Burpple - Tastemakers Guide To Best Hawkers In Tampines
Our Burpple Tastemakers have their sights set on the far east this time, specifically Tampines! Fuelled by their voracious appetites, these bona fide foodies have curated the 10 top hawker eats in the area. From pick-your-own mala bowls and roasted duck worth travelling for, to hor fun done two ways (you have to read about it to believe it!) and affordable Western grills that may just give cafes a run for their money, here are plenty of tasty eats to inspire a trip to Tampines! . This article was originally published on burpple.com. Download the app for iPhone and Android now at burpple.com/getapp!
1. Jin Hock Seafood (Tampines)
For Hor Fun Done Two Ways and More For Hor Fun Done Two Ways and More
Up your hor fun game with the Double Flavoured Hor Fun ($15), which tops the regular noodle dish with deep-fried hor fun for a wonderful texture upgrade. According to Tastemaker Fiona Ting, the deep-fried rice noodles are "delightfully crispy yet slightly chewy in the middle", while the wok-hei laden regular hor fun beneath features generous amounts of lean pork, clams and greens. The chef's creativity extends to other zi char dishes here. Try the Fried Eggplant & French Beans ($12), an umami-rich dish of crisp yet soft battered eggplant, and Deep-Fried Garlic Pork ($12) — tender, juicy and, in Fiona's words, "insanely addictive with the house made belacan". This is just the spot to bring adventurous foodie friends for an inexpensive yet memorable meal. Avg Price: $15 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Fiona Ting2. Yat Lok Roasted Delight (East Village)
For Shiok Roast Meat Noodles For Shiok Roast Meat Noodles
If you like Hong Kong-style roasted meats, give this newish stall at Jin Biao Coffeeshop (Tampines Street 22) a go. Our Tastemakers ordered the Roast Pork, Char Siew and Roast Duck Noodles ($6.80), and were surprised by the quality of the meats, especially the duck! "The roast duck is succulent, smooth and tender; none of that grainy texture that you are going to get here," says Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua. The skin also boasts a lovely crackle. Apart from the duck, both the roast meat and char siew are tasty. The roast pork nails it with crackling crisp skin, while the char siew offers a good mix of fat and char, and a deliciously smoky flavour. The bed of noodles are springy and tossed in a savoury sauce — the perfect canvas for the tasty meats! Pro tip: If you're simply here for the duck, get the Roasted Duck Noodles for just $3.80. Avg Price: $5 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua3. Ri Ri Sheng Mala Pot 日日昇麻辣香鍋
For Modestly Spiced Mala Xiang Guo For Modestly Spiced Mala Xiang Guo
For pick-your-own mala bowls, this stall at Tampines Street 81 nails it with a spot-on balance of flavour, heat and the numbing tingliness characteristic of mala dishes. According to Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang, this stall is modest on the spice level so don't be afraid to scale up if you're a spice fiend. Otherwise, most would do well with the medium level, which offers a slow burn. The ingredients here are really fresh. Tastemaker Zhihui Lim loves the crunchy lotus root and tender pork slices, while Tastemaker Marc T. really likes how the silky glass noodles soaked up the flavourful sauce. The sauce is also neither overly salty nor oily — a big plus in our books! Prices average at $1 for vegetables and $2 for meats. Portions are pretty generous, so pace yourself. Avg Price: $10 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang4. Shaik Muhammad Dham Briyani
For Possibly the Best Biryani in Tampines For Possibly the Best Biryani in Tampines
Recommended by a Grab driver to Tastemaker Zul Latiff, the Nasi Biryani Ayam ($5.50) at Tampines Street 11 is, according to Zul, "a full-bodied biryani that eclipses virtually other renditions that I've had, maybe with an exception of one or two". It is also possibly the best biryani in Tampines in his books. This Halal chicken biryani ticks all the right boxes — the long-grained basmati rice and curry are both really fragrant and deliciously seasoned, and then there's the chicken, which is redolent with spices from the rice and is what Zul describes to be "tender to a fault". We're sold. Avg Price: $5 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Zul Latiff5. Tokyo Western Food
For Spot-On Western Food For Spot-On Western Food
Located in the same kopitiam as Ri Ri Sheng Mala Pot, Tokyo Western Food serves up excellent grills that Tastemaker Vanessa Kou believes can rival the price and quality of Western plates at cafes. Get the Mixed Grill ($8.50) for a combination of chicken chop and pork chop, both of which are perfectly seasoned, moist and seared well. Tastemaker Zhihui Lim loves how the meats here are not too salty — a problem she faces at many kopitiam Western stalls. The grill comes with toast, fries and baked beans, and is very filling. They also serve a decent Sirloin Steak ($8) and Lamb Chop ($7.50). Avg Price: $10 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Vanessa Kou6. Song Han Carrot Cake (Tampines Round Market & Food Centre)
For Carrot Cake With a Hint of Curry Powder For Carrot Cake With a Hint of Curry Powder
Guess what sets this stall at Tampines Round Market & Food Centre apart from regular carrot cake stalls? Curry powder! What sounds like a recipe for disaster turns out to be surprisingly delicious, and Tastemaker Marc T. loved how the earthy spices elevated the dish with hints of turmeric and cumin. Regardless of whether you're typically a black or white fan, get the combination of both ($3). Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang loves how they both complement each other, and that the black is not overly sweet. The carrot cake here is on the soft and wet side, and has lots of eggs and chye poh, along with prawns! Avg Price: $5 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Marc T.7. Hua Zai HK Style Roasted Delight Rice Noodle
For Silky Soy Sauce Chicken For Silky Soy Sauce Chicken
A hidden gem in Tampines unearthed by Tastemaker Zhihui Lim, this stall in Tampines West Foodcourt serves up tasty roast meats and a stellar Soy Sauce Chicken ($7.50 for half) — the latter a unanimous favourite among the Tastemakers. Tastemaker Vanessa Kou loves the taste and texture of the braised chicken skin, and the tasty meat. Complement your meal with what she calls the "holy trinity" of roast meats — Roast Duck ($17 for half), Char Siew and Sio Bak (both at $17 for 500g). The roast pork in particular has a balanced meat-to-fat ratio and spot-on crackling. Avg Price: $10 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Vanessa Kou8. Rajarani Thosai (Tampines Round Market & Food Centre)
For Yummy Thosai and Appam For Yummy Thosai and Appam
After eating her way through Tampines Round Market, Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang declares Rajarani Thosai to be her favourite stall — that must say something about it! As its name suggests, Rajarani serves up some incredible thosai (a savoury South Indian pancake). Go for the Masalah Thosai ($3), which is soft in the middle and nicely crisp around the edges (to be honest, the Tastemakers wish it were crispier!). The spiced potato filling is generous and tasty, and according to Tastemaker Wei Zhi, it will not scare off non-spicy lovers. On the other hand, Tastemaker Vanessa Kou was won over by the Appam (fermented rice pancake, $1) with its "crispy edges and pancake-like middle that carries a slight tang from the fermented batter". It's best enjoyed dipped into the accompanying orange sugar. Avg Price: $5 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang9. Yummy Sarawak Kolo Mee (Tampines Round Market & Food Centre)
For Sarawak Kuching Kolo Mee For Sarawak Kuching Kolo Mee
One of the stalls with the longest queues at Tampines Round Market, this is the place to zero in on if you're a fan of kolo mee. The Signature Sarawak Kuching Kolo Mee ($4) comes topped with a variety of ingredients including char siew, braised pork ribs, and steamed and fried wantons, which Tastemaker Marc T. says were filled generously with shrimp and minced meat. According to him, the noodles here are made using only egg whites, so they're free of the pronounced alkaline taste characteristic of most yellow noodles — yay! While the noodles were cooked a little too soft for her liking, Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang likes that they are still springy to the bite. She's also a fan of the soft and tender braised pork ribs. Avg Price: $5 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Marc T.10. Mui Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice
For Tender Steamed Chicken For Tender Steamed Chicken
According to Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua, Mui Kee Chicken Rice serves really good steamed chicken — in his words, "extremely tender and succulent, juicy and moist". While this neighbourhood establishment (it's not far from Tampines East Neighbourhood Police Post) was pretty quiet when he visited on a weekday, he heard that it garners quite a queue for its chicken rice on weekends, so be prepared! This place also serves roast pork and char siew, both of which Tastemaker Xing Wei says are on the leaner side. Your best bet is to focus on the yummy Chicken Rice ($3), paired with the fragrant rice. Avg Price: $5 per person Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua
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