When you think of what to eat in the Beach Road area, the Thai food haven that is Golden Mile Complex is usually the first place that comes to people’s minds.
The similarly-named Golden Mile Food Centre across the road, however, is a lesser-known-but-equally-satisfying hawker centre that has its fair share of good food as well.
So if you’re in the area but aren’t in the mood for Pad Thai, here are five dishes at Golden Mile Food Centre that are definitely worth your consideration.
Chung Cheng Chilli Mee
We’ll say it right now: Chung Cheng Chilli Mee is unlike anything you’ve ever tried before.
You’d think that covering a bowl of noodles in what seems like a comical amount of chilli would result in an overwhelmingly spicy dish, but it actually has a surprisingly amount of flavour to it.
This is actually thanks to the titular chilli itself — it somehow manages to provide a strong, sambal-esque taste without being overly spicy, and adds an extra kick of savoury goodness to its ingredients (fish cake, egg and tau pok, to name a few) to create a truly unique dish.
$3 will get you a decent serving with prawns, and if you’re feeling hungry you can add another dollar for pork ribs (add $2 for additional servings of both). With a seemingly endless queue at any given time of day, however, be prepared to wait for this one.
Chung Cheng Chilli Mee
Unit: #01-59
Opening Hours: 9:30am to 6:30pm (Closed On Tuesdays)
Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodles
With the fragrant smell of beef filling the air, chances are that you’ll smell Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodles before finding the stall itself.
And while it might look like any other bowl of beef noodles, the taste of these is anything but — the sauce isn’t as heavy but still retains its savoury goodness, and the noodles have a slightly milky taste that adds another dimension to the flavour as well.
Of course, you’re probably eating beef noodles for…well, the beef, and fortunately that’s the best part of this dish. The meat slices are extremely tender, and the meat balls were bursting with so much flavour that we wish there was a buffet for them.
Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodles
Unit: #01-89
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 7:30pm (Closed on Wednesdays)
Burgs By Project Warung
Burgers found in hawker centres are more often that not a little…meh (we’re looking at you, generic western food stalls), but the ones served at Burgs By Project Warung are an exception to that rule.
Even though it was left out in the open for awhile (these photos don’t take themselves, y’know), the Burgs’ Bacon & Cheese Burger ($7) that we got was still incredibly juicy, and had that distinctive beef taste that you’d expect from a pricier restaurant or cafe.
Throw a slice of smoked turkey bacon and American cheese on top of that, and you have yourself an extremely flavourful burger that punches way above its weight.
Other burger options include Truffle Mushroom ($8) and Nacho Fish & Chips ($5.90), but don’t sleep on their wide selection of fries either — ranging from the standard Truffle ($4.50) to the more experimental Okonomi (Okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise and Bonito flakes, $4), you’re bound to find something to like here.
Burgs By Project Warung
Unit: #B1-24
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8:30pm
Nasi Lemak And Chicken Rice Hipster by Adimann
Nasi lemak is such a ubiquitous dish that you really have to switch things up to get noticed, and that’s exactly what the folks at Adimann have done.
For starters, the key ingredients of rice and chilli have a rather different flavour, giving off a slightly sweet taste instead of the savoury that we’ve come to expect from nasi lemak. The use of hard-boiled quail eggs instead of fried ones — topped in thousand island dressing, no less — further sets it apart from the rest.
And then there’s the chicken — using cutlets instead of wings and draping them in a generous amount of salted egg sauce, the dish starts to feel more western than Malay, which might be a good or bad thing depending on your tastes.
One thing to take note of, however, is the price — $8.50 is admittedly a little steep for hawker centre food, but in its defence the serving is big enough that you can consider sharing it with a friend.
Nasi Lemak And Chicken Rice Hipster by Adimann
Unit: #B1-12
Opening Hours: 10am – 9:30pm
Zhao An Granny Grass Jelly
As its name might suggest, Zhao An Granny Grass Jelly has only one thing on their menu (no prizes for guessing what that is).
The good news, however, is that they do that one thing really, really well — available in both drink and desert versions, their grass jelly has an almost tau huay-like consistency to it, and might be the smoothest we’ve ever had.
Unlike the ones that you’d find in a food court, the jelly is light with the slightest hint of bitterness, which is probably how the desert should taste like to begin with. Sugar syrup, however, is still available for those looking for a more “mainstream” taste.
And as if that wasn’t enough to convince you, it’s extremely affordable as well — a standard bowl goes for a mere $1.50 (slightly more if you want to add extras like Longan or Nata De Coco), and is the perfect way to cleanse your palate after a heavy meal.
Zhao An Granny Grass Jelly
Unit: #01-58
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 7:30pm
Also Read This Stall In The CBD Serves ‘Thai Cai Png’ – Mix & Match Basil Pork, Green Curry For $5
(Header Image Source: Discover SG)
