For those who frequent or work in the Orchard/Somerset area, here’s a heads-up: you can look forward to an exciting new food court, EatAlley, that’ll be serving up some seriously authentic street eats from Kuala Lumpur.
The massive 140-seater space opened in June 2023 in Orchardgateway, showcasing several hawkers well-loved by locals (not your typical touristy spots).
Can’t wait to satisfy your cravings without having to travel to KL? Here are the six confirmed hawker brands coming to Singapore for the first time:
Koon Kee Wanton Mee
With over 70 years of heritage, Restoran Koon Kee Wanton Noodles along Petaling Street is said to serve up some of the best and most slurp-worthy wanton mee in KL. Each plate features springy egg noodles that are freshly made by hand daily, alongside ingredients like shiitake mushroom, chicken feet, and char siew.
In all honesty, I am not the biggest wanton mee fan. But hey, since this store is famous for their wanton mee, I figured I’d give it a go. Thankfully, it wasn’t what I was expecting at all.
The char siew was nicely charred with a good fat to meat ratio —- which is the most important aspect in any bowl of Wanton Mee. The sweet sauce also elevated the smoky fragrance of the char siew.
We had the wanton mee trio (S$12.80) which came with tender steamed chicken and braised chicken feet. That being said, the classic wanton mee is really good enough and doesn’t need any extra co-stars
Siong Huat Bak Kut Teh
Klang is a haven for herbal bak kut teh lovers (like me — I prefer Malaysian-style BKT over Singapore’s peppery version), and Siong Huat Bak Kut Teh is one establishment many flock to. Take your pick from either the dry or soup version of their signature claypot-style bak kut teh, generously filled with tender pork ribs and lean meat, beancurd sheets, beancurd puffs, and button mushrooms.
The Bak Kut Teh (S$10.80) on has a hearty herbal broth that is flavourful and not overly herbally. The pork ribs were also soft and tender. I usually prefer the herbal soup as the clear soup is too peppery for my liking so this was right up my alley. It makes for the perfect remedy to soothe your tummy on a rainy day.
I usually shy away from eating Pig Knuckle because I don’t know how to appreciate the fatty collagen. But the dry claypot pig knuckle here really impressed me.
The meat was super soft and complimented the mildly sweet and spicy sauce really well. Although, if you’re not a spice lover, you might wanna opt for the soup version which comes in a hearty herbal broth.
Soong Kee Beef Noodle
Founded in 1945 on the corner of Jalan Tun Tan Siew Sin, Soong Kee is best known for Hakka-style minced meat noodles that are prepared fresh daily using a combination of minced pork, beef, and secret sauce — it looks a lot like Korean jjajangmyeon! Wash everything down with a bowl or two of their signature soup containing beef balls, beef slices, and innards.
If you’re in the mood for something soupy, the Beef Soup Combo (S$8.80) also comes highly recommended by the chefs — so you definitely know it’s good!
Hong Lai Hokkien Mee
I’ve yet to taste a decent plate of KL Hokkien mee in Singapore, but that may soon change, thanks to Hong Lai, an eatery famous for its charcoal-fried noodles brimming with wok hei. They are known to serve the best Yue Guang Hor (moonlight hor fun) in KL — silky rice noodles served with a raw egg cracked on top of it.
this stall was the Moonlight Kway Teow (S$9.80). The noodles were silky smooth cooked in a nice and lightly sweet sauce with a strong wok hei fragrance —- that’s how you know it’s gonna be good.
The dish also comes with a generous serving of prawns and fish cake. If you’re like me and absolutely love pork lard, you’ll be pleased to know that this dish has bits of smoky and cruchy lard which takes it to a whole new level.
Kam Heong Braised Duck
Operating since the 1970s by the self-proclaimed ‘Duck King’ Tan Boon Seong, Kam Heong serves Teochew-style braised duck slathered in a rich gravy made with herbs and spices.
Kam Heong’s Singature Set (S$9.80) include sweet and salty pickled vegetables, braised egg and beancurd (tau kwa) — enjoyed atop steaming hot rice infused with the subtle flavour of pandan. The Pork Knuckle (S$10.80) also comes highly recommended by the chef.
Beh Ampang Pork Noodle (Restoran Chuan Huat)
Beh Ampang Pork Noodle in Restoran Chuan Huat whips up a mean bowl of pork noodles (zhu rou fen), Malaysia’s version of bak chor mee.
Uncle Beh’s Signature Pork Noodle Combo (S$10.80) is available in both soup and dry versions. Each bowl is served with ingredients like minced pork, pork liver, pork slices, pork loin, and lard, with your choice of carbs, like bee hoon, mee tai mak, and yellow noodles.
Kampung Nasi Lemak
When it comes to Nasi Lemak, there are three key components of the fish that determines if the dish is a yay or nay for me. The Nasi Lemak Ayam Rempah (S$8.80) from Kampung Nasi Lemak ticks all the right boxes — the rice, chilli, and fried chicken.
The fragrant coconut rice really hit all the right spots, although I would have preferred if the rice was a little less mushy. The sweet and spicy chilli packrd a great punch which is a must in every serving of Nasi Lemak.
We paired the Nasi Lemak with fried chicken and an extra serving of beef rendang. The fried chicken was fried to a deep golden brown with a crispy skin and juicy meat.
The beef rendang on the other hand was tender and just the right amount of spice — absolutely loved it.
Overall, Kampung Nasi Lemak serves one of the best plates of Nasi Lemak I’ve had and I’ll definitely be back for more!
EatAlley
Facebook | Instagram
???? 277 Orchard Road, #B2-12, Orchardgateway, Singapore 238858
???? 10.30am—9pm (Daily)
For more lifestyle updates like this, subscribe to our Telegram channel at @confirmgood.
I'm always feelin' either boozy or boujee ✨
I'm either mean or a meme, there's no in between.