Hokkien Mee Reloaded

Special Order Claypot Sio Bak Hokkien Mee

So how do you improve on already yummy Hokkien Mee? Well, add Sio Bak and simmer in a claypot that's how!

Yummmmmileciously sinful. Simmering the Sio Bak infuses the noodles with extra flavour and the sio bak also absorbs some of the prawn stock from the Hokkien Mee!! It works!

Halfway through!

A mouthful of HKM

The noodles as usual were very good. Firm and infused with flavor and not mushy. Kim's uses the thick bee hoon which I prefer and the noodles always tastes fresh and not too Jia Lard.

Before you rush to Kim's at Joo Chiat, there is 1 thing you should know. The Sio Bak was purchased elsewhere and Kim's simply added it into their claypot HKM. So this is not a standard order. But it was nice of the lady to accomodate!

Kim's is at Joo Chiat Place and opens till late.

Sio Bak $5 from Mei Yuen along East Coast Road
Claypot Hokkien Mee $10

Enough for 3 people or 2 big eaters.

4.5/5 If you never tried Sio Bak with HKM, you don't know what you are missing!

Kim's Hokkien Mee
37 Joo Chiat Place (Intersection of Joo Chiat Place and Tembeling St)
Opened 11am to 2am daily
BYO Sio Bak - no extra charge for adding to HKM

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Underated White Chicken

Chicken at a Noodle Restaurant? No Kidding!

This is the best white chicken in Singapore and I make not apologies about it. I have tasted most of the famous ones like Boon Tong Kee, Five Star, Loy Kee and even the Chatterbox Chef one at Downtown East. None comes close to the texture and taste of the white chicken at Yee Cheong Yuen.

Now the problem is this. Yee Cheong Yuen is a Noodle Restaurant, so some people may not think of it as kosher white chicken (Pak Cham Kai). So most don't immediately associate chicken rice with YCY as readily as they would with the other famous chicken rice places.

Heavenly White Chicken

The chicken is always served cool so that the skin is crunchy and there is that layer of gelatin just under the skin. Somehow, the flesh of the chicken is full of flavor and has just got the right amount of umami and saltiness. They also pour a beautiful oyster and seseme sauce over the chicken.

I don't usually eat chicken rice chilli except when I am at this shop. The chilli is not overly spicy and its got just the right balance of tang and saltiness to it. They also provide a very authentic dark soy sauce and minced ginger.

Heaven is a piece of thigh meat with chilli, ginger and thick soy sauce. Put the whole thing in your mouth and POW!! Cool tender flesh, crunchy skin, smooth gelatin, tangy, spicy, savoury, gingery flavours all combined to give that SHIOK!! feeling.

I really can't comment about the rice cos I usually eat hor fun. So those hard core chicken RICE people can judge the rice for themselves.

Conclusion

If you are looking for the best white chicken in Singapore, you gotta give this one a try before making judgement.

4.5/5 It almost doesn't get better then this!!

Yee Cheong Yuen Noodle Restaurant
31 Lorong Liput
Holland Village
6468 7737
$10 for half chicken

Update: 2 Jan 2008

Yee Cheong Yuen has been renamed Yi Bao (Ipoh) and has undergone a makeover. The food is still much the same. Chicken still smooth and shiok!

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Jin Long Cze Char

Jin Long's Signature Chai Poh Tofu

Jin Long is a Cze Char in the Bedok heartland that would be a Restaurant if they had their own space. Innovative Cze Char is the name of the game here, and we were very delighted with what we ate. Take for example the Chai Poh Tofu above. Chef Ah Gu (Mr Bull) invented this dish which takes the humble chai poh (preserved veg) to new heights. I was actually reluctant to order this since I thought that chai poh was really boring. But man! I have never eaten chai poh like this! Light and crispy, if you don't tell me it is chai poh I would never have guessed.

The tofu was silkly "melt in your mouth" smooth, like eating a deep fried chawanmushi. Ah Gu tells me its because he makes the tofu himself from soy milk and egg. Very nice and a definite MUST TRY!!

4.5/5 Must come back for this!

Baked Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs

Quite tasty, but I find the meat a little emaciated. Baking the pork ribs gives it a slightly different texture and taste. Think I still prefer my Jing Tou Pai Ku.

3.5/5

Deep Fried Scallop Combination

Another interesting first. Scallop, prawns, bak kwa, banana , in a goreng pisang (banana fritters) batter. Mmmm. Should it be fried scallops with banana or goreng pisang with scallops? Worth a try, though you can't really appreciate the taste of the scallops. But the combination works.

4/5 Gotta try this!

Crispy Prawns in Cream Sauce

Very nice fusion of European and Chinese cuisine. The cream sauce is certainly something that you might expect to find with pasta and is quite reminicent of Bearnaise sauce. I found the prawns a tad overcooked, which is quite common with Cze Char Prawns. (Then again, the only real way to eat prawns is freshly steamed with a bit of soy sauce and chopped chilli!) However, the shell is so crispy you can eat the whole thing. The sauce is too nice to waste and tasted brilliant with the beehoon we ordered. (Remind you of pasta?)

4/5 Definitely try it for yourself, its something quite different.

Crispy Tofu and Roast Duck Rolls

I haven't figured out why he serves this two together. Maybe it just makes the dish bigger. The Crispy Tofu in the foreground is a mixture of seafood and tofu deep fried till crisp and topped with a mango, pear, peanut and porkfloss salad which really does work well together. The roast duck roll is a bit less impressive as it tastes more like fried fish paste in ngoh hiam skin. Roast duck? Where?

4.5/5 Crispy Tofu. Must come back and order again!
3/5 Roast Duck Roll. Where's the duck? Quite ordinary.

Braised Duck with Sea Cucumber

Compared to the others, this dish was a bit of a let down. It's not bad, its not outstanding. The duck was nice and falling off the bone tender, but the Sea Cucumbers were still crunchy. Flavour wise, ok only

3/5 Rather spend my calories elsewhere

Crispy Fried Chicken

Looks good but underneath the canopy of chicken skin is fish paste!! Ok it is very innovative, but I like my crispy skin chicken. So it's a bit dissappointing. Just leave the chicken meat where it is supposed to be and it will be alright.

3.5/5 Worth trying I guess, but I am not ordering this again

Ah Gu and his Jin Long Seafood Restaurant

Conclusion

Worth a visit and pleasantly surprised with the innovative dishes. Will definitely come back again to try other dishes

Overall Score

4/5 for innovative dishes in a Cze Char setting at Cze Char Prices
$130 for 9 dishes to feed 8 adults
Jin Long Seafood Restaurant
Blk 416 Bedok North Ave 2 #01-53
64429398

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Retrodog: Good olde Hotdog

There's a new dog on the block! Retrodog takes the good old hotdog and makes it better. And for $2.80 for a dog and drink set, you really can't go wrong.

The hotdogs are not your run of the mill dogs, they are the grade that they serve in hotels. But don't expect German Bratwursts. They are pretty tasty mid range dogs. What really sets retrodog apart are the really soft buns which they put in the special steamer and the range of condiments they provide.

Everyweek, they will have a special sauce to enhance the hotdogs. We just missed the mango relish which they make themselves. But we were pleasantly surprised with the cheese sauce, chicken tomato sauce together with the onions, lettuce and relish which they provide.

All in all, really good value for the money and a welcome innovation to an old favourite, which I feel has up to now, not been given enough justice in Singapore.

Not something you would travel all the way from the West to eat, but certainly worth a try if you are in town!

4/5 for value and range of condiments
Retro Dog Cafe
3 Simei St 6, Eastpoint Mall
#02-47
91835576
retrodogcafe@yahoo.com.sg

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Aston's SuperShiok Burger

Move over, Uberburger, Singapore's got the Astons' SuperShiok Burger!! This luscious burger also gives new meaning to Carl's JUNIOR.

I just couldn't get the thought of a superburger off my mind since last Friday when I had my ribeye at Astons. So today I succumbed to temptation and went again to order the SuperShiok Burger. Only one phrase to describe it -- Phwaa Say!! Super Shiok!! (I say, really delectable!)

10 essential ingredients that make the SuperShiok Burger

From bottom up:

1. XL Soft Sesame Seed Bun
2. Freshly chopped sirloin steak pattie 2oogm, medium done
3. Astons homemade Smoked Hickory BBQ sauce (fantastic smoky, tangy flavour)
4. 2 slices of cheese
5. 2 rashers of streaky bacon - grilled to crispy
6. 1 fried egg
7. Lightly battered, crispy fried onion rings (Available only on off peak periods)
8. Lettuce
9. Tomatoes
10. Mayonnaise

Try getting everything in one mouthful!

So, can anything be better then discovering possibly the best tasting and largest burger in Singapore? Oh yes!! That's when the best burger also happens to be only $12.50 with no +++. Compare this with Uberburger where you get 200g chopped Sirloin on crusty bun with salad for $16 +++. I am kissing Uberburger good bye!

Why only rate it 4.5? Well, that's to give Astons some space to furher improve on his receipe. Like using Wagyu beef and adding Foie Gras perhaps?

This special order burger is only available on off peak periods, please give him a break!

4.5/5 for best taste and best price

Astons Specialties
119 East Coast Road opp Katong Mall
91474627

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Happy Birthday Megan!

My little princess turned 4 last Sunday! That was quick! It wasn't so long ago when we had to change her diapers. Now she's waking me up everyday and telling me its time to go to work. Before you know it, I'd be walking her down the aisle!

Megan's turning out to be quite a performer and would not hesitate to pick up the microphone to sing and dance to the music. We are also discovering that is one cunning little girl who has a way of manipulating things so that her brother always looks as if he is in the wrong. After all who can put the blame on such an innocent, angelic looking face? Already she has her choice of suitors every Sunday, with the older girls at church all asking for her permission to carry her. "I want this chay chay", she would say, with her tiny little fingers pointing to the fortunate teenager.

Psalms 127: 3 says: Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children are a reward from him.

What did I do to deserve such a reward? Truly, it is only by grace.

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Astonished At Astons

Astonishing. That's the best word to describe my supper at Aston's Specialities. What started out as our routine D&M(Deep and Meaningful) turned out to be the best dining experience of the month!

So what were we expecting? A quiet night out, quick simple "hawker style" western food then head home to bed. Its been a tiring week for both of us. From what we know from the forum, this restaurant which used to occupy a stall at the nearby coffeeshop serves reasonably good steaks at very good prices and the food is a few grades better then your run of the mill hawker western food.

As we drove past the restaurant, we noticed how crowded it was. "That's a good sign" I thought to myself, as I parked the car. When we walked in, Astonishment #1, the crowd was none other then a group of seasoned makankakis busily devouring the entire rib eye section of one cow. No kidding, 8 kg of Prime Roast for 15 people! The cow certainly did not die in vain as the meal was accompanied by wines from every corner of the globe. Happening!

After exchanging notes about pleasure derived from various parts of the cattle's anatomy we managed to sit down to have our D&M amidst a group of really happy people. Lo and behold! Astonishment #2 walked in. Spotted a couple we haven't met for 6 years and also another fellow I met at a car garage once. So wifey, being in deep and meaningful mode, started a D&M with other wifey that we haven't met for 6 years. I resumed ruminating with the dead cow's society.

Astonishment #3. The Rib Eye Steak was an amazingly good, 250g of tender NZ beef for $14.90. That's value for money. At $14.90, this Rib Eye easily beats stuff you get at Jack's Place and even some other steak houses. Of course you should not expect it to be as good as Black Angus, but at $14.90, I can eat this everyweek! We had a selection of pasta salad, coleslaw, onion rings and sauteed vegetables for side dishes all of which was a very good and certainly a welcomed change from the usual bake beans, cucumber and fries that you find at hawker western food stalls.

We managed to speak to Aston (The owner and chef - Dah!) when everything sort of quietened down. We was quite surprised to find that he charges only $1.10 for a can of Pepsi Lite. Here's Astonishment #4: His philosophy is that since they did not add any value to the Pepsi, he does not charge any extra for it. He only charges a profit for those things that he has added value to. (Don't establishments that charge $5 for a can of Pepsi just turn you off?) I am beginning to like this place more and more.

Astonishment #5: Aston is currently experimenting with a Supreme Beef Burger concept!! Ah! A man after my own heart. So we discussed the fundamentals of a SuperBurger. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that he actually chops the beef for each burger he serves and not mince and his normal burgers starts at $5.50! I am already planning my next visit. What I am having is a really thick and juicy (200g) freshly chopped burger pattie, fried egg, bacon, crispy fried onions in batter, lettuce, teriyaki sauce, mayonaise on a large soft burger bun. Phwaaa Say!!! Move over Uberburger! Oh, it is also possible, instead of a burger pattie to have thinly sliced Rib Eye steak, seared quickly with teriyaki sauce and layered in the burger bun!! Looks like I'll be posting more pics very soon!


What can I say? The phrase that best describes Astons is "Value for money (VFM)" and the Chef can cater to your whims and fancies (During Off peak periods). This is certainly a place that you can come couple of times a month to fulfill your quota of beef.

Oh! Before I forget. From 19 Aug onwards, Aston is serving US Angus Rib Eye steak, 250g for $23.90! VFM or what?

4/5
Astons Specialities
119 East Coast Road
Just opposite Katong Mall
91474627
Opened 12noon to 1am Tuesdays to Thursdays Up till 3am on Fridays and Saturdays Closed on Mondays

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Saturday Nite Steamboat Fever

I have never been a steamboat person. Dunking a piece of meat in chicken soup just doesn't turn me on. For me, meat has got to be grilled, fried or deep fried with a nice marinade. How tasty can a piece of boiled meat be?

All that changed when I had my first beef shabu shabu at the beginning of the year. Aside from having thin slices of tender, melt in your mouth beef, you also get a rich broth at the end to enjoy. I started to appreciate steamboats more. My wife insists that its because I am getting old.

But from the looks of it, steamboats aren't just for the old. The restaurants that line the streets between Beach Road and Bugis are teeming with teenagers and older folks alike. There must have been more than 10 such steamboat restaurants. Hmmm, am I missing something here?

So after dropping the family and spending half an hour looking for parking lot, we settled down for (my first) mala steamboat. I think that's steamboat with the fiery chilli padi soup. I was more interested in the thinly sliced meats and was glad to find that various members of the animal kingdom were aptly represented. Thin sliced streaky beef, mutton, pork and chicken. Yes, this looks promising. There was also the usual selection of seafood, vegetables, tofu and processed meats in all different shapes and form. What impressed me most was the wide variety of sauces available! Satay, sesame, peanut, soy, vinegar, chinchalok, chilli, sambal, the list goes on. I found that the combination of sesame and satay sauce was heavenly with the sliced meats.

The fiery cilli padi based soup was a little too painful for me. Problem is that I start sweating and scratching my head and pretty much give up before my endorphins are released. So I never get too far with spicy stuff to enjoy the rush.

For $15, everyone had a good feed except the kids ($8 - no wonder there are so few children around) Certainly worth coming back again with a few good makankakis. (Just to watch them eat!)

3.5/5
Stall next to Alex Eating House, just opposite Shaw Towers.

After about 2 hours, the shelling stopped, (The table was chock full of crab shell, prawn shells, clam shell, egg shells) and we decided that we must have gotten our $15 worth of food (I must have eaten 1.5kg meat, crab and prawns - I figured the average price of $10/kg meat should be about right). We were so stuffed that we decided take the longer route to the car and check out the other eateries along Liang Seah Street. I haven't been down here in a while, so I was amazed to see how many new eateries have sprung up.

Hello! What is this? Hong Kong desert shop? Hmmm interesting, but we are so full! The signage says: Ji De Chi (Don't forget to eat). Our stomachs said no, but like sotongs (squids) we were drawn to the light. Wow, so many interesting deserts! Ah, just look look and see see. It was packed and there were no seats anywhere. Just as well, I thought, we can't possibly eat anymore. Just then, a nice couple got off the table just next to me. What the heck? It was my destiny.

So we ordered a few different things to try. It was very good but I felt that the desert shops that sell this types of deserts in the hawker centres are comparable in taste. However, the atmosphere makes all the difference. James had the mango with grapefruit juice which was very refreshing. We also sampled the herbal jelly, glutinous rice balls in ginger soup and sesame/almond paste.

Great way to end a great evening. Eno before bed, tommorrow I diet.

3.5/5
Ji De Chi
8 Liang Seah Street, #01-03
11am-11pm
closed on Mondays

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Lovely Leg of Lamb

I finally got to cook after a long hiatus!

Sometimes the simple things in life are often the best. But just by tweaking things a little, the simple things can be made even better.

So roast leg of lamb with crusty herb topping and roasted Japanese sweet potatoes, pumpkin and potatoes, simple yet satisfying taste of Oz!

Here's the receipe: (I usually only estimate)

One leg of lamb.

Marinate overnight with juice of 1 lemon, cracked pepper, 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic. Remember to stab the lamb all over so that the marinade seeps into the meat.

Next day,

Put the lamb in the oven at 250 degrees for 30 minutes.

Prepare the vegetables by blanching in boiling water for 5 minutes then scrapping the outside to form a rough service. Coat with Olive Oil. Doing this will make the outside extra crunchy.

After 30 mins,

Lower temp to 200 degrees put the vegs into the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Prepare the herb crust by adding half cup chopped parsley, half cup crushed Jacob biscuits or breadcrumbs, 2 cloves garlic, thinly grated rind of 1 lemon, sea salt to taste, olive oil to combine into a moldable paste.

After 30 mins,

Press the herb crust mixture onto the lamb and roast for another 30 mins.

The crust should be browned, the roast vegetables crispy and golden and the lamb nice and pink.

Enjoy with gravy and mint sauce. Mmmmm yummy

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Just who do you think you are?!

I came across this story today about a prominent newspaper photo editor who had burst into his subordinate's room and started to tear him apart for some work that he has done. After 10 minutes of giving the poor man a piece of his mind, he was startled to find out that his employee had been on the speakerphone with a prominent british aristocrisy. It was none other than the late Princess Diana, who had heard everything that was said.

Her comment was, "What an awful man! Just who does he think he is?!"

I have a pretty stormy temper myself and I can identify with the story very well. How would I have reacted if I knew that someone of greater stature was listening in on me?

When we indulge in "telling someone else off" or giving another person "a piece of our mind", it hints at just who we think we are. We can be the boss or the man cleaning the toilet. In life there will always be someone of higher or lower status then us. When we think that we are something, we tend to lord it over others, because it helps us clarify our status in that particular relationship.

But what if someone greater is listening in? Would we continue to do the same?

Reminds me of another story about the captain of a US Nuclear powered aircraft carrier. As it was travelling the ocean at night, the captain spotted another ship's light in the distance. He radioed the othe ship and told the ship to steer portside as his ship was heading straight it him. The other person radioed back and told the captain to steer his ship instead.

Indignant that the other ship had such audacity to tell him what to do, the captain declared, "I am the captain of a US Nuclear powered aircraft carrier, I suggest that you steer portside immediately!"

The other party radioed back," I am in charge of this lighthouse."

The captain steered clear immediately.

Pride is one of humanitie's greatest problem. We think we are something when we are really nothing. We may have made it as head prefect of the school, win a president scholarship to study at a prestigious university, get a high paying job at the largest MNC, even get to be CEO and we think we are something. (I did not do all these, just citing examples yah?) These are all amazing achievements, but it would be wise to know that there will be someone else who has achieved greater things then us. For every peak there is a higher one, as the chinese proverb goes.

Pride causes arguments, divorces, suits and wars. It is our pride that that prevents us from acknowledging and submitting God. Which is why one of the thing that God really honours is humility.

St Paul admonishes us to "consider others better then yourselves. .... Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness." Philippians 2:3 - 7

Jesus, the ultimate expression of God, reveals to us that humility is in the very essence of God. That the Most High would assume human form, humble himself to wash his disciples feet and let himself be stripped of his clothes, beaten and crucified upon a cross for us is, in my opinion, the greatest expression of humility. He who raised Lazarus from the dead and has legions of angels under His command could surely be able to dispense a couple of Roman soldiers.

But he did not. And because he did not, almost half of the population of the world now worships him as the living God. That, is true greatness.

How we need to meditate and remind ourselves about these things in order to keep our lives in the proper perspective.

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Satay Power!

Latest: Zsa Zsa has closed its doors as of 17 Oct 2006. It will be making a comeback to Jalan Kayu soon. Stay tune!! ieatishootipost will be the first to let you know!

The banner says: Satay Power. Big in Size, Bigger in Quality, Power in Taste.

I can't argue with that.

Unlike many other "hawkers", Sha is a fine example of the 21st century food seller who strives to beat the competition through innovation and excellent service. Afterall, he should know about service standards as he was until 2 years ago working for SIA as a flight steward.

He differentiates his satay by making it extra big and full of chuncky chicken pieces. I was already quite happy with his satay, but this time round he decided that the ultimate chicken satay should also contain pieces of chicken skin to ensure that this is the most juicy and flavoursome satay. And the result is incredible. See for yourself!

Chunky Chicken Pieces with Chicken Skin for Oomph

Juicy and Meaty with bits of burnt caramelised skin - Phwaa Sayah!!

Can you believe this costs 50 cents a stick?

Sha has also been busy improving on his Super Power Beef Satay. The Super Power Beef is specially catered for the beefeater who needs his weekly dose of bovine protein. Gone are the days of pathetic pieces of grisle on a stick, instead, Super Power Beef puts a slab of sirloin steak on a stick.

Not just beef... This is beef Sirloin

Sirloin Beef Set $12.50

Any beef lover would be happy to see the size of the Super Power Beef. However, I still found that the beef was a little too chewy for me and there wasn't enough fat to keep the meat juicy. I think it could be further improved if a different cut of beef was used. But then again people always complain that I am fussy. Undetered, Sha is looking at how to improve on the Super Beef Satay... stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

Zsa Zsa's Warong's Jln Kayu Satay Club

The Super Power Beef and special chicken satay can only be found at Zsa Zsa's Warong located in Jln Kayu, just next to the Thesevi's Roti Prata stall. For those who would complain about chicken skin, all I can say is that there is still less skin on a stick of satay then on a chicken wing. And at any rate you can always remove the skin. Aside from the fantastic satays, the restaurant also serves Indonesian cuisine. Must try the fried chicken wings with sambal dip. Hmmmm...

Those of you who enjoy satay goreng, ie satay that is fried in a wok instead of BBQed, will be happy to know that you can also purchase this from Sza Sza Warong raw and cook it for your dinner party. Chicken $12, Beef $13, Mutton $16.

Conclusion

My pick as the best Chicken Satay in Singapore (so far) and, at 50 cents a stick, definitely best value as well.

Zsa Zsa's Warung
247 Jln Kayu
64824783

4.5/5 for the Chicken Satay
3.5/5 for the Super Power Beef

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Wasting Your Calories

The studies have shown us that you can live longer if you reduce your calorie intake. In fact this is just what our MM is doing currently.

The reasons are obvious or so it seems. By eating less, you prevent obesity which leads to chronic diseases and therefore your chances of living longer improves. If you look at the obituaries, you will notice that the ones that live pass 80 are mainly thin people. Many theories abound to try to explain this phenomena. I have a simple theory of my own.

The Conservation of Calories Theory

This theory states that the amount of calories per person's lifetime is constant and limited.

Just imagine that God had created us with a limited number of calories we can consume in our lifetime. The average number of calories for a child of 6 is 1800/day, for an adult is 2500/day and for the elderly is 1800/day. So a rough calculation tells us that in an average lifetime, a human being would consume 63.5 million calories. Now if you want to spend all your calories early in life, you might just run out of calories and die young. On the other hand you can conserve your calories and live longer.

For me, an average lifespan is good enough. So what I do is, I try not to eat unneccessary calories. What I mean by unncessary calories is food that just fills you up but tastes yuckky. Remember that since you have limited calories to spend, you might as well spend it on food that tastes good. DON'T WASTE YOUR CALORIES on a plate of unremarkable Char Kway Teow. No, you should save up your calories for that juicy US Prime Rib steak at the end of the week.

If you can think about your calories like how you plan your finances, then you would be in a better state of health. Just as in finances, the advise is not to spend what you do not have, save all you can and invest for the future. Do likewise for your health. If during the week, you have replaced 3 lousy meals for healthy salads and fruits, then you have actually saved some calories to spend on your steak. By saving calories this way, you will be investing in a better and longer future.

Makes sense doesn't it?

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Give me a High Pie!

Once in a while, one is pleasantly surprised to discover something yummy purely by chance.

This happened to me while walking along Joo Chiat yesterday. What caught my eye was this really fluffy and tempting chicken pie. See for yourself!


Tempting? Not tempting... very tempting. Even though I was full after lunch, the sight of the pie and the buttery fragrance of freshly baked puff pastry was totally irresistable. I was drawn in like a mosquito to the blue light.

It tastes as good as it looks. The crust is buttery and crispy and not oily. Unlike other pies which turn up soggy and drenched in butter, this one remained crisp and light with minimum oil stain on the brown paper bag. The filling was a generous mix of chucky chicken pieces, button mushrooms, carrots and potatoes reminicent of the old style chicken pies which I had when I was a child. Ah Nostalgia.

I casually asked them if they have beef pie which they flatly answered "No!" I could read what was in their head: "You can't read our sign? It says Boulevard CHICKEN pie!"

"Oh, so you only sell chicken pies?" thought I, "In that case, can I have a BEEF Chicken pie?"

Blank stares.

Now if you can believe it, the one in the picture is the small one which costs $1.50. They have 3 sizes. I wonder what the large one looks like.

Conclusion:

Go try it, especially when it is fresh from the oven. My only complaint is that they don't have a Beef Chicken Pie.

Boulevard Chicken Pie
442 Joo Chiat Road
63452108

4/5

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First Time in a Taiwanese Restaurant

Today I decided that I wanted to try something new. Before today, the only Taiwanese cuisine I had before was crispy chicken and chicken floss crepe at the Shinlin outlets. I never really thought much of Taiwanese cuisine, but lately it is becoming more popular in Singapore, so I thought any self respecting foodie should at least give it a go.

The restaurant manager seemed quite passionate about his craft and insists that all the ingredients used have been specially imported from Taiwan, so that we get to eat authentic Taiwanese food. That's always a good sign.

1. Chou Dou Fu (Smelly Beancurd) $5



I was expecting something akin to blue cheese, but surprisingly Chou Dou Fu isn't so smelly after all. I guess its ok. Nice and crispy on the outside. The bean curd tastes quite savoury and goes well with the chilli. Good but unremarkable.

2. Noodles with Minced Pork $5



Noodles were nice and Al Dente. Sauce was nice too. But for me it still lacks the "When am I coming back again?" feeling. Good but unremarkable

3. Pancake with Chicken Floss $3



Now things are starting to look better. The pancakes here are definately better then the ones I had before. They use a nice soft batter which is a little more on the chewy side, so you can really sink you teeth into it. Definitely can try again.

4. Crispy Pork Rib Soup $4



I like this soup. The pork ribs are first deep fried and then simmered in the soup. This gave the soup a real unique taste which is really quite novel for me. Definitely can try again.

5. Crispy Spiced Chicken $5



I had high hopes for this icon of Taiwanese Xiao Chi (Small Eats). Having tried the Shilin version before, I thought this would be the benchmark for them. Unlike Shilin, they use chicken thigh mean and it comes out in cubes. I guess if this is as good as crispy spiced chicken gets, then I would rather have Chicken Karaage anyday. Don't get me wrong, it is good, not as good as the Shilin version but it is really crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Its just that I don't think much about the spices.

Conclusion

If this is the most authentic Taiwanese Restaurant in town as claimed by the restaurant manager, then I am not crazy about Taiwanese food. For Japanese food, at least I dream about having Kobe beef in Japan. For Thai food, I dream about having Sticky Rice and Fried Chicken in Bangkok. But I don't dream about eating anything in Taiwan.

The food is good. There is just nothing that would pull me back to eat here again anytime soon.

Peng Lai Ge is situated at 456 Joo Chiat Road. Tel 64781787. They are opened from 11am to 10pm.

3.5/5

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Hokkien Mee Riddle Solved Finally

I have always wondered about Kim's Hokkien Mee. There are so many around that I suspect many are copy cats and illegally using his brand name. So far I have been rather dissppointed with the Kim's that I have eaten and have almost written them off.

However, that all changed yesterday when I finally discovered the original Kim's (or at least that's what they want me to think) at Joo Chiat Place. Now I know where to bring my foreign friends to taste this uniquely Singapore dish.

I believe that we have a 6th sense when it comes to quality. Sometimes you just know something is of good quality but you can't really put your finger on it. This particular Kim's just has that quality. Maybe it is the Al Dente firmness of the noodle or the way the tasty stock just beautifully coats the each strand of the noodle. What is most obvious is the quality of the prawns, which are quite large and fresh. And of course the bane of weight watchers and the friend of foodies: Crispy Pork Lard that is liberally sprinkled on top of the noodle. Phwaa Seh!

The nice lady at Kim's was quite friendly and accomodating. They also sell a claypot Abalone version of Hokkien Mee. Not a big fan of Abalone, I asked if she would do a claypot Hokkien Mee with simmered Crispy Roast Pork and she was quite happy to accomodate. Wait for the pics!

Conclusion

This is the Hokkien Mee stall for me!!

Kim's Hokkien Mee is at 37 Joo Chiat Place, just opposite a public car park. Across from them is a 24Hr Bak Chor Mee shop which looks quite promising. Within this shop is also an excellent Teochew Porridge place where they cook all your dishes on the spot. Seems like this is a happening place for late night supper. They are opened 11am to 2am.

4.25/5

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