The Fork and Chopstick
highlighting the off the beaten path, heritage, or just plain fun chomping grounds Written by and Photography by Jenni & Eric Lee
Maxwell Food Centre 1 Kadayanallur Street, S. 069184
Nearby was Zhong Guo Jie Peanuts Soup 75, one of the third generation stalls (#01-57) specializing in peanut soup. Four hours of boiling and constant stirring produce a sweet dish of warm peanuts in broth. We asked for rice dumplings (filled with sweetened sesame or lotus paste) to be added to it. Chicken Rice Of Course: There is no denying that Tian Tian (#01-10) was given foodie rockstar status by Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsey - the stall attracts people all around the world for its chicken rice. Of course try Tian Tian, but if the line is too long and you don’t have the patience also try Heng Heng (#01-84), which is the other original chicken rice stall at Maxwell. There is also Ah Thai (#01-07), an offshoot of Tian Tian due to a falling out. And What - Ramen? Not just traditional food is for sale here. Satisfying the global ramen craze is Taisho Ramen (#01-32). Nestled between stalls selling roast pork or local coffee, the ramen base consisted of a rich pork broth and thin chewy noodles, which is the style usually seen in southern Japan.
Rickshaw noodles with yam and fish cake
Singapore hawker food culture was awarded UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage status in December of 2020; hence, we went to Maxwell Food Centre to explore its food and heritage.
Maxwell FC plays an important part in preserving Singapore’s heritage, through generational stalls continuing to cook as their parents and/or grandparents did, and specializing in dishes not commonly found elsewhere. Happy Chomping!
Generational Stalls: The two-story building near the Tanjong Pagar Road entrance was the central depot for rickshaws in Singapore, introduced in 1880. Thus, our first stop had to be Rickshaw Noodles (#01-87), started in 1943 and now run by the founder’s daughter. What makes rickshaw noodles different? Noodles were snipped short like the olden days, designed to be a cheap meal eaten quickly without utensils. Imagine a rickshaw puller running in, plopping down a few coins, getting a bowlful and slurping it quickly before being on his way. Fortunately, chopsticks and spoons are available today. (All the signs are in Mandarin so just point!) Also in the category of generational stalls, Fuzhou Oyster Cake (#01-05) was founded in 1962 by the current owner’s father. Oyster fritters are a specialty of Fuzhou, China ($2 each). This was a savory, crispy deep fried oyster snack, mentioned in an Anthony Bourdain book (although some prefer Fuzhou Poh Hwa at Berseh FC.) www.awasingapore.org
Pre/Post Meal:
Fuzhou Oyster cake stall
Linger with a coffee and browse through books at Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop, located at URA Centre, across Maxwell Road entrance. Take a quick walk to Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Chinatown Heritage Centre (but closed during COVID), and Sri Mariamman Temple. Jenni & Eric Lee live to eat and explore local eateries and bars. Originally from New York, they have lived in Singapore since 2012. -- 19 --
