J2K3 Award Winner
I was banked on journeying to Novena for some fantastic Ice Cream after that spicy dinner at The Prata Place. It just seemed so tempting to indulge in some cool icy goodness as a sign off to a fiery meal. But no, somehow in the car KH was driving, we got lost all the way at Lau Pa Sat in the City area. A bit far fetch but yes it is all true.
Still, maybe it was fate knocking on the door that brought me to Lai Heng Char Kway Teow. At $3.00/$4.00 a plate, it was average hawker prices in the hustle and bustle of the city.
The Kway Teow was well fried in the giant wok of the stall with the boss frequently hitting the sides in the all too familiar “clack clack” sound. The resultant flavour? An excellent mix of savouriness and tastiness with a hint of spice from the chilli. Not forgetting the smoky taste that went in each bite, giving rise to a fantastic Char Kway Teow experience.
Sadly enough, it was a rainy Saturday night so movement about was definitely a hassle. But the strong wafts of barbecued satay was still enough to tempt me towards the Satay street located on the a stretch of road outside Lau Pa Sat. I chose the stall which was furiously batting away the smoke and evenly spreading the heat to tenderly grill each stick of marinated meat.
For $0.60 a stick, the price was average. But one fact that like is that the satay was really meaty. I have tasted others where they were simply skimpy meat slices on wooden skewers. Very nicely done with bits and pieces of the charred ends here and there. Good!
The peanut sauce however was a little disappointing as it was just mainly peanut sauce. Not entirely fantastic with only a little hint of spiciness and crunch. I guess it must be due to the need to cater to a more tourist crowd rather than the locals.
While the Lau Pa Sat as many locals have known might have changed in its location and the variety of food, it is still a sprawling food centre located in the heart of the city serving up an even wider range of delicacies. The traditional flavour of the past may have started to fade away but the spirit in which the centre embodies still remains. And I believe for a long time to come.
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