Back in March, I had the privilege of taking a few Fridays off work. And what better way to enjoy the days than to absorb in some lunchtime madness in a bustling hawker centre in the city area. Crazy? Maybe not. You see, it has always been my dream to work in the city and have good lunches like these. Yes, the confession of a factory worker from an industrial park that’s miles away from convenience and food...good food, that is.
Chaos and humidity rule hawker centres come lunchtime. Despite all that, the corporate figures queuing up for a bowl of fish soup still look stunning, complete with scented cosmetics and super heels. Did I just find myself another reason to move to the city?
Lunching with the professionals is quite cool. It’s just like some scenes in Grey’s Anatomy or The Practice (I think it has ended its run on television...what a pity). They talk of numbers and terms that are almost as strange to me as Spock. Yet, it’s engaging. And again, so cool.
Perhaps the only uncool part was me in my slippers and shorts. Oh, and a disfigured plastic bag (I call it my camera bag) that my friends absolutely loathed.
Fish soup and yam rice from #02-37
Char Kway Teow from #02-52
Claypot Rice from #02-28
Hokkien Prawn Mee from #02-49
Wanton Mee from #02-33
Simply delicious. That’s how I'd describe the food here, in general. My favourite has got to be the fish soup served and more importantly, cooked in a claypot where the broth spoke of clarity and sweetness. And to have it with a bowl of yam rice, good lunch indeed. Surprisingly, we came to like char kway teow as well. Almost glowing simultaneously, we believed we’ve found yet another stall that offers the savoury and dry type of stir-fried rice noodles. A charfully delicious one, at that.
If you ever have extra time to spare after lunching at the food market, drop by Dessert Hut (a few shops away from the market) for some good sweets before heading back to the office. I came in with the highest degree of skepticism but left a convert. And all it took was a bowl of yam paste with black glutinous rice. Optimally sweet and mostly smooth, the bowl of goodness (complete with ginkgo nuts) got me initiating a visit on my second trip to the food market.
Back in the workplace, the post-lunch hours can get rather dreamy. So, this is when the second cup of coffee kicks in, I guess.
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