Food Picks: Home Feaast Nan Yang Kopitiam brings Ipoh flavours to Chinatown
SINGAPORE – Head to Home Feaast Nan Yang Kopitiam in Chinatown for a taste of Ipoh. The air-conditioned eatery – which seats 50 indoors and 24 outdoors – may have an oddly spelt name, but its Signature Moonlight Hor Fun ($8.90+) makes it worth a visit.
The dish features thick rice noodles fried to order in a savoury, glossy gravy, topped with a raw yolk, pork lard croutons, crunchy Hong Kong chye sim, and a trio of proteins: two prawns, sliced toman fish and lean hind-leg pork. It arrives with unmistakable wok hei – smoky, silky and satisfying in every bite.
Signature Moonlight Hor Fun at Home Feaast Nan Yang Kopitiam.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
Opened in February in a shophouse along Sago Street, Home Feaast Nan Yang Kopitiam blends Ipoh flavours with zi char-style cooking, led by head chef Alan Loh, 42, who hails from Ipoh.
The Giant Curry Noodles ($18.90+) lives up to its name with a mountain of toppings: char siew, roast pork, lala, cockles, scallops on the half shell, prawns, sotong and tau kee. Diners can choose from yellow noodles, kway teow, bee hoon or mee kia (additional $1). The curry – made in-house from nine ingredients including galangal and lemongrass – is rich and complex, its creaminess balanced by a mix of coconut and evaporated milk.
The curry is flavourful, but the use of frozen seafood such as scallops, sotong and lala dilutes its impact. The portion is overwhelming for one, and is better suited for sharing. Simpler versions such as the Roast Pork Curry Noodles ($9.90+) or the Two Combo Curry Noodles (char siew and roast pork, $13.90+) may offer better value.
Home Feaast Nan Yang Kopitiam's Giant Curry noodles comes with a mountain of toppings that includes char siew, cockles and prawns.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
A new addition is the Thai-style Tom Yum Fish Chop Tossed Rice Vermicelli ($10.90+). Thick bee hoon is tossed in a housemade tom yum paste and topped with torch ginger flower, woodear mushroom, bangkwang, carrot and fried peanuts, and served with a crispy dory fillet. Despite its vibrant ingredients, the dish feels flat – simply spicy, dry, and lacking cohesion.
Thai-style Tom Yum Fish Chop Tossed Rice Vermicelli Noodles at Home Feaast Nan Yang Kopitiam.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
What redeems the meal is the Home Feaast Egg Tart ($5.20 for two). The Portuguese-style tart features a croissant-like shell that is crisp and airy, encasing a smooth, wobbly custard of egg, milk and sugar – with a texture reminiscent of chawanmushi.
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The Home Feaast Egg Tarts have a crisp shell encasing a smooth, wobbly custard.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
While the eatery also touts its Classic White Coffee ($3.50+, cold), brewed from Ipoh-imported beans, it disappoints. The drink is astringent and lacks the signature smoothness of Ipoh's white coffee. This is likely due to the addition of black coffee to the blend – a tweak perhaps meant to cater to local preferences for a stronger brew.
For a more refreshing sip, go for the Ambarella Sour Plum Juice ($3.80+). Made from buah long long and sour plum, it is freshly blended with minimal syrup and no added water – tart, punchy and well-balanced.
The Ambarella Sour Plum Juice is tart, punch and well-balanced.
ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
Where: 6 Sago Street
MRT: Maxwell
Open: 10am to 9pm (Mondays to Fridays), 8am to 9pm (Saturdays and Sundays)
Tel: 8796-3827
More on this topic Food Picks: Cantonese-style chicken steals the show at The Teochew Kitchenette @ Keong Saik
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