Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Golden Mile Food Centre is a haven for affordable and delicious offerings. That place is forever packed, especially during lunch and dinner hours. I myself often visit this gem for good food too. When I saw a new stall that opened recently, Chef Choo Signature, I decided to give it a go.
I went after dinner, and there was still a line. Being Singaporean, if there’s a queue, it usually means the food is good right? Chef Choo used to work in five-star hotels like Regent and Grand Hyatt before deciding to open his own stall.
He makes everything to-order and you can watch him prepare them swiftly. Within minutes, I got my food. The first dish was their signature Sizzling Seafood Spaghetti (S$6.90 serves one, S$12.90 serves two). As it was served to me, I could see where the name came from.
After being tossed together, the pasta is served on a cast iron skillet. It was sizzling and smoking, as the fragrant scent wafted into my nose. Immediately, I had high hopes for this dish.
There was a decent amount of seafood in this, making it well worth its price. It had prawns, mussels, squids and clams. The pasta was perfectly al dente and I liked how the tomato sauce was appetising, with a good ratio of sweetness to tanginess. The addition of white wine also helped to elevate and bind all the flavours together perfectly.
The prawns were fresh and crunchy with a subtle sweetness.
I also liked that the squids were cooked well, springy and firm in texture.
The clam’s flesh was juicy, with just the right amount of saltiness to mask its subtle underlying fishiness.
Mussels, I find, are hardly ever used in seafood pasta due to their higher cost. The mussels here were not only of substantial size but they had the right amount of tender chewiness. As they are usually mild in flavour, the sauce was allowed to shine.
We also got the Norweigan Salmon With Teriyaki Sauce (S$5.90). For salmon, this price was definitely a steal.
Granted, it was a small and thin slab, but it was very well-cooked. It was grilled nicely with a slight char on the outside. Pink in the centre, buttery smooth with sweet undertones, this was a good fish.
The garlic rice was not what I was expecting. It was plain rice, slathered over with garlic sauce. The rice was slightly too grainy, and the garlic sauce, while fragrant, was a lil’ starchy for my liking. Texture-wise, it didn’t really sit well with me.
I did appreciate, however, that the yolk was runny as I broke into it. With a touch of creaminess, it acted as a nice sauce for my rice.
We also got the Hot Plate Seared Beef With Onion And Garlic Rice (S$6.90). In terms of portion size, this fared much better with a significant amount of beef slices.
The beef was fried with garlic chips, enhancing the flavour profile. The garlic chips were crispy, which added a nice crunchy texture too. I liked the touch of herbs on top for an aesthetic touch.
In addition, the beef slices were tender and juicy, with a distinct smokiness to it. It was another well-executed dish that highlighted Chef Choo’s cooking skills.
However, my favourite was the Pork Chop With Garlic Rice And Mushroom Cream Sauce (S$5.90). It didn’t look as vibrant as the other dishes, but its flavour profile definitely stood out.
The pork slices were thick yet tender, and the mushroom cream sauce was delightful. It was creamy and earthy, which went well with the pork chop. I also liked the chunks of mushrooms embedded within for a varying texture.
Chef Choo Signature was definitely worth its price, especially if you are a smaller eater. The food quality is a notch above the rest, with more atas options for under S$7. If you love western food or happen to visit Golden Mile Food Centre for your meals often, this place is worth the try.
Expected damage: S$4.90 – S$6.90 per pax
