Mainland Food @ Toa Payoh

We have come to this place here at Toa Payoh at most only one, or two times.

It isn't because the location is inconvenient, or that the food isn't good.

It's just that my feet tend to lead me elsewhere whenever I am at Toa Payoh Central, but today was a day when we had to decide between a bowl of thick Cantonese-style porridge, or a claypot dish of braised meat with rice. 

We chose the latter. 

There are times when you want something warm and comforting, yet stimulating enough for your stomach, and today was one of them. 

Someone once told me to never underestimate a full bowl of rice.

I used to not understand.

But now, after having come to places where diners can get unlimited soup and unlimited rice, I get what they mean. 

At most places, one has to wait for the dish to be prepared and brought to your table before you can start to feed. 

Not here. 

At this place all you need to do is to place your order and you can go get your rice and soup. You don't have to wait for your dish to come. 

I like the feeling of having more than enough. 

And there is nothing more satisfying than seeing both of your dishes arrive at your table almost one after the other. 

If you're thinking that both dishes look really red, well, yes, they did. 

One of the best things about having Mainland cuisine is that you get to experience what they call the chili oil, chili, or Mala spice, to the degree that your taste buds can tahan. 

At most places you get to decide your level of spice, which, for me, is either zero, or one. 

I am not a chili person. 

But what makes these two dishes here interesting is that whilst they look really, really red, in truth they weren't really very spicy. 

You get the first spark, the first sharp intake of breath with the Mapo Tofu, but a couple of spoons in- with the help of rice- and you're good. 

The sight of these big, cube-shaped pieces of tofu bean curd bobbing about in the pot of bubbling gravy was actually delightful. 

There are places where they make the cubes of bean curd too small or too hard, none of these smooth silky stuff, so glad we were that not only were these pieces bouncy, bite-sized all of them were too. 

I loved how each piece felt so full, as if you could really taste the smooth of the bean curd mushed between your rice as it slid around your tongue.

The best part about Mapo Tofu that gives it the spark is the gravy. 

Rich with douban of fermented broad bean and chili paste, and douchi of fermented black beans, the gravy transformed what was originally a plain-tasting dish into one full of vibrance and flavor. 

This dish wasn't all vegetarian though. 

Mixed amidst all the red were bits of minced beef which I actually didn't notice but until much later and so spooned it together with my bean curd. 

I like Mapo Tofu. 

But the most memorable part of this meal (for me) however has to be the Hong Shao Rou. 

Not only was pork belly a dish that I had hardly ventured to try before, this was also a dish I had never had a chance to have. 

But the pictures here looked good. 

And I remembered the Mainland-style mukbang videos I'd seen on Facebook and Instagram. 

Hong Shao Rou is translated as Red Braised Pork Belly in English. A classic dish from China that features pieces of pork belly braised for long hours in a sauce of ginger, garlic, spices, star anise, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chili, and rice wine, it comes in many variations, with the most popular being the style hailing from Hunan. 

What exactly it is that gives the dish its signature bright red, I can't tell- it might be the spices, it might be the chilies- but I am pretty sure it were the rice wine that gave the dish a tangy burst the same way you'd have had you been drinking a glass of alcohol. 

I was absolutely charmed by the melt-in-the-mouth texture collagen of the pork belly. 

It felt exactly as how I had imagined it to be. 

Those videos always had the dish look so delicious and appetizing on camera, what with the rich red sauce, the big chonky pieces of pork belly, the hard boiled eggs, and the vegetables all soaked in a bright, cheerful red. 

This dish didn't have hard boiled chicken eggs. 

It had small, cute-looking quail eggs peeking out from the sea of gravy instead.

But I didn't mind. 

I love quail eggs however they are prepared, whether they are served savory or sweet, whether they are hard-boiled or grilled. 

And I can eat a good many of them. 

Niven Road: 2022

I had completely forgotten about this short little walk on Niven Road that I took way back in 2022 until a few weeks ago when I looked back at this folder and realized there were some pictures I hadn't properly edited with Photoshop. 

So here they are. 

Rain really does make everything look refreshed and beautiful, so much so that even gazing upon these pictures now evokes a quiet nudge in me even though I haven't been back to the area for a good many years. 

Will I say that I had nothing to do with this area?

No. 

The area has had, after all, a significant place in my life in more ways than one, never mind that it is more of the (now demolished) Peace Center rather than the Niven Road area where I was strolling along this rainy afternoon. 

What makes this area unique is her proximity to the MICE, financial, shopping and cultural districts of the country. 

It is not obvious at first thought, but you actually have access to most major business, leisure, and cultural services around you. 

On one side where the main road is, you have Selegie Road that connects the Little India of Serangoon Road to the YMCA at the foot of Fort Canning Hill. On the other side there is MacKenzie Road, and then further on, there is Middle Road. 

I can't say that Niven Road is a central sort of place but it is, I can say, like a gathering point along a trunk road kind of thoroughfare bringing people from one end of the country to another. 

From this one district alone you can get to the shopping belt of Orchard Road that is- technically- over the hill of Mount Sophia. You can also get to the cultural enclave of Little India via Selegie Road, and the cultural enclave of Bugis and Kampong Glam via Middle Road.

Not too far from here is Suntec City and City Hall on the south whereas the north leads you to Newton, Stevens, Dunearn Road, and the trunk road of Upper Bukit Timah all the way up to Woodlands and the Causeway. 

What's interesting is that she is somehow quiet, quaint and serene despite all the proximity. 

Taking a walk here gives you a sense of timelessness. 

Not in the way that time has stopped, but in the way that time manages to give you a glimpse of the past even as she moves on in the present. 

It is not difficult to imagine how this area felt like when the corner building at Sophia Road was still occupied by prominent Jewish family the Benjamins. It is also not difficult to imagine how the rest of Niven Road might have been, back in the 50s or 60s. 

The well-painted, well-maintained shop houses seem to look like they were from that era, and the well planted foliage outside the shop houses add to the whimsy and coziness that make up this entire space. 

My walk this afternoon I remember it to be a very serene one. 

For much of the time I was alone- no cars, no motorcycles, no pedestrians, no one walking their dogs. 

I held no preconceived expectations and just went along where my feet went and what my eyes saw. 

Perhaps there was the effect of a post afternoon rain, but I felt the serenity, nostalgia and the wee bit of longing that comes with places that have sought to retain their sense of time. 

They didn't want you to forget. 

And I suppose they never will. 

I haven't been back to the area since 2022.

I don't know if Niven Road has changed.

But I think she will stay, the same way Mount Emily stays. 

I know very little about Mount Emily or Mount Emily Park, save for the fact that there used to be a swimming pool. What kind of a pool it was, I too don't know, but my guess is that it might be of training pool size. 

The one thing about Mount Emily Park is that this is one spot of green that often seems forgotten, yet after all these years, there she still is, tucked above Niven Road, her slopes overlooking the flats of Tekka Center a short distance away. 

Being here in Singapore, it is impossible for us to assume that there will never be change, but honestly I hope they will continue to retain this park, and this historic spot of city green, for a long time to come. 

BatterCatch's Fish & Chips

Okay, so I have to write about this plate of fish and chips which in recent weeks I have had the chance to have whenever I am at NEX Shopping Mall.

If you're wondering what's so special about this dish, it is simply this: On the day to day there are many foods that excite me. On some days, however, there are foods which, after first try, end up delighting me more. 

One thing you must know about me is that between the battered and breaded fish of Fish & Chips, I like the battered more.

Except that there don't seem to many places offering battered fish at gorgeous prices, and even if there are, I don't know where they are, or how to find them. 

So imagine how excited I was when, whilst trying to decide what to have for a post-caregiving dinner, I came across halal-certified BatterCatch at one end of the shopping mall close to the fast food section of KFC and Burger King. 

You might wonder what it was that first attracted me. 

(Not gonna lie) The price.

And the poster. 

Someone in the Marketing Department had looked at posters here, there, everywhere, and decided that a bit of Islander, South Californian, Australian vibe on would be best to attract the eye of the hungry, hunting diner. 

Tell the truth, he or she wasn't wrong. 

Many of us are now in phases of life where there are days which we can do with some visual cheer. 

But it wasn't only the poster that sparked something up in me. 

It was also their menu.  

Amongst all the mains they offered, besides the star of Fish & Chips, there was Crab Linguine, Batter Chicken with Chips, Sirloin Steak with Saute Kenya Beans, and Salmon with Homemade Coleslaw. Smaller mains included Shepherd's Pie, BatterCatch Fish Pie, and Macaroni & Cheese in either Shellfish or Truffle. 

When we first visited, I thought I might want the Salmon with Homemade Coleslaw, but then the sight of the fish being served at the next table won me over. 

Same thing too I had thought I might consider a Macaroni & Cheese with Truffle, but I wondered if it would end up being too full a meal for me. 

Their sides were similarly attractive. 

One might have thought that in a place like this, they would only offer only coleslaw or fries, but no, there was a dish of Buttery Mashy Pea, a dish of Green Pea Mash, Toasted Baguette with Olive Oil, Saute Kenya Beans, and something called Crispy Parmesan Corn Ribs. 

I was particularly attracted by that last one. 

Maybe I'll order it to share another time. 

I don't mind sharing the sides, but the fish, I'm not really sure I'd want. 

I mean, look at it. 

Look at the size of the fish.

And the delicious batter wrapped so snugly around it. 

Three times I have come here, three times I have ordered the very same dish, and not one time has it been that the fish has never been served hot, the batter has never been crispy, the fish inside dry, nor the batter lack of flavor. 

Doesn't even matter whether I have the haddock, the halibut, the dory or the barramundi. 

The dory fish alone is already so good.

What's more, their fish comes served with brown sauce and tartar sauce. 

Which I don't actually take.

But since it would be a tremendous pity not to have the sauces, especially with them being so good, I often dip a sliver of the soft, white fish meat in them, alternating between the brown and the tartar. 

The tartar is thick and creamy, with a little bit of onion somewhere. 

The brown has a hint of vinegar, if I'm not wrong- I don't know.

But both go as well with the soft white meat of the fish same as the green pea mash goes well with the fish too. 

Fish and green pea mash eaten together taste surprisingly good. 

Maybe one day I will do a combined order of Dory Fish & Chips (all for myself), an order of Buttery Mashy Pea, an order of the Crispy Parmesan Corn Ribs, and a Lychee Lagoon Tea. 

Only thing is, will I be too full? 

(More) ChaletYums

So this is a little difficult to believe, but out of the eight months I have been here, I've only written about the food we eat at home twice. 

Two times.

That's it.

Two times in the course of almost eight months is all I have written. 

How is it possible? 

How is it possible that there has been so meagre I have written? 

Is it because I find some of it difficult to look at?

Is it because during the past few months my heart has not been ready to look at these plain but beautiful plates without feeling a bit of a pang in heart? 

But the time has come that one must, and has to be, thankful.  

It is not because of an obligation.

It is because every single plate here is a reminder that there is a Being who loves me, who provides me with enough manna, who reminds me to live day by day and not worry, who provides me with the help from kind souls when I do need, and who is Faithful according to His Word and His heart.

So here they are.

You know, one thing that I am very glad for is that every plate looks, and feels, different from each other.

Yes, it does take a bit of creativity from time to time, but that is what makes each plate unique, and special on its own.

There are plates here that hold roast chicken bought from the Cold Storage downstairs. Different times, different chicken, but what we do is to split the full sized roast chicken into two, and then, after we've eaten our fill (usually the thighs and wings) keep the breast meat into a box, and cook it a day or so after. 

The chef gets creative when it comes to cooking the breast meat of the chicken. Sometimes there's an egg. Sometimes there's a bit of frozen spinach. Sometimes there's rice with a cupful of chopped onions on the top. But the breast meat always holds the combination of oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce and the like. 

Some plates here hold frozen minced chicken. 

Again the chef gets creative. 

Most of the minced chicken comes with rice, but sometimes there are mushrooms, and I like to add a smattering of mixed herbs that I feel make the plate look happier, and nicer. 

We have had a meal of wagyu beef patty with some leftover vegetables from another meal at the side. What meal that was, I now don't remember, but there was a bit of chicken filet, a single cherry tomato, and some steamed broccoli. The star of this plate was the wagyu beef patty and the homemade truffle mayo sauce that we stirred to eat together with the meat. 

One doesn't think much about it, but having a shallow-fried beef patty all soft and melty and easy to eat really does make for a wonderful, satisfying dinner and an extra memorable meal. 

It isn't all about the blue plates, however.

Past few months too has seen me have a lot of bowls. 

A lot of instant noodle bowls.

Seldom has there been a season in my life where I have that many noodle bowls all at a go. 

Not even when I had bigger packets of Nissin Ramen or Korean Ramyun in the house. 

So this makes for a bit of a season to look back on, and be thankful. 

Instant noodles are, after all, one of the best go-to meals for just about anyone who wants, and needs, to have something solid in their tummies at any time of the day. I don't know how it is with everyone- different people have different preferences- but noodles fill me with a sense of warmth, make me feel like I have eaten something, and leave me feeling more full than before. 

All of my noodles this season are either Myojo or Indomie. 

I eat them dry most of the time, save for one bowl which the chef made specially for me on an evening when I was particularly hungry. 

It is a memorable bowl, one made with soup- I think there was fish sauce and oyster sauce and sesame oil, and he also threw into the pot minced chicken from the freezer. 

My dry noodles are made much simpler. 

What I do is to throw in as much of the packet oil (chili oil etc) as possible, add a little bit of sesame oil, and then stir in as much of mixed herbs as I want to. The herbs don't do a lot, but because I don't put in the MSG seasoning, there is just that extra green taste which does not overwhelm the entire bowl or spoil the light spicy taste of the chili oil. 

More Dessert from Ruxu

Been hanging around this lovely dessert place in Funan the IT Mall a few times in the last couple of days, and can I say that this is one of the most unique places to actually sit and chill in? 

The vibe here is not easy to describe, not easy to pin down. 

First feels of the place make you think of a traditional Chinese tea house. 

But give it a while, and you will soon realize that beneath the obvious, surface vibe of a tea house lies an energy that simmers with sincere smiles, cheerful giggles, chuckling laughter, and heartfelt conversation. 

That energy you don't actually sense at first, but place your orders, grab a small cup of water, and it will come. 

I should know.

When I first visited I had thought it to be a place serving up traditional teas (albeit in a glass pot) but then I looked at the menu and realized how far off the mark I was.

Yes, there are traditional, familiar desserts served here at Ruxu, but how they make it is that they don't stick with the old-school flavors. Instead they mix and match it to the degree where you get a perfect blend of both. 

Three different times we've come here.

Three different bowls of desserts we have had.

Recent times have seen me either want a bowl of pistachio cream, or a bowl of what they call the Fresh Milk Ultimate Mix. 

I don't know whether it is the Cantonese in me that appreciates this Cantonese-style of preparation, but if there is anything that will keep me patronizing this place here again and again, it is these two.

Both are so good, I tell you. 

Pistachio cream, or pistachio paste, is one of the newer introductions in this country. Not as common as, say, walnut paste, peanut paste or black sesame paste, there aren't that many places that offer this richly flavored, slightly salty, slightly sweet dessert. 

The texture of the paste here is intense, thick, rich, very smooth, almost like how Cantonese-style porridge is were it not a dessert with the fresh, charming color of green. 

I am not joking when I say this pistachio paste was one of the thickest I had ever had. So thick was it that I could almost feel the finely ground pistachio nut underneath my tongue. 

First taste of it on the tip of your tongue was just salty, nothing less, nothing more. 

You didn't taste the pistachio- not yet- but then all of a sudden, just as the paste began to slide down your tongue to the back of your throat, there it was, hitting your taste buds right on the dot. 

And then it didn't go away.

It lingered, staying on your tongue and becoming more enhanced as you ate spoon after spoon more. 

I loved how unusual, and rich, the taste of pistachio was.

Made me feel like it could have been a full meal, albeit a sugary one. 

That is quite the charm of the desserts here at Ruxu, actually.

You don't think about it much- not when you're staring at the bakes and wondering just whether they should be just a snack or a full meal.

But then you order this Fresh Milk Ultimate Mix, and then you realize it is more than just another post-meal dessert. 

It can be a meal all on its own. 

Never mind that milk alone is already very filling. 

In the bowl there are heaps of soft lotus seeds, all which make for a gentle crunch, big chunks of grass jelly that literally bounce around in the milk, peach gum jelly that I always say is the cheerful version of collagen, and taro balls that aren't sphere-shaped but are more like pillows which give off the best chew. 

I love this dessert. 

I love it enough that I don't mind coming back for it as much as I can.

But then there are the baked bites.

Like the caramel custard tart that is an egg tart actually surrounded with soft, flaky, buttery pastry so good that you want to have it more and more. 

And the Walnut & Pistachio Cheese Brioche that I saw the other day and thought I might want to have, but decided that the matcha bun might be a tad better. 

By the way, Ruxu is not just a place that serves up traditional desserts with a modern twist.

It also serves up traditional desserts with its original taste and original flavors. 

I had this bowl of peach gum jelly once. 

Reminded me very much of all the other peach gum desserts I had elsewhere, complete with the light, sweet, clean taste, the soft but chewy lotus seeds, the crunchy white fungus, and the distinctive jelly chew. 

Donburi Bowls @ Bras Basah

My friend recommended this place to me a couple of months ago. 

He was very excited when talking about it, which, at first, made me wonder, but it did not take me long to discover just why a couple of Japanese donburi bowls could get a person thrilled enough to keep sharing about the meal. 

I don't know the name of this donburi stall, but you'll find it snug between two Mainland Chinese stalls in this recently renovated coffee shop at the edge of Bras Basah Complex. It is a competitive spot, this place. Opposite this stall there is a chap cai png stall, a Teochew fishball noodles stall, a Thai food stall, a Japanese ramen stall and right at the corner, a zichar stall. 

Perhaps that is why the stall owners are deliberate about the food they serve. 

Everything here is carefully calibrated, carefully planned.

Having a meal from this stall isn't just about the size of the donburi bowl, or the price you pay for it. 

There is a lot more. 

We had two different donburi bowls when my friend and I came here for dinner one evening.

First one we took was a Salmon Sashimi Donburi bowl. 

The other was a Katsudon bowl. 

Something I have to admit- I am not very good with names of Japanese dishes- more often than I not I go by sight more than name, so I don't really know what the name of this bowl is up above. 

What I can tell you, however, is that above the huge heap of rice inside the bowl, on one side there is a substantial portion of salmon sashimi nicely cut into cubes. Next to it, there is a bit of shredded seaweed followed by a generous dollop of Mentaiko sauce, and then finally a small serving of radish pickles. 

In the middle of it all is a perfectly poached egg. 

We were sharing this bowl, my friend and I, so we got ourselves two empty sharing plates to divide the food up. First, the pickles came over to my side (my friend doesn't take pickles). The cubes of salmon sashimi we separated into portions of two. And finally it were the rice.

The pickles were wonderful.

They opened the palate, they went well with the rice, and even the seaweed, which although did get a little bit soggy, made for a little hint of taste as well. 

The sashimi, no need to say, was good. 

Fresh and cold with a firm chew, the cubes were actually still a little chilled when I ate them with a tiny dip of the Mentaiko sauce. I had some of the cubes with the sauce. I had some of the cubes plain, no sauce whatsoever, just the fish on its own. 

When it came to the Katsu Donburi bowl, my friend and I did the same thing as well. 

The pieces of katsu from the top of the bowl we put onto our respective plates, the rice, we kept in the bowl.

There might be some people who find the katsu underwhelming. 

To them it looks like nothing more than a piece of pork filet covered with batter and deep fried. 

But I find it good. 

Many places tend to make the batter either too thick or too thin. 

Not so here. 

Here there was no piece that was difficult to chew.

Neither was there a piece with a batter so thin it slid off the meat when you picked it up with your chopsticks. 

It was quite clear that the stall people didn't compromise on the thickness of batter, the crunch of the little crumbs, or the taste of it. 

The pork, together with the Mentaiko sauce (very generous, too, by the way) made the meal feel like a very substantial one.

One that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

I loved the crunch of the batter.

I loved the slight but gentle chew of the pork. 

Both of them went together so well. 

There were a lot of tiny little batter pieces scattered all over my plate after I finished the meat. But they didn't go to waste. I scooped them up with my spoon and added them to a spoonful of rice. 

They made for additional, crunchy texture. 

Braised Duck Rice @ Geylang

We don't come to this area very often. 

Well, at least, not as much as we used to.

So, since it becomes somewhat of a purposeful trip every time we drop into Geylang, we make sure we make time to go eat what we want to eat. 

The last time we came here we tried out one of the BKT places on Lorong 11.

Today we decided on the braised duck.

Now, I am not very familiar with what makes a good braised duck, and all- most of the time I just eat- but if there is a place that serves up a pretty good one, Sean Kee here would be it. 

This isn't my first rodeo here, by the way.

My friend had recommended it to me many moons ago. 

And no wonder. 

But first, the stall itself is not difficult to find. 

Just look out for it at corner coffee shop Sin Huat Eating House at the junction of Lorong 35. If you're still not sure where the coffee shop is, look out for the store next to it. 

Let's digress a little bit from braised duck rice. 

I am always intrigued by the number of (what I think are) steel rods in the store. At first glance, the store might seem to be a little rough and tumble with gloves, cloths, parts, and all kinds of paraphernalia everywhere, but there has to be some sort of structured organization if one wants quick access to the many categories of rods sitting snug in their individual square cubicles.

The lorry parked by the side of the curb cannot be parked there too long. 

Perhaps this is one of the charms that Geylang, or at least this zone, has. 

You might think they are messy and chaotic. 

That anything and everything goes with them. 

But there is a system. 

There is a structure not obvious at first sight, but unveils itself gradually as you linger and look closer.

Come to think of it, that's also how it is for this braised duck rice.

There are some people who might take one look at this plate and find it untidy. 

But give it a while, look a little closer, and you'll soon see that there is a structure, an arrangement, to everything.

It is not a complicated plate. 

Spread across the entire bottom of the plate is a bed of bean sprouts that soaks up all the gravy. Above it is a single portion of rice, and above that still then comes the single portion of braised duck. At the side, neatly placed, are the cucumber slices.

Looking at this picture now, I wonder if there is a specific technique to how people eat their duck rice.

Like, do they have the meat together with the rice in one spoon, or do they have the rice separately from the meat, like one spoon rice, one spoon meat etc.?

Me, actually, I like to have the rice on its own, followed by a piece of the duck. The yam-scented rice reveals its own clean, dry texture. The duck has its own flavor. 

But today's plate  came to the table with a generous serving of gravy slathered over everything, rice, duck, bean sprouts, all.

Not that I minded- it didn't change the taste of the duck. 

On the other hand, it actually complemented the sauce quite well, and made the meat feel less dry. 

My favorite part about this duck here was how excellently deboned it was. 

Maybe it had something to do with the stall being of a heritage nature.

Maybe it was just how the duck was prepared.

I don't really know. 

But, as someone terrified of finding bones in the duck meat, here, I didn't have to worry that I might find them inside, I didn't have to worry if there would be any in each piece, or- horror of horrors- if there would be any sharp hidden bits that hadn't been removed. 

Here, each sliced piece was tender yet firm, easy to eat. 

Not just that, the fat and skin were rather well balanced. 

Some pieces do have a little bit more fat than the others but the whole duck had been braised so well that I didn't actually taste the fat at all. It easily slid under the rich, thick, slightly sweet braised sauce and disappeared. 

The only thing about this plate today was that I didn't have much space to really appreciate the gravy. Generous, evenly spread out all over the plate, you could have as much burst of flavors with every bite. 

Perhaps next time I come I'll see if both of us can have half a duck instead of our own individual plates. That way we'll get to feel the rich, thick, sweetness wrapped around the duck, the cucumber, the tofu or the braised egg.

But that shall have to be another day. 

Fried Chicken Wings

A recent craze for fried chicken- fried chicken wings, actually- has made me realize I really ought to write a little about it. 

We all know fried chicken.

It is one of those universal dishes that anyone and everyone can eat. 

That is, unless you're a vegetarian or a vegan or can't, or won't eat meat. 

Other than that, be it you are kosher or halal, on a diet or not, fried chicken is one of those dishes that appeals to people of all ages and there is no letting up about it. 

Different cultures do their chicken differently. 

Some like it plain and simple, no batter, nothing, just drop into oil and let it fry. 

Others, however, will have varying styles of batter, some of which will be thick as others will be peel-off thin. 

Not to mention, there is also the marination and seasoning to consider. 

I know of people who love chicken in its own flavor without too much of seasoning. But I also know of people who prefer flavors when it comes to having fried chicken, and they love it when their chicken comes heavily seasoned with paprika, rosemary, cajun or even red pepper. 

I don't have that many pictures of fried chicken for this year, actually. 

I just have four- and all are pictures of fried chicken wings. 

The first one on top comes from the stall in the coffee shop at 80 Marine Parade. 

It's not one of the best but it does have a nice crunch to the batter and the dry style reminds me of the spring chicken meals I used to have at the Western food stalls in the hawker centers and coffee shops elsewhere. 

If you're counting calories, this stall of chicken wings at Marine Parade, I'd say you might consider.

But, I can't say the same of the chicken wings from this stall at Blk 75 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh Food Center. 

These are so good. 

How we discovered Da Ji, I don't know. 

I think we just got drawn in by the long queue one particular evening and, in typical fashion of how a Singaporean makes food choices, decided to go try.

One thing I can say about these chicken wings on their white-pink plate is that they will make you understand what it means when food connoisseurs say that the batter has to have the right thickness, the marination has to be balanced, and the wings have to be fresh from the wok newly fried. 

All three factors make a whole load of difference, I tell you.

It would be nice if I could describe with expert knowledge how the stall owners prepare their wings, but I don't. 

I only know how to eat.

And I only know that the batter, sealed so perfectly over the chicken skin, gives you that crisp and crunch every time you take a bite out of it. 

Not only that, the meat of the chicken is tender, easy to eat, and falls right off the bone. There are no odd parts at the corners that you have to pull off with your teeth. The meat drops off the bone clean. 

The best part of this chicken wing has to be the marinade. 

What it is, I don't know- GPT didn't hint on it, or maybe I didn't prompt- but one thing for sure, theirs is an old-school marinade, one that reminds you of those chicken wings sold at the canteen of your primary school, one that keeps customers coming back day after day in the evening waiting patiently in the queue for their turn to order. 

It is a big deal that the chicken is served hot, by the way.

They're best when eaten fresh and they don't feel greasy or oily either. 

I like that the oil doesn't linger on your hands or your lips but simply disappears, along with the batter and the skin and the meat. 

We've come to Da Ji here at Lorong 5 Toa Payoh a couple of times just for these wings (with rice), but honestly, two pieces are never enough. 

Perhaps one day I should just go ballistic and do it the Korean way. 

Grab a bottle of Coke, tabao five of them in their paper bag, find a table at the nearby void deck, and just binge.