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Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Indonesia Cuisine: $3.80 lontong you'll dream of after trying
The scent of star anise and cardamom doesn't dissipate from Indonesia Cuisine, no matter how windy it is. I was hooked by their showcase of cooked dishes, and immediately started queuing when I caught a whiff of their rendang. Despite the line snaking from the stall, customers were served promptly, and I received my food without much delay. It was nearing peak lunch hour at Bendemeer Market and Food Centre, which explained the rapidly lengthening queue forming behind me. Phew. I was first introduced to Indonesia Cuisine through its Google reviews, where netizens posted contrasting comments about the lontong and rendang. Which one was truly the best? I was curious too, so it was time for me to go find out! Instead of the usual beef, Indonesia Cuisine serves up a mean Chicken Set (S$4). This set includes a thicc chicken drumstick, crunchy sautéed vegetables, a fried sunny-side-up egg and rice. Everything is topped with a generous layer of the fragrant rendang sauce. Before I start talking about the food, I need to give a shoutout to the prices here. With everything being around the S$5 to S$6 mark these days, I appreciate the set meals priced for less. The cheapest item on the menu is , for just S$2! I'm usually one to start a meal from the small side dishes, but even I couldn't resist the chicken drumstick smothered in sauce. It was easy to peel off chunks of flesh with cutlery alone, a convenience I constantly rave about. The rendang sauce complemented the meatiness of the chicken without overpowering its natural flavours. The spices were a carefully concocted blend; a versatile companion with an umami-packed fragrance. With the addition of the egg, a spoonful of the chicken and rice pair becomes a creamy bite. The vegetables resemble those served with caifan, with a distinct savouriness from oyster sauce. A few pieces of cabbage eaten after deliver a refreshing crunch. However, the chilli could use a little less salt. It didn't deliver much spice — which I'm impartial to — but the extra seasoning on the toppings was overkill. Without the chilli, everything was a-ok! DAN CURRY RICE: New fusion curry rice under $6 with glistening crispy cutlets at Queenstown If the rendang was a gut punch of aromatics, the (S$3.80) was its creamier, gentler sibling. With the first sip, what hit me wasn't spice, but a smooth and almost floral coconut-iness. Calling it 'creamy' is an understatement. This bowl was downright decadent. The sayur lodeh swirled with pale coconut milk tinged orange from spices. It coated the softened vegetables and slices of lontong like a second skin. While the coconut cream did take centre stage in this dish, I appreciated how the curry spices cut through the indulgence. The mild spice and aromatics were invigorating in both scent and taste, preventing the sayur lodeh from becoming too jelak. The cylindrical slices of lontong also played a part in balancing out the flavour profile. The unseasoned centre of the thickly cut rice cake sopped up the soup whilst mellowing out the creaminess. A hard-boiled egg was the perfect finish to the meal. The jelly-like white and crumbly yolk soaked up the last dredges of my sayur lodeh. With the yolk becoming a thick coconut-and-egg paste, this last bite was a delight. The Lontong at Indonesia Cuisine was the highlight of my day. As a creamy food enthusiast, the taste and texture were right up my alley. But I do know that I'm as fickle as they come, and with Singapore's heat these days, soup won't always be what I crave. This is where the Chicken Rendang Set comes in, a filling, no-frills plate of goodness more than worth the S$4 price tag. Overall, the time I spent eating — ahem, investigating this Lontong VS Rendang championship was fruitful. So, what about you? Team Lontong or Team Rendang, there's only one way to find out! Expected damage: S$2 – S$6 per pax One 18 Bakery: Neighbourhood bakery with 18 croissant varieties from $2.50 like beef rendang, Horlicks & chicken satay The post Indonesia Cuisine: $3.80 lontong you'll dream of after trying appeared first on
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Xin Xin Yong Tau Foo: Chunky fish & flavourful broths I'd slurp any day
As a newbie in Bendemeer Market and Food Centre, I headed to Xin Xin Yong Tau Foo for a familiar taste. Trust me, you'll never go wrong with soft fish cakes in piping hot broth. What's more, this yong tau foo stall has noodles and side dishes as well, making it the perfect beginner's pit stop at Bendemeer. There was no way I was going to go home without a bowl of classic Y.T.F, right? I was also excited to try something different, and my wandering eyes locked onto the picture of spicy tom yum. Yum indeed! The Soup (S$5 for Regular, S$6 for Large) was filled with various fish cakes. The S$5 portion that I ordered came with more than 8 pieces of yong tau foo; pretty worth it! One thing I love about yong tau foo is how the saltiness of the fish paste is absorbed by the broth. It leaves the fish cakes with a light, gentle sweetness that pairs well with a spoonful of savoury soup. This bowl does just that — while the meat-stuffed bitter gourd flooded my senses at first, its lingering aftertaste helped enhance the umami of the broth. I also enjoyed the fish paste mixed with minced pork, where the chew of meat and bouncy cooked fish meld together. Glistening in the broth was this pearl of a fish ball. Its bouncy flesh revealed a salty core untouched by the cooking process, a welcome boost in the gentle flavour profile. Another one of my favourites was the fish cake wrapped in bean curd skin. Soaked in the soup, the bean curd skin was silky and juicy while retaining its bite. Paired with the softness of the fish cake inside, this bite was a great balance of textures. As I grow older, the tofu I once called tasteless has become part of my meals. They're the perfect sponge for sauces and soups, just like this stuffed fried bean curd. The puffy skin lifts off the fish paste within ever so slightly, becoming a pocket for soup to collect in. It's basically a meaty xiao long bao, if you get what I mean! Two sauces were available at Xin Xin Yong Tau Foo: sweet sauce and chilli. While the chilli provided a spicy kick to the milder flavour profile of the fish cakes, it wasn't the sauce I'd reach for as I ate. That trophy went to the sweet sauce, with a taste similar to Singapore-style chee cheong fun sauce. The thickness of the sauce lets it pool in the crevices of the tofu. The coating of sauce was even despite being diluted by the soup on the ingredients. Shu Heng Bi Tai Mak: Slurp-worthy Johor-style bee tai mak worth waking up for Rounding off this bowl was the heart and soul of all yong tau foo — the soup. Enriched by anchovy broth, Xin Xin Yong Tau Foo's rendition was well-seasoned and could be enjoyed alone. Sour, spicy and deliciously soupy, the Fried Fish Soup (S$5 for Regular, S$6 for Large) is one way to shake things up. If you're in the mood for a flavour bomb, put down an order right now! The chunks of fish in this bowl of soup were phenomenal — thick and crispy without any day-old fishiness. I counted 5 in my bowl, and considering that each slice was nearly a centimetre thick, I think my S$5 was money well spent. Apart from the fresh crunch of the bok choy, the tomato was actually the dark horse of the ingredients. It was juicy, with an acidity that was enhanced by the tom yum. Yet there was this natural sweetness that balanced out the whole flavour profile. Super addictive! I loved the fragrance of lemongrass in the soup and how the sourness seeps into all the ingredients for an appetite-inducing bite. However, the soup could have used less salt. Since it already had a strong flavour, the saltiness was overpowering to me. Of course, this can be combated with the addition of Rice (S$0.50) or (S$1). It mellows down the punchy soup and makes the meal more filling, a win-win situation! I loved the variety of dishes available at Xin Xin Yong Tau Foo. Paired with the affordable prices and generous portions, there are no complaints from me. I'll pop by if I'm in the area again — which will happen soon, trust me. This stall does both: comforting classics that dredge up memories of my childhood and modern twists that pack a burst of flavour. I'm looking forward to trying the other items on the menu when I return. So if you're stuck in the maze of Bendemeer Market and Food Centre, look out for this signboard. And remember to come with an empty stomach, because these bowls aren't for small appetites! Expected damage: S$5 – S$8 per pax DAN CURRY RICE: New fusion curry rice under $6 with glistening crispy cutlets at Queenstown The post Xin Xin Yong Tau Foo: Chunky fish & flavourful broths I'd slurp any day appeared first on
