THE POWER OF NASI LEMAK

Nasi Lemak is a typical local dish enjoyed by many. It's basically rice booked with santan (coconut milk) and it's a dish that is sinfully rich in fat and one should avoid enjoying it too often or you may have to watch your waist or check your cholesterol level.

As simple as the dish looks each cook will claim their "power" in the taste of their nasi lemak through the chilli accompanying the dish.   It is the sambal chilli that makes the difference some like it sweet and some like it extra hot.  Known to many in Singapore the Boon Lay POWER Nasi Lemak has a crowning glory in the chilli that sends you screaming for cold icy water but it is the same sensation that draws you to go back for it again and again.

Then there was the popular Nasi Lemak in Tanjung Pagar Food Centre.  The chilli is sweeter but it is the deep fried chick leg that draws the crowd.

In every direction of Singapore, some have already claimed a stake in their territorial naming.  The name Chong Pang Nasi Lemak starts in the north but you cant find Chong Pang Nasi Lemak at Chong Pang Food Market.  Neither in Punggol Nasi Lemak found in Punggol.  Punggol Nasi Lemak has its early start in Serangoon Gardens but the popular draw of long queues on a nitely basis is at Upper Serangoon Road where foodies satiate their hunger for Nasi Lemak and dont mind to contain the hunger whilst standing in the queue.  They have to get hold of the tasty thick schrimp paste chilli and the "tokong" deep fried chicken leg - YUMS !   Similarly Bali Nasi Lemak in Geylang is not found in Bali but the naming continued to coin around a place name.........

At Hainanese Hakka Food Centre, Block 105 Houngang Ave 1 (we usually call this Lorong Ah Soo FC),

you must try to race to the finishing line by 12pm.  You will find many disappointed foodies asking uncle for the last scrap from the rice cooker pot by 12pm.  I have done that too and uncle will say I can scrapped two more plates but more often then not, its always finished by then......What's good here is the popular ikan bilis (anchovies), small ones and it's crispy crunch to go with your rice.

There is so much to talk just on this dish and I have not even mentioned the pandan coloured nasi lemak rice, the banana leaf Nasi Lemak etc...... 

It's a dish enjoyed by ALL, young and old and many relish on it with satisfying gratitude that there are so many variety to choose from.

BEEF HOUSE - PING PONG BEEF BALLS

No plans on where for breakfast?  That was me when I chanced upon GAR LOK Eating House at the end of Syed Alwi Road which is behind Jalan Besar Hawker Centre.   I once heard that they have the flat chowta beehoon somewhere in this vicinity but I could not find it.  Came across the famous Sungei Road Laksa which has very thin lemak gravy and you slurp your laksa with a spoon. 

Just a few steps away, I saw the buzz at this old coffee shop.  There was no long queue but one could sense that something is good here as the servers seemed to be in brisk motion taking orders or serving.   The newspaper article on the stall frontage tells you its a crowd puller and  it is worth taking a seat and ask for your order.

http://food.asia1.com.sg/revamp/gdfd/haw_20051009_001.shtml

Beef House serves Hakka Beef Balls, bigger than usual size in plain soup and I have been a fan of such fare.  I have not seen this in any part of Singapore or at least I have not come across this in my food journey and it's a unique find here.
 

I ordered a $3 bowl of  beef ball soup which was cheng (clear), mild without the usual full-bodied beef flavour but I think it is nicer this way to compliment the  beef balls and it comes with 5 huge beef balls.  It's bouncy, firm, rough in texture because it is handmade and you will certainly enjoy chomping it accompanied by the chilli. 

More than this, the stall owner offers more choices and you can order delectable Yong Tau Foo and thin yellow mee kia noodles and they have real stuff Soon Kueh with fillings that comes with bamboo shoot as the name 'soon' suggests.  Somehow the soon kueh was a too chewy on the skin today.

The Beef House

217 Syed Alwi Road
(junction of Syed Alwi and Townshend Road)
Singapore 207776

Tel: 9821 5463

Opening Hours: 8am to 6pm, closed on Fridays


Other Outlets
97 Joo Chiat Road, closed on Mondays
218 Killiney Road, opens daily

RUN FOR THE SEAFOOD !

The PRELUDE was an evening run at East Coast Park.  Weather was nice and slightly breezy, some had to cut short their usual long distant run and the rest at their own pace before we meet at East Coast Lagoon Park.  I was to do the ordering of the popular Satay Bee Hoon, but unfortunately, it was close for the day and there goes our best garb after a run.  I usually do the queueing up but this round, we each got Or Luak, Chicken Wings, Satay etc and had a feast.

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The next day after the run, we had the next marathon, but this time, we are going to waste the calories burnt the nite before as head to Turf Club City for a seafood dig at AH YAT SEAFOOD RESTAURANT.  It was a SEAFOOD MARATHON
 

Besides, we actually cancelled another booking as this place offers free cockage and someone brought two bottles.

There was so much as we had ordered from DISH 1 - Bamboo Clam to DISH 14 - FRESH PRAWN IN CHINESE WINE besides DISH 15 - free Bubor Cha Cha offered by the restaurant.   All for SGD510 including GST ann Service Charge.  

Bamboo Clam, a mollusc and the dish is very tasty, slightly chewy and if you dont like garlic, there's plenty toppings added to the clam meat.  It's about 5~6" each though I would prefer the 3~4" ones which is sweeter.  It cost about $4 for each clam.

The scallop is also in its authentic shell, usually the gleaming pearl shell but here it is served in a diferent patterned shell but it's fresh from the tank and it's the sweetness and freshness that wows you.

We had 2 big Sri Lankan crab and two local ones and cooked in three different styles of black pepper, salted egg yolk and chilli but some of the crabs seemed hollow with little flesh.

Fit for the king, we each had an abalone each though it was quite unlike the taste we used to have during Chinese New Year taken from the tin can and the preserved taste.  This is fresh, less briny and easy to the bite.

Two type of fish servings after buying one patin and one sea bass.  The patin, a freshwater fish does not have the muddy taste but I am sure this is pond reared and the meat is very smooth.  It goes very well with the chilli assam gravy.

The fried beef may not be a seafood but this dish is very well cooked, soft tender cubes and wonder if they have a cow ranch at the former Turf Club.

What a nite, so much food and wine for ten of us that we wonder if we are going to have any such meal for months...

AH YAT SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

200 Turf Club Road

#03-01/02

Main Grandstand, Turf City

Singapore 287994

SIMPLY MALAYSIA - MING KEE CHAR SIEW

Whilst the rest of the group made a beeline to shopping, I knew precisely where to head for.  The much hyped about Ming Kee Char Siew was elusive the last three times as it was closed by the time I got there.  It is claimed to be the best in KL but I have already tried Overseas Char Siew which was Mmmmm.....Mama Mia, no words for such flavourful char siew when Dr Leslie brought me there.

I was early as it will start selling at 11.30am and it is usually sold out before 3pm.   Whilst waiting for the roast char siew to be ready, I wasted no time to meet Uncle Leong who was silently hovering over the "stove" his self-made oven formed out of a darkened drum, the traditional stove with strong fire to char the long streaks of prok and a basin below to catch the drippings.

I also spotted the "wu hwa ro", a large slab of a special cut of pork which he uses for the char siew.  The skin with some fat was left out and he only carved out the leaner meat with some fats. Why? more fats please!

What is so special about KL Char Siew as compared to Singapore Char Siew?   KL char siew has that oomph in that eat bite of the char siew, you could savour the very charred side that gives you the kick, the leaner part and the best component is the fat that comes with it for the melt in the mouth experience. 
Of course the ingredients and the technique of roasting plays a big part and the final result is a unique form of barbequed meat that is well liked by everyone.

Why the word Char Siew?  I asked my colleagues who were with me and I got the correct answer.
Char is the fork that pierced the long streaky meat and Siew is roast.  Silly that I thot otherwise earlier that char as in abbreviation of  CHARRED Siew.  

Ming Kee Char Siew has been around for 21years and they have shifted from one street away Tong Shin to the current Jalan Alor.

My Verdict:  Relative to Overseas Restaurant char siew, Ming Kee Char Siew is slightly tougher and leaner whilst I wish for more fat and a softer texture. It is unlike Overseas Restaurant signature char siew which has thicker caramelized charred parts, fat to meat ratio and soft meat for the Crunch, Melt and Bite Feel All Rolled in One.   If I had not tried Overseas, I would have gone gaga over Ming Kee too.

Ming Kee Char Siew is certainly yummy to go with beer which I had and I chomped through without any rice.  The plate with generous thick cuts of char siew cost a premium price of RM20.00. 

SOUPS

JENCOOKS RECEIPES

A warm welcome here to enjoy JENCOOKS favourite dishes for all to enjoy.