Many of us grew up having fast food and takeaways as our go-to options. Some of us are fortunate enough to have someone whip up a home-cooked meal. Whenever we bring our parents out for a meal, be it at a fanciful restaurant, cafes or even at Haidilao, they always say “Haiya, food back in my days tasted better” is that true? Let me take you on a nostalgic road trip reminiscing about their “days” in the 80s.
- Tiong Bahru Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted
(Tiong Bahru Market, #02–60)
First off, we have Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted. This name should ring a bell for those who frequent Tiong Bahru Market, and is equivalent to the Avengers of the market, along with other famous eats like the Jian Bo Shui Kueh and Lor Mee stall.
Love a good char siew or roasted pork? Then this has got to be in your must-try list. The secret to Lee Hong Kee’s recipe has been handed down from generations to generations. It all started out as a push cart in Kim Tian Road half a century ago, and the legacy of it’s crackling roasted pork and caramelized char siew has also been batoned down from word of mouth.
Let’s not also forget about the star of every good char siew rice — the Sauce. A good sauce is one with just the right amount of honey, five spice powder and a touch of wok hei from the charcoal fire can simply elevate the dish to gourmet standard! Get yours here.
2. Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake
(Maxwell Food Centre, #01–05)
Next up, we have the Oyster Cake from Maxwell Hawker Centre. My mom would never fail to drop by the stall and pick up a few pieces when she’s in the vicinity. The reason is simple — it’s a childhood snack for her, and there aren’t many places in Singapore that sell such traditional delicacies. For $3.40 a piece on WhyQ, this is worth every penny (and calories!)
The shape reminds us of a dorayaki, but a savoury local version. It comes with a deep fried batter with a generous amount of marinated minced meat, oysters and cilantro. While some of us may not be the biggest fan of cilantro, a dash of it worked like magic here. It brought out the flavours of oysters and minced meat. Peanut was also added in to add more texture to the snack, making it less “gelak”. Grab yours here for a treat between work!
3. Fried Kway Teow
(Amoy Street Food Centre, #01–01)
To all my Gganbus (if you know it, you’ll know it) out there, saving the best for last, we have the Fried Kway Teow at Amoy Food Centre. It started out as early as the 60s around Boon Tat Street. Located on the last lane on the ground level, it is often overlooked with the arrays of Michelin-bib stalls and food choices from Amoy.
Their stall name is as straightforward as it gets, “Fried Kway Teow”. Over here, you get your old-school plate of fried kway teow that comes with the standard ingredients of cockles, kway teow, black sauce and chinese sausage. Our personal tip, request for additional pork lard for a greater burst of umami and added texture! Add it to cart here and to save you the trouble of thinking what to get for lunch!
That’s all for today for hawker stalls that have been through with your parents and grandparents! Impress your parents and grandparents on your pocket list now at WhyQ! Like how hawker food and local delicacies were featured in Crazy Rich Asian, it’s a uniquely beautiful culture that we should be proud of. Show your support for the continuation of these hawkers!
