First time at Chomp Chomp Food Centre? From sambal stingray to BBQ chicken wings to wanton noodles, here's what you need to try.
What can’t you find in Serangoon Gardens? You’ve got hipster quaint cafés, retro pubs, and mookata. Not to mention the 24-hour R.K. Eating House for your roti prata supper fix. But there’s one place in this foodie enclave in particular that draws people from all over the island – we’re talking about the hawker centre affectionately known as Chomp Chomp. Let us help you navigate through this foodie enclave and what you need to get.
Our favourite food at Chomp Chomp Food Centre
1. Satay
Everyone knows that you can’t leave Chomp Chomp without ordering satay. It’s a veritable haven for sticks of meats grilled to utter perfection. Pair that with fresh cucumbers and the creamy peanut sauce and you’ve got a bite that’ll send you to foodie heaven. You can get skewers of chicken, beef, pork, or mutton from Chomp Chomp Satay. Or order from The Warung. It offers the unique satay jawa, which is an Indonesian-style satay with Warung sambal, and tripe satay.
2. Wanton noodles
Springy egg noodles with piping hot dumplings will be our go-to for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It doesn’t any get better than the sweet char siew meat paired with the savoury sauce. The dishes at Swee Heng Wanton Noodle may lean on the slightly sweeter side with extra ketchup, but we still love it. Wash it all down with a bowl of soup and you’ll be satisfied for the night.
3. Hokkien Mee
For an umami and carby dish, you gotta get some Hokkien mee to fill you up. And you have to grab it at Ah Hock Fried Hokkien Mee. This longstanding hawker gem is probably Chomp Chomp’s most famous stall and for good reason. After a short retirement, the legendary Ah Hock returned, spatula in hand, wok at the ready. Unfortunately, as a result of his fame, you’ll have to wait 30 to 45 minutes for a plate of his hokkien mee. But, it’s well worth the wait – the ample portion of rice and egg noodles comes with a rich, umami-laden gravy with bits of egg. And it’s chock-full of seafood too. Definitely worth the hype!
Otherwise, you can turn to Chia Keng Hokkien Mee for your fix. It’s full of umami flavour thanks to the stock that it uses. Combine that with juicy prawns and generous chunky bits of crispy pork lard, and you’ll have everyone at the table satisfied. Be sure to ask for extra chilli for that needed kick.
4. BBQ Chicken Wings
Chicken wings don’t usually come to mind when we think of hawker food. But walk into Chomp Chomp, and you’re bound to see plenty of tables with a plate of chicken wings piled high. Chong Pang Huat has been our go-to for many years because of its addictively sweet and spicy chilli sauce – squeeze in some lime for an extra zing! The wings themselves are served fresh from the fire, with skin that’s roasted ’til crispy, and juicy meat that’s bursting with the slightly-sweet marinade. We’re pretty sure you won’t just stop at one.
5. Oyster Omelette
We love fresh oysters, but we’re also fond of the unforgivingly-greasier, Singapore-style fried oyster omelette, or or luak. Quit the calorie counting and head to Ang Sa Lee Oyster Omelette or Chomp Chomp Fried Oyster to order a plate of this eggy, starchy dish dotted with plump, briny oysters. What makes this dish stand out is the freshness of the oysters (check!), the firmness of the omelette that isn’t too flaky, and the watery ‘chinchalok’ sauce that’s tangy and spicy.
6. Sambal Stingray
Stingray is definitely not something you see on a restaurant menu all the time. Which is why we turn to our local hawkers for plates full of this unique fish. Hai Wei Yuan BBQ is our first choice when we head to Chomp Chomp. It serves up sambal stingray at reasonable prices with a friendly uncle behind the wok. The chewy, stringy stingray meat is well-marinated, and covered in lashings of savoury sambal sauce, and goes perfectly well with rice.
7. Sugarcane Juice
With a feast like this, you’ll want something cooling and refreshing to wash everything down. Beat the heat and order massive mugs of refreshing sugarcane juice from Dinghao Sugarcane. After all, there’s no better way to end a Singaporean hawker feast than pints of ice-cold sweet, milky, sugarcane juice that’s known to have a cooling effect. With all that chilli you’ll be downing here, you’ll need some heat relief!
Chomp Chomp Food Centre, 20 Kensington Park Road, Singapore 557269
Are you ready for the ultimate foodie adventure at Chomp Chomp?
[This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2023 by Ashe Liao.]
