The Chicken Rice Chronicles Part 2: Afghanistan

So we are on to the 2nd makan place in our series for Chicken Rice.
I am of course referring to our series called The Chicken Rice Chronicles where we go around sampling the favourite Chicken Rice stalls of YOU - our readers.

You might want to read our intro post HERE before you go any further though.

Anyways on to the food!
Here's another name that was recommended by quite a number of our readers...

Chicken Rice ($3.50)

Afghanistan Family Restaurant is a name that many people (especially those living in Tampines) will be quite familiar with I reckon. It's been around for ages and is known for it's favourites like Murtabak and Briyani. But we're not here for the Murtabak or Briyani this time are we.

It recently underwent renovations but it's 100% back on track now and many of our readers felt that the Chicken Rice at Afghanistan deserved a mention on our list.

But will it be as nice as most people remember it to be?

When I first saw the serving of chicken, I thought to myself "No ways is this going to be enough".
But surprisingly enough, it was actually just nice in terms of the portion.

The chicken comes with some special sauce over the top. I'm not really 100% sure what it consists of but just from the taste, I'm guessing it's made up mostly of onions and garlic. I have to say it definitely makes a difference in the taste department because the chicken itself is unfortunately not exactly bursting with flavour.

The chicken meat was pretty tender though I have to say.

I have to say I was actually quite disappointed with the rice.

It was quite dry actually. It was a little on the hard side which I actually don't mind but because of how dry it is, you're definitely gonna have a sip of drink after every one or two mouthfuls.

Here is where the biggest disappointment came - the Chilli.

This was the type of Chicken Rice chilli which was mostly vinegar so you have a nice sour tang to it. Definitely some sugar to sweeten and even it out a bit. But nothing much at all in the spicy department.
Please don't get me wrong. I love the vinegary type of chilli. But somehow I guess I was expecting the chilli to be the star since the chicken and the rice were not doing so well in my books.

Let me try and place this taste for you.
I'm not sure how many of you will remember this but bear with me okay.

When I still in school in the early 90's (I'm talking about the times when Chicken Rice cost $1.50), I used to hit Bedok Library pretty often with some school buddies. And either before or after, we'd have lunch at a nearby makan place called Alfiah.

Alfiah was located along the same row as where the current Bedok Central NTUC stands (but it's long gone now) and pretty much everytime I'd have the Chicken Rice because it was cheap and we got full.

The Chicken Rice Chilli at Afghanistan tastes exactly like the chilli I used to have as a kid at Alfiah.
Vinegary and sweet. So if anyone of you remembers the Chicken Rice at Alfiah, well, this is the pretty much the same taste for the chilli that you'll get at Afghanistan.

Adam's Verdict:
Chicken 2.5/5 -- Rice 2/5 -- Chilli 2/5 -- Overall 2/5

I have a very strong feeling that the standards have dropped at Afghanistan. I've heard people saying that about their Murtabak and other stuff and perhaps it seems the Chicken Rice too now?

My darling wife and her family mentioned that some of the stall owners have changed over the many years and maybe even after the recent renovations. And they would know because they live just across the street and have been eating here for ages as I'm sure quite a number of our readers have too.

I'm not even sure if this is the same people selling the Chicken Rice that the readers have recommended.
But it's still a nice place to have some makan with family and/or friends. I guess that when I do visit again, I'll probably order something else.

Afghanistan Family Restaurant

201E Tampines Street 23
Chicken Rice Stall

Tel: 6783 7746

Operating Hours:
7.30am til 11.30pm Daily
(Opens at 3.00pm on Friday afternoons)

Which?Sandwich

At least 3 of our readers sent us emails/PMs to tell us about this "new sandwich place" that was being referred to as the "Halal version of Subway". This definitely got us curious...
And even better - this place was not too far away!

Which?Sandwich is located in the central (and very popular) location of Baghdad Street.
Not sure where exactly that is? Surely you know Arab Street right? Well, it's right around the corner.
And being positioned in such a popular hang-out area, it's no surprise that so many people have been raving about this place. But good location is surely not the only reason people like it right? How about the food??

The menu at Which?Sandwich is actually pretty extensive.
Sandwiches, Submarine Sandwiches, Pizzas, Kebabs, Hotdogs and even something called a Burgerwich (?). Not to mention a whole range of desserts!

Well, for our first visit, we decided to try what the place is supposed to be famous for.

Submarine Sandwich ($11.00 for the footlong)

Now isn't that just a beauty?
That's the footlong version by the way. You can also order the 6" for $6.00.

Since we ordered a footlong, my Brother and myself decided to split it so we could try two different subs at the same time. The one you see above is half 'Cheese N' Steak' and half Cold Cut Combo (made up of Chicken and Beef Salami).

Let me start by saying that part of a good sandwich is having a good bread. And the bread that we have here is really good. Definitely a big plus in our books. It had a great toast on it, some grains and didn't buckle under the pressure of all the goodies in between.

So what about the goodies in between you say?

Excited to dissect the sandwich or what??

JENG JENG JENG!!!
Okay don't panic. Don't panic. Do not be afraid of the sandwich. The sandwich should be afraid of you.

So on the left is the Cheese N Steak section and on the right is the Cold Cut Combo section.

Well unfortunately they ran out of Chicken Salami but I actually really liked the Beef Salami. The salami they use is very tasty and not too peppery. At least you still get some good quality meat. Would have been interesting if they had the Chicken Salami though. You do get a very generous helping of veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles though.

My brother and sister-in-law seemed to favour the Cheese N Steak though (not that I have anything against a good cheesesteak sandwich). Nice big slices of beef with cheese sauce pack a very big mouthful of flavour.
This is definitely a must have for you meat eaters out there!

If you'd like to try something else, other Subs include BBQ Chicken Ranch, Cheesy Meatball, Turkey Salami, Tuna (Chilli or Mayo) and they also have a Vegan version.

Stack Sandwich ($11.00)

It's called a Stack Sandwich for a very obvious reason.
7 slices of toasted bread with all kinds of stuff stuffed in between and oozing with sauces.
Take a deep breath.

So you can choose either Roast Beef, BBQ Chicken Ranch, Turkey Salami, Tuna (Chilli or Mayo), Chicken/Beef Salami or Vegan. We decided to combine the Roast Beef and BBQ Chicken Ranch which get piled on with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheese sauce, chilli sauce and mayonnaise.

And just how tall exactly is this Stack Sandwich?

That's right. It is as tall as a Samsung Galaxy Note II phone.
So if you are comparing the Stack Sandwich with your own phone, call a friend at once so you can have some help with the sandwich because it's definitely enough to share.

One thing we noticed is that the Ranch Chicken is basically roasted chicken (meat and some yummy skin) and no Ranch sauce to be found though. And the Roast Beef is pretty peppery. But no major complaints here because we finished the whole thing!

It might be a good idea to share OR eat this really really fast because the bread is normal white sandwich loaf which is toasted so it might get soggy pretty fast with all the sauces in there.

Speaking of eating fast, this Stack Sandwich is so monstrous that they actually hold a monthly sandwich-eating contest to see who can eat a Stack Sandwich the fastest. Hmmm... perhaps The Halal Food Blog Team might take part someday...

And I know we came for the sandwiches but we saw something on the menu that was just too tempting to resist so we ordered it.

Coney Dog ($4.50)

Oh you know you wanna try this right.
Ever since A&W closed down in Singapore, it took away our favourite Coney Dog as well...
Many tried to imitate but failed. So how does this version fare?

Firstly, please note that this is not they typical Chilli you get with your Coney Dog.
This has some spicy beef and also some beans but it's a drier version of what you might be expecting.
But having said that, it is very flavourful. But not quite the same. I guess we were just expecting the wet sloppy Coney Dog topping we are so used to.

But still, this is a very satisfying hotdog.
The Cheesy sausage is delicious and oozing with cheese. The beef and beans pack a punch and this thing is bigger than it looks.

It's massive! Don't believe us?


So do you believe us now?
Just remember - don't wear a white shirt when you eat here... :P
And you can wash it all down with a nice cool Root Beer Float.

Adam's Verdict:
Cheese N Steak Sub 3/5 -- Cold Cut Combo Sub 4.5/5 -- Stack Sandwich 3.5/5 -- Coney Dog 4/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Cheese N Steak Sub 3/5 -- Cold Cut Combo Sub 3.5/5 -- Stack Sandwich 3.5/5 -- Coney Dog 3.5/5

Yana's Verdict:
Cheese N Steak Sub 4/5 -- Cold Cut Combo Sub 3/5 -- Stack Sandwich 4.5/5 -- Coney Dog 5/5

Besides having really good food, the people at Which?Sandwich are really friendly too.
Plus I saw a sign behind the counter so I reckon they're Manchester United fans. Yes ah!

Which?Sandwich

18 Baghdad Street

Tel: 8366 9241
https://www.facebook.com/pages/WhichSandwich/1374548512765874

Operating Hours:
11.00am til 11.00pm Mondays til Fridays
2.00pm til 11.pm Saturdays and Sundays

East Coast Lagoon Food Village Reopens!

In August 2013, East Coast Lagoon Food Village boarded up and underwent  a "major renovation" to revamp one of Singapore favourite makan places.

East Coast Lagoon Food Village is a favourite haunt for people from all walks of life. Be it weekdays or (especially) weekends, people flock from all over to get their fill of seafood and satay while enjoying a nice alfresco dining experience by the seaside.

Well, as of 22 November, East Coast Lagoon Food Village has finally re-opened!

A $1.5 million revamp about a decade after its last major renovation.
There was a fire which affected 3 or 4 stalls (including my beloved Satay Haron) a few weeks before the reno. This was surely a factor in the decision to undergo the 3-month revamp but not the main reason.
Apparently, the decision to revamp was made before the incident with the fire. I guess it just sped up the process.

So what exactly did they change?
Not much to be perfectly honest.

One of the main differences you will see is that pretty much all the ground area is now tiled up.
Even the seating area heading towards the seaside is all tiled up instead of the sandy paths.
The covered walkway in the middle is also tiled instead of the wooden walkway.

But other than that, there really wasn't much else.
Maybe a fresh coat of paint or two? They changed the tables and chairs out for new ones. And the car park is now a gantry so no more parking coupon worries.

Unfortunately, they did nothing to solve the problem of the rain.
East Coast Lagoon Food Village is one of those places which is pretty much out of the question if it rains.
Only certain seating areas are covered and even then, you're still probably gonna be affected if there are strong winds and the seating/tables are going to be wet.

It just so happens that it rained heavily when we visited over the weekend and saw first-hand how the rain easily  took out half of the available seating areas.

The stalls are pretty much the same and only the stalls affected by the recent fire seems to have new signboards. Everyone else is pretty much status quo. Which is a good thing because your favourite stalls are still around. I know mine are!

Haron Satay

Ahmad Spring

Wah if got these 2 stalls means okay for me already.

Satay and chicken wings = SETTLED!

I guess when they said "revamp" and "major renovation", I expected them to really re-do, and improve the whole place. They should have just said they were going to touch up.

Whatever your favourite stall at East Coast Lagoon Food Village, take solace in the fact that you can now head down again and tuck in just like you used to. So bring the whole family for a feast but look out for the weather and go early on weekends!

Abdul Basith - Mee Kuah

Here's another one from my lunchtime adventures in Chai Chee.

So I've tried the Mutton Steak and the Mutton Chop from this stall (and officially reviewed it) so here's the next installment - Mee Kuah.

I know a lot of people are very particular about how they like their Mee Kuah to be.
Some expect it to be spicy or a certain consistency. Some expect a special kind of flavour to be present with every mouthful of noodles and that fiery gravy.

I've heard stories about some really nice ones but I've only had a few different versions and only officially reviewed one - Saffron's Mee Kuah. So here's the Abdul Basith version.

Mee Kuah ($3.50)

Now that doesn't look that bad right? Well it doesn't taste that bad either!

A nice consistency for the gravy. Not too watery and definitely full of flavour.
I understand that Mee Kuah is basically a peppery spice soup and this definitely lives up to that reputation. And in this case, I even asked for extra spicy so it definitely packed a punch.

Adam's Verdict:
Mee Kuah 3.5/5

But as always, the problem with the food at Abdul Basith is the consistency.
Had this three times at this stall to be honest and it was different every single time.
A general tip - it's gonna be good if the Mamak Mullet is the one cooking.

Who's the Mamak Mullet? Well, look for the mullet. You'll know what I mean.

Abdul Basith

FOODHUB @ Chai Chee aka T1
Blk 26A Chai Chee Road

Operating Hours:
5.30am - 10pm Daily

Yip's by Andik Nurdiany

So we received a message awhile back to visit a makan place called Yip's.

Apparently 'Yip's Cookies & More' had been around for years before the current Chef De Patisserie (aka Makan Mastermind), Andik Nurdiany, took over to continue the fine art of the tasty pastry and original mouth-watering creations baked freshly on-site!!

One fine day after a check-up, we finally had the chance to sample some tasty treats.

Chilli Ikan Bilis Puff ($2.00)

We started off with something that I seem to have taken a liking to recently - Sambal Ikan Bilis!
And it's not that often I find something unique that incorporates this spicy-sweet favourite of many.

The pastry itself was simply marvelous. As a Home Ec student myself in secondary school, I know how much work it takes to perfect your pastry making and we're talking about professional baking here. Light and buttery (not oily) flavour once you chomp down. Loads of Ikan Bilis to keep you company.

And for those of you who get worried when the words 'Sambal' and 'Chilli' appear, don't worry.
The description says 'Spice - MILD' so you can breathe a sigh of relief. The Sambal Ikan Bilis is full of flavour but will not burn your mouth off.

In fact, I'd say it was more on the sweet side than the spicy side.

Tom Yam Chicken Puff ($2.00)

As most of you probably know by now, I love Thai food and my darling wife follows suit.
So how exactly do you expect us to not try something that has TOM YAM in the name???

And they really don't fool around with the Tom Yam. I guessing it's something they concocted because this is potent stuff. Tom Yam flavour definitely shoots through!

Shredded chicken meat bursting with Tom Yam flavour.
But like the Chilli Ikan Bilis Puff, you might consider sharing with someone unless you're really hungry.

I'm a greedy guy but even I shared because I wanted to have enough space to try a little bit of everything.

Lo Bo Ping aka Sweetheart Cake ($1.30)

Yip's doesn't just offer only savoury pastries by the way.
They have a wide variety of pastries to satisfy anyone who has a sweet-tooth.

One good example is the Lo Bo Ping which I have only read about or seen other people eating because I had never come across a Halal version until we visited Yip's!! Now I've finally got my chance to try this HK-style pastry!

It is basically a pastry-cake with winter melon and sesame seed filling.

The filling is not overly sweet and very subtle. In fact, I thought it tasted more like pumpkin seed than sesame seed with the winter melon. The pastry was light and flaky and literally crumbled as I brought it to my mouth.
I'm not sure why they call it 'Sweetheart Cake' though... Anyone have any stories to share?? :)

Orange and Cranberry Muffin ($1.20)

Looking for some Western flavours instead?
Yip's actually has cookies, tartlets, eclairs, brownies and even muffins for you!

We could not resist trying the Orange and Cranberry Muffin. Too tempting!
The orange flavour (and aroma) was very prominent with every bite of the muffin and you'll get some cranberries every few bites. The muffin itself was moist and soft!

Definitely recommend to try this one!!

Adam's Verdict:
Chilli Ikan Bilis Puff 4/5 -- Tom Yam Puff 3/5 -- Lo Bo Ping 3.5/5
Orange and Cranberry Muffin 4.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Chilli Ikan Bilis Puff 4/5 -- Tom Yam Puff 3/5 -- Lo Bo Ping 2.5/5
Orange and Cranberry Muffin 3.5/5

Yip's by Andik Nurdiany has been featured in the media so many times I'm not sure how we managed to miss out on this gem tucked away in a little corner.

And even though we had received this tip so long ago, it took us quite awhile to finally visit because we east-dwellers seldom traveled to the area. But with regular check-ups at the nearby Thomson Medical Centre coming up for us, we're definitely dropping by again soon!

I can even tell you what's on my radar...
Their famous Chicken Curry Puff, Barbeque Chicken Puff, Creamy Mushroom Puff and Portugese Egg Tarts!

Yip's by Andik Nurdiany

10 Sinaran Drive
Novena Square 2 #B117-119

Tel: 6440 7887 / 8233 0073
www.yips.sg

Operating Hours:
7.00am til 9.00pm (Mondays to Saturdays)
8.00am til 9.00pm (Sundays and Public Holidays)

KFC: Asam Pedas Zinger and Cheezy Zinger

I happened to chance upon a video that was uploaded on KFC Singapore's Facebook page once day and I could not believe what I was actually seeing...

The fast food joints in Singapore come up with all kinds of promotional items on the menus and sometimes they try to incorporate some local flavour into it. We've had the Rendang Burger (Burger King and McDonalds), Prosperity Burger (McDonalds) and even Chicken Rice (KFC) in the past. And now KFC has come up with something I reckon very few of us would have ever expected.

Time to meet the Zingers!

Asam Pedas Zinger and Cheezy Zinger ($4.50 ala carte or $6.90 for the meal)

Okay so maybe the Cheezy Zinger is not so shocking but Asam Pedas??
That's definitely something very adventurous I'd say.

Asam Pedas Zinger

As usual, it never ever looks like the promo picture am I right?

I actually expected to at least see some of the Asam Pedas sauce dripping off the sides or something.
In fact, some of our readers say that different outlets seem to have different amounts of the Asam Pedas sauce on the burger. Inconsistent!!

No wonder the sauce is not visible. The sauce is on the crown and covered with the lettuce.
Perhaps it would have been a better idea to have the Asam Pedas sauce directly on the Zinger patty instead of the bun. At least maybe the flavour would have been more intense.

The Asam Pedas sauce on its own surprisingly actually tastes like an authentic Asam Pedas!
Well, close enough anyways. I'd say it's a good effort and it's even got a bit of a spicy kick to it (but not much). Unfortunately the flavour of the sauce is lost when you take a bite of the Zinger as a whole.
Perhaps a case of too little sauce?

And what's up with the slice of tomato? I've never has tomato in my Asam Pedas before.

Cheezy Zinger

Looks a bit closer to the promo picture (but not quite).

This is basically exactly what the name implies. You know the KFC Cheese Fries? Well, this is the same thing but on a Zinger. The nacho cheese and mayonnaise on a Zinger patty instead of a bed of fries.

I actually found this one quite boring.
People love the Cheese Fries for the cheesy flavout but somehow that is also lost here with the Zinger.
Perhaps it's because the nacho cheese flavour is not very intense.

I can see how come people might like it but I guess if I wanted to have a cheesy something at KFC then I'd probably just stick to the Cheese Fries.

And speaking of Cheese Fries....

Cheese Fries ($4.50)

BONUS REVIEW!!

Awhile back, KFC decided they were going to change their fries.
This meant a "Thicker, crispier and tastier" french fry. Supposedly a step-up from their old fries?

Well anyways this also means that the fries used in the Cheesy Fries is also changed to the new one.
You can pretty much see the difference in the picture above. The fries are thicker and a lot more solid than the older version and they definitely look a lot more solid and crispy.

I personally feel that as a standalone french fry, the new version is not bad actually.
But in terms of Cheesy Fries, I actually prefer the older version. There's just something special about the fries getting soggy with all the cheese sauce and mayonnaise and starts hanging on your forks as you bring it to your mouth.

Based on the some of the comments on KFC's facebook page, it seems that quite a number of people feel the same way too. But then again, we are merely comparing the new fries to the old. Some people will still enjoy this new version. Guess we will just need to learn to get used to it.

But the Cheese Fries experience still rocks.

Adam's Verdict:
Asam Pedas Zinger 2.5/5 -- Cheezy Zinger 2/5 -- Cheese Fries 3.5/5

I'd say it was actually a pretty good effort with the Asam Pedas Zinger. Not so much with the Cheezy one.
But if I had to choose between all of them, I'd choose the good old original Zinger.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)

Over 80 outlets island-wide

Delivery Hotline: 6222 6111
www.kfc.com.sg

Operating Hours: Varies with each outlet

The Chicken Rice Chronicles Part 1: Tong Seng Coffeeshop

So begins our series called The Chicken Rice Chronicles.
And in case it wasn't obvious enough, it's about Chicken Rice :)

Unsure about the guidelines or want more information on the series? Well maybe you missed our intro post.
Read about it by clicking HERE.

Our first stall in the series has actually already closed down but there were so many people who called out its name in our FB post that we felt it would be unfair to leave it out. So even though it has closed down, we decided to include it anyways.

Roasted Chicken Rice ($3.50)

Tong Seng is a familiar name to many and it's no surprise that there were so many people who commented for Tong Seng to be included on the list for this series on Chicken Rice.

I ate at Tong Seng a lot of times over the years and even though I normally had Wanton Noodles, I did actually have other dishes too okay. But to be perfectly honest with you, it never once crossed my mind to try the Chicken Rice because, well, Tong Seng just wasn't a name that came to mind when someone mentioned "Let's go for Chicken Rice".

Well apparently, I'm one of only a few people because everyone else was raving about it.

As a general rule, I always order my Chicken Rice with the breast meat FYI.
I know most people don't really fancy it because they say it's tough, tasteless, dry and all kinds of other things but I love it.

In fact, if it's really that difficult to cook the breast meat well then maybe that's the best part to judge?

I have to say the chicken at Tong Seng was actually pretty tasty.
Meat was really tender and portion was quite big. More than enough to go with the serving of rice.
A little disappointed with the skin though.

I was actually most surprised with the rice. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be so tasty but it was actually quite nice. It was actually just the right consistency that I like.

Some people like slightly softer rice (like my Mum) and absolutely can't stand the slightly harder and grainy rice (like my Mum again) and this rice isn't exactly very soft if truth be told. But it definitely had a good strong chicken stock character to it.

And this is apparently the reason why so many people love Tong Seng Chicken Rice.
The chilli.

From the picture you're probably guessing that it looks a little watery - and it is.
But it does pack quite a strong chilli kick to it. Don't let it fool you... it's actually quite spicy!
It definitely has strong hints of garlic and ginger in there.

But it's not very strong on the vinegar though so if you're a fan of that (like me) then don't expect too much on in the tang department. But overall I can see why people like the chilli so much and we hope the fans enjoy the memory of this Chicken Rice.

Adam's Verdict:
Chicken 3.5/5 -- Rice 3/5 -- Chilli 3/5 -- Overall 3/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Chicken 3/5 -- Rice 3/5 -- Chilli 3/5 -- Overall 3/5

I'm actually  really glad I got to try the Chicken Rice at Tong Seng before they closed down so now I at least know exactly what everyone was talking about.

It's actually quite a decent plate of Chicken Rice (I've definitely had worse) and not a bad start to the series.

Tong Seng Coffeeshop
(Closed down on 15 October 2013)

The Chicken Rice Chronicles

So we had a poll on our Facebook page and it proved quite popular.
One thing was clear - we all love Chicken Rice but what was so surprising was how many recommendations we received on what people thought was the BEST Chicken Rice in Singapore.

And this is what the list looks like:

1. Tong Seng (Bugis) - READ HERE
2. Jefri Chicken Rice (Bedok Interchange)
3. S11 (Bukit Batok)
4. Mackenzie Rex (Prinsep Street) - READ HERE
5. Afghanistan (Tampines) - READ HERE
6. Evertop (Joo Chiat) - READ HERE
7. AR & H Family Chicken Rice aka Brickworks (Bukit Merah)
8. TFF (Bedok Corner)
9. Aspirasi (Seah Im) - READ HERE
10. 89.7 (Changi Village)
11. Mat Noh Chicken Rice (Peace Centre formerly at Lorong Limau)
12. Azman Chicken Rice (New Upper Changi Road)
13. Carona (Golden Shoe)
14. Golden Nur Nasi Briyani Special (Golden Shoe)
15. Adam Road Food Centre (Adam Road)
16. Fork and Spoon (Toa Payoh)
17. Nasi Ayang (Boon Keng)
18. Sedaap (Amoy Food Centre)
19. Jamil Seafood Restaurant (Tampines)
20. Scoops N Ladles (Sembawang)
21. As-Shifaa (Lucky Plaza) - READ HERE

23. Hawa Restaurant (New Upper Changi Road)
24. Fitra Chicken Rice (Century Square) - READ HERE
25. Tang Tea House (Simpang Bedok) - READ HERE

Quite a long list but we (and our bellies) are very determined to run through it all!
And it's probably going to take some time but I'm sure it'll be done... No matter how long it takes!

But how exactly can we be sure that all the stalls are reviewed fairly and consistently?
Well, I'm glad you asked.

The Chicken Rice stalls will be reviewed and scored based on the following 4 factors;
1. The Rice 2.The Chicken 3. The Chili and 4. Overall Rating

Seems fair right? And after we review each stall, we'll be sure to update the list accordingly.

So look out for the first installment soon and we'll work on it from there okay. Hope you enjoy going through the list with us as much as will enjoy eating at all the stalls. :)

The Waffle Factory

So we passed by this place many many months ago but didn't pay it much mind but one day my Brother texts me and says that we simply have to check this place out.

How good did he think it was? Well, he back with me the very next day to eat more!

So I'm not sure how long The Waffle Factory has been around in the Singapore Post Centre but it seems really famous judging by all the newspaper clippings and TV show snippets adorning the walls of the outlet.
In fact, apparently they're quite famous for their All-You-Can-Eat Waffle Buffet which we had no idea about because we just had some ala-carte items.

Prawn Dumplings ($4.20 for 3 pieces)

So we started with some Dim Sum which is one of our favourite things.
Prawn Dumplings are always welcome at our table and we've had it at a few other makan places before.

You do get a pretty big piece of the prawn in the dumpling which is nice but it's also got this fish paste in there which was kinda had a dough-y taste to it (or maybe I was just being too fussy?) A nice crispy skin to go with it but a little on the extra-charred side. I'm guessing they might have re-fried it when ordered?

Fried Beancurd Roll ($4.20 for 3 pieces)

Another Dim Sum favourite of ours is the Fried Beancurd Roll which kinda has a Thai accent to it.
Nice and tightly packed with fish paste and some sweet chilli sauce to accompany it. I believe I enjoyed this more than the Prawn Dumpling actually.

But the $4.20 price tag is quite high for 3 pieces of Dim Sum I reckon.

And in case you were wondering, my Brother's all-time fave Dim Sum - Siew Mai - is strangely absent here because apparently he had some the day before and it really wasn't very good at all so we gave it a miss.

Salted Egg Custard Buns ($4.20 for 3)

This is one item my Brother and Sister-In-Law were absolutely raving about.
Something new and a little unique to us - Salted Egg Custard Buns.

It's no secret that we are HUGE fans of anything to do wit Salted Eggs and this definitely seemed like something we were going to enjoy. But please allow me to point out that this was Salted Egg Custard which means you can expect a sweet taste instead of all-Salted Egg.

But it is a thing of beauty when you crack it open though.

All that nice gooey and runny custard flowing all over the place.
Isn't that enough to get your excited? No? Well maybe the video my Brother sent me might do a better job.

Much better right??
Well anyways, like I said, it's more sweet than savoury so you know what to expect. I guess it's more of a dessert bun than anything else.

And here's a tip, be sure to eat it fresh and while it's still hot.
Because when it cools down... It's not going to be very runny anymore...

Anyways, on to the mains!

Something which I'd say is really good about the menu at The Waffle Factory is the wide variety of dishes and even different types of cuisine they offer. Everything from Nasi Lemak to HK-style Noodles to even Western Food and Pasta!

But then again, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Hong Kong Style Chicken Luncheon and Egg Noodles ($4.50)

I love the whole HK-style Noodles scene (remember this post?) and I'm glad to say that the number of Halal makan places offering it nowadays is on the up and up!

Well here's a really simple dish of noodles with some chicken luncheon meat veggies in a nice hot soup.
(This was the Spicy option by the way. You can choose the Non-Spicy as well).
Just a really satisfying bowl of comfort food for me and something I really enjoy.

By the way, you can also have the same thing in a Prawn-based soup instead.
That's what my Sister-in-Law had but would it really make much of a difference?

Sausage Springy Noodles in Prawn Soup ($5.90)

ZOMG YES IT DOES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE!

The prawn stock is really rich and flavourful and it did not have any of they overly-prawny taste which I expected. A really really good bowl of noodles! Not too sure about the sausage though... This would have been perfect if they had used a better quality sausage or maybe the chicken luncheon meat?

And now that I think about it - is it really worth an extra $1.40 for the prawn soup?

Crab Claws and Mixed Seafood Pasta ($7.90)

So my Brother decided to break away from the Asian flavours of the day and had something on the Western side of the menu.

He says that it was a pretty respectable plate of pasta but I personally felt that the cream sauce was actually quite tasteless... But the one thing we agreed on is that we did not understand why they called it Crab Claws and Mixed Seafood Pasta when there was only ONE crab claw (and yes that's the small thing on the left)

Maybe he lost the other claw in a fight? Well, then bring me the winner!
(So we'll get 3 claws geddit geddit? Okay I'll just stick to eating then)

Okay time for some dessert and when you're at a place called The Waffle Factory, you're probably gonna have some waffles am I right?

Well they have 2 types of waffles on offer. One is the fresh type which they'll serve you on a plate with all the lovely toppings like berries and cream etc. And the other type is like a miniature version where theysandwich your topping of choice in between 2 waffles.

"OUR WAFFLES ARE THICKER.

MORE THAN HALF A MILLION SOLD WITH OUR SECRET WAFFLES RECIPE"

This is the sign outside and they were not kidding about the 'thicker' part.

D24 Durian Waffle ($2.50)

One of the most popular waffles on offer is the D24 Durian waffle which is delicious durian flesh in between two waffles. (See what I meant about the 'thick' part)

The durian is definitely a must-have for durian lovers.

Orange Chocolate Waffle ($1.30)

So this is actually Chocolate sauce and some Orange Marmalade.
Not at all what we expected.

Actually, by the looks of it, they are quite creative with their waffle flavours so it might be best to double check what exactly you're ordering before you actually make your decision. And they have a massive selection of waffles to choose from so you're gonna have a hard time choosing.

But as you can see from the pictures, these are not the same waffles you get from your neighbourhood bakery. These are really thick and actually very very filling. If you're having full meals then it might be a good idea to share.

The fillings are not bad but the waffles themselves are quite overwhelming.

Adam's Verdict:
Prawn Dumplings 1.5/5 -- Fried Beancurd Roll 2.5/5 -- Salted Egg Custard Buns 2.5/5
HK Style Chicken Luncheon and Egg Noodles 3/5 -- Sausage Springy Noodles in Prawn Soup 4/5
D24 Durian Waffle 4/5 -- Orange Chocolate Waffle 3/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Prawn Dumplings 1/5 -- Fried Beancurd Roll 4/5 -- Salted Egg Custard Buns 4/5
Crab Claws and Mixed Seafood Pasta 3/5 -- Sausage Springy Noodles in Prawn Soup 5/5
D24 Durian Waffle 2/5 -- Orange Chocolate Waffle 2/5

Yana's Verdict:
Prawn Dumplings 1/5 -- Fried Beancurd Roll 2.5/5 -- Salted Egg Custard Buns 4.5/5
Sausage Springy Noodles in Prawn Soup 5/5
D24 Durian Waffle 3.5/5 -- Orange Chocolate Waffle 1/5

They also have loads of other stuff on the menu that might be worth a try like the Chicken Rendang (which apparently is so tender you can eat the bones) and Crayfish Laksa!

We'll definitely be paying another visit soon!

The Waffle Factory

10 Jalan Eunos (Paya Lebar MRT)
Singapore Post Centre Shopping Mall
B1-03

Operating Hours: 9.00am til 10.00pm Daily