FOR KAYA TOAST & EGGS – CHIN MEE CHIN CONFECTIONERY
204 East Coast Road.
There are plenty of places serving up really good kaya toast and eggs. But Chin Mee Chin is the one to go to if you like yours encased in traditional soft and fluffy buns. The grilled marks on the bread adds a slight crispiness. Slathered with a sweet kaya jam with a thick slab of butter, the kaya toast is nostalgia in every bite. But it is perhaps best eaten dipped in the runny half boiled eggs.
FOR FRENCH TOAST – AH SENG (HAI NAM) COFFEE
#02-95, Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Road.
No one does local French toast like Ah Seng. This humble dish at this hawker stall is toasted over charcoal, so you get that old-school, smoky flavour that you don’t get elsewhere. Pair the bread, well covered in egg wash, with the kaya that is smeared on the side. The jam is smooth and not overly sweet, making for an easy breakfast treat that isn’t too heavy.
FOR NASI LEMAK – HON NI NASI LEMAK
#01-07, 216 Bedok North Street 1 Market and Food Centre.
Queues at this popular nasi lemak stall rivals the ones at Changi Village. But unlike the ones there, the queue here moves fast thanks to the efficient system the stall has going on. The nasi lemak here is really affordable, and portions are just right. Side dishes are very tasty and usually served piping hot. Must orders include the smooth and silky otah and the crispy and juicy chicken wings.
FOR CHWEE KUEH – BEDOK CHWEE KUEH
#01-32, Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, 448 Clementi Avenue 3
Chwee kueh is a classic breakfast staple, but you don’t always get a great tasting one. This, however, is a winner with its smooth steamed rice cakes, flavourful chye poh topping and sweet-spicy chilli sauce. The topping isn’t overly salty thanks to the right portion balance with the steamed rice cakes. And the whole dish isn’t swimming in oil.
FOR CARROT CAKE (CHYE TOW KUEH) – FRIED CARROT CAKE
#01-45, Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, 448 Clementi Avenue 3.
Here’s another gem at Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre – the carrot cake! It’s a bit on the softer side, which I understand not everyone likes. But the dish is evenly fried, with a very fragrant smoky flavour and charred bits of chye poh and egg that make this one of my favourite chye tow kueh around.
FOR CONGEE – ZHEN ZHEN PORRIDGE
#01-54, Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur St.
This famed porridge stall has a long queue no matter the time of the day. But the congee is definitely worth the wait. It’s thicker and gooier than other congees I’ve tried, making for a very satisfying meal. Just like how a good Hong Kong-style congee should be, you don’t feel the individual rice grains. The generous toppings – spring onions, shallots, ginger strips, preserved radish (chye poh) – truly take the dish to a whole new level.
FOR TEOCHEW PORRIDGE – JOO SENG TEOCHEW PORRIDGE
14 Cheong Chin Nam Rd
This stretch of eateries near the Beauty World MRT is mostly known as a supper spot, but Joo Seng is a must-visit if you want comforting Teochew muay to power start your day. The porridge is neither too starchy nor too watery, and there is a good range of dishes to choose from. Highlights include the spicy lala (clams), braised duck meat, beancurd skin and minced meat tofu.
FOR NGOH HIANG AND BEE HOON – NGOH HIANG PRAWN CRACKER
#01-719, CCK 302 Foodhouse, 37 Choa Chu Kang Loop.
Having lived near this hawker stall for a good part of my life, I’ve grown up with this dish. Taste-wise, it has stayed pretty consistent all these years. The ngoh hiang selection here is wide and varied. My favourite? The starchy deep fried yam that comes with a hint of sweetness, and when paired with the delicious chilli sauce, is something that you really don’t want to stop eating. The rest of the dishes are good too, such as the prawn fritters, ngoh hiang and the fish cakes, but the best part? The bee hoon. Fragrant, and neither too oily nor too dry, it is the perfect complement to the rest of the flavourful ingredients. So good, you can even have it on its own.
FOR ROTI PRATA – SIN MING ROTI PRATA
#01-51, Jin Fa Kopitiam, 24 Sin Ming Road, tel: 6453-3893.
Coin pratas are a must-order when you visit this kopitiam. A miniature version of their plain pratas, it is crispy, chewy, slightly doughy, very buttery and incredibly fragrant. Dip it in their legendary mutton curry for extra shiok factor.
FOR MIN CHIANG KUEH – GRANNY’S PANCAKE
#01-24, Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre, 20 Ghim Moh Road.
End your breakfast on a sweet note with the local version of pancakes – min chiang kueh! The fillings are generous while the pancake bases are soft, chewy and fluffy. The desiccated coconut is slightly moist and is very aromatic, while the peanuts have just the right amount of crunch.
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