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Granny Taste at Circuit Road Hawker Centre has been on my radar since September last year. Unfortunately, my plans had to take a step back when the food centre was scheduled for a 3-month renovation, which only ended on 31 Dec. After 7 agonising months, it’s finally happening.
It was my first visit to this place, and I found the design rather unique, split into 2 separate blocks. I spotted an elderly couple who clearly had an awesome haircare routine — both rocking full heads of luscious, silver manes that gleamed like they’d been polished to perfection. It reminded me of my late grandfather, who was a little vain (like me) and regularly used purple shampoo to wash his grey hair — how I miss you, ah gong!
Emotional moments aside, judging by their age, I assumed that the couple had been doing this for a long time. Boy, was I so wrong! 78-year-old Mr Liu, and his wife, Mdm Ye, 76, had only started Granny Taste 2 years ago. Mdm Ye shared, “I used to be a housewife, and this is our first hawker stall.” See guys, it’s never too late to do anything!
Mr Liu is Fuzhou by descent, so it’s no surprise you’ll find Red Glutinous Wine Chicken (S$8) on the menu, alongside curry dishes and pig vinegar trotter. Unfortunately, the Yam Cake Homemade wasn’t available. “We are off on Mondays, and I use that day to make a small batch of yam cakes to be sold on Tuesdays,” Mdm Ye added.
What to order at Granny Taste
There aren’t many hawker stalls in Singapore that serve Red Glutinous Wine Chicken + Vermicelli (S$8.80). It’s a dish that’s usually prepared by the Hockchiu community, and it was foreign even to my 73-year-old parents, who stared at it as though it didn’t belong on this planet. One things for sure, it’s an acquired taste and anti-ginger fans may not appreciate it.
Served with mee sua, the bowl had chicken chunks and strips of ginger doused in its signature reddish-pink gravy.
The broth was rich and complex, dominated by ginger and rice wine. Fragrant, mildly sweet, and slightly boozy, it had an almost umami-like depth of flavour. The mee sua perfectly captured each spoonful of broth, delivering a gentle burst of flavor with every bite.
The chicken pieces were tender, absorbing the nuanced aromatics of the broth. Even though ginger isn’t her favourite, my mum gradually got accustomed to the overall taste. This is probably a dish that younger Gen Z and Alpha diners would steer clear of.
Next, I ordered the Curry Chicken Thigh (S$8) and got an extra plate of Rice (+S$0.50) to go with it. If you love dipping bread in curry, Mr Liu also has pieces of Bread for an extra S$1.30.
11 stalls with pig trotters so good you’ll make a pig of yourself
The first thing that grabbed my attention was the consistency of the curry. It was more viscous than the usual local curry. Flavour-wise, it was creamier and got me thinking of ayam korma for some reason. Though it doesn’t taste quite like the typical curry, and I found myself loving this version even more.
As I scooped into the curry, I uncovered a substantial chicken drumstick alongside a decent breast portion. The meat was cooked to the point where it effortlessly fell off the bone, even more tender than the one in the previous dish. Because of how thick the gravy is, it clung beautifully to the skin and flesh, coating each bite and elevating its indulgence factor.
Even the couple of hefty potato cubes were a joy to sink my teeth into — fluffy and light as clouds.
Besides the Pig Vinegar Trotter (S$8) that the couple sells at the stall, there’s even a S$38 option available for ladies recovering after childbirth. Though I’m quite familiar with this dish, it’s something I rarely eat due to its high fat content, which can get a little jelak after a while.
To my surprise, the trotters leaned more towards meat than fat. The soft, gelatinous skin gave way effortlessly to tender flesh, each bite infused with the sweet and tangy richness of the gravy.
Forgive the ‘ugly’ braised egg — we didn’t quite nail the clean cut. But what it lacked in looks, it more than made up for in flavour, delivering a comforting richness that paired perfectly with the pieces of jiggly trotter.
The gravy was well-calibrated, striking a fine balance between tanginess and sweetness without either overpowering the other.
Who Granny Taste is best for
Though I would like to say that the food options here are more traditional and would suit older folks better, I feel that younger adults like myself can also appreciate them, especially the curry that I would go back for. Ladies who are on maternity leave can also patronise this stall for its nutritious Pig Vinegar Trotter.
How to get there?
Granny Taste is just a 5-minute walk away from Mattar MRT Station (DT25) and make sure you alight at Exit B. Alternatively, you can take a bus and alight at either the Opp Mattar Stn Exit B or Blk 79 FC bus stop.
Do we recommend Granny Taste?
It was as if I was heading home to enjoy a comforting home-cooked meal. The unique curry at Granny Taste really blew me away, and I didn’t expect to enjoy the vinegar pig trotters; but I did! Though the red glutinous wine chicken isn’t for everyone, I would think this is the best place to test whether you love or hate it.
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