It was Friday afternoon: the time of day when I start planning for what I’m going to have for dinner. Knowing that there are going to be four of us narrowed my research to cze char. You can’t truly rate a cze char stall without at least trying out some, if not all, of the stall’s signature dishes.
Googled cze char and Ho Chiak’s post Outstanding Cze Chars: Hui Wei came up tops, followed by Miss Tam Chiak’s (I’m quite certain both of them are not related, but I could be wrong) Hui Wei Chinese-Thai Cuisine. Both rated this place quite highly. According to its Facebook Page and Website, Hui Wei was endorsed by Channel 8′s Sizzling Wok show, which is usually a good sign, although they have had a few misses.
Anyway, Hui Wei Chinese Thai cze char was it! The only problem was the Friday traffic! I don’t want to get into a discussion about how the COE and other measures implemented in the last decade have not worked. It took me an hour to get from Jelita to this place at 7pm, but it was worth the drive in the end.
This newly(ish) renovated coffeeshop is in a neighborhood I’ve never been. It’s actually quite nostalgic — an old block of HDB flats, with shops from the ground floor to the third, a rare find in modern HDB estates. The tables were spread out into the common area for alfresco dining. We sat there for 15 mins and observed what the other diners were ordering before making our decision. We went for mostly the signature dishes denoted by an elephant symbol in the bi-lingual menu. Here’s our review:
Signature Steamed Fish Head: This was the best! Cooked to perfection, it has a special sauce which is made up of (I’m guessing) celery, onions, others, and loads of garlic. it was wonderful. I don’t think there was any MSG because I usually have an averse reaction to it, but all I tasted was a natural sweetness in the sauce. (4.8/5)
Thai Honey Chicken: Another popular dish amongst diners. It was deep fried till crispy with a sweet honey sauce. It reminds me of one of my favorite dishes in Bangkok — Deep fried pork neck/belly. They have it on the menu, and I’ll definitely try it the next time I’m back here. (4/5)
Ha Cheong Kai: Although not one of the signature dishes, we couldn’t possibly miss this all time favorite. (3/5)
Mermaid Eggplant: I have no idea why the name. The dish had no resemblance to any sea creature, and certainly not a mermaid. It was eggplant deep fried in high heat with dried chill, a tad like szechuan style. It didn’t taste like eggplant at all, but more like tempura. (4/5)
San Mee: When this was served, it didn’t look anything close to what we had in mind. The one we saw from the next table had thinner noodles. Reading Miss Tam Chiak’s blog again this morning, I realized we had ordered the wrong noodles. The one we’d wanted was Heong Dai Mai Fun.
Chilli Prawns: This dish is similar to the usual Chilli Crabs but with prawns instead. It was average and the oomph was missing. (3/5)
Claypot Pork Shank: This braised pork shank in five spice, served with a generous amount of greens, goes especially well with rice and lots of the sauce. (3.5/5)
Hui Wei is a excellent find in this charming neighborhood in Singapore and is definitely worth going back, with a bigger group, to try its other dishes.
Hui Wei Chinese-Thai Cuisine
Blk 802 French Road, #01-69, Singapore 200802
Tel:83438367
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/huiweigroup/info
Check FB page for opening hours.
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