La Petite Cuisine at Upper Thomson

I hardly eat out these days, especially at fine dining establishments. The prices that are being charged these days are bordering on madness, and I don't blame it on the owners either.

Rentals have skyrocketed to a ridiculous rate that most owners these days have to cover that aspect, and that means food prices have to go up as well. Well, blame it on you know who.

Zhen Ming Prawn Noodles

Sometimes, there are surprises around the corner when you least expect it, and just this week, one of these gems just simply popped out of nowhere, and is in fact, quite near to where I stay.

Out of one part of Ang Mo kio, is this humble little hawker stall that serves, IMHO, the best prawn noodles, better than the Bedok one that I recently raved about.

Zhen Ming actually started in Tampines before moving to Serangoon and finally, landed here just on the outskirts of Keban Bahru.

The owner, William Chan, was kind enough to share with me that he has been constantly improving his recipe over the years, and was quick to point out that his present dish is far different from his original prawn noodles. And so much better.

Black Sugar Cane

One of the key ingredients is the use of black sugar cane to flavor his prawn stock, as opposed to rock sugar which many other hawkers use. Black sugar cane elicits a more natural sweetness and he was very proud to say that he does not use any form of MSG at all.

In addition, he also use a hen for his stock and includes red dates to balance the flavors, and this is in addition to the classic use of pork ribs.

Prawn Noodles Soup

So what was the verdict? Well, it was simply incredible. From the first spoon of prawn broth until the last, the whole dish was addictive and unstoppable. Well it had less of a prawn flavor, I actually preferred this balance of pork and prawn flavors, and the beautiful color of the soup clearly verified how good this stock was.

It was robust, flavorsome and just the right amount of natural sweetness that came together in a perfect brew. The prawns were also nicely cooked and generous. And the pork ribs were actually Brazilian sourced.

Unlike Australian pork, Brazilian pork had a lighter color and a more tender bite and a better fat content that almost matched the best prime ribs in bak kut teh. And yes, he cooked it under low heat to create the perfect pork texture.

Dry Version

The dry version was less spectacular, but that was because it did not have the impact of the spectacular broth to flavor the noodles, but still, it was hearty and robust and you simply cannot go wrong with the wonderful pork ribs from Brazil, soup or dry.

Forget the Adam roads, the Blancos, the Hoe Nams, the best prawn noodle is here. Blanco has been overrated and the prawn stock has nothing when compared to Zhen Ming, and Mr Chan has a true passion for making his prawn noodles, and that itself is more than admirable.

Unless there is another more passionate hawker than Mr Chan when it comes to this classic Singapore dish, my vote goes to Zhen Ming.

Zhen Ming
Blk 162, Ang Mo Kio Ave 4
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Cooking the Perfect Steak at Home - Ribeye with Portabello Reduction and Roasted Mash Potatoes

With the ever increasing food prices in Singapore restaurants, it is no wonder there is a great sense of dissatisfaction among locals when it comes to eating out.

And what is worse, paying premium prices does not necessarily get you great food. Heck, sometimes, you will be lucky to get even half decent food at those astronomical rates.

Western Food 85 - German Pork Knuckles in Hawker Center

It is not often you get German pork knuckles in a hawker center environment, but this was exactly what I found out last week when an experienced foodie brought me to this quite remarkable little stall in Bedok.

Serving a mixture of western and Peranakan cuisine, this stall actually has been relocated a couple of times, and is only back at its present location only this year.

Top 10 Best Singapore Food of 2012

And just like that, it is 2013, and how fast a year has gone by. And as with my yearly tradition of listing what I think is the best food in Singapore for another year, this is the best of Singapore food for 2012.

This year, I have simply encompassed everything in a single list. No differentiation between fine dining or hawker, or dishes or overall cuisine, just simply the best of of the best. It includes some new discoveries I have found this year, as well as old favorites,

Roast Chicken - How to Do a Great Roast Chicken This Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought this would be an ideal time to share some great tips on doing a beautiful roast chicken during this festive season.

I have always advocated about eating at home and the positives about doing so, and during Christmas, this aspect is even more important.

Liu He Taiwan Night Market Snacks - Deep Fried Goodness in Tampines

I am not a big fan of deep fried food, and these days, I consciously avoid places like KFC and the once popular Shilin outlets.

Speaking of Shilin, it is amazing how fast a trend can die down. There was a time when you could see such long queues waiting for their deep fried chicken chops sprinkled with MSG laden seasoning.

Hill Street Char Kway Teow

I have long held out that Outram Char Kway Teow at Hong Lim is the best char kway teow stall you can find in Singapore, but I was hoping to savor the legendary Hill Street stall before making a final judgement.

Well, I finally made it to this famous char kway teow, now situated in Bedok and I have to say, this is seriously, the best char kway teow anywhere in the world.