedian.. yup… so I was really curious about this HORLICKS bean curd!

Here’s how it looks!

Yummy looking right?… it is sweet… just the way I like it… it also has a smooth texture. The bean curd practically slid down my greedy oseophagus into the bottomless pit of my stomach… YUMMY… and the serving is huge… the syrup is of a nice brownish hue which is probably  gula melaka. To put it simply: It looks good and tastes good….

BUT! (yes… there’s always a “BUT”)

after 2 huge packets of HORLICKS bean curd… and really really really trying very hard to taste the bean curd and not just gobble them up in a frenzy… I found myself asking… HMMM… where’s the HORLICK taste? It’s not in the syrup… neither can I taste it in the bean curd… Basically, I can’t find a reason why this bean curd is labelled HORLICKS bean curd. I asked Pa Pa Guppy if he is sure that there’s supposed to be Horlicks in the bean curd. To prove his words, he showed me this photo below.

Alright.. looking at the number of Horlick Powder Tins right infront of the stall, I guess they really do put Horlicks into their soya bean.. just that some how I can’t taste it. Perhaps, my taste buds have been overwhelmed by the sweetness of the syrup.

All that said and done, I will definitely go back for more bean curd. It is still a good sweet treat afterall! Oh and it’s supposed to contain High calcium too! I guess that comes from the Horlicks?!
What other guppies say:

Papa Guppy:

I was thrilled to see the tins of Horlicks right infront of the stall. What a discovery! However, for health reasons, this Horlicks Bean Curd is definitely too sweet for me. I like its soft and smooth texture though. Perhaps I should just ask for lesser syrup the next time. I can taste a hint of the Horlicks in the handcrafted bean curd and I like it. According to the stall owner, the Horlicks was added to the bean curd to give it a good aroma. Well, I guess that works for me.

Spicy-Guppy:

The beancurd is really silky and smooth but the syrup is too sweet for me. I didn’t manage to taste the Horlicks as well. Maybe they need to put in more.

Da Bao Guppy:

This Horlicks Bean Curd tastes just like regular bean curd to me. However, I do like how smooth it is so I would still buy some home if I am around the area. Only if I am around the area though, I will not purposely go down to Maxwell market for this. There are also good bean curds elsewhere.

Grumpy Guppy:

The Horlicks Bean Curd is nice, but I had to drink quite a lot of water after it as it is a little too overwhelmingly sweet. Still it managed to chase away my grumpiness for a while. It’s homemade and I like that about it.

Travelling Bug Guppy:

Horlicks, a malted milk drink should be familiar to many around the world. Bean curd, on the other hand, may not be as well-known. Made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds, comes in different forms. The bean curd referred here is more silky and rather like a kind of bean “custard”, and not the drier version, tofu. Found commonly in Asian countries such as China, Korea, Singapore, it’s also known as dou-hua in chinese and is a common snack or breakfast item. I do like this Horlicks Bean Curd as I find the combination quite delightful.

Give-me-rice Guppy:

I am a rice boy. But sweet things I like too. And Horlicks I like. My papa guppy used to buy me this horlicks soya bean curd when we have lunch there at Maxwell food centre after my Sunday school, I like it, not as much as chicken rice, but still like

Details

Location: Maxwell Food Centre Stall no. 4
1 Kadayanallur Street
Singapore 069184

By Gobbling Guppy

DIE-T another Day… Tong Heng Egg Tarts Today!*

*read this while listening to a James Bond Sound Track.

Gobbling Guppy:

Hmmm… Die-t Another Day…… Does this ring a bell to all you James Bond fans? Die another Day…You must be really puzzled over the link/connection between James Bond and Tong Heng Egg Tarts… the reason behind such a rara drammatic post title is actually as follows…

When the call came from Papa Guppy to signal the early arrival of the Tong Heng egg tarts at the car park (at lunch time instead of tea time), I, the Gobbling Guppy instinctively bounded out of the office and headed for the lift. I saw it close from a distance and leapt towards it, jabbing at the button to will the lift door open. The kind souls in there allowed me in. As the lift reached the car park level, the poor guy in there had to leap out of my way for fear of being stampeded. As I strolled coolly towards the car park, I saw Papa Guppy’s car arrive with the prized Tong Heng egg tarts. Mission accomplished.

After the whole fiasco of getting the famous Tong Heng egg tarts, I rewarded myself with 2 of the guppilicious darlings. They’re totally satisfying. The crust is suitably crisp and the egg custard is smooth and not too sweet. The whole tart is a nice good size to slowly savour. But one is not enough of course. For once I did not gobble, but nibbled at a steady rate, two egg tarts at once. Then I got worried because there would be none left to eat for tea…

What other guppies say:

Sweet-Tooth Guppy:

The signature Tong Heng Egg Tarts are to DIE for indeed… DIE-T another day! I gobbled up 3 egg tarts… GEEZ… all the cholesterol and calories! At least I think it’s worth it! Not too sweet with a flaky and thin crust, these signature egg tarts are good for tea and as a gift! While other egg tarts out there have a oily buttery, too-thick crust, the egg tarts from Tong Heng stood out exceptionally well with an appropriate egg-custard-to-crust ratio. However, I do prefer the past Tong Heng Egg Tarts with even more flaky crust which crumbles with the most gentle of nibbles… The post-franchise egg tarts are not as fragile but also not as nice. STILL, in my universe, Tong    Heng Egg Tarts still reign supreme!

Spicy-Guppy:

I like the thin crust of the Tong Heng egg tarts. The egg custard itself is also not too sweet and that suits my palate perfectly. My daughter loves these egg tarts too!I must say these are very nice!

Fussy  Guppy:

The crust is crsipy while the egg custard is smooth and soft. Yummy!But I still prefer soya egg tarts because they are less sweet. Yes.. I am THAT fussy…hahah!

Sommelier Guppy:

The egg custard has a smooth texture which is soft. However, it is a little too sweet for my likinf. One thing special about these egg tarts has got to be their crust. From my secondary school days learning about home economics, I recognise that this crust is made by the folding method which makes the egg tarts even tastier, as compared to the regular egg tarts with the regular powdery,biscuit-like crust.

Da Bao Guppy:

Frankly speaking, I can’t find anything that is not good with this egg tart. The sweetness of it is just right. Maybe these egg tarts are not that accessible that’s all.

Grumpy Guppy:

These egg tarts are nice! I don’t feel after grumpy after eating them and that’s a good sign. An acknowledgement of its quality in fact. I will also recommend it to my friends and family.

Travelling Bug Guppy:

Egg tarts are a kind a pastry popular in many parts of the world. It has an outer pastry crust, filled with egg custard. A little known fact is that the humble looking egg tart is very much a part of the menus in any Dim Sum restuarants in Hong Kong. They also come in different forms such as chocolate tarts, green-tea-flavoured tarts, and even birds’ nest tarts! These are yummy delicacies recommended for any traveller!

Details:

Tong Heng - specialist in Traditional Chinese Pastries (famous for its egg tarts)
Address: 285 South Bridge Road Singapore 058833
Fax: 6225 8484
Tel: 6223 3649

You can also find another branch at Jurong Point Shopping Centre #b1-10