The coffee shop opposite the Malaysia Dairy Industries along Macpherson Road has recently been renovated, and the new stalls are causing quite a buzz amongst the netizens. This was the same coffee shop that used to be known for its Kway Chup and Teochew Kueh. The Kway chup has relocated next door, and now there is a whole new set of stalls with very attractive signages. One of the new entrants is Jian Zao who specializes in Ipoh Curry Mee and Penang Prawn Mee.
The stall is proudly owned by Mr. Steven Cheah, a 49-year-old who migrated from Ipoh to Singapore in 2008 to work at SBS. However, his true passion for food has always been simmering in his guts. His maternal grandmother ran a popular Curry Mee stall for years and he had inherited her secret recipe which had been pass down to his mother.
Three years ago, Steven decided it was time to introduce Singaporeans to the rich, aromatic flavors of his grandma’s Ipoh curry mee and opened his first stall in Ang Mo Kio which is now being run by his son. The popularity of the dish prompted Steven to expand to his second stall here at Macpherson!
Steven explains that his curry leans towards a Cantonese style, which is not as rich as a Nonya curry but is more lemak (rich) compared to a Hainanese-style curry. It took him a while to recreate the authentic flavors without having to import ingredients from Ipoh.
The curry really does hit the spot, with a flavor that is distinct from the usual chicken curry we’re familiar with. It’s not overly rich, so you can enjoy the entire bowl without feeling overwhelmed, making it the perfect choice when you’re craving an umami boost. The addition of roasted pork and charsiu also complemented the dish really well! 4.25/5
If you need something extra to soak up all that lovely curry, they also serve some housemade fritters including one made from jicama (bung kuang) which I am told is a popular dish in Ipoh. Steven is very proud of his fritters and rightly so as they are all super crispy and great for soaking in that curry gravy!
The Penang Prawn Mee is also very good. The soup has got enough umami kick but if you are looking for an authentic Penang Prawn Mee experience, you will need to get them to add an extra spoon of sambal into the soup. The owner had dialed down on the spice level to cater to local palates.
Unlike Singaporean-style prawn mee where pork bones are an important component, Steven tells me that the soup is made entirely of fried prawn heads and other “secret” seafood ingredients. The soup is very good and reminded me of Green House in Penang. It’s too bad they don’t have pork skin, pork belly and hard-boiled eggs or it would be the bomb! 4.25/5
Conclusion
If you are working around the Paya Lebar/Tai Seng area and looking for a new place to eat, then you should really check out this new coffeeshop. The curry mee and prawn noodles here have a unique Malaysian flavour and the owner/chef wears a perpetual smile on his face!
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