It’s safe to say us Westies are pretty familiar with Boon Lay Place Food Village.
This hawker centre is a haven of delectable hawker grub. Also, did I also mention there’s free WiFi?
Boon Lay may be in the far West of Singapore, but I know that a good many of us foodies are more than willing to travel across the country for food.
As further motivation, I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 tastiest hawker dishes at Boon Lay Place Food Village worth travelling to the west for.
1. Nasi Lemak (Chicken Set) (Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak)
One cannot think of Boon Lay Food Village without thinking of Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak. Needless to say, this is perhaps the most popular stall at this hawker centre.
People queue for this stall as though the stall’s releasing a new iPhone, and they have good reason too! For $3.50, you can get a nice steaming Chicken Set, consisting of a chicken wing, a fried egg, ikan bilis, peanuts and sambal chilli paste.
This Nasi Lemak is probably the epitome of all Nasi Lemak — every part of the dish was well-cooked, from the fluffy coconut rice to the crispy and juicy chicken.
I liked how the chicken wasn’t too oily and had a subtle ginger taste. Also, the sambal was sweet and had a decent kick of spice, pairing especially well with the rice.
Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak: #01-106 | Opening Hours: 4.30pm – 3.30am (Mon), 6.30am – 3.30am (Tue – Sun) | Website | Facebook
2. Fried Kway Teow Mee (Ghee Huat)
Ghee Huat‘s main speciality is the Fried Oyster ($4), but if you’re hankering for a mean plate of Fried Kway Teow Mee ($3), then this is the stall for you.
I didn’t quite like this stall’s Fried Kway Teow Mee before, as I found the noodles rather overcooked and dry. But thankfully, they have improved the dish tremendously on my return. It’s now wetter and richer with the heavy dark sauce.
Thought it was quite oily, it was easily overlooked because of its fragrance. It also came in a reasonable portion. I liked how the cockles were rather plump and really fresh too!
Ghee Huat: #01-111 | Opening Hours: 8am – 9.30pm (Daily)
3. Chicken Wing (Chong Pang Huat)
There may be a few stalls selling BBQ chicken wings, but my heart and tummy will always belong to Chong Pang Huat. Aside from chicken wings, the stall also sells other items such as Satay ($0.60 per stick) and Spring Chicken ($9).
But you definitely have to get yourself a plate of Chicken Wings ($1.30 per piece). Trust me when I say that these BBQ wings are one of the best I’ve ever tasted so far.
The skin was nicely glazed with an exceptionally crispy and flaky texture. The wings were sweet, with a slightly charred flavour too. I also liked how the meat was juicy and succulent with the faintest taste of ginger.
Combining the greasy charred meat with a burst of zesty lime juice made every bite scrumptious! Do note that you got to get a minimum of two pieces, but given how good these wings are, finishing them won’t be a problem.
Chong Pang Huat: #01-127| Opening Hours: 4.30pm – 10pm (Daily)
4. Hokkien Prawn Mee (Ho Huat Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee)
Earning the approval of many food bloggers and reviewers, Ho Huat Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee certainly has no problem attracting a crowd.
The stall only needs two dishes in its repertoire: Hokkien Prawn Mee ($4) and Fried Rice ($4).
I liked that the noodles were rather wet and came with a good amount of egg. The spring onions weren’t chopped and were left in whole, which made its taste a little more pronounced. Also, the sambal wasn’t too spicy and added a pleasant sweetness and bite to each mouthful.
Ho Huat Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee: #01-125, 221B Boon Lay Place, Singapore 642221 | Opening Hours: 9am – 11 .30pm
5. Ngoh Hiang (Xin Sheng Gor Hiong Prawn Cracker)
At Xin Sheng Gor Hiong Prawn Cracker, people usually go for the Crispy Prawn Cracker ($1.30), but there are also a few other ingredients worth mentioning.
I absolutely loved the Fried Big Prawn ($1.30), which had a crispy exterior and doughy filling.
The chilli paste went rather well with the plainer ingredients such as the Fish Ball ($0.40), Bean Curd ($0.80) and Fish Cake ($1). If you’re looking for a quick but satisfying snack, these small treats will perk you up!
Xin Sheng Gor Hiong Prawn Cracker: #01-164 | Opening Hours: 11.30am – 11pm (closed on Sundays)
6. Fish Porridge (Lin Ji Yu Tang Yu Zhou 林記鱼汤鱼粥）
Whenever I’m feeling a little under the weather, my mom would head down to Lin Ji Yu Tang Yu Zhou to get me a hot piping bowl of Fish Porridge ($5).
According to her, the porridge had always helped me recover from bouts of sickness. Although its medicinal properties are questionable, its taste was undoubtedly restorative.
The soup had an inviting fragrance of coriander and tasted rather prominent of fish sauce. Also, I liked that the soup wasn’t peppery. The fish slices were soft and taste like it was marinated too!
The dish was pretty nourishing; I can see why its perfect for when you’re under the weather.
Lin Ji Yu Tang Yu Zhou: #01-195 | Opening Hours: 9am – 8.30pm (Daily)
7. Sambal Stingray (Lian Yi BBQ Seafood)
BBQ zi char stalls are a dime a dozen in Singapore. In fact, there are already two or three BBQ zi char stalls within this hawker centre alone. But the quality of the Sambal Stingray ($15/$20/$25) at Lian Yi BBQ Seafood is in a league of its own.
The portions are pretty generous, and I highly suggest you go for the $20 portion, if you want a decent amount to share.
The outer layer of the stingray was crispy and charred, and the meat was juicy and tender. The sambal wasn’t the spiciest but a few spoonfuls definitely got me sweating.
I liked that the spice levels weren’t that intense, which allowed the taste of hae bi (dried shrimp) to be more prominent.
Lian Yi BBQ Seafood Stall: #01-161 | Opening Hours: 5.30pm – 11am
8. Black Carrot Cake (Boon Lay Fried Carrot Cake & Kway Teow Mee)
Selling Fried Carrot Cake ($3/$4/$5) and Fried Kway Teow ($3/$4/$5), Boon Lay Fried Carrot Cake & Kway Teow Mee has been a constant in my life since the very first time my parents brought me to the hawker centre for breakfast.
The white carrot cake is pretty good, but I’d much rather have the black version. Aside from adding some sweetness, the sauce also makes the carrot cake moister.
If you like old school carrot cake, then you should definitely give this stall a visit.
Boon Lay Fried Carrot Cake & Kway Teow Mee: #01-125 | Opening Hours: 8.30am – 9pm
9. Boneless Duck Noodles (Heng Huat)
Like Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak, Heng Huat Boon Lay Boneless Duck Noodles pretty much dominates the hawker centre. Everyone seems to be hooked on the Boneless Duck Noodles ($3.50).
To be honest, I did not quite understand the hype behind this dish. Though, I must say that the portions were decent, and I liked how the duck meat did not have a really pronounced gamey taste.
Also, the noodles had chunks of lard that gave the dish a huge boost in flavour.
Heng Huat Boon Lay Boneless Duck Noodles: #01-140, 221B Boon Lay Place, Singapore 642221 | Opening Hours: 6am – 10am & 4.45pm – 7pm (Tue – Sat), 6am – 10am (Sun), Closed on Mon
10. Satay (Boon Lay Satay)
Ran by a Chinese couple, Boon Lay Satay is one of the few satay stalls that sells pork satay. You can choose from Chicken, Mutton or Pork, all of which go for $0.60 a stick.
The meat was juicy and tender, and the charred taste permeated throughout the meat.
I found the peanut sauce to be smoother than most, with a prominent nutty taste. However, the Mutton was a little too tough for my liking. I suggest you go for the Pork and Chicken, for tender and juicy morsels.
Boon Lay Satay: #01-146, 221B Boon Lay Place, Singapore 642221 | Opening Hours: 6pm – 10.30pm
How far are you willing to travel for good food? Make a “journey to the west”, and let us know which of these dishes you love!
