But I can’t let this fact come in the way of you and this Penang Hawker Fare at York Hotel in Singapore (right behind GoodWood Park which has amazing high-tea buffets btw and beside Far East Plaza on Scotts Road).
I headed out there this Saturday with Joann and Pui, the ideal eat-out partners I must say.
This fare runs from 12th to 28th March and as far as I know, visits a couple of times a year. There are small stalls set up where food is freshly prepared. You can queue up and get 2 plates at a time. We spread out to get different stuff and meet back at the table.
Joann picked the queue for Char Kway Teow.
Worst pic but best dish of the day. It was just rightly flavoured and the bean sprouts gave it a nice crunch.
The Prawn Mee was a close second – fresh prawns, fish slices and bean sprouts in a delicious noodle soup.
Kang Kong with Cuttlefish – Pass! I am not very daring when it comes to seafood.
Duck Porridge – belongs right down there with the cuttlefish. Boring.
That doesn’t mean the Oyster Omelette was not good. It was a bit on the oily side but the egg : oyster ratio was perfect and the coriander leaves and chilli sauce were a lovely combination. Next time I make scrambled eggs at home, I am garnishing with fresh coriander, yes I am!
I was a bit disappointed with the Penang Laksa, although this is what I was looking forward to the most. While I expected a soupier and tastier version of the Singapore Laksa, it was significantly different in looks, taste and even colour. The Singaporeans say this is an acquired taste but I am not sure if I choose this dish again.
Ah yes, dessert, finally.
This pancake right here, this took me all the way to my childhood and back and I was amazed at how similar Malay and Kerala cuisine can be, mostly because of the liberal use of coconut and coconut milk.
It a slight sweet crunch from the fresh grated coconut and its a bit spongy. There’s one small piece of banana and some gula melaka (similar to jaggery) syrup added to the centre while cooking. Its called Apam Balik. Did you get that? Apam! Weird but true.
This was the general favourite. I mean, what can compete with crispy and light as air pancakes filled with roasted, crushed peanuts liberally doused with sugar and gula melaka syrup?
We considered going back and eating just a gazillion of these thinking it would be totally worth the cost of the buffet, especially since they are not available in Singapore. Oh and its called Ban Chang Kueh but don’t ask me how you say that.
There were other desserts too, like Ice Kacang and Chendol but we were full beyond belief at this point so just decided to end the madness. Check our Joann’s blog for her review.
You want to check out the Penang Hawker Fare at York Hotel too? Here’s where the action is:
York Hotel
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: (+65) 6737 0511
You can’t make reservations so check the timings and get there about 15 mins early. There are tons of tables but they filled up fast so queue up and grab your favourite corner and do us a favour – eat the pancakes, lots of ’em!
Cost : SGD 28++ (came up to about SGD 33)
** All pics were taken with my Nexus One because I forgot my camera **
Great review, Nags! You must do more of these:-) Next time I visit, I know whom to ask about where to go and eat what:-) ~shreya