Makan CAR-Kis: Driver Vincent Recommends Unique Green Chilli Rice

This is Part 6 of our series featuring taxi and private hire drivers who show us where to find the best eats across Singapore. Just for a little twist on this food hunt, the drivers get a break and I drive them instead! This week, private hire driver Vincent Lee recommended we give Green Chilli Chicken Rice at Sims Vista Food Centre a try.  It’s dish I’d heard of and even seen in pictures he sent me, but that I hadn’t tasted before.

“You won’t regret it,” was Vincent’s promise, as he explained his personal rule for food recommendations. “It must be nice, only then I will take a photo and share.” And share he does, frequently, in various group chats on his phone.

• READ: the full story at CNA Lifestyle.
• WATCH: Denise try Vincent’s recommendation on Mediacorp GOLD905’s FB Page.
• LISTEN: 

The avid home cook and foodie became a private hire driver when he turned 60 last March, enjoying it as “something to do” in semi-retirement. Vincent’s conversations with passengers usually centre around his favourite subject. “When I pick them up or go to a new place, I always ask ‘where’s the good food here?’,” he said.

The confident cook also often whips up fried bee hoon, assam pedas and Hainanese chicken rice for frequent gatherings with friends and family. Fried Hokkien mee is his children’s favourite and his go-to comfort food is Teochew porridge. 

“I’m definitely a party guy,” he declared. Indeed, fun is an almost daily affair for Vincent and his friends who gather after work for “happy hour”. He joked, “Actually, my favorite pastime is drinking beer!”

Sims Vista Food Centre is one of Vincent’s regular mid-morning stops, just a stone’s throw from where he grew up. “Before I got married, I stayed at Geylang Lorong 16 for 25 years,” he said, happy to be back in his old neighbourhood.

Parked and primed for our meal, we met with the “founder of Green Chilli since 1999” Mr Mustajab Ibrahim (Uncle Jab), 74. “My own invention. Others may copy but they are not the same,” he told me proudly.

He used to sell nasi lemak and various types of biryani before creating his signature dish. But on his wife’s advice, he finally decided to focus on green chilli chicken rice. Settling at Sims Vista about 10 years ago, it took a while to gain the interest of customers.

“When I started, nobody knew. They would ask me, ‘Apa? Apa?’ (‘what is this’ in Malay),” Uncle Jab recounted. Now, the stall sees long queues forming each day, which was what first attracted Vincent to the stall – he joined the line to see what the fuss was about. Since then, he returns at least twice a month for his fix because “the green chili is so beautiful and fragrant”.

Each signature $6 set consists of rice, a whole, bone-in chicken leg slathered in green chilli sambal, fish keropok, two carved cucumber slices, a side dollop of red chilli sambal and soup.

Makan CAR-Kis: Driver Recommends Ayam Berempah Nasi Lemak

Even before driving to pick her up, I already felt a certain kinship with our first female Makan Kaki of this series, private hire driver Michelle Lee, 64. Meeting my long-time listener was going to be a delicious experience, if the many makan recommendations she has shared over the years were anything to go by. 

Michelle, who has been a private driver hire for 4 years, typically starts her day at around 10am. “I drive from two hours to 10 hours. It depends. If mahjong is on, then two hours!” she laughed.  In keeping with her fun-loving spirit, Michelle works her driving schedule around mahjong, makan and travel. “If I’m not driving, I’ll be on holiday,” she added, revealing she has found the perfect job to accommodate all her passions.  

I joked that driving was just a means to fund her travels and she agreed, “It is! Next, I’ll be going to Scandinavia for two weeks. If you want to take a break, go far and for a long time.” 

When she’s not visiting far-flung lands, Michelle especially loves driving & chatting with first-time visitors to Singapore. While the place we were headed to isn’t found on any of the usual tourist lists yet, Michelle enthused, “But they’d get to enjoy local food in a very local setting.” And you can’t get more local than dining at an HDB void deck coffeeshop…

• READ: the full story at CNA Lifestyle.
• WATCH: Denise try Michelle’s recommendation on Mediacorp GOLD905’s FB Page.
• LISTEN: 

Tastefully decorated with neon lights and a shiny ordering counter with separate collection window, Michelle’s new go-to for nasi lemak struck me as “kopitiam luxe”. 

Wild Coco is the brainchild and first dining venture of Mr Wayne Tan, 43, who used to work in F&B marketing and operations. It opened in February last year at the sleepy McNair Road enclave, just off Balestier Road.   

“I always wanted to start my own place and nasi lemak is one of my favourite foods. I prefer the Malaysian style with ayam berempah,” Mr Tan said, referring to the fried chicken marinated with distinctively South-East Asian herbs and spices.  

From L-R: Denise, Owner Wayne Tan & staff, Michelle.

It was exactly those aromatics that first led Michelle to Wild Coco. “When I dropped off a passenger just a few steps away at Block 122, initially it was the smell of the chicken that made my stomach growl. So I parked the car and I went to eat,” she said.  

Note to drivers: parking is ample in the surrounding HDB estate!

At Wild Coco, the extensive no pork, no lard, no MSG menu is built around their signature sets, all consisting of coconut jasmine rice, sunny side up egg, Japanese cucumber, house-made sambal, ikan bilis and salted roasted peanuts.  

Starting with the basic $5.80 set, you can add a main protein – berempah chicken leg ($11.80), chicken breast with wing attached ($12.80), fried fish ($10.80), sambal belado fish ($11.80) or their $14.80 daily specials of either chicken lemak chilli padi (Mon – Wed) or curry chicken (Thu – Sat). Side dishes include stir-fried lady’s fingers, French beans with chye poh, fried tempeh tofu and tauhu goreng.  

Fantastic Halal Hainanese Chicken Rice

Hi Makan Kakis,

This week, our Foodie Friend Pang Gek Teng, founder of Surrey Hills Grocer, is back to share her favourite Hainanese Chicken Rice, a dish that many have argued over because everyone has their go-to place. However, this is one that she will always stand by and always shares with those she loves. So far, even the most die-hard fans of chicken rice have not challenged her choice!

HEAR:

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For our Muslim friends, My Nasi Ayam at Bedok Corner is an excellent choice for an authentic taste as it’s the halal iteration of popular franchise Tong Fong Fatt Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice. Judging from the display of glistening roasted chickens, most customers prefer this option. However, based on Gek Pang’s recommendation, I went for a double meat option – ordering both the poached & roasted versions. 

I Tried the TikTok Viral $2 Biryani!

Hey Makan Kakis, have you heard of the chicken biryani that went TikTok viral? Let me break it down for you: a pair of friends (one is a trained chef) who met at a recovery group decided to focus on sobriety by selling delicious, Muslim-friendly nasi briyani from home. The biggest selling point is the price point – just $2 per portion! In a matter of weeks of posting on TikTok, they went viral and demand for their biryani went through the roof. 

HEAR:

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Inspired by the kind you can buy from 7-eleven,  Two Dollar Biryani offers up a portion of spiced rice with a portion of butter chicken for, yep, $2. Better yet, theirs isn’t just a money-making endeavour, they are also giving back to society by feeding those in need. So of course, I had to give it a try. For TikTok noobs, you can also find them on Instagram. Instructions on how to order via WhatsApp are clearly posted. I texted them and received a reply shortly after.

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

Affordable, Quality Cantonese Seafood Collagen Soup by MasterChef SG Alumnus

Greetings, Makan Kakis!

This week, Masterchef Singapore Season 1 Alumnus Sharon Gonzago joins us with an exciting new update on her post-competition journey – she has a new F&B venture in the heart of the CBD! By the way, if you’re also a talented cook & are feeling inspired, why not register for Season 4? Auditions are now open. Details here!

HEAR:

• Click to listen/ download podcast – Full interview with MasterChef SG Season 1’s Sharon Gonzago.
• Click to listen/ download podcast of this week’s steamy, soupy episode! 

SEE:

Since being featured in MasterChef SG, Sharon Gonzago has been keeping very busy with culinary projects here in Singapore and in Bali, the most recent of which is Soup Cup – her new “Modern Seafood Soup Kiosk” at the basement of Hong Leong Building. She’s always wanted to do affordable food that doesn’t stint on quality and so far, she’s been able to do this at Soup Cup. Everything is made from fresh ingredients and her seafood is delivered fresh every morning.

The modern concept comes from the self-order touch screen stations, where you can build your own soup cups. Start off with your choice of fish – batang, black grouper or red snapper, which can be paired with secret-marinade minced pork. You can also choose from an extensive list of add-ons including Japanese scallops, Korean clams, squid, prawns, romaine lettuce and fried beancurd rolls. Fancy a staple to make it a complete meal? There’s also furikake rice, thick beehoon or Japanese konjac noodles.

Fresh, Flavourful Fish Soup & Delicious Duck Porridge Too!

HEAR:
Click to listen/ download podcast of this week’s bowls of old school comfort!

This week, our Makan Kaki, Judge of the forthcoming third season of Masterchef Singapore, as well as co-owner & chef of Rempapa, Damian D’Silva returns with another excellent recommendation. In his line of work, he confesses to indulging in a lot of naughty food, that’s why once in a while, he craves a healthier option to feel cleansed and virtuous. For him, the perfect choice is Teochew-style fish porridge. One of his favourite stalls to visit is Ng Soon Kee Fish & Duck Porridge at Geylang East Food Centre. 

Run by a very friendly old couple who told me that they’ve been in the business for more than 60 years, Ng Soon Kee is extremely popular with residents of the area and when I arrived at 2.30pm (they open at noon) for a taste of the porridge Chef Damian was raving about, the queue was already 10 people deep and 3 more customers joined the line behind me. Thankfully, I waited less than 20 minutes and was amply rewarded with a large $5 bowl of fish porridge (as well as duck porridge, which Chef Damian also enjoys when he’s feeling more indulgent).

Sambal-smothered Fried Chicken Inspired by Film Legend P. Ramlee!

What do legendary actor P. Ramlee & fried chicken have in common? They are the passions of one man – Mr Haswandi Hashim – converging deliciously at his stall in Jalan Besar. After my Makan Kaki Chef Bjorn Shen, judge of MasterChef Singapore and Middle-Eastern restaurant Artichoke proclaimed it “the most amazing ayam goreng in Singapore” earlier in February this year, I hurried down to confirm this and was not disappointed. A few things have changed since February and on my last visit, I finally met the man behind Chef Bjorn’s favourite fried chicken. Turns out, this ayam goreng comes with rice and sambals as colourful as the story behind it.

• LISTEN: & download the podcast of this week’s crispy, spicy episode.
• READ: the full story at CNA Lifestyle.
• WATCH: Denise try this makan recommendation on GOLD 905’s facebook page.

Mr Haswandi and his wife Nur Hafizah Ahmad launched La Porpo just two years ago with little fanfare, but have quickly gained a still-growing fan base. As a massive fan of film legend P. Ramlee, Mr Haswandi decided to name his stall after a catchphrase from his idol’s 1972 movie Laksamana Do Re Mi.

“It was a hilarious comedy and there’s one part where P. Ramlee was sitting on a flying carpet when he said ‘la porpo’, which sounded Spanish to me,” he explained. “La porpo is a phrase used often between me and my childhood friends. We all watched the same movie, so that’s our connection and appreciation of P. Ramlee. To us, it means something friendly, warm, creative.”

Like a secret password or magic code within his social circle, it brings together their shared love for movies and makan that Mr Haswandi hopes will extend to his customers. “I want them to come and get crazy about our flavours,” he said with a smile.

That’s why he even named his F&B company Rasa Loca (an amalgamation of Malay and Spanish words that means crazy taste) and one of his spicy chilli pastes Sambal Loca. Mr Haswandi is also pleased he has his son’s seal of approval for a greeting he often uses (almost like the stall’s tagline) and can be seen in signage on the storefront, “Yo… What’s good?”

So what is good at La Porpo? Hands down, their ayam goreng or fried chicken, of course. Mr Haswandi’s recipe, “legendary in the family since my grandparents’ time”, has been passed down orally through generations. Combined with Nur Hafizah’s own family recipe, husband and wife have created the ultimate fried chicken, after much trial and error. Theirs is a fundamental fried chicken recipe versatile enough to use in many dishes like their best-selling Kelantan-style nasi kerabu, ayam penyet and ayam geprek. All started off with the same fried chicken foundation, but the difference is in the sambals.