Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Kway Chap
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| Kway Chap |
Nothing was sponsored, we visited as regular paying customers. Photos in this post were taken between 2000 and 2024 (across 24 years!), as such, the quality of photos varies drastically due to advances in camera technology. Mobile smartphones were in their infancy and had yet to become widespread.
Also Known As:
Kway Chap, Kuay Jap, Kueh Chap, Braised Pig Offals With Flat Rice Noodles
Average Price Per Serving:
SGD $5 - $15
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List in alphabetical order - click the links to jump to entry
- 1. 284 Kway Chap
- 2. Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap Braised Duck
- 3. Da Cheng Kway Chap
- 4. Garden Street Kway Chap (Blanco Court Kway Chap)
- 5. Guan Kee Kway Chap
- 6. Guo Ya Yin Teochew Kway Chap
- 7. Lao San Kway Chap
- 8. Quan Lai Kway Chap Chuan Lai Guo Zhi Wang
- 9. To-Ricos Guo Shi
- 10. Yi Fa Kway Chap
Stall 35 Kuey ChapTG 339 Eating HouseTong Lok Kway ChapYong Li Cooked FoodZhu Jia Teochew Braised Duck Kway Chap- 11. Ya Wu (Ah Orh) Kway Chap & Bak Kut Teh
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Description:
The Kway Chap is a Singaporean Chinese dish that consists of flat rice noodle sheets in a soy based soup / broth, alongside soy braised pig offals and other assorted ingredients. Also known as Kuay Jap, Kueh Chap, or Braised Pig Offals With Flat Rice Noodles, the Kway Chap dish is usually priced around SGD $5 to $15 per serving. It's a love-it-or-hate-it dish eaten throughout the day, during breakfast, lunch, dinner, or supper.
Preparing Kway Chap is a time-consuming process. The kway teow / wide flat rice noodles is blanched and served in a warm soup / broth made from the rich soy braising stock, a blend of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, ginger, rock sugar or brown sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, water, salt, 5-spice powder, and white peppercorn. This braising stock will vary from stall to stall, and may also include garlic, black peppercorn, corn flour or potato flour, shaoxing rice wine, dang gui / angelica root, dried mandarin orange zest, chuan xiong / lingusticum striatum, gan cao / liquorice root, pork bones, or galangal. The result is a robust herbal salty savoury sweet earthy soup / broth, with kway teow / wide flat rice noodles that are slippery soft smooth in texture with mild grainy sweet flavour. Usually dressed with fried shallots and fresh coriander.
The variety of pig offals for Kway Chap, braised in the same stock, may include chewy braised small intestines with earthy savoury salty minerally flavour, tender braised large intestines with salty savoury herbal earthy flavour, gelatinous braised pig's skin with fatty salty savoury herbal flavour, tender braised pork belly with meaty salty savoury herbal flavour, firm braised pig's tongue with meaty savoury herbal flavour, luscious braised pig trotters with fatty meaty savoury salty flavour, or crunchy braised pig's ears with salty savoury earthy herbal flavour. Thorough cleaning of the offals is performed (usually with white vinegar, baking soda or glutinous rice flour, ginger, salt, and water) to remove any funky smell or taste, before they are braised.
The other ingredients for Kway Chap are mostly braised in the same stock, all of which are then served together on a separate plate. Most stalls will offer some or all of the following as a side dish, including springy fish cake with mild savoury salty sweet flavour, bouncy braised chicken egg with eggy salty sweet flavour, crunchy preserved mustard greens with vegetal sour salty sweet flavour, soft braised peanuts with earthy herbal nutty salty sweet savoury flavour, wobbly braised tofu bean curd with grainy salty sweet flavour, spongy dried tofu puffs with salty savoury herbal earthy flavour, or tender boneless braised duck meat with meaty savoury salty herbal flavour. Customers will usually get to choose their own mixture of ingredients. Kway Chap is a soulful dish, and those who like innards tend to appreciate this dish more.
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1. 284 Kway Chap
@ 284 Bishan Street 22 #01-211
Opening Hours: Daily 6pm – 2am
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| Taken in 2024 |
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $6.10) @ 284 Kway Chap.
Economy rice stall by day, kway chap stall by night; this stall's claim to fame isn't just that it opens for dinner and supper till the wee hours of morning.
Their soy braised pig offals are clean-tasting, with a good variety of cuts, all at affordable prices.
The wide flat kway teow / rice noodles is served in a light soy and herb broth, the slippery smooth sheets picking up the salty sweet flavour well.
It's easy to pick and choose the sides, with crunchy preserved mustard greens with vegetal sour salty sweet flavour, spongy dried tofu puffs with salty savoury herbal earthy flavour, and bouncy soy braised chicken egg with eggy salty sweet notes.
For pig offals, the tender large intestines have salty savoury herbal earthy flavour, the gelatinous braised pig's skin carries fatty salty savoury herbal flavour, and the tender braised pork belly has meaty salty savoury herbal flavour.
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2. Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap Braised Duck
@ Zion Riverside Food Centre, 70 Zion Road #01-24
Opening Hours: Thu - Tue 10am – 8:30pm, Closed Wed
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| Taken in 2011 |
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $6) @ Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap Braised Duck.
Since March 2016, Madam Yang's rendition has drawn a good queue during peak meal times, stretching up to nearly an hour at most.
The star is the flavourful soup / broth, simmered with soy, herbs, and duck bones for over 2 hours. The slippery smooth wide flat kway teow / rice noodles complements with mild grainy sweet flavour.
The pig offals are thoroughly cleaned, and likewise simmered in the same delicious broth till tender, absorbing the sweet salty savoury earthy herbal flavour.
Selected a mix of small intestines, large intestines, dried tofu puffs, braised chicken egg, and braised duck meat.
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3. Da Cheng Kway Chap
@ Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre, 127 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 #02-14
Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 5:30am – 3:30pm, Closed Mon
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $6.80) @ Da Cheng Kway Chap.
Established by Ser Siang Koo years before May 2015, this humble stall offers a wider variety of braised pig offals than elsewhere.
From the crunchy braised pig's ears, to the tender large intestines, to the chewy braised pig's tongue, each is well stewed in their signature herb and spice infused soy stock.
Alongside other ingredients like bouncy braised chicken egg and spongy dried tofu puffs, each piece has absorbed the light salty savoury herbal earthy sweet flavour from the stock.
The slippery smooth sheets of wide flat kway teow / rice noodles are served in the same light soup / broth, flavoured with fried shallots, spring onions, and coriander, lending a burst of grainy vegetal salty herbal sweet flavour.
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4. Garden Street Kway Chap (Blanco Court Kway Chap)
@ Serangoon Garden Market & Food Centre, 49A Serangoon Garden Way #01-21
Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 9am – 3:30pm, Closed Mon
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| Taken in 2010 |
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $6) @ Garden Street Kway Chap (Blanco Court Kway Chap).
The 3rd-generation owner Jason Koh continues the tradition started by his grandfather in the 1940s, taking over from his father Koh Ah Soon in 2005 and giving up his career as a pilot.
Their stock is prepared with 15 herbs and spices, including light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, galangal, cinnamon, and blue ginger, stewed for over 2 hours. The pig offals are also painstakingly cleaned with water, salt, and white vinegar, resulting in a pleasant meal.
Each piece is clean-tasting and meticulously cut, tender and lean but not dry, carrying the herbal earthy salty savoury sweet flavours of the stock. This included the small intestines, large intestines, braised pork belly, braised pig's skin, and braised pig's stomach.
Accompanied by bouncy braised chicken egg with eggy salty sweet flavour, springy fish cake fried in pork lard with meaty savoury sweet flavour, and spongy dried tofu puffs with salty herbal earthy sweet flavour.
The wide flat kway teow / rice noodles are smooth and silky, gently picking up the warm soup / broth with its herbal salty savoury grainy sweet flavour. Lighter on the palate than elsewhere.
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5. Guan Kee Kway Chap
@ Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Market & Hawker Centre, 210 Toa Payoh Lorong 8 #01-24
Opening Hours: Sat - Sun 9:30am – 3:30pm, 4:30pm - 8pm, Mon - Wed 11am – 3:30pm, 4:30pm - 8pm, Closed Thu - Fri
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| Taken in 2014 |
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| Taken in 2014 |
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $6.50) @ Guan Kee Kway Chap.
Since the early 1980s, Ng Guan Chye starts before dawn, thoroughly cleaning and preparing the pig offals for braising, with ingredients simmered in soy sauce and herbs non-stop for over 3 hours.
The odourless braised intestines, both small and large varieties, have a tender springy chew to texture with clean savoury salty herbal earthy flavour.
The gelatinous braised pig's skin was shiny and soft, with salty savoury herbal notes. The tender braised pork belly carried meaty savoury salty flavour.
The generous bowl of soft silky kway teow / rice noodle sheets in the warm soy soup / broth carries strong herbal earthy salty grainy sweet flavour, while their chili has a nice tangy zesty sour spicy kick.
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6. Guo Ya Yin Teochew Kway Chap
@ Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Road #02-117
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 3pm
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| Taken in 2015 |
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| Taken in 2015 |
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| Taken in 2015 |
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $5) @ Guo Ya Yin Teochew Kway Chap.
Among the more affordable renditions, this stall has been serving the same soy braised offals and rice noodle sheets since 1970.
Don't expect elegant or fancy plating; it's rough, messy, and thrown together fast.
The soy braised small and large intestines are chunky tender chewy with salty savoury herbal earthy flavour. Pairs well with the sharp vinegar chili and its sour zesty spicy kick.
The tender chewy braised pig's tongue has meaty savoury salty herbal flavour, the gelatinous braised pig's skin has salty savoury fatty flavour, the bouncy braised chicken egg has eggy salty sweet flavour, while the soft tofu bean curd holds grainy salty herbal earthy sweet flavour.
The warm soup / broth has chopped wide flat kway teow / rice noodles, slippery silky in texture, served with pork lard and fried shallots. Carries grainy sweet savoury salty spice fatty flavour.
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7. Lao San Kway Chap
@ 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 #01-1222
Opening Hours: Fri - Wed 8am – 8pm, Closed Thu
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| Taken in 2011 |
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $6.50) @ Lao San Kway Chap.
Formerly headlined by owner 'Lao San (old third brother)' in the day, with elder brother 'Lao Er (old second brother)' heading the stall at night, from way before July 2014.
The soy braising stock is mildly sweet savoury herbal earthy in taste, while the pig offals are clean-tasting.
The wide flat kway teow / rice noodle sheets are silky smooth with light grainy sweet flavour, picking up the soup / broth well. Taste is enhanced with the use of garlic and fried shallot oil.
The soy braised small and large intestines are tender chewy with pleasant salty savoury earthy herbal flavour, while the tender pork belly carries meaty savoury salty herbal fatty notes.
The spongy dried tofu puffs have salty savoury herbal sweet flavour, while the springy soy braised chicken egg has eggy salty sweet flavour.
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8. Quan Lai Kway Chap Chuan Lai Guo Zhi Wang
@ 558 MacPherson Road
Opening Hours: Daily 9am – 3am
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| Taken in 2012 |
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $15) @ Quan Lai Kway Chap Chuan Lai Guo Zhi Wang.
Founded by Goi Lai Chong in 1971, this long-serving bastion of soy braised pig offals and braised duck believes in generously portioned dishes, carried on by the 2nd and 3rd generations.
The rich thick stock carries robust salty savoury earthy herbal flavour, infusing the ingredients. A unique addition is chunks of pineapple, lending a fruity sour sweet note.
The slippery thick wide flat kway teow / rice noodle sheets pick up the flavour notes from the warm soup / broth, carrying gentle grainy sweet flavour.
The braised duck is lean and tender chewy with meaty savoury herbal flavour, while the soy braised small and large intestines are chewy with salty savoury earthy herbal flavour.
Accompanied with juicy cucumber with refreshing vegetal sweet flavour, and springy soy braised chicken egg with eggy salty sweet flavour.
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9. To-Ricos Guo Shi
@ Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Road #01-135
Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 10:30am – 2:30pm, Closed Mon
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| Taken in 2010 |
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $7) @ To-Ricos Guo Shi.
This Michelin Bib Gourmand stall has been serving delicious clean-tasting pig offals and rice noodle sheets since 1984, with founder Phua Gek Sia starting at 3am, and working 14 to 16 hours a day.
Braised in a light soy and herb stock, the large intestine, pork belly, pig's stomach, and dried tofu puffs, have a tender light chew to texture, with pleasant earthy herbal salty sweet savoury flavour.
Paired with a bowl of wide flat kway teow / rice noodles, the sheets thin and smooth with grainy sweet herbal salty flavour from the warm soup / broth.
Generously portioned and filling, yum.
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10. Yi Fa Kway Chap
@ Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Road #01-70
Opening Hours: Fri - Wed 10am – 8pm, Closed Thu
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| Taken in 2010 |
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $6) @ Yi Fa Kway Chap.
Madam Oh Guat Keng has been serving her homely rendition since before January 2008.
The soy braising stock imparts a light herbal salty savoury earthy flavour, to the chewy small intestines, tender large intestines, tender pork belly, soft peanuts, spongy dried tofu puffs, and springy chicken egg.
Nicely clean-tasting, with the braised peanuts lending a lovely contrast.
The stock pairs nicely with the slippery silky wide flat kway teow / rice noodles, carrying a mild grainy herbal salty sweet flavour. Bits of fried shallots complete.
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| Taken in 2009 |
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| Taken in 2017 |
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@ 163 Bukit Merah Central #02-48
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| Taken in 2011 |
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| Taken in 2011 |
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| Taken in 2011 |
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| Taken in 2010 |
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| Taken in 2010 |
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| Taken in 2009 |
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11. Ya Wu (Ah Orh) Kway Chap & Bak Kut Teh
@ 138 Tampines Street 11 #01-116
Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 10am – 8pm, Closed Mon
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| Taken in 2024 |
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Kway Chap (SGD $10) @ Ya Wu (Ah Orh) Kway Chap & Bak Kut Teh.
This under-the-radar stall has been serving quietly for over 20 years, and despite their higher prices, customers return time-and-again.
The secret lies in their soy braising stock, said to be eternally simmering over flame since the beginning, with the owners adding water and herbs regularly throughout the years, creating an exceptional depth of richness.
This robust soy braising stock lends a deep earthy herbal salty savoury flavour, to the springy large intestines, tender pork belly, gelatinous braised pig's skin, crunchy braised pig's tongue, and bouncy chicken egg.
The stock infuses the slippery smooth wide flat kway teow / rice noodles, carrying a bold earthy salty grainy sweet flavour. Bits of crisp spring onions complete.
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