The Hungry Bunny

Like Beng Hiang , Westlake is another one of those old-school places that my family used to dine at eons ago. We haven't been here in ages, but I thought we'd pop by to see how the old girl's been doing. Like its dated furnishings and retro decor, its allure has faded with the ages but it's definitely made fans of its long-time customers. We were here over the weekend and it was a full-house, with many multi-generational families seated on tables that spilled out onto the open-air common corridor area. If you're going to be dining with an extended family, be sure to make reservations. The fare served up here is Chinese, with a focus on Sichuan, Hokkien and Cantonese cuisines. Food here is a bit of a hit and miss affair, but in the overall scheme of things, it makes for an above-average cze char meal.   The Braised Pork with Pau ($13) was decent enough, but considering that Westlake is synonymous with kong ba bao, rather underwhelming. This needed a while more br...

I'm one of those cynical ones who believe that all renovation contractors are crooks. Maybe it's because, in my line of work, I've heard more than my fair share of slipshod, defective and incomplete work done by contractors who are dishonest and unreliable. Basically, they're out to make a buck they didn't earn. Which is why, when we were sourcing for renovation contractors, we sought out word-of-mouth recommendations from our friends. No one would be able to give you an in-depth, honest, tried-and-tested review than someone who's actually experienced renovation works with the contractor. Favourable recommendations were rare, with most commenting that they hated their gawdawful contractors. The worst of the horror stories were those resulting in contentious legal disputes with their ex-contractors. In the end, we had to seek out friends of friends just to get 2 recommendations from people who didn't end up hating their contractors. So, we met up with our f...

Stepping into Beng Hiang is like stepping back in time. From the faded carpeting to the dated furniture and retro Teresa Teng songs blasting from the old-school speakers, everything about this Hokkien stalwart screams nostalgia. Many would remember this place from their childhood. I, for one, have been eating here since I was a kid. Beng Hiang is often confused with Bee Heong , and it's easy to see why. They both are stalwarts in the (local) world of Hokkien cuisine, they each have their loyal die-hard fans, and they're located barely a street apart. While I personally prefer Bee Heong to Beng Hiang, the latter does set itself apart in a couple of areas. Beng Hiang offers a slighter wider range of dishes, and quite a number of standard cze char fare that's not entirely Hokkien-style. As a bonus, they also serve free dessert.  The Stir-fried Spinach with Garlic ($8) was well-fried, with a little crunch for texture. We liked the plentiful pieces of crispy fried sole th...

Beng Hiang is one of the stalwarts of Hokkien cuisine in Singapore. It's been around since 1978 and it shows. From the dated 80's decor to the affable aunties serving the long-time customers, this place reeks of tradition and old spice. Beng Hiang is located in the Hokkien enclave of Telok Ayer/Amoy Street, so comparisons will invariably be drawn between this strikingly red-doored restaurant and Bee Heong , another Hokkien heavyweight. Having tried this place, and in comparison, I prefer Bee Heong. Because of its proximity to the CBD area, avoid this restaurant at all costs during the peak lunchtime. It's ridiculously difficult to find a table here. Dinnertime is a lot more peaceful and private. We had the Traditional Hokkien Noodles ($7 for small), thick, luxurious and dark, with a slightly smoky finish. This was quite slurpilicious. The Braised Vegetables ($12 for small), on the other hand, was quite light. I liked the delicate, watery sweetish oyster sauce gr...

I first started going to Bee Heong for family dinners when I was a teen, back when it was located at PIL Building along Cecil Street. About 3 years ago, they relocated to a smaller premises at the current location along Telok Ayer Street during the Asian Financial Crisis. Recently, their business has grown and they have consequently expanded by taking over the next-door unit. This old-school Hokkien establishment is right smack in the heart of the traditional Hokkien settlement area (the Hokkien Huay Kuan is nearby), and on the outskirts of the CBD area, flanking Chinatown. Their main business draws from the office crowds that throng this restaurant for lunches. It's generally more private and peaceful during dinners, resulting in better service and food.  Hokkien cuisine is largely characterised by heavy-handed cooking techniques and robust flavours. This is one of my favourite Hokkien restaurants because of their stellar service, authentic Hokkien cuisine ...