Hong Lim Food Centre (Chinatown)

Ah, Hong Lim Food Centre. My favourite food haunt, and usually the first place I go to whenever I come back to Singapore for the holidays. I come every other day during my holidays, even though I have to travel half the country away to get here. With so many renowned hawkers all under one roof, how can I stay away?

Well, one (minute) reason is the queue, from all the commercial buildings surrounding this hawker centre. Lunch hour is 11-1.30, so be prepared to queue for at least 45 minutes if you come in this time frame. I like coming in the morning just before 10am, just so I avoid queuing. 

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee
Located on the 2nd floor. Opens 6am to 4.30pm, Closed Sun and PH

Possibly my most frequented store in Hong Lim. It's the default stall I go to in Hong Lim, unless I have a craving for something else. I come in the morning, when there is no queue and I can get my order within a minute. Queue starts around 10.30, and only gets longer from this time onwards until 2pm. Best fried Kway Teow Mee I ever had, with an incomparable wok hei taste.  

Tai Wah (大華) Bak Chor Mee
Located on the 2nd floor (right across Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee)

Miss XS's favourite store in the entire food centre. I used to hate Bak Chor Mee, and this is the one that changed my mind. But I tried Bak Chor Mee at a few other renowned stores nearby (not naming names), which were all such terrible experiences. Really. Sorry. Tai Wah is the only one I like.  

Guangdong 小吃
Located on the 2nd floor 
Closed on Mondays.

The store that I like most, and not just for the food. The ham-sum couple were former air steward and stewardess, and makes for a good-looking pair. The store technically opens by 10.30, though when I sometimes reach early around 9.30-ish, he'll start preparing and cooking for my order. I would frequent more, but now they always seem to be closed when I go...

I love their Curry Fried Chicken Cutlet Noodles, Wonton Noodles, and Sui Jiao Noodles. (My favourite is Sui Jiao noodles, and ask to add char siew.) They are very generous with their portions, and adding 50c would get you a long row of char siew (roasted BBQ pork). I have concluded that they are too nice to make money from customers. 

Update! After much prompting from everybody in my life, I have finally tried their Laksa Yong Tau Foo. It comes with a generous amount of crispy yong tau foo over a rich, rich, rich broth of laksa soup. Together with our extra order of fried chicken cutlet ($1), it pretty much was the best meal I had in a long time. These guys deserve a Michelin too. 

Price: 
$3.50 for most dishes
$4 for Fried Chicken Noodles
50c for additional char siew (Update! As of 2016, it's now $1)
$1 for additional Wontons/Sui Jiao/fried chicken cutlets

Black N Gold Coffee Stop

I love this stall! It's a recent addition to Hong Lim's second storey. They serve lattes, cappucinos and all Western-style coffees. It's a cool little stall decorated a la hipsters. A small cup of latte goes for $3, and the large cup is $4.20. It's the cheapest lattes I've seen in Singapore, it's convenient to get to from the MRT, and it's a pretty decent cuppa, and the option to upsize my coffee earns it extra love. They source locally-roasted coffee beans, and grind the beans when you tell them your order. A latte from these baristas sits comfortably around average in Melbournian standards, which is still pretty darn good. The large Lattes  that I always get come with milky undertones - not as strong as I like, but at that price, they get no complaints from me. 

Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist
Located on the 2nd floor

So popular, they operate from three consecutive stores. Came in first in the Wanton Mee category for "Favourite Hawker", and gathered the most votes across all participants. I prefer the wontons from Guangdong 小吃, so I usually don't order any of their wontons, but I like their Soya Sauce Chicken Noodles. The noodles here are much chewier than other wanton mees... cooked al dente? 

Don't wanna be a grammar nazi, but I believe their signboard has a spelling error?

Lee Kheong Roast Delicacy

Located on the 2nd floor, right beside Tai Wah Bak Chor Mee

Another popular store which enjoys brisk business. Quite renowned too; Ieatishootipost did a review of the store before. I ordered Roast Duck rice with additional char siew, and I didn't find the dish particularly impressive: the meat so-so, and in such small quantities (I count 5 pieces of roast duck. Really? Do people just normally eat just that alongside a huge mount of rice?) And the rice wasn't fragrant, just steamed rice with gravy. But judging by the queue day in and day out, my unhappy experience is probably the outlier. 

Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee/Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodles
Located on the 2nd floor/Located on the 1st floor. 

From Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee (2nd floor)

There are two curry chicken noodles in Hong Lim, both extremely popular with the office crowd. 

2nd floor

1st floor

I'm not much for spicy food because my tolerance is really pathetic. Honestly, I can't tell the difference between the two stores, but people with a greater tolerance for heat assured me once I get past the spiciness of the broth, there is a difference in taste. Judging by the snaking queues in front of both stalls, the preference is left to the individual and there's plenty of supporters on both sides.

They open from 10.30am onwards, and the queue starts immediately. 

Ma Bo Lor Mee
Located on the 2nd floor. 

I'm not a Lor Mee fan, but I see this stall is very popular. Come lunch hour, and this place would have a long queue. I like their fried fish, and they let me skip the queue the last time I ordered, because all I wanted was their fish. 

Tuck Kee Ipoh Sah Hor Fun (德记怡保沙河粉)
Located on the 2nd floor

Another famous store here good for their crayfish Hor fun. It's a little on the expensive side, but they enjoy a big following. 

Kaya Kaya
Located on the 1st floor

One of my favorite places to get a Kopitiam-style coffee. It's a little pricier than its competitors at $1.10, and the cup is a little small. But the uncle behind the counter has kopitiam-coffee skills, and the coffee is just-right every time I order. 

Just don't expect him to smile at you, and don't be surprised if he turns his back on you mid-sentence when you try telling him your orders. Or as my sister found out, don't hold your breath for an apology if he messes up your toast order. Just be happy he doesn't curse you out. 

Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa
Located on the 2nd floor

IeatIshootIpost did a write-up here, so I'll put the link here cause I'm lazy. Besides, it's always closed whenever I come by in the morning. Heh. 

Xi De Li 

They sell fried stuff. Enough said. They used to have a branch in Clementi market, but recently they have always been closed. I used to love their Butterfly Fritters and You Tiao. (This stall has won awards for their You Tiao.) Avoid the Banana Fritters here, which are dry and oily. 

Selegie Beancurd: 
Update. Has since closed down in late 2014.
Located on the 2nd floor

The best traditional beancurd I have ever had. Rocher Road whassit? Smooth and slightly sweet. Perfect for tea-breaks without breaking the bank. Or for an after-lunch dessert. Or for mid-morning snacks. 

Other Stalls Around Hong Lim
Nine Fresh Desserts Taiwan (Chinatown Point)

Basement of Chinatown Point

Famous for 
Miss XS highly recommends it, as do I: the price is simply unbeatable. 

Unlike most other dessert places, there is no place to sit and eat. But as long as they maintain the price at  $2.50 a bowl (and the portion size is big enough for two!), I don't mind standing. I always do ask for more taro balls (6 for 60c), but it's worth it. 

Barcook Bakery
Located just across Hong Lim Food Centre. 
Famous for 
Their Cream Cheese Raisin bun ($1.60) is the real OG. 

Poh Guan Cake House
Located just across Hong Lim Food Centre. 

Famous for 
Their traditional chinese pastries. Honestly, the only thing I ever tried was the Green Pea Cookies. They have two kinds: ask for the larger ones with bigger pea crumbs. They go for $16 a box, and I eat plenty every Chinese New Year. 

Thye Moh Chan

Located at Chinatown Point. Very expensive for Chinese pastries, but they sell some of the best ones that have crossed my lips. I'm a big fan of their salty 豆沙饼 (tau sar piah - $1.70/apiece), which have the flakiest skin. They also sell a yuanyang flavoured 豆沙饼, which is sweet and salty. 

Hock Lam Beef Noodles
Located at Far East Square, along the same street with Nam Seng Wanton Mee (below)

Quite pricey for Singapore, I think it was about $7 per pax when I went a few years ago


Nam Seng Wanton Mee
Located at Far East Square, next to the Evolve gym. 
Famous for Wanton mee, and Venison hor fun. 

The face of the owner adorns Chinatown MRT's doors with the tagline "Hustling since 1965." The last time I came, it was late in the evening and the stall helper told me they had insufficient wanton for my order. The old lady (the owner) overheard her and quickly pushed her out of the way and told me "It's always been just this amount." As I left the stallfront, I could still hear the owner ranting at the staff. 

I really got hustled. Good food tho. 


Mr Teh Tarik Cartel
Located at Far East Square, Near Nam Seng Wanton Mee
Famous for 
I like the Iced Teh Tarik ($2), and the Teh-cino ($2.20), which comes in a tea layer above the milk layer. They are sweet at first, so wait for the ice cubes to melt a little. 



(Updated Feb 2018)