Char Kway Teow or Fried Rice Noodles, is a quintessential part of Singapore hawker food that is everywhere.
Though I must say it is harder and harder to find a superb-tasting version due to the skills and patience involved in frying up plates tirelessly.
We each have our own criteria for what makes the best Char Kway Teow.
Is it the wok hei, the number of juicy cockles, the smoothness of the rice noodles, or some other reason?
Some of the favourites around include Hai Kee Teochew Cha Kuay Teow (Telok Blangah Crescent), Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (Hong Lim Food Centre), No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow (Zion Road Food Centre), and Meng Kee Fried Kway Teow (Havelock Road Food Centre).
Joo Chiat is full of famous restaurants and cafes, but perhaps this stall may have gone quite slightly under-the-radar.
At Joo Chiat Place Fried Kway Teow, many of the above boxes would be ticked.
The business has been around for more than half a century, first starting as a true-blue hawker selling plates after plates around the neighbourhood.
Today, it is run by the daughter of the original owner.
Before I can enjoy the delightful dish, I had to locate the place.
Its spot along Joo Chiat Place is quite hidden, away from the main rows of pristine cafes and eateries.
You will find the signboard of the plain-looking stall in a coffee shop named Dong Cheng Eatery. (The stall sometimes look closed, even though it is actually opened.)
As for the actual ordering process, it is par for the course for a hawker stall. Make your order, wait for it to be fried, and collect it yourself.
While the lady boss was frying the kway teow in the wok, I could see the pillars of smoke rising up.
Indeed, the wok hei was strong in my plate of Char Kway Teow ($4.50, $5.50).
The ingredients are the usual: Chinese sausage, fishcake, cockles, beansprouts, and egg.
Some customers may find the portion on the smaller side.
Choose to have it spicy or not. For the spicy version, the chilli would have been worked into the dish as it is fried in the wok, so every bite has an equally satisfying kick to it.
I wished there was more of the sweet sauce and smoky flavours, which could make every bite more layered.
After you are done with your meal, maybe get a few packets to takeaway – and share the joy.
Joo Chiat Place Fried Kway Teow
59 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore 427783
Opening Hours: 11am – 8:30pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Sun), Closed Wed
Other Related Entries
10 Must-Try CHAR KWAY TEOW In Singapore
Hai Kee Teochew Cha Kuay Teow (Telok Blangah Crescent)
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (Hong Lim Food Centre)
Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow (Ghim Moh Food Centre)
Hill Street Fried Kway Teow (Bedok South Food Centre)
* Written by Daniel Ang and Dean Ang. Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
