I had wanted to check out these two “new and new” hawker stalls that had been beckoning for a while. So food trekking I went, and to my surprise both of them were not only sited in the same area but in the same kopitiam and also..right beside each other. This is a good sign that comforting deliciousness will be ahead this year. The Michelin food guide will hit our shores this year and so will the 10th edition of Makansutra (to be announced later). New hawker centres will be launched and it is encouraging knowledge that a brave new breed of young hawkers are ditching their academic papers and certifications to join the street food trade. I do my part to encourage the continuity and viability of this meaningful culture of ours.

Here are two delicious stories that will usher in 2016 quite appropriately. One, is a very young chef who immediately set up a hawker stall right after his gig at Shatec, an old and reputable culinary school in Singapore. The other is a brave hawker from Ipoh who saw this opportunity in Singapore and promptly offered what no one else here is selling. A new young hawker and a new dish in a new world.

Both stalls are located in the Delicious Coffeshop, 456 Macpherson Road.

1/ [CLOSED] Daniel’s Western Delights. 10am-8pm daily

At a ripe young age of 23, Daniel Winvsor with an itch to be his own boss and be independent, set up his little stall three months ago. His brand of western fare has a local twist- it comes with rice as “I listen to the feedback of the customers in this area”. Together with his teenage wife Jacqueline Wong, 18, they are at it seven days a week offering a list of meat chops, steaks and fish and chips. But the sauces come with a twist. One of the most popular is the cheese and chicken chop rice. He does the crispy chicken well (thaws it nicely before he fries it) and it comes juicy inside. The liquid cheese sauce he slathered over it is a kiddie perennial favourite that does not go away even in adulthood. I like the pan roast chicken with black pepper sauce. The western herb mix blended in, was not mild and timid. All sets come with a blob of coleslaw with a spoon of crispy bit bacon over it “For now it’s a seven day week for us, but I will consider one day of rest every two weeks in the near future . It was a one man show for a while, where he serves , cook and take orders but now Jacqueline helps out and leaves her child with her father. His parting shot “ we take home no more than $2,000 a month, but it’s better than having a regular job because of the freedom.”

2/ [Relocated] Malaysia Famous Fried Porridge,10.30am-9.30pm (one irregular day off every two weeks)

John Ng’s friend in Ipoh told him about how this dish was not available in Singapore and he immediately jumped on the opportunity of being the first to offer Fried Porridge. The first time I had it was when I filmed in Malaysia in Chiew Lai, a little town just by Kuala Lumpur. They used thick flavoured rice porridge, kept overnight in a chiller so the flavours are intensified, then fry them up over high heat with whatever ingredients they choose. It’s rice porridge with wok-hei. John’s version is much thicker, as he uses the Japanese pearl grains which are starchier, and it may get heavy – so it’s best to share this claypot of intensely flavour rice porridge. He tops it with some crab meat and chopped chives. He is looking for a bigger premise and will relocate in the second quarter of the year.

Updated on 10 August 2018- rebranded as Royal J’s Seafood
30 Foch Rd, Singapore 209276
Opening hours: 11am-11pm