8 Days — October 05, 2017

8 DAYS | 49

STORY AUDREY PHOON PROVISIONS PHOTOS KELVIN CHIA

THE FOOD

Beef Tendon $8

Braised in a herbal soy sauce,

skewered with king oyster

mushrooms and then fired over

charcoal, this was cooked to

perfection when we had it, with

delightfully crisp edges and a

lightly chewy middle.

Seafood Rice $18
Sadly, the two types of
claypot rice we tried — this
seafood number topped
with clams, prawns, veggies,
and the Traditional Claypot
Rice ($14) with chicken and
salted fish — aren’t much
to shout about and lack
char. The rice, which comes
premixed with dark sauce
unlike the usual hawker
version, was a tad mushy
and bland. Without any
of the usual condiments
supplied on the side, we
couldn't adjust the flavour to
our liking.

THE LOOK: Hipster meets retro

in this artfully done up, cosily lit

space that’s fronted by a small

outdoor dining area. There’s a lot

of raw concrete, wooden panelling

and metal mesh going on, but

that industrial feel is tempered

by clusters of old-school snacks

(tapioca chips, wafer discs, sugar

gems and more) that dangle from

the ceiling. And yes, they’re all for

sale if you get peckish before your

food is served. “They’re my money-

making décor!” chortles Foo, who

picks his favourite snacks to put on

display. Thirsty? Hit up the free kopi

corner, where you can pour yourself

a cup of local-style black kopi from

a charmingly beat-up metal kettle.

ON THE MENU: The menu here is

made up mostly of charcoal-grilled,

and also fried chunky skewers

and about five varieties of claypot

rice (which curiously, aren’t fired

over charcoal but on gas stoves).

The rice is cooked with pork belly,

lard, oyster sauce, and features

“less complicated, cleaner

flavours”. Foo chose to focus on

claypot rice and skewers as it’s the

ultimate comfort food for him and

what he enjoys eating.

Sotong $8

Of the several skewers available, we

like this deep-fried and spiced number

best — it reminds us of Taiwanese

fried chicken with its crunchy batter

hit with five-spice and chilli powder.

Meanwhile, the squid within is tender,

and it’s topped with squiggles of thick

salted egg sauce.