Desserts at Chinatown

Singapore Day 3

Mei Heong Yuen Dessert

3:00 p.m.

After lunch at Maxwell Food Centre, we explored Chinatown where the unbearable heat of the sun got the best of us. 

We chanced upon a quaint little shop, Mei Heong Yuen Dessert, and decided to rest and recharge there. 

Mei Heong Yuen Dessert, I later learned, is actually a famous establishment that has been in operation for more than 50 years. It has received numerous awards and citations and is one of Singapore Chinatown's heritage brands.

Too bad I was simply too stuffed from lunch that I wasn't able to fully savor the desserts that we had.

Berry and Passion Snow Ice

The perfect way to beat the heat is with this refreshing dessert. I was impressed by the smoothness of the shaved ice but I would have enjoyed this treat more if we chose a sweeter topping.

Mango Roll

Note to self: Never order mango based desserts while abroad because the mangoes always taste sour when compared to Philippine mangoes. 

Glutinous Rice Ball in Ginger Soup

Not a fan of this hot and heavy dessert. It didn't help that the rice balls had a bean filling which I have always loathed.

Almond Milk Paste

We ordered another hot dessert but this one was a winner. I loved the strong almond flavors and its  thick consistency was spot on. This is rainy weather comfort food. 

Aside from Mei Heong Yuen Dessert, don't forget to drop by Lim Chee Guan when in Chinatown for the best sliced pork in all of Singapore. The lines don't lie!

Mei Heong Yuen Dessert is located at 63-67 Temple Street Singapore. It has a second branch at the basement of ION Orchard Mall along Orchard Road. For more information, click here.
Lim Chee Guan has 3 branches in Singapore. For more information, click here.

Maxwell Food Center: Home of the Best Chicken

Singapore Day 3

Maxwell Food Centre

1:10 p.m.

Our third day in Singapore began a little late with us leaving our hotel at noon. We headed straight to Chinatown to eat at Maxwell Food Centre for a bite of the best chicken in town.

Clean It Was Not

Popular Food Centre

Most Singaporeans agree that the best chicken in Singapore is to be had at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. The fact that it had the longest line at Maxwell Food Centre goes to show how popular the stall is.

Long Lines Unsurprisingly

Bourdain approved

Modern Times

Hainanese Chicken

The 15 minutes I spent waiting in line at Tian Tian was worth it because this was undeniably the best hainanese chicken that I've ever had. Perfectly cooked, the chicken was so tender and juicy, it even had the hard to replicate thin layer of gelatin that glossed the chicken's skin. It was also seasoned very well and tasted very clean  that I didn't need the accompanying sauces provided. Tian Tian certainly set the bar high and it would be hard for anyone to replicate the quality and awesomeness of their chicken.

It came as no surprise that the other food we ordered at Maxwell Food Centre paled in comparison as the Tian Tian chicken truly was the star of the meal. Here are some thoughts I had with our other orders:

Misua

 Forgettable. I have no memory of the flavor profile whatsoever.

Curry

The curry was actually good but I didn't appreciate the sloppy presentation of the dish. It didn't help that my friend told us that the stall had sanitation issues.

Carrot Cake

Not as good as the carrot cake we had at Chomp Chomp. Lacks a healthy dose of pepper me thinks.

Mee Go Reng

Flavors reminded me of Italian spaghetti. This is pasta the Singaporean/Malay way.

If only to have a taste of Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, I would strongly encourage everyone to visit Maxwell Food Centre.

Maxwell Food Centre is located at 1 Kadayanallur Street, Maxwell Road Singapore. 
Aside from the stall at Maxwell Food Centre, Tian Tian  Hainanese Chicken Rice has a standalone restaurant at 443 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore. For more information, click here.

Baleister Bak Kut Teh

Singapore Day 2

Baleister Bak Kut Teh

10:45 p.m.

Baleister Road is known for bak kut teh and since we were in the neighborhood because of dinner at Boon Tong Kee, we walked a few blocks to reach a bak kut teh establishment, thoughtfully named Baleister Bak Kut Teh. 

Bak Kut Teh is a popular Singaporean soup which literally means meat bone tea. It consists of pork ribs simmered with herbs and spices for long periods of time.

It was served in a clear broth with soy sauce plus chilies on the side for those who prefer the stock to be salty and spicy.

With the very dark color of my soup, I obviously overseasoned my bak kut teh. Good thing it didn't turn out so bad as the deliciously strong pepper flavors of the stock overshadowed the liberal amount of soy sauce I put in. The clove of garlic also brought a sweet element to the soup but the meat itself was tough and not so easy to eat. Nevertheless, I can imagine eating a bowl of bak kut teh during a stormy night or when I'm sick.

Baleister Bak Kut Teh is located at 365 Baleister Road, Singapore. A more popular bak kut teh place is Founder Bak Kut Teh which is located at 347 Baleister Road, Singapore.