Laksa Yong Tau Foo and Hainanese Chicken Rice – A Whirlwind Food Tour of Singapore, Pt.3

After an extended breakfast, I had one final stop at Hong Lim I wanted to make (or that my stomach would allow me to make), at Cantonese Delights for some fried tofu curry laksa.

There was a line around the corner, but it moved quickly, and I spent some of the wait time peeking into the chopping and scooping and mixing going on in that tiny stall.

The bowl came out hot and spicy-looking, with a swirl of chili oil and a small side of pickled chili peppers. This twisted sheet of fried tofu lay across a golden, curry-fragrant bowl of soup. Condiments like pork cracklings and chopped green onions are generously DIY at the counter.The creamy curry soup dominates the experience, soaking into the fried tofu skin and the toppings I added and the other fried tofu slices, dripping off the laksa noodles, rich and dirty and spicy. I inhaled the entire bowl.And then it was off to Maxwell Food Centre for some Hainanese chicken rice. Unfortunately Tian Tian was closed, but Ah Tai, another well-reviewed stall, was open. I’ve never had a great liking for Hainanese chicken – the cold meat and jelly-like skin, while not of themselves a turnoff, weren’t particularly appetizing. And frankly, this trip didn’t change my mind all that much. The dish was tasty, but at the end of the day, it’s still a subpar alternative to roast or fried chicken, and certainly less flavorful than many of Singapore’s other famous plates.

After finishing my chicken rice, I wandered around Maxwell Food Centre for something sweet to munch on, and found some fried banana fritters. The one I had was crispy and sweet, with a hot and gooey center, a filling way to end my afternoon eating. Probably a better snack than a dessert by itself (unless you can procure a scoop of ice cream somewhere), but delicious nonetheless.