Tokyo (東京烧), Ayer Rajah Food Centre

I've heard mentions of Tokyo (Stall #58 Ayer Rajah Food Centre, 503 West Coast Drive) for a while and we've finally made our way down. They're one of a few, I think, Chinese bbq seafood stalls at Ayer Rajah Food Centre. Speaking of barbeque, the ventilation system of this food centre could really do with upgrades.

From impressions, their barbequed sambal stingray are a thing to get here. Flavours pretty good but the texture isn't as defined and moist as I had imagined. For fresh barbequed stingray that is. Some parts were a little stiff and others just a little bit mushy. Probably frozen meat. Portions weren't big for $20.

Gong gongs (strombus turturella) were nice. Love the chewiness on the meat. They also had this deep seafood flavour that one can get from mock abalones. The accompanying creamy limey sambal was outstanding.

Nicely done barbecued squids which weren't overly chewy.

These guys also stir fried a mean plate of nai bai and mushrooms. Faint bits of scorching, great garlic flavour and a telling crunch to the vegetables.

McGriddling in 2024

Feels like they've shrunk. I remember McGriddles being somewhat more substantial. I also remember saying this. The hotcake buns appear to be dryer today and I'm not tasting the "maple syrup" much. Didn't get any serviettes for a takeaway. They're operating on the cheap it seems cutting everything they can get away with. It's otherwise a guilty pleasure that gets more expensive by the year.

Revisiting the Ru Ji Kitchen (如記小厨) next door

Another round at the next door from the original Ru Ji Kitchen (如記小厨) for a $5 bak chor mee breakfast. Also just posting a picture for comparison to the last round. Umami, spicy and satisfying bowl.

Quackhead with sesame bagel from Two Men Bagel House

Two Men Bagel House ( 一, 二, 三, 四, 五, 六, 七, 八, 九, 十, 十一, 十二, 十三, 十四, 十五, 十六, 十七, 十八, 十九) have a few duck bagels going on for their specials in March. This was Quackhead in sesame bagel from the Tanjong Pagar shop.

The ingredient list was smoked duck breast, apple arugula salad, candied pecans, horseradish creme and Gouda. While it didn't taste like the combination of flavour I imagined, I did end up enjoying it. Especially so for the sweet candied pecans. Did not taste horseradish anything or the cheese though.

A week later......

Came back a week later to get the same bagel again. The horseradish creme was pretty mild. Still not getting the cheese.

A. Rashid Khan, Ayer Rajah Food Centre

I was recommended A. Rashid Khan (Stall #58 Ayer Rajah Food Centre, 503 West Coast Drive) which does kambing soup, roti john and mee siam. What was worth the recommendation about this particular mee siam you might wonder. There's tongue. 😜 Delicious tender muttony chunks of lamb tongue which are part of options for their mee siam - an "obvious but not obvious to many" combination since it's just part of what they're serving for the kambing soup. There's a lamb ribs option too which I'm keen on for a next time. Gravy's sweet, a little nutty and has a bit of heat from their sambal. Not bad.

O.BBa Jjajang Express, Clementi

These guys (450 Clementi Ave 3, #01-271) are by O.BBa Jjajang. No Koreans running the stall apparently.

Menu has a sacheun jjajangmyeon which looked interesting. Sacheun I'm guessing is Sichuan.

The real McCoy looked disappointingly like some sort of tomato noodles. The product photo was definitely deliberate misrepresentation by O.BBa Jjajang. Their social media picture communicated angry red and burning heat - a hue that entertained the possibility of a base of robust fermented bean in the sauce.

But no. The sauce was sweet and spicy. What jjajang? What fried sauce? In spite of that inherent flavour, it ultimately tasted thin and hadn't the depth from even the regular jjajangmyeon from their restaurant. Felt hollow and unsatisfying. Will not come back.

 Fortunately we could still get supplements from next door.