Hai Kee Famous Porridge, Amoy Street Food Centre

I have never been much of a porridge person till well, three weeks ago. And now I crave the comforting consistency of porridge dotted with chunks and bits of minced pork, you char kway, shallots and whatever my mood fancies.

Out of all that I have had recently (including Xin Mei, Ah Chiang's and Soon Heng), my favourite hawker porridge for now is the flavour-packed Hai Kee Famous Porridge from Amoy Street Food Centre, #01-45.

By the way, there is something haunting yet peaceful about being the in the CBD area on a weekend. 

Piao Ji Fish Soup - I'm on the other team

The two fish stores on the second level of Amoy Street, Han Kee and Piao Ji, remind me of arch rivals the Montagues and Capulets co-existing side by side but with little love shared between them. It pays to note: they both have their fair share of supporters that rally as early as 11am (thank god the punch card system is a thing of the past yeah?).

I have had Han Kee quite a few times so I decided to give Piao Ji Fish Porridge (#02-100 Amoy Street Food Centre) a go to find out what the hoopla is. At Han Kee, the most expensive item is $5 but that is also what the cheapest item at Piao Ji costs. Sure, you don't need to be Mr Moneybags to buy a meal here, but I can't help but feel like the nobody who can't afford to join in the hoopla because she ain't got the moolah.

Right off the bat, the tang oh didn't agree with me. I'm particularly adversed to parsley or anything that tastes as pungent and replusive. Small setback, moving on.

For $5, there was a mix of pomfret slices and chunks but they were quite fishy. When I read blogs or comments of people howling over the freshness of the fish, I can't help but wonder if we ate from the same store. I definitely prefer Han Kee's thicker, smoother and most importantly, fresher fish slices.

Piao Ji's broth was alot more embellished than Han Kee's, dotted with Chinese parsley, fried shallots and crispy dried fish crumbs. I'm inclinced to stay with Han Kee on the broth as adding fried shallots is like adding bacon or mayonnaise - a cheap, quick act to please.

Instead of the normal red cut chillis in soy sauce, Piao Ji's dipping sauce consists of salted beans, chilli padi and pickled ginger. You would have to pay more if you need more than one but I didn't feel it was some sort of magic dust that added schpazz to the fish soup.

Oh FYI, one must be quite dense to find the presentation "elegant".

On the other hand, it was tasty (hello, fried shallots) and I didn't have to brave any queue for it. Loads of people would queue for Piao Ji but I'm glad I'm not one of them.

Ah Hai Fish Porridge & Seafood Soup - my fish soup underdog

In case you haven’t realized, when I like something, I can have it just about every single day. I'm defnitely not one of those who likes to seek out new stuff, unless it's tried, tested and thumbs-up-ed by people I trust.

Knowing that I going through a fish soup phase, my mum recommended Ah Hai Fish Porridge & Seafood Soup (#01-49 Amoy Street Food Centre) which she and her collegues frequent. Side note: there must be at least 5 fish soup hawker stores in Amoy Street Food Centre?

I really enjoyed it - and thoroughly pleased I discovered something which I might have to queue up too long for!

Generally when I am in the mood for fish soup, I look forward to something light and clean-tasting. Ah Hai’s fish soup is more Han Kee than Jing Hua; the broth is "purer" but no less flavourful; and as a bonus, the portion is slightly more generous than the other two.

I somehow feel more for Ah Hai as I like supporting the underdog.

Han Kee - fish soup for the soul

I have got to admit, several days of heavy eating was causing my system to crave for something light. It had after all, not experienced real hunger since Christmas.

I once walked past Han Kee (Amoy Street Food Centre, #02-129) at 11:20am on a weekday and was shocked to find a 10-person queue. Were their bosses on leave or something? This time around, I was there at 10:10am and 5 minutes later, $5 netted me a bountiful bowl of plump, fresh fish slices.

The soup tastes of pure flavour and dedication. Every day, to make their soup, the owner would boil the bones of the batang fish for five hours – which is how long their opening hours are too.

For someone who craves spicy, sourish things these days, this bowl of light, clean-tasting fish soup from Han Kee was the perfect antidote to my long-suffering system.

The auntie taking orders was rather friendly too; when I went back again to takeaway for my mum, she gave me a knowing smile, as if to say, "It's ok, others have returned as soon as they are done for a second bowl too."

Damn, if only I had done that.

Zhen Jie Dessert . Ah Balling

If you clicked on my “sweet-toothed” label, you would find an adventurous repertoire of tarts, cake and ice cream and PS Café. Chinese desserts? Hmm, could live without them.

Though full, there seemed to be just enough space in our stomachs for some sweet soups desserts. What can I say? Zhen Jie Dessert . Ah Balling (Amoy Street Food Centre, #02-113) serendipitously happened to be there at the right place at the right time.

Evidently, Zhen Jie is known for their Ah Balling and what I like about this store is the freedom of choice. You have about 7 different types of fillings and soups to choose from, and you can choose to have either 4 or 6 Ah Ballings. I love variety even if it is variety’s sake as I always stick to familiar favourites.

The peanut and black sesame Ah Ballings in ginger soup was pretty good. Each Ah Balling collapsed lazily into the soup with a nibble though the skin seemed thicker, more mochi-like than your average glutinous rice ball - perhaps this is because they were homemade?

Bean Curd Barley with Gingko Nuts is something I never sought for as most out there are just watered down sweet soups with lackluster filling. Mum spun an old maids’ tale about how beancurd skin is good for the baby’s complexion and I fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Slightly softened gingko nuts, with a healthy supple of beancurd skin and barley. Whoa, I loved this! It was a fulfilling lovely treat I could have everyday even if there were no perceived aesthetic benefits for the baby.

Now that my curiosity and appetite have both been piqued, I can't wait to try the black sesame and peanut paste as well as their orh nee.

Chinese desserts? Mmm, could learn to love them!

Tai Seng Noodle House

I’m really making my runs at Amoy Street Food Centre since it’s a five stone’s throw away from my mum’s office. Taking advantage of the fact that we were there before the lunch crowd (does a victory dance), I gamely marched right up to Tai Seng Noodle House (Amoy Street Food Centre, #02-123) to stake my claim on these unchartered territories.

$4 fetched us a substantial plate of char siew and fried wanton noodles ad well as a bowl of wanton (there were about 5 or 6 wantons?) soup. An additional dollar scored us a piece of their signature pork rib and tau pok. By default, it comes with mee kia but I’m a mee pok person and were mighty pleased with those noodles that had bite to them.

To be honest, the char siew and wantons were ordinary, the pork ribs were great though I felt slightly short-changed but there was just something about this dish that felt very wholesome and feel-good.

Perhaps it was the super sweet uncle / helper or the equally sweet satisfaction that I had enjoyed a plate of noodles without having to suffer the usual snaking queue. Whatever it is, I can’t wait to have it again!

Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee 源春驰名卤面

Lor Mee was never my thing. As a kid, it was a dark, shady mess that blended into the background while fried char kway teow and chicken rice took centre stage. It was only until I past the age group that gave most parents tons to worry about did I began to acquire a taste for soupy, vinegary things.

Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee (Amoy Street Food Centre, ##02-123) is pretty darn popular and there are plenty of reminders just in case short term memory strikes. The word 'Fanous' is there right up on their signboard; they proudly occupy two hawker stores; and there is perpetually a queue unless you are there at 11:20am on a weekday like us.

Their lor mee is of the watery, slurpy category, with thicker-than-usual yellow noodles accompanied by smatterings of braised pork belly and crispy chunks of ngo hiang.

Was it the best lor mee I ever had? Hmm, lor mee is something I find hard to rave about. I know what makes a very mediocre bowl but to nail down a kickass bowl? I leave it to the self-proclaimed experts on the Makansutra forum. It was tasty and I would have it again if I didn’t need to queue and the craving strikes.

I will be back, Soon

When I was a kid, I loved following my parents to their office during the school holidays. Never been one to sleep in anyway, I knew there were good (and by good, I knew tasty) things awaiting me and one of my favourite breakfasts was Soon Heng Pork & Fish Porridge (Amoy Street Food Centre, #01-36).

Those days, I always thought the owner looked like Adolf Hitler (that itty bitty moustache) but his porridge was nothing evil, cruel and on the contrary, a bowl of nostalgic comfort.

I made an impromptu pit-stop for Soon Heng after collecting Christmas cakes I had ordered from Weylin. I needed it.

I had a particularly down morning. Kw barely rested as he was coughing all night; I had a horrible dream where I was on a vacation but stuck in the hotel elevator that seemed to be on an endless descent (no, it wasn’t a nightmare because I couldn’t find the breakfast buffet); and I was too lethargic to go to the gym.

This humble bowl of pork porridge laced with marinated minced and lean pork, and pork liver was the warm embrace I needed after a cheerless morning.