Garden Street Kway Chap, Serangoon Gardens
There are a number of kway chap hawkers laying its heritage claim to the original from Blanco Court. There's the one at Old Airport Road, which name embeds the purported place of origin, or the one at Holland Drive, popular with the 'westies', and then, there's that one at Serangoon Gardens, which signboard asserts itself as the legendary original of Blanco Court.
But while some may fuss over the originality of a hawker as a determinant of its noteworthiness, I really only care about the quality of the food, and I say, whomever finesses a more preferable dish is the most worthwhile of them all. Besides, the customer can only be in a winning position as the increased competition ups the ante.
The Garden Street Kway Chap is one of several distinguished hawkers in the Serangoon Gardens Food Centre. Yes, that Serangoon Gardens of Chomp Chomp fame. Apparently, whoever said that the North is starved of good hawker food has never been to either hawker centers.
Dine early, for breakfast at 8 sharp, or eat at off-peak times, because the queues here are long and windy and tiresome. Despite having heard so much about this Blanco Court Garden Street Kway Chap, we never really bothered to make the time to drive far up North. Till recently, when we were in a particularly exploratory mood for heritage hawkers;, we actually got out of our comfort radius and braved the sweltering queue for kway chap. So, was it worth the trek? Meh.
The Kway Chap ($20) was a hit-and-miss. The broth was robust but balanced; flat rice sheets smooth and delicate; chilli was piquant and lively; firm beancurd, eggs, and peanuts were well-braised; pork belly was luscious; and large intestines were the highlight. Squeaky clean, and wonderfully chewy. The fried beancurd puff was too dense, lacking in a spongy fluffiness. And the fishcake was dotted with spring onions and chilli nubbins.
Blanco Court Garden Street Kway Chap
49A Serangoon Garden Walk
#01-21 Serangoon Gardens Food Centre
Tel: 9001 7844
Open Tuesdays to Fridays from 8am to 3pm;
Saturdays & Sundays from 8am to 4pm;
Closed on Mondays
But while some may fuss over the originality of a hawker as a determinant of its noteworthiness, I really only care about the quality of the food, and I say, whomever finesses a more preferable dish is the most worthwhile of them all. Besides, the customer can only be in a winning position as the increased competition ups the ante.
The Garden Street Kway Chap is one of several distinguished hawkers in the Serangoon Gardens Food Centre. Yes, that Serangoon Gardens of Chomp Chomp fame. Apparently, whoever said that the North is starved of good hawker food has never been to either hawker centers.
Dine early, for breakfast at 8 sharp, or eat at off-peak times, because the queues here are long and windy and tiresome. Despite having heard so much about this Blanco Court Garden Street Kway Chap, we never really bothered to make the time to drive far up North. Till recently, when we were in a particularly exploratory mood for heritage hawkers;, we actually got out of our comfort radius and braved the sweltering queue for kway chap. So, was it worth the trek? Meh.
The Kway Chap ($20) was a hit-and-miss. The broth was robust but balanced; flat rice sheets smooth and delicate; chilli was piquant and lively; firm beancurd, eggs, and peanuts were well-braised; pork belly was luscious; and large intestines were the highlight. Squeaky clean, and wonderfully chewy. The fried beancurd puff was too dense, lacking in a spongy fluffiness. And the fishcake was dotted with spring onions and chilli nubbins.
Blanco Court Garden Street Kway Chap
49A Serangoon Garden Walk
#01-21 Serangoon Gardens Food Centre
Tel: 9001 7844
Open Tuesdays to Fridays from 8am to 3pm;
Saturdays & Sundays from 8am to 4pm;
Closed on Mondays
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