Sunday, June 22, 2008

Zhen Zhen Porridge: Silky Smooth



I finally managed to eat the famous Zhen Zhen porridge!

The distinctive feature about this porridge is that they cook the grains until it has all but dissolved. Lots of people actually rave about this porridge and even they even got 6 chopsticks from Makansutra which is full marks. I was however a little ambivalent about it as I felt it was almost like eating a bowl of thickened cream soup.



Granted, for $3, you actually get a chockful of ingredients in the porridge. I ordered the mixed porridge which had pork, slice fish and century eggs. It is really value for money and the fish was very fresh. But I have to admit that I still prefer my porridge to have a few grains in it. Nonetheless it is certainly a very unique bowl of porridge which is well worth a try. 4/5

Conclusion


Good bowl of porridge but I don't think that I am all out sold on the idea of cooking the rice till it all dissolves. Too much like eating pure starch to me.

Zhen Zhen Porridge
Maxwell Road Food Centre

Stall 54

5.30am to 2.30pm

Closed Tuesdays

27 comments:

Indigo said...

Hmmm...sounds alot like Crystal Jade's porridge which is also cooked until it takes on a gluey consistency. Also very good.

sumosumo said...

chai chee porridge beats this place hands down.

The Dictator said...

usually cantonese style porridge are done this way...

if u like some grains, u could try the teochew style... to me, its like adding water to rice... ha

ice said...

Hello,

Maybe you can try Ah Chiang's at Tiong Poh Rd. This place's been around since the 1970's and serves canto-style porridge using the traditional charcoal stove. It's very popular with regulars like myself (waiting time around 45min) but IMHO very underrated. Porridge is not starchy here and definitely not at all thickened like gruel. They serve very good ikan barang raw fish salad too. I recommend the fishhead porridge . I believe they use song he for this one.

I think Leslie will like this place. :)

sumo: Isn't Chai Chee Hainan porridge? It's different fr canto-style though, the former being more grainy, middling btw the grainy Teochew porridge and gruel-like canto-style one.

jems said...

hi ice,

what time do ah chiang open and close? Think they were once featured at some food show but I couldn't seem to find it cuz dunno the road name. It's at some corner coffee shop right?

ice said...

jems: hello! Ah Chiang's just gone private limited so haha I'm typing this off the name card:
Blk 65 Tiong Poh Road, #01-38
It's opened 7am-2pm, 6pm-12am. Closed every alternate monday (don't ask me which one I don't know!)

They started dinner since last year to accommodate regulars' requests. I think it's good for working folks coz unless it's the weekend, it's virtually impossible to have a breakfast/ lunch there. Just be prepared to wait in the mornings! :)

It's really delicious, the smokey porridge's really light and I swear there's no msg. Do pop by sometime!

smart said...

My wide n daughter tried the plain porridge n Raw fish. Very good they told me. Big portion for $4/ of raw fish.

Damien said...

Can't order the raw fish alone. Got turned away whilst doing that :)

vb said...

How's the MSG level of these places mentioned???? Normally, congee in HK lots of MSG (unless otherwise stated)

khim said...

OoOo.. i luv porridge of these texture!!! very shiok!! =)

ClearTear said...

im waiting for "Jiu Ji" Porridge at chinatown market to open, the last time i went there during lunch, its closed or not open yet.

fatme said...

Been sometime since i went there,they didn't sell pork porridge then only fish and chicken.I love their fish porridge,now must go and try pork porridge.

Anonymous said...

Teochew ah hei is teochew ah hei....eat porridge must be teochew style then you will like..

i myself prefer the canto or hainan style like in this case...

jems said...

Hi ice, thanks for da info :) Will definitely go try soon~

angela said...

I find their porridge too saltish for my liking...

When I go there, I usually order de raw fish only... I just love de abundant spring onions and lots of sng kar over de raw fish... Yum Yum!

ClearTear said...

Jiu Ji porridge is open, i hope they are still as good - #02-184. Chinatown FC

Simon Seow said...

Ah. Rarely find poriddge like this anymore. Must go try next time when I come to Singapore.

Anonymous said...

Love this porridge...but the wait can be very long during peak hours....

Will eat this porridge if I am around there....

Anonymous said...

Hey Smart, u might want to restrict the food intake of your daughter in case she gets even wider ;-)

smart said...

Anon, tks for pointing out the typing mistake. Unfortunately cant address you as you are hiding your identity.

Genie said...

Prefer Ah Chiang's Porridge instead / especially the raw fish salad, its fresh & definately worth the price paying.. My frd got craving for porridge yesterday evening & of course we choose (Ah Chiang's), Thumbs up!!

ieat said...

Would be good if you could let us know where this Ah Chiang's porridge is.

ice said...

ieat: I mentioned the address earlier before.

Anonymous said...

for those who are there for the raw fish, you can order porridge koso, which is plain porridge. A normal plain porridge with egg cost about $0.70 the last time I went.

supaflip said...

Hahaha I dun like gluey porridge also.. my staple so far is xin xian pork porridge at marine terrace. been going there for the past 10 years already... run by three sisters I think, wahh weekend must go before 11 cos everytime sold out...the carrot cake there also not bad, but I always go for the pork porridge

Anonymous said...

the porridge are too gluey for my liking and the taste not as flavorful as compare the one at marine terrace or blk 85. thou makansutra gave them 6 chopsticks, i think everyone has their own taste and can't always trust what the food critics comments. have to judge ourselves :) last time been to some of the stalls makansutra introduced but ended up with great disappointment :}

Anonymous said...

Actually u shld try their 魚生 too. It's nice, and it's very popular too.

Post a Comment