Astons Prime: Great Value Sizzling Steaks

Astons Prime had been a victim of its own success, or rather, the success of the first Astons Specialities which is located just a stone's throw away. From its inception, Aston (the owner) had wanted Prime to be a place where you could get a great steak at a great price. He wanted to use Prime to showcase better cuts of meat and quality produce. But somehow, it had always been in shadow of Specialities. Along the way, I thought that Prime lost its focus somewhat when it went into a lot of fancy, modern type cuisines which required birds of exotic names being stuffed with things that are hard to pronounce.

What I wanted was a great sizzling beef steak for less than thirty bucks. I wanted to re-live the good old days when you could walk into a steakhouse and be hit by the wonderful aroma of sizzling beef and be teased by the tantalizing sound of oil bubbling on the hotplate. Cairnhill steakhouse was like that in the good old days. Even Jack's Place. Sadly Cairnhill Steakhouse is but a memory and Jack's Place, well, they are not quite the same as in the past.

So when Aston finally brought in some hotplates and revamped the menu, I got pretty excited. I think this time round, he really got back to the basics of what made Astons a success in the first place -- Really good food at really good prices.


New York Striploin 250g $19.90

After this latest revamp, what sets Prime apart from Specialties is two things. First, the hotplate. Purists might say that the hotplate would overcook the meat. But for me, the hotplate excites my sense of smell as well as my sense of hearing even before it satisfies my sense of taste. To prevent the beef from overcooking, they place it over a bed of sauteed onions which over the course of the meal turns into a nicely caramelised accompaniment. Secondly, they use better meats here. Aston managed to get exclusive rights to sell Rockdale beef which produces quite a nice Long Fed Ribeye and Striploin as a standard item.


Veal Rack 250g $31.90

Our makan kakis were invited to Astons for a special session to give their feedback on the latest menu. All in all, we had a great time. I think everyone liked the idea of the hotplate and we all agreed that the prices were very attractive. There were of course some issues which needed to be worked on, especially pertaining to the hotplates and the service. One thing that everyone did enjoy that night was to be able to taste a several items on the menu rather than the single steak.

Value for money is still the key feature at Astons. A quality Long Fed New York Striploin, 250g on a sizzing hotplate served with a fluffy baked Russett potato and buttered mushrooms is just $19.90 with no GST or service charge. My pick is the Long Fed Ribeye Xtracut, 250g, $22.90 which I thought was comparable to steaks that I have eaten elsewhere for around the $30 to $40 range. 4.5/5

There were some steaks which needed more work. I thought that the tenderloin was a little dry and could do with some bacon wrapped around it. Best also to avoid the porterhouse steak for the moment unless you just want a big piece of meat to satisfy that meat craving.


King Salmon Steak $23.90

For those who are concerned about their cholesterol levels, the selection of fish is quite good. Aston's King Salmon Steak is a NZ wild Salmon which in my opinion is best served medium rare. This is especially if you like sashimi. The taste of wild Salmon is distinct from the farmed ones that is so common nowadays. 4.5/5 The Sablefish which is also known as the Black Cod is also very good. If you like Gindara at Japanese restaurants, this is the same fish. It is a very smooth and oily fish that is high in Omega 3 fatty acids, so it is always a joy to eat. However, I thought that since the fish is already so oily, it should have been served with a lighter sauce. 4.25/5

They do have a beer battered fish and chips for $14.90 but I would not recommend it at the moment because they use Pacific Cod which can be a little tough and fibrous. Astons is busy looking for a replacement after our feedback.


New Zealand Black Angus Ribeye "Pittsburg Style"

The surprise item of the night was the NZ Black Angus Ribeye which Aston cooked in a different style where he got the surface of the steak was really charred. We had a great discussion as to whether this should be called "Pittsburg Rare" which just means that the outside is charred while the inside was still rare. Aston also did one which was medium on the inside and charred on the outside which is a style known as "Chicago Medium". Steak specialist PChong, who has eaten at a lot of great steakhouses around the world gave his stamp of approval for the NZ Black Angus Ribeye done Chicago Medium which was also my favourite that night. The charred bits really adds a nice smokey flavour to the meat just like how it does for Char Siew. Some of our other kakis did not quite enjoyed the charring, so you might like to try one before ordering all your steaks to be done the same way. Aston should hopefully be serving the NZ Black Angus as a standard item soon. He tells me it should be less than $30.

Conclusion

I think Astons Prime has finally found its identity. Great sizzling steaks at around $20 without the ++ is hard to resist. If you like to try your steaks charred on the outside, ask for it done Chicago style and tell them if you want it medium or rare in the middle.

Acknowledgement

Special thanks to Holydrummer, Holybro and Holybunny for organizing the session.
Thanks to Aston for hosting us and donating all proceeds ($1050) to charity.

Astons Prime
467 Joo Chiat Road
Open 11.30 to 11pm
Call 63442447 for reservations

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Hong Mao Wanton Mee: I don't see no Ang Mo around

I know that there are quite a few people out there who regard this particular Wanton Mee as the best in Singapore. The most famous of whom is Gerard Ee, the ex-President of AA and also Singapore's most well known philanthropist. His face is unceremoniously pasted on the glass display cabinet next to the noodles. Apparently, he comes here every Saturday to have his wonton mee fix. The other not-quite-as-famous, but perhaps still quite famous personality (at least within foodie circles) who frequents this stall is Aston of Astons Specialties. When Aston is not eating steak, he is sitting here eating what he considers to be the best Wanton Mee in Singapore.

I have written much about Wanton Mee and have posted reviews of twenty of the most well known Wanton Mees around Singapore. It is in actual fact a very simple dish which many Singaporeans enjoy, but I still haven't been able to find one that stands head and shoulders above the rest. The highest I have given for Wanton Mee was a 4.6/5. They all seem to have just something lacking to make the 4.75 grade. When the noodles and sauce is good, the Charsiew is lacking. When the Charsiew and noodles are good, the Wantons are lacking. I reckon that the main stumbling block for most Wanton Noodle sellers must be the Charsiew because unless you are able to Chargrill your own Charsiew, it is difficult (an expensive) to procure one that is really good.



The Charsiew just happens to be the stumbling block for this particular Wanton Mee. The texture and taste of the noodles are very good, as are the Wantons and the soup which is full of anchovy flavour. But the Charsiew just couldn't make it. Now, if I could get hold of some freshly roasted "Bu Jian Tian" Charsiew from Fatty Cheong to add to the noodles, I reckon this might then be a Wanton mee I would really rave about. 4.25/5

Conclusion

I know I will be getting a lot of protests from fans of this stall who consider this to be the best Wanton Mee stall in the East, if not the whole of Singapore. That's fine, if you feel strongly about this Wanton Mee than do write in to express your support. And btw, if you know why it is called Hong Mao (red hair), do write in and let us know. Apart from the lady boss, I certainly don't see anyone there with red hair.

Hong Mao Wanton Mee
128 Tembeling Road
7am to 4pm
Closed on Mondays

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Tai Shek Hai House of Bamboo Noodles: So Good You can Eat it on its Own!

Freshly made Bamboo Noodles

There are two kinds of people when it comes to Wanton Mee. There are those who consider the whole dish as a package, so a good plate of Wanton Mee means the sauce, the charsiew, the wanton and the noodles all have to be good. Then there are those who focus just solely on the noodles.

I used to be the former. Now I am both.

In Singapore, where virtually all the egg noodles have been procured from factories, it is very difficult to appreciate a good egg noodle. In the past, some hawkers such as Fei Fei used to make their own noodles and it is the quality and taste of their noodles that set them apart. Most wanton mee stalls nowadays buy theirs from factories. There are of course different grades of egg noodles that you can buy and some stalls pride themselves for buying a better grade noodle. Some even have their noodles specifically made to an old family recipe. But it is not the same as having the noodles made in the restaurant itself where the emphasis is on producing a fragrant egg noodle that can be eaten on its own.


Kneading the Dough with Bamboo Machine

Nowadays, we are seeing La Mien being made on the spot and so the humble noodle is back in the spotlight again. In Japan, there are restaurants who also make Soba noodles on the spot and the Japanese, in true Zen tradition, focus their attention solely on the noodles. In Singapore, our humble mee kia has always been taken for granted but I am glad to say that that is about to change.


Soft and delicate texture

The house of Bamboo Noodles was started because the owners loved the taste of these noodles while travelling in Guangzhou and just could not find the same stuff in Singapore. These noodles are essentially the egg noodles that we are all familiar with, except that they are made using a bamboo pole to knead the dough. Traditionally, this meant that the noodle maker would have to sit astride the bamboo pole and use his weight to apply force onto the the dough. But our friends from the restaurants decided to design a machine to do the job instead. This is good because I think some people (especially those from the NEA) might object to the fact that the bamboo was in contact with someone's bum.I got to handle some of the raw noodles and I must say I found it rather therapeutic. The freshly made noodles had a rather fragrant aroma and because of the kneading process, they were made without the addition of "Kee" (alkali). The noodles were delicate and springy and when you release them, they would slowly retract to their original state. You should try playing with a ball of uncooked noodles so you can appreciate the fragrance and texture of it.


Plain Noodles tossed in oil

The Wanton noodles are usually served Hong Kong style, with a black soy based sauce. But I requested mine to be served plain, just tossed in a bit of oil because I wanted to focus my senses on just the texture and fragrance of the noodles itself. I found the texture of the noodles to be excellent. It was light and springy and firm to the bite without being too stringy. It is one of the best egg noodle I have tasted so far. 4.5/5 The normal sauce which they use for the wanton mee still needs more work so if you order a normal plate of Wanton mee, it might taste like just another plate of wanton mee which you can get anywhere.


Fried Egg Noodles $6.80

My favourite version of fried egg noodles is what is commonly known as "Hong Kong Mee" at our Cze Char stalls. I was very impressed when the Hong Kong Mee was presented because the fragrance of the Wok Hei and the egg noodles was so strong I could smell it when I was taking the photos. If you enjoy Hong Kong Mee, this is a must try. I suggested to Amy that if crab meat could be added to the noodles, it would be even more delectable. 4.5/5


Specialty Tobiko Fried Dumpling $4

The stallowners are quite adventurous in experimenting with food, so you sometimes get a fusion of Japanese and Chinese cuisine like their wanton which has Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe) in it. I like the wantons, which I thought were substantial and quite tasty, but the Tobiko doesn't add any value for me. 3.75/5


Spinich Soup $4

I also quite like the Spinach soup which is quite similar to a Shark's Fin or Fish Maw Soup. Amagada didn't think much of it though. Like Shark's Fin soup, it is thick and sticky and taken with a dash of black vinegar 4/5


Deep Fried Golden Mushroom $8

The surprise item of the day has to be the deep fried golden mushrooms. Surprise, because even the kids who usually shun mushrooms managed to finish the whole plate. It is great as a garnish for the plain noodles as the crispiness adds a nice contrast to the chewy noodles. 4.25/5

Conclusion

This is actually my 2nd visit to Tai Shek Hai. When I first visited just prior to their official opening in September, I felt that the food was not good enough to blog, since then, they have really improved on the noodles and managed to come up with a few dishes which are really quite good. The fact that they painstakingly make their own noodles is a good thing and I hope to see more eateries doing the same and refocussing our attention back to the humble mee kia which is actually quite tasty on its own when it is done right.

PS:

They do sell their noodles raw as well. I cooked some of the noodles myself at home and it is faster to cook than instant noodles. Just rinse the flour from the noodles and put them in boiling water and count to 15 slowly. Then strain the noodles and they are ready to eat. I just added some shallot oil, Goma Sauce and Pork Floss and it was marvellecious. If you have some Hae Bee Hiam, that would work too!

Tai Shek Hai House of Bamboo Noodles
283/285 Joo Chiat Road
Jn of Koon Seng and Joo Chiat Road
Singapore 427539
63455095
10.30am to 11pm daily
This was an invited review

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Eng Seng Restaurant: Ring Up First or No Crabs for You!

With Amagada

Black Pepper Crabs $38 per kg

We should do a poll to see whether there are more Chilli Crab lovers or Black Pepper Crab lovers. I think that there was one time when Chilli Crabs were the runaway favourites, but then Black Pepper Crabs came onto the scene and stole top spot from Chilli Crabs. Of course, nowadays there are a few other crab fads like Crab Bee Hoon and Salted Egg Crab, but I still think that Chilli Crabs and Black Pepper Crabs are still by far the favourite amongst Singaporeans.

Today we talk about Black Pepper Crabs and as you all may already know, the creation of the dish is widely attributed to the famous Long Beach Seafood Restaurant. But if you ask where is the best Black Pepper Crab around, a lot of people will tell you about this particular place where you have to ring up early in the day to book your crabs before coming down at around 5pm to start queueing for a table.

The notoriaty of this place is legend. The queue is so bad that it had intimidated me enough to not to try it after all these years. There is also the rumour of a Empress Dowager like figure commanding the restaurant and rumours of the Uber Food Nazi chasing people away for the lack of crabs is the stuff of Singaporean Hawker Lore. And then, there is the fact that they are usually sold out by 8pm. How to eat like thaaaaaat? Then again, like that, how not to eaaaaaat?



What finally brought me to the restaurant was when I heard rumours that the restaurant had moved to somewhere in Yio Chu Kang and that the restaurant in Joo Chiat is closed. In fact, I have driven past the alleged new restaurant (which I shall not name at the moment) and it says clearly on the signboard that they were previously from Joo Chiat Place. I think it was Holydrummer who told me that he had already eaten the black pepper crab there. So I started making plans to visit the new restaurant at Yio Chu Kang since I thought I might get a chance to eat the crab before people find them and we have to start queuing again.



But as I was organizing my trip there, one of my patients told me that she had just eaten Black Pepper Crab at the old Joo Chiat Place! After making sure she wasn't seeing me for diarrhoea, I decided that I would get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all.

So we eventually found ourselves sitting at the old coffeeshop at Joo Chiat Place at 5 pm waiting for our Black Pepper Crabs. We were lucky as we did not ring to reserve our crabs ahead of time but still managed to order some because they had a good supply of crabs that day.


As our gowment says, Two is not enough!

The verdict: Strangely addictive. These Black Pepper Crabs are not like the ones served elsewhere. The sauce is slightly sweet and not overly spicy. As Goldilocks would say, "it is just right!". It was so shiok that I think I ate more crabs at that one seating then I ever had for a long while. 4.5/5

The lady manning the register told me that there is some secret ingredient in the black sauce that they used but stopped short of telling me what it was. She also insisted that rumours of there being a change in management at the restaurant was untrue and that everything was the same as before. She appeared to know about the restaurant in Yio Chu Kang but wouldn't say anymore about them.

Conclusion

I guess the real question is whether I would bother calling up earlier in the day and come at 5pm to start queuing up for the Black Pepper Crab the next time? Quite honestly, I think I would.

But back to the mystery at hand. Something must have happened to have started all the rumours! Anyone knows of what actually happened?

Eng Seng Restaurant
247 Joo Chiat Place
(Jn Joo Chiat Place and Still Rd)
4.30pm to around 8pm
64405560
91113564 Eunice

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D'bun: Cheesecake Mooncake

Mini Oreocheesecake $26.80 (8 pieces)

When you were young, were you ever told that that moon was made of cheese? Well, it so happens that this particular Moon-cake is made out of cheese-cake. Yeah yeah its corny, but what do you expect at 2am in the morning?

Anyway, with the Mooncake festival just 2 weeks away, it's time to look at some Mooncakes. Now, unlike our reporter friends from the media, I don't have the luxury of tasting all the fine hotel mooncakes and write about them all in the one article. So I just write about whatever comes my way which is noteworthy. And one of the more noteworthy ones I have come across recently are the ones by our good friends at D'bun.

Nowadays, people are putting all sorts of stuff into Mooncakes and it is not unusual for find truffles and fine belgian chocolates in Mooncakes. Which begs the question, when is a Mooncake a Mooncake? I guess you can call anything a Mooncake if it is covered with thin pastry and has been molded into the "Mooncake" shape.

So yes, you can mold Snowskin over Oreo Cheesecake and it can be considered a Mooncake rather than a Cheesecake. Whatever it is, you should be able to cut it and eat with your fingers rather than with a dessert spoon.

I was actually quite taken with the Cheesecake Mooncake. The cream cheese is just slightly salted so its got that nice savory sweet taste. D'bun's snowskin is nice and soft, but still gummy enough so you can chew on it. 4.25/5


Mini Snow Skin Durian $26.80 (8 pieces)

Now, I have always been a firm believer that Durians should be eaten "Au Natural" and don't really like all the different variations of the fruit. But Mimi tells me that her durian mooncakes are made from 100% D24 Durians without the addition of any flour or cream. It was ok I guess, but I still prefer eating fresh durians. However, for those who don't like the smell of day old Durian lingering on their fingers, this might be a good way to enjoy the fruit. 3.75/5.

Conclusion

So do you think Mooncakes should be traditional or do you go for all these modern variations? And where are you all buying your Mooncakes this year?

D'bun
358 Joo Chiat Road
S(427603)
www.dbun.com.sg
63458220

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Old Swee Kee: The Resurrection of an Icon?

This stall is closed

Normal Chicken $26 whole, $13 half

I dare say that the legendary Swee Kee Chicken Rice served the "World Best" Chicken rice in their heyday. Actually, it is not that hard to be "World Best" since this style of Chicken Rice is typically Singaporean and if you are the best in Singapore, you would probably be the best in the world. But then, the rest of the world may not know how to appreciate it so there really is no point in calling it "World Best" in the first place. I guess it is just quite satisfying to say "World Best" just as it is quite shiok to say "Shiok"(It's so tasty) and "Wah lao eh!" (Oh my goodness!).

Anyway, a stall calling itself "Old Swee Kee" is bound to attract the attention of chicken rice lovers who are today still reminiscing the "Golden Age" of Chicken Rice when Swee Kee was still around. There was no competition back then. If a tourist was in town and you wanted to showcase the best that Singapore had to offer, you brought them to Swee Kee. Of course, if your guest is very high class and you had a company account, you would bring him to Mandarin's Chatterbox. But for the typical kiasu, every want cheap-and-good Singaporean, Swee Kee was the place to go.

So when Cactuskit SMSed me excitedly one day (don't ask me how I can tell he is excited from an SMS - one just knows) that Swee Kee is back, it did not take me too long to go down to see for myself if indeed the legend has been resurrected.



To cut a long story short rather than prolonging the agony like Ryan Seacrest in American Idol and risk getting "Pui Chao Nua"(spat at in disgust), let me tell you that Swee Kee is sort of back but perhaps not in the way that is going to create the same excitement as when our Table Tennis Team beat South Korea and eventually won the Silver medal. Well done, Team Singapore! Ah Roo, Ah Roo, Ah Rooooooo!

OK, back to my story. Remember there was a stall I blogged before called Rui Kee at North Bridge Road who also claimed to have some Swee Kee Roots? Well, Rui Kee closed the North Bridge Road stall and reopened here in Joo Chiat under the new brand name "Old Swee Kee". Ooooohhhhh......... I hear you say. But all is not bad. The fact is that the Lao Ban Niang's husband used to work in the original Swee Kee and is the cousin of the owner. And, the last remnant of the Swee Kee brand up till now is the restaurant near Senai Airport also called Swee Kee Chicken Rice. This stall is actually run by the husband while his wife runs this new stall in Joo Chiat. So yes, Swee Kee is back but it is not really a "Resurrection from the Dead" like that of Chin Chin.



But that does not mean that you are not getting a great chicken rice experience. I was there within a week of their opening and even though they are still ironing out some operational details, I was pleasantly surprised by the chicken rice there which had that touch of old world authenticity.

The chicken was prepared the traditional way, which means no soaking in ice water after cooking. Instead it is dunked quickly into a little salt water and left on the tray to make sure all that yummy chicken juices don't get drained out. The flesh was tender and tasty without being overly "chickeny". Of course the skin was not as perfect as the ice water dunked ones but I must say that I am beginning to appreciate this style of chicken more and more. 4.25/5

The rice was not as fragrant as I liked. But I found out later from the Lao Ban Niang that they are still working on the cooking equipment as they did not managed to get the fire hot enough to fry the oil. They told me that it would be fixed by next week. 4/5



For the chilli, they have 2 varieties. The standard one shown in the middle and the special reserve version (front) which regulars and those in the know (like you) can request for. The special version is made from chilli padi and packs an extra punch. The ginger sauce is very good. Roughly chopped so that you still get the nice fibre and has enough bite to it.




One last thing I have to say about Old Swee Kee. For those of you who always have problems with friends insisting on eating Kampung chicken, you would be pleased to know that Old Swee Kee sells both types of chicken, so that everyone will be satisfied. Just for the record, they sell three normal chickens for every kampung chicken. So most people still prefer the soft, tender, voluptuous chicken rather than the sinewy Kampung Chicken! But hey, you have your right to like Kampung Chicken and I defend your right to like it even though I don't.

Conclusion

It isn't really Swee Kee resurrected, but it is still a great place to eat chicken rice. So, if you are a self professed chicken rice lover, I am sure you will make a beeline to the restaurant very soon, won't you?

Old Swee Kee
131 Joo Chiat Road
(Jn of Joo Chiat Place & Joo Chiat Road)
64409037
11am to 10pm daily
Closed fortnightly on Mondays



What to do next?

Go try some Presidential Poh Piah nearby
Buy some Char Siew Sio Bak Pau home
The Putu Piring place is also close by
There's an excellent Prawn Mee around there too.
Check out the rest of good eats by clicking on Joo Chiat label
Look at the rest of Singapore's best Chicken Rice

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Kim's Joo Chiat: XO Hokkien Mee: A Tale of Passion and Tenacity

With sumosumo, khim, Don, jems, holydrummer/bro/bunny, cactuskit.

XO Hokkien Mee $12

This is one for the oyster lovers! Imagine a plate of hokkien mee topped with a rich seafood sauce made from prawns, sotong and oysters. Ooh... it has gotta be shiok. Shiok enough to get a guy like Cactuskit to visit the place 4 times over the last three weeks. Skiok enough to get him to persuade me to eat there three times and to bend my arms to give it a higher score. Shiok enough to get him to organize a special supper so that the other kakis can savour its shiokness. Man, if a plate of hokkien mee can drive him to do all this, I wonder what he was like when he was pursuing his wife!

Now the truth of the matter is that after my first taste, I decided not to blog it since I have already blogged Kims at Joo Chiat before. But then I was told by Cactuskit that the problem is that I ate it during the afternoon and I had asked them not to add the chilli which is an integral part of the recipe. OK, so I went on another night with some other kakis and specifically asked for the evening cook to fry the Hokkien Mee for us. Verdict 4.25/5. Good enough to blog. But Cactuskit was still not satisfied and threatened to lead a coup against me unless I got some seasoned foodies to try the XO Hokkien Mee together with him. Anything less than a 4.5/5, he said, could lead to grave circumstances.

I can never say no to such passion as well as the fact that the guy is bigger sized then me and he has been quite a good moderator over at the forum. So the whole group of us found ourselves sitting in Joo Chiat last week to offer our final verdict on this XO Hokkien Mee. The XO btw stands for Xtra Oysters and not extra-ordinary or the fact that they add XO to the Hokkien Mee.

'

The Verdict:

Cactuskit: 4.6/5
Holydrummer: 4.5/5
Jems: 4.25/5
Holybro: 3.75/5
Holybunny: hehehehee
Sumosumo: 3.75-4/5
Khim: 4/5

So there you have it! See, I was right to give it a 4.25/5 in the first place which reflects an average score for the kakis!

Now that you see how varied the opinion is over the XO Hokkien Mee, it behooves (thank Ps Prince for that word) every HKM lover to go and try for themselves and see if it is really that great. If you love it, you have Cactuskit to thank for his tenacity and perseverance in getting this story posted. If you feel you wasted your time, petrol and calories, you know who to look for. You can find him in the forum.

Conclusion

If you like oysters and the wet type of Hokkien Mee and always eat yours with sambal and crispy lard bits, then you will give this at least a 4 to 4.5. If not.. too bad.

Incidentally, Kim's Jr is exactly like his dad when it comes to having his picture taken. Must have gone for PR classes!

Remember to vote today! Click here

The previous post about Kim's is found here

Read about the top Hokkien Mees in Singapore by clicking here

Kim's Seafood Place
37 Joo Chiat Place
Singapore 427761
11am to 2am daily
67421119

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Bak Changs with a Char Siew Twist

Char Siew Sio Bak Chang $2

Duan Wu Jie (Rice Dumpling Festival) is just round the corner so its time to talk about Bak Changs. I always try to include something for special festivals when I can, but I am not like a full time SPH journalist who has the luxury of being able to track down the top ten Bak Changs in Singapore and write a full spread about it. (Wouldn't it be great if I could?) So usually it just depends on what comes my way. It so happens that I bumped into Mimi of D'bun last week and she quickly mentioned that she is making some Char Siew Sio Bak Chang for the upcoming festival. Char Siew Bak Chang? Now that would be interesting, don't you think?

When I was growing up, mom and my aunties used to come together to make Bak Changs for the festival. Those days, you only got to eat Bak Changs around this time of the year. But somewhere along the line, people started to make them commercially and before long they were available round the year. There was something special about being able to eat Bak Changs only at certain times of the year. You are always looking forward to it. I guess the same thing has happened to things like pineapple tarts and even seasonal fruits like durians. Somehow or other mooncakes seem to have been able to preserve its seasonal status. I wonder why this is so?



When it comes to Bak Chang, my all time favourite is the Teochew Sang Teng (Double layer) Chang. It's got the usual fatty pork, chestnuts and mushrooms but what sets it apart is the ball of sweet bean paste wrapped in pork mesentery in it. Till this day I still remember the look of the mesentery (the transparent membrane attached to the intestines) and how it was wrapped around balls of bean paste. The sweetness of the bean paste is a nice contrast to the savoury fatty pork but its something not everyone likes which is why it is not as readily available as the other types of Bak Changs.



The Char Siew Sio Bak Chang will appeal to those who love Nonya Chang. It is the same Char Siew that they use for their popular Char Siew Pau but for the Bak Chang version, a bit of Ketumbar (coriander seeds) and winter melon is added, so in that way it is similar to a Nonya Chang. The glutinous rice is also prepared by flavouring it with Pandan leaves first. And of course, not forgetting that piece of Sio Bak hidden inside the Bak Chang. It's like finding that piece of chicken in a curry puff! For someone who also likes Nonya Chang and everything a little sweet, I really liked this one too! 4.25/5


Sea Cucumber in Bak Chang - Special Order $5

I must confess that for me one of the most enjoyable bits of a Bak Chang is the combination of the slimy pork fat with the starchy glutinous rice. Unfortunately, its not the healthiest thing for one's heart. What Mimi has done was to use Sea Cucumber (76% protein, 5% fat) as a substitute and I must say that the soft gelatinous sea cucumber really does give you the same sensation as the pork fat but without the guilt. The Sea Cucumber ability to soak up the flavour of the braised pork also means that you could almost mistaken it for pork fat if no one told you about it first.

Sea Cucumber is a Chinese delicacy, so it doesn't come cheap (mimi using quite a good quality one) and you also have to order it 3 days in advance and they cost $5 each. D'bun also make the normal Hokkien style Bak Changs at $2.50 each which are available over the counter.

Conclusion

Very good bak changs overall. Each grain of glutinous rice is nicely flavoured, soft, moist and gummy. The Char Siew Sio Bak chang is a nice variation of the Nonya Chang with the added charcoal BBQ flavour which I enjoy. For those who like fatty pork but need to look after their waistline, the Sea Cucumber really does make a good low calorie substitute.

Now, where can I get a nice Teochew Sang Teng Chang?

D'Bun
358 Joo Chiat Road
Jn of Marshall & Joo Chiat Rd
63448110
www.dbun.com.sg
8am to 10pm

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D'Bun: The Char Siew Sio Bak Pau!

Mouse Pau: Lotus Paste $1 ea

You might not realise it yet, but you and several thousand other readers of this blog are part of a small test market for new food products. When you make the effort to go down and try some of the new stuff that is being featured on the blog, you are actually playing a role in introducing a new food item to our local food scene. Over the last 18 months, several new food items have already been introduced. The Godzilla Da Pau and ieat Superburger are probably the best known, and then of course there's the Double Ramly and the Cheese Baked Chilli Crab. Some of the rest did not quite make it, but hey it was still a lot of fun creating them. So I hope you all will continue to volunteer your tastebuds and tummies.

There are lots of stall owners with creative ideas but what they lack is a platform where they can test market their creations. So when I get to meet some of these passionate people, they get excited when they realize that they can try out their new recipes on a group of real foodies!

As fate would have it, I met Mimi, the boss of D'bun when we started our Alpha course last week. She and her friend, Ginny had cooked up a sumptuous dinner that night and I was enjoying a delicious Chui Pi Tou Foo when I was introduced to Mimi, who made the dish. When she found out about my food blog, she got really excited and started telling me about her ideas about some really interesting Paus.


Char Siew Sio Bak Pau $1, Normal Char Siew 60cents

A couple of days later I was at her shop in Joo Chiat to try out some of her new creations. The one that really got me excited was the Char Siew Sio Bak Pau which really hit that Oooommph button. Firstly, they roast all their own Char Siew and Sio Bak here. So the Char Siew filling already has that nice smoky charred flavour which is seriously lacking in a lot of Char Siew Paus nowadays. Then when you bite into the Sio Bak in the middle, ooooohhhh, the aroma of the crispy pork crackling just wafts up your nostrils. This is seriously quite shiok and definitely worth a try. 4.5/5


Curry Pau $1.20

The Curry Pau is not really new creation. It was selling quite well a few years ago but ceased production during the crisis with Malaysian pork. Now Mimi is resurrecting it again. The curry here is very mild, so even the kids can eat it. I love eating bread with curry, so this combination is not all that far fetched. I think this could be even better if they could give the curry a bit more of a umami kick. Perhaps a nice creamy beef Rendang might also work? 4/5


Chui Pi Tou Fu $1.20 per slice

This is the Chui Pi Tou Fu (Crispy Skin Tofu) that I ate during the Alpha course. It's basically egg tofu with lots of other ingredients wrapped in bean curd skin. It is quite light but very tasty and I couldn't stop eating it that night. Goes really well with sweet chilli sauce. 4.25/5


Yuen Yang Pau $1.30ea

Glad to report that they make the Yuan Yang Pau here as well. Not readily available nowadays, the Yuan Yang Pau is made from Red Bean Paste, Lotus Paste and salted egg yolk. They use a special layered skin for this Pau which I felt was just slightly too thick. Otherwise the Red Bean and Lotus Pastes were good. 3.75/5

Conclusion

I haven't had a great Char Siew Pau for a long time and this Char Siew Sio Bak Pau really hit the spot for me. I thought that even though the Char Siew filling is already one of the best ones around, it could still be improved that tiny bit more to get it past the threshold into the 4.75 category. Just like how that one extra "Yelp" from JoJo enabled Horton's suspicious neighbours to hear the noise emanating from Whoville! (Horton hears a Who)

My next challenge to Mimi was to create a die-die-must-try, "even the Malaysians will drive out to Singapore and pay ERP to buy", Luo Mai Kai! One that is laced with dried scallop XO sauce and other fantasy ingredients in it! Mmmmmm........ stay tuned!

D'Bun
358 Joo Chiat Road
Jn of Marshall & Joo Chiat Rd
63448110
www.dbun.com.sg
8am to 10pm

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Kway Guan Huat: The Presidential Poh Piah

With smart on 1st trip, ieatfamily on 2nd trip

A thing of beauty!

If you are a Poh Piah lover, then you really have no excuse if you have not been to Kway Guan Huat. Not only is this eatery a part of the Singapore food heritage, the Poh Piah here is quite simply, darn shiok. At last, a Poh Piah that made it into the "Really Must Try" list.

Just take a look at the skin. Nice and translucent, yet it holds a chock full of filling without breaking or allowing the sauce to ooze out. The texture is chewy and it leaves that wonderful sweet carbo aftertaste upon chewing. The second most important ingredient is, of course, the turnip filling. The savoury sweet filling here has that wonderful umami oommph. It's no wonder as they actually de-shell Sri Lankan Crabs in order to add crab meat into the filling. You can't really see the crab meat, but you can definitely appreciate that crustacean sweetness. Thirdly, the homemade crispy bits which are actually made from some sort of fish paste adds that wonderfully sweet crunch to the Poh Piah.



Put them altogether and you get a wonderful matrix of flavours and textures. Chewy (skin), crunchy (crispy fish bits), juicy (turnip), crispy(lettuce and bean sprouts), sweet (sauce) and spicy (chilli) plus and interesting contrast between the warm filling and the cool vegetables. This is the inexplicable beauty of a expertly rolled, fully packed and turgid Poh Piah. 4.6/5



There is only one thing that I am not quite happy with and that is the fact that the filling is microwaved just before making the Poh Piah. I felt that traditionally, it should be scooped up while it is still bubbling in the pot. I think it would have made a difference to the amount of juiciness.


Crispy bits and Poh Piah skin ($16 per kg) can be bought separately

The best thing about the Poh Piah here is that it is fully customizable as well. They sell the standard version here for $2 each. But if you came all the way from Tuas and just want the premium stuff, just ask Zita to pack for you the works ($3.50). And you can even get to choose from not just one, but four different types of crunchy bits. Ahhh, heaven!

Zita is the Lao Ban Niang here and she has told me that she welcomes her guests to bring their own stuff to put into the Poh Piah. Crispy Pork Floss and XO sausages immediately comes to my mind. Some of her other customers have added stuff like seaweed.


Poh Piah Set for 2 $16 (Eight sheets of Poh Piah skin - refillable)

If you like to roll your own Poh Piahs instead, they also sell Poh Piah sets here where you get the filling in a claypot and all the ingredients so that you can do it all yourself. I thought it was quite ingenious. You pay them a little more to do the work yourself! Hmm, it's just like paying to go pond fishing I guess. They also sell sets that you can bring home to have your very own Poh Piah party.



Now if you think that making a Poh Piah is easy then think again. Amagada and I made our own Poh Piah initially, but we got Zita to make one for us and boy there was a difference. It's got something to do with the proportion of ingredients and also how you roll the Poh Piah. One of the crucial things that I observe is the initial side folds. Notice that she brings both sides to meet each other in the middle before proceeding to roll the Poh Piah? That makes the Poh Piah really full and the double layer of skin gives it more skin to chew on in every bite.

Conclusion

What else can one ask for in a Poh Piah? The fundamentals are all there and you can even bring your own fantasy filling. Plus, the old shop has got a rustic charm and a sense of history to it, being able to trace its roots all the way back to 1938 when it was being sold from a push cart. It really doesn't get better than this.

Oh and before I sign off, I was told that the President's maid comes regularly to tar pau the Poh Piah home. Guess that's another one to add to my list of Presidential Hawker Stalls.

Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat
Original Poh Piah Skin & Kueh Pie Tee
95 Joo Chiat Road
63442875
Zita 96773441
Open 10am to 8pm daily
Closed on Mondays

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