Cheap and Good Food: Really Good Food Under $5 at Chinatown

I have long been an ardent fan and supporter of Singapore’s hawker culture. Top on my list of great hawker centres is Chinatown Complex, along Smith street.

‘But… Chinatown is for old people!‘.

Sometimes, I think that our parents are far better at sussing out good food than us millenials. Go for quality, culinary skill and value, not presentation and plating.

And no, I am not going to mention Hawker Chan here. I used to love it before the long snaking queues started, but not anymore. I personally feel that the standards have dropped ever since they commercialised.

So when asked where are my favourite spots for cheap and good food, here are my top 5 picks:

1. Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo (S$3)

At the risk of sounding obsessive: If I could eat this everyday, I would. Bear in mind, I am not someone to enjoy eating Yong Tau Foo by any means. I do not eat Yong Tau Foo because it is supposedly ‘healthy’.

But Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo at Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre has by far raised my personal standards of what a good bowl of piping fresh yong tau foo should be.

And to top it off, there are fresh handmade yong tau foo pieces churned out on the spot – you could see the hardworking team on the left side of the store when you queue.

And to top it off, it’s S$3 per bowl for the basic bowl of 4 pieces of yong tau foo with bee hoon or noodles, or 6 pieces of yong tau foo without bee hoon/noodles. I do believe that while that it used to be S$3 for 6 pieces with beehoon OR 8 pieces without bee-hoon once upon a time (ie. 2 extra pieces), I still think that it is still value for money for the freshness and taste.

Pro tip 1: Even though they said they close at 3pm, I find that they are usually sold out by 2pm. Try to go early.

Pro tip 2: Try the chili sauce. It’s so good.

Address: Chinatown Complex #02-88 Smith Street Chinatown, Singapore 050335

Opening hours: 5:45am – 3pm daily

2. Old Amoy Chendol ($2)

First up, for my non Singaporean friends, chendol is an icy sweet dessert of pandan jelly, red beans and coconut milk, laced with fragrant palm sugar.

Old Amoy Chendol sells Chendol. It’s the only thing on its menu.

When a food stall only sells one thing and one thing only, the chances are, it is THAT good.

With 100% cold-pressed coconut milk, personally sourced gula melaka from Sarawak, 100% home-made chendol (made by the young boss himself) and Japanese adzuki beans, they truly do not compromise on the quality and taste.

Top that off with a price tag of $2 for a bowl of pure goodness made from scratch?

I am sold.

Some of the indulgences in life are that simple. I try to get a bowl of this whenever I am at Chinatown Complex.

Address: Chinatown Complex #02-008 Smith Street Chinatown, Singapore 050335

Opening hours: 10:30am to 8:30pm daily

3. Baba’s Peranakan (S$3-S$5)

Whenever I am craving for some value-for-money super lemak, super nyonya chye peng, I will visit Babas Peranakan:

The boss, Edwin Tan, had previously worked in hotels like Shangri-La and Raffles before opening Babas Peranakan when he was 51. Edwin and his buddies serve up authentic homestyle Nyonya dishes at value-for-money prices (prices below are accurate as of 28th June 2020):

I am a big fan of their sayur lemak, chap chye, and also the fried bittergourd slices with fish paste (I also suspect they source their bittergourd from Xiu Ji because it tastes the same to me, but I can’t be sure). I usually get a big plate of mostly vegetables and egg omelette, which usually puts the price at $4 for a satisfying plate of Nyonya goodness.

Pro tip: I find it more value-for-money to get individual plates for one person, as opposed to getting a few dishes to share.

Address: 335 Smith Street, Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050335

Opening Hours: 9am to 130pm daily. Closed on Wednesdays.

4. Fragrant Sauce Chicken & Noodles (S$4)

People tend to tell me to get Fatty Ox (as can be seen on the right here), but I honestly am not sure what the hype is about, given the declining standards and dry cuts of meat.

The food by Chef Tse though, is something else:

The owner, Hongkong born Randy Tse, whips up some authentic, old-school dishes which I have not had anywhere else. I am madly in love with the Famous Pig Trotter with Fermented Beancurd (Nam Yu Mun Chee Sao).

Really good, I tell you.

It’s like eating collagen in the red savory fermented beancurd sauce. For the most part, I don’t have an aversion to fatty meat. If I am feeling decadent, I usually get Xiu Ji Yong Tau Foo from a few stalls away, and pair this with pig trotters. In fact, I douse the Xiu Ji Nee Hoon with chili and the collagen-rich fermented beancurd sauce. It still brings my meal to under $10, but for a really, really satisfying meal.

The soy sauce chicken noodles (as pictured in the bottom left here), is also great value at $3/4/5.

Tse also makes charsiew in small batches, which I am planning to try (along with the beef brisket) the next time I’m there!

Address: 335 Smith Street, #02-85, Singapore 050335

Opening Hours: 7am to 3pm daily. Closed on Mondays.

5. Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao

中国拉面小笼包 (S$4-S$5)

Another one of the stalls that I have had the pleasure of patronizing before it got insanely popular is Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao. Ever since they got their Michelin mention, the queues got very long. As such, I don’t bother unless the queues are relatively shorter that day.

As you can see from the prices, it ranges from S$4-5 for a hot and satisfying bowl of noodles or dumplings. My go-to favourite is the Sze Chuan Spicy Wonton for 10 pieces at S$5. In my personal opinion, I prefer these silky wontons much more than those at Din Tai Fung or Imperial Treasure.

Address: 335 Smith Street, #02-135, Singapore 050335

Opening hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 5pm – 8:30pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon and Tues

Comment below on what else you would recommend at Chinatown Complex