Hi Makan Kakis, This week I had the honour of visiting Foodie Friend Lyn Lee at her latest F&B project for a meal and chat. Lyn is no stranger to us in Singapore, as the… More
Must-try Thai – Get It Before It’s Gone!
All this month, in honour of International Women’s Day, we’re paying tribute to inspiring female F&B entrepreneurs and who better to highlight than my wonderful Makan Kaki Cynthea Lam of Wellness Company Super Farmers? If you haven’t already, do get to know her and her business better here from our very first podcast!
HEAR:
Click to listen/ download this week’s tasty and nostalgic Thai episode.
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Cynthea’s favourite is Thai cuisine, largely in part due to growing up with her beloved helper from Thailand. So when she’s craving Thai comfort foods, she heads on over to Beach Road stalwart and one-stop-shop for all things Thai, Golden Mile Complex – of course! Sadly, we only have till May 2023 before the building closes for good (many tenants have moved or are in the process of moving). Still, this is a good place to go for now.
Cynthea has been patronising this familiar first floor restaurant at Golden Mile Complex for a long time. Opened by a Singaporean and his Thai wife in 1985, Diandin Leluk is split into two sections. One side (see above) operates like a little canteen, selling snacks for dine-in or take away (I particularly am addicted to their packets of crispy pork crackling and chicken skins!). This section is also where Cynthea’s favourite papaya salad is prepared. Just across from this is the larger seating area of the restaurant.
While you can easily have a massive feast at Diandin Leluk (like I did with my family in the video above), Cynthea’s go-to dishes are quick, convenient and simple. She recommends the pork ball noodles and papaya salad, or som tam. Three versions are available on the menu and Cynthea says som tam pu plara is the one you’ll want to go for.
Secret DIY Chee Cheong Fun Worth the Hunt!
Hi Makan Kakis, this week’s episode is dedicated to the Chee Cheong Fun lovers! The best steamed rice noodle roll has to be tender, silky and delicate, but a good roll is hard to find. Lucky for us, Masterchef Singapore Season 3 Top 4 contestant Sharlene Tan is back to share with us her secret place for excellent local-style chee cheong fun! It’s not found in the shops or at a restaurant or hawker stall and will require a little effort on your part, but boy, is it worth it!
HEAR:
Click to listen/ download podcast of this week’s saucy D-I-Y epsiode!
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Foodies may already know about Kwong Woh Hing Sauce Factory, a home-grown brand that manufactures small-batch artisanal soya sauces, vinegars and other condiments. Located in the depths of the Defu Lane industrial estate, did you know you can visit Kwong Woh Hing to pick up your orders of sauces, pastes and spice blends? Sharlene revealed that their sesame paste is the perfect pairing for Chee Cheong Fun, which you can order and make yourself at home.
Continue reading “Secret DIY Chee Cheong Fun Worth the Hunt!”
Yummy Gourmet Pizzas Found at Hawker Centre
Hi Makan Kakis, it’s World Pizza Day! So of course we’re celebrating with a pizza recommendation. Try these delicious gourmet pizzas served up in a casual, hawker centre setting…
HEAR:
Click to listen/ download podcast of this week’s flame-kissed episode!
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That’s My Pizza at Bukit Timah Food Centre is less than a year old and is run by affable lady bosses – and former colleagues – Ailyn Khoo & Christina Chan.
Check out their humble hawker stall that specializes in gourmet pizzas topped with premium ingredients, some with an Asian-inspired twist, like kimchi bacon, curry chicken, korubuta chashu & mala smoked duck.
Continue reading “Yummy Gourmet Pizzas Found at Hawker Centre”
Tasty, Traditional Charcoal Steamboat with Fish
Hello Makan Kakis, with the Lunar New Year looming, how about some reunion dinner inspiration in the form of a hearty steamboat meal? Our Foodie Friend, restaurateur Jason Ong of Uni Gallery & Caviar, returns with this tasty and traditional recommendation for old school charcoal steamboat that’s economical, chock-full of ingredients and great for sharing!
HEAR:
Click to listen/ download podcast of this week’s bubbling hot & steamy episode!
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So if you’re craving for the nostalgia and taste of charcoal steamboat, check out this stall at Whampoa Market. According to Jason, there are two sections – one is the very busy hawker centre that comes alive at night and then there’s the other section that’s mostly open for the daytime crowds. It’s in that quieter-at-night section you’ll find steamboat stalwart Xin Heng Feng Guo Tiao Tan. The stall’s name is slightly misleading in Mandarin, because it simply touts kway teow noodles, which is but a small part of their menu!
Continue reading “Tasty, Traditional Charcoal Steamboat with Fish”
This Briyani is a Chef Favourite!
Hello fellow Foodies! This week, our Makan Kaki – F&B entrepreneur, consultant and host of CNA’S Food To Change The World – Chef Ming Tan is back with a recommendation for “second to none” Briyani that boasts fluffy & fragrant rice, tender and tasty meat plus a few other additions that take it to the next level. First introduced to Chef Ming by his buddy, local celebrity chef and TV personality Shahrizal Salleh (Chef Bob), Geylang Briyani Stall is run by Hamid and his family. Chef Ming is partial to the mutton briyani, but they also have a chicken version worth trying.
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Some highlights of Hamid’s mutton briyani:
First, the plate is messily laden with flat scoops of their long grain basmati rice that looks bejeweled, alternately glistening bright yellow, orange and pale white. With good quality basmati rice served here, you also get a slight scent of rose and pandan. The rice is also seasoned and spiced with a hint of the curry they cook their the chicken and the mutton in, which enhances the flavour and aroma of the tasty dish. Next, the meat of your choice is placed atop the bed of rice and a little bowl of curry is served on the side. Also on the plate is a dollop of pickle that’s almost like a thick chutney – it’s fruity and sweet to give balance to the very savoury rice and meat.
According to Chef Ming, the mutton is wonderfully tender after stewing in its spicy sauce, but I had to take his word for it. By the time I rushed down after work at 2.30pm (they close at 3pm), they were sold out. Thankfully, they still had chicken briyani, which I gamely ordered for a taste.
A large, whole chicken leg smothered in sauce sat on its bed of rice, but interestingly (and perhaps because I was so disappointed the mutton briyani was sold out), the little bowl of curry on the side was redolent with the distinct aroma of mutton and packed with bits of brinjal, carrot, potato and chilli. The chicken was tender and moist. The rice in itself was already delicious, but drizzling the curry all over intensified the flavour and unified the entire dish of meat and carbs.
However, the crowning glory has got to be their fried shallots, an essential crispy garnish they painstakingly prepare from scratch daily. In fact, when I paid a visit to the stall at Chef Ming’s behest, I witnessed a little mountain of shiny purple shallots being sliced and prepped for frying.
It takes skill to achieve such a beautifully burnished cook – they have chew, they have crunch and are so dark you might think they are burnt, but oh no, the deeply caramelised shallots retain an irresistible sweetness and fragrance. So be sure to ask nicely for some – they’ll take your briyani to the next level.
For Chef Ming, the individual components of the dish are tasty on their own, but mixing everything together makes the briyani a dish to be savoured slowly. Wash it all down with some teh halia and you’ll dreamily drift through the rest of your day totally satisfied.
Chef Ming’s advice is to get their early, as the queues can be long. You’ll want to be there just after they open, say by 11am latest. But rest assured their service is quick, efficient and with a smile. The line moves pretty quickly because they have the experience and the advantage of a small, specialised menu. Chef Ming can’t recommend Geylang Briyani Stall enough – go and try for yourself & see whether this suits your taste! After sampling the chicken briyani, I know I will be returning to sink my teeth into the mutton version!
TASTE:
GEYLANG BRIYANI STALL
Geylang Serai Market & Food Centre
1 Geylang Serai, #02-146, Singapore 402001
Open Tues – Sun: 10.30am – 3pm (closed Mondays)
Tel: +65 9170 9700
Start 2023 with a Bowl of Mee Hoon Kueh Comfort!
Hello Makan Kakis, Happy New Year!
I ended the year 2022 with every foodie’s nightmare – a frightful bout of stomach flu that left me unable to enjoy the festivities & feasting. Hope your holiday celebrations were much more successful & delicious! Post-festivity overindulgence behind us, here’s the perfect calming way to start the new year – a tummy-soothing bowl of hot, soupy mee hoon kueh comfort! With many thanks to our Foodie Friend & Super Farmer Cynthea Lam for this serendipitous makan recommendation. It’s just what the doctor ordered!
HEAR:
Click to listen/ download podcast of this week’s soupy, soothing & scrumptious episode!
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This is Cynthea’s favourite mee hoon kueh soup, found at the popular food centre in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4. For her, it’s the broth that is unforgettable – rich, robust yet not too cloyingly thick, it’s packed with flavour, thanks to the careful simmering of ikan bilis and pork bones to create the perfect surf and turf balance of lip-smacking umami.
You have your choice of noodles, from kway teow to bee hoon, but Cynthea’s go-to is mee hoon kueh, rustic, hand-torn, flat pieces of dough. Another good choice is springy Koka instant noodles which are a great combination with the broth and also available in a “dry” version.
However, for Cynthea, it always has to be the soup version because of the broth that gets absorbed so beautifully, flavours penetrating each chewy, bouncy piece of mee hoon kueh completely! Each lusicous bowl comes with a generous amount of spinach and soft, tender minced pork balls. An egg cracked into the piping hot soup adds more body and flavour to the bowl and is especially enjoyable if you catch it when the yolk is still gooey and runny!
I went all in and added a side of fresh fish slices for $1.50, bringing my order of mee hoon kueh soup to $5.50. By the way, they accept CDC Vouchers here! Crispy ikan bilis and fried shallots garnish the soupy bowl and you can add a little sliced red chilli for extra kick.
Altogether a very satisfying, filling yet soothing meal, Cynthea was right – you’ll find yourself cleaning your bowl and drinking down every drop of the tasty broth!
TASTE:
Li Xiang Fish Soup Noodle
628 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, #01-55, Singapore 560628
Open Daily: 11am – 9pm
TOP 10 BEST OF 2022 – PART 2
Hi Makan Kakis! What a year we’ve had – but one thing stays constant – our shared love for food!
With 2023 just round the corner, let’s take a look back at 2022’s most popular makan recommendations. So which local delights got you talking and eating this year? Let’s relive all the deliciousness – here are the dishes & places that really caught your attention. Click on each for details & happy eating!
(Just wanna listen to Part 2 of the TOP 10 audio/ download podcast? Click here!)
- Kothu Prata from Indian Tiffin Centre.
- Yanan Ban Mian recommended by Preparazzi‘s Chef Jeremy Nguee of Preparazzi (luxury catering & culinary concepts).
- Sup Tulang Merah from Deen Tiga Rasa.
- Laksa from Lau Jiang Fishball Minced Meat Noodle, Laksa recommended by Masterchef Singapore S3 Winner Johnathan Chew.
- Terrific Thai food from Ladda’s House @ P.O.D. Bistro Siglap recommended by food writer and cookbook author Annette Tan.
Thank you so much for your support of Gold 905 and for helping Makan Kakis grow bigger and better. We’ve seen amazing response to our video & story collaboration with CNA Lifestyle too, and that is also much appreciated!
If you like what you’ve watched, read & heard on-air and via podcast, do share the good food with your good friends and tell them about Makan Kakis on Gold 905!
Cheers to a heartier, happier, makan-filled new year – may your 2023 be overflowing with the best things to eat and drink – Season’s Eatings!
P.S. BONUS EATS!
TOP 10 BEST OF 2022 – PART 1
Hi Makan Kakis! What a year we’ve had – but one thing stays constant – our shared love for food!
With 2023 just round the corner, let’s take a look back at 2022’s most popular makan recommendations. So which local delights got you talking and eating this year? Let’s relive all the deliciousness – here are the dishes & places that really caught your attention. Click on each for details & come back next week for Part 2!
(Just wanna listen to Part 1 of the TOP 10 audio/ download podcast? Click here!)
6. Orh Nee Tarts from June Bakery recommended by Top 4 Masterchef Singapore Season 3 contestant Sharlene Tan.
7. Chapati from Muhabbat Setia Hati recommended by Masterchef Singapore Judge & Rempapa Chef Damian D’Silva.
8. Zichar classics from Sin Hoi Sai (East Coast) recommended by Awfully Chocolate and Sinpopo Brand’s Lyn Lee.
9. 168 Curry Chicken recommended by co-owner of Modern Japanese Izakaya iKO, Lambert Chen.
10. Fried Chicken Wings from COAL 3606 (ex-St. Nick’s canteen) recommended by Super Farmers’s Cynthea Lam.
Thank you so much for your support of Gold 905 and for helping Makan Kakis grow bigger and better. We’ve seen amazing response to our video & story collaboration with CNA Lifestyle too, and that is also much appreciated!
If you like what you’ve watched, read & heard on-air and via podcast, do share the good food with your good friends and tell them about Makan Kakis on Gold 905!
Cheers to a heartier, happier, makan-filled new year – may your 2023 be overflowing with the best things to eat and drink – Season’s Eatings!
P.S. BONUS EATS!
Makan Kakis on Gold 905 