Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Remember the kopitiam that housed Toa Payoh 94 Laksa?
Due to a change of hands which led to “doubled rental costs”, the majority of Yi Hao Coffeeshop’s stalls have moved out. Well, where are they now?! Among the lost slew, I found C Homecook Kulai Hakka Thunder Tea, a hidden gem that announced its relocation to 125 Toa Payoh Lor 1.
According to the stall’s owner, Jane, your next lei cha spot will reopen on 26 Jul!
Before operating at her former brick-and-mortar stall for a year, the Kulai native started C Homecook as a home-based business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hidden indeed. “We are traditionally Hakka, from Malaysia,” Jane shared.
Compared to common varieties of lei cha that are lighter, the Malaysian rendition involves a heavier herbal aftertaste with familiar notes of earthy crispiness. If you know you know, any Thunder Tea Rice aficionado will tell you that a legit bowl of this Hakka staple should come with mani cai.
Although the leafy vegetable is “hard to preserve” as it requires consistently cool temperatures to remain fresh, this does not stop C Homecook from adding it to their Hakka Thunder Tea (S$5.50) at all. Along with the essential mani cai, the lei cha also features chye poh, leek, parsley, peanuts and diced tofu.
Of course, it is not served without a piping bowl of green astringent broth.
Similar to other thunder tea rice stalls, this joint also serves yong tau foo. Unlike other stalls though, ALL 5 items consist of tau kwa, tau kee, chilli, bitter gourd and brinjal are handmade.
“It depends ah, we usually have both meat paste and fish paste,” Jane explained. As they alternate between these 2 different pastes, expect something different with every visit!
Other than lei cha, the stall also has Braised Pork Rice (S$5.80) and a new addition to the menu: Traditional Malaysian-style Curry Noodles (S$5.80). And fret not, all prices are kept the same.
To those who have not sipped on the taste of thunder, will the ones at C Homecook be your first? While you are at it, I will continue my hunt for the remaining Block 94 Toa Payoh stalls.
Hakka Leipopo: Delicious Hakka YTF & solid lei cha perfect for your first try
