Top 10 Best Eats at Chinatown Food Centre
If you’re spending a day in Chinatown, stop by Chinatown Complex Food Center to get totally immersed in amazing dishes. Centrally located in the heart of Chinatown, this food court is the perfect place to get neighborhood traditional dishes with a varied menu and low prices. Here’s our take of the 10 must-try food stalls here!
Table of Contents
#1 – Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice
Introduction:
“Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice” has been handed from father to daughter-in-law Mdm Lim when the stall moved from the streets into a hawker stall. Mdm Lim have worked at hawker stalls since she was 12 at a wanton mee stall. At 16 years old, she helped her then boyfriend’s father at “Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice”. Hawker life is in her blood. Now, she managed the stall together with her sisters and cousin – all women power team!
The reason why “Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice” is a cut above its competitors is because it doesn’t compromise on cooking time and ingredient quality. Each claypot of rice is cooked from scratch by steaming over a gas stove for 5 minutes, after which ingredients are added and the claypot is transferred to sit over a blazing charcoal flame for the next 20 minutes. This explains the long waiting time. However, there’s the option to call and book in advance now.
fter drizzling some sweet soya sauce and mixing everything together, the first spoonful of rice I had can only be described as a flavour explosion, we filled our bowls with fluffy grains, juicy chicken, firm lup cheong (Chinese sausages) and silvers of salted fish. The best part about claypot chicken rice for me is to scrap the partially charred rice from the base. The crackle of the crispy rice with all that chicken and smokey flavors is simply irresistible.
Menu Items:
- Claypot Rice (Price $5 to $20)
- Black chicken herbal soup (Price from $2.50)
- watercress pork rib soup (Price from $2.50)
- lotus root pork rib soup (Price from $2.50)
Location: 335 Smith Street Chinatown Complex #02-198/199
4.30pm to 10.30pm, closed on Thursdays
Contact: +65 6227 2470
Website: Website Link Here
#2 – Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap
Introduction:
Chicken rice balls, you probably have eaten it. Now how about duck rice balls? While I am a supporter of downright traditional heritage food, I can’t deny that modernisation has its charm too. Now, how about having duck rice bento in Chinatown Food Centre with golden lava egg? Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap (金记潮洲卤鸭) has always been serving classic teochew braised duck for more than 30 years. It was only recently that the second-generation hawker, Melvin, puts a fresh look on classic by coming up with Duck Rice Bento to attract the younger crowd.
Gimmicky indeed. But you can’t deny that it has help to bring media eyeballs to this shop. That’s the power of product packaging. Nothing changes, the recipe remains the same, yet placing our traditional duck rice into a Japanese bento box does have a different feel. Now before you get too excited at having duck rice balls in a bento set, let’s take a step back and look at what’s in it. For $8 a platter, you get a generous portion of yam rice rolled into balls, tender braised duck, beancurd, offals , pickled vegetables and Japanese-style runny yolk lava eggs. While innovation is welcoming, what distinguishes it as the quality of the dish. Slices of braised duck meat were still succulent, retaining a bite but adequately tender. The yam rice topped with dried shrimps and fried shallots was little mild in flavours, but it’s softer and sticky enough to form a ball. Look, there are also daikon slices to separate the rice balls! When you combined the rice with other dishes in the set, it forms a perfect formula.
Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck – Duck Rice Given A New Look Last updated on February 20th, 2022,by MaureenCategories:* Must Try *BlogEatFood – HawkerHawker – Duck Rice Chicken rice balls, you probably have eaten it. Now how about duck rice balls? While I am a supporter of downright traditional heritage food, I can’t deny that modernisation has its charm too. Now, how about having duck rice bento in Chinatown Food Centre with golden lava egg? Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap (金记潮洲卤鸭) has always been serving classic teochew braised duck for more than 30 years. It was only recently that the second-generation hawker, Melvin, puts a fresh look on classic by coming up with Duck Rice Bento to attract the younger crowd.
Gimmicky indeed. But you can’t deny that it has help to bring media eyeballs to this shop. That’s the power of product packaging. Nothing changes, the recipe remains the same, yet placing our traditional duck rice into a Japanese bento box does have a different feel. Now before you get too excited at having duck rice balls in a bento set, let’s take a step back and look at what’s in it. For $8 a platter, you get a generous portion of yam rice rolled into balls, tender braised duck, beancurd, offals , pickled vegetables and Japanese-style runny yolk lava eggs.
While innovation is welcoming, what distinguishes it as the quality of the dish. Slices of braised duck meat were still succulent, retaining a bite but adequately tender. The yam rice topped with dried shrimps and fried shallots was little mild in flavours, but it’s softer and sticky enough to form a ball. Look, there are also daikon slices to separate the rice balls! When you combined the rice with other dishes in the set, it forms a perfect formula.
Menu Items:
- Braised duck porridge (Price $2.50/3 )
- Braised duck rice (Price $3 )
- Braised duck noodle (Price $)
- Kway chap set meal (Price $3.50)
Location: 335 Smith St, #02-156, Singapore 050335
Sat-Thu 10.30am to 6pm+ or till sold out. Closed on Fri
Contact: +65 9018 9052
Website: Website Link Here
#3 – Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao
Introduction: Arguably the best dumpling stall in hawker center. The dumplings skins are thin with generous firm meat filling, the folds are even so you wouldn’t bite into any thick dough part. Their fried dumplings are properly pan fried instead of deep fried in some lazy stalls and the meat filling is juicy and firm not mushy. Their wanton in hot oil is the best with right balance of spice, savoury and acid, consider eating with a bowl of noodle to complete the meal.
Situated in the heart of Chinatown, Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao specializes in handmade Xiao Long Baos that rival that of those served in certain upscale restaurants. For 6 bucks, you can get 10 pillows of porky goodness handmade with love. The pork filling was tender and well seasoned, and the broth was flavourful. It’s rare to find Xiao Long Baos with a skin that can hold its glorious contents sturdily but Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao has done it. The skin is just right, not a millimetre thicker or thinner than it should be. Visit them during non-peak hours as the queue gets crazy during peak hours!
Menu Items:
- Xiao Long Bao (Price $6.50)
- Szechuan Spicy Wanton (Price $5)
- Sour & Spicy Noodle (Price $3.50-$4)
- Beef Noodles (Price $3.50-$4)
Location: 335 Smith Street, Chinatown Complex Food Centre #02-135, Singapore 050335
11:30am – 3pm, 5pm – 8:30pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon, Tues
Contact: +65 9743 5287
Website: Website Link Here
Read Also:
#4 – Ann Chin Popiah
Introduction:
Ann Chin Popiah was founded in 1958 by Mr Lim Kam Chwee, who travelled from FuJian Province, China to Singapore in the 1940s.
In his early days, Mr Lim struggled from juggling odd jobs to support himself and his family. He have always strongly believed that as long as one are willing to work hard and have the willingness to learn, it is only a matter of time before one becomes successful.
It was only in the late 50s that Mr Lim finally had his break in life. After having done multiple “Coolie” jobs at the docks and taking up “Hawker Assistant” jobs at the night markets, Mr Lim realized that he could use his Hand Made Popiah Skin Making skill he mastered back in FuJian, China to carve a name for himself.
With this idea in mind, he took out all of his savings and invested in a pushcart and named it “Ann Chin” (or 安珍 in Chinese). In order to save cost, many of the parts used on the pushcart were recycled from old pushcarts.
In 1958, Mr Lim finally set up shop in “Orh Kio” (or 黑桥 in Hokkien), which is currently named as Upper Thomson Road. It is widely known by neighbors and fellow customers that Mr Lim’s skin is fragant, thin and chewy.
Since then, his unique skill of Hand Made Popiah Skin Making has been passed down to his children. Although Mr Lim have already passed on, but his legacy still lives.
Menu Items:
- Popiah DIY Party Set 18 Rolls (Price $35)
- Fun sized Popiah Set (Price $25)
- Fun Sized Kueh Pie Tee Set (Price $30)
- Handmade Popiah Skin (Price $11)
Location: 335B Smith St, #02-112 Red Section, Singapore 052335
Contact: +65 8189 4699
Website: Website Link Here
#5 – Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu
Introduction:
What sets Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Fu apart from other yong tau foo stalls in food courts around Singapore is the fact that they make their very own fish paste. The stall owners make the fish paste themselves instead of purchasing store-bought varieties, and the freshness is evident in their creation. The fish paste stuffed in the yong tau foo ingredients was exceptionally flavourful and fresh, and felt very clean on the palate too.
The tofu in the yong tau foo was utterly soft, and the tender fish paste within was perfectly seasoned. The fishball was incredibly bouncy and soft too. In essence, every single ingredient, including the beancurd skin with fish paste, was light, fresh, and flavourful. Add some pepper into your soup for even more flavour! Soya beans have been added to the yong tau foo soup, which explains its silky smooth texture. What a joy to have this for breakfast!
While the noodles here taste exactly like how classic yellow noodles and mifen taste, what is special is the addition of crispy ikan bilis. The ikan bilis, though small, is extremely crispy and fragrant. They definitely add extra crunch to the dish. The chilli here tastes exactly like the classic chicken rice garlic chilli sauce. Mix some into your noodles, or dip your ingredients in the chilli for a “morning wake-up call”.
Menu Items:
- 6pcs yong tau foo with bee hoon / noodle (Price $3)
- 8pcs yong tau foo (Price $3)
- additional anchovies (Price $0.50)
- bittergourd/ eggplant (Price $0.50)
Location:
335 Smith Street #02-88, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
5.45am to 3pm daily
Contact: NIL
Website: Website Link Here
#6 – Jia Ji Mei Shi
Introduction:
Sell simple breakfast food – Chee Cheong Fatt, Dumplings, Kway, Fried Bee Hoon, Fried Noodles, Yam cake etc – at affordable prices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Food quality is average and value for money considering the price. Always has a long queue which fortunately clears fast. (LP Pua from Google Reviews)
Menu Items:
- Century Egg Minced Meat Porridge (Price $3)
- Fried Noodles with Egg (Price $15)
- Chee Cheong Fun & Yam Cake (Price $22)
- Menu Item D (Price $15)
Location: Blk 335 Smith St #02-166 Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335
Contact: +65 6222 7209
Website: Website Link Here
#7 – 168 CMY Satay
Introduction: Usually described as a satay stall, this old school Satay beehoon, a vanishing dish at that, seem overlooked by most diners. Especially when there are no lack of famous eats at this Chinatown Hawker Centre, even myself, when after satay, go for another stall’s offerings. Satay beehoon, mainly to many bloggers are about the Satay sauce. Thick fragrant and smooth satay kuah with plenty of chunky peanut drenched over fresh ingredients and blanched beehoon, thus the star is the sauce. I beg to differ. There are little satay beehoon stalls left dotted over the island, some of the most famous ones even have a factory making satay sauce delivering to other stalls islandwide. This stall, I noted over lunch, has no queue but readily walk in orders. Mainly older folks, going for their satay beehoon, or their cuttlefish kangkong, another vanishing dish.
Menu Items:
- Pork Satay
- Chicken Satay
- Mutton Satay
- Rice
Location: 335 Smith StreetChinatown Complex and Food centre, Singapore, Singapore
Contact: +65 9475 2907
Website: Website Link Here
#8 – Fatty Ox HK Kitchen
Introduction: Tucked in the midst of Chinatown, Smiths Street Hawker Centre, besides the more well known HK Hawker Chan, there’s a street of HK hawkers where Cantonese is rife in the air as hawkers banter with customers. Fatty Ox HK Kitchen is one such vendor. A HK husband and wife team serve up authentic HK noodles. Most famous here is the beef brisket noodles which easily sell out early lunchtime. I am here today at half past one thus I have to settle with the Char Siew and Wanton noodles. HK style springy noodles in 干撈面 style, lovely Charred Pork Collar Char Siew in thick, succulent chunks and 2 big wantons make super value of the $4 meal I paid. Authentic noodles, nice Char Siew. Only the Wanton was a little out, instead of all prawns as in HK, it’s still nice with some minced pork and shitake bits. Also HK style noodles would be offering Chilli oil as an accompaniment but here they offer fried chilli sambal probably to suit local tastes. Lastly, the only pity the soup a fair bit too salty for my taste. Still I am not here for soups. I would definitely come back for my HK noodle fix. (Kim Wee Soh from Google Reviews)
Menu Items:
- Beef Brisket noodles
- Roast Duck noodles
- Wanton Noodles
Location: 335 Smith St, #02-84, Singapore 050335
Contact: +65 9638 5345
Website: Website Link Here
#9 – Old Amoy Chendol (Main)
Introduction: I am a chendol lover and I have been travelling around seeking for the best chendol in South East Asia. I have to say that Old Amoy Chendol has done it so well that I would say they are the best chendol and everyone is so friendly and humble at the stall. The bowl of chendol tasted so perfect and one could actually taste the individual ingredients so well. It was so tasty and priced reasonably! Well done to them! (Jamie Xiee from Google Reviews)
Menu Items:
- Cendol (Price from $2)
Location: 335 Smith St, #02-008, Singapore 050335
Contact: +65 8748 7590
Website: Website Link Here
#10 – Millennium Glutinous Rice
Introduction: A must eat every time we’re here! We’ve had the salty and the sweet and both are delicious! We do prefer the salty version. It’s surprisingly hearty and we prefer sharing one packet to leave room for other food! The flavor reminds me of the simple glutinous rice with peanuts I had as a kid. I’ve introduced it to the younger generation in our family and they now crave it too! (Kek Yeo from Google Reviews)
Menu Items:
- Glutinous Rice (Price from $2)
Location: 335 Smith St, #02-092, Singapore 050335
Website: Website Link Here
Have a Place to Recommend?
Your contribution is valuable to us! Are there any outstanding businesses that you believe should be added to our list? If so, please send your recommendations to us at [email protected]. Tropika Club will review your suggestions and update the list accordingly. Thank you for your help in making our list of businesses as comprehensive and accurate as possible.
Meanwhile, Check out Tropika Club’s Ecosystem of Websites
Tropika Club Magazine – Tropika Club Magazine is a Singapore-based publication that features articles on a wide range of topics with a focus on local businesses and content for the region. The magazine emphasizes supporting local businesses through its #SupportLocal initiative, which includes coverage of everything from neighborhood hawker stalls to aesthetic clinics in town. In addition to highlighting local businesses, Tropika Club Magazine also covers a variety of local content, including beauty, lifestyle, places, eats, and what’s on in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region.
Tropika Club Deals – Tropika Club Deals is a leading online deals and voucher shopping site in Singapore, offering amazing discounts on beauty, wellness, and fitness products and services. It’s the perfect platform for customers who want to discover the best deals without having to commit to a specific appointment date and time. These deals are available at major beauty stores, facial salons, hair salons, and other brands in Singapore, with no minimum spend required. Choose from guaranteed discounted deals in the categories of hairstyling, hair removal, facial & aesthetics, body slimming, brows & lashes, nails & makeup, massage & spa or fitness & wellness. Tropika Club Deals is also ideal for customers who want to buy vouchers as gifts or to use for the future. So whether you’re looking to save money on your next haircut or want to treat yourself to a relaxing massage, Tropika Club Deals has got you covered with the best voucher and coupon deals in Singapore!
Review
