UPDATE JUL 2020: Ted’s Kitchen has closed. Stay tuned for further updates from the chef’s next adventure!

Young hawkers have, at least for the last few years, became the mark of innovation in what is already one in SIngapore (food hawker culture). With a new enterprising approach to a bold career path that many generations of Singaporeans have taken, they seek to stir the pot and (definitely will) bring about new flavours. I will of course from time to time, #supportlocal and regularly feature these brave vanguards of food culture.

Ted’s Kitchen

The good thing about starting off as a food hawker outweighs the perceived lack of prestige; a smaller overhead means flexibility to explore operationally and creatively, and generally mature as a food entrepreneur. Just being opened for less than 2 weeks at the time of visiting, Ted’s kitchen is one such outfit that serves food with gusto. Chef Thad, the young owner, had a wish to serve quality western food at pocket friendly prices after graduating from the prestigious Enderun Colleges. At first thought, being situated in a industrial estate’s local kopitiam may not be the ideal starting point; but it does keep Ted’s life a bit more secure as compared to opening shop in some hipster district in town or *worse* a shopping mall.

Food-wise, Ted’s keeps it simple: get a pasta (just spaghetti for now) with your choice of style, add some meat for just $7! Then, get yourself some nice sides like cheese fries or their signature chicken wings to snack along!

The star of Ted’s is their chicken cutlet: coated with a light batter and deep-fried perfectly, golden brown, to lock in flavours of the chicken thigh, and it was delightfully juicy. At the end, I wolfed the entire cutlet down not having the ‘jelat’ (cloyed for you non-Singlish speakers) as it was not crusted excessively with flour and not overtly salty. The pasta (I got it aglio olio style) was also served al-dente and does not fight for attention with the protein. The serving size is also very generous, which Chef Thad says is a hit with the blue collar workers that have grown a following to his cooking.

For good measure we also got the carbonara pasta with turkey ham to try out. The flavour was wholesome, although the consistency was a wee bit runnier than what you’d usually get at Italian restaurants. To that, Chef Thad says he’s working on perfecting his sauce and we can all expect more from him!

In fact, over the week his business has built up so much, now he has to install a queue system and extended his service hours!

At Ted’s, we promise to keep innovating & delivering delicious dishes to you! We’re happy to introduce our newest member to the family….Chicken & Mushroom! Nothing beats a well balanced hearty meal, amiright? It goes well with all our pasta bases 👨🏻‍🍳❤️ #TEDelicious #sgfoodie #sgfood #sgfoodporn #sgfoodpics #foodpics #foodlust #foodporn #westernfood #deepfry #foodlover #foodlovers #foodie #sghawkers #singpost #onthetable #instafood #instafoodie #instafood_sg #whati8today #hungrygowhere #burpple #vscofood #SETHeats #eatbooksg #bkosfood
A post shared by Ted’s 👨🏻‍🍳 (@tedskitchensg) on Mar 31, 2017 at 10:06pm PDT

Verdict

hole-in-the-wall-ness: [star rating=”5″]
The kopitiam they’re in is indeed quite out of the way (a 7-10 minute stroll from Paya Lebar MRT station) and nondescript so yes, 5 stars to that.

Price: [star rating=”4.5″]
$7 does give you more than enough to fill your tummy! Don’t let the size of the plate fool you, it’s a trap!

Quality: [star rating=”4″]
As the chef fine-tunes and expands his already “solid” recipes, his existing menu like the cutlets won’t let you down (please get it)!

Overall: [star rating=”4.5″]
A new entrant to the unique western food hawker culture in Singapore, Ted’s is doing something right here, and it can only get better. I was already bugged to return for more, which I definitely will!

More Information
Ted’s Kitchen
30 Eunos Road 5
Singapore 400030
Operating hours (it varies so read here)
CLOSED ON MONDAYS
Tuesdays & Wednesdays: 11:30am to 3:00pm
Thursdays & Fridays: 11:30am to 8:00pm
Saturdays: 11:30am to 9:00pm
Sundays: 11:30am to 5:00pm
Email (orders in advance available): tedskitchensg@gmail.com
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Lucky Western Food

Ah, this brings me back down memory lane. Back when I was still in primary school, my eyes always gleamed with anticipation as I had to walk past the kopitiam right behind after the day’s end. I would catch on to aroma of glorious, deep fried food, and hope that my mum would decide to have lunch (or dinner if I was in the afternoon session) there. It was also my source of sustenance when I grew older whenever I had tuition classes nearby till late.

Originally of Block 466 Crawford Lane (which now houses another modernised, more famous western food stall), the Chua sisters have been griddling steaks and dunking cutlets into deep fryers for “about 30 years”. Just over 20 years ago, they moved to their current location, round the corner at block 462, where they have since stayed. I fondly remember the kopitiam being packed with working adults and students alike during mealtimes, with the latter often eating clandestinely to avoid getting ‘caught’ by their physical education teachers eating sinfully! Nowadays, even though my alma mater moved out to bigger premises, they still get a steady stream of old-timers who can never forget the homely feel of the sisters’ culinary delights.

Different from most western food stalls, their chicken cutlets and chops are marinated with a special and generous mix, while still retaining a well-balanced flavour. For this visit, I ordered my favourite chicken cutlet. Served on a very old-school porcelain plate with side servings of fries, slice o’ garlic bread, slaw and cucumber + tomato slices, it bears the Uniquely Singapore hallmarks of western food. The chicken itself is evenly cooked and when freshly served, tender on the inside and oh.so.crunchy! with the crispy batter on the outside.

Other popular dishes include their chicken chop, fish & chips, as well as the half spring chicken set which only goes for $5 (I recall they have not raised their prices significantly for a while already), but of course to keep you in suspense, I’ll let you, the readers, try it out for yourself.

The Verdict

hole-in-the-wall-ness: [star rating=”5″]
Quietly serving their fare day in, day out, the Chua Sisters managed their long running popularity with a steady stream of old timers, even as the neighbourhood slowly faded off only to receive a recent wave of rejuvenation with some hipster cafes and even a michelin-starred stall nearby.

Price: [star rating=”5″]
While I remember prices used to be much lower back when I was still in primary school (more than 15 years ago!), the ladies I endearingly call ‘auntie’ managed to keep their prices very competitive, with a whole spring chicken set going only for $9, and a beef steak/lamb chop set for only $7!

Quality: [star rating=”3.5″]
While it’s nothing too outstanding to rave about, it represents the brand of western cuisine found nowhere else in the world, and reminds you of home even if you are still at home.

Overall: [star rating=”4″]
The Chua sisters have built up Lucky Western Food with a good brand of local fare over the decades, and the experience speaks for itself. Hail the O.G. and queens of Crawford Lane!