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For the uninitiated, Hai Fong kopitiam at 203 Toa Payoh North used to house Hup Chong Yong Tau Foo and QiYin Teochew Minced Meat Noodle with its keto bak chor mee. Sadly, the whole coffeeshop has been revamped and none of the stalls I’ve just mentioned remain. However, during my recent visit, I spotted Puff & Spoon which seemed to sell an interesting mix of light bites.
First of all, my excitement shot through the roof when I saw that their curry puffs are actually supplied by Er Jie. I mean, are you kidding me?! It’s one of my favourite curry puff stalls in Singapore, but the only problem? It’s located at Golden Mile Tower, and I’m a little lazy to travel all the way there just to satisfy my cravings. Finally, I can get them conveniently whenever I feel like it.
Thankfully, the curry puffs aren’t fried over there and brought here to be warmed up. Instead, they’re fried in-house with 4 options for you to choose from — Potato & Egg Curry Puff (S$1.80), Potato, Egg & Chicken Curry Puff (S$2), Sardine Curry Puff (S$2.20), and Potato & Otah Curry Puff (S$2.20). It’s a pity the luncheon meat option isn’t sold here.
I was disappointed a second time when I was told that the Potato & Otah Curry Puff wasn’t available — what a bummer! We ended up ordering one of each variety.
Trying Er Jie’s Sardine Curry Puff was something new to me as my go-to would be their other options. The sardine filling was quite generous but I wish it was more moist. Thankfully, the taste was how it should be.
The Potato & Egg Curry Puff and Potato and Egg & Chicken Curry Puff were much better — moist, perfectly-spiced, and loaded with fillings. The outer crust still has that addictively flaky texture that made me a fan when I discovered them years ago.
These days, there’s been an influx of Hong Kong-style chee cheong fun popping up everywhere in Singapore. It was a breath of fresh air spotting the classic Chee Cheong Fun (S$2.40) that I grew to love as a kid, the kind my late grandmother would buy from the hawker centre for breakfast. The stall concocts its own sauce and chilli instead of using ready-made products; plus points for that!
Topped with sesame seeds, spring onions, and slathered in a little sesame oil, the whole combination was nostalgic and delicious. I appreciated that the sauce wasn’t overly robust and sweet like other renditions I’ve had, making it easy for me to wolf down almost the whole plate.
The Silver Fish Peanut w Century Egg Porridge (S$3.40) might look simple but it was both hearty and delicious.
Each spoonful of congee had loads of ingredients, with a generous amount of shredded ginger that not only added a mildly-spiced depth of flavour in every bite, but also cut down its richness. I also enjoyed the addition of peanuts and silver fish that gave it some texture.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it, but I was a teeny-weeny bit disappointed when I learnt that the Nyonya Rice Dumpling (S$4.90) and Salties Rice Dumpling (S$4.90) are not made by them, but are supplied by Original Kim Choo from Joo Chiat instead. I guess if you’ve got a bak zhang itch that needs scratching, you can just enjoy them at Puff & Spoon.
Toa Payoh residents, SPH staff, and those at the neighbouring industrial estate — if you’re after breakfast or a quick pick-me-up, Puff & Spoon has you covered. Don’t miss their Yam Cake (S$1.80) and Nasi Lemak (S$2.50), too.
Old Airport Road Curry Puff Showdown: Wang Wang Crispy Curry Puff vs Heritage Tanglin Puff
