Hua Fong Kee Roasted Duck: Only in Toa Payoh!

Some people like Bill Gates want to rule the world. Others like Phua Chu Kang only want to rule Singapore and perhaps JB and Batam. But for Mr Johnny Teo, all he wants is to rule Toa Payoh.

With three stalls strategically placed around Toa Payoh, no Toa Payohrees need to worry about not getting a nice Char Siew and Roast Duck fix. And according to Mr Teo, he really does not want to move out of the boundaries of the Big Swamp. (Toa Payoh means Big Swamp in the Minnan Dialect)

When I blogged about Fong Kee back in 2007, I wasn't overly impressed with the Char Siew but this time round, I was quite pleasantly surprised with their Char Siew at their latest stall in Lor 5. Unlike the last time, the Char Siew this time round was juicy and tender and well caramelized. So I have revised their Char Siew rating to 4.25/5.



Unfortunately, the Sio Bak is still much the same as the last time. The flesh was dry and the skin was gummy. 3.75/5



Just in case you wanted to have laksa with your Roast Duck, (which I initially thought was a little wierd until I remembered that the Thais have their Roast Duck in Red Curry), Fong Kee has also ventured into this market. Their laksa was competent, but nothing really to shout about. Still it is good if you wanted to try the Roast Duck with Laksa combination. 3.5/5



Conclusion

Good place for Char Siew and Roast Duck. I just wonder if they will really just remain within the boundaries of Toa Payoh or if they would eventually spread to Bishan?

Hua Fong Kee Roasted Duck
Blk 51 Toa Payoh Lor 5
#01-62
96658595
Open 8am to 8pm

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The Shepherd's Pie: Do Shepherd's Eat Lambs?

Shepherd's Pie $3.90

As I was thinking about what to write about the Shepherd's pie, a funny thought struck me. - Do Shepherds eat lambs?

Presumably, the Shepherd's pie was so named because it was made by Shepherds and traditionally, they were made with lamb mince. But the thought of a Shepherd actually eating their lambs is a little unsettling. Afterall, we always hear of how the Shepherd is always there to protect the lambs from the wolves and how the Good Shepherd would leave the 99 sheep to go look for the one lost sheep. Its almost like why Chinese farmers would never eat their Ox which helps till the land.

The Shepherd's pie is one of my staples while I was studying in Australia. It is basically your meat pie, but instead of a pastry top, it is covered with mashed potatoes. If you think about it, it is like eating beef stew with mash potatoes because unlike your typical pie, there is no bottom.



There are not many places offering Shepherd's pie in Singapore. If I were to compare it with the ones I had in Australia, I'd say this one is pretty good, except that I felt the stew lacked that robust beefy flavour that we usually find in an Australian meat pie. Otherwise the mash potato was nice and smooth and the crust on top was crisp. The good thing about this type of pie is that because it is made from mash potato, it is less oily than the normal shortcrust pastry. The boss also tells me that they trim off all the excess fats from the beef, so it is actually a healthier choice compared to stuff like pizza. 4/5

Conclusion

Something different the next time you are looking for a snack perhaps?

Does anyone know if Shepherds eat lambs?

The Shepherd's Pie
348 Bedok Road (Simpang Bedok) #02-01
Bedok Market Place
Singapore 469560
67890707
Free Delivery in the East 11am to 9pm
9 inch tray $23.90
www.theshepherdspie.com

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