Food Picks: $1.50 Nyonya Tapioca Kueh steals the show at Beo Crescent hawker stall
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(Clockwise from left) Traditional Cake, Wang Bun, Nyonya Tapioca Kueh, Kopi-O and Curry Bun at Mian Bao Jie.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
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- Mian Bao Jie stall's Nyonya Tapioca Kueh ($1.50) is a must-try, made with tapioca, coconut and coconut milk, slow-baked for 90 minutes.
- The stall, run by Ms Cheryl Lee, offers kopi brewed with Arabica beans, priced at $2.50.
- Mian Bao Jie will be renamed Kopi Jie Cafe by end-October.
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SINGAPORE – The Nyonya Tapioca Kueh ($1.50) at hawker stall Mian Bao Jie is worth travelling to Beo Crescent Market & Food Centre for.
Made with grated tapioca, fresh coconut and coconut milk, the kueh is slow-baked for 90 minutes until golden and glossy.
No flour goes into the mix, giving the kueh a tender, supple bite. Each slice is richly perfumed with coconut flavour and just sweet enough without being cloying.
Nyonya Tapioca Kueh at Mian Bao Jie.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
The stall is run by Ms Cheryl Lee, 52, who gets her supply of breads, pastries and kueh from her husband’s shop, Mr Bakery, in Rivervale Crescent.
While Mr Bakery focuses on traditional bakes, Mian Bao Jie completes the experience with kopi brewed in an espresso machine using Arabica beans.
“We use Western coffee as the beans are more fragrant,” says Ms Lee. It is also the stall’s way of standing out from other coffee stalls at the food centre.
The stall will be renamed Kopi Jie Cafe by the end of October to reflect its coffee offerings.
Stall owner Cheryl Lee with a tray of the stall’s signature Nyonya Tapioca Kueh.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
Kopi, Kopi-O and Kopi-O Kosong ($2.50 each) are brewed to order, with the fragrance of freshly pulled Arabica beans giving the drinks a lift. It makes a fitting companion to the stall’s range of nostalgic cakes and generously filled buns.
Kopi O at Mian Bao Jie.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
The Traditional Cake ($3.80 for four slices) is a pandan sponge layered with buttercream.
The sponge is soft and fluffy, with a delicate pandan aroma, while the old-school buttercream adds a sweet, creamy finish. Each slice is topped with colourful piping gel that is tangy and bright, a reminder of childhood bakery treats.
Traditional Cake at Mian Bao Jie.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
The buns at the stall deserve attention for their fillings.
The Curry Bun ($1.60) is generously stuffed with spiced diced potatoes – at least twice as much as you might find elsewhere. Mildly spiced and creamy, the potato filling sits in an airy, cushiony bun that stays intact despite the heft.
The Curry Bun is packed with a filling of spiced curry potato.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
Another favourite is the Wang Bun ($1.90). Named after the Chinese word for prosperity, it combines four fillings – chicken sausage, cheddar cheese, chicken floss and mayonnaise – in one indulgent, fluffy bun.
Where: 01-67 Beo Crescent Market & Food Centre, 38A Beo Crescent
MRT: Tiong Bahru
Open: 7.30am to 8pm daily
