Just as the TEL line started operations, Dan Lao (蛋佬) came in timely with its opening at Maxwell Food Centre. They encapsulate the Hong Kong culture of eating iconic cha chaan teng ingredients in rice bowls. Eggs are definitely the focal point in all their dishes, as they act as a satisfying meal for those who are seeking a quick fix for lunch or a simple taste of Hong Kong— in true hawker style.
They are a no-frills type of hawker, emphasising simplicity in whatever they serve. The exterior presents minimal features in their signage as well as the menu display, showcasing limited dishes that vary from the selection of your protein choice.
A stall that specialises in scrambled egg rice— I must say that that’s a skillset I truly admire. The process of cooking eggs could be easily overlooked, but many stalls overcook them so you should know that scrambled eggs are hard to master. Dan Lao debunks that as they serve multiple bowls of creamy, silky eggs. A piece of cake for them!
Displayed at the side is a poster featuring their iconic ingredients: the creamy scrambled eggs and fragrant pearly Jasmine rice. They differentiate each dish in the menu through meat options, such as luncheon meat, fried chicken, char siew, and prawns. But for those who wish to not have meat, there’s an option of Tomato Scrambled Egg Rice (S$4.50) too.
For starters, the Luncheon Meat Scrambled Egg Rice (S$5) is a classic selection for most. Accompanied by the eggy sweetness of soft eggs blanketed over rice, this combination triumphs over others (at least for me that is) just because I love the saltiness that luncheon meat has to offer!
The Chicken Cutlet Scrambled Egg Rice (S$6) on the other hand, resembles the Japanese chicken katsu don. Those that are familiar would recognise the similar presentation of the golden fried chicken served with a savoury sauce and eggs over rice. Except, Dan Lao’s version has a darker colour to their fried chicken. This particular dish received many great comments about its large portion and flavour— a must try!
One could also consider adding more meat such as char siew into their bowls for an additional S$2.50! For S$5, you could also pretend you’re at Din Tai Fung relishing in their Crispy Prawn Cake.
Dan Lao’s affordable menu serves as a daily lunch option for many. With the convenience of where it’s located, join the queue before it gets too late!
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Dan Lao
1 Kadayanallur Street, Maxwell Food Centre, #01-73, Singapore 069184
Dan Lao
1 Kadayanallur Street, Maxwell Food Centre, #01-73, Singapore 069184
