Chinatown Complex Popiah & Chwee Kueh

Chinatown Complex Food Centre is now world famous because Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle stall in the hawker centre earned a Michelin star in the inaugural Singapore Michelin Guide. If you want a plate of the Michelin starred chicken rice, be prepared to stand in the queue for hours. It may be a good idea to have something to eat before you join the queue or, better still, have something to eat while someone stands in the queue for you. Ann Chin Popiah (sometimes just referred to as the Chinatown Complex Popiah) and Bedok Chwee Kueh are 2 stalls where you can get good light snacks while your girlfriend stands in the queue for chicken rice.

Ann Chin Popiah

Ann Chin Popiah is not a popiah stall of some Peranakan lady named Ann or Annie. Ann Chin Popiah was founded in 1958 by a Mr Lim Kam Chwee as a pushcart stall which he named “Ann Chin” (or 安珍 in Chinese). Today Ann Chin Popiah have 8 outlets and takes online orders. At the Chinatown Complex popiah stall, the popiah skins are still made by hand on the premises.

The Chinatown Complex popiah stall sells kueh pie tee as well as popiah. The popiah costs $3 for 2 rolls or $1.60 for one. They are made to order, so you can specify whether you want chilli or not; or if you want certain ingredients excluded.

The freshly made popiah skin was very thin and light. The skin did not become soggy or break easily. The filling was not too wet and had some crunchy bits. The ingredients of the filling included turnips, lettuce, bean sprouts, hard boiled eggs and crushed peanuts. It was a tasty popiah. The whole experience of watching the popiah skin being expertly made and the spring roll being carefully prepared was itself a treat. Eating the delicious popiah was a bonus.

Ann Chin Popiah
#02-112 Chinatown Complex
35 Smith Street
Singapore 050335

Opening Hours: 8am to 8pm

Website

Bedok Chwee Kueh

Bedok Chwee Kueh (勿洛水粿) just sells the steamed white rice cakes topped with chye poh (preserved radish) and chilli sauce. The stall is as basic as it gets. You get your chwee kueh wrapped in brown paper and a plastic fork. Each piece of chwee kueh costs $0.50 and you must order a minimum of 2 pieces.

The rice cakes of Bedok Chwee Kueh are larger than usual. They were very smooth and had a soft springy texture. They were fragrant and had a tinge of saltiness. The savoury chye poh was slightly sweet and very tasty. The chilli added a different dimension to the taste. The simple traditional snack might look a mess but it was flavour-packed and very enjoyable. When you have one of these delicate delectable chwee keuhs, you will want to have more – but remember to leave room for the chicken rice your girlfriend is standing in queue for.

Bedok Chwee Kueh
#02-43 Chinatown Complex
35 Smith Street
Singapore 050335

Opening Hours: 7am to 8pm

The Ordinary Patrons
a Singapore food blog by ordinary people looking for places to eat