Hong Ji Mian Shi Jia 鸿记面食家 (Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre)

Dumpling Noodle $3.50 with Char Siew $1

Other than Seng Huat Prawn Noodles 成發,Hong Ji Mian Shi Jia 鸿记面食家  is another stall that is very popular at this food centre.

This stall specialises in serving old school style wanton noodle, dumpling noodle and even chicken claw noodle. Do note that although the queue may seems short, the waiting time tend to be long.

While waiting, you can read the 3 articles that are displayed at the stall. One of the article stated that the owner of the stall, who is the man behind the stall cooking your food, has more than 40 years of experience in preparing, cooking and selling these noodles! He had done this his entire life and back then the cost of each bowl of noodles was 20 cents! Such devotion and perseverance.

I have been to the stall several times to try their different food items after having first try their Wanton Noodle. I must say that their food is really good. Homely, comforting and tasty. They also have a plastic bag of fried pork lard placed at the front of the stall for customers. However, on certain days the fried lard are crispy while on other days, they were not crispy (an indication that they were not fresh).

Wanton Noodle $3.50

This Wanton Noodle $3.50 was damn solid. The noodles were springy and the sauce was flavourful and just right, not too salty. The char siew had a high lean meat to fat ratio and few charred bits. But yet the char siew was surprisingly soft and tender. There were 3 pieces of wanton given. The wanton meat were well marinated and the wanton skin was smooth! Before I knew it, I had polished off all the wanton.

Chicken Claw Mushroom Noodle $3.50

This was the Chicken Claw Mushroom Noodle. It cost just $3.50 and comes with a pair of chicken claw and a whole braised mushroom. In all other hawker stalls, the mushroom would be sliced. I am not sure why this stall served the braised mushroom as a whole, but I preferred it this way because it gave a better bite, and retained more flavour and juice in it. I am won over already! The chicken claw was delicious and appeared to be more ‘meaty’ compared to other stalls.

Dumpling Noodle $3.50 with Char Siew $1

This was the Dumpling Noodle which cost $3.50. I topped up $1 for Char Siew. Look at the generous amount of char siew given! As for the dumplings, they were meaty and was filled with prawns, minced meat and chestnuts which provided a crunchy dimension to each mouthful!

Wanton Noodle $3.50 and Chicken Claw with Mushroom $1.50

On another occasion I actually had Wanton Noodle $3.50 with additional pair of Chicken Claw with Mushroom for $1.50. You should have known by now that I love their chicken claw and mushroom!

Needless to say, I think this stall’s food is really so good! It is a die die must try. The downside is that the lady at the counter is not always in the best mood. But who cares, good food makes the world goes round.

Hong Ji Mian Shi Jia 鸿记面食家 (Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre)

#01-05 Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre

79 Telok Blangah Drive
Singapore 100079
Opening Hours: Daily 7am to 8pm
                          Closed on Fridays

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Shang Pin Hot Pot 尚品火锅 (Rendezvous Gallery)

Tomato Soup and Mushroom Soup $12

I am sure most of us have heard of Hai Di Lao 海底捞火锅, the popular steamboat chain from China which has opened a few outlets in Singapore. But have you heard of Shang Pin Hot Pot 尚品火锅? I have heard from several groups of friends that the food at Shang Pin Hot Pot is as good as Hai Di Lao and its price is cheaper.

The steamboat restaurant is located at level two of Rendezvous Gallery next to Rendezvous Hotel. Given its location, I would have never known that there's such a place if not for word of mouth. This restaurant is located 5 minutes walk away from Dhoby Ghuat MRT station. If you are lazy to walk, you can take the Circle Line and alight at Bras Basah MRT station. The restaurant is located just 1 minute walk away from this station.

Condiments - Sauces and Fruits

There is a wide selection of sauces and fruits available for $3 per person. The sauces range from sesame, soya, peanut, leek flower, chilli, fermented bean paste, beef, mushroom to seafood. There are also sugar, salt, peanuts etc. Such a wide variety!

We chose the multi-flavour soup base consisting of of Mushroom Soup and Tomato Soup for $12. Personally, I like the Tomato Soup as it was well balanced in terms of sweetness and sourness. However, the tangy taste overwhelmed the sweetness towards the end of the meal. As for the Mushroom Soup, we found it on the salty side at the start. Towards the end of the meal, the it tasted more pleasant, complementing the Tomato Soup.

We also ordered the free flow drinks at $2 per person. The homemade barley was real thick and good. Totally justify the price tag.

Pork Slices $8, Shang Pin Beef $14

We ordered the Pork Slices and Shang Pin Beef for $8 and $14 respectively. The quality of meat was good and they were sliced thinly making them easy to cook via shabu shabu style.

Dumplings $5

Although the Dumplings $5 consisted of just chives and meat, it was surprisingly delicious!

Baby Cabbage $4, Fresh Tofu $4, Mushroom Platter $14

These were the other dishes (i.e. Baby Cabbage $4, Fresh Tofu $4, Mushroom Platter $14) we ordered.

We also ordered the Shang Pin Kongfu Noodle $3 which we waited a very long time for ... more than half an hour. It was essentially a flatter version of ban mian and more expensive considering the portion. The two of us had just 4-5 short strands of noodles each. If you come in a big group, be prepared to eat just 1 to 2 strands. I would advise that you cook the noodles for a long period of time for it to become soft. The texture of the noodles was surprisingly smooth and slippery. In terms of taste, it was like the good old days when qui lian ban mian noodles taste awesome! 

For the record, I have visited Shang Pin Hot Pot twice. The first was during dinner on a Friday. The restaurant was fully booked. Thankfully, we made reservations. The second visit was during lunch on a weekday. During lunch time, the restaurant was not full. But in terms of service, it was way better at night when they had full staff strength. The post content and photos are all based on the second visit. 

As for the question whether Shang Pin Hot Pot 尚品火锅  or Hai Di Lao 海底捞火锅 is better? Well, I am in no position to compare as I have not tried Hai Di Lao before. So far, I like the food at Shang Pin Hot Pot =)

Shang Pin Hot Pot 尚品火锅 (Rendezvous Gallery)

9 Bras Basah Road

#02-02 Rendezvous Gallery 

Singapore 189559

Tel: +65 6238 7666

Opening Hours: Daily 12 pm to 12 am

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Mapo Naru House 마포나룻집 (South Korea, Seoul)

Cold Noodles (Naengmyeon) 냉면 5,500 KRW (S$6.80)

Mapo Naru House 마포나룻집 is a popular restaurant located in Hongdae for several reasons. It serves a variety of Korean food (e.g. Naengmyeon (Cold noodles) and Dakbokkeum (spicy braised chicken). Dakbokkeum and other Jjigae (Korean stew)/Jeongol (Korean casserole or stew)) which goes well with a variety of Makgeolli (alcoholic beverage) from different regions. Also, it is opened till the wee hours of the mornings till 7am on some days, catering to those who want to hang out after partying or clubbing. In terms of pricing, the food here is affordable.

It is hard to miss this restaurant. The restaurant name is spelled out clearly in Korean.

The restaurant has two levels. The first level seemed to have a small seating capacity. Hence, we went up to the second level. The second level was surprisingly huge! There was a mixture of outdoor and indoor seats. The outdoor seatinglooks so romantic, like dining in a garden. But as the weather was warm (or if you are not comfortable sitting on the floor), we decided to stay indoors.

This is one of the areas for indoor seating.

It offers a view of the exterior.

The interior restaurant looks antique and rustic with wooden furnishing. There were even paper with menu printed and it seems to be slightly burnt to make them look old.

It provided a contrast compared to the menu displayed outside the restaurant entrance at level 1.

These are complimentary side dishes that were served.

Steamed Pork Dumplings (Gogi Mandu) 고기만두 4,500 KRW (S$5.60)

The Steamed Pork Dumplings (Gogi Mandu) 고기만두 4,500 KRW (S$5.60) was relatively value for money compared to other restaurants. However, the outer skin was a tad too thick. Fortunately, the interior which consisted of pork meat and vegetables was tasty.

Cold Noodles (Naengmyeon) 냉면 5,500 KRW (S$6.80)

The main reason why I visited this restaurant was for its signature Cold Noodles (Naengmyeon) 냉면 5,500 KRW (S$6.80).  This was my first time trying this. It consisted of buckwheat noodles served in cold beef broth with cucumbers. Although it looked plain, dull and unappetising, it was surprisingly tasty, and cold and refreshing. The texture of the noodles was smooth and chewy.

Rice Topped with Raw Crabs Marinated in Soy Sauce (Ganjang Gejang Bibimbap) 비빔밥 간장게장 7,500 KRW (S$9.40)

We also ordered a Rice Topped with Raw Crabs Marinated in Soy Sauce (Ganjang Gejang Bibimbap) 비빔밥 간장게장 7,500 KRW (S$9.40) for sharing. This was the most interesting dish, the raw crab looks do different compared to how it looks when it is cooked.

Rice Topped with Raw Crabs Marinated in Soy Sauce (Ganjang Gejang Bibimbap) 비빔밥 간장게장 7,500 KRW (S$9.40)

Give all the ingredients a good mix. This tasted surprisingly good. The raw/fishy taste of the crab was not distinct and there was a complexity of sweetness and saltiness to the dish. Towards the end however, it got a little too salty.

It was not easy finding this restaurant. We walked from Hongik University station (subway line 2) and it took a good 30 minutes walk to reach this restaurant. Along the way, we stopped by at the Tourist Information (Red Star in above photo) to check for directions. We also stopped by to purchase finger food and had a quick look at some of the clothes in the shops. The restaurant is circled in red at the left hand side of the photo. More directions are appended below.

Mapo Naru House 마포나룻집 (South Korea, Seoul)

364-19 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu

Seoul, South Korea 

서울 마포구 서교동 364-19번지 

Tel: +82-2-337-5515

Opening Hours: Mon 11.30am - 10pm

                         Tue to Fri 1130am - 7am

                         Sat 1130am to 3am
Directions: From Hongik University station (subway line 2) Exit 9, turn left into the street right next to KFC and turn right after you pass Coffee Bean into the main street of Hongdae. Keep going straight, you will see the Tourist Information Counter. Cross the road and take the street between Tonymoly cosmetic store and Seven Eleven (aka Eoulmadang-ro). Keep walking straight (past 1  more junction).  You will find Mapo Naru House on your left.

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Chin Seng Cooked Food (Tekka Centre)

Wanton Noodles $3

Chin Seng Cooked Food is a noodles stall located at Tekka Market and Food Centre run by an elderly couple.

The stall owners make the Char Siew themselves each morning. The lady owner explained that making the Char Siew themselves is nicer compared to buying it (outside). Although their opening hours is from 7am to 3pm daily, they have to come before 5am to prepare. And after closing, they would also need to wash the dishes, clean the stall and prepare for the next day. Sometimes they have to stay till as late as 5pm. It is literally a 12 hours job. Despite that, they do not have any rest day as they need to earn a living.

This is also partly the reason why, you would see them wrapping wanton / dumplings whenever they have any free time.

Wanton Noodles $3

For just $3, this plate of Wanton Noodles (mee) is value for money. It came with lots of noodles, char siew, vegetables and a bowl of wanton soup.

Wanton Noodles $3

Lot at the amount of carbo (noodles) give. The noodles was not overcooked and there was lots of sauce underneath it. The char siew which they made themselves was delicious. It was not dry and had a good balance of lean meat and fats.

Wanton Noodles $3

There were five pieces of wanton given. The wantons were delicious. They were so generous with the meat  fillings and seasoned it well.

Dumpling Noodles $3 (with Char Siew $0.50)

On another occasion, I ordered the Dumpling Noodles $3 and topped up $0.50 for their char siew.

Dumpling Noodles $3 (with Char Siew $0.50)

The char siew which they made themselves was so delicious. I love the charred bits at the exterior!

Dumpling Noodles $3 (with Char Siew $0.50)

Four pieces of dumplings was given. These were big and delicious! They have probably added pieces of chestnuts into it to give it a crunchy bite.

Chicken Chop Noodles $3

I also tried their Chicken Chop Noodles $3. The chicken is fried just before serving. In bite sizes, children will love this!

I can forsee myself coming back for more wanton noodles and dumpling noodles! The food here is cheap and good! 

Chin Seng Cooked Food (Tekka Centre)

665 Buffalo Road 

#01-294 Tekka Centre 

Singapore 210665
Opening Hours: Daily 7am to 3pm

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Minced Meat Noodles (Sim Lim Square Food Court) 2nd Post

Abalone Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle $4

With the recent Sim Lim Square Saga on customers being scammed, most people (locals and foreigners) are avoiding the shopping mall. Most of us would have forgotten that there is a food court at Sim Lim Square basement. What I would like to highlight is that the Minced Meat Noodles at Sim Lim Square is worth a try. Delicious and value for money. (no hidden cost, no warranty charges, no need to sign any contract!)

It has been around 2.5 years since I last visited this stall.  Some of the food items remained at the same price while others were increased by $0.30 to $0.50. There was a queue of around 5 persons when I visited during lunch time on a weekday. 

The bowl of pork lard which used to be placed at the front of the counter was now placed at the back of the counter. Nevertheless, I am sure if you require more pork lard you can request for it.

Abalone Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle $4, Dumpling Soup $1

I ordered a bowl of Abalone Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle $4 and added a bowl of Dumpling Soup $1. 

Abalone Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle $4

Look at the variety of ingredients (mushrooms, fishball, meatball, minced meat, prawn, bean sprouts, fish cake, dumpling, lettuce, scallion) given in this bowl of Abalone Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle which is priced at just $4. Value for money and delicious! 

Dumpling Soup $1

There were 3 pieces of dumplings in the Dumpling Soup. The dumplings were decent and at $1 it was so value for money too!

Mini Pot Noodle $5

 On another visit, I ordered the Mini Pot Noodle which cost $5.

Mini Pot Noodle $5

The bowl of noodles stole the limelight from the mini pot. Look at the ingredients in this bowl of noodles. Normally when such a dish is order, the noodles be accompanied by only beansprouts. But in this case, it was accompanied with braised mushrooms, dumpling and even a slice of abalone!

Mini Pot Noodle $5

In the mini pot, the ingredients were quite usual with the likes of minced meat, prawn, fish ball, meat ball, fisk cake, dumpling and an egg. The mini pot tasted was so-so.

Minced Meat Noodles (Sim Lim Square Food Court)

1 Rochor Canal Road Basement 1

Stall 23, Sim Lim Square 

Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 11pm

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Lam's Abalone Noodle Restaurant 阿南鲍鱼面 (Marina Square)

Lam's Abalone Noodle Restaurant 阿南鲍鱼面 was established by a person known as Ah Lam. He first started out in the early 1950s selling "Mini Wok Noodle" before being one of the first to sell abalone noodle in a coffee shop. Today, the Lam's Abalone Noodle Restaurant which he found has 3 outlets (addresses are appended at the end of this post).

We visited the outlets in Marina Square which is located at level 4; the same level as the The Gallerie (Food Court), Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice, Hotpot Culture and The Corner Place (Korean BBQ). The crowd on a weekend evening. 

Lam's Abalone Noodle Restaurant has its own seating capacity which was largely under-utilised during my visit on a weekend evening. One of the reason could be because most people would bring their food to the food court to join their friends or families. 

Menu 

Menu

The menu which ranges from noodles (e.g. abalone noodles, mini wok noodles, etc) to Salted Baked Chicken rice, dumplings soup to smoked duck!  

Signature Specialty Noodle $5.20

I ordered their Signature Specialty Noodle $5.20 which came with fish ball, sliced meat, minced meat, vegetables, seaweed, a prawn, half an egg, fish skin and crunchy pork lard. It was so full of ingredients that you would not be able to see the noodles (mee pok) underneath! It is similar to Bak Chor Mee (Minced meat noodles)

Signature Specialty Noodle $5.20

I was impressed with this bowl of Signature Specialty Noodle. The mee pok mixed with the pork lard and special sauce was just so fragrant and flavourful! The sauce made a huge difference. It had such a unique and delectable flavour that the more I ate it, the more I love it. The downside was that the prawn was not fresh. Nevertheless, I quite like this bowl of noodles!

Teochew Dumplings Soup $3.50

The Signature Specialty Noodle was so good that it ignite my taste buds. I was still hungry (after wolfing down the noodles) and longed for more. Hence, I made my way back to the counter and ordered a bowl of Teochew Dumplings Soup $3.50 with high expectations.

Teochew Dumplings Soup $3.50

It was a big mistake. Ouch. We both agreed that the Teochew Dumplings were badly executed. It was tasteless and the skin was just too thick.

Lam's Abalone Noodle Restaurant 阿南鲍鱼面 (Marina Square)
6 Raffles Boulevard
Marina Square
#04-101 The Gallerie Food Court
Singapore 039594
Tel: 6336 0848
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 9pm
Website

Lam's Abalone Noodle Restaurant (Race Course)
460 Race Course Road 
Singapore 218700 
Tel: 6398 1154
Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm

Lam's Abalone Noodle Restaurant (Causeway Point)
1 Woodlands square
#04-01 Food Republic Causeway Point
Singapore 738099
Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm

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