Situated in the Hougang area, Kovan 209 Food Centre offers a smorgasbord of scrumptious eats: think Hainanese curry rice, traditional Teochew kueh, mee rebus and so much more.
What to eat in Kovan? Located a stone’s throw away from Kovan MRT station and close to Heartland Mall, this hawker gem is one of the popular dining spots in this part of Singapore. If you’re not a resident of the area, we reckon it’s worth making the trip to the northeast to sample the delectable dishes whipped up by the vendors here.
Want to tuck into colourful, old-fashioned Teochew kueh? Check. Prefer to graze on some noodles? You’ll discover the likes of prawn noodles, wanton noodles, fish ball noodles and more. Need something to help you cool off in the sweltering heat? There are plenty of drink and dessert stalls where you can grab an icy treat. Read on for some of our recommendations.
Kovan 209 Food Centre is at 209 Hougang Street 21, Singapore 530209
You won’t find traditional handmade Teochew kueh like this at most hawker centres in the city-state. So if you’re here, a visit to Fatt Soon Kueh is practically a must. The decades-old business uses only the freshest and finest ingredients to make its soon kueh, png kueh and gu chye kueh (around $1 a pop). While everything is worth a try, we’re partial to the soon kueh. It has a supple, translucent and chewy skin and is stuffed with shredded carrot, jicama, black fungus, bamboo shoot and dried shrimp.
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Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice needs no introduction. Boasting multiple outlets across Singapore, it’s known for its juicy and tender braised pig trotter rice. A serving comes with white rice, melt-in-the-mouth pig trotters and some preserved vegetables to cut through the richness of the meat. Top it with umami-rich gravy, fresh coriander and tangy chilli sauce and you’ve got a meal that warrants the roughly $6 price tag. Big eaters can supplement their order with sides such as intestines and prawn cakes.
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For a bowl of fish ball noodles with a difference, hoof it over to this spot. While most vendors may only offer plain soup, this establishment gives you the choice of having your noodles with a coconutty and mildly spicy laksa broth. Another option to consider is their dry fish ball noodles, which has noodles, fish balls, fishcake slices, minced meat and earthy braised mushrooms all coated in a yummy sauce. Expect to pony up about $4 and above.
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Another contender for solid bak chor mee is Chun Fu Fishball Minced Meat Noodle Laksa. The chewy mee pok (flat yellow noodles) are tossed in vinegar and lard, and come crowned with braised shiitake mushrooms and fish cakes. It’s generous with its fishballs and meatballs too; the latter’s handmade and boasts a springy texture with subtly sweet flavour.
It also serves laksa and chicken curry noodles, both of which have gotten good reviews for their full-bodied broth and generous portion.
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Curry rice, anyone? Join the snaking queue of eager customers lining up at Hougang Hainanese Curry Rice. Once you’ve finally made it to the front, take your pick from the dizzying range of dishes on display – including braised pork, fried seafood, meat cutlets and a myriad of veggies. Your plate is then drenched in a fragrant and slightly sweet curry sauce that isn’t too spicy, so those with a lower spice tolerance can still give this a shot. Expect to fork out upwards of $5, depending on the dishes you choose.
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Gorge on all the mee rebus, mee siam, soto ayam, lontong and nasi lemak (all approximately $4) your heart desires at Hajjah Mariam Muslim Food, a well-frequented Muslim food stall at the hawker centre. The mee rebus – with its luscious gravy and thick, chewy noodles – is one of their most popular menu items, and a squeeze of lime and fresh green chilli slices help balance out the rich flavours. If you’re going for the nasi lemak, you can top up your order with sides such as begedil and tempeh.
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Fa Ji Dessert doles out a colourful selection of hot and cold desserts. Their signature chendol – which features a mountain of shaved ice drenched in coconut milk and gula melaka syrup that’s crowned with red beans and squiggly pandan jelly – is a must if you’re here on a hot day. Durian lovers can opt for the durian ice kachang, while those with less adventurous palates can sample the mango ice kachang. There’s also sesame paste, tau suan and pulut hitam, with most things retailing for under $3.
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Spicy, sweet and bursting with umami – what’s not to like about rojak? You can score yourself the dish at Kovan Rojak, where a small serving goes for $4. It has all the standard fixings: crispy fried dough fritters, squishy tau pok and crunchy chunks of turnip, pineapple and cucumber, with everything mixed together in a tasty shrimp paste and finished with a smattering of crushed roasted peanuts. You can also ask to add other ingredients such as century egg, abalone and jellyfish.
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Davis Prawn Court is where you’ll discover a plethora of prawn noodle dishes. The star item here is arguably the Hokkien prawn noodles – a large plate of thick and thin noodles packed with prawns, cuttlefish rings, fresh beansprouts and pork lard, which is cooked in a seafood broth and has wok hei to spare. Other standouts on the menu include regular prawn noodles in soup and dry versions, abalone prawn noodles and crayfish prawn noodles. Prices begin at roughly $5.
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Fried carrot cake, Hokkien mee and fried oyster dishes are the name of the game here. This vendor serves white and black fried carrot cake, both of which sport lots of eggy bits, preserved radish and a good whiff of wok hei. Those who prefer their Hokkien mee on the wetter end of the spectrum will be pleased with this stall’s rendition, where the ingredients are cooked in a delicious velvety stock. A meal here will set you back around $4 and up.
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