It was the perfect getaway, a Hawker Safari made for Facebook postings –
What I Ate Today.
Indian Rojak, Popiah and Pie Tee, Giant Fishcake Noodles, Kaya Toast, Fried Prawn Noodles, Bah Kut Teh.
After coupla tareks (kopi, teh, Milo) at ShangriLa Hotel’s magnificent Lobby Court, a high-class bus took us round the island on a hunt for the hawkers who are going to anchor Hawker Heritage – The Next Chapter, a dinner buffet at The Line for two nights only, 21 & 28 September.
The unique promotion highlights the next generation of Singapore hawkers’ food culture. A sack of flour, 400 eggs, 5 kilos of garlic, American pork belly, enough bread loaves to build a Hansel & Gretel house, 40-year-old recipes….. Some of the back stories of the hawkers we met.
Mr Habib Mohamed is second-generation and helms the Indian Rojak started by his father.
- What you may not know – there are 24 items in traditional Indian Rojak, which was brought here by Indian immigrants from the Takala region.
- Minimum order of S$3 required. A piece is S$0.60.
- He’s in Block 503 West Coast Drive.
The 75-year-old Kway Guan Huat original popiah & pie tee in Joo Chiat is in its fourth generation.
- Founded by the Quek family from Fujian. The second and third generation Queks front the shop famous for its popiah skin and pie tee shells, its fourth generation, although holding down professional day jobs in pharmaceuticals and technology and accounting, help out on weekends. It was the first generation wife who came up with the idea of pie tee shells, so as not to waste leftover dough from making enough popiah skins.
- 95 Joo Chiat Road.
The young couple Joanne and Daniel continue the legacy set up by Joanne’s father in giant fishcakes and fishball noodles.
- J&D are graduates of Bradford University in UK but put their degree in biomedical sciences on hold to pursue their entrepreneurial spirit running their mee pok stall. The snaking queues confirm their right decision.
- Ru Ji Kitchen is at Blk 51 Old Airport Road Food Centre.
One of the younger hawkers is Melvin Soh, at 29, who runs his own Toast Hut serving customised kaya (less sugar) and traditional home brewed coffee (father’s recipe). Mother helps out at the busy stall.
- Toast Hut is at Blk 51 Old Airport Road Food Centre.
The youngest hawker is 23-year-old Terence Lee.
- He learned his cooking craft from a master hawker and perfected his fried prawn noodles after four years. It is one of the best you’ll eat, for its consistency and texture and “wetness”. His particular prawns are imported from Thailand.
- Xiao Di is at Blk 153 Serangoon North Avenue.
Rong Cheng Bah Kut Teh is a wonderful find smack in Midview City.
- The industrial factory area is in Sin Ming Lane and has a bright spacious atmosphere long wide and deep. The 39-year-old Lionel Lim revolutionised the local bah kut teh scene 20 years ago by using loin rib and keeping the soup clear by not adding soya sauce to the broth.
- The marketing graduate from an Australian university is the only one to serve floral tea with his specialty dish.
- Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh is at 26 Sin Ming Lane.
Make your reservation at The Line now, for the 21 & 28 September dinners only. “Hawker Heritage – The Next Chapter” features nine young hawkers from six famous eateries. S$78 for adults and S$36 for children from 6pm to 10.30pm. Call +6562134398 or email dining.sls@shangri-la.com for reservations.
