Tiong Bahru Fried Kway Teow CKT

Tiong Bahru Fried Kway Teow specializes in one dish only – Fried Kway Teow, with options priced at either SGD3 or SGD4. I opted for the SGD3 plate, which included the usual ingredients found in Char Kway Teow – Fish Cake, lup cheong (Chinese Sausage), Beansprouts, cockles, and eggs. However, I wished there were more eggs in the noodles as I could barely find any in my plate.

The old man started frying since he was 24 at Kim Pong Rd and moved into Tiong Bahru Market in 1968. Now run by the daughter, the reviews over the years have cited that the cooking style is balanced - a bit of everything.

I’ve done about 5 CKT in this country - will need to pluck up courage for the next two at Zion Road and Outram Park - apparently the best of the best (and frequented by the ex PM).

The Char Kway Teow lacked the distinct smoky flavor (Wok Hei), and it could have used more dark sauce to enhance its flavor and sweetness. However, personal preferences vary, and some might actually prefer it this way. Personally, I prefer my Char Kway Teow to be generously coated with dark sweet sauce for that indulgent bite. When placing your order, I would suggest asking the uncle to add more sauce to achieve a darker color. Additionally, the Char Kway Teow was slightly dry, whereas I prefer my plate of Char Kway Teow to be moist and slightly wet.

All this is moot of course - as I’m desperate enough to (again) sample ckt south of the causeway. One never learns. This is 6/10 - I guess Top 10 on this island (not that it’s a big island).