Lian He Ben Ji Claypot - Chinatown - Singapore, Singapore

Lian He Ben Ji Claypot

Continuing on with my Singapore eats, Lian He Be Ji Claypot was recommended by Miss Chu. She went to Singapore earlier in the year and she found this eatery through a book she bought called, 'Only the Best' by Dr Leslie Tay, which is a guide to Singapore's hawker food. It's a great guide that's not only easy to read but contains drool-worthy photos. Do consider getting this book if you haven't been Singapore before and would like to find out the best places to eat at.

Lian He Be Ji Claypot is located in Chinatown on the second floor of Smith Street Food Centre. I wouldn't have known about this place if Miss Chu didn't recommended it, as there are way too many places to eat in Singapore and pinpointing a good place can be a difficult task. Thanks Miss Chu! After reading some articles on Google, this place is actually very popular with the locals and foodies. Having never tried the fare at this food centre, finding this particular store was not easy as there are rows and rows of food stores in these many aisles. With only the number of the store in hand, we had to go through aisles and luckily we found it in the last aisle. It isn't open for lunch but is open from 4pm weekdays except Thursday's, so do take note.

Like other hawker stores, it's looks simple and minimal from the outside, without an air conditioned environment available. Their main specialty and what they're famous for is the claypot rice, but they also offer a range of soups. It occupies two stores lots, one area is for the claypots and the other is for the soups. You can see the claypots cooking on high temperature charcoal fire stoves when you place your order.

We arrive just a bit after 4pm and there are already people who are waiting for their food at the tables. Claypot rice is usually cooked to order and that takes a fair bit of time as the rice grains need to be thoroughly cooked together with the toppings. Right from when it opens, phones are ringing off the hook as regulars place their orders in advance so they don't have to wait in excess of half an hour for the dish to be ready.

Freshness is guaranteed as they cook everything from scratch. There are three claypot rice options to choose from including mixed rice, sausage rice and chicken rice. These are available in varying sizes from small to very large depending on the number of people in your party. The service lady suggested ordering a large to share if you are in a group, instead of ordering individually as they tend to get extremely busy. Process is simple. Choose a table and place your order, then the food will be brought out once it is done.

We choose a table near the eatery so it can found easily. Bowls and cutlery are brought out along with some shallots and sauce for the claypot rice.

We also ordered two double boiled soups to accompany our meal. These are brought out quicker as they are pre-made and stored in the heating cabinet. Great tasting soups at very reasonable prices. The 'Chicken Leg Peanut Soup (SGD 2.50)' and 'Lotus Root Soup (SGD 2.50)' were both refreshing and reminded me of the soups mum usually makes at home. Comforting and healthy even in the humidity and sweltering heat.

After waiting for 30 minutes or so, our 'Mixed Rice Medium (SGD 12.00)' is brought to our table and it is huge. At the price we paid it was an absolute bargain. Loaded with heaps of rice, marinated chicken and sausage (lap cheong). Then topped with some greens.

The fluffy rice has absorbed the flavours from the chicken, sausage and sauces. So yummy.

 It was steaming hot and had quite a dominant smoky flavour from the charcoal fire which some may not like, but I didn't mind this. For those that like the burnt rice taste, the sides of the pot are nicely charred leaving behind crusty rice.  The crusty exterior is deliciously crispy making it delicious and strangely addictive. The chicken was juicy, firm and tender, marinated to perfection.

Oil and soya sauce was also brought out by the uncle. As we were newbies to this, he said we had to mix it into the rice to give it more flavour. This is a mandatory step or else the rice will be dry.

If you like claypot rice, then do give this place a visit if you are in the area. It's worth the wait as the food is not only very affordable but they use fresh ingredients making it super delicious. Don't except your food to come straight out as a great claypot takes time to cook. I had a massive craving for claypot rice and this certainly made my tummy happy.

Where?
Blk 335 Smith Street
Chinatown Complex
#02-198/199
Singapore 050335

Phone no: 62272470

Opening Hours
Open Every Day except Thursday
4pm - 11pm

Website
NA

Heng Heng Hainanese Chicken Rice - Chinatown - Singapore, Singapore

Heng Heng Hainanese Chicken Rice

This will be a much shorter post compared to 'Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice' as I've used up a lot of what I was going to say about Hainanese chicken rice in that post.

Heng Heng Hainanese Chicken Rice is very much similar to Tian Tian in terms of store appearance, food offerings and location. It has the same dark blue lit sign, serves Hainanese chicken rice and is located in Maxwell Food Centre. The only difference is there is no queue. Every tourist seems to have one thought in mind and that is to go to Tian Tian. Local Singaporeans seem to have a favourite and they tend to go to the same one as well. For this reason, it's not very busy.

On that particular day, I didn't feel like lining up, but felt like eating chicken rice. The queue for Tian Tian was going out through the door and this would have easily been a hour wait. There are a few places that offer chicken rice in Maxwell Road  Food Centre and the one that stuck out was Heng Heng. The chickens on display looked large, plump and juicy. It was literally calling my name.

This simple dish has become a staple in the Singaporean diet. I wouldn't mind eating it every week either if I had the chance to. As I had the chance to eat it again in Singapore, I immediately jumped at that opportunity, given the limited days we had there. To most, Hainanese chicken rice is served with steamed chicken. However, there is also the roast chicken option. I've never tried the roast version in Singapore so I thought I would give it a try.

This time I requested for the drumstick part and yay, they had it. 'Drumstick Roast Chicken Rice (SGD 3.50)' is nicely chopped and the meat is wonderfully succulent and tender. The Hainanese roast chicken is different to the usual supermarket roast chickens. It's less salty and is pleasing to eat as the layer of fat between the skin and meat has been cooked off. The generous mound of rice is cooked with an aromatic and fragrant taste.

Here they also provide the complimentary house chicken soup. The chicken soup isn't just your mediocre and diluted soup, but it's intense and rich in flavour.

Three sauces are on offer including the mandatory chilli sauce, ginger sauce and dark soya sauce. The make or fail of the chicken rice dish is the chilli sauce. The one here is good but it's not as good as Tian Tian as it seems to be lacking something but I don't know what. Although it's spicy, zesty and goes well with the roast chicken.

At SGD 3.00, it's a steal and you're getting the real deal. Couldn't find any faults and I will be sure to visit again next time. I was too quick to order and didn't notice the set meal that was available for SGD 4.50. If you like vegetables, this may be an option.

Overall the chicken rice at Heng Heng is delicious and do give it a visit if you're in Singapore. It's hard to compare the chicken to Tian Tian, as I had roast instead of the steamed. I'm such a human of habit as I tend to visit the same places over and over again, so that will be one of my goals next time, to try out more places. I hear Maxwell Hainanese Chicken Rice is pretty good as well.

A 'Coconut' to cool myself down in the heat. Unfortunately, it has matured and isn't sweet. Though, it contains heaps of juice.

Where?
Stall 44, Maxwell Road Hawker Centre
1 Kadayanallur Street
Singapore 069184
Singapore

Opening Hours
NA

Website
NA

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice - Chinatown - Singapore, Singapore

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

It's finally time. As promised, I will now post about the famous 'Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice' stall. This post has been delayed for a very long time. I've been Tian Tian a number of times but my photos always turned out to be blurry and I couldn't justify posting about it. This time, I ensured my photos were much clearer and more presentable.

Located within Maxwell Food Centre, is this little humble hawker store selling Singaporean styled chicken rice. It sounds like a plain and boring dish, yet its simplicity is striking, packed with a whole lot of taste and it's phenomenal. I'm a big fan of their chicken and it's just so delectable and cooked to ultimate perfection. Now I'm going a bit overboard.

Maxwell Food Centre is a famous hawker centre. It's non-air conditioned, crowded and not the cleanest environment. It's a plain, casual and no frills food court. There isn't much to it. You may also find yourself sweating buckets in the heat and humidity. However, the quality of food at some of the stores here is exceptional. I've eaten at moderately priced restaurants in Singapore and sometimes what I can get at a hawker centre tastes so much better. The best part about eating at a hawker centre is the reasonable, budget friendly prices. It's just so cheap and pocket friendly!

Over the years, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice hasn't changed much. The store front is still the same, the menu is still the same and the queue hasn't changed unfortunately. Best of all, the prices are still reasonable for the taste and quality. You're paying SGD 3-5 for a generous portion of authentic Singaporean food and that is what brings me back time and time again.  It's good value for money.

Even before it opens at 10am, there is a line forming. They say, the length of the queue is an indication of how good the food is. We start queueing up a bit before 10am and we end up waiting for about 10 minutes which is short compared to what I have waited before, which can be up to half an hour.  The line can spiral around the back of the store.

It's been mentioned in numerous travel guides and if you search Google, there will be thousands of reviews on this eatery. It's popular and its popularity is valid for a reason. You'll never fail to see a tourist holding a guide book lining up. It's ever so popular with locals and tourists.

Do you recognise that famous face? It's celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who has raved about the chicken rice here .

What has changed though is they no longer offer a side soup to go with the chicken rice. What happened to the soup? Their chicken soup was so good and I was so shocked that they got rid of it. I guess it's time consuming to make and serve. At least the delicious chicken rice made up for it. Another thing that has changed is they no longer offer metal cutlery. They now provide plastic knives and forks which is better cause its more hygienic.

Hainanese chicken rice is basically steamed chicken, served slightly chilled over chicken flavoured rice.

It's served with a chilli sauce and sometimes ginger and dark soya sauce. However, Tian Tian only serves chilli sauce.

We ask for three dishes of the drumstick chicken rice, as no one is a fan of the breast meat. Unfortunately, they only have two drumsticks left and I decide to give the other two dining companions the drumstick chicken rice.

Service is prompt. You place your order and then you wait to the side. Then you wait a few minutes for the chicken to be chopped up, plated and accompanying sauce served. In the meantime, you grab your plastic cutlery and wait.

'Chicken Drumstick Chicken Rice SGD (4.20)' is glorious. The chicken skin is paper thin and near translucent. The meat is smooth, succulent and oozing with juices,.

From the picture, the chicken is shiny because they've added a special kind of sauce on top to give it extra flavour and it sure adds a kick. The rice is not dry and lacking flavour like some places would usually cook it. It's loaded with chicken stock and there are hints of garlic leaving it smelling ultra fragrant. They also cook the rice with chicken oil but it's not oily as you would expect.

One of my all time favourite rice dishes. Looking at the picture is making me hungry.

'Chicken Rice (SGD 3.50)' is served with the breast meat part of the chicken, the part I dislike most. It's still very good and it's so rare for chicken breast to be cooked that well. The flesh is soft and tender, yet maintaining that slight chewiness.

Oh so good. Look at my clean plate!

Tian Tian also has three other outlets in Singapore, operating as a restaurant for those who prefer to go to those over hawker centres. Though, I've never been to any of them myself.

If you have the chance to visit Singapore, do give Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice a try. It's worth the time queueing and at the end of it, you'll be rewarded. This is a big call, but I would say Tian Tian serves one of the best chicken rice in Singapore and there are plenty.

Where?
Maxwell Road Hawker Centre
1 Kadayanallur Road
Singapore 069184
Singapore

Phone no: +85 9691 4852

Opening Hours
Tuesday to Sunday
11am - 8pm

Website
http://www.tiantianchickenrice.com/

Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Cantho

Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Cantho

I'm back from the short holiday overseas! It was a fun trip filled with lots of eating and now I'm awfully tired and restless, having just returned last Sunday on a morning flight and then returning back to work the next day. I do miss the heat as the start of Spring here has been too cold.

I love being in Singapore and will never get enough of it. I truly wish I could work and live there one day as everything about the country is great and the reasons have been mentioned in one of my previous posts. There is always something new to see or try. The thing that brings me back time and time again is the food. Cheap and delicious.

A must see attraction in Singapore is 'Gardens by the Bay'. It's the most beautiful garden I've ever seen in my entire life and the sheer size of it is mind boggling. Huge! This was my second time there and I still enjoyed it as much as the first time around. Entry (SGD 28.00) for an adult includes access to two conservatories, the 'Flower Dome' and 'Cloud Forest'.

They occasionally change the themes and we were lucky to see the Orchid Extravaganza floral display. Just beautiful.

A one and an half hour flight from Singapore takes us to Ho Chi Minh City in South Vietnam.

Some regions in South Vietnam have changed drastically whereas some areas haven't really changed much at all. The last time I went to Vietnam was in 2002 which is a long time. The country is well known for its cheap food. In comparison to the prices in Australia, it is much lower but I wouldn't say it's extremely cheap. The prices have gone up but that is expected in a rapidly growing country. You're pretty much paying similar prices to what you would pay for hawker food in Singapore.

Crossing the streets in Saigon can be quite stressful. Motorbikes and cars are everywhere and going from one side to the other can be a daunting experience given that people do not follow road rules and traffic signals. Motorbikes weave through other bikes and cars which makes sitting in the car quite a nervous experience. One tip that was passed on from my friend is that it is best to go as a group or follow others when crossing and that indeed was helpful. This photo was taken in the early morning, hence the lack of cars and motorbikes.

One must visit attraction in Ho Chi Minh City is the 'Saigon Skydeck' or otherwise also known as the 'Bitexco Financial Tower'. First opening to visitors in 2011, this building stands 262 metres tall and gives a 360 degree view of the city.

It towers over ever building in Ho Chi Minh City and the view from the top is breathtaking. A ticket for an adult is VND 200,000 which equates to about AUD $10.00. For that price, I recommend you take time to visit this tower as it looks so different from the top. Entry permits you to the observation deck on the 49th floor.

We started the trip in Saigon and stayed there for one night before departing for Cantho. Cantho is the largest city in the Mekong Delta and is approximately a three and an half hour bus ride from Saigon.

The best way to get to the suburbs is via the mini bus or coach services on offer as it's one of the safer and cheaper modes of transportation. Prices will vary depending on where you go but it cost us VND 130,000 which equates to about AUD$6.50 for a trip from Saigon to Cantho. There are currently two companies which I've been told are reliable including Thanh Buoi and Phuong Trang. It was definitely money well spent as the ride was smooth and hassle free.

The reason as to why we went to Cantho is my mum was originally born there. We still have relatives living there so we took this opportunity to visit them, having not seen them in person for over 12 years.

One thing that I noticed that was different from before is the presence of a supermarket. Most people prefer to shop at the supermarket as there is more variety and as my cousin said, you have  the freedom to look at products and walk around freely. This has left the street stalls quieter as less people are buying, which is concerning given families depend on this source of income to survive.

One drink that I had every day whilst staying in Cantho was the 'Vietnamese Iced Coffee - Ca Phe Da (VND 10,000)'. So refreshing and cheap. Their coffee is filtered through a special type of filter which uses a dripping process to extract the coffee from the grinded coffee. It's a slow process and takes longer than an espresso machine but the flavour is absolutely brilliant. It's strong and will wake you up or keep you awake. Do give it a try when you get the chance to.  This type of coffee can be found in Vietnamese grocery stores or cafes located in Bankstown, Cabramatta and Marrickville.

Restaurant food posts with names and addresses to follow shortly.

Gardens by the Bay
18 Marina Gardens Dr
Singapore 018953
Singapore

Website: http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/home.html

Saigon Skydeck
No.2 Hai Trieu Street
Ben Nghe Ward
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam

 Website: http://saigonskydeck.com/