PUBLISHED July 17th, 2020 05:00 am | UPDATED July 26th, 2020 04:35 pm
“East side, best side” is an oft quoted statement when it comes to good food in Singapore, and that’s no exception to hawker food. But with well-known places like Maxwell Food Centre and Lau Pa Sat around, is hawker food in the East really the best? We travelled to East Coast’s Lagoon Food Village to find out. So gather a group of five, head out for a day of cycling along the beach, and end off by trying the best 8 stalls at East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
Song Kee Fried Oyster
Oyster omelette, more commonly known as orh luak, is a staple at most hawker centres around Singapore. And Song Kee Fried Oyster’s version is something special. Adding a little starch to their mixture, the Fried Oyster (S$4) comes out exceptionally crispy yet fluffy. The oysters are also slightly larger than your usual fare, not to mention fresh and creamy too. Don’t forget to dip them in the chilli that comes with the dish.
Song Kee Fried Oyster is located at 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, #01-15, Singapore 468960.
BBQ Seafood Kitchen
Everyone loves good barbeque, and BBQ Seafood Kitchen delivers. Our unanimous favourite, a must try is their Sambal Stingray (S$12), moist and flaky stingray covered with a generous amount of sweet and spicy sambal. Grilled in banana leaf, this also adds another level of fragrance to the dish. For an extra kick, be sure to add the cincalok (fermented shrimp sauce) on the side as it’s tangy notes complement the stingray perfectly.
BBQ Seafood Kitchen is located at 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, #01-03/04, Singapore 468970.
Haron Satay
Lagoon Food Village has many satay stalls, but the best of the lot has to be Haron Satay. Each stick is made to order, tender and smoky from the hot charcoal grill. The best way to order is to get a mix of chicken, beef, and mutton (S$7.50, 10 sticks). Don’t forget to dip them into the accompanying peanut sauce, which is sweeter, more flavourful, and chunkier than most of the peanut sauces out there. While normally the ketupat on the side remains untouched, we happily polished off them off with the peanut sauce as well.
Haron Satay is located at 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, #01-55, Singapore 468970.
Choon Hiang
Having been around for over 40 years, Choon Hiang is a classic and must visit at Lagoon Food Village. Their most popular dish has to be their Hokkien Mee (S$4), now cooked up by a second-generation hawker, the original owner’s daughter. Enjoy the springy mix of yellow noodles and bee hoon, every bite filled with wok hei as well as the flavours of the pork and prawn stock. Pair it with the home-made sambal for the best eating experience.
Choon Hiang is located at 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, #01-46, Singapore 468970.
Lagoon Carrot Cake
One of the many famous stalls at East Coast, Lagoon Carrot Cake is not to be missed on your next visit. The Mixed Carrot Cake (S$6) offers the best of both worlds – soft and crispy carrot cake topped with two prawns and the ‘black’ version seasoned with sticky and sweet dark sauce. With a good amount of wok hei in each mouthful, this dish will hit any carrot cake craving you have.
Lagoon Carrot Cake is located at 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, #01-40, Singapore 468970.
Zuo Ji Duck Rice
If you’re looking for braised duck, you’re in luck. Zuo Ji Duck Rice serves up delicious and flavourful plates of Braised Duck Rice (S$4.20). Each plate comes with generous slices of braised duck, cucumber, and a braised egg. While duck breast tends to dry out easily, the slices of duck from Zuo Ji were still tender and savoury with a healthy drizzle of stall’s own secret duck sauce.
Zuo Ji Duck Rice is located at 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, #01-29, Singapore 468970.
Lagoon Chicken Curry Puff
Lagoon Chicken Curry Puff has consistently serves up buttery, flaky pastries for over 10 years. Each curry puff (S$1.50) is crispy on the outside, moist and aromatic on the inside. The filling is more vegetable focused than other curry puffs we’ve tried, resulting in a lighter curry taste. However, each golden package is still delicious and chock full of potatoes. Fun tidbit – the uncle running the stall uses a glass bottle to roll out his pastry!
Lagoon Chicken Curry Puff is located at 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, #01-28, Singapore 468970.
Ye Huat Hot & Cold Drinks
For a perfect accompaniment to your hawker food, head over to Ye Huat Hot & Cold Drinks for a wide range of drinks, from juices to craft beer. Our pick was refreshing cups of Sugar Cane (S$2.30 per cup), sweet with a dash of lime to add some sourness. We also ordered two craft beers from the small selection the owner had on display, Brewerkz’s fruity Circuit Breaker special and O’Hara’s 51st State IPA (S$15 total). The uncle also handpicks each beer himself, rotating selections every six months. With hawker food and craft beer, what’s there not to like?
Ye Huat Hot & Cold Drinks is located at 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, #01-25, Singapore 468970.