When it comes to carrot cake aka chai tow kway, do you usually prefer the black or white version? Without a doubt, I’ll proudly say that the former is always my favourite. When I learnt about Carrot Cubes offering 10 varieties of this popular hawker dish, my interest was instantly piqued.
The stall, situated within Rong Yuan Coffeeshop at 475 Upper Serangoon Crescent is manned by a father and daughter team: Ng Kwee Boon, 63 and Claire, 36. For 25 years, Mr. Ng handcrafted his own carrot cake at a shared production kitchen, supplying it to other businesses.
Seeing that her dad’s job was tiring, Claire, an ex-sales executive, wanted to alleviate his load by taking over the production work. While steaming the carrot cake, she wasn’t prepared for the tough nature and harsh environment of the job. Thus, this led her decision to become a chai tow kway hawker instead.
After a month of training at her uncle’s stall, she spent 6 years navigating a rollercoaster journey— starting with pop-ups, opening her own carrot cake hawker stall, and eventually closing it to assist at her dad’s new factory (just typing that made me feel exhausted).
On 19 Feb 2022, she finally started Carrot Cubes. Due to escalating rental and utility costs, Mr Ng decided to close the factory on Sep 2023 to help his daughter.
What I tried at Carrot Cubes
The first dish to grace us with its presence was the Yuan Yang Carrot Cake (S$6). Served with a large dollop of chilli, there were equal parts of black and white carrot cake split into half, garnished with chopped spring onions.
I started off with the white carrot cake. Visually, it was appealing with its slightly browned surfaces and egg coating. Some of the pieces had clumped together to form a large morsel.
From the first mouthful, the fragrance of the egg coupled with garlicky notes hit me. As I chewed further, I discovered mini pieces of chai poh that added a nice crunch and a mild umami kick. Claire also mentioned that they added blended dried shrimp into the mix.
Despite all that, I found the overall taste a little too bland for my liking— perhaps a little more savouriness would seal the deal for me.
Moving on to the black version, the sweetness of the black sauce was the first thing that greeted my taste buds. It was aromatic, moist and well-seasoned. The creaminess of the egg further enhanced its appeal.
One of my dining partners, who shared my view, commented that it was slightly too saccharine, while the other felt it was just right.
The chilli had a strong hint of shrimp, which paired nicely with the chai tow kway. For some reason, it reminded me of the chilli used in the popular Bedok Chwee Kueh franchise.
The next dish we tried was the Special Carrot Cake (S$7), which had a mixture of bacon bits and Thai chilli flakes.
Although it looked just like white carrot cake with a reddish tinge, its taste was on the opposite end of the spectrum. The robustness of the chilli flakes ignited my tongue with a mild spiciness that intensified over time. The distinct, unctuous notes of the bacon had also dominated the entire flavour of the dish.
Filo Bistro: Chef from 2 Michelin-star restaurant serves up carrot cake fries & Hokkien mee paella
Who knew that a simple ingredient like bacon could change the entire game? Purists might be up in arms over this, but as someone who embraces fusion, it was totally up my alley!
Launched less than a month ago on 23 Jul 2024, I also tried out a couple of her new items, which she entrusted her dad to be fully in charge of. Starting with the Deep Fried Carrot Cubes W Cheese (S$4.50), Mr Ng deep-fried the pre-fried carrot cubes (8 to be exact), then torched a slice of processed cheese on top. Before serving, he drizzled mayonnaise and finished off with a garnish of spring onions.
When asked if Claire got the idea for these fried carrot cubes from the popular fried carrot cake sticks, she nodded enthusiastically. “As my stall is called Carrot Cubes, I decided to serve them in big cubes, haha!” she shared candidly.
The subtle creaminess of the cheese and mayo, along with the mild sharpness of the spring onions, paired perfectly with the fried cubes. Despite the addictive crunchiness of the carrot cake cubes, it was surprisingly not oily. It was also fluffy and gently savoury inside.
The sliced cabbage underneath also helped to cleanse the palate in between bites.
Claire mentioned that several customers had given feedback that using nacho cheese sauce might enhance the dish even more. I completely understand what they mean and fully agree. It would’ve made it saucier and enhance its appeal. Tsk tsk, get the hint, Claire?
My eyes were scanning the Deep Fried Carrot Cubes W Sprinkles (Sour Cream) (S$4.50) for the whitish cream, but I failed to find it. Silly me— the sour cream was actually in powder form and sprinkled immediately after frying, allowing it to cling to the outer layer.
After taking a bite, the mild acidic tang of the sour cream gradually flooded my mouth. The combination was quite unique, and the flavour grew on us.
Final thoughts
It’s heartwarming to see father and daughter work hand-in-hand in the kitchen. Carrot Cubes offer both classic and innovative chai tow kway options, playing around with this versatile ingredient.
Without a doubt, my favourite dish here has got to be the Special Carrot Cake. If you’re seeking interesting options for your next meal, why not swing by Upper Serangoon Crescent and say hi to the friendly duo?
Expected damage: S$3.50 – S$7 per pax
Grandfather Carrot Cake: Super wok hei carrot cake, CKT & fried oysters with pork lard at Siglap
Price: $
Our Rating: 4 / 5
Carrot Cubes
475 Upper Serangoon Crescent, Rong Yuan Coffeeshop, Singapore 530475
Carrot Cubes
475 Upper Serangoon Crescent, Rong Yuan Coffeeshop, Singapore 530475
