Lim Joo Hin Eating House:Do Stars have good Tastebuds?

Whenever you walk into an eatery and see photos of stars adorning the walls, what is your first reaction? Well, I guess mine is the same as many others, which is "Ay this stall is frequented by all these movie stars, must be quite good". But you know, the stars are just like anyone else. There are some who are very discerning and others who just eat to live.

If you had caught the episode of Makan Lost and Found on Seng Kee's Bak Chor Mee recently, you might have caught my brief cameo appearance. I was on the set that day and had the opportunity to talk to both Gurmit and Michelle. So I popped the most logical question to them. "Are you really foodies or is this just your job?" Well, Gurmit was very honest and admitted that Michelle was the real foodie, but he just eats whatever. So, based on this, I would be more confident if I walked into a restaurant which has a photo of the Lao Ban standing next to Michelle rather than Gurmit.

When you walk into this Teochew restaurant, you are immediately greeted by photos of Andy Lau and Chow Yuen Fatt which are probably taken a few years after his role in "Man in the Net". (Nowadays that might be taken to mean "internet" but in those days, "Net" had a different meaning). So, the real question is, "How much of a Foodie is Chow Yuen Fatt?" He seemed to have adorned the walls of a few eating estblishments around Singapore. Anyone knows?



Anyway, based on the food in this restaurant, I would say that Mr Chow's tastebuds are not bad, or at least they are as not bad as mine, because I actually found the food here to be quite good.

But of course, good is relative. And in this case, it is good relative to the last couple of Teochew Muey's which I had which were quite bad (which is why they are not mentioned in the blog). So it is refreshing to find one where most of the dishes are quite ok.

One of the dishes here that I can recommend is the Lor Bak. Tender and savoury, it is certainly not the best I have eaten, but something I would be happy to order when I come back to eat again. 4.25/5



One of the dishes which was quite outstanding was this very simple peanut with ikan bilis which had some really addictive crunchy bits which I found out later was a mixture of chilli with sugar crystals. We had second helpings of these. 4.5/5



The other dishes were all generally quite good. Other dishes that I would order again were the Hae Bee Hiam and the Gu Rou Yoke (Sweet and sour pork). The porridge could have been hotter and I wouldn't order their braised peanuts again.

Conclusion

One of the better Teochew Porridge that I have had in recent days and one that is opened in the wee hours of the morning if you happened to have those hunger pangs in the middle of the night.

Lim Joo Hin Eating House
715/717, Havelock Road
Singapore 169643
62729871
Open 11am to 5am

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Teochew Rice and Porridge: Our Teochew Ah Hia's Pick

There's no doubt about it. Teochew porridge is comfort food especially if you are a Teochew Ah Hia. And even more so if you are a sick Teochew Ah Hia. Our resident Teochew Ah Hia, Damien was just recovering from a cold that day so he insisted that he needs to take some Teochew porridge from one of his regular stalls at Maxwell. Knowing Damien, this Teochew porridge's standard must be quite good.



Most of the dishes he ordered were the staple steamed squid, handmade fishcakes, braised pork belly. They were all very good but the one that really caught my attention that day was the Sambal Shark's meat. This was the first time I am eating this and was pleasantly surprised and just how tasty shark's meat can be. This is the kind of dish that goes really well with plain porridge. It coats your mouth with all the tasty goodness that just begs to be washed down with piping hot porridge. 4.25/5

I just wonder: If shark's meat is so nice, why is it that not many more people actually sell it?

Conclusion

Considering how cold the weather has been, I am sure that many are yearning for a nice piping hot bowl of porridge and here is certainly one place where you can go and get your Teochew Porridge fix.

Teochew Rice and Porridge
Stall 98 Maxwell Road Food Centre
10.30am to 8.30pm

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Bukit Merah View Teochew Porridge: Will the Real Teochew Ah Hia please stand up?

With FashionFoodie, smart, liverpool, tag, iwatch_ueat and damien


Today was the day I found out I did not qualify to be a True Blue Teochew Ah Hia! Oh, don't misunderstand me. I am pure bred. Both sets of Grandparents came direct from Swatow. However, I failed the ultimate test of the Teochew Ah Hia. I failed to appreciate freshly steamed Peh Dou Her (Rabbit Fish).

My idea of a perfect Teochew porridge lunch was porridge with stuff like Chye Poh (preserved veg) Omelette, Braised Pork, Sliced Lup Cheong (Chinese sausages) and Braised peanuts. But I found out that that only qualifies me to be an entry level Teochew Ah Hia. The True Blue, Hard Core, Fair Dinkum, No Play Play Teochew Ah Hia loves stuff like steamed Peh Dou Her, steamed mullet and steamed baby squid dipped in Tau Jnior (fermented bean sauce) and chilli.


Peh Dou Her (Rabbit Fish) $4 each

Peh Dou Her is especially prized during the Chinese New Year period when they are about half the size and full of roe. Teochew Ah Hias like Fashionfoodie tell me that the stomach is bitter and when taken with the roe, it is supposed to bring you to the heavenly Swatow. (Area where the Teochews come from)

Here is where I failed. I never did like all the steamed fish that my parents love. In fact it was the fishiness of fish like Peh Dou Her that put me off steamed fish for most of my younger life. But I was game to see if my tastebuds are indeed as Teochew as I thought. Perhaps, as I get older, I might actually like fishy fish?

Not.

Even as the Teochew Ah Hias are attacking the fish with gusto, I found the fish to be too fishy for me. I tried my best but only finished a few mouthfuls. I guess it really is an acquired taste. So, are there many Peh Dou Her afficianados out there?

My rating would be 2.5/5 whereas the other guys rate it 4.5/5



Similarly with the steamed squid. My first bite of it was ok. But it wasn't something I would rave about. So I asked Fashiofoodie again just how to appreciate the dish. He told me that not many people can actually steam it until it was just so soft and tender. Ok. My rating 3/5, his rating 4.5/5.



I was told the beauty of these baby squids is that they are full of roe. Smart especially liked it and kept raving about it. Again for me, it was plain steamed squid. I still prefer it deeped fried till crispy with black sweet sauce. My rating 3/5, Smart's 4.5/5

Conclusion

So will you pass the True Blue Teochew Ah Hia test? My three Teochew Ah Hia friends certainly passed with flying colours. That's not to say that people of other dialect groups would not like Peh Dou Her, it's just that if you claim to be a Teochew Ah Hia, you should pass the Peh Dou Her test. Agree or not?

Bukit Merah View Economic Teochew Porridge
#01-377/379
115 Bukit Merah View
10am to 7pm
Closed on Sunday
Recommended by FashionFoodie

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Prince Taiwan Porridge: It's 2am and I need something to warm my tummy!

With ieatFamily and skinnyfoodie


Do you know what is the difference between Taiwan Porridge and Teochew Porridge? No I don't mean the dishes, I mean the porridge itself. I just found out that aside from the addition of sweet potatoes, Taiwan porridge is cooked from Japanese Short Grain rice (Zhen Zhu Rice) whilst the Teochew version is made from jasmine rice. So real Taiwanese porridge is very much stickier than Teochew porridge. However, because Singaporeans are more used to the Teochew version, this stall makes its porridge from a mixture of short grain and jasmine rice.



Whenever I eat Taiwan Porridge, I usually order the same stuff. I think most of us tend to be that way. Either because we are creatures of habit or we are Kiasu and not wanting to waste our calories on something that is not nice. So, the cold tofu is quite a standard dish for me.

I found this particular sauce a bit too salty and less sweet then others. I did not like it but ieatMrs and skinnyfoodie did. But since I am rating it, it gets 3/5 $4



The Kong Bak Pau was good. The buns here are specially made to order and were really very big and fluffy. One of the best ones (the buns that is) I have tried. The Kong Bak was tasty and really tender. It was good but it lacked that OOmph factor to make it a die die must try. $12 for a set that makes 6. 4/5. Still, it is well worth trying if you are yearning for a good KBP in the area.



The chicken in wine sauce was ok. When you eat it, you know that the chicken was prefried and the sauce was added just prior to serving. It would have been better if the chicken was freshly fried. $6 3.5/5



A good Chye Poh ommelette should be really fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside. To do that, you need skill, a really hot wok and hot oil. The one was good, but tasted like something you could make at home. 3/5

Conclusion

Some dishes were good, some not so, but all is not lost. This place is opened till 3am daily, it is air-conditioned and they don't charge GST and service charge. So it is still a great and comfortable place to get something nice to eat in and warm the tummy if you are working the late night shift!

7/10 (T2+V2+S2+E1)

Prince Taiwan Porridge
9 Cheong Chin Nam Road
64670289
11am - 3pm
5.30pm - 3am Daily

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Xu Jun Sheng Teochew Porridge - Joo Chiat

Updated 14 Jan 2009: They have reopened!



Being 100% pure bred Swatow Teochews, Mom wasn't impressed with last weeks Taiwanese Porridge. So being the filial son that I am, ahem, I brought her to this well known Teochew Muay (porridge) place in Joo Chiat. With a 60 year history behind this shop, I am confident to score some points and retain my place as favourite son (among 3 brothers of which I am the eldest - already ahead on points from the start. ; ))

First up, what could be more Teochew then cold crabs? The Teochews live by the river, so the cuisine features fresh, fresh seafoods. Any self respecting Teochew Ah Hia would frown upon putting peppar, chilli, curry, butter onto your crabs! What, and destroy all that marvellous roe?

So why pay someone else to buy the crab and steam it for you? Can't you do it yourself? Well, unless you are an expert, no, not so easy. The crabs are handpicked by the resident Teochew Ah Hia, Ah Chwee, who ensures that each and everyone is full of roe and the meat packs the shell of the crab, we say this sort of crab is toi (solid) not pah (hollow). And if you ever bought crabs yourself, you will know what I mean.

The meat was sweet and solid, the roe creamy. $10 per crab 4/5 Mom loved the crab, but I must admit, that my Teochewness has been watered down, so I actually still prefer mine with black peppar.



Phwa, this one you got to try! Their prawns with tofu is fantastic. You can see a plate of this on almost every table. The secret, I am told is in the stock which is never decanted. Everyday, fresh pork bones, veges, spices etc is added to existing the existing stock and slowly boiled. We are talking 60 year stock! The prawns are super fresh and large, we'll have none of those soft, mushy, poor excuses for a prawn, we are Teochews, thankyou. $10 4/5 Must try this.



Just close your eyes, don't think about the cholesterol and sink your teeth into the braised Ter Kar (leg of pork), then let the tasty, creamy lipoid bolus coat the inside of your mouth with its flavour and slowly slide down your throat. Then, while your whole mouth is full of its savoury goodness, wash down with hot watery porridge and repeat. This Low (Hokkien: Lor ie braised in soy sauce) is definitely one of the best around, and the flesh and skin of the pork simply falls off the bone.



Again, the secret of a good Low is that you have to have all the stuff in a big pot, and everyday just add fresh ingredients. That way you preserve the lineage of the Low. Again, this one has a 60 year history, you get to partake of not only this chef's kang hoo (skills) but that of his father as well! Shiok shiok $5 per plate 4.5/5



I will continue to rave. The Heh Chor (Prawn rolls) are fantastic. Real crispy on the outside and a nice generous filling on the inside, mixed with the Gik You (Plum Sauce), Pow! Instant Gratification! $10 4.5/5 You just have to order this when you are there.



Though this fish was not swimming around when we ordered it, but it was real fresh. The fish are, again, bought fresh everyday. Fresh fish should only be steamed with the subtlest of seasonings. Bit of ginger, chilli, soy sauce and typically to the teochew style of steaming fish, sour plums. This brings out the flavour of the fish. Might be a bit bland for those used to eating deep fried fish with chilli sauce, but that is the cuisine of people living far from the river, where the fish isn't as fresh and they need to mask the fishy odour. $35 for a big fish 4/5 Great if you like to taste the fish rather then the sauce.



I still can't figure out how they make the sauce for the Siao Pai Chai so flavoursome, when Ah Chwee insists they don't use any lard in the cooking. Its got that nice wok hei, tasty, savoury, "can't get enough of me", flavour that would convert any staunch carnivores. $7 4/5




Trust this Teochew Ah Hia to ensure that you only get the freshest and best ingredients in the food. It is good but not cheap, you have to be willing to pay for good stuff, but it is not overly expensive, you really pay for what you get.





The original shop used to be located diagonally opposite their new shop which now has a comfortable air conditioned section. If you go during peak hours, ordering your food can be quite an adventure. You basically barge your way to get the attention of Ah Chwee and just quickly order what you want. He's got an elephant's memory, so be rest assured all your food will arrive later as per your order.

Conclusion

Currently my favourite Teochew Porridge place. Not the cheapest, but very affordable if you don't order the big fish and crabs. You can get quite a good feed if you go for lor bak, steamed mince meat, chai poh omelette, heh chor and tofu prawns. Big public car park in front of the shop and comfortable eating environment (there are 2 sections, make sure you head to back)

8.5/10 (T3.75+V2.75+S1+E1) If you are not used to Teochew food, don't go for the steam fish or cold crabs, because you would probably find it bland.

Xu Jun Sheng Chao Zhou Mei Shi
No 30 Joo Chiat Place
(Junction of Tembeling road & Joo Chiat Place)
Mon-Sat: 11am - 8pm
Sunday: 10.30am - 3pm
Wednesdays off

Updated 16 Jan 2009

Their new address is:

Xu Jun Sheng Chao Zhou Mei Shi
59 Joo Chiat Place,
Tel: 98472946; 90308600

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Gu Zhao Ren Taiwan Porridge - Comfort Food

Nothing satisfies like a nice bowl of hot porridge on a cold rainy day -- sign of a real chinaman. Anyway, there are two types of porridge generally available. Taiwanese porridge and Teochew porridge. Both are fine with me when I am seeking comfort food. Imagine my joy when I realise that there was a Taiwanese Porridge shop near my place which opens till late at night. And this one cooks your dishes on the spot (Cze Char) style rather then having the dishes ready prepared (Economic Rice style - Don't know why they persist in calling it Economic Rice - doesn't sound too tasty, does it?)




As with most eating places, there are shiok dishes and dishes that you rather not order. So let's start with what I found really shiok. Stewed Pork with Mei Chai is one of my favourite and this one, though not the World Best, still deserves to be commended. The pork is deep fried first so that the skin is nice and wrinkly. The meat is soft enough and they use pretty lean meat so you don't have to feel guilty later. Its got enough of the "Kong Bak" flavour to get me thinking about it after I came home. At $4, you will not regret having this on your table. 4.25/5




Another porridge favourite is the cold tofu. The sauce is just right and the pork floss is quite good quality. Very nice with porridge. $3 4/5 Worth having it on the table.




The Chai Poh Omelette is one of their signature dishes. This is done very well. The egg is fluffy one inside and crisp on the outside. If they change to a better chai poh supplier, this could be even better. $3 4/5




This is one novel dish that I quite enjoy. It is the Indonesian Butter Chicken. Chilli and Curry Leaves are first fried in butter till fragrant then Kecap Manis is added. The smooth, sweet and spicy gravy is then used to coat freshly deep fried middle wings. Since I like sweetish foods this is one of the dishes I will order when I come back. $6 4/5 (Word of warning: Other members of my family did not seem to enjoy it as much as I did. They let me finish half a plate all by myself!)




The family loved the fried pork, though I thought it was only ok. The batter was not amazingly tasty. It was just nice savoury, crispy morsels of protein. The main ingredient in the marinade is fermented bean curd. I will give this a miss and order something else next time (unless my family is with me). $6 3.5/5




The sauce on the pomfret is quite good, but the fish was not fresh. As a Teochew Ah Hia, I like my pomfret fresh and steamed. Not so good. $10 2.5/5 To be fair it still tastes better then the ready prepared ones but for $10 a small fish, I expect better.




Feeling adventurous, I tried their 3 colour prawns (Not on the menu). This combines sweet, sour and spicy flavours. Not good, no no no, not good. $12 2/5 Frankly, the seafood here is not very fresh, so better off avoiding the seafood here.



Conclusion

This place has certainly won my vote as a place for Taiwan Porridge, especially since porridge should be enjoyed with the simplest side dishes (eg, lup cheong, kong bak, cold tofu, luncheon meat, omelette, salted egg etc) and their simple dishes are excellent and reasonably priced. There is free carparking in front of the shop, it is still relatively quiet, its opened till 11.30pm, so it is great as a night haunt. If you are going to treat it as a Cze Char, you may be dissappointed.

Oh, you might be interested to know that this is actually a branch of their main stall known as ABC Cze Char which is located in the new ABC Food Centre.

7.5/10 (T3+V2.5+S1+E1) Great to satisfy a late night porridge crave. I'd simply order the Kong Bak 2X, Tofu, Omelette and 2 bowls of hot watery porridge to satisfy the rumbly in my tumbly.

Gu Zao Ren & Taiwan Porridge
391, Changi Road (Beside Lor Melayu)
Open daily from 11am-2.30pm and 5pm till 11.30pm
68443302

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