Xiang Ji Porridge 香记粥品 (Telok Blangah Crescent Market & Food Centre)

Century Egg and Pork Porridge $3.50 with Egg $0.50

Age seems to have caught up with me. I used to have porridge only when I was not feeling well. And when I am well, I would definitely not have porridge for lunch as it was not filling. But now, ironically, I enjoy a bowl of porridge for lunch every now and then. Yes, even if the weather is scorching hot, I somehow cannot say no to this porridge.

I am surprise that no one has shared about Xiang Ji Porridge 香记粥品 as it is a hidden gem! The stall is located at Telok Blangah Crescent Hawker Centre, which is quite out of the way as it is not near any MRT stations. It is located 5 minutes away from Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and SAFRA Mount Faber.

The stall is open from Tuesday to Saturday and business starts at 7am till sold out, which is usually slightly after 1pm. During lunch time, the queue can stretch to more than 10 persons long. This is how popular they are! In terms of variety, they offer a wide range, from century eggs, pork liver, pork minced meat, pork lean meat, shredded chicken to fish.

The porridge has a grainy texture as it is well cooked till the grains are broken into slightly smaller pieces. Each bowl of porridge comes with generous toppings of fried fritters, spring onion, shallots and preserved vegetable. There is no need to add additional seasoning as the porridge is flavourful, not to the extent of salty, and the preserved vegetable will provide additional flavour.

Century Egg and Pork Porridge $3.50 with Egg $0.50

My favourite and usual dish is the Century Egg and Pork Porridge which cost $3.50. I will usually add an egg for $0.50 to make the texture creamier and provide more flavour. The amount of ingredient given is quite generous (you can see the amount of century egg given in the photos above).

Pork and Liver Porridge $3.50 with Egg $0.50

Another combination which I frequently order is the Pork and Liver Porridge $3.50 with Egg $0.50.

Since I chanced upon this stall, I have been eating their porridge frequently. This simple yet unpretentious bowl of porridge certainly punches its weigh. Whether you are feeling under or above the weather, this is one good solid bowl of porridge worth trying!

Xiang Ji Porridge 香记粥品 (Telok Blangah Crescent Market & Food Centre)

#01-98 Telok Blangah Crescent Hawker Centre

Blk 11 Telok Blangah Crescent

Singapore 090011

Opening Hours: Tue to Sat 7am till sold out (normally slightly after 1 pm)

                          Closed on Sun and Mon

View FoodieFC's Singapore Food Map in a larger map

Ah Hua Kway Teow 亚华粿條(Malaysia, Johor Bahru)

Kway Teow RM16

Ah Hua Kway Teow 亚华粿條 is a Teochew kway teow soup eatery located 10 minutes walk from the causeway. In fact, it is near Hua Mui Coffee Shop and Hiap Joo Bakery. 

You can find Ah Hua Kway Teow 亚华粿條, by looking out for the big signage "Restoran Sekee". It is essentially the only stall operating in this coffeeshop/restoran.

Inside, there is a big seating capacity which can easily fit in 40 customers. When I visited on a Tuesday morning at 10 am, it was not crowded. There was less than 10 customers.  

There was just 2 person manning the stall. The lady took the orders, prepare the ingredients and cook them. Once the food was ready, a man would then deliver it to the table and collect the money. 

What caught our attention was this. The broth and ingredients were cooked over the charcoal stove! Wow, I really wonder how she manage and control the heat!

In terms of product offerings, it is simple. Just 2 sizes (i.e. small bowl for RM8 and big bowl for RM16). Of course you can choose the type of noodles and whether it should be dry or wet version etc.

Kway Teow RM16

Since I rarely visit Johor Bahru these days, I went for the RM16 (big) soup version. For the RM16 version, customers can choose for more ingredients or oysters. I chose more ingredients. 

When the bowl of kway teow arrived, I was surprised... because of the food presentation. The ingredients were were presented neatly. Noodles and meat slices were underneath. Liver slices were placed at one sie while kidney slices were on the other side. It was even topped with a piece of seaweed, that was placed at the top of the pile of kidney. 

Kway Teow RM16

The Kway Teow RM16 was served with lots of kidney and liver slices, lean meat, minced meat, kway teow (noodles), pork lard, shallotand topped with seaweed. She was really very generous with the ingredients. There was more than 6 thick slices of kidney!

The kidney tasted difference from those that I had before. There was no yucky after taste and it was jelly like. Normally, when you cooked kidney soup, the flavour would overwhelm any other flavour in the broth. But for this version, it did not happen. Having said this, I must say that the broth was disappointing. Although it was cooked in pork bone over a charcoal stove, it was quite bland tasting, with just a mild-sweet flavour. Also, I had expected a smokey fragrance as it was cooked over a charcoal stove.. but that was clearly missing. I guess I had my expectations too high.

I noticed that most people ordered the dry version which comes with lots of orangey sauce. Maybe I should have ordered the dry version instead! (anyone ate that before?)

Ah Hua Kway Teow 亚华粿條(Malaysia, Johor Bahru)

Restoran Sekee 司機

30, Jalan Segget, Johor Baru Town

80000 Johor Bahru

Opening Hours: Sun to Thu 8 am - 2.30pm

                         Closed on Fri and Sat, and alternate Thu

View FoodieFC's Malaysia Map in a larger map

Kim Bak Chor Mee 金肉脞面 (Balestier Road)

Bak Chor Mee $4

Kim Bak Chor Mee 金肉脞面 is a minced meat noodles (bak chor mee) stall operated by an elderly man called Mr Ng. The stall located along Balestier Road has garnered quite a fair amount of reputation on the blogsphere in this year.

Mr Ng is in the photo above. I arrived on a weekday afternoon during lunch time and waited around 10 minutes before the food was served.

Bak Chor Mee $4

The Bak Chor Mee cost $4 consisted of noodles with braised mushroom served with a bowl of soup with sliced meat, pork liver, minced meat and meatballs in it.

Bak Chor Mee $4

This bowl of mee pok was quite good. The noodles were well cooked and the sauce was tasty with a hint of hae bee (dried shrimps). I particularly liked their braised mushroom which was so fragrant.

Bak Chor Mee $4

As for the bowl of soup, it was just so disappointing. The livers were sliced too thinly and was overcooked despite me removing them from the soup earlier. The rest of the ingredients like sliced meat, meatballs and the soup was mediocre. 

I am not too sure what the hype is about as there are other better bak chor mee stalls. 

Kim Bak Chor Mee 金肉脞面 (Balestier Road)

558 Balestier Road 
#01-400 Kian Lian Coffee Shop (at Junction of Ah Hood Road)

Singapore 329874 

Opening Hours: Sat and Thur from 7.30am to 3pm 

                          Closed on Friday

View FoodieFC's Singapore Food Map in a larger map

BeefSteak Nam Son (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

BeefSteak Nam Son also known as "Nam Sơn" among the locals is a no frills Vietnamese restaurant. I understand the locals love coming to this restaurant for breakfast and some visit as early as 6am or 630am!

BeefSteak Nam Son as its name suggests specialises in serving Vietnamese style western food; beefsteak (Bít tết). It has 2 branches. The branch that we went to was located along the Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai (main road).

After seeing the signboard, we turned in and found ourselves in a long alley filled with rows of motorcycles. At the end of the alley, we reached the entrance of the restaurant.

Entering the restaurant, we were greeted by rows of dark wooden tables and white plastic chairs that were arranged systematically to maximise the space. The above photo shows part of the outdoor dining area. There was also an indoor dining area with the same type of tables and chairs. In terms of furnishing, it was simple and basic. Although there was no air conditioners, the restaurant had high ceiling with many ceiling and wall fans. Hence, it was well-ventilated.

We were surprised to see that the restaurant was full when we arrived at 9am for breakfast as it had such a large sitting capacity. Despite the crowd, we were able to find a table shortly at the indoor dining area.

Menu 

The menu with most of main and side dishes. This should be for foreigners as it was translated in English language.

Menu

On the other side, it was the beverage menu. We noticed that most of their customers seems to be regulars as they did not need a menu and ordered on the spot. It was fairly easy ordering as they had many staff who were able to multitask. You could order through anyone (e.g. the person who is clearing or serving the food.

The condiments (chilli sauce, fish sauce, pepper) on every table.

Daily Homemade Passion Fruit with Ice (Chanh dây) 25,000 VND (S$1.50)

This was the Daily Homemade Passion Fruit with Ice (Chanh dây) 25,000 VND (S$1.50).

Baguette (Bánh Mì), Salad, Cucumber and carrot mixed with olive oil (Món Chua), French Fries (Khoai tây chiên) 

Although the restaurant was full, shortly after we ordered, these [Baguette (Bánh Mì), Cucumber and carrot mixed with olive oil (Món Chua), French Fries (Khoai tây chiên)] were served at our table!

The Baguette (Bánh Mì) and Salad were complimentary dishes. The Baguette deserves a mention. It was very well executed and it was so good that we requested for more after our main dishes came! (You can request for unlimited replenishment of Baguette)

French Fries (Khoai tây chiên) 15,000 VND (S$0.90)

We ordered French Fries (Khoai tây chiên) 15,000 VND (S$0.90) for sharing. Although it was average, this was a good side dish was soaking up all the sauce in the hotplate of meat!

Ostrich Steak (Bít tết Đà Điểu) 90,000 VND (S$5.40)

The partner ordered the Ostrich Steak (Bít tết Đà Điểu) 90,000 VND (S$5.40) which was served with a sunny side up egg on a hotplate.

Nam Son Specialty Combination of Steak, Sunny Side Up Egg, Meatball and Pate (Beefsteak Thập Cẩm) 60,000 VND (S$3.60)

I ordered the Nam Son Specialty Combination of Steak, Sunny Side Up Egg, Meatball and Pate (Beefsteak Thập Cẩm) 60,000 VND (S$3.60) which was also served on a sizzling hotplate which splattered the oil and sauces out. The serving was generous as the cut of the meat was fairly large. We followed what the local did and shredded our Baguette into small pieces and dipped them into the sauces and also spread pate on it.

If you are wondering what pate is, it is actually minced pork liver.

Never underestimate the influence of western breakfast in Vietnam. It was so crowded when we visited and majority of the crowd was locals except for another foreign couple. Despite the crowd, the service was prompt and efficient! In addition, the food was unique. This is worth a visit if you are interested in trying what the locals eat.  

BeefSteak Nam Sơn (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

200 Bis Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, 

District 1,  Ho Chi Minh

Tel: +84 (08) 3930 3917
Opening Hours: Daily 6am to 10pm

Website

BeefSteak Nam Sơn (another branch)
157 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
District 3, Ho Chi Minh
Opening Hours: Daily 6am to 10pm

View FoodieFC's Vietnam Map in a larger map

Joom Zap Hut at Central World (Thailand, Bangkok)

Joom Zap Hut located at level 6 of Central World was located together with Bar B Q Plaza as both restaurant chains belonged to the same company, the only difference was the type of cuisine they offered. Joom Zap Hut specialises in Thai style (mookata) barbecue and steamboat while Bar B Q Plaza offers Mongolian and Japanese style barbecue and steamboat. 

Joom Zap Hut  and Bar B Q Plaza

There were lots of seating capacity at Joom Zap Hut and Bar B Q Plaza. When we visited during dinner time (on a weekday), the restaurant chain was half full.

Menu - Family Sets

Menu - Supreme Sets

Menu - Beverages

Part of the menus; Family Sets, Supreme Sets and Beverages menu. We ordered the Family Pork Set 435 Baht (S$18.13), Economy Beef Set 225 Baht (S$9.38), Garlic Fried Rice 42 Baht (S$1.75) and Soft Drink (Pitcher) 75 Baht ($3.13).

The Dome Shaped Skillet at the center of the table ready to be used by hungry customers.

The container of ice and bill was placed on a metal rack that could easily be pulled out from under the table. A good way to save space as our table was (later) filled to the brim when the food was served.

Lime, chilli, garlic and specially prepared sauce

The specially prepared sauce; a brownish sauce, mixed together with chilli, (chopped) garlic and lime was a superb dipping sauce.

Dome Shaped Skillet

The Dome Shaped Skillet was customised such that the centre could be used for grilling meat while the sides was used for soup. Upon ordering, the waitress would pour some stock broth over the centre and the broth will flow downwards to the sides.

Family Pork Set 435 Baht (S$18.13) (a)

Family Pork Set 435 Baht (S$18.13) (b)

The Family Pork Set cost 435 Baht (S$18.13) was served in two big plates filled with a generous serving of pork, liver, chicken, fish fillet, squid, shrimp, bacon, udon, kamaboko, narutomaki, sliced cabbage, baby corn, carrot and lettuce.

Economy Beef Set 225 Baht (S$9.38)

The Economy Beef Set which cost 225 Baht (S$9.38) consisted of beef slices, udon, sliced cabbage, baby corn, carrot and lettuce. We had practically no space left to put our bowls and plates to eat when these three big plates of food were served. They should consider having bigger tables.

Garlic Fried Rice 42 Baht (S$1.75)

Garlic Fried Rice 42 Baht (S$1.75)

The Garlic Fried Rice served in a small bowl was topped with chopped spring onion and pieces of fried garlic. It decent with a hint of garlic fragrant. If only fried egg was mixed into it.

Before putting any food on the hot metal pan (Dome Shaped Skillet), you would need to grease it with a piece of pork lard so that the meat would not stick to the pan. While grilling the meat on the pan, you should add in the vegetables into the soup broth at the side to enhance the taste (sweetness of the broth).

The beef, pork and chicken sliced perfectly were of great quality. So fresh and tender that it tasted simply delicious even without the dipping sauce. You may have noticed that the meat were not marinated, they were all raw so that customers can taste the original taste of the meat. I thought that the fish fillet tasted slightly fishy, dipping it into the special dipping sauce made a whole world of difference to the taste. The shrimp (prawn) and liver deserved a special mentioned as they were also fresh and tasted so good.

Over time, the oil and juices from meat and pork lard on the grill pan dripped into the soup broth enhancing the sweetness and flavour of the soup. Nothing is wasted! Souperlicious!

The advantage of the Dome Shaped Skillet was that one could have the best of both worlds; being able to grill the meat or shabu shabu it by dipping the meat into the soup. In addition, customers are able to cook the meat according to how cooked (well done / medium / rare) or charred they prefered.

The disadvantage would be that the cooking process was too slow for us although we tried squeezing in as many pieces of meat as possible on the grill pan.

The total bill was 777 Baht (S$32.38). There was no service charge or any other additional charges. The prices shown on the menu were all nett. The service at Joom Zap Hut was excellent! Every time when we required something, the staff seemed to have anticipated it and would approach us. There was no need for me to turn my head to look for a staff or wave my hands in the air frantically (exaggerating) to get attention.

Overall, I would say that I doubt I will be back anytime soon. Somehow we were not satisfied - did not felt full. Not because the food was lousy, but more of that the cooking process was too slow for us (maybe because the grill heat was not switched to the highest? or maybe we were used to steamboat where more food could be cooked at anyone time).

For fans of Thai style steamboat (mookata), overall the food here are of great quality. The dipping sauce is superb and the service is top notch. In addition, for the quality of food, it is value for money especially if you come from a country with high cost of living (e.g. Singapore). For me, I would rather go for other restaurant / street food.

Joom Zap Hut at Central World (Thailand, Bangkok)

Joom Zap Hut / Bar B Q Plaza

Level 6, Atrium Zone , A616 
CentralWorld 999/9 Rama 1 Road
Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand 
Website

View FoodieFC's Thailand Map in a larger map

Shin Yeh 欣葉 (Liang Court)

Shin Yeh 欣葉, a well known Taiwanese restaurant chain has established itself in Singapore at the 2nd level of Liang Court. It is brought over to Singapore under the Tung Lok Group (might be a franchise agreement, I am not too sure).

The interior of Shin Yeh was spacious and classy. There are many private rooms suitable for (large groups) family gatherings. There is a nice view of the Clarke Quay river towards the very end of the restaurant. If you would like a table with such a view, it would be advisable to make reservations.

Appetiser - Braised Beancurd $3

Kick started the meal with the appetiser; Braised Beancurd. 

Wok-seared Pig's Liver with Coriander $14

The signature Wok-seared Pig's Liver with Coriander had garnered the most raves on the net. It did not disappoint. No wonder this is a must order dish at Shin Yeh. Very tasty, it was still tender and soft in the interior. It was quick fry under high heat to seal the flavours in and prevent the liver from being overcook. 

Pan-fried Turnip Cake $10

The signature Pan-fried Turnip Cake was very well executed. The crunchy dried turnips (chye poh) were not overly salty while the egg was fluffy and moist. Despite being so thick, it was well cooked. Moreover, it was not oily and certainly not soggy after a period of time. This dish was a test for the chef's skill and I am most impressed by the execution of the dish. A case of minimal seasoning, non-greasy and using the freshness and natural flavour of the ingredient (turnip). However, $10 for this, is quite expensive. In layman terms, it is just egg with turnips (chye poh)..

Poached Savoury Kampong Chicken $16

The Poached Savoury Kampong Chicken was another hit. The skin was crunchy while the meat was very tender, juicy and tasty. There was a layer of jelly underneath the skin (this occurs when the chicken is dunked into iced water after the cooking process to chill it to ensure that the chicken will not be overcooked).  Polished off this dish and still wanted more despite it being just the 2 of us.

Double-boiled Shark's Fin with Bamboo Pith, Dried Scallops and Cabbage $28 (per person)

Double-boiled Shark's Fin with Bamboo Pith, Dried Scallops and Cabbage $28 (per person) 

This bowl of Doubled-boiled Shark's Fin with Bamboo Pith, Dried Scallops and Cabbage was incredibly delish! The bamboo Pith was cooked till soft, retained its shape and texture, and had absorbed essence of the soup. The cabbage added sweetness to the soup. While the scallop enhanced the flavour further. It was a delight drinking this flavourful, tasty soup together with the ingredients including the Shark's Fin. Desipte the fact that not a lot of shark's fin were given, this bowl of soup was unforgettable for all the positive reasons stated above.

Wok-fried Seasonal Vegetables (Broccoli) $12

The Wok-fried Seasonal Vegetables (Broccoli) was decently cooked. Not overcooked, not undercooked. The timing was just right and it was tasty.

Taiwan-style Sweet Potato Porridge $1.50 (per person)

Pipping hot Taiwan-style Sweet Potato Porridge to complement the dishes ordered. For this dish, it is refillable. We had two bowls each. The porridge was cooked till the rice grains were soft and still retained its shape. 

Chinese Tea $12 (per pot)

Pot of Chinese tea that was kept warm by the tea light below. 

Complimentary Muah Chee

Complimentary Muah Chee with grounded peanuts. The peanuts were too finely grated for my liking.

The dishes that we had were impressive and delicious. To me, it was all hits except for the complimentary Muah Chee. The only issue I have is the service. The dishes were served quickly (which was a good thing for us). Initially, the service was prompt, our pot of tea was refilled with hot water constantly. However, towards 730pm when the place was packed (almost full house). We had to request thrice before our pot of tea was refilled with hot water. In addition, to pay the bill, I waited for almost half an hour! Furthermore, The Muah Chee was served after I received the bill slip. It was pretty obvious that there were insufficient staff as several customers were also trying to get the attention of the waitress/waiter.

Another point to note, is that the prices of the food are on the higher tier. But for this quality, I can't complain much as the dishes were delicious and used quality ingredients. Worth the price! It is highly recommended that reservations be made if you are coming over for a meal on weekends or Friday as the restaurant was full during my visit on a Saturday night.

Shin Yeh 欣葉 (Liang Court)
177 River Valley Road 
#02-19 Liang Court
Tel: 6338 7337
Opening Hours: Daily - Lunch 1130am to 230pm, Dinner 630pm to 1030pm
Website
Location