Newly-opened Tam Chiak Kopitiam by famous food blogger has scrambled egg rice bowls & Korean wings

In case you haven’t heard, the newest and hottest kopitiam, Tam Chiak Kopitiam has recently opened in Hougang. They’ve got quite an impressive line-up!

The wide array of stalls at Tam Chiak Kopitiam was curated by Maureen Ow, who many of us know as Miss Tam Chiak. If you’re a foodie, you probably know her; she’s an extremely well-established food blogger in the SG food scene. She has even ventured into the hawker biz!

Some other well-known names, including Chew Chor Meng (yes, the Mediacorp actor — can’t believe I saw him), and 972 DJ Dennis Chew, helped Tam Chiak Kopitiam come into existence.

Tam Chiak Kopitiam is adorned with dazzling neon signboards and colourful, patterned tiles. Indeed, the space is both modern and trendy. I haven’t seen a kopitiam quite like it.

Though it only soft launched this week on 11 Jul 2023, it is already being met with a bustling crowd.

When you enter, you’ll notice that Danlao monopolises the bulk of the crowd at Tam Chiak Kopitiam. The queue was truly a sight to behold as it snaked all the way to the outside of the inner dining space.

The stall originated at Maxwell Food Centre and sprang from the ingenious minds of 4 young hawkers, 2 of whom were former chefs at Eggslut.

The Chicken Cutlet (S$6) from Danlao is a fan favourite. Perfectly scrambled, floofy eggs and a flavourful sauce are layered atop white rice. The chonky chicken cutlet that’s fried to perfection ties everything together.

Oppa Kitchen was brought in by our very own local star, Hong Junyang and is helmed by a Korean chef, Nick. They bring in a great selection of authentic Korean eats such as Korean fried chicken, tteokbboki and bibimbap.

The fried chicken at Oppa Kitchen is bite-size and boneless. Don’t know about you but for the lazy peeps like me, it’s a dream come true. So easy to eat! The Honey Butter Fried Chicken (S$11) comes coated with a sweet, but not sickly honey butter sauce. It went really well with the crispiness of the fried chicken batter.

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I also really appreciated the chicken mu, or pickled radish that came with the fried chicken: its sweet-sour taste was extremely refreshing.

I had gone with my colleague, Chloe, who everyone at SETHLUI.com knows can’t handle spice. So, as soon as I laid my eyes on the hellish red of the Rabokki (S$9), I thought, “Here lies Chloe’s grave”. Or not.

Rather than a throat-burning spice, the sauce was actually on the sweeter side, with a mellowed spicy note. The tteok were nice and chewy and went great with the noodles and sauce, too.

If you want to grab a quick bite in the a.m. or for an afternoon snack, Tam Chiak Kopitiam’s got your back. Flaky Haus has a wide array of delectable pastries and bakes to meet all your baked-goods cravings.

For something classic, the Croissant (S$2.90) and Pain Au Chocolat (S$3.50) would do the job. Buttery and flaky, French pastries at this quality and price at a kopitiam are quite the gem.

But the standout for me would undoubtedly be the Maple Pecan (S$3.90). It was the flakiest of them all and filled with a delectably sweet and nutty filling.

Of course, this was but a sneak peek into what Tam Chiak Kopitiam has to offer. With its 10 stores, you could visit a couple of times and still have more to uncover. 888 Mookata owned by Mediacorp artistes Chew Chor Meng and Zhou Chongqing is yet another highlight.

And if you’re craving something classic, De Sinn Chicken Rice and Chef de Pasta would be right up your alley. To quench your thirst, definitely grab an ice-cold drink from Yeo Yeo Huat (which alludes to the Mediacorp Chanel 8 drama, 118). They apparently serve up an amazing kopi C!

In the meantime, we can look forward to the opening of the remaining stalls at Tam Chiak Kopitiam like Ru Ji Kitchen, Wen Kang Ji and Michelin Bib-ed Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang.

It seems like Tam Chiak Kopitiam is only going to get more exciting; I’m getting jealous of those living in Hougang!

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