of mojitos and other madness: hawker rocker 104

been meaning to write this up as a slightly more comprehensive post on my take on the die die must try places for pork done hawker style, but till i track down the last place i was hoping to feature, i decided what the heck, just share with all dia's favorite two places! so here goes....

1. bak kut teh

i'm sure this will be of some debate to people, but i like my bak kut teh peppery and non-herbal so mr ng ah sio's got dia's vote for outstanding bak kut teh. given the many reviews of the place and the celebrity clientele, this makan place has managed to stay true and consistent such that old regulars travel far and wide to come back for more. not only are the ribs tender, the kidney, liver and pig trotters are all done to perfection. and i do have to say it one more time, the broth is outstanding, with an awesome blend of flavours from the pork, pepper and garlic. with the home made you cha kway, i can easily polish off the whole bowl on my own dipping them into the yummy stock! my only gripe about this place? they don't serve giam chai..but its all still good because everything else easily makes up for it!

ng ah sio pork ribs eating house

208 rangoon road
(65) 6291 4537

2. zhu zhar tang

people who do know me know that this girl does not eat the inerts of the pig, no matter how yummy they are claimed to be. stewed, deep fried or cooked in stock, its a big no no when it comes to the liver, kidney or intestines. the only exception i do make is at this zhu zhar tang place at lavender. i still don't have the soup with the inerts, just the simple meat balls and pork slices but i do admit that the soup is power, probably because they 'aw' (read slow cook) it with all the bones and inerts. slightly peppery, slightly tangy from the giam chai, with the earthy taste of the meat, this is quite the perfect meal for a cold rainy day. the meatballs are truly home made, with the same peppery bite and fresh crunch to each ball. i'm sure the belly, intestines and liver are all similarly yummy with g (amongst many others i know *grin*) always ordering a large bowl of this mixed pig organ's soup. the simple side dishes of salted fish and minced pork do really complement the entire meal....yums!