Ang Mo Kio: Singaporean Hawker Cuisine at The Podium

Hawker food has already been synonymous to Singapore, at least for me. However, it would really be troublesome and costly to fly to Singapore just to get a taste of their wide array of gustatory hawker treats. Fortunately, we have our own haven of good hawker cuisine in Metro Manila, located just at The Podium in Ortigas -- it's Ang Mo Kio.
Ang Mo Kio The Podium

Bearing the namesake of a hawker stall-filled district in Singapore, our own Ang Mo Kio reflects the colorful diversity of Singaporean cuisine and even promises to serve a true authentic Singaporean cuisine experience. In fact, even the interior and layout of the whole restaurant is reminiscent of the atmosphere of hawker centers in Singapore.

And before I jump in to share with you the dishes we got to try at Ang Mo Kio, let me first disclose that this restaurant visit was way back in November of last year. While I'm not one who delays restaurant reviews for this long, shit happens. In my case, my hard drive got busted and it took quite a while to have my files recovered. So expect a few late reviews popping up from time to time. (Now back to regular programming.)

The Food

When it comes to Asian cuisines, I feel like Singaporean fare is one of the ultimate of its genre since it's a product of many culinary influences. So now, let's both take a tour around Malaysia, China, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and even the Philippines through these Singaporean dishes at Ang Mo Kio.

Roti Prata P50 per piece

To whet our appetite, let's have the Roti Prata (P50 per piece) -- a light and slightly flaky flour-based pancake served with a curry sauce on the side. Having this dish served on our table, it reminded me of the first time I got to taste roti prata way back in elementary. I sure didn't know what this thin bread was, but eating it after dipping in a curry sauce was a fireworks in the mouth. And once you've started munching, it sure is hard to stop.

Chicken Satay P35 per stick Minimum of 3 sticks

Next, let's have a plate of Chicken Satay (P35 per stick; Minimum of 3 sticks). While the skewered pieces may look rather small, they're perfect teasers before a good meal. These marinated then grilled chicken satay was already quite good on their own, but pair them with the sweet peanut sauce and your palate will sure to have a great pre-party.

Cereal Prawn P628

While I'm not a Cereal Prawn (P628) kind of girl, I can't deny that I enjoyed every piece of this seafood treat. I love my prawns plain, steamed or sautéed, but these prawns with grain oat flakes and stir-fried in butter give every bite a perfect crunch. The coating also adds an enjoyable slight sweetness that goes well with the juicy prawn meat. Yum!

Chicken Wings P45 per piece

You also shouldn't miss the Chicken Wings (P45 per piece; Minimum of 3 pcs.), especially if you're a big chicken wing lover. For a restaurant specializing in Singaporean cuisine, I didn't expect that these BBQ wings would taste this good! They were so tender and so succulent with every bite unlocking an explosion of sweet and savory flavors.

Whole Hainanese Chicken P998

When it comes to Singaporean fare, ordering the Hainanese Chicken (Whole P998) is a must! This whole white chicken steamed and bathing in light soy sauce just looked so glorious on the tabletop. Served with 4 cups of fragrant rice, some vegetables and its garlic, chili and dark soy sauce accompaniments, every bite was simply oozing with juicy, meaty chicken goodness. And although I personally don't go too gaga over Hainanese chicken, I found myself relentlessly digging in with this one.

Laksa P308

Another very Singaporean item is the Laksa (P308) which is a rich and creamy bowl of coconut milk-infused spicy noodle soup with clams, prawns, fish cakes, dried shrimp and hard-boiled egg. And while I may have missed trying laksa when I was in Singapore, I sure feel like this hearty bowl is more than enough to satisfy my laksa craving.

Hokkien Prawn Mee Single P275 For 2-3 P550

Noodle lovers shouldn't miss the Hokkien Prawn Mee (Single P275; For 2-3 P550). This serving of yellow wheat noodles combined with Vermicelli tossed with beansprouts, prawns, eggs and pork belly slices, and comes with sambal (chili paste) and calamansi on the side, is a hearty noodle dish that will surely deliver. Every forkful was satisfying both for the palate and the stomach with its light-flavored taste and saucy goodness.

Char Kway Teow Single P220 For 2-3 P480

If you're more into savory noodle dishes like me, then the Char Kway Teow (Single P220; For 2-3 P480) is perfect for you. Stir-fried over very high heat, this plate of flat rice and thin noodles with light and dark soy sauce, chili, squid, prawns, shrimp paste, beansprouts and greens, is sure to create fireworks in your mouth like it did with mine. Munching through the soft yet firm mix of noodles was also a delight on its own.

Sambal Eggplant P168

For veggies, try the Sambal Eggplant (P168) -- a plate of sliced eggplants sautéed in a sweet and spicy sambal sauce which is somehow similar to our very own bagoong alamang (shrimp paste). This dish might be simple, yet I really enjoyed eating this together with some Hainanese chicken and spoonfuls of rice.

Sambal Chinese Kang Kong P168

This plate of Sambal Chinese Kang Kong (P168) is another sambal sauce-infused vegetable dish worth ordering. Like the eggplant variant, this is also sautéed with a sweet and spicy sambal sauce. However, if you love your mellow-flavored kangkong (since sambal is a lot spicier than bagoong), then you can order this just sautéed with garlic.

Bak Ku Teh Single P285 For Two P558

The most comforting item for the night was the Bak Ku Teh (Single P285; For Two P558), a traditional Chinese pork ribs soup simmered in a complex mixture of various herbs and spices including star anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, garlic and coriander. While I believe there's no actual tea in this bowl, each spoonful somehow gave off a hint of tea flavor. The meaty pork ribs on the other hand, was also very tender and enjoyable.

Beef Rendang Single P218 Big P436 With Nasi Lemak Rice P258

This Beef Rendang (Single P218; Big P436; With Nasi Lemak Rice P258) dish is definitely one of the tastiest items of the night. Cooked with coconut milk and ground mixture of ginger, galangal, turmeric leaves, garlic, shallot, lemon grass, chilies and other spices, every chunk of beef in the pot is not only tender and so meaty, but also packs a lot of earthy, savory and spicy flavors that you're sure to get your appetite for rice on.

Rose Milk Tea, Fresh Mango Juice and Milo Dinosaur

For drinks, Ang Mo Kio offers an interesting line of both the all-time favorites and some unusual beverages. I got myself a Rose Milk Tea (P70) which was creamy and had a nice rose water flavor. The beau on the other hand, got himself a refreshing and vibrant yellow-colored Fresh Mango Juice (P75). And if you're curious, the brown drink in the background was one of our companions' order, a glass of Milo Dinosaur (P75).

By the way, there's currently an ongoing deal for Ang Mo Kio's Hainanese Chicken or Roasted Chicken with vegetables and rice either for 2 or for 4, available at Groupon Beeconomic. So make sure to check this deal out before it's over!

THE VERDICT

Our visit to Ang Mo Kio at The Podium was indeed like a trip to the Ang Mo Kio district in Singapore, just minus the airfare and lodging expenses. Everything we had, from the meal starters to the entrées, and even up to the drinks, were all of great quality rivaling those I've tried when I went to Singapore. True enough, Ang Mo Kio serves authentic Singaporean cuisine as promised. And with reasonable pricing and friendly service, we're sure to return for yet another food tour around Asia.

Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 3.5/5
Overall Value - 4/5


Ang Mo Kio Singaporean Hawker Cuisine, The Podium
3/F The Podium, 12 ADB Ave., Wack- Wack
Mandaluyong, Metro Manila
(02) 696-7025; (0917) 823-4317
Official Website
Facebook Page
Twitter

31 comments:

  1. Now I miss Ang Mo Kio. Getting a hard drive broken is the worst thing ever! I'm doing back-ups a lot now. :)

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    1. It is! How I wish I thought of creating back-up for my files before that incident happened :(

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  2. Hearing the name itself made me reminisce the time that I stayed there in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore and the wide variations of food the hawker there serves. I miss now Sg! I better try to eat there when I'm in Manila. that sounds not too far already.

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  3. There's this Ang Mo Kio deal also posted on Metrodeal, and I think this one is more affordable than the deal posted on Groupon/Beeconomic. (and it offers a lot of choices too!)

    Here's the link to their deal BTW: Ang Mo Kio

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    1. Hey Cristal, thanks for linking Ang Mo Kio's deal on Metrodeal. I actually didn't know they have one there. It looks good too since they're offering GC :) Thanks again!

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  4. I like Singaporean dish, but sometimes I have a hard time distinguishing one from Malaysian food.
    I hope to dine in Ang Mo Kio.

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    1. Yup, Singaporean cuisine is a mix of a lot of cuisines din kasi, and since Malaysia is so near (plus a lot of Malaysians are in SG), it can't be help that we mix up their food XD

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  5. Wow, I want to try the Laksa, it looks very appetizing!

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  6. This review is heavenly! One of the things that I actually loved when I frequented Singapore were the Hawker cuisines. I've heard about Ang Mo Kio. But never really knew what cuisines it offered exactly. So I'm definitely stoked that something like this is here, more so an MRT away! :) I can't wait to try this out. By the way, have you eaten at Yaku? It's also in Podium. I love their Japanese treats. :)

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    1. I've heard about Yaku but haven't tried it yet :D Will definitely visit it soon though, kahit I don't frequent The Podium XD

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  7. The place is reminiscent of a cafeteria or casual resto pero ang sarap sarap tingnan ng food! I bet super sarap dn sila kainin! :)

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  8. I'm curious about the Haiananese Chicken. I wonder how it taste like. It's pricey though.

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  9. Good thing you recovered your files.

    The Cereal Prawns look weird, but I wouldn't mind having a taste of it. I like prawns. =)

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  10. I miss the hawkers in Singapore ... do they serve stingray at Ang Mo Kio?

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  11. I wish I could get to try that Hainanese chicken and I will when I am in Podium =)

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  12. All the food looks mouthwatering and the ways you describes them. It makes me feel real hungry.

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  13. SUMI, your food photos really makes each and every dish looks even more appetizing. About the resto, I love their settings/ambiance. So relaxing for me.

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  14. I saw a voucher of this online and Mom asked me if I want her to buy it. I said no when I saw that there were only a few Singaporean dishes which are ordinary. But this post convinced me that it's worth to purchase! I miss SG food already wahaha.

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  15. Love reading your blog posts because I get to see where are the good places to eat on the "other side" aka the North (since I'm from the South :D)

    Happy Monday!


    www.joeiandme.com

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  16. yummy! just by looking at the dishes, I suddenly have the urge to go there...but I'm so far away!

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  17. I've no idea what Singaporean cuisine served but I recently got to try Wee Nam Kee and I fell in love. Would love to try Ang Mo Kio as well. Do you think it's better than Wee Nam Kee?

    :) Erika

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  18. Looks yummy nga!

    I had found a few restaurants na masarap ang Singaporean flavor... Usually kasi nagiging Filipino version na di naman lumalabas... Hope to give this a try soon...

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  19. I love Singaporean food. However, I'm not a fan of Ang Mo Kio. The first two times I was there, service was really bad! At one instance, we were seated for almost 10 minutes and no waiter paid us any attention even though we were trying to get them to come. We ended up just walking out. Then, when I finally got to try the food. I wasn't that sold :( I had the laksa and for me, it lacked the saltiness, creaminess and spiciness of Singaporean laksa. The sambal was ok though. I also liked the rose drink :)

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  20. love everything glad we have now in Philippines Now i am more missing singapore though all the foods there are available here in malaysia too special MY have hawker places too but not as much as singapore do! Is the foods thats meant to be spicy is really spicy SUmi? Since filipinos are not fond of Spicy as in spicy like the other nationalities. hehe xx

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  21. Roti prata is a fave of mine. Too bad it's rich. :(

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  22. I am not a very big fan of Non-vegetarian dishes .However, I love spicy food and being a traveller I often get to taste my love fortunately.

    Indian Cuisine Mississauga

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  23. Hey I am not feeling hat Hungry I would take some drinks..;)

    Indian Restaurant East London

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  24. I would like to try Char Kway Teow and their Milo Dinosaur.

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  25. Almost all of them are chicken dishes. Would try some Singaporean cuisine once in awhile.

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