The hungry guppies had one of our FACE-OFFs again. I love these Face-Offs ;-).

This time, our targets are the chwee kueh stalls at Tiong Bahru Food Centre. There are many who do not know that there are 2 Chwee Kueh stalls there, not just one. One carries the name of the centre whilst there other does not. So we put the chwee kuehs bought from these 2 stalls to a blind tasting test by the hungry guppies…

On one corner are the chwee kuehs from Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh stall @ #02-05
and on the other corner are the chwee kuehs from Jian Bo Shui Kueh stall @ 02-62

And the results are:

Chwee Kueh candidate A- from Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh stall

Chwee Kueh candidate B - from Jian Bo Shui Kueh stall

The chwee kueh from Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh stall, unfortunately serves preserved radish that is too salty for my liking. Sesame seeds were added to the preserved radish, however, it doesn’ make a difference to me in terms of taste. The chilli also does not really go well with the kueh, it is just another different taste altogether.

Personally, I prefer Chwee Kueh B - the one from Jian Bo Shui Kueh stall. I feel that the Kueh is softer and also the chilli paste goes very well with the kueh, which makes me want to crave for more. The preserved radish is not too salty as well. The overall taste is not overpowering as compared to the one from Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh stall, which makes it a simpler and lighter breakfast.

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What other guppies say:

Chilli-Padi Guppy says: “Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh is a bit too hard for my liking and the chai poh  is a little burnt.  Although it is my first time trying Jian Bo Chwee Kueh, I must say I am impressed. The accompanying chilli good enough for me to give it the vote over the Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh.”

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Sweet-Toothed Guppy says: “I vote for Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh! Because it is less starchy and more chewy and soft. I like the texture of
the kueh itself. The radish on top contains a sizable amount of sesame seed which add to the flavour and texture. The chilli contains some amount of shrimp paste which i dig! The chwee kueh is also not as oily as some of the others that I have tried. Jian Bo Shui Kueh tastes just like any other regular chwee kueh. I find it a little hard to swallow as it was a tad dry.”

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Sommelier Guppy says: “I like the one with the sesame seeds (Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh) as i thought it has a richer taste while Jian Bo Chwee Kueh is more authentic(simpler).”

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Health Freak Guppy says: “On the whole, again, not really a chwee kueh person ‘cos of all that carbs. Anyway, between Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh and Jian Bo Shui Kueh,  I preferred Jian Bo. The kueh seemed lighter and less starchy. And  the chai poh was not overly salty. Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh seemed ’starchier’ and the chai poh, even though was supposed to be more exciting in  that it has sesame seeds added to it, was way too salty for me.”

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Gobbling Guppy says: “I prefer Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh because it is more salty so ‘got kick’. Jian Bo Shui Kueh tastes quite normal though.”

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Travelbug Guppy says: “Chwee Kueh is a popular breakfast item in Singapore. It is simply steamed rice cakes topped with preserved radish and is usually served with chilli paste. It is a must-try food for tourists as this is a type of food that is rather unique to Singapore. I tried both Tiong Bahru and Jian Bo Chwee Kueh and I love Jian Bo as the cakes are relatively softer!”

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WINNER: JIAN BO SHUI KUEH (4 votes out of 7)

1) What: Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh

Where: Tiong Bahru Market & Hawker Centre, 30 Seng Poh Road, #02-05,Singapore 168898

Operating Hours: 4.30am to 11.30pm

Price: 10 Chwee Kueh for S$2.80

2) What: Jian Bo Shui Kueh

Where: Tiong Bahru Market & Hawker Centre, 30 Seng Poh Road, #02-62,Singapore 168898

Operating hours: 6am to 10.45pm

Tel: 9022 3037

Price: 10 Chwee Kueh for S$2.80