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http://www.soshiok.com/critic/article/14060
Famous China Street Fritters stall goes to Istana
Chen Jingwen | soshiok.com | Sat Dec 11 2010
The famous stall at Maxwell Food Centre offers its five-spice Ngoh Hiang rolls and other delights at a prestigious function.
Singapore, December 11, 2010
This is another case of checkmate at the hawker centre.
Those of us who have heard about the history of China Street Fritters stall know that it was operating as a hawker stall in the area for a few decades before moving to Maxwell Food Centre.
Then a stall that claims to be an original China Street ngoh hiang seller set up shop in the food centre several years ago.
Although both stalls are popular, many old-timers prefer China Street Fritters to the new-comer Hup Kee China Street Ngoh Hiang.
So did the National Environment Agency, which picked the old-timer and 11 other popular food stalls, to provide food at a prestigious event held at the Istana in October.
The occasion was the presentation of the President's Award for the Environment, which honours individuals and organisations for their outstanding contributions to enhancing our living environment.
The NEA and the Environment Ministery went a step further to acknowledge the 12 stalls by stating in the programme brochure "tonight's dinner is proudly prepared by our local hawkers". It also stated that they were popular.
China Street Fritters (run by Richard Ng and brother Ng Yong Hua) was one of the three stalls picked from Maxwell. The others were from Geylang Serai, Little India, Ang Mo Kio, New Market Road and Bedok.
Brothers Ng Yong Hua, left, and Richard Ng, right, with President Nathan at The President Award for the Environment in October 2010.
Unlike the numerous items offered in Teochew-style Ngoh Hiang, the Hokkien version from China Street offers several main types only, complemented by common items like tofu, fishballs and preserved egg. And it does not have prawn crackers (hay piah).
The China-Street-Hokkien version offer these signatures - ngoh hiang (five-spice meat roll), liver roll, pink sausage-like meat roll and egg-lard cake, which resembles a crispy egg-soaked toast.
The items at both stalls were flavourful but China Street Fritters had an edge with a fresher and cleaner taste. It was also less greasy and its sweet sauce looked less dinghy.
China Street Fritters' ngoh hiang rolls were more aromatic while its liver rolls had a higher proportion of liver to the thin strip of fat. Chives in the roll also helped make it more appetising.
The piece of fat in Hup Kee's version was so palpable that it was harder to stomach. But its pink meat roll was softer snd sweeter than China Street Fritters'.
As for the French-toast-like egg-lard cakes, both are good but China Street Fritters' version was tastier and more eggy.
But it had reduced the lard significantly recently to make a healthier version.
Lastly, the fried Bee Hoon noodles.
Hup Kee's Bee Hoon was definitely more tasty but you could feel a film of grease coating it and taste the sweet and salty seasoning of soy sauces.
You could also discern that the oil used for frying it include the oil used for frying other ngoh hiang items - which could make the noodles more delicious but also sinfully greasy.
However, China Street Fritters' plainer and far lessy oily fried Beehoon was also relished by its fans. The young woman who sat next me gobbled up two plates of it.
China Street Fritters
01-64 Maxwell Food Centre
Open: 12pm - 8.30pm. Closed on Monday
Rating: 7.5/10
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 506px" class=bodytext border=0 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD width=120>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodytext colSpan=4>See pictures of China Street Fritters and its Ngoh Hia</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Hup Kee China Street Ngoh Hiang
01-97 Maxwell Food Centre (faces main road)
Open: 9am-8pm. Closed on Monday
Rating: 7/10
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 506px" class=bodytext border=0 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD width=120>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodytext colSpan=4>See pictures of Hup Kee China Street Ngoh Hiang stall and its food</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Famous China Street Fritters stall goes to Istana
Chen Jingwen | soshiok.com | Sat Dec 11 2010
The famous stall at Maxwell Food Centre offers its five-spice Ngoh Hiang rolls and other delights at a prestigious function.
Singapore, December 11, 2010
This is another case of checkmate at the hawker centre.
Those of us who have heard about the history of China Street Fritters stall know that it was operating as a hawker stall in the area for a few decades before moving to Maxwell Food Centre.
Then a stall that claims to be an original China Street ngoh hiang seller set up shop in the food centre several years ago.
Although both stalls are popular, many old-timers prefer China Street Fritters to the new-comer Hup Kee China Street Ngoh Hiang.
So did the National Environment Agency, which picked the old-timer and 11 other popular food stalls, to provide food at a prestigious event held at the Istana in October.
The occasion was the presentation of the President's Award for the Environment, which honours individuals and organisations for their outstanding contributions to enhancing our living environment.
The NEA and the Environment Ministery went a step further to acknowledge the 12 stalls by stating in the programme brochure "tonight's dinner is proudly prepared by our local hawkers". It also stated that they were popular.
China Street Fritters (run by Richard Ng and brother Ng Yong Hua) was one of the three stalls picked from Maxwell. The others were from Geylang Serai, Little India, Ang Mo Kio, New Market Road and Bedok.
Brothers Ng Yong Hua, left, and Richard Ng, right, with President Nathan at The President Award for the Environment in October 2010.
Unlike the numerous items offered in Teochew-style Ngoh Hiang, the Hokkien version from China Street offers several main types only, complemented by common items like tofu, fishballs and preserved egg. And it does not have prawn crackers (hay piah).
The China-Street-Hokkien version offer these signatures - ngoh hiang (five-spice meat roll), liver roll, pink sausage-like meat roll and egg-lard cake, which resembles a crispy egg-soaked toast.
The items at both stalls were flavourful but China Street Fritters had an edge with a fresher and cleaner taste. It was also less greasy and its sweet sauce looked less dinghy.
China Street Fritters' ngoh hiang rolls were more aromatic while its liver rolls had a higher proportion of liver to the thin strip of fat. Chives in the roll also helped make it more appetising.
The piece of fat in Hup Kee's version was so palpable that it was harder to stomach. But its pink meat roll was softer snd sweeter than China Street Fritters'.
As for the French-toast-like egg-lard cakes, both are good but China Street Fritters' version was tastier and more eggy.
But it had reduced the lard significantly recently to make a healthier version.
Lastly, the fried Bee Hoon noodles.
Hup Kee's Bee Hoon was definitely more tasty but you could feel a film of grease coating it and taste the sweet and salty seasoning of soy sauces.
You could also discern that the oil used for frying it include the oil used for frying other ngoh hiang items - which could make the noodles more delicious but also sinfully greasy.
However, China Street Fritters' plainer and far lessy oily fried Beehoon was also relished by its fans. The young woman who sat next me gobbled up two plates of it.
China Street Fritters
01-64 Maxwell Food Centre
Open: 12pm - 8.30pm. Closed on Monday
Rating: 7.5/10
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 506px" class=bodytext border=0 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD width=120>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodytext colSpan=4>See pictures of China Street Fritters and its Ngoh Hia</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Hup Kee China Street Ngoh Hiang
01-97 Maxwell Food Centre (faces main road)
Open: 9am-8pm. Closed on Monday
Rating: 7/10
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 506px" class=bodytext border=0 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD width=120>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodytext colSpan=4>See pictures of Hup Kee China Street Ngoh Hiang stall and its food</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
