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Easties, rejoice! With the opening of the newly revamped Tampines 1, you’ll find an abundance of F&B offerings just waiting for you. One of these places is the newly-opened Hawkers’ Street, located on the 5th floor of Tampines 1.
Featuring 12 stalls, expect a variety of food offerings from vendors such as Pang’s Hakka Yong Tau Foo, Nikmat Nasi Lemak by Husk, Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway, as well as stalls awarded the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand, such as Tai Wah Pork Noodle and Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice, among others – you’ll definitely be spoiled for choice.
For starters, the Satay Bee Hoon (S$6.80) from Old Teochew features white bee hoon, generously ladled with their satay gravy and topped with a variety of ingredients including prawn, cuttlefish, pork liver, pork slices, cockles, and taugeh.
Personally, I was a little skeptical of the seafood and satay gravy combination, but this surprisingly hit the spot. The gravy had the true-blue satay essence with a nutty, spicy combination – but not too spicy for those who can’t handle spice! It definitely started us off on the right foot for the other dishes to come.
Next up was the Thunder Tea Rice (S$6.80) from Pang’s Hakka Yong Tau Foo. I know it’s unusual to visit a Yong Tau Foo stall and not get the Yong Tau Foo, but hear me out – it’s not often I see Thunder Tea Rice, especially on the east side where I reside. Hence, this absolutely stood out to me when looking at the menu.
This particular lei cha was accompanied by brown rice and came with a medley of ingredients such as winged beans, long beans, kidney beans, kai lan, cabbage, and carrots, topped with fried ikan bilis and peanuts for an added crunch.
This was definitely the guilt-free option out of all the dishes we tried, so if you’re health-conscious, this would be a good fit for you. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a vegetarian option, just ask to omit the ikan bilis and you’re good to go!
The soup delivered with herbaceous notes that were not too overpowering. Based on past experiences, lei cha has always left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth; however, this one did not! It was very smooth and easy to drink on its own – it was definitely the epitome of a heart-warming meal.
Now, moving on to the Signature Mee Hoon Kway (S$6.30) from Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because it was opened by former MasterChef finalist, Aaron Wong with multiple outlets across Singapore – and now Hawkers’ Street!
I opted for the dry version of the noodles, which came with minced pork, pork slices, and pork and shrimp balls, with a small bowl of soup on the side, inclusive of the traditional semi-cooked egg.
The dish truly impressed with depths of smokiness shining through every bite. The meats were incredibly tender and well-cooked, pairing well with the semi-cooked egg. Overall, it was a stunning dish that I would definitely return for seconds.
Saving the best for last, the Wholesome Lemak Drumstick Set (S$8.90) from Nikmat Nasi Lemak by Husk. A more affordable subsidiary of HUSK Nasi Lemak, they did not skimp on quality despite the reduction in prices at this slightly more affordable outlet.
Where do I even begin? Everything was exceptional. The drumstick was fork-tender – especially for a chicken drumstick of that size. The rice was soft and fluffy, the lemak was amazing with the perfect combination of creaminess from the coconut milk and spiciness from the bits of chilli mixed in, and the sunny-side-up egg on the side just heightened the whole experience for me.
It was truly an experience worth having, and best believe I would keep returning for this – I’m still drooling talking about it now.
All in all, Hawkers’ Street truly took the cake with its new launch and did not disappoint. I would definitely return to try the dishes I missed on my first visit – which will be easy since I’m a resident Eastie.
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