Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 Review
http://singaporefavouritefood.sg/
This was an invited media review. Part of my meal here was free, but I paid the standard price for several other dishes.
Attended with representatives from The Silver Chef, Fiona Seah, Strictly Ours, The Chosen Glutton, and SG Food On Foot.
The 6th edition of the Singapore Favourite Food Village is here! Held at Clarke Quay Read Bridge, from 24 July to 2 August, the Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 is organised as part of Singapore's Golden Jubilee / SG50 celebration. It promises to showcase a variety of mouth-watering local delights, all under-one-roof. Was at the opening ceremony to catch the highlights!
 |
| Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 @ Clarke Quay Read Bridge |
 |
| Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 Logo Balloon |
 |
| Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 Event Dates |
Organised in conjunction with the 22nd edition of the Singapore Food Festival, the theme for the Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 is 'A Wok Down Memory Lane', paying homage to the former Ellenborough Market hawker centre, during its heydays of the late 1800s. The old Ellenborough Market catered to the largely Chinese Teochew population who lived along the Singapore River, hence its nickname of 'Teochew Market'. I must say, while there is some information about it displayed here, I'm not 100% sure if the old market looked like this. But at least there's a buzzing atmosphere!
 |
| Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 Atmosphere |
 |
| Teochew History Information |
 |
| Ellenborough Market |
At the Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015, guests can look forward to traditional Chinese entertainment in the form of Teochew wayang opera. Managed to catch opera troupe Tok Tok Chiang (with celebrity Nick Shen and Susan Lee) performing during the opening ceremony. Known for including magic tricks as part of their performance, Tok Tok Chiang Opera Troupe will be showcasing this traditional form of entertainment on weekend evenings! Am glad the organisers have revived Teochew wayang opera as part of the SG50 celebrations, as it's a dying art in Singapore!
 |
| Teochew Opera Information |
 |
| Tok Tok Chiang Opera Troupe Performers Nick Shen & Susan Lee With Dr. Lily Tirtasana Neo (MP Of Kreta Ayer - Kim Seng Ward) |
 |
| Tok Tok Chiang Opera Troupe Performers Nick Shen & Susan Lee |
Saw award-winning celebrity chef Eric Low demonstrating how to prepare Teochew Opera Porridge, a common supper dish sold by street hawkers during the heydays of Teochew street opera. The hawkers would travel with the opera troupes around the island, and business was brisk. This porridge made an ideal supper treat as performances ended rather late!
 |
| Chef Eric Low |
Chef Jason Teo of Swissotel Merchant Court Singapore presented his version of Teochew Steamed Pomfret Fish (SGD $10), with a nicely sour sauce that isn't too overpowering. His Teochew Cold Crab (SGD $12), while fresh with creamy roe, may be frowned upon by traditionalists, as it's a rather different take.
 |
| Swissotel Merchant Court Singapore Stall |
 |
| Chef Jason Teo |
 |
| Teochew Steamed Pomfret Fish (SGD $10) |
 |
| Teochew Cold Crab (SGD $12) |
Chef Charles Tan of Jia Le Hong Kong Roasted Food presented his famous Roast Suckling Pig (SGD $12) and Char Siew Marinated Roast Pork Loin & Sio Bak Roast Pork Belly Rice (SGD $6.80). I find his suckling pig and roast meats to be of a pretty good standard, nice char and some sweetness to the meat, able to rival some restaurants, despite essentially being a hawker stall.
 |
| Jia Le Hong Kong Roasted Food Stall |
 |
| Roast Suckling Pig (Whole) |
 |
| Roast Suckling Pig (SGD $12) |
 |
| Char Siew Marinated Roast Pork Loin & Sio Bak Roast Pork Belly Rice (SGD $6.80) |
Was rather surprised that the Yam Taro Paste Orh Nee (SGD $4) is decent. Thick, sticky, and rich with yam flavour, though very 'heaty'.
 |
| Yam Taro Paste Orh Nee (SGD $4) |
The Truffle Wanton Noodles (SGD $8) has 2 things going for it, the fragrant aroma of truffle oil, and the sweet Aburi pork char siew. However, it's a little on the dry side, somewhat lacking in gravy. Not too big an issue for me, as I didn't eat that much of the noodles.
 |
| Truffle Wanton Noodles (SGD $8) |
Chef Boon Kaichun / Ah Boy of Good Chance Popiah can be seen making his famous Popiah (SGD $3). This is easily one of the best items you'll get at Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015, the large, fresh, tightly packed snack is excellent. Get the spicy version for more kick. Highly recommended!
 |
| Good Chance Popiah Stall |
 |
| Chef Boon Kaichun / Ah Boy |
 |
| Making Popiah |
 |
| Popiah (SGD $3) |
The Carrot Cake (Salted Egg) (SGD $6 / $8) is definitely worth trying, both for its novelty, and because it's also well executed. The Chinese style salted egg sauce is at the bottom, and pairs well with the carrot cake. Worth ordering!
 |
| Cooking Carrot Cake / Chye Tow Kueh |
 |
| Carrot Cake (Salted Egg) (SGD $6 / $8) |
Owner Jerome Lim of Ming Fa Noodles House is presenting several of his signature noodle dishes. He seems to be 'allied' with Chef Boon Kaichun / Ah Boy, because when we wandered over to get the Popiah, he pulled Jerome Lim over to ask him to pass us a bowl of noodles as well. Having eaten at his various stalls islandwide on several occasions, I have to say their food here is as good as their other stalls, packed with ingredients.
 |
| Ming Fa Noodles House Stall |
 |
| Owner Jerome Lim |
Surprised by the Pig Trotter Lor Mee (SGD $6.50 / $8.50), in that they gave us a whole pig's trotter, that is actually pretty good! The meat is tender and savoury, well braised. The braising sauce / lor for the noodles is a little thin though.
 |
| Everything Foods Lor Mee Stall |
 |
| Pig Trotter Lor Mee (SGD $6.50 / $8.50) |
 |
| Pig Trotter Lor Mee |
 |
| Pig Trotter Lor Mee |
The rather industrious ice cream uncle, selling his old-school ice cream from a motorcycle side car, can be found just parked at the start of Read Bridge. Love the nostalgic flavour of Yam Ice Cream With Wafer (SGD $2), so I got the upsized version.
 |
| Yam Ice Cream With Wafer (SGD $2) |
A big thank you to all the sponsers, without whom, the Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 would not be possible! And special thanks as well to all those from the Singapore Food & Beverage Alliance (SFBA) who are putting in time and effort to organise this!
 |
| Esso Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Balloon |
 |
| Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 Sponsors, Source Credits |
Overall, the Singapore Favourite Food Village 2015 is worth a visit, especially for those looking for something different to do on the weekend, or for tourists wishing to experience a slice of Singapore. The wide variety of decent food should appeal to most, and I recommend also catching the traditional opera performances. Do check it out as well, at Clarke Quay Read Bridge, from 24 July to 2 August, open daily from 5pm - 11pm!
.....
CONVERSATION