ampang yong tau foo, katong

good ampang yong tau foo at this old joint in the totally chill neighborhood that is katong – the ampang designation indicates that the soya beancurd is here stuffed with a seasoned minced meat paste, instead of the typical fish paste.

the store serves only rice and the yong tau foo, which comes in a soup that is too salty for drinking but just nice for flavoring – you can pick from the available selection, or just more easily, just ask for a 1-2-3-4-person (you get the idea) portion of mixed items.

the combination comes with a couple of fish- and meatballs, tofu beancurd and meat-stuffed vegetables pieces (appreciating the stuffed chilli is truly an indication of adulthood), and a bowl of rice to go with.

but always ask for additional pieces of the deep-fried beancurd skin – and eat it the way the british eat biscuits with tea: give it enough time for the soup to get absorbed, but not so much that it loses all its crispiness.

it’s been a family go-to for many years now, and there aren’t many places where you can get your fix of proper yong tau foo, much less the ampang-style. this place is run by chinese malaysians, which seems to indicate that it might serve up something pretty authentic (ampang is also a place in malaysia’s capital) – but regardless, the endless crowds at mealtimes is more than testament to the quality of the simple offerings here.

Ampang Yong Tau Foo
225 East Coast Road
Singapore 428922
tel +65 6345 3289
$.5: 10-ish

328 katong laksa, katong

surprisingly fantastic laksa in katong, one of a couple famous places serving this dish. I have eaten laksa less times than the fingers on one hand, and its very attributes are the reasons why I typically eschew local food: too-much-richness as with the coconutty soup and chilli oil, too-much-carbness as with the large bowl of noodles with nominal pieces of protein, and too-much-stress from the heaviness that calls for a post-eat run.

but, this was delicious.

lower east side taqueria, katong

if you’re already planning your friday-night or weekend spot for food, then bravo. the public holiday yesterday rendered this week rather short, and there’s no better time than hump day to start daydreaming about the soon-to-come weekend.

this is a good place to come to, with the bright colors, a well-stocked bar, chirpy service (if you get the nice caucasian lady), and flavors that are fresh and crisp.

lick: little ice cream kafe, katong

if you’re up for a scoop of ice cream this weekend, and pass by this place, well. move on.

there’s a branch of the very-good ice cream gallery just a couple storefronts down, and I recommend that wholeheartedly – it’s great on its own, but especially so relative to this place.