Stuck at home due to CB (Circuit Breaker) and miss having your famous chicken rice from Chatterbox? You can still do so now, as Chatterbox (together with Shisen Hanten by Chef Kentaro, the two Michelin-starred Szechwan restaurant) now offers takeaway pickups and delivery for select items! What’s more, enjoy 50% off for takeaways. I repeat. 50% OFF TAKEAWAY!
No dine in? No problem!
Each set of Mandarin Chicken Rice (U.P. $27) is served in a super exquisite box decorated with their green and gold colours, and the signature kuey png (chicken rice) packed neatly inside, ready for your consumption.
Other signatures like the Nasi Goreng Istimewa (U.P. $26) and Herbal Bak Kut Teh (U.P. $27) are also available. Add some side dishes in if you want. I tried out the Salted Egg Chicken Wing (U.P. $20) and they’re A W E S O M E.
I took the chicken wings out of the box and placed it on a plate for display, of course.
Bring The Flavours Home
Hungry? Order directly online now HERE. Recommend that you order slightly ahead so the kitchen can ensure the food comes out piping hot on collection.
Terms and conditions:
Available from 11am to 9pm daily
Order must be placed at least 30 minutes in advance
Payment must be made by cash or credit card
For more information, you can visit their website HERE.
For enquiries, please call +65 6831 6291 or email chatterbox.orchard@meritushotels.com.
Every Singaporean, heck even visitors and other residents here, have a special relationship with Old Chang Kee. From their iconic curry puffs (now called Curry O; us older folks just call it ‘curry pok’) to more than a dozen of other delights on sticks such as the sotong head, nuggets and fishballs, it was the de-facto place to get a snack when you have the munchies in between meals.
Old Chang Kee Coffee House @ Rex
More than 30 years after Old Chang Kee (OCK) boss Mr Han Keen Juan bought over the business from a unnamed Hainanese hawker back in 1986, the business finally had a Homecoming of sorts by taking over the entire coffee shop where their first ever OCK stall was along MacKenzie Road (junction of Niven Road). Mr Han recalls:
“I remember when there was not even sufficient space to stand on the inside of the shop to sell the curry puffs and I had to do it from the walkway. This very spot holds many memories for me and marks a full circle having grown Old Chang Kee the past 32 years to what it is today.” – Mr Han Keen Juan
Where It All Began
From a small corner stall in a coffee shop, Old Chang Kee Coffee House @ Rex now occupies the entire space that spans three shophouse units. Its old-school charm is jam-packed with lots of retro memorabilia like posters, chinaware and collectables!
From a humble stall to a central kitchen along Petain Road (I remember going past the area when I was a child and getting some olfactory satisfaction of curry puffs), and now having their own space at Woodlands, they ensure consistency to every single puff (pun intended) you take!
(Fun) Curry Times
Did you know that Old Chang Kee actually has a plethora of affiliated brands? You may be more familiar with Curry Times, their sit-down cafe brand, but there’s also Bun Times, and Dip ‘n’ Go, among others. At this coffee house, you get to enjoy signature delights from all these brands, some of which are exclusive to this store!
There’s the Flower Bread which consists of seven freshly baked, pull-apart buns. Nestled in the middle of the golden sesame-topped crust ‘flower’ is an enamel bowl filled with a choice of: Curry Chicken ($11.90); Chicken Stew ($11.90); or Beef Stew ($13.90). (we loved the curry chicken one best, no questions about that!) One good thing is, there’s FREE FLOW gravy, so no need to be shy when it comes to dipping!
Another menu exclusive is the Beef Stew Rice ($9.50) – a nod to Old Chang Kee’s Hainanese heritage. Served in a mess tin, it consists of rice topped with tender beef, radish and carrots redolent with the fragrance of spices. For a modern touch, diners can opt for the Baked Beef Stew Rice with Cheese ($10.90; we got this) which showcases melted cheese and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
If you’ve been to Curry Times you’ll also be familiar with their wide selection of local delights, such as the Dry Laksa Goreng ($8.50), Hainanese Chap Chye ($6.20), and a Curry Times’ special, Nasi Lemak with Dry Curry Chicken ($8.90) with tender, minced chicken coated liberally in curry spices paired with aromatic coconut rice and sides of tangy ‘achar’, fish cake, sambal chilli, fried peanuts and anchovies. You can then end the meal with a piping bowl of Bubur Cha Cha ($5.00)!
And of course, who could forget their signature skewers and fritters! For the uninitiated, try their Curry’O ($1.50) – curry spiced potatoes, chicken and an egg slice stuffed and sealed within a flakey, buttery crust. Other favourites like the Sotong Head OnStik ($1.80); Crab Nuggets OnStik ($1.80); and Chicken Wings ($1.80) are also things that you cannot just walk away from every time you pass an Old Chang Kee stall.
Towards the end of the meal we even got a chance to meet an Old Chang Kee veteran, fondly known as Auntie Aljunied for having spent many years at a branch in the area. Some guests even got to try out folding their own curry puffs, although none could hold up to the nimble, decisive fingers of Auntie!
Bonus: Old Chang Kee has just opened in London! So if you want an escape from Fish & Chips, you know where to go!
More Information
Old Chang Kee Coffee House @ REX 19 – 23 Mackenzie Road #01-01 Singapore 228678
“Do excuse us because we’re blur about everything, Except our burgers…. Maybe”
– Two Blur Guys
I used to work in the Tanjong Pagar area for the last few years, and even before I went on my trip to Japan (read my about page!), I’ve already known of their existence whilst passing by to somewhere else to eat. Since then, I go there time to time when i need to get my occasional burger fix. Started by two mysterious blur guys in 2012 to share their love for blurgers burgers and pastries and did so when they found their very own hole in the wall (a ha!)
Located along the facade of the Orchid Hotel (towards Tanjong Pagar Road), amongst a myriad of Japanese ramen and sushi restaurants, it’s not difficult to spot their monochromatic front display. Stepping in, you have to slide through the narrow pathway with space for a dozen, and a slick glass counter stuffed full of burger buns!
Burger it up!
On the menu, these guys pack a list of prime-beef burgers, although they are also known for their pulled-pork burger and pastries (couldn’t try as we were quite full) . Today, I ordered the Prime Beef with Streaky Bacon (mmm, bacon!). Each set is generously served with cheese-drizzled potato wedges and some green. Click here for a link to their menu, but be sure to check in once in a while as they update it with new gourmet creations now and then! Also, they do stock some beer on tap and in bottles that sometimes go on promotion (depends, they don’t have a fixed schtick going on) which is good news for you guzzlers!
Some would feel that the portions are a tad small, but I feel that it’s reasonable. Taste-wise, you can taste the quality of the meat (and not some random chuck meat leftover from the butchery). Having it served up on a wooden board does make it presentable and easy to eat as well!
It’s definitely not the cheapest lunch you can find in town (mine costed S$17.95 before service charge) but it does show its worth with fresh ingredients and no-nonsense presentation.
The Verdict
hole-in-the-wall-ness : [star rating=”4″] Definitely has the vibe of a hole in the wall restaurant. The place had a few other diners as well, with decent turnover although it was never full.
Price: [star rating=”3″] Not the cheapest, but not unreasonably priced.
Quality: [star rating=”3.5″] Decent, fresh ingredients that are made and served piping hot.
Overall: [star rating=”3.5″] Worth giving a try if you are in the area!
More Information
Two Blur Guys
1 Tras Link, #01-13, Orchid Hotel Singapore 078867 +65-66364183 Opens daily from 11:00am to 10:00pm
