Chef knows best.

If you want late night eats in any city the best way to get the good stuff is find the hospitality hang outs.

A couple of our friends having just finished work were heading out for a little something something and we tagged along.... The little something in this case is pig organ soup. It's not much to look at but swimming within it's murky depths is part or parts from every internal piece of the noble pig. With it's fragrant punchy peppery flavor it's a perfect just finished-the-grind late night snack. Looking around a lot of others think so too.



Side it up with a plate of braised pig feet and your good to go.



Ming fa fish ball
5 Chinatown food street
Singapore


View Big Food Big World in a larger map

Checking in on an old friend, Tian Tian, Singapore

On our recent trip back to Singapore, Tian Tian Hainese chicken at Maxwell food centre was on our to-eat list. We had visited previously, and were well impressed with their chicken rice.. the finest example we have found of this classic dish. We wanted to check in on this old friend, the succulent boiled chicken, plump slices sitting on a fragrant rice with a bowl of the peppered cooking broth.



Our friend is doing well, and still as delicious as ever. All washed down with a glass of fresh sugarcane juice from the stall across the way. We will see you both next time we are in Singapore!

Tian Tian Hiananese Chicken Rice
Stall no. 10
Maxwell Food Center
11 S Bridge Road, Singapore 058656

11am - 8pm, closed Monday


View Big Food Big World in a larger map

Chinatown, Bangkok.

We love Chinatowns everywhere we go there's a Chinese community and a new Chinatown to explore. It also gives us a chance to catch up on some foods we have missed if we've been somewhere without a Chinatown.



When we're in Bangkok there's always a trip or two to Chinatown planned, the food and markets always please. This time there was no time for a night visit to the markets that appear and sprawl out over the pavement and onto the roads. With time short we decided to return to a few favourites first being Hong Kong noodles, located up a super crazy cool alley lined with all sorts of animal parts and assorted food stuffs the noodle shop is easily found on the Nancy Chandler map and worth the visit.





Two orders of roast duck noodles with wontons are whipped up quick as a flash. As good as always the noodles are quick to vanish along with a side of dim sim from the dumpling shop next door.











After the soup we have a hankering for a little something sweet and decide to wander over to the old Siam center where inside unknown to most there is the most fantastic traditional Thai food court. If you haven't been there before head over with and empty stomach and enjoy.



In this case we were just after the tasty sweets from the tasty Thai sweets stand. Lining the stand huge brass woks are full of the different sweets as well as a pyramid of steamed sweets on one corner. Just rock up and point at what you like the look of and you'll be given a plastic bowl with your treat of choice. Step to the side and enjoy with the dozens of other people doing the same. Each time we have been many friendly interested Thais offer help and advice, and are often surprised when they are answered in Thai........limited broken Thai but Thai all the same. This time we both go for the tapioca cooked with pandanus and sweet corn. I love the gooey tapioca sweetened by the corn and given an almost savoury finish with salted coconut cream.



After we share a sankaya; a steamed coconut cream dessert with a finish like a set custard.



More photos here and here also here and here .

Well fed and ready for a sneaky afternoon nap we bid Bangkok's Chinatown farewell till next time

A big bowl of Pho, Sussex St. Sydney

A stop at the Sussex St. food court was at least a weekly thing for us when we lived in Ultimo. Usually walking through Chinatown on our way to work we would stop for lunch on a regular basis. It was usually always a choice of Saigon Pho and Happy Chef (occasionally we'd branch out and have omu rice next door or some BBQ meats).

Today is no exception. We're in the city and swing by for a quick lunch. The decision was Happy Chef or Pho Saigon. We both swung both ways for a while having trouble deciding, but eventually the choice is made, a big bowl of pho bo and iced tea will tickle our taste buds.

The broth here is so heavy on spice, but still with a rich beef flavour, some squidgy rice noodles underneath and more than ample thin slices of fresh raw beef, sliced white onion and spring onion all floating on the top. There's a plate with a mound of fresh, crispy bean sprouts, Thai basil leaves and a wedge of lemon that are all added to the soup. A little of the chilli vinegar mix just enhances all the flavours.




A big cup of icy cold ice tea and this is one mean lunch for under 10 bucks! And it's a nice side trip when Vietnams not on this itinerary.



Pho Saigon
Sussex St Food Centre
Level 1, Shop F6
401-403 Sussex Street,
Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9212 5387

Claypot Rice Chinatown Food Complex, Singapore

We were having a wander through the newly renovated Chinatown food complex, it's a massive warren of stalls... we had no idea where to start so we just meandered through stopping to have a peak in random places.. whilst peering in at pots of clay pot rice "give it a go, you won't regret it" was the advice given to us by a local picking up his order, it looked and smelt fantastic. Couldn't say no .. you have a choice of chicken, salted fish, Chinese sausage or a mix of all three. we went for the mix. It takes about 20 min so we filled the time fetching some drinks and talking to our new Singaporean friend who was very impressed with our efforts in Singapore's culinary world so far.
Clay pot rice is so called for the pot it is cooked in. The rice and other ingredients all cooked together in the clay pot over a flame.. as the rice cooks and the stock is absorbed the rice starts to fry. A good crispy crust slightly blackened is that of a good clay pot.

Ours was no exception, a moreish crunchy crust, nice firm plump rice in the center and hidden like treasure through out juicy chunks of chicken, little salty bursts of fish, tasty strips of Chinese sausage and shitake mushroom. Mixed with the plate of spring onion and coriander it was awesome. S$8 gets you a pot that easily feeds two .. S$10 gets you a pot for four. Great value, Great taste!



A recommended follow on from here was a traditional Asian dessert stall. He is the only one in Singapore that still grinds all his flavorings rather than opting for the much more common packet mixes mostly seen these days.

With a dozen or so flavors up for grabs it could be quite hard to make a decision especially as you can mix the flavors to create your own special blend.

We go for the walnut cream and the almond both thick and unctuous, the walnut has so much flavor and disappears in seconds. The almond also delicious but the strong marzipan flavor gets the best of us and we can only manage half.
With such a positive experience we know we'll be back for more of both sooner rather than later.


Chinatown complex
Blk 335 Smith street


Zhao Ji Clay Pot Rice
Stall 053
open 12pm - 2pm, 4pm - 8.30pm closed Wednesday


115 Tang Shui
Stall 206
7.30am - 5.30pm closed Tuesday