12 best stalls at newly-opened Senja Hawker Centre you must try
Recently, there are new hawker centres popping up around Singapore which are located within community centres. This includes Fernvale Hawker Centre and Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre. And now, Senja Hawker Centre located at Bukit Panjang will have a roof garden very soon— what a cool idea!
With high ceilings, ample ventilation and large ceiling fans, having a meal here is comfortable and enjoyable. This changes the dynamics of food centres, which have been perceived as hot and stuffy places in the past.
I travelled from Ang Mo Kio all the way to the neighbourhood of Bukit Panjang to discover the 12 best stalls at Senja Hawker Centre to have a feast at. It was my first time stepping foot there, and I was pretty stoked to explore!
1. Heng Gi Goose and Duck Rice (#02-07)
Earning a mention in the Michelin Guide for their Tekka Centre outlet, Heng Gi Goose and Duck Rice has opened another stall at Senja Hawker Centre. Rejoice, residents of Bukit Panjang!
The stall is renowned for its tender and succulent Teochew-style braised duck for more than 6 decades. Unfortunately, despite having the word “goose” in its name, only duck is being sold.
Besides Braised Duck White Rice (S$4), they have other selections such as Kway Chap (S$4.50 for 1 pax), Braised Duck Noodle (S$4), Braised Duck Drumstick (S$6) and Braised Duck Porridge (S$3.50).
If you’re tired of eating white rice, you can change things up by opting for the Braised Duck Pumpkin Yam Rice (S$4.50) instead. For those looking for something more substantial, top up an additional S$1.50 to make it a set, which gives you braised peanuts, half a braised egg and tofu.
Thu to Tue: 9am – 6pm
Closed on Wed
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2. Amoy Street Lor Mee (#02-01)
Established in 1959, Amoy Street Lor Mee is a mini superstar in its own glory. With long queues forming up at almost all of its branches in Singapore, the branch at Senja Hawker Centre is no exception.
The gravy is known to be less thick and gooey as compared to that at other stalls, which makes it less jelak. Why? That’s because the stall uses plain flour to thicken it instead of tapioca starch.
The menu has 3 variations, which include Lor Mee (S$3.20), Lor Mee (Batang Fish) (S$4.50) and Jumbo Meal (S$5.50). I recommend the Jumbo Meal which has a bit of everything in one bowl.
You’ll get a bowl of flat yellow noodles submerged in an aromatic gravy filled with pieces of pork belly, fried prawn rolls, fried batang fish and half a runny lava egg. Choose to add a dash of black vinegar for some acidity or enjoy it in its original form… it’s up to you!
Daily: 10am – 1:30pm
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3. Onigirazu Don (#02-04)
Onigirazu Don is one of the new players in the hawker scene, which is helmed by a young couple. If you’re a fan of Japanese rice bowls aka donburis, they have 7 varieties for you to choose from like Smoked Duck Oyako Don (S$7.90) and Tempura Ebi Oyako Don (S$7.60).
Those with a penchant for Japanese curry can enjoy Yakiniku Beef Curry Rice (S$7.50) or Mirin Suke Salmon Curry (S$8.50). You can even choose to swap to udon instead by topping up S$0.40.
What I’m most excited about is their Onigirazu, which is a sandwich-version of my favourite onigiri that I’ll usually get at convenience stores.
They have 4 different kinds: Spam & Cheese (S$3.50), Wafuyo Smoked Duck (S$5), Kare Katsu (S$4.20) and Fish Fillet & Cheese (S$4.20). These are ideal on-the-go snacks if you’re in a hurry.
You can also check out their various side dishes to accompany your main meal. I’d be interested to try the Roasted Butter Corn (S$3), Tsukune Chicken Ball (S$4.50 for 2 skewers) and Chicken Yakitori (S$4.50 for 5 skewers).
+65 9071 0863
Daily: 11am – 3pm & 5pm – 9pm
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4. Pin Wei Hong Kong Style Chee Cheong Fun (#02-27)
Who would’ve known that Pin Wei Hong Kong Style Chee Cheong Fun sold chwee kueh back in the 1950s?. Sometimes, a little change is a good thing. They’ve switched things up and now sell chee cheong fun instead, and good things have been happening ever since.
Their freshly-made rice rolls are silky soft and smooth, and are doused in homee-made sauce. They’ve earned themselves a Michelin Bib Gourmand for their well-executed craftsmanship. The menu mainly comprises 4 types of chee cheong fun.
Seafood fans can either try out the Prawns (S$5), which has juicy whole prawns encased within, or the fresh and chewy Scallop (S$6). There’s also the plain Cheong Fun (S$3) and Char Siew (S$4) available.
Be sure to pair it with their homemade sambal belacan for that extra umami-ness and oomph. Head over there for a weekday breakfast treat or a weekend dinner snack— it’s a dish I can eat anytime of the day!
Mon to Fri: 6.30am – 2pm
Sat & Sun: 6.30am – 8pm
Website
5. Shi Hui Yuan (#02-12)
Shi Hui Yuan has humble beginnings, operating as a hawker stall back in 1969. Fast forward to the present, the business has managed to clinch the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award for 5 years (2016-2019, 2021).
Instead of the usual hor fun gravy, their version involves a herbal-braised sauce which uses more than 30 herbs that have health and wellness benefits. That’s not all, each plate boasts more than 1500mg of collagen. How impressive!
Indulge in the Blissful Set (S$7) which comes with a chicken drumstick, duck, spare ribs, braised egg and shiitake mushrooms. You can also go for the crowd-favourite, the Shi Hui Yuan Special (S$6). The bestselling chicken and duck hor fun is paired with a crispy shrimp wanton.
There’s also the Braised Mushroom Hor Fun (S$4.50) for patrons who are health-conscious, and wish to consume lesser calories.
Wed to Sun: 10am – 8pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
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6. Shi Nian (#02-11)
Shi Nian is famous for pig trotters, which are delicious gelatinous pieces of meat that are ultra soft and simply melt in your mouth. The owners learnt the art of preparing this dish from a local Chinese chef in China, and decided to recreate it to suit our local palate.
As I approached the stall, I could spot the massive trotters behind the glass display, which looked very enticing.
As the owners of Shi Nian are the same as Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu, you’ll notice that the signage is somewhat similar. You can share the Pig Trotter (S$9.60) straight up by itself with a group of friends, or order a plate of Pig Trotter Rice (S$5.90) if you’re dining solo.
If you love innards, dishes like Pig Intestine (S$5), Large Intestine (S$5) and Swirly Intestine (S$9) will definitely appeal to you.
Eating rich foods like pig trotter and intestines can be a little overwhelming at times, but luckily there are dishes like Prawn Cake (S$4.90) and Salted Veg (S$2) to help cut down the jelak-ness.
Daily: 10.30am – 9pm
Instagram
7. China Whampoa Home Made Noodle (#02-05)
I tried China Whompoa Home Made Noodle’s branch in Geylang before, which has already closed down. Well, I was glad that they’ve opened another branch at Senja Hawker Centre.
This stall is a noodle paradise haven. Besides offering ban mian and mee hoon kueh, they also have mee sua, Hong Kong noodles and Cintan mee (instant noodles) too! They have 12 varieties of noodles on the menu, which allow you to choose your preference of noodles.
Try the Razor Clams Hand Made Yu Mee (S$5) or the Home Made Noodle w/ Prawns (S$5) to satisfy your seafood cravings. The noodles are served with ikan bilis, sliced mushrooms, meatballs and green vegetables.
For the ultimate indulgence, you can treat yourself to a bowl of Dry Abalone Home Made Noodle (S$14). It has prawns, abalone and razor clams thrown in together with the rest of the default ingredients.
Daily: 8am – 7.30pm
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8. Munchi Pancakes (#02-23)
Who doesn’t love min jiang kueh for breakfast or a midday snack? Munchi Pancakes first started out at Yishun Park Hawker Centre, and has slowly expanded its way into other food spots like Senja Hawker Centre.
They are well-known for selling their range of bold and exciting pancake flavours and fillings. How does charcoal and green tea min jiang kueh sound? Throw in exciting fillings like Black Sesame (S$1.60) and Biscoff (S$1.70) as opposed to the generic ones elsewhere. I’m sold!
If you’re not as adventurous, not to worry. The stall still sells traditional fillings like Peanut (S$1.30), Red Bean (S$1.30) and Coconut (S$1.30) too.
You can also relish in the Mini Munchi for fun-sized pancake snacks. Explore the interesting flavours like Belgian Chocolate, Thai Milk Tea and Strawberry Cheese (all at S$4.50 for 6).
+65 8312 6203
Daily: 8am – 8.30pm
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9. @Wok 26 (#02-06)
@Wok 26 is another new kid on the block at Senja Hawker Centre. The stall doesn’t have its own Facebook or Instagram account, and it’s probably unknown to Singaporeans (unless you’re a resident there).
I found out that the lady owner’s parents were hawkers, but they weren’t that enthusiastic about this career path at that point of time.
I was delighted at their food selections, as most of the dishes they sold were my favourite. I was torn between the Fried Kway Teow (S$4/S$6), Fried Oyster (S$5/S$8/S$10), Fried Hokkien Mee (S$4.50/S$6/S$8) and the White/Black Carrot Cake (S$3.50/S$5).
I ended up ordering the small White Carrot Cake. There was a substantial amount of egg used, and the dish looked like a giant omelette at the top covering the white carrot cake pieces. It was slightly crispy, and I loved how the accompanying chilli had strong hints of dried shrimp. The dish managed to hit the spot for me. Try it!
Daily: 8am – 9.30pm
10. Yong Feng Ji Chicken Rice (#02-02)
I’ll be dead honest. I approached Yong Feng Ji Chicken Rice and judged it based on first impressions. The stall looked very normal and the lights were not switched on to showcase their beautifully-poached whole chickens. I did not have high expectations as I approached the stall being manned by an elderly couple.
Their friendly demeanour immediately perked me up as I ordered the cheapest item on the menu, the Boneless Hainanese Steam Chicken Rice (S$3.50). For that price point, I was expecting a small portion but I was wrong. Just look at the picture below!
The rice was fragrant and the chicken, tender and moist. Even the clear soup on the side was flavourful— I wiped my plate clean within 8 minutes! This certainly taught me not to judge a book by its cover.
The menu also has Century Egg w Chicken Minced Brown Rice Porridge (S$2.80), a healthier option to consider. I also spotted signature items like Chicken Char Siew Rice (S$3.30) and Chicken Chop (S$4) (which comes with coleslaw, and a choice of sauce between curry mayo, mango mayo, garlic mayo or normal mayo).
Thu to Tue: 10.30am – 8pm
Closed on Wed
11. Project Penyek by Ansar (#02-17)
Ayam penyet is a dish that originates from Indonesia with chicken that’s smashed. It’s been gaining popularity over the years, popping up everywhere from food courts to hawker centres around the island.
Halal-certified Project Penyet by Ansar first started out at ABC Brickworks, and has now opened another branch at Senja Hawker Centre.
I spotted a total of 9 options for you to take your pick from. Besides perennial favourites like Nasi Ikan Penyet (S$7) and Nasi Ayam Bakar (S$6.40), the stall also pairs up their meats with fried rice.
For something slightly out of the norm, you can order the Nasi Goreng Ayam Penyet (S$7.20) or Nasi Goreng Ikan Bakar (S$8.70). They also have a value Chicken Wing Set (S$3). Don’t miss out on the fiery sambal, which is a match made in heaven together with the crispy meats.
Daily: 11am – 8pm
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12. Yu Wei Ju Quan (#02-25)
I’m sure there are days where you just don’t feel like eating something heavy. The answer? Sliced fish soup. Yu Wei Ju Quan has an assortment of fish for you to enjoy with noodles or just with a piping hot bowl of soup.
Besides the usual thick bee hoon, they offer mee sua, ee mee and vermicelli. They also have basic dishes like Sliced Fish Soup (S$5/S$8/S$10), Fried Fish Soup (S$5/S$8/S$10) and Traditional Teochew Fish Porridge (S$5/S$8/S$10).
In addition, the menu features premium selections like Red Grouper Fish Head Soup (S$10/S$12/S$15) and Pomfret Fish Soup (S$8/S$12/S$15). If you’re feeling under the weather, go for a hot bowl of Vermicelli Soup w/ Minced Pork (S$3.50) or Vermicelli Soup w/Chicken (S$3.50).
Tue to Sun: 11am – 8pm
Closed on Mon
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