Singapore Old School Food with Angie 与贪吃一号体验新加坡传统美食

Foodie friend Angie has been craving for the old school Hakka yong tau foo in Kai Juan Coffeeshop @ Balestier Road. One night, she messaged me to meet her for breakfast at the stall the following day.

I arrived very early for our breakfast meeting, the elderly stall owner who is in her 70s, chatted with me while I waited for Angie. Business has slowed down for this pioneer hawker as many foreign workers who used to patronise her stall have returned to their own country due to retrenchment and lack of jobs.

We were interrupted several times as her regular customers stopped by for takeaways or breakfast, some would greet her as they passed by her stall. These regulars just help themselves to the sauces and self-serve while she is busy cooking. I  noticed that she would give the men more noodles.

We had a long chat because Angie was late, I waited for an hour. I enjoy chatting with the elderly stall owner who gave me a glimpse of her life as a working mother with five children.

Because we came early, there were lots of choice ingredients to select from. We had a hearty and yummy breakfast for only S$7!    

Hakka yong tau foo 德志客家酿豆腐
Kai Juan Coffeeshop
395 Balestier Road

After our meal, we adjourned to Loy Kee Chicken Rice for teh si (tea with evaporated milk, S$1.80) while waiting for my hubby. We sat in the air-conditioned eatery for more than an hour, sipping Hainanese teh si. Hubby was only able to stay for a few minutes before he bade farewell. Naturally, Angie was not letting him off for keeping her waiting .... as usual the two started poking fun of each other. LOL

Angie and I went to Chinatown to collect her traditional Foo Chow sticky cakes (传统福州年糕). These Chinese traditional cakes with yam strips is a rare delicacy, it is the first time I am seeing one. Angie promises to let me have a taste of it later.

Angie brought me on a little tour of Keong Siak Road, pointing out the yummy food along both rows of shops. She started to crave for her coffee when we saw Tong Ah Eating House.

As it was lunch hour, the staff wanted us to sit on the sidewalk but the weather was too hot outside. We were allowed to sit in the air-con eatery only when we decided to walk out. We assured them we would just have our drinks and go. We ordered coffee, teh si and toasted bread (S$4.30). Coffee was still alright, we were disappointed with the other two items.  

黎记鸡饭粥品
342 Balestier Rd, Singapore.

As we were walking towards Chinatown Complex, we stumbled upon Kim Hock Seng Seng Kee that sells traditional barbecue bak kwa (BBQ pork slices, S$52 per kg). The humourous boss Mr Ong Geok Hoo offered us a piece of bak kwa for tasting. Angie likes this bak kwa in its original flavour.

I was browsing through the photos and news clippings on a wall in the shop when I noticed a photo of a handsome man receiving an award from then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

When I asked if the "handsome man" was the boss himself, he proudly acknowledged it and jokingly said many people comment that he looks like a certain Hong Kong movie star. We were tickled and immediately took a liking to this affable man. Angie bought some BBQ pork slices for our tasting session.

Kim Hock Seng (Seng Kee) 金福成切片肉干.肉丝
Address: 34 Keong Saik Road 恭锡路, Singapore 089141.

Angie recommended an old school crispy cuttlefish snack manufacturer in Chinatown Complex before we parted our ways. I went in search of it and found it in a corner of the hawker centre. It was doing a brisk business. I bought a small packet of their popular cuttlefish snack (S$9).

On the way out, I went to Pan Ji Cooked Food for its delicious traditional Chinese snack - Sar Kay Mah (sweet egg block), and found them busy making peanut puffs. I forego the vanishing traditional snack, bought some jars of peanut puffs (small jar S$18 each, large jar S$35 each) and melt-in-the-mouth tapioca coconut cookies (S$14) to support them. Business hasn't been good for this traditional snack shop, I want to show my appreciation for their dedication to keeping our traditional snacks alive.

What a day! It was an awesome day meeting and chatting with my fellow Singaporeans.

Chai Wee Cuttlefish
02-59/65 Chinatown Complex Food Centre, Blk 335 Smith Street, Singapore

Pan Ji Cooked Food 潘记刹骑马
#02-78 Block 335 Smith Street Chinatown Complex Food Centre Singapore


与贪吃一号吃吃喝喝, 介绍新加坡传统美食 ~~

1)    德志客家酿豆腐

传统的客家酿豆腐, 汤是由黄豆和江鱼仔熬成的, 很鲜甜。今天早到, 有好多配料供选择。我们两个人, 选了好多配料, 才付S$7! 阿嬷, 你赚什么喔?

早上到下午2 点, 星期一休息

2)    黎记鸡饭粥品    
       等老公的时候, 点了好喝的海南茶稀 (S$1.80)。

3)    传统福州年糕

我第一次看到这福州年糕, 有芋头丝还有花生 。。。 想吃。年糕是过年必备的年货，就算不吃，也要买一块摆在家里，图个 “好意头”。

4)    无意间发现这有40年历史的金福成切片肉干还有肉丝。风趣的老板年轻时很时髦, 长得又帅。他还说很多人说他长得像电影明星邓光荣。原味厚片猪肉干, 札实的口感吃在嘴里越嚼越香。这手工制作传统肉干的价格是每公斤52元。

5)    Chai Wee 香脆的鱿鱼干 (S$9 小的, S$18 大的 )

6)    潘记刹骑马

现在卖新年饼干, 只做一些刹骑马。我买了甜脆花生角 (S$18小罐的, S$35 大罐的) 和入口即化的万吉糕 (S$14小罐的)，马来语叫Kuih Bangkit。

"Year of the Rooster" Chinatown Festive Street Bazaar 2017 年牛车水农历新年庆祝活动

Made a detour to Chinatown to buy some egg tarts for my elders and noticed that Chinatown is gearing up to usher in the Year of the Rooster. The colourful Chinese New Year lantern decorations are up!

Adore the pretty and cute lanterns of the chicken family ..... I will come back one evening to snap their photos  .... they probably look better in the night.  :D

Needless to say, there are lots of rooster-designed decorations besides the usual festive goodies being sold at the Chinatown shops and street bazaar.

I couldn't resist buying some waxed meats and ingredients for my Lunar New Year Eve Reunion Dinner already. haha....

Ahhhhh..... the must-have for Chinese New Year! Nian Gao (sweet sticky rice cake 年糕 ) to seal the mouth of the Kitchen God so he couldn't badmouth the family when he reports to the Jade Emperor (ruler of Heaven). haha.....

I think I am going to steam my own sticky glutinous rice cake this year. mmm......

Met several artists doing some water colour paintings of the festive street. Despite the number of people milling around them, they kept calm and paint on. hehe....

I will be back to check out the street bazaar after the official light-up on Jan 7 by President Tony Tan Keng Yam. The street bazaar and celebrations will run from Jan 7 to Feb 25.

Official Light-Up and Opening Ceremony 开幕典礼与亮灯仪式
Time   ： 7 January 2017, 6 pm - 10 pm 
Venue ： New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street 新桥路和余东旋街

Chinatown CNY Countdown Party 牛车水春节倒计时晚会
Time   ：27 January 2017，9.30 pm－12.30 pm
Venue ：New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street 新桥路和余东旋街

10th International Lion Dance Competition 第十届国际醒狮大赛
Time   ：14 January and 15 January，6.30 pm －10.30 pm
Venue ：Carpark at Banda Street (off Sago Lane) Banda Street 停车场

Chingay 2017 Night Fiesta @ Chinatown 妆艺大游行
Time   ：12 February 2017，7.30 pm－ 9.30 pm
Venue ：New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street 新桥路和余东旋街

牛车水农历新年2017庆祝活动
牛车水迎接鸡年 (2017年) 的到来 。。。大街小巷都挂满各种公鸡、母鸡，还有可爱小鸡的手工彩灯。

我喜欢逛牛车水的年货市场, 每年都不会错过。除了买一些新年佳肴和喜庆装饰品, 还可以边吃边逛, 感染新年气氛。

Celebrations and Shopping at Orchard Road 2017 乌节路2017年庆生活动和购物

On the second day of the new year, we attended the 80th birthday party of an elder in a 5-star hotel. It was also his company's 50th anniversary, a double happiness celebration for this entrepreneur.

A magician circulated among the guests, entertaining us with an inimitable range of magic tricks. At such close range, we thought we could catch his every quick move. Amazing that he could "get away" with his magic tricks, despite many pairs of eyes watching him like a hawk. LOL

The family custom ordered a special cake for the birthday man ..... a fabulous cake that came with a gold dusted dragon for an octogenarian. Wow.

After the buffet lunch, we were confronted with a heavy downpour. We walked to Ngee Ann City using the underground linkway to shop for Lunar New Year goodies at the Chinese New Year festive fair. We met our Hainan kinsmen who were selling pineapple tarts and other yummy festive biscuits. Bought some cookies from her to give our support.

There was an array of festive cookies and snacks to choose from at the fair. We sampled a few varieties of cookies and ordered some to present to our relatives.

There is an ongoing Winter Hokkaido Fair at Takashimaya Departmental Store where seafood from the island is flown in specially for this fair. I like the cooked squids and Saba fish best.

I might have to return for the seafood and Saba bentos as I had a heavy lunch and couldn't eat any more. LOL

Singapore Hainan Hwee Kwan Chinese New Year Dinner - WW

Lion Dance at Singapore Hainan Hwee Kwan ( 海南会馆/ 天后宫)

On the third evening of Chinese New Year, we were treated to a 8-course dinner at Singapore Hainan Hwee Kwan. 

Before dinner started, there was a spectacular lion dance performance. As I was standing in the first row, orange peel were thrown in my direction. Several elderly members commented that I would get lucky and prosper in the new year. haha...

First course of our dinner was yusheng (raw fish salad). We have a member from Hainan Island at our table and it was his first time tasting yusheng, he had fun tossing the salad.

海南会馆会长潘家海

Singapore Hainan Hwee Kwan President Mr Francis Phua came to our table to propose a toast.

During dinner, several members including senior lawyer James Lee Ah Fong went on stage to sing karaoke. Some of them could really sing well.

After dinner, we sent 3 senior members home.

Buddha Tooth RelicTemple on Chinese New Year Day

On the second day of Chinese New Year, after visiting my Mom, we went praying at the multi-tiered Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.

The temple was packed with worshippers and tourists.

There were long queues for bathing the Buddha and blessings from the monks, so my husband had to go through 3 separate queues.

We were fortunate to meet Venerable Si Fazhao who gave new year blessings to my husband and the many believers. He gave out mandarin oranges and a charm to everyone he blessed

We then proceed to exchange S$10 for 100 ten-cent coins. We dropped them, one by one, in the bowls placed in front of 100 Buddha statues for blessing.

We had some refreshments at Maxwell hawker centre before going home. Not many hawker stalls were opened for business during Chinese New Year, tourists we met were telling us they cannot find good hawker food the past 2 days :).

Happy Year of the Goat

To my friends and readers,

Good health, 

good luck 

and 

much happiness 

throughout the year of the Goat.

摸摸羊背，快乐加倍；

捋捋羊胡，福寿绵绵；

碰碰羊角，好运无边；

学学羊叫，心情好好；

拍拍羊头，鸿运当头；

送送羊福，情真意切。

祝你羊年吉祥，洋洋得意！

Chinese New Year Bazaar 2015 in Chinatown Singapore - WW

After dinner last evening, my husband and I brought a couple of elderly neighbours to Chinatown to soak in the Lunar New Year festivities and snap photos of the pretty decorations of the Street Light-Up.

Many traditional goodies from cookies, decorative items, waxed meats and preserved fruits to potted plants and clothing were on sale. My neighbours bought some Chinese New Year delicacies.

As my family is still in mourning, we are not celebrating Chinese New Year this year.... but we bought 20 jars of cookies to distribute to some of the elderly residents in our neighbourhood.

These preserved fruits are a must-have in our Chinese New Year shopping due to their auspicious names and meanings.

There was a stall selling a modernised version of wooden clogs. Customers could request to custom make a pair of clogs.

Although it was a weekday night, there were lots of people shopping at the bazaar. We had a light supper before going home with or purchases.  

Festive Plants For Lunar New Year - WW

To our older generation of Chinese, it is a custom to display live, healthy plants in our home during the first fifteen days of the Lunar New Year as it is a symbol of happiness, wealth and abundance. They believe flowers bloom when there’s prosperity. :)

Every Chinese New Year, we take pains to adorn our homes with colourful plants to bring good fortune and joy to the family.

Below are some of the auspicious plants for Lunar New Year.

Easy to maintain and grows well, the Zamioculcas Zamiifolia (金钱树) or money plant is my favourite. It is also know as the 'gold coin plant'.

Our Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena Sanderiana) was imported from China. Some of them are twisted and bent into auspicious shapes. It is said to bring prosperity, good fortune and happiness.

I have always wanted the beautiful Plum blossoms (Prunus mume 梅花) but it is too costly. A girlfriend advised me against buying it as her Fengshui master believes men would have better relationships with girls if we display plum blossoms at home. LOL

I love the Pussy willows' white, silvery buds and I love decorating them with red ribbons and Chinese New Year ornaments.

The young children in our house love to play with the bright, golden yellow Nipple fruits (Solanum Mammosum) which has 5 protrusions at the bottom that look like nipples. hahaha....

With abundant fruits looking like gold nuggets, kumquats (金吉) are a must for my in-laws. We usually buy a pair to place at doorways to usher in good luck and wealth for the coming year.

We would also have the bright Celosia Argentea (凤尾)  placed outside the house. They symbolize harmony and good fortune.

Buddha's Hand lime is both spiritual and auspicious to many Buddhists. It is not easy to find this decorative plant in Singapore.

We would buy more plants for Lunar New Year and they would cost us a lot due to the high prices charged during this festive season. Although it is exhausting shopping for auspicious goodies for the Chinese New Year celebrations, we enjoy doing it as we can keep our customs and traditions alive for our next generations.  

Auspicious Plants for Chinese New Year

 Kumquat trees symbolizing auspicious in the New Year  

Our traditional Chinese new year celebration includes many auspicious symbols for prosperity, longevity and good fortune. After a fortnight of spring cleaning the entire house, it is time to decorate it with auspicious plants. :)

We went shopping at the Bedok South nurseries after dinner. There were already many families selecting and purchasing flowers and plants which symbolize rebirth, new growth and prosperity for the new year.

The kumquat trees which symbolize good luck and abundance of wealth are very popular and the ones shown in the first picture are very expensive. :)

The pineapple plants (S$128) and Money Tree (Zamioculcas Zamifolia, from S$68) are hot sellers too.

Orchids are a perpetual favourite of mine. This pot of exotic blooms cost S$168. These beauties bring me much joy when I am relaxing in my sitting room. 

Lingzhi - Mushroom of Longevity

Delighted to find these pots of Lingzhi. Bought one for my 96 year-old mother-in-law.  

The Lucky Bamboo, another popular festive plant which is said to improve the positive qi in the house, was sold out. I will have to wait until next Wednesday for the new stocks.  

Chinatown Chinese New Year Street Bazaar 2014

auspicious festive ornaments for the Year of the Horse  

After a Bak Kut Teh dinner, my friends and I joined the jostling crowds to shop for festive goods at the Chinese New Year Street Bazaar in Chinatown.

Although it was a weekday night, the bazaar was packed with shoppers who were busy checking out and buying festive snacks and new products.

The waxed meats stall was crowded with buyers. I have reduced our consumption of waxed meats for health reasons, so I didn't buy any this time. My friends spent quite a lot buying these delicacies.

My girlfriends believe displaying pussy willows during the new year would invite abundant luck and prosperity into the home.

The citrus fruit "huang jing guo" (literally translated into golden fruit) is believed to bring luck and prosperity for the new year too. :)

There were not many interesting stalls at the bazaar this year. Surprised to see wedding planners and

We were offered samples of food and drinks as we moved among the stalls. There were many varieties of melon seeds and peanuts, we had fun trying every one of them. :D

Bought some pickled fruits, melon seeds and pomelos, these are must-haves for Chinese New Year celebrations.

Last stop before we called it a night, we bought "nian gao" (sticky cakes) at the famous Chinese pastry shop Chop Tai Chong Kok, which dates back to 1935.

I also bought a chestnut cake (S$8) for the elders to try. It is a new product for the lunar new year. Hope they like it.

Chinatown Chinese New Year Festive Street Bazaar
10 January 2014 - 30 January 2014

Chap Goh Meh 元宵节快乐！Chinese Valentine's Day

Last night, I met up with several Malaysian friends who travelled to Singapore for a short holiday. As the following day is ‘Chap Goh Meh’ (Yuanxiao Jie or Lantern Festival, also known as the Chinese version of Valentines’ Day), I invited them for dinner with my family. We went to a restaurant by the Singapore River.

This traditional Chinese festival (on the 15th of the first month of the Chinese New Year) marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. The festival is not well celebrated in Singapore.

During dinner, I learnt that 'Chap Goh Meh’  is celebrated with much joy and festivites by my Malaysian friends in their hometown. Their families would gather over a grand meal. After dinner, the elders would offer prayers to the God of Prosperity to bless their family with good fortune for the coming year.

The single ladies in the house would inscribe their names and telephone numbers on mandarin oranges and throw them into a nearby river. Several unmarried men waiting in boats would then row over to scoop up the oranges. Finding a partner sounds fun and interesting in their hometown. Chinese-style blind dating. :P

One of the single ladies wanted to try her luck in our Singapore River by throwing in a mandarin orange, but I stopped her as she might be penalised for 'polluting the river'. :P

For dessert, we each ate a bowl of tang yuan (glutinous rice ball 汤圆). Made with sticky glutinous rice flour and  filled with a sweet stuffing, its round shape symbolizes family unity, completeness and happiness.

正月里来闹元宵，

龙腾虎跃歌如潮，

月圆人圆事事圆，

蛇年好运幸福绕.

元宵节快乐！

Happy Chinese New Year 2013 - Year of the Snake

祝大家 :

一帆风顺

二龙腾飞

三羊开泰

四季平安

五福临门

六六大顺

七星高照

八方来财

九九同心

十全十美

百事亨通

千事吉祥

万事如意！

 祝蛇年快乐, 吉祥如意！

Wishing all a Prosperous and Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year Bazaar @Chinatown Singapore 2013 - Ruby Tuesday

It was the last weekend for Chinese New Year shopping at Chinatown Bazaar. Unfortunately, it rained for most of the day and I was unable to finish my shopping. I will have to make another trip in the next two days.


There was a long snaking queue at Singapore's famous BBQ pork jerky, Lim Chee Guan's Bak Kwa (肉干). Expect to queue for long hours and price will increase progressively as it nears Chinese New Year. The heavy downpour did not stop customers from joining the queue. I passed, not wanting to waste my time standing in the queue.


I bought a couple of traditional Chinese decorative cuttings. It was fascinating watching the skilful young stall owner cut out a beautiful design with only a pair of scissors and from memory.

During Chinese New Year, it is inevitable to shop for foods that symbolize abundance, wealth, longevity and good fortune. :D

I discovered several speciality stalls that sell melon seeds and groundnuts. Unbelievable they are selling Taiwan's top-grade groundnuts here. We can find practically everything on this little island.

Traditional preserved fruits with auspicious names to 'sweeten' the new year. In the olden days, there was no sophisticated range of titbits like the chocolate, candies, nuts and crispies we see today, so these sugar coated fruits (Cantonese style sugar winter melon, sugar coconut stripes, lotus seeds etc) were our favourites during childhood days.

Bought some waxed meats for my elders. The children and elders in the family love to eat these waxed meats on hot steamed rice. They make quick and easy meals.

年糕 (年年高) 象征收入、职位或小孩子都一年比一年高.

This sticky glutinous rice cake (Nian Gao) is our traditional Chinese new year cake. It is considered good luck to eat Nian Gao because it symbolises increasing prosperity every year. The New Year greeting 'Nian Nian Gao Sheng' (年年高升) means "advance towards higher positions and prosperity annually."