Hee Kee Desserts

Our tastes and sense of adventure when it comes to food nowadays knows no bounds.
We used to stick to what we knew and what we were familiar with. Even if something new came along and was  Halal, it might take awhile for an idea to catch on. But now, anything is possible.

One particular thing that we all seem to fancy is dessert!
You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't take at least a little enjoyment when indulging in their sweet tooth every once in awhile. Traditional Chinese-style desserts that are Halal is definitely a rarity in Singapore.

Well, finally we have somewhere to go to enjoy such delicacies!!

Hee Kee Desserts is located in Jurong Point which is quite a ways away for us East-siders so we made sure to cover the whole lot since we made the trip!

Traditional Steamed Milk Pudding ($3.50)

I know a lot of you are going "It looks so... boring..."
Well let me tell you - some of the best tasting things ever are the ones you least expect!

As plain as this looks, it was one of our faves! The milky flavour was divine and so smooth. It was not overly sweet so you can really taste the milk in the pudding. A lot of you might compare this to beancurd and it's pretty close but I'll prefer milk to soy milk anyday!

But if you REALLY insist on adding something to it, they have a Red Bean variation. Also, try the Almond Milk Pudding, Ginger Milk Pudding or the big one - Egg Yolk Pudding!
All traditionally steamed of course!

And just how smooth is the pudding?

Really smooth!!

Mango Cheong Fun ($6.00 for 2 pieces)

When we heard 'Mango Cheong Fun' we were a bit wary. The only 'Cheong Fun' we were familiar with was Chee Cheong Fun and we could not imagine any mangoes being associated with that. But oh boy were we surprised (in a good way).

The Cheong Fun skin was actually infused with coconut that you can actually taste!
And what awaits within the delicious white skin?

A nice big juicy piece of mango awaits you within! And what a combination when you eat the mango with the coconut-infused skin. You can really appreciate it if you're looking for a sweet and fresh flavour in your desserts.

I have to say that I was really surprised with this one. Not only was it something I didn't expect but I was very impressed with the innovative nature of the dessert. Damn creative right!

And speaking of innovative...

Durian Pancake ($3.30 per piece)

Hee Kee seems to be teasing us a lot by offering us stuff that is wrapped up.
First was the Mango Cheong Fun and now this. But we are not complaining! Far from it!!

Behold! The Durian Pancake! I actually nicknamed this 'The Golden Pillow' but then I realized that name was already taken... So instead... I shall call this... 'The Golden Cushion'!!

It's basically a coconut-infused crepe (that's oh-so-fluffy) that envelopes what is probably the favourite fruit of so many people. DURIAN!!! Oh yeah! The King of Fruits is ready to be devoured at Hee Kee and we recommend you enjoy it by ordering the Durian Pancake.

Now look at that. Super generous serving of durian all wrapped up within the crepe!
And just so you have a bit of variety, there's some whipped cream in there too but don't worry you durian lovers will still get to savour every single morsel.

And if you're looking for more durian, Hee Kee also has Durian Pudding and a few dishes that incorporate Sago with durian too!

Personally for me - as long as got durian means confirmed power!

Hee Kee also has other desserts with fruits as the main attraction by the way. They have a whole series called 'Manog Mania' and other desserts feature fruits like Rock Melon, Papaya and Watermelon too!

Durian Sauce with Sago ($5.80)

You all probably know we have a couple of obsessions here on The Halal Food Blog.
(I'm talking about obvious ones!) One of them is Poached Eggs and the other is... Salted Egg Yolks!
Maybe it's something about the 'runny' nature of the 2 but there's just something about them...

And the reason we mention this is because.. There's Salted Egg Yolk at Hee Kee!!

Salted Egg Yolks Glutinous Rice Balls in Osmanthus Sweet Soup ($3.80)

So here are these golden orbs of goodness... Dumplings made from glutinous rice containing some of the most delicious fillings ever known to man... Salted Egg Yolk! In fact you can see some already seeping out from the side there LOL

Okay so it's more of Salted Egg Yolk custard paste but it still counts and the salted egg yolk flavour still prevails when we take a big bite of those balls.

I don't know about you but I'm going ZOMG right about now...
And as always, we try to capture the perfect video of the oozing salted egg yolk but again we FAIL!!

But trust us. If you like Salted Egg Yolk, then try this dessert. Before this, we only had salted egg yolk for dessert in the form of a pau so this was a new experience for us. And the glutinous rice balls were not too thick so they had a good bite to them. Plus, they're swimming in a bowl of sweet Osmanthus broth which gives it a nice balance because it's really light.

Whole Coconut with Coconut Ice Cream & Peanut Crush ($8.80)

 If the first thing that comes to your mind when we say "dessert" is ice-cream, well they have it too!
And it's not going to be those sundaes that are over the top and too sweet... this is the natural stuff!

So you get a whole coconut complete with shell which they have hollowed out for you and fill it up with with really tasty coconut ice-cream! You can really taste the coconut flavour and the sweet flavour was just nice. They even have the coconut flesh which the scrape off the sides for you! Topped off with some crushed peanuts and you're all set!

And as an added bonus, they will serve you the coconut water from the coconut itself!
Nothing goes to waste here!!

Curry Chicken Ball ($3.80)

If you're like me and you need a little something else before you start on your desserts, fret not because Hee Kee also has something special in the form of their curry!

You can choose from the Chicken Ball (it's actually Chicken Luncheon Meat! ZOMG so good!) or the Curry Fish Ball. They both come with some really tasty curry and some tau kwa too! Perfect small bites to get you started on the road before your desserts!

And I have to say I was quite surprised by how tasty the curry was! To be honest it looked to be on the watery side but boy oh boy was it packed with curry flavour! Apparently it's a take on the popular Curry Fish Ball which is really popular in Hong Kong. Well, it made me wanna have prata after that!
LOL

Hee Kee really gives us the chance to sample and enjoy some traditional desserts because it's quite rare to find the ones that are certified Halal in Singapore. I'm talking about special desserts like Almond Paste, Taro Paste, Black Sesame Paste, Glutinous Rice Balls, Steamed Puddings and even Beancurds.

If you really wanna go all-out, they also have Birds Nest which is prepared traditionally in many variations like Red Date Soup, Rock Sugar and even Coconut Soup too!

If you're ever in the area, you should really drop by. In fact, it might even be worth making the trip all the way to the West because to be honest, the desserts here are pretty exceptional and we're glad that such a place exists that we can enjoy such desserts that we don't normally get to enjoy so often.

Hopefully they open one in the East or Central soon! *hint hint*

Hee Kee Desserts

JP 2, Jurong Point
1 Jurong West Central 2, #03-54/55

Tel: 6743 8480
www.facebook.com/heekeedesserts

Operating Hours:
11am til 10pm Daily

Asli Village - Istimewa Wanton Noodles

Okay boys and girls here's a quickie for you.
Recently visited Downtown East for quick bite before catching a movie and decided on something simple.

Had the Chicken Rice at this stall before and reckoned it was not so bad.
But how about the noodles?

Wanton Noodles ($4.50)

Okay so you actually have a choice.
You could have the wanton OR the char siew chicken with the noodles for $3.50 but if you're greedy like me, you can have the wanton AND the char siew chicken for $4.50.

But if you don't fancy the Char Siew Chicken, you can always ask for the normal roasted chicken too.
Anyways back to the dish.

It really wasn't anything special to be honest.
The Char Siew Chicken did not have any of the sweet glaze flavour you're supposed to get from Char Siew Chicken. This turned out to be just roasted chicken with a red/orange/pink colouring.
The wantons were equally as bad and were just deep fried nothings.

The noodles are bathed in this soy/chilli mixture which really lacks taste.
In fact, I got most of the taste by eating every mouthful of noodles with some chilli jeruk (pickled chilli) which you can see at the top right hand side of my dish.

Adam's Verdict:
Wanton Noodles 1/5

There are a few other dishes on the menu which I had originally planned on trying next time I visit Asli Village at Downtown East but now I'm not so sure. Looks like I might have something else from another stall instead.

Istimewa Chicken Rice Stall

Asli Village (Downtown East)
1 Pasir Ris Close #01-03

Operating Hours:
11.30am til 9.30pm Daily

Old Town White Coffee Part III

Happened to have some spare time so I popped by the newly opened Bedok Mall with some colleagues over lunchtime. Heard about a lot of new and interesting makan places opening there (and some exciting ones to be certified Halal soon!!) so we figured we might try and hunt down some lunch.

And we ended up at Old Town White Coffee!!

You may remember our previous visits to OWTC in our Part I and Part II posts and like I've mentioned - there are so many things on the menu to try! Even after 2 visits, we've barely scratched the surface!

This time I decided to try something I really wanted to try for so long.
I've passed by a few places that sold this kind of steamed/stewed in a pot kind of thing with either rice or soup inside. So what they do is they pack everything into the pot and steam it to cook the things inside.
Unfortunately, none of the places I passed by were Halal.

But at OTWC, there was finally a chance for me to try...

Steam Salted Fish and Chicken Rice ($7.90)

So the version I decided to try first was the Steam Salted Fish and Chicken Rice.

So basically what they do is pack a metal bowl with rice, some chicken meat, salted fish and veggies.
If you take a close look at the first pic, you'll see that the dish is plastic so at OWTC they just steam the metal bowl then put it in the plastic bowl. Not really the traditional way but it'll do I guess.

They douse a little dark and light soy sauce over the rice which gives it most of the flavour.

I was a little disappointed with the chicken meat. I thought they'd put a layer of minced chicken meat (which is what I saw at the other shops) which would cook in the steamer when the bowl was put in but here it seems like the chicken patty was already pre-cooked. At least there was some taste to it though.
Would have been a total fail if the meat was bland.

But I think the biggest disappointment was the salted fish.
What? You can't see any salted fish there? Look closely. It's the tiny thing on top of the chicken.
Can you see it yet? Yup it's that small.

Adam's Verdict:
Steam Salted Fish and Chicken Rice 3/5

I guess despite it's shortcomings, I don't have much of a choice if I wanna eat this kind of dish.
Just wish it would be a little bit more worth it but I guess it'll do for now.

Just a few things to note though.
1) It takes about 20 minutes to prepare so be ready for a bit of a wait
2) The serving may not be enough for big eaters
3) They have a special MyLunch menu where you can have this (from a selection of other dishes) plus a drink for $9.90.

Old Town White Coffee

Bedok Mall
311 New Upper Changi Road
#02-03/04

Operating Hours:
8.00am til 10.30pm Daily
(Last Order 10.00pm)

Adam's Corner Seafood Restaurant - Bubur Taiwan

Bubur Taiwan ($5.50)

I used to pass by Adam's Corner in my younger days when it was still situated along Serangoon Road closer to St Georges Road. I'd never really stopped because I guess I didn't really see what was so special about it.
I thought that it was pretty much your run-of-the-mill makan place with the usual y'know?

Well, one day my then-girlfriend who is now my darling wife brought me to Adam's Corner.
She was feeling a little under the weather and wanted to have some porridge. "PORRIDGE? THERE?" was the thought that crossed my mind. So I figured it was Bubur Ayam or something.

To my surprise, it was actually Bubur Taiwan!
I normally only eat this at home when it's prepared from scratch including all the condiments and side dishes and it's more Chinese Porridge than Taiwanese Porridge at my house. I always thought you couldn't find this kind of dish in a Halal setting so I was very very pleasantly surprised.

Anyways, Adam's Corner has moved from its original location but it's still nearby.
It's moved a little closed to Serangoon Road itself and is situated directly across the street from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple.

So this is Bubur Taiwan.

You'll get a nice big bowl of porridge. And when I say big, I mean BIG.
It's really a very generous serving of steaming hot porridge so you're sure to get your fill.

Along with the porridge, you'll get a nice serving of accompaniments to go along.

Ikan Bilis and peanuts, Kang Kong, Pickled Radish, Salted Fish, Salted Egg, Century Egg and some sambal kicap. Seems like a pretty standard platter for porridge if I do say so myself.

The Kang Kong is cooked very simply with some chillies, garlic and onions so it goes really well with the porridge. I think the ikan bilis and peanuts had a bit too much of a spicy thing going on in my personal opinion. Would have liked it better if it was just plain crispy ikan bilis and peanuts I reckon...
The pickled radish is the type you get out of a jar from the supermarket. Nothing special but still a staple when it comes to porridge.

The salted fish is always welcome in my books as is the salted egg which I'm sure is also a favourite of many.
One of the unique inclusions would be the Century Egg. I have to say that more and more youngsters seem to be warming up to the acquired taste of Century Egg in recent times. But having said that, the Century Eggs nowadays don't seem to have the same 'kick' as before. They're pretty mild and almost tasteless nowadays and you don't even need to eat it with pickled young ginger anymore and it's still palate-able.

And I know some of you (like my dear Mum) might be very particular about the consistency of your porridge so I included a close-up pic so you can see for yourselves.
Some like it thick. Some like watery. Some like hot. Some like it cold. Some like it in the pot 9 days old.

I would say this was still quite watery. The rice hasn't fully 100% broken down so you can still see some of the grains there. It's not too thick and just nice to enjoy with all the goodies we get with the set.

Oh, and by the way, the sambal kicap is really quite spicy.
Might wanna give it a miss if you're having this porridge literally because you're not feeling well.

Adam's Verdict:
Bubur Taiwan 3.5/5

Adam's Corner also offers other types of porridge including Bubur Ayam, Bubur Ikan and Bubur Daging.
Not too sure what you get though but at least this place is good enough to give you some variety.
Plus, the name of the place is also very very nice. :P

Adam's Corner Seafood Restaturant

452 Serangoon Road

Tel: 6294 1821

Operating Hours:
24 Hours Daily

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)

Tang Tea House - Rojak

So we're back at one of our favourite makan joints - Tang Tea House!
A wide array of food choices and accessible location in the East means we always head back here when we can for some good food and good times.

Today we try a crowd favourite. Something that seems so simple to make but you'd be surprised at how difficult it is to execute a good plate of Rojak.

Rojak with Century Egg ($5.00)

How can anyone resist a plate of Rojak?
There's just something about it that even if you're not the biggest fan, you're still going to take a bite or two if there's a plate of it in front of you.

My favourite part about Rojak (and I'm guessing it's the same for many of you too) is the You Char Kway that comes along with it. And it's always the first to finish and always not enough! That's why I sometimes order a whole plate of just You Char Kway (yes you can do that) but then again sometimes it's nice to have a little variety right?

Well anyways, I personally feel that they're a little stingy with the Char Kway here.

Taste-wise, it's a little less tangy than some other places we've had Rojak. Maybe less Asam water used?
Not too spicy but you can always ask for more chili if you like.

And of course, you don't have to have the Century Egg if you don't fancy it. You can always swap it out for some Sotong Kering if that's your thing. But I do have to say that Century Eggs do seem to be increasingly popular even among the younger crowds.

Adam's Verdict:
Rojak with Century Egg 2.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Rojak with Century Egg 3/5 

Dad's Verdict:
Rojak with Century Egg 3/5 

Mum's Verdict:
Rojak with Century Egg 4/5

I remember there used to be a different stall selling Rojak at Tang Tea House but I guess they've moved on.
Guess this stall will have to do for now :)

Tang Tea House

359 Bedok Road
www.tangteahouse.com

Operating Hours:
11.00am til 4.00am Daily

Farewell Tong Seng Coffeeshop - Chicken Feet Noodles

So I'm sure you've heard by now. And if you haven't heard before this then I'm guessing it's too late...
Tong Seng Coffeeshop in Bugis will officially close its doors on 15th October 2013.
After more than a decade of being a crowd favourite, Tong Seng will finally be calling it a day.

Apparently, the boss has decided it was time to retire. We hear the building has been sold to new owners which is the current hawkers have to vacate the premises. No news yet on any plans for relocation or even if the premises will be used for a new makan place in future.

I remember first going to Tong Seng in my teens. I'd say some time probably around 2003 maybe? And acoording to some people, I joined the party pretty late!

I didn't know much back then but I knew that Tong Seng was already popular by then most probably it was one of the few places which offered Chinese-style hawker food like Wanton Noodles and was certified Halal. We are talking about a time when it was actually pretty tough to find such stalls around compared to today where you can find Halal-certified eateries for any style of cuisine around any corner.

And since my first visit, I found myself visiting more and more often most of the time with friends or classmates because Tong Seng was one of those places people loved to go to for hang-out sessions.
The food was affordable and the location in Bugis was pretty central so it was a win-win for everyone.

You'll probably hear some mixed reviews about Tong Seng. Some will say the food is so-so and the service below standard. Some will say it was great back in the day but the standards have really dropped over the years. Some will tell you that they have the some of the best Chicken Rice and Fish Soup Noodles on the island while others may say that it's just a convenient lunchtime place. Or maybe like me, you go back and have the same dish over and over again.

Well, whatever you may have heard about Tong Seng, one thing is for sure - Tong Seng remains a favourite to many many people and judging for the reaction to the news we posted about Tong Seng closing, it's very obvious that a lot of people feel the same way about Tong Seng as we do.

Well, all things must pass and good food will come and go. And whether you hate them of love them, let's give credit where credit is due to an icon.


Many a makan session with friends and family over the years.
Thanks for the memories and the food, Tong Seng.

Chicken Feet Noodles ($3.50)

For one of my last meals at Tong Seng, I decided to break away from my normal routine.

When I do visit Tong Seng, I normally order one particular dish - Wanton Noodles.
Don't ask me why but it's just a given. (Maybe something to do with my fave Ajinomoto Soup?)

A friend of mine, Amimah, has been hounding me for years and year to try the Chicken Feet Noodles at Tong Seng and I have never ever tried it there not even once in 10 years of visiting. Most likely because the best Chicken Feet I've ever had (and will probably ever have) is cooked by my Dad at home. It's a special homemade recipe which always hits the spot for me and I guess I just find it hard to believe that anything is going to beat my Dad's version.

Well since it's already the end of the road, I decided to have it once and for all before the chance goes away.

The noodles is pretty much the same as if you were to order any of the other noodle dishes (i.e. Wanton Noodles, Shredded Chicken Noodles etc) which means you can have it as spicy as you like (they'll just add more chili base for you).

I expected the noodles to have some of the herbal broth from the chicken feet but there was none of that except for some mushrooms. The chicken feet were actually really quite big so you'll definitely get your fill if you're a fan of chicken feet.

Fried Wanton ($3.00)

And as always, I had an order of Fried Wanton (so much for breaking from routine).

Since the last time I had Fried Wantons, I can really see and feel the difference. The chicken meat filling has definitely gotten lesser and the wantons were a tad over-fried so they had a slightly burnt taste.
No doubt they were still deep-fried crispy goodness but I guess it's this kind of thing that make people say that the standards have dropped over the years.

But hey, I still got my Ajinomoto Soup!

Adam's Verdict:
Chicken Feet Noodles 3/5 -- Fried Wanton 2/5

If you haven't had your last plate of Chicken Rice (whatever it is you fancy at Tong Seng) yet, make your way down this weekend because Monday 14th October 2013 is the last day of operations!

Good prices. Good location. Good times with Good people. Good soup. Goodbye.
May Tong Seng Coffeeshop lives on in our hearts and our stomachs!

 Tong Seng Coffeshop

496 North Beach Road
Tel: 6338 0163

Operating Hours: 6.00am til 11.00pm Daily

Streats Hong Kong Cafe Part 2

We love Streats Hong Kong Cafe because

• It has delicious HK-style makan
• Dim Sum! Dim Sum! Dim Sum!
• It's really near to our place (definitely a big factor)

And yes they serve Dim Sum but I'm still compiling all the different types they have so in the mean time, how about more or something else they're good at - oodles of noodles!

Nissin Spicy Noodles (Dry) with Chicken Chop ($7.20)

If you remember, I actually order the version with the Luncheon Meat normally.
Well, my darling wife felt like having noodles with a spicy kick so she settled on this.

The noodles are still the standard HK-style Nissin instant noodles we all love.
This time, they give you a spicy chilli sauce at the side to kick it up a little bit. But don't worry it's not that spicy so you don't have to worry about smoke coming out of your ears.

However, please note that the Chicken Chop is actually really big.
You might actually feel like putting it aside on a separate dish for awhile so that you can have a go at your noodles first.

HK Shrimp Dumpling Noodle (Dry) ($7.20)

ALERT!!
Shrimp Dumplings are not to be confused with Shrimp Wantons.
These are apparently 2 very different types of dumplings so please don't get the wrong idea.

As to what exactly is the difference between the Dumpling and the Wanton - I have no idea.
I must make it a point to ask them the next time we visit.

And quite honestly, the Shrimp Dumplings were not really impressive.
You do get a whole shrimp in each dumpling but taste-wise it's not really racking up any points.
Even the chicken char siew (which i love) could not redeem this dish.

Young Baby Cabbage with Salted Egg ($7.90)

When a side dish costs as much as a main dish, this means it has to be really really nice right?

Well, as lovers of salted eggs, my darling wife and I really expect to have the kick of salted eggs when we order anything with "Salted Egg' in the name of the dish. For this dish, it definitely uses the salted egg yolks in the gooey sauce which bathes the baby cabbage.

Not too bad actually but you'd better eat fast because after awhile, it starts getting to being a watery mess.
This is because they blanch the cabbage and just pour the sauce over it. This means that since the saus is only on top, any water trapped in between the cabbage is going to start seeping out and mixing with your salted egg which is a big no-no.

Lime Cooler & Iced Honey Lemon Tea ($3.80 each)

And of course, some refreshing beverages to wash down your meal.
Just a tip, you might wanna try something else if you expect a full and strong tasting drink.
These two are a little... mild.




Adam's Verdict:
HK Shrimp Dumpling Noodle (Dry) 2/5 -- Young Baby Cabbage with Salted Egg 2.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Nissin Spicy Noodles (Dry) with Chicken Chop 3/5 -- Young Baby Cabbage with Salted Egg 3/5

Obviously, our adventures with Streats Hong Kong Cafe are far from over.
Hopefully soon, we will be able to release the Dim Sum post!

Streats Hong Kong Cafe

Downtown East
1 Pasir Ris Close
Tel: 6584 4001

Operating Hours: 11.00am til 10.00pm Daily (Closed on CNY)

Old Town White Coffee Part II

So we visited Old Town White Coffee (OWTC) for the first time awhile back and that was when it had just received its Halal certification.

This time we decided to go back for some breakfast!

Omega Soft Boiled Eggs on Toast ($3.20)

My darling wife tried this when she visited with her friends recently and I've been hooked on the idea of trying it since she sent me a text with a pic of the eggs on toast... Soft-boiled eggs is one thing but double bonus when it's already on the toast!!

First thing I'm going to mention is the bread.
I'm not sure if it was intentional but the toast was a little too... toasted.
I'd even go as far as to say it was bordering on burnt. I'm someone who likes my toast with a little extra char and crisp but it's too much when you have that 'burnt' taste.

But the redeeming factor? The eggs!

These Omega eggs were of top-notch quality.
Big and solid and obviously of a very high-grade, these eggs made it worth the price of the dish.

A little bit of dark soy and pepper and you're all set!

A good question would be how are you gonna eat it?
Do you pick it up? Will the eggs run all over the place if you do? Believe it or not - I actually ate it with a fork and spoon! Cut off a piece and scoop it into the mouth. This way, you get bread and egg in one mouthful and no problems!

Old Town French Toast ($3.40)

Good old French Toast... bread covered in egg and fried and then topped off with peanut butter.
Wait... PEANUT BUTTER?!?!

The menu didn't say anything about peanut butter and it's definitely not a classic recipe to have it on french toast so it was actually a bit of a shock. Especially for my darling wife who doesn't really fancy peanuts...

Oh well, one simply cannot live on bread alone am I right?

Old Town Nasi Lemak with Sambal Sotong ($7.20)

One of the first few things I saw on an OTWC poster was the Nasi Lemak and I've been meaning to try it for the longest time. So even though I had some eggs and toast, I was still hungry enough to have some of their famous Nasi Lemak.

The rice itself was not too bad. Still can be considered quite tasty. I wasn't too impressed with the sambal though. I always prefer my sambal to have a bit more of a sweet taste and not just all chilli.

But I think the worst part was the Sambal Sotong. It is cooked with pretty much the same sambal that comes with your Nasi Lemak and has this really weird texture to it. I know people like their sotong to be soft but this was more like a jelly-like texture.

For the relatively high price of $7.20, I really expected more.

They also have a 'Special' version for an extra $0.40 which comes with Acar Timun (Cucumber Pickle).

Curry Potato Paratha ($3.80)

As you can see (and probably expected), the prata is the instant type which they just need to dry-fry on the grill so it gets warmed up. But to be fair, it is pretty soft.

The curry itself is surprising because it's got some taste despite being very very watery.
But sad news, it's not really a Potato Curry. It's more of a curry with potatoes.
Meaning, they have cooked the potatoes separately and then just added them to the curry probably just before they bring the serving out to you. In fact, you can see the potato at the bottom left of the bowl above still has a dry spot there...

Definitely not a dish worth the price tag.

Oh well, guess you can't win them all.

Old Town Teh Tarik ($2.20)

So I know I'm supposed to be going for the White Coffee which is what they are famous for... but I'm not really the kopi kind of guy lah.. So I decided to have the teh tarik.

And then after I received it, I immediately regretted it. The teh tarik was nothing impressive. Not really full-flavoured and really lacking any milk/sugar taste overall.
Maybe I really should stick to the coffee next time.

PS you can get the iced teh tarik for an extra $0.30.

Adam's Verdict:
Omega Soft Boiled Eggs on Toast 4/5 -- Old Town Nasi Lemak with Sambal Sotong 1.5/5
Old Town Teh Tarik 2/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Omega Soft Boiled Eggs on Toast 4/5 -- Old Town French Toast 2/5 -- Curry Potato Paratha 2.5/5

Well there are definitely some items worth having at OTWC.
More items to come next time!

Old Town White Coffee

White Sands
No 1 Pasir Ris Central #01-15

Tel: 6584 4404
www.oldtown.my

Operating Hours:
8.00am til 10.30pm Daily

Yumen Hut

Tucked away in a little corner of EHub Downtown East, there sits a little eatery called Yumen Hut.
My darling wife and I visit EHub quite often to watch movies and go makan and what nots and we passed by Yumen Hut so many times.

One day, we suddenly noticed that it was actually certified Halal!
The place serves mostly Chinese cuisine so we didn't really take notice whenever we passed by but it definitely seems like it was worth a trip now that we know!

Veggie Crackers (Complimentary)

After we placed our orders, we were served this small dish.
I really had no idea whether it was a snack or if we were supposed to use it as a garnish for our food later.
Turns out it's actually Fish Crackers in strip form!

Anyways, when we sat down an took a look at the menu, we noticed that all the noodle dishes had different and special noodles to go along...

They also had  dishes that used Paprika Noodles, Carrot Noodles, Spinach Noodles, Mushroom Noodles and even something called Two Ply Noodles.
Interesting right? Special noodles to compliment the specific dish!

We later found out that the owner of Yumen Hut was also a noodle manufacturer! No wonder he had such a wide variety of noodles to offer... You can even buy the noodles to cook at home!

Laksa with Paprika Noodles ($4.50)

Anyways, my darling wife has the Laksa which was paired with Paprika noodles.
Look at that colour!

The Laksa gravy is lighter than usual which probably means it's less sinful. It's light but still very tasty.
The Paprika noodles actually do have a but of taste but it's not as spicy as you'd expect. I actually though it was a very good healthy alternative for those that want Laksa flavour without having to indulge too much.

Overall a very enjoyable dish!

Fried Chicken with Carrot Noodle ($3.80)

Truth be told, this wasn't my first choice.
The Cold Sauce Two Ply Noodles were sold out. And so were the Fried Mushroom and Stewed Chicken Noodles. So I decided to settle on something that seemed like I might enjoy it.

Well, not too bad actually!
Maybe it's just me but I felt super healthy just eating the Carrot noodles! Hahaha!
They really have a nice and springy texture and I can actually get the veggie taste.
The fried chicken was just an add-on to me because the star of the dish was definitely the noodles.

And it's quite a big serving of noodles mind you!

Fried Dumplings ($3.00)

Well no meal is complete without some side dishes am I right or am I right?
(Or maybe that's just something I say!)

Quite a selection to choose from including Calamari (Which they call Blur Rings), Ngoh Hiang, Otah Otah, Fried Crab Claws, Fried Mushrooms and even Durian Rolls.

We decided to have something that would go well with the noodles.
And that means dumplings!!

The Fried Dumplings were actually really nice.
A nice whole prawn with veggies wrapped up in wanton skin and fried to a crispy goodness.
The chilli given is the normal chicken rice chilli which wasn't really that good though.

But are you wondering why the dumplings are coloured green and orange?
That's right! Spinach and Carrot incorporated into the skin! Genius!

Adam's Verdict:
Fried Chicken with Carrot Noodle 3.5/5 -- Fried Dumplings 3/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Laksa with Paprika Noodles 4/5 -- Fried Dumplings 2.5/5

This is truly one of those hidden gems that you would not even notice without looking twice.
Nice and quiet place with some good food! And a healthy choice! Definitely worth another visit!

Yumen Hut

Downtown East 1 Pasir Ris Close #02-113
Tel: 6581 5191

Operating Hours:
11.00am til 10.00pm Daily
Closed on Chinese New Year