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Chinese roast pork - slow-roasted for
hours for that natural red
hue. |
Recently open and this no-frills restaurant,
nestled on a breezy, quiet street in Geylang, is
creating a buzz in the Singaporean food scene. Village
Wok's cuisine is far from nondescript; how else can you
explain sightings of the rich, famous and important
chomping on smoked chicken and steamed fish, with their
own wines and glasses in tow.
Instead of the prosaic likes of chilli crab and
sweet-and-sour pork, Village Wok offers home-spun
recipes, absolutely free from monosodium glutamate and
instead offering honest, earthy flavours. The menu is an
edible chronicle of meals at the Kong family's table
presided over by grandpa Kong, a chef from Xin Hui,
Guangzhou, whose wealth of recipes are jealously guarded
by the family. All the sauces are pre-prepared under
wraps, so even the cooks don't know exactly what goes
into them. We are particularly impressed with the Kongs'
command of flavours; each dish has an intense,
arresting first taste which gradually dissipates,
leaving the palate clear for the next mouthful.
Though the menu isn't extensive (slightly over 20
dishes in total), you can be assured that no two dishes
taste alike. A delicate, aromatic aura of smoke suffuses
the smoked chicken, whose texture, while not particular
juicy or oily, was tender and smooth. Even humble
char siew (roast pork) is raised to a high art;
slow-roasted for almost three hours for a deep natural
colour and caramel-smoke flavour. Cut into thick moist
chunks, finely streaked with fat, the meat is served
with a sweet and lightly spiced sauce.
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See that prized layer of smooth fat
underneath the skin of pa-ting
fish. |
The pride of the pack is probably the freshwater
pa ting fish, brought in straight from family's
Malaysian fish farm. Though popular in Malaysia and Hong
Kong, this sturdy, catfish-like catch is a relative
newcomer in Singapore. Pa ting is prized for a
layer of smooth fat underneath the skin which, when
steamed, renders the flesh utterly moist without being
oily. Though you can also have it steamed Hong Kong
style (with soy sauce, spring onions and garlic), it is
recommended to opt for the ginger-steamed version - the
fish's delicate fresh flavour unsullied by any muddy
aftertaste, unlike tilapia, is well served by a thin
coverlet of nippy minced ginger.
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Simple but ooh-so-good - fried brinjal
with crispy squid. |
Fresh oyster noodles are another show of the
restaurant's commitment to quality. Thick, flattish
yellow Hokkien noodles' are doused with a thick gravy
bursting with intense dried prawn flavour and a generous
amount of plump, fresh Korean oysters; a soothing dish
best eaten hot and with a dash of vinegar.
Brinjal (eggplant) slices are fried until lightly
crisp outside and tender inside, then tossed with a
sweet-savoury dark sauce you'll want to soak your white
rice in, and sprinkled with crispy blond squid shavings;
another family secret. Reservations are definitely
recommended, and while you're on the phone, do reserve'
the dishes you would like to sample. With home-style
cooking this scrumptious and affordable, favourite items
do sell out before closing time at 9.30pm.
Village Wok, 10 Lorong 3 Geylang, Singapore. Tel:
(65) 743-9743/547-1938. |