One could easily walk past this stall without even noticing it. Is it even called a stall? Maybe not. It's more like a pushcart, which makes it even more neglected and hidden away from the other stalls in the food atrium.

But now that you know, be sure to stop by Tan's TuTu Coconut Cake, located in between Pu Tien and the drinks stall.

I understand that kueh tutu is actually a favourite traditional snack back in the good ol' days. I'm not that old to have lived all the way back then, but what i can say is that this kueh is really good.

Consuming it right after it is freshly made is vital in maximizing the enjoyment and satisfaction. Of course, it still tastes great even if you consume it later, but having it hot from the mould makes it much more enjoyable.

The generous filling complemented by the thin layer of kueh tutu flour is a great marriage of taste and texture. You can choose from either fragrant roasted-peanut paste or finely shaven coconut for your tutu fillings. Both of which are equally friendly on the tastebuds.

The stuff here makes for guilty pleasure redefined.

I know that practically everything sold at Ngoh Hiang stalls are really unhealthy. I mean, it's pretty obvious, isn't it? We can see that thin layer of oil glisten over every deep-fried item on display.

No doubt, it can be a nightmare for any dieter. But when it comes to a stall like this, I say you put that diet aside, forget everything you know about calories and enjoy the finer things in life.

I'm not too sure why, but i think it's the whole old chinese-themed setting of the food court that makes their Ngoh Hiang even more appealing.

They have the usual ngoh hiang, cuttlefish, century egg, fishcake, you tiao, bean curd, fishball, prawn cracker, prawn roll, etc.

Each item ranges from about $0.40 to about $1 plus.

Most of the snacks here are done pretty well - fragrant, crisp and very tasty. The only downside is that certain ones are too oily for my liking and it doesn't help that the oil reminds you of how unhealthy the dish is.

And of course, always keep a mental calculation as you pick the food items. The price adds up and if you're not careful, you might end up paying more than expected.

Fortunate Restaurant started with their first outlet in Toa Payoh a few years back. Today, they have grown from one heartland outlet to outlets in the hearts of town.
The restaurant, otherwise known as Fortun Ate Restaurant, specializes in Dim Sum and Chinese cuisine. If you want restaurant dining at a more affordable price, you might like to head to Fortunate Restaurant at Food Republic Wisma Atria, VivoCity or 313@Somerset.

On days where i crave authentic Cantonese food, yet don't want to burn a hole in my wallet, i would usually satisfy my craving at Fortunate. Some of the dim sum items i've tried from them are the Chicken Feet, Har Gao, Siew Mai, Chee Cheong Funa and Da Bao. To complete my meal, i often settle for my favourite Minced Pork & Centruy Egg Congee.

As compared to their stand-alone restaurant, their branches located in the various Food Republic outlets have very limited choices, which consist of the more popular dim sum items. I read on their website ( www.fortun-ate.com ) that they have up to 100 varieties in their menu. That most probably refers to their restaurant; the Food Republic outlets definitely have less than that.

They have all sorts of congee like Century Egg, Sliced Fish, Shredded Chicken...the usual - all ranginging from about $6 - $8. I should think anyone who has tried it would have loved it. The consistency is so smooth, you can barely see any rice grains (unlike places that don't boil the congee long enough). It's also very tasty - tasty enough for me to finish it all up even without any other ingredients. Their portions are to be questioned though. There was one occasion where I found that their VivoCity outlet was more generous with the portions than the one at 313@Somerset. But then again, it was only once.

Apart from that, the dim sums are very well-prepared and taste delicious. But at an average of about $3 per crate (is that what it's called?) of dim sum, i think it's not exactly a meal. Three crates would be more or less be a complete meal, and that's a hefty $9. If compared to the other dishes in Food Republic, it's considered expensive. But the good side of it is that it is way cheaper than eating at a Chinese restaurant (plus no GST or Service charge!!!).

I went to Joan Bowen Cafe for my mum's birthday this year. My dad heard of this place from his friend, so we decided to try it out.

This cafe was apparently opened with a special purpose unlike most typical cafes. All the staff working here what we call "special people" with autism. But don't be fooled by that. They do an awesome job at running this entire cafe and even preparing the food - all on their own!

You'll be greeted by their warm and friendly smiles and served with the most outstanding service ever. They are simply sweet and and extremely talented, so much so it really touched my heart.

We proceeded to order our meals: pan fried dory, chili crab pasta and ribeye steak.

Their best-selling dish here is their Fish & Chips, which i shall try out when i return another day. But since we already made our orders, we just went ahead with it.

Food
We ordered the pan fried dory for myself and my brother. It was the most tender dory fish i have every tried and do believe that i'm not exaggerating. It really was superbly tender. The taste of the fish left an impression on my tastebuds and i swore i will be visiting them again.

My mum ordered the ribeye steak, which tasted really awesome as well. It was soft, juicy and tender, and rich in flavour. It was served with mash potato that was great as a complement to the steak.

Then my dad ordered the chili crab pasta. No doubt it tasted really good, but my dad being the chili king, thought it wasn't spicy enough. I thought it was just right, putting into consideration that the spiciness was perhaps tailored to suit the majority of their customers.

Overall, the entire experience was one to be remembered. From the ambience to the food and service, everything never failed to put a smile on our faces.

Call me greedy, but every single time i walk past this stall, I can't help but give in to the temptation of their You Tiao.

For those of you who don't know what you tiao is, it is otherwise known as the long chopstick-looking deep fried dough fritters that always come in a pair. You'll definitely see them on display when you go by the stall. I should think it's the best selling item there as well.

Just like most deep-fried foods, the you tiao at this stall is simply irresistible - especially so when you get them freshly out from the fryer. But it's usually the case cos they sell like hot buns.

They are really crisp on the outside, and warm and soft to the touch on the inside. Similarly, i like the butterfly fritters (aka hum chim peng). This one has a tint of sweetness to it and is a great complement to a cup of their soya bean milk.

There is usually a long queue that keeps building up at this stall, So unless you are willing to wait in line, you should try to avoid peak hours.