Char Kway Teow - Margaret Drive FC
I have received suggestions that I should blog foods from the various Food Centres so that when you all are heading towards a certain Food Centre, you can have recommendations on what to eat so that you will not "waste your calories". I thought it was a good idea, so I visited Margaret Drive FC (Ok, you guys who complain I always blog food from the East, hey, I am listening!) yesterday and tasted some of the famous hawkers there. Over the next few days, I will post the few more notable stalls there.
Today, I am excited to report on the famous Char Kway Teow (CKT) on the ground level of the FC. I haven't had CKT for a while because I did not know any good ones and rather not "waste my calories" on lousy CKT. But this one had a long queue at 4.30pm!! So die, die, line up and try.
This Teochew Ah Chik has been frying CKT for 30 over years. Day in, day out. "Mai Hiam! Mai Ham! See You Joi! Mai Mee, Mai Ter Lah! (no chilli, no cockles, more black sauce, no noodles or pork lard). Phwa, talk about repetitive stress disorder! But this man seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit. So I asked why his CKT is so good. "I don't know" he says.
You see, the conundrum about CKT is that the ingredients are very basic. Put in the lard oil and fry some garlic. Add kway teow, noodles, bean sprouts, fish sauce and stir fry. Add some water, stir fry some more, add black sauce and chilli, stir fry some more, add cockles (oops, you don't want cockles ah?) and serve. What secret is there? I joked with him that it must be his special kanabee (body odour).
No wonder people line up. This is be BEST kway teow I have eaten in years. (OK hold your horses, I only ate about 5 plates in the last few years). The taste is just right. Its got that nice savoury flavour mixed with a tinge of sweetness and just the right amount of fish sauce that you can't taste the fish sauce itself. A mouthful of noodles plus the occasional lard bit (Please read disclaimer), Phwaa Sayah! I die a happy man.
For those who love See Harm, see the amount I got for $2.50! Too bad I don't take See Harm.
Conclusion
Good enough to spend some precious calories and cholesterol points on! Eat it before the government decides to upgrade the FC. Once he is transplanted into a new environment I am afraid he would lose that "I have be here for over 30 years" taste!
4.5/5 Shiok!
Hai Kee Teochew Char Kway Teow
Blk 40A Commonwealth Ave,
#01-550 Commonwealth Ave Cooked Food Ctr
5.00pm – 10.00pm Closed Sun
21 comments:
Have you tried the CKT @ the corner coffeeshop on Jago Close? Its only open at night & is pretty good. :)
Yes I did. That one not bad, this one definitely better. More flavour and slightly sweeter. Only advantage of Jago close is that it is close to home. But I don't think of going. This one I think of going back to eat again and bringing family.
Uncle normally closes at 10pm. Sunday is his off day. Just eaten this evening & $3 is just so full.
The Steamed Dumpling also cost $4 for 10, not $3. For those dining at the store, you can opt to have free-flow chrysanthemum tea at only 10cents per customer. Service is a little bit slow at this stall.
The claypot rice store on the same level is also very popular as is the the fishball noodle on the first floor.
hey nice blog - great pics and accurate info, imo anyways :)
have you tried the char kuay teow at Ghim Moh hawker? It's the best (for me); the chicken rice there is quite power also, the rice is very pang (fragrant).
hello... i dont agree with the ghim moh food center char kway teow. i grew up there and i must say the standard has dropped quite a bit. dont understand why there's always such a long queue. but like all things, espically about food, thats just my opinion! maybe my tastebuds are funny. =) there's a char kway teow in the parkway parade food court in the basement. to me, that one's really good!
Wasted man, u never eat the hum..lol..anyway he closes at 10pm SHARP. Try the western food a few stalls away called ye lai xiang. Damn power expecially the steak. If i am not wrong it is open from mon to thursday 7pm - 10.30pm only.
Hi,
If you like the CKT at Margaret Drive FC, you could also try the one at Amoy Food Centre.
It's the first stall on the first level just in front of the ATM.
In fact, i'm going to have it right now :)
Hey guys,
I used to live near Margaret Drive, but now in Sembawang. I regularly go back there for CKT. I've tried... nowhere beats uncle's CKT.
Unfortunately, I heard on the news yesterday that they're shuuting down the FC from tomorrow for renovations! And in the long term, they're going to tear it down!!! Anybody know where Uncle is going to move to???
They will shut for 1 month in Nov and reopen on 1 Dec.
The FC is to be demolished in 2010 marking 40 years of existence. Maybe nearer the date, you all can try to get their new address and post it here?
I have eaten here before. Think he closes by 8 pm. Good stuff.... He once ran out of clean plates while I was eating.
Margaret Drive CKT opens at about 4pm, closes when he finishes his stuff...usually about 10pm, but sometimes earlier.
You must try the one at the hawker centre beside farrer court! Used to be at Toa Payoh Hawker Centre!
Yes CKT at Margaret Dr is quite famous. I stayed at the block opposite the church from 69-88. The price stayed at $2.00 for a long time . I believe it was only increased to 2.50 in 06.
The whole Margaret Dr landscape had changed tremendously. The 2 churches used to be Venus and Golden City cinema and tah chung emporium and golden crown rest. had been demolished. And of course the wet market is now a carmart
Erm you guys...
The correct timing is:
Open from 5pm
Officially close at 10pm, but usually his ingredients finishes by 9plus, so he'll considerately tell those in the queue that theres none left for them hence they wont queue a minimum of 30 mins for nothing.
He closes on Sundays.
People start to queue even before 5pm, the opening time.
I've been there many many times to eat this CKT often as im quite a fussy eater, I patronise only a few other good stalls. EVERY single time Im there, there will always always be a queue line. The queue starts from 5pm or before till closing time. I have never seen this stall w/o a queue line for the past few years that i've been patronising this yummy stall.
For $2.50, the serving is generous with a more than generous amount of cockles.
I know there are those who dont mind waiting for good food and those who cant stand queuing up for food. For those who cant bother to queue a min of 30mins, all I can say is, too bad for you.
Tip: I always as for more sweet black sauce as I got a sweet tooth. But I never add chilli to my CKT as I think it'll spoil the taste, eventho Im a big chilli fan.
There is also another much frequented CKT stall at Ghim Mor hawker centre that opens and caters to the lunch time crowd if Im not wrong.
Enjoy!
-ahbeR
No wonder I have always missed this stall during lunch time with such opening hours as my school is nearby.
Anyway, dunno whether u guys have heard abt this place in Serangoon Gardens, which is where I live. Its called Jeffery's in the coffeshop just beside RK Eating House. By far the best CKT I have ever had. And the portion served for $2 is very generous as well, sure full. Better than the Newton CKT at the market in my opinion.
Cheers!
well, ckt aside, there is 1 stall in Margaret Drive FC which sells very nice cze char. The portions are smaller but price quite economical. Its located at the corner nearer to the polyclinic, opposite the yong tau foo stall. If possible, do try it and feature in your blog, if you think its good. During peak hours, you may wait up to 45minutes for your meal. I love their belachan chili - hot and stinking !
Price has increased to $3 a plate. Lots of cockles.
S$3per plate
tried 2day
ordered 2 plates
one fried without adding water, one normal with cup of water
the plate fried without additional water taste better, can increase rating till 4.75 / 5
Tried this yesterday. Thought it was overrated - the sauce was a disappointment but gotta give thumbs up for the hum, and the owner's patience and good service.
Will go try the Hill Street one soon. Haven't had it since it moved from Hill St!
The best CKT is the one at Bedok South Hawker Center (opp Temasek JC). I believe it is called Hill Street CKT. It was previously at Hill Street Hawker Center. I used to have a plate of CKT and finish off the meal with a glass of preserved Plum drink (at the stall next to Hill Street CKT) to "remove" the oil, most satisfying!
The uncle fried it with Chive and bits of lard and it is simply delicious!!! Die die must try!
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