Rick and I got there early for dinner so I could take photos of the food before other diners messed them up, heh! Here are some pics of the various stations.

DIY rojak station

Here’s the DIY rojak station. This version is fruit-based, as compared to hawker-style rojak that has you tiao (fried doughsticks) and taupok (tofu puff).

Selection of Peranakan salads

I was amazed at the wide selection of Peranakan and Indonesian salads, some of which I’ve never seen before, eg. jantung pisang (banana bud salad), sayur ulam (mixed vegetables), and kachang bendi (lady fingers in sambal belachan).

Kueh pie tee and popiah station

Under the warmer are kueh pie tee shells, and in the steamer are popiah skins. Further on the right are hot Peranakan dishes like ayam buah keluak and babi pongteh.

Mee siam station

Here are the condiments for mee siam.

Seafood on ice

For variety, there’s also chilled seafood, like fresh oyster (dinner only), blue swimmer crab (above pic), tiger prawn, river prawn, and NZ green-lip mussel.

Cold soba and sashimi

There’s a small selection of sashimi, and cold soba.

Whole suckling pig

There’s even a whole roasted suckling pig! Initially, I wanted to try it, but later, I was too full and had no more tummy space left for pig.

Hot sweet soups section

Of all the buffets I’ve been to, EMC serves the widest variety of hot Asian desserts/sweet soups, like almond cream, peanut cream, pulut hitam, bubur cha cha, ah balling, and tau suan.

Other desserts (not pictured) available were assorted Nonya kuehs, assorted pastries and cakes, DIY chendol, chocolate fountain (with a very small selection of dipping items), and fresh fruit. And not forgetting, their famous durian pengat.

Iced lemongrass tea and Ros Selasih

The prelude to our meal was lemongrass tea and Ros Selasih (rose syrup with selasih/basil seeds and lime). Both were very refreshing. We like!

Ok, time to attack the buffet!

Clockwise from bottom: oysters, river prawn (with big head), NZ green-lip mussel, tiger prawn

First stop: chilled seafood. Very typical Singaporeans, we are. I didn’t try the oysters, Rick did. He said they were fresh. We also didn’t try the crab. Too lazy to peel crab.

Here’s my report in brief.

River prawn: Bland.

Mussel: Not bad. Not chewy nor fishy.

Tiger prawn: Very sweet, juicy, and crunchy!

Hee Peow (fish maw) Soup

Fish maw soup: Excellent! The meat ball was a bit dry, but more than redeemed by chunky fish maw and super robust stock!

Nonya Mee Siam

Mee siam: Another winner! Tofu cubes were overfried (too dry), but the rich gravy was a harmonious symphony of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. Loved the sweet, fat prawns too. Wanted to go for second round, but had to save space for other dishes.

Kueh pie tee & popiah

Kueh pie tee/popiah: Turnip filling for both was well-stewed, but seasoning was rather light-handed. Kueh pie tee shells were fresh and crisp.

Salads and satay

Chicken satay: Tender and well-marinated meat. Would go for second round. Beef satay also available, but didn’t try.

Rojak: Hae ko (shrimp paste) is quite light. Would prefer the thick, sticky Penang-style hae ko.

Sayur ulam: Refreshing, but rather bland.

Tauhu goreng: Ok.

Gado gado: Pleasant.

Jantung pisang (banana bud salad): My first time trying this! Banana buds taste like dried golden lily buds. Not bad, but unremarkable. Rick said it’s an acquired taste for him.

Hot foods

Ngoh hiang: Tasted a bit factory-made.

Nonya mud crab: Very fragrant blend of herbs and spices, but crabs were rather skinny.

Black pepper crayfish: Tender meat, great seasoning.

Otak otak: Aromatic with good spicy kick. Very popular item!

White clams in XO sauce: Nice sauce, but clams not very meaty.

Steamed seabass Nonya-style: Don’t get which part of it is Nonya, but it was a gorgeous fish dish! It was a HUGE, whole seabass. Flesh was silky-smooth and tender, accompanied by flavorsome sauce.

From top: Babi pongteh, ayam buah keluak, Nonya chap chye

Babi pongteh: Chunky pork belly cubes stewed till melt-in-mouth tender. Mmmh…!

Ayam buah keluak: Strangely, the chicken wasn’t stewed with the buah keluak (black nut). Instead the buah keluak paste was separately served. Maybe it’s to cater to those not used to the strong taste of buah keluak.

Nonya chap chye: Reminds me of  home, but in a heartwarming way.

Nonya kuehs and pastries/puddings

By this time, Rick and I were already very full, but how could we skip dessert? For myself, I picked the mini items, skipping more substantial items like durian Swiss roll and sweet soups.

Nonya kuehs: Competently executed.

Mango pudding: Not bad, but can skip.

Pandan panna cotta(?): This was very nice! The texture reminded me of creme brulee, but scented with pandan, and topped with melted gula melaka.

Chocolate truffle: Divine! Very rich, with lovely bittersweet, complex notes.

Durian pengat and fresh fruit

And of course, how could we miss Ellenborough Market Cafe’s famous durian pengat? While still good, it wasn’t as satisfying as I remember it from last year. Perhaps it’s because durians, while available now, aren’t at their prime season, so the durian pengat didn’t taste as rich and flavorful.

I also think it was whipped till too airy. Personally, I’d prefer a denser durian pengat. But since it’s so light, it means you can indulge in more of it and not feel so jelak (cloying)!

On the whole, the buffet spread was an excellent representation of Peranakan cuisine. The Peranakan dishes were prepared with quality ingredients and had a homely touch. Taste-wise, I would have preferred bolder flavors, but Rick, who likes his food on the light side, thought the seasonings were just right.

*Dishes are rotated on a daily basis.

An Authentic Peranakan Gastronomy Buffet @ Ellenborough Market Cafe
2 to 18 April 2010
For enquiries/reservations, call: (65) 6239 1848

Buffet lunch: S$35.00++ (adult), S$17.50++ (child)
Buffet dinner: S$45.00++ (adult), S$22.50++ (child)

*Child price applicable for children aged 4 to 11 years old.

For HSBC cardholders: One dines for free with every three paying adult diners.

Ellenborough Market Cafe
Swissotel Merchant Court, Singapore
20 Merchant Road
Singapore 058281
Tel: (65) 6337 2288
URL: www.swissotel.com/singapore-merchantcourt

Popiah is almost as ubiquitous as chicken rice in Singapore. There’s bound to be at least one stall in every hawker center or food court, but most of them are just passable (if you’re lucky).

Hence, the latest Tried & Tested mission taste-tests five famous popiah brands in Singapore. Conclusion: If you look hard enough, there are some truly stellar popiahs around. Click here to find out where!

Old Long House's popiah.

It’s been more than xx years since I last visited Toa Payoh Lorong 7 Food Centre. Actually, my primary school is just a stone’s throw away. On days that my best friend and I would go to Toa Payoh Library after school, we’d drop by the hawker centre for char kway teow first. Sadly, I’ve long since lost touch with Hui Li. I wonder how/where she is now.

The small, dark hawker centre that I remember has been replaced with a new, airy building. Most of the original stalls are still there, like old-timer Old Long House Popiah.

Nice and juicy filling.

There’s quite a number of rave comments on the net on Old Long House Popiah. But our panel of taste testers that day, namely my two brothers and sisters-in-law, commented that the popiah was just average.

I thought it was above average, but a little over-rated. It had its merits, but wasn’t perfect. The skin could have been thinner, but at least it was resilient without being too dry. Also, the popiah was too loosely rolled, and ingredients were quite skimpy.

But what I liked was the flavorful and juicy yam bean (turnip) filling that was well-stewed without being too wet or mushy. The crunchy fish batter bits were also very addictive! At S$1.20, Old Long House’s popiah offers unbeatable value as a tasty snack or side dish.

Old Long House Popiah
Blk 22 Toa Payoh Lorong 7
#01-03 Kim Keat
Singapore 310022
URL: http://www.sbestfood.com/oldlonghouse.htm

Open: 6am to 4pm (earlier if food sells out)
Closed: Mon & Tue

Popiah, S$1.20 per roll.

“You want popiah?” Ricky pointed to the stall behind me. Turning around, I saw a small sign saying that they make their own popiah wrappers.

“Of course,” I replied. I’m a sucker for anything homemade. Do you realize how rare it is these days to find a hawker stall that doesn’t get its supplies from a factory?

Great popiah skin.

Aside from being on the sweet side, this was a pretty good popiah! The skin looked thick, but was sufficiently thin. We were also impressed by the cottony-soft but resilient skin.

The filling was simple. More crunchy beansprouts would have been refreshing, and the jicama filling could have been more umami.

But what I liked was the generous dose of crunchy toasted rice bits! Yes, there was crushed roasted peanuts as well, but not many stalls add toasted rice bits anymore. These stay very crunchy even with the juicy vegetable filling and sweet sauce. They made the popiah really more-ish!

They make their own popiah wrappers!

You can also buy popiah wrappers by the kilo for your home popiah party. If you have no time to make your own, popiah and kueh pie tee sets (with the filling and condiments) are available.

Apparently, they have a couple of branches. Camemberu has blogged about the Marine Parade branch, and just today, I spotted another outlet at Smith Street Food Centre in Chinatown. Anybody knows if they have other branches elsewhere?

Homemade Springroll 富城食品
Stall 22, Bedok Food Centre (also known as Bedok Corner Food Centre)
1 Bedok Road
Singapore 469572

Popiah set for 6 pieces (S$12.00).

The first time I ate here, I was unimpressed, finding the popiah too simple for my taste. But subsequently, I began to appreciate the homey style of Good Chance’s traditional Hokkien popiah.

Previously located at Telok Ayer Street, this family-run eatery has made a name serving roll-it-yourself popiah. In the old days, preparing popiah at home for extended family gatherings was a laborious, communal affair! All the prepared fillings and condiments are then laid out, and everyone would DIY and eat nothing else but big, fat rolls of popiah!

Stewed turnip

Replicating the old-school flavor, the ingredients serve here are basic but fresh. The main ingredient, the finely-shredded turnip, is stewed in a flavorful stock. At first, the taste is subtle, but the lovely sweetness slowly reveals itself.

Step 1

Begin by smearing the sauces on the popiah skin: sweet sauce, chilli, and minced garlic. The good thing about DIY is you can control the amount according to your preference! Be warned, the chilli here is very spicy! I like the minced garlic but hate my breath afterwards! Lots of crushed roasted peanuts is always good.

Step 2

Next, place other ingredients like lettuce, beansprouts, omelette strips, and coriander. You can also order prawns for an extra price.

Step 3

Then, take two spoonfuls of stewed turnip, squeezing out as much of the liquid as possible. Excess liquid will make the roll too soggy and tear the delicate skin.

Step 4

Finally, try to pack all the ingredients as compact as you can, then roll everything up as tightly as you can! Pick up the roll with your fingers and bite. Inevitably, your fingers will get wet and sticky, but that’s part of the fun!

Fried rice

Good Chance also serves restaurant dishes like stewed pork belly with buns (kong bak pao), fried Hokkien mee, steamed fish, stirfried veggies, etc, but they’re of an awfully amateurish standard. The fried rice we had was to fill up some of the empty gaps in the tummy; surprisingly they were generous with the prawns but overall it was just ok.

Good Chance Popiah Eating House
Blk 149 Silat Ave
#01-58
Singapore 160149
(off Jalan Bukit Merah, opp. SGH)
Tel: (65) 6271 069

Open:
11:00 am to 2:30 pm
6:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Closed on Mondays

BBQ chicken wings (S$1.20 each).

They were doing quite a brisk business that night. I thought the wings were just okay. They were lightly marinaded, so there wasn’t much flavor, just the natural taste of chicken. But the cooking time was just right; the meat was cooked right to the bone without drying out the meat juices.

Chicken satay (S$0.60 per stick, minimum order 6 sticks).

While the wings were great fun to munch on, I much preferred the tasty chicken satay. Redolent of the fragrant spices typically used for satay, the chicken meat was succulent and tender. Yums! So was the satay peanut sauce. But at S$0.60 a stick, the satay here is somewhat pricey.

Popiah (S$2.00 per roll).

The popiah roll was mediocre, and really expensive at S$2.00 a roll. I’d probably give this a skip the next time.

Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wing & Fried Carrot Cake
Food Republic
435 Orchard Road
#04-00 Wisma Atria
Singapore 238877

cheers!