Ristorante De Parma: Tell me, Hungry Really Go Where?

Pizza Bianca $24.90 12 inch (Pizza Night every Tuesday, 10 inch pizza $12.90)

Now, I am sure everyone here knows about the Hungrygowhere website right? Well, I had the opportunity to work with the boys from Hungrygowhere recently on the Heritage Hawkers project. During one of our lunch sessions I casually asked Hoongy the $64K question: "Ay, so tell me, you've been eating at all the best restaurants in Singapore for almost two years, Hungry REALLY Go Where?"

His answer was really quite unexpected. Rather than spewing out the names of some of the really well known restaurants in Singapore, the first restaurant he mentioned was this small little family run Italian Restaurant in Serangoon Gardens.

So since the kids were hankering for pizza, I decided to pay them a visit. Now if you are a parent like me, you really need a handy list of places which you can go for a casual pizza or else you will be doomed to eating at Pizza Hut. I am glad to tell you that here is a place where you can enjoy your gourmet pizza while the kids have their Hawaiian.

Ristorante de Parma pride themselves on using the best ingredients and making everything from scratch. They tell me that their pizza base is made from Italian flour and they make their own pizza sauce from canned Italian tomatoes. The base is nicely crisp at the edges and thin and chewy in the middle, just the way I like it. Best of all the toppings go right to the edge so that when you pay for a 12 inch pizza, you are getting almost 12 inches of topping, not 10. I just wished the Mozarella were thicker and more chewy as I enjoy a Mozza which can give you a masticatory workout at the same time.

We started with the Bianca, which is a light pizza that does not have the tomato based sauce. Instead it is made of three cheeses and topped with semi dried tomatoes which they make themselves. It's a pizza which Ping, the owner, said is popular with a lot of ladies. I should think so, since the guys (such as myself) usually tend to be more carnivarous in nature. 4.25/5


Smoked Salmon Pizza $28.90

Their house specialty is the smoked salmon pizza which is quite unusual. Instead of having the usual thin pizza base, they used a thicker base which has an unique texture which is somewhere between a cracker and a bread. The combination of the base with the tarragon mayonaise, smoked salmon, onions and capers worked really well. Quite unique and definitely not traditional Italian pizza but something worth trying. 4.25/5


Calzone with assorted Mushrooms and Foie Gras

It's amazing how much influence Seinfeld has on this blog. Aside from the concept of the Food Nazi which was derived from the episode "The Soup Nazi", I first learnt about Calzones from the episode "The Calzone" where George again got himself in trouble when he was caught retrieving his tip from the tipping jar. For those who may be unfamiliar with the Calzone, it is basically a pizza which is folded over and then baked. I guess you could think about it as a huge baked curry puff. There was a period of time in the past where I was quite crazy over the Calzone. You've gone through food phases right? The great thing about the Calzone is the fact that the ingredients are cooked inside the crust, so it is still very nice and moist and the natural juices are trapped within the Calzone.



One of the great things about eating here is that, being a family run place, they are quite happy to cater to your requirements. So as I thought about the filling for my Calzone, I wondered if I could replicate the amazing aroma of Porcini Mushrooms and Foie Gras with truffle foam which I came across when I did my stint as a Commis Cook at Aurum. I thought it would be pretty amazing if I could get that aroma coming out of the Calzone when you cut into it.

Well, the first try wasn't quite up to expectation. We lacked an important ingredient that day which was the truffle (or at least the truffle oil). The foie gras with sauteed assorted mushrooms and cheese Calzone was still pretty good. Have to try this again and hopefully they might have some truffle oil next time! 4/5


Pizza Philip (named after a regular Aussie patron

Talking about designing your own pizza, here is one that was introduced by an Aussie patron who ordered it so frequently that Ping decided to add it to their latest menu. This particular pizza had spaghetti and bolognaise sauce on it topped with cheese and ham. OK, Philip might like it, but I think this will be as popular as widgety grubs in Singapore. 3/5


Tiramisu $12.90

For dessert, I highly recommend the Tiramisu which is one of the best ones I have eaten. The cake is overflowing with coffee liquer and they don't stinge on the mascapone cheese.The portion is rather big too. At first, I thought it would be enough for two people, but when you start eating it, I think one portion might not be enough. 4.5/5

Conclusion

Ristorante De Parma is the kind of place I like. It is a family run restaurant passionate about providing good food and small enough to give that personal touch. The basic pizza base and sauce is very good, so it is up to you to choose the toppings that you like. I've got to go back and get that Calzone right. Next time I might get them to do George Costanza's Eggplant Calzone for me.

They are currently having a pizza promotion every Tuesday night where 10 inch pizzas are going for $12.90, which is excellent value.

Check out other reviews at Hungrygowhere here. They have just revamped their menu so there have been some adjustment to their prices.

Ristorante De Parma
14-B Kensington Park Road
Serangoon Garden Estate S557265
62801096, 97633147
Closed on Weds
www.ristorantedeparma.com

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Seng Hong Coffeeshop: A Blast from the Past

With Damien

Steamed Lohti with Peanut Butter 50 cents per slice

Nostalgia is a precious commodity in Singapore. In our fast paced society where "Land is Scarce" most places only have a limited lifespan. So you are not likely to find the old oak tree where grandpa was supposed to meet grandma and run away together. A lot of the significant spots that Amagada and I fondly remember from our dating days have either been renovated or demolished altogether. Heck, even SM Goh's old dating hotspot, the National Library, is no more.


Bread steaming over pot of boiling water

So when Damien mentioned this old coffeeshop which still steam their Lohti (traditional bread), I got really excited.

It gets better. Not only were they steaming their Lohti, they were still boiling water from an ancient pot which, I am told is at least 70 years old. Rest assured, they clean the pot and decant the water at the end of the day, so it is not one of those legendary braising sauce stories where the pots are never washed out and theoretically, you can still be eating the part of same sauce from great grandpa's days.

You hardly see steamed bread nowadays, but I tell you, it really is very shiok! I was literally transported back in time ala Anton Ego's flashback sequence from Ratatouille. Mom used to steam bread for Grandma who prefers it to toast as it is easier on her dentures. In those days I never really appreciated steamed bread. In fact, when Gardenia made its first appearance in our supermarket shelves, we were all awed by its "so good you can eat it on its own" tagline and we kids looked upon steamed Lohti as passe.

Needless to say, the steamed Lohti with peanut butter was one of the best things I have eaten. It's warm and it is superduper soft. No wonder Grandma could gum it without her dentures! It was so good, I had to order a second serving and I would have a third if not for the fact that we came here right after lunch. 4.5/5


Kopi 80 cents

The Kopi here is what it should be like. Thick, full bodied, creamy and fragrant. It's no wonder since they can trace their origins back to Tong Ya at Keong Saik Road. It happens that 40 years ago, the third son of the owner of Tong Ya left to open his own coffeeshop right here. Just like Tong Ya, the coffee tends to be a little on the bitter side but this can be fixed easily with the addition of evaporated milk if you don't like it too bitter. 4.25/5


Kaya Toast

The Kaya Toast is good here but would have been better if they made their own Kaya. With so many places making Kaya Toast nowadays, you really do need homemade kaya in order to stand out. 3.75/5


Mr Tan standing at the original counter brought over from Keong Saik Road

Conclusion

I wonder why not many other places serve steamed bread. It is really very very shiok and sitting in that old coffeeshop, sipping Kopi and eating soft lohti is just one of those things in life that are so simple and yet so enjoyable. And all for less than two bucks!

Seng Hong Coffeeshop
Blk 58 Lengkok Bahru
6am to 6pm
Closed alt Sundays

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Canon-Ieat Food Photography Workshop on 13 December

First Prize Photo from Jimmy Lee one of the participants of the 1st Canon-Ieat workshop

Notice is hereby given for the 2nd Canon-Ieat Food Photography workshop.

I know that there were some readers who couldn't make it for the first workshop, so this is your chance to come join the fun!

The workshop is targeted at anyone who wish to improve their skills at taking informal food photos. You will be getting a lecture on the technical aspects of photography from the resident Canon professional followed by my presentation on food photography. After that we put our new found knowledge to work by shooting photos of the food and then we get to review the food after that. There will be a competition to find the best food shot of the day with attractive prizes to be won!

Can eat, can shoot and can win prizes some more! Hope to see you there!

Date: 13th December 2008 (Saturday)
Time: 2pm to 5pm
Location: Sun with Moon Japanese Dining & Cafe, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street,
#01-70/71/72, The Central Singapore (Clarke Quay), Singapore 059817.
Photography skill levels: Beginners
Equipment: DSLR and Advanced Compact Camera (with manual control).
Menu: Japanese
Fee: SGD 70.00
Payment mode: Cash/NETS (payable at Canon Digital Lab) or Cheque (make
payable to Canon Singapore Pte Ltd)
Closing Date: 10th December 2008

Limited to 30pax only on a "first come first served" basis. You don't have to own a Canon camera to participate. In fact, two of the prize winners at the last workshop were using cameras of another brand!

Please register at http://digitallab.canon.com.sg/food.html

• Find out what happened at the first workshop here
• One of the "Graduates" of the first workshop is our very own makan kaki, Wahcow who bought his first DSLR after the workshop. You can see his delicious food pics our forum by clicking Here.

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Tokyo Eats Part 2: Tonkatsu Tenshin: Where the locals go for Tonkatsu in Meguro

Jo Rosu Katsu (Special Pork Sirloin Tonkatsu) 1600 yen

For Tonkatsu, we made our way off the tourist route to the town of Meguro where there is a famous Tonkatsu restaurant called Tonkin. However, according to my internet research, there is a smaller restaurant which the locals favour called Tenshin which sounded more interesting to me. Rumour has it that the restaurant is run by the wife of the chef who can be quite a Food Nazi, so I might not be able to take any photos. Shudder.....



I always had the impression that Japanese society is one where the women are being subjugated but apparently this is not entirely true. One Japanese friend told us that when you walk around Tokyo during lunch time, you can see all these men in uniforms eating bowls of ramen by the streets while the women dine in restaurants. This is because everytime the man receives his pay packet, the entire amount goes to the wife and they get an allowance for their everyday needs! One thing I have noticed is that in a lot of the small eateries that I go to, it is the women that manage the restaurant while the men just prepare the food. On several occasions I got told off by the restaurant matron and commanded to stand in line, but I will talk about it more in a later post.

Anyway, when we got to the Tenshin, I was relieved to find that the Matron was not around so I was more relaxed. The chef turned out to be quite a jovial person and eventually even taught me a thing or two about making the perfect Tonkatsu.

Needless to say, this was the best Rosu Katsu I ever had and it wasn't even Kurobuta pork. Wonderfully juicy and oh so tender. It would be an exaggeration to say that you could cut it with your chopsticks, as some have claimed, but it was really tender nonetheless. 4.5/5 Contrary to expectations, there was none of that sesame grinding ritual and the Tonkatsu was just served with lots of shredded cabbage and Tonkatsu sauce.


Special English Menu for Foreigners (we were the only ones that needed it)

Now, we were feeling rather greedy that day, so after we finished our individual portions, we decided that since we came all the way from Singapore to this remote part of Tokyo, we should just order another portion to satisfy our greed.

Scallops and Pork Fillet Set 1600 yen

No regrets! The scallop tonkatsu was heavenly! It was so sweet and the taste just reminds you of the cold northern waters where the scallops were harvested! Even better than the Jo Rosu Katsu! 4.75/5



To get there you get off at Meguro station and when you exit the Station just head in the direction of Ebisu which is the next station. The best way to do this is to remember the direction of the train when you get off. I just got out of the station and headed straight down the road in front of me. There should be a 24 hour mini mart on the left side of the road followed by a hotel. Other than that it was a 10 to 15 minute walk down a dark quiet street till you hit the bright yellow signboard on your left hand side.

Conclusion

Best Tonkatsu I have had and the scallops were even better! Eating Tonkatsu in Singapore will never be the same again! Sigh.

Tonkatsu Tenshin
2-8-1 Mita, Meguro-ku
Tokyo, Japan
Open six days a week (closed Wednesdays)
Lunch: 11:30am to 3:00pm
Dinner: 17:30 pm to 9:30pm

Here is the review that recommended it

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Heritage Hawkers at the Big Eat Out

A big thank you to all readers who came down to support the inaugeral Heritage Hawkers' Fair which was jointly organized by Hungrygowhere and the National Heritage Board with the help of ieatishootipost.

During the fair, I met some members of the National Heritage Board and suggested that they should really make a concerted effort into trying to preserve some of these well known and well loved Hawker Names. I am sure we'd all love to be able to continue to taste the original recipes of our Heritage Hawker foods rather than just seeing them displayed in an exhibit somewhere! Hopefully something can be done to help preserve their recipes for future generations.

Thanks to all the hawkers who agreed to take part in this Charity event! If you missed them at the fair, don't worry, you can still visit them at their stalls!

Kway Guan Huat Poh Piah
Kwong's Satay
Hillstreet Char Kway Teow
Hock Lam Beef Kway Teow
Peramakan
Sabar Menanti II
Sajis Indian Food
Thye Hong Hokkien Mee

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The Top Table: Looking for a Hang Cheng Pai Lobang?

Pan Fried Chicken Breast wrapped in Prociutto

With all the financial doom and gloom being reported in the news daily, a lot of people are making the extra effort to look for great deals. So much so that we even have a thread in the forum for people to share information on great deals called "Hang Cheng Pai Lobangs", hence the title for today's post.

For the benefit of those who don't understand the above phrase, which is a typical Singaporean fusion of Hokkien and Malay words, "Hang Cheng Pai" means "Bad Situation" in Hokkien and "Lobang" literally means a hole in Malay. But how can a "hole" help you in a bad situation and how did the word "Lobang" come to mean some sort of tip off for a great deal? One plausible explanation might be that the word for "Great Opportunity" in Hokkien is "Kang Tau" and the word "Kang" also means hole in Hokkien. So at some time in our history, rather than saying "Kang Tau", one Singaporean changed it to the Malay equivalent and a piece of Singlish history was made. Or could it be the other way round? Whatever it might be, a "Lobang" still came to signify a great opportunity which is not widely knowned except for the privileged few who have access to such information. Some people I know are like "Lobang Kings", they seem to know where to get the best deals for everything from electronics to real estate. I even know one lady who has a cut out coupon for just about anything you might want to buy!

Anyway, I am not a "Lobang King" but I came across this little lobang if you are looking for a cheap way of getting a four course upmarket meal for $12.50 with no +++. Of course there is a catch. You will be subjecting yourself as a guinea pig for trainee chefs and waiters to practise on. Now, I have never really considered a meal at any of the training institutes since I have always assumed that it would be a waste of calories. But it so happens that one of my makan kakis, Holydrummer had spent a term at the academy and he was raving about the food there. So since since people are looking for "Hang Cheng Pai Lobangs", I decided to "scope" this particular "hole" out.


Caesar Salad

The whole experience was a rather pleasant surprise. The place was modern and well decorated just like any proper restaurant and the food turned out to be really good! The lunch set changes every week and you get a choice between 2 starters and 2 mains. I started with the Caesar Salad which was as good, if not better than most Caesar salads I have eaten. The bacon was freshly fried and crisp, they used toasted homemade foccacia to replace the croutons and it was dressed with shaved Parmesan cheese, not the cheap commercial Parmesan powder that a lot of places use. The lettuce could have be colder and crispier and I think that they really should not put a green salad on a green plate. But other than that, it was a pretty nice starter. 4/5

This was followed by the Pan Fried Chicken Breast wrapped in Prosciutto. Chicken Breast is very difficult to get right since it can become dry if it is overcooked. Mine was juicy and tender and nicely spiced. Would be even better if there was a nice jus to go with it though. 4/5


Cream Caramel with Orange and Ginger foam

Usually with the budget set lunches, you get really simple cheap desserts like some jelly or a slice of peach. I always felt that this was simply a cheap scam so that they can call it a three course meal. Not here, here you get a proper dessert and, lucky me, it just happens to be creme caramel that day.... one of my favorite desserts. The orange was a nice twist I thought, but the ginger foam did not quite have any ginger taste. It served as a nice decoration though. 4/5


Caffe Latte: Extra $2.50

The set lunch does come with coffee (expresso) and tea (Lipton Tea Bag) in a nice cup and saucer served with cream (not milk) and sugar. But if you like to end your meal with something a little more special, you could order the Caffee Latte for an extra $2.50.

Conclusion

Seriously, foodwise I have eaten comparable set meals at some 5 star hotels for $35 or more. It isn't shiok enough to say it is a die die must try, but if you are really looking for a cheap place to eat pretty nice food, then it doesn't get better than this. The only thing is that the service tends to be a little amateurish as the students are understandably nervous and not as polished as seasoned waiters. Also the other patrons of the restaurants tend to be fellow students and lecturers, so the waiters tend to be a little over familiar with their customers.

I would say that this is the best value set meal I have had at $12.50 in recent memory. Don't think for a moment that you can just turn up and get a seat as they were fully booked one week in advance last week. Rumour has it that during their 2-3 month run, they would be serving stuff like Foie Gras, Duck Confit and Stewed Beef Cheeks. Holydrummer is keeping his antenna out for those and hopefully he can keep us all informed on this post.

Got other great "Hang Cheng Pai Lobangs"? Share lah!

The Top Table
Blk 31 Temasek Polytechnic
21 Tampines Ave 1,
S529757
Enter by the West Gate
Reservations: 67806369
17 Nov to 5 Dec 2008
29 Dec - 13 Feb 2009
Mon to Fri 11.30am to 2pm

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Two Chefs Eating Place: Butter Pork Ribs Ooh So Shiok!

With Chin Chai Guy, Skinnyfoodie and ieatfamily

Butter Pork Ribs (Medium) $12

When PChong first told me about Two Chef's Butter Pork Ribs, the dish I saw in my mind's eye was a couple of pork ribs swimming in golden oil. I bet it was good to eat but I felt my arteries clogging up just thinking about it.

So imagine my surprise when the Butter Pork Ribs come out covered with golden yellow dust and curry leaves! And even more delightfully surprised that it tasted so shiok!

The Pork Ribs, more accurately Pork Chops were wonderfully tender with a melt in your mouth quality about it. But it was the butter powder which really got me excited that day. You know, it was just one of those head shaking, "I am so excited to have found something so yummy" kind of moments. The taste was similar to that of Cereal prawns, savoury and sweet and really great to eat with rice. We literally picked the plate clean, curry leaves and all. 4.5/5

Ah Hua, the elder brother of the two Chefs explained to me that the butter powder takes around four hours of slow cooking to prepare. Butter is melted over a low fire and slowly combined with a bit of flour, milk and other secret ingredients until it becomes a powder. Actually it was a little bit like someone crumbled savoury butter cookies over the Pork Chops.


Cold Cockles $6 (small)

Although the restaurant has only been around for 7 years, the two brothers from Ipoh have already got quite a following. I spoke with Ah Hua and I can tell you that this guy is passionate about food which is why a lot of the signature dishes here are all their own creations.

If you are a fan of cockles, then you will have to order a plate of the cold cockles which is a plate of cleanly shucked cockles drizzled with a garlic, chilli padi laced sauce. The cockles are really fresh and sweet and you won't have the hassle of getting sand in your mouth as they are all squeeky clean. Our cockle fan, skinnyfoodie said it was just as exceptional as the Butter Pork and gave it a 4.5/5.


Golden Mushroom Tofu $10

The homemade tofu with golden mushrooms is another signature dish here. A lot of Cze Char places make their own tofu nowadays so they can tweak the flavour and consistency of the tofu. It comes with a sauce which I thought was good but could have been a little thicker. I think the same dish on a sizzling hotplate with an egg ala hotplate tofu would be even better. 4/5


Three Colour Spinach $8

I have tried this three colour spinach dish many times before at other cze char places but I have yet to find one that I can truly say was exceptional. This is just another one to add on to that list. Maybe it is just the dish itself that I don't appreciate but I lot of other people seem to rave about this and I cannot see why at this stage. 3.5/5


Prawn Salad $18

I used to love this dish years ago when I first ate it but nowadays it has lost a lot of its novelty for me. Some dishes like are like that while others like sweet and sour pork seem to be evergreen (for my palate anyway). Still it was well executed dish, the prawns were nice and juicy and the tempura batter was crisp. 4/5 I think next time I should go for Satay Prawns as suggested by PChong.

Conclusion

This is going to be another of those places that our makan kakis will be bringing their families to! Great food, reasonable prices with generous portions and located in a great old coffeeshop that hasn't been renovated since the 70's. I am already planning my return visit for the Butter Pork Ribs and to try some of the other dishes!

You can read PChong's review here.

Two Chefs Eating Place
Blk 116 Commonwealth Crescent, #01-129
Singapore 140116
64725361, 94379712
11.30am - 2.30pm
5pm - 11.30pm
Monday (Lunch) closed

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Join the First Bloggers Blood Donation Drive in Singapore

Advertorial



We all know the importance of the blood bank in Singapore and I am sure a lot of us wouldn't mind giving blood. But usually the thing that holds us back is the lack of opportunity as well as the fear of the needle.

Well, one good way of overcoming this is to rally a couple of friends together and do it as a team effort. Safety in numbers is still quite a strong survival instinct, so when you go with others, it is usually less daunting and a lot more fun.

To make it even more fun, Nuffnang is organizing the first bloggers blood donation drive in Singapore. As a run up to the event, they are also playing the role of the SDU and getting our prospective participants to signup on their Facebook account so that we can get to meet new friends as well.

So do visit the Event Microsite by clicking here, and also join the Facebook group here. Join the community and make history by being part of Singapore's first blogger blood donation drive!

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Tokyo Eats Part 1: Daikokuya: Tendon in Asakusa

Tendon 1600 yen

Many kakis have requested to the pics of what I ate in my recent trip to Tokyo, so I have decided to post some of the highlights over the next few weeks. The reason that I have been resistant in posting my Tokyo pictures was because I thought that it might be a little frustrating to look at something delicious and not be able to easily just go down to that stall and eat it.

However, I know that Japanese food is currently very popular in Singapore and that a lot of our readers actually travel so this series of posts may be useful for everyone to reminesce about their own experiences in Tokyo as well as to recommend other great eats there.

This is my first ever trip to Japan so the itinerary had to be carefully planned so that I can get to experience the best of the different types of Japanese cuisine. I wasn't after the fine dining, michelin star stuff, but as with the other food in this blog, it was about finding the really shiok everyday stuff that the locals enjoy.

One of the frustrating things about Japan is that even if you have the address of the restaurant, you will not be able to find the place. In the end, I had to rely on asking for directions once you know you are around the area. So I am going to pen down the directions to the restaurant while it is still fresh in my mind so it would be easy for anyone to locate.



We start with the Asakusa which is famous for the Sensoji Shrine which I am sure most tourists would make a point of visiting. One of the most popular restaurants there is this Tempura place which is reputed to have a long queue everyday for lunch. Being the Kiasu Singaporean, I got there at 11am and promptly got showed a seat just next to the main door.

I ordered the Tendon as it was the cheapest item there and everyone seemed to be eating the same thing. The prices can go up to 3000 to 4000 yen if you wanted to order the works.

The Tempura here is a little different from what I normally get. First of all it was black because they dip it in a kind of black sauce before serving it. Secondly the batter was a little different from the usual tempura. Instead of crispy all the way through, it was crisp on the outside but soft and moist on the inside and reminds me of the kind of prawn fritters mom used to make at home. Not quite what I expected, but quite tasty nonetheless. 1600 yen gets you 2 large prawns, a piece of vegetable and a rather tasty prawn cake made from a handful of little prawns.


Sensoji Shrine

To get there, you get off at Asakusa station and walk towards the Sensoji Shrine. At around the point of the photo above turn left and walk for about 3 minutes and you should be able to spot a quaint little house with the words Da4 Hei1 Jia1. (Big Black Home)



By the time I finished my lunch at around 12.30pm (had to wait 45min for my food), there was already a long queue outside the restaurant. It was reported that you sometimes you have to wait an hour just to get in so it pays to be Kiasu sometimes!

Conclusion

Quite different from the usual tempura. I just wonder why not many other restaurants serve it this style since they are so popular? If you have been there too, let us know what you think!

Diakokuya
1-38-10 Asakusa, Taito-ku
11:10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.(weekdays),
11:10 a.m.-9:00 p.m.(Saturday & national holidays)
More info and map here

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The Polls show that Hainanese are the biggest Foodies

The results of the polls are out and it seems that of the different dialect groups, the Hainanese have the largest proportion of foodies!

Altogether, 2873 people voted and the breakdown is as follows:

In terms of numbers, the Hokkiens (26.9%) have a narrow lead over the Teochews (24.3%), followed closely by the Cantonese (18.8%) with a smaller population of Hakka (8.9%) and Hainanese (11.4%).

However, this does not really tell us whether being of a certain dialect group would make you more of a foodie. What I think would give us a more accurate picture is to compare the proportion of the voters to the proportion of dialect groups in Singapore in general.

According to this website, the proportion of the dialect groups in Singapore are: Hokkien (45%), Teochew (22.5%), Cantonese (16%), Hakka (7%) and Hainanese (5%). So what we can do is to divide our results with that of the general population to get a ratio which we shall call the foodie dialect index (FDI).

The way to think of the FDI is as follows: We know that 45% of the chinese population are Hokkien, but only 26.9% of the voters here claim themselves to be Hokkien. The FDI is thus 26.5/45 or 0.58. So that means that there are proportionately less Hokkiens who are foodies than the general population. (Either that or they are really bo chap and cannot be bothered to vote but let's just assume they are not). So anything less than 1 means that the dialect group probably value other things more than food and if the FDI is greater than 1, that means that food is an important part of the culture of that particular dialect group.

With the FDI, the Hainanese came out tops by far with an index score of 2.28. This was followed by the Hakka (1.27), Cantonese (1.18) and Teochew (1.08). The Hokkiens are a distant fifth with only 0.58.

So if we draw an analogy from the English and French, we can say that the Hainanese are more like the French who really put an emphasis on the enjoyment of food while the Hokkiens are more like the English where food is just smaller part of their life. (Some people tell me the Hokkiens are just more interested in making money). Whatever it is, I am pretty disappointed that us Teochews did not even come close to being second. But at least it sort of explains how a small dialect group like the Hainanese are responsible for so many of our hawker favourites like Chicken Rice, Kopi and Kaya Toast, Hainanese Pork Chops and Curry Rice etc.

So do you all think this is a pretty accurate reflection of the different dialect groups?

View the results here
The previous post is here
Check out Hainanese Cuisine here

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Thye Hong Hokkien Mee: Have Hokkien Mee will Travel

With Cactuskit, Sumosumo and Wahcow

Hokkien Mee special big plate $10

One thing that I have observed about most of the Famous Hawkers around is the fact that they are famous not just because their food is good, but it also has a lot to do with their personality and PR skills.

Take for instance this Hokkien Mee uncle who was handpicked to represent Singapore Hokkien Mee in New York during the Singapore Day Festivities in April. Although I use the word "handpicked" it doesn't really mean that he fries the best Hokkien Mee in Singapore which is why he was "handpicked". But more like a combination of his Hokkien Mee frying expertise as well as enough EQ to understand the marketing potential of taking part in such an event. Why else would someone be persuaded to close the stall for 2 weeks in order to travel to New York?

So the fact is that a lot of the famous hawkers are famous because they understand the 4Ps of marketing, viz product, pricing, placement and promotion. A lot of the time, the thing that makes the difference between a great hawker and a famous one is his ability to promote himself.


Flambuoyant Frying Style coupled with Straw Hat and Colourful Shirt

And this is one Hokkien Mee man who is pretty savvy when it comes to marketing himself. You just can't walk past his stall without noticing his floral Hawaii shirt and his straw hat plus a photo of a San Francisco Trams on his signboard. That tram represented the time when he was part of a delegation to promote Singapore food in the Napa Valley in 2004. Whatever it is, I'd bet you will not be able to walk past the stall without having a second look.



Now, apart from the superficial differences, there was also differences in the actual preparation of the Hokkien Mee that caught my attention. He is the only Hokkien Mee man that I know of that adds uncooked prawns to fry together with the noodles. He explained that this imparts and extra sweetness to the noodles and also that the prawns are more tender because they have not been overcooked.

The final product was something to behold. The noodles were suitably untidy and the charred black bits in the gravy really gave the hint of a rustic and untamed Hokkien Mee harkening back to the days of pushcart hawkers. I wish I could tell you that the taste was phenomenal but alas after all that anticipation, we all felt that it looked better than it tasted. Still better than your average Hokkien Mee but on that night, the gravy just lacked that ooomph to make it taste as good as it looks. 4/5

Conclusion

Probably one of Singapore's most well travelled and well known hawkers. His stall at Republic Food Court at Wisma Atria has had some really good reviews, but strangly not many people talk about the original stall at Newton Food Centre. Perhaps he too is a victim of our prejudice against Newton Food Centre?

Thye Hong
Newton Food Centre
Stall 58
5 pm to 1am daily
96181221

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Famous Heritage Hawkers all gather at the Big Eat Out

You know how the best Hokkien Mee is probably at the coffeeshop in your neighbourhood but you have never been there precisely because it is so close by? Well, there are probably also a lot of things around Singapore which tourists come to see that you have never been to before. So perhaps it would be a great idea to take advantage of the School Holidays to do a bit of exploration in our own backyard.

Explore Singapore is happening between 20 Nov to 7 December and the National Heritage Board has organized a series of events for everyone to learn more about our rich cultural heritage.

The one event that I want to highlight which is close to our stomachs is the Heritage food event which I have been helping the guys at hungrygowhere to organize. It's happening on Saturday, 22 Nov at the Peranakan Museum. We have brought together some of the most well known hawkers to showcase their dishes. So you will get to eat Hillstreet Char Kway Teow, Hock Lam Beef Kway Teow, Kwong's Satay, Kway Guan Huat Poh Piah, Sabar Menanti II, Sajis Indian Food, Peramakan and others all in the one place. And the great thing is that the hawkers will be donating the proceeds to charity.

Aside from the great food, if you get there early, might also get to go on a tour of the Peranakan Museum with Comedian Mark Lee. You can also have a look around the 30 Flea Market stalls there and let the kids be entertained with some face painting and balloon sculpture. It would be a great day out for the family, so keep the date free and I look forward to seeing you there!

More details at the official site. Click here

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Heng Carrot Cake: Something in Newton worth going for

With Cactuskit, Wahcow and Sumosumo


Judging from the comments so far, it is quite clear that many of our readers regard Newton Food Centre as a place for tourists which was my perception as well. However, I must say that Newton Food Centre actually turned out to be better than we expected. Both Cactuskit and I
haven't been back here for awhile, but we both felt that there was quite an air of expectation about the whole place. I was interested to see just how bad the touting really is, but after trying to get myself touted for awhile, I would say that the touting problem is about the same as the Satay sellers at East Coast Lagoon. This place does indeed have Singapore's greatest concentration of BBQ seafood stalls though, which I guess is so because the hawkers want to cash in on high priced items.

However it would be unfair to say that all the hawkers there are out to make a quick buck from the tourists. In fact, I think the hawkers there know that they still have to cater to the locals in order to survive, especially those that are selling the less touristy items like Seafood BBQ.



Now, if you are one of those who shun Newton Food Centre then you might just miss out on this Carrot Cake which was surprisingly quite good. They have been there since Newton Food Centre was first built in 1971 and are still steaming their own Carrot Cake because they insist that home made carrot cake still tastes better.

Their efforts are quite evident in the white version. The texture of the carrot cake was just nice. It is softer and more "wobbly" than the commercial version and you can make out the strips of radish in it. It is fried till crispy on the outside but moist and soft on the inside and was very tasty. It definitely is not the best a carrot cake can get, since they avoid the use of lard, but it is certainly one of the best ones I have tasted. The black version is also very good and they managed to fry it till it is nice can caramalized. This might be one of the rare occasions where I find that both the white and black versions are just as good. 4.25/5

Conclusion

Very good homemade Carrot Cake and though it is in Newton, they still sell it at $3 per plate which I think is quite reasonable. It is certainly one stall which I would go to Newton Food Centre for.

Heng Carrot Cake
Newton Food Centre
Stall 28
Opened in the Evenings only

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Bee Heng Poh Piah: What is your opinion of Newton Food Centre?

With Wahcow, Sumosumo and Cactuskit


I know that a lot of Singaporeans avoid going to Newton Food Centre as it is often seen as a tourist trap. Furthermore, many foodies also lament the fact that the food there is not outstanding and that there are nicer hawker food elsewhere at lower prices. That's is a bit of a shame because I think that this is the most well known hawker centre amongst our tourists.

I must admit that I haven't been to Newton Food Centre for at least 18 years since I left to pursue my degree in Sydney. In those days I remembered Newton as a great place to eat. I wasn't really into documenting great eats then, so I can't really tell you which stall was good. It was still a tourist trap to be sure, but at least I remember that the food was good. When I got back, it seemed that Newton had become a place that is more well known for its touts and exorbitant prices which is why I haven't even thought of going there for a meal.

Well, I think that this blog will not be complete without the mention of our most famous Hawker Centre so I decided that I need at least give it a chance. Fortunately, it turns out that one of our regular kakis (Wahcow) was quite a regular at the place and had a few things which he felt could be recommended. I am sure there are many readers out there who have their own favourites at the food centre to recommend so I am going to start with a couple of stalls and see if there are other worthy mentionables to bring us back for a repeat visit.

Let's start with Bee Heng Poh Piah because it is the one facing the car park and it claims to have been around since 1930. First thing that caught my eye was the price: $1.80 each with minimum order of 2 rolls. Hmmm.... it is beginning to look like Newton is living up to its infamy.

The Poh Piah was pretty decent though, so it wasn't a complete waste of $3.60. The filling was pretty good and the crispy bits were quite nice. But for me, I like my Poh Piahs really turgid and looking like it is going to burst at the seams like the ones at Kway Guan Huat, so it wasn't something I would go out of my way to eat. But if you are at Newton, it is quite an acceptable side dish to order along with your other dishes. 4/5

Conclusion

So what do you all think of Newton Food Centre? With so many BBQ seafood stalls around, I am sure there must be one that is good and reasonably priced that can be recommended. Or do you all think that Newton Food Centre really is just a place which is set up specifically to cater to Tourists and that locals should avoid it?

Bee Heng Newton Food Centre
Stall 12 (Facing Car Park)
12am to 12pm
Closed Thursday

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