Tiong Bahru: good eatin' central
4:16 PM
On my last day in Singapore I was determined to pay a visit to a Hawker food centre. I'd done a little bit of research and read many a good thing about Tiong Bahru. Especially their Chee Kway and "Carrot Cake" (both pictured below). So on Sunday morning, after a decent sleep in and a midday checkout i hopped in a quick (and cheap!) taxi ride to Tiong Bahru. Singapore is so densely packed/populated/planned that everything is so close and easy to get to. Which was good news for one starving, slightly hung-over girl.
The place lived up to its legend. I was in heaven. A sea of fried, steamed & stir fried delights. Glutinous rice & seafood aplenty. I set my sights on a beverage stall and hastily purchased a lime juice. Thirst quenching, fresh and $1. I was loving the place already. I made a bee line for the "Carrot Cake" stall, otherwise known as Chai Tau Kway. Which in actuality is made of carrots, radishes and milled rice tossed in a sweet black sauce. A large serve of this costs $2. Toto, you're not in Kansas anymore. This carrot cake is soft, savoury and my new favourite thing.
That is until I wander over to the Jian Bo Shui Kueh stall to purchase some Chwee Kueh (translates to Water Cakes). Chwee Kueh is basically rice flour that is mixed with water, steamed and then topped with chilli & fried Chye Poh (preserved veg). I got 4 for $1 and it was handed over to me wrapped in brown paper (my favourite things!) and a skewer. I adored this dish. Simple flavours and wonderful textures. The silkiness of the cakes worked so well with the crunch of the Chye Poh and chilli. I long for this dish now. I pine. I perish (well not quite).
There was so much more i wanted to try: Ice Kacang, Laksa, Roti...but after eating 2 rice flour dishes for breakfast. Well, lets just say there was a heaviness in my stomach. I left Tiong Bahru a with a full belly and a beaming smile. Hawker food rocks my tastebuds and wallet. It was an excellent morning.
If you are thinking of holidaying in Singapore i suggest you check out ieatishootipost blog. The most discerning and delectable Singaporean food blog, i think.
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