Ju Bao Dumpling Noodles

The fried dumplings ($6 for 12 pieces) at Ju Bao Dumpling Noodles in Bendemeer are not the prettiest, but they are superbly tasty and offer excellent value for money.

Choose from two fillings – either just meat or meat with pungent chives, which is the one I recommend.

The dumplings, which are made throughout the day at the stall, are so impossibly juicy, you will be willing to overlook their less-than-perfect appearance.

The skin of the dumplings looks thicker than it actually feels when you bite into it. I like its slightly chewy texture.

The prettier-looking steamed Shanghai Xiao Long Bao ($7 for eight pieces) have pleated skin encasing a piping hot, soupy filling. The translucent skin is strong enough for the dumpling to be picked up with chopsticks without bursting.

Help yourself to the ginger strips and black vinegar dip at the counter. The gingery tang helps cut greasiness from the meaty dumplings.

The stall has its own noodle artisan who makes wheat noodles by hand, but I find the Beijing Zha Jiang Lamian ($5) disappointing as the sauce is under-seasoned. The handmade noodles are smooth, but they are not skilfully cooked and end up clumping together.

A better option is the Cold Noodle ($7), made with springy rice vermicelli and is delightfully refreshing, especially on hot days.

The sweet and tangy soup, made from vegetable broth and fruit, is spiked with apple cider vinegar. The chilled noodles come with housemade pao cai – spicy pickled cabbage that tastes like kimchi. 

The Cold Noodle usually includes one hard-boiled egg and beef slices, but you can request chicken meat instead. The stall can also accommodate requests for a vegetarian version by omitting the meat and giving more vegetables.  

Another noodle dish to try is the Sour & Spicy Noodle (Pork Rib, $5). The slightly spicy soup has a numbing effect from the use of Sichuan pepper, but it is manageable and not overwhelming.

You get a taste of cumin, along with other spices, in the soup. Each bowl comes with three tender pieces of pork ribs and supple potato starch noodles.

Where: Ju Bao Dumpling Noodles, 01-645 City Food Court, 27 Bendemeer Road
MRT: Boon Keng
Open: 9am to 9pm daily
Info: Accepts CDC vouchers

Klang Bak Kut Teh

If you do not mind brusque manners and curt replies, Klang Bak Kut Teh in Bishan Street 11 serves a decent version of Dry Bak Kut Teh ($8). Portions are generous at the coffee-shop stall. 

The dry bak kut teh is stir-fried to order and served in a hot claypot brimming with an assortment of ingredients, such as pig stomach, meatballs, sliced pork belly, pork ribs and okra, tossed together in a glossy dark gravy that tastes like gong bao sauce.

You get three pieces of pork rib, which are not prime ribs, but reasonable for the price. The portion is enough to be shared by two persons, if eaten with rice and a side dish. 

Fried dried cuttlefish lifts the dish with its smoky seafood flavour without overpowering the soya sauce-based gravy.

The soup version, Herbal Klang Bak Kut Teh ($6.80), pales in comparison as the broth tastes bland and diluted, without sufficient aroma and flavour from the Chinese herbs. 

The portion size of Braised Large Intestine ($6.50), also served in a claypot, is hefty. The texture of the fatty intestine is perfect, tender with bite, but its slightly funky odour is a downside. Still, there are customers who appreciate the natural strong odour of offal.

Where: Klang Bak Kut Teh, Stall 14, 01-444, Block 504 Bishan Street 11
MRT: Bishan
Open: 10.30am to 8pm daily

Kim Huat Satay Beehoon Laksa

Those who enjoy cockles in laksa will be pleased to know that Kim Huat Satay Beehoon Laksa takes care not to overcook the shellfish.

Even for the basic $4 bowl, you get four to five cockles, along with spongy tau pok, fish cake, bean sprouts and half a hard-boiled egg.

The slippery laksa noodles are blanched perfectly and stay bouncy in the hot coconut milk-thickened broth.

The spice paste has the strong citrusy fragrance of lemongrass and is tasty with dried prawns in the mix.

The laksa gravy itself is not heavily seasoned, but you can easily amp up the flavour with more of the mildly spicy sambal chilli.

I like the freshness of the laksa leaves, which impart an intense floral mintiness to the dish. The leaves are plucked and chopped daily, for optimal quality.

The laksa stall shares the same unit space as Kim Huat Fried Kway Teow. The laksa signboard is in Chinese characters and displayed on the side of the corner-unit stall.

Where: Kim Huat Satay Beehoon Laksa/Kim Huat Fried Kway Teow, 01-111 Cheng San Market & Cooked Food Centre, Block 527 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10

MRT: Ang Mo Kio
Open: 7am to 2pm, Tuesdays to Sundays; closed on Mondays
Info: Accepts CDC vouchers