Magic Kitchen: Laksa chee cheong fun + thick toasts at this old-school eatery in Ang Mo Kio

I’m not a morning person, so it took every ounce of energy in my body to wake up for breakfast at Magic Kitchen.

I’ve heard wonders about this old-school eatery’s breakfast fare, especially with regards to its thick toasts which come lathered with butter and sugar, as well as its comforting laksa chee cheong fun and more, so here I was, making the trip down to Ang Mo Kio on a sunny weekday morning.

Located along the stretch of shops right next to Cheng San Market & Food Centre, you’ll spot Magic Kitchen along Ang Mo Kio Street 52.

There’s something about Magic Kitchen that exudes an old-school charm. With its many (and I mean it when I say many) laminated menu items plastered across its walls, as well as makeshift tables and chairs strewn outside that you assemble on your own according to the number of people required, it felt like I was transported back in time. 

More specifically, it brought back memories of my secondary school days, where I’d skip across to the waffle and bubble tea shop at the next HDB block for a quick snack or two. 

Ah, what a nostalgic vibe. 

What I tried at Magic Kitchen

After looking at Magic Kitchen’s menu and deciding between all-time favourite items such as Egg Mayo Thick Toast (S$3) and Peanut Chocolate Thick Toast (S$2.50), I went with one of its best-sellers: Honey Butter Thick Toast (S$2.20). 

Despite looking relatively simple, I loved how perfectly comforting this piece of thick toast was. 

The crusted border was crisp and crumbly, with a pleasant smokey and roasted aroma that impressed me right on the get-go. The actual toast, on the other hand, was delightfully moist and sweet, with a pleasant butteriness that went well with the generous amount of semi-melted sugar on the top.

While I couldn’t taste the honey (in fact, I thought it had just been butter and sugar), I really enjoyed how yummy this toast was, albeit simple. No wonder butter and sugar has always been a classic combination, especially when paired with toast— you really can’t go wrong with it.

After trying a sweet toast, I decided to try a savoury one: Mushroom Bonito Thick Toast (S$3), which came with sliced mushrooms, bonito flakes, drizzled mayonnaise, and what looked like a dark sweet sauce.

The bonito flakes added an instant savoury kick, while the mayonnaise (which I thought was Kewpie mayonnaise) and soft mushrooms added mildly sweet umami notes to each bite. 

Frankly, the flavours were mildly confusing in the beginning— you’ve got the sweetness from the mayonnaise, savouriness from the bonito flakes and drizzled dark sauce, as well as a faint butteriness from the actual toast, but I enjoyed the mix of flavours and textures, as it gave the toast an element of surprise.

If you’re a fan of savoury toasts, you should definitely try this, but for sticklers for classic toasts, you might want to stick with the Honey Butter Thick Toast.

Onto the dish I was most excited to try: Magic Kitchen’s Laksa Chee Cheong Fun (S$2.50/S$3.50).

As I was dining with a friend, I decided to get the S$3.50 version.

Be sure to give the Laksa Chee Cheong Fun a good mix, as the chee cheong fun was clumped together in tight little rolls prior to mixing.

Be warned, as Magic Kitchen’s laksa gravy was fairly spicy! The heat hit me in a bright way that immediately woke my tastebuds up, and while the gravy wasn’t as lemak as I’d like, it made up for it with its piquant spiciness. Plus, they were generous with the ingredients and I found no lack of shredded chicken, fishcake, beansprouts and tau pok.

I’ve got to say, I was really surprised as to how everything complemented each other. The laksa gravy coated each strand of silky chee cheong fun well, and to some extent, I felt like I was eating laksa with kway teow noodles that were a tad chewier. Yet, it was still pretty shiok and I found myself wolfing down the Laksa Chee Cheong Fun by the spoonful.

The last dish I got was Magic Kitchen’s Congee (S$1.80). 

According to the friendly staff, their porridge flavours change according to the day, and today’s Congee came with shredded chicken.

Magic Kitchen’s Congee was thick and silky with just the right amount of texture, which instantly reminded me of old-school Hong Kong congee. 

Health enthusiasts will be pleased to know that this bowl of porridge was relatively light on the salt. Personally, it was a little more plain than I thought, so I added some pepper and soy sauce which was provided on the side. 

All in all, still a decent bowl of home-cooked Congee. 

Final thoughts

Dining at Magic Kitchen wasn’t magical per say, but it certainly was a no-fuss morning filled with comforting food that absolutely hit the spot. 

I enjoyed starting the day off on a casual note, and in particular, I enjoyed the Honey Butter Thick Toast for its nostalgic sugary goodness, as well as the Laksa Chee Cheong Fun for its hearty and spicy flavours which woke me up.

While dining at Magic Kitchen, I couldn’t help but notice the rest of the dishes plastered all over its walls. This included other traditional breakfast fare such as Fried Bee Hoon (S$2/S$2.50), Glutinous Rice (S$1.60), Chu Cheong Fen (S$0.90/pc), and desserts like Black Sesame Cream (S$2) and Red Bean Shaved Ice (S$2)!

I look forward to returning to Magic Kitchen to try its other breakfast items and thick toasts.

Expected damage: S$2 – S$5 per pax

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