Hawker centre #6: Chinatown Complex

The final ethnic neighborhood for me to hit was Chinatown and, frankly, I was going there for the food. This journey would happen solo, as my poor sister had been struck ill by the same bug that got me the week prior.

My first stop was the enormous hawker centre located in the Chinatown Complex. This place was huge, there must have been 250+ hawker food stalls, and that was just on the second floor. Moreover, they were laid out as if they were supposed to be a maze, with stall number 212 near stall number 56. So my first 30 minutes were spent wandering around, taking it in, and looking for the money spots.

The first place I settled was at a conjoined double stall. It was a very popular lunchtime spot, with groups of three or four all tucking into whole fish steamed and served in nice-looking curries. As just one, I opted for the sang mee, a tower of crispy fried noodles bathing in a dark sweet vinegar sauce and with a handful of fish slices on top. This dish was excellent. The first bite was mostly noodle, but then it started to mix. As the noodle would hit the sauce, it would soften without getting mushy. The fish held up as well, and had the consistency of chicken yet a clear fish flavor. I slurped my way through this one quickly. A green apple and celery juice washed it down satisfactorily.

I then relocated to my second spot, for dessert. Ever since I had spotted the entry in Makansutra, I desperately wanted to try ah boiling, or peanut dumplings in soup. This place was the jackpot. The small stall was run by one gentleman who had been at it for at least 30 years. He meticulously hand rolls each dumpling, which gives them a lovely oblong shape and ensures that the dumpling skin is chewy without being sticky. One bowl came with five dumplings. I started with the soup, and one spoonful told me I was in for a treat. A mixture of pandan and ginger, this hot soup was heaven on the palate. My first bite into the first dumpling and I was double-wowed. The dumpling skin had the perfect texture and the filling was a lovely mix of peanut and sesame. As I made my way through the dish, I found a little surprise: the third dumpling I ate was not peanut and sesame, but rather durian paste! Very different than sesame, I still found the taste too overwhelming for my liking. Fortunately, I had two more dumplings left. This was magnificent. I also liked the style of the guy's stall.