recently, i had the best laksa of my life at depot road zhen shan mei, situated at alexandra village food centre. i swear this is not one of those one-liners written simply to grab everyone’s attention; i honestly think it’s that good!

most of the time the laksa you buy at hawker centres comes in a plastic bowl. but the one here is served in a claypot that not only keeps the laksa piping hot, but at the same time also seals in the moisture and fragrance of the gravy.

some people are skeptical as to whether this really is the original claypot laksa from depot road. word has it that the original owners sold their namesake and recipe to its present owners (a young chinese couple). so basically the laksa here should taste as good as the original. i certainly am hooked!

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yong kee famous fishball noodle at abc market is famous for a good reason. with a history stretching 24 years, the hardworking husband-and-wife team running the stall sure have perfected their recipe for their bestselling fishball noodle.

don’t let this humble dish fool you — it packs a punch! the secret lies in the handmade fishballs. a chat with the lady boss revealed that her husband travels to a factory in old airport road everyday to make fresh batches of fishballs.

these fishballs are made from fresh fish. true to her word, you wouldn’t get the kind of flour-taste in those frozen fish or sotong (calamari) balls from the supermarket. you can really taste the freshness of the fish, without the slightest hint of the fishy stench. the texture is firm and springy too!

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like a typical singaporean, i am very fond of spicy food, even if it means looking unglamorous while eating my favorite sambal dishes, nose dripping at the same time. for that reason, i love the robust flavors of indonesian food, which tend to be red hot spicy most of the time.

at the kopitiam food court in plaza singapura, there’s always an impossibly long queue at the famous riverside indonesian bbq stall. but for people that are too hungry to endure the long wait, there’s another indonesian food stall. the name is padang corner, a rather apt one as it is a corner stall too.

you can order the food here in the form of ala carte dishes, or rice sets.

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when craving for american fares, tony roma’s is one name that always pops up. with consistently good food being served in a family-friendly environment, it’s no wonder that snaking queues of eager customers (or guests, the term that the restaurant prefers) can be seen forming at the entrance during the evening chow hours. in fact, i made two trips there in the past week!

at the suntec city outlet, one of only two in singapore, guests can opt for cozy booth seats or window seats, where they get to enjoy a view of the mall’s koi pond. with the colorful neon signboards, black and white photographs of classic america, plus the american flag being displayed proudly, you may be forgiven for forgetting that you’re still in singapore.

tony roma’s award-winning baby back ribs are world famous and need no further introduction. but even the steaks and other grill will not pale in comparison!

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when you’re dining under the tung lok group of restaurants, you are assured of decent food and service. zhou’s kitchen is the group’s newest addition, named after the owner himself.

this mid-range restaurant offers a high-class version of chinese zi char (home-cooked fares). while it is marketed as a place for casual dining, the food and decor are by no means casual. you would find slightly “posh” dishes such as wasabi-mayo prawns and crab glutinous rice (with a whole crab!) here.

Photo credit: Tung Lok Group

occupying the copperdome, a standalone building opposite ikea alexandra, it used to be the premises for paddy fields thai restaurant, also run by tung lok. the atmosphere is unintimidating and friendly, and would appeal to families of all generations. my mom totally enjoyed the chinese oldies playing in the background. we sat by the large glass windows overlooking the posh car showrooms across the road. these, i feel, are the best seats in the restaurant.

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