Laksa Lemak @ Kelantan Lane

I think many fellow Singaporeans and fans of Singaporean hawker food would well agree that the traditional local favourites don't taste as good as before. The decline in the quality of local hawker fare has been gathering pace over the past decade or so. I guess this is why many Singaporeans are so keen to know where to find the "best" local hawker dishes.

Only in Singapore do we have stalls named after their location (or as in some cases, the original location). I'm not too sure what the story is with this stall but imposter or not, the laksa here is pretty good.

My parents introduced me to this stall. Considering that we live in the East, where Katong Laksa hails from, this is testimony to the quality of the laksa served here. A standard serving of laksa costs S$2.00 and is sufficient (especially if you're watching your diet...like *ahem* moi?) unless you have a very hearty appetite. The spicy laksa gravy is tasty and not too rich as less coconut milk is used than most versions, which is great for an increasingly health-conscious society. The cockles that are used to top this dish are fresh, juicy and firm to the bite. I love spicy food so I stirred in all the chili that was provided in the spoon that you're supposed to eat the laksa with. Do note that they do not provide chopsticks here so the spoon is all you've got to scoop up all the short strands of thick beehoon. I loved the fragrance that the shredded laksa leaves (aka Daun Kesom/Vietnamese Mint) added to the dish. I enjoyed this dish so much that I pretty much cleaned out the entire bowl, which is not difficult to do. Perhaps, I should order a S$3.00 bowl the next time I visit. :) This is a Must-Try if you're in the area.

Writing about this dish has me sooo inspired that I'm looking at my Laksa Leaf plant and contemplating attempting to cook Laksa Lemak for the family...stuff that yummy dreams are made of. Till I manage to haul my lazy posterior (Politically Correct version of "A**") to the market and get down to cooking Laksa...I shall just have to keep patronizing our friendly hawkers. :P

Another cool thing is that the stall keeper is pretty friendly, unlike some other hawkers who are grouchy at best and menacing at their worst.

31 Sungei Road Laksa
Blk 31 Kelantan Lane
#01-12
Singapore 200031
Mobile: 9690-8184 (I guess you can call and ask for Mr Laksa? *kidding!*)

Operating Hours: 8.30 am to 8.00 pm daily