Singapore Eats: Michelin Food Hunt @ Holland Drive Food Centre (荷兰道熟食中心)
- Rick
- Oct 24
- 3 min read
We have done several Michelin Food Hunts around Chinatown and in Tiong Bahru, using the Singapore Michelin Guide as reference, and is expanding our hunts for great tasting dishes to wider areas, including in Buona Vista. We are in Holland Drive Food Centre (荷兰道熟食中心) to try the stalls listed in the Michelin Guide as well as other stalls that attracted us. There are about 45 stalls on the second level of the food centre and a number of coffee shops nearby.
1. New Lucky Claypot Rice (新鸿运瓦煲饭)
We turned up at Holland Drive Food Centre in the evening to see most of the stalls closed but many of the tables were taken up by New Lucky Claypot Rice's customers waiting for their orders of claypot rice. Fortunately, we had called ahead to place our orders for claypot rice but the stewed soups were sold out. New Lucky is that popular.
The stall serves various claypot rice dishes: chicken-only, sausage-only or chicken with sausage. The portion of each claypot rice is for at least 2 persons. Stewed soup and vegetable dishes are on the menu too.
The chicken with sausage claypot rice is the better option for two flavours in one dish. The rice dish has lots of smooth white chicken meat with cuts of Chinese sausage. Scorched rice — an essential aspect of eating claypot rice — have already been nicely formed. Dark sauce and oil are self-added as desired. The rice is nicely done with tender chicken and nice aroma and flavours of Chinese sausage and salted fish. It is really delicious.
2. Cheng Heng Kway Chap & Braised Duck Rice (进兴粿汁卤鸭饭)
Cheng Heng serves mainly braised duck with kway chap or rice but many of its customers will opt for kway chap and add-on some sides. Expect a long queue during lunch time.
Following most of Cheng Heng's customers, I have kway chap with braised duck meat too — along with two sides of a tau pok (tofu puff) and a piece of fishcake. The kway chap is well-cooked with soft rice noodle and nice flavours from the braised sauce. The braised duck is tender in well-seasoned soy marinade and delicious indeed.
3. Ru Ji Kitchen (如记小厨)
Ru Ji Kitchen occupies two adjoining stalls in the food centre. One of the stalls serves mainly handmade fishball noodle and the other serves bak chor mee and a "All-in" combo dish — I called it bak chor fishball noodle.
The "All-In Combo" combines the ingredients of bak chor mee and fishball noodle into a single dish with a choice of desired noodle type — although mee pok is recommended for dry-style. The noodle dish has a sweet-vinegary aroma and the sauce is well-balanced with mellow vinegar acidity and fragrant fried shallot oil. A nice dish to have for breakfast — expect to queue during lunch time.
More: Ru Ji Kitchen (如记小厨)
Aside from the list of Singapore Michelin Guide-recommended food stalls above, there are many food stalls in Holland Drive Food Centre and nearby coffee shops serving other delicious local delights. For all you know, some of them may be recommended by the Michelin Guide next.
Address:
Holland Drive Market & Food Centre (荷兰道巴刹及熟食中心)
44 Holland Drive, Singapore 270044
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