SIN: World Street Food Jamboree 2015

Authentic flavours from 12 different cities in the world!

Tonight's review is a special one on the jamboree of the 2nd World Street Food Congress by Makansutra, boasting a total of 23 stalls from 12 cities, held here in Singapore from 8 to 12 April 2015. After missing the first one in 2013, I made it a point to go to Bugis just now, no matter how long the queues would be. Here are the dishes I tried in chronological order.

Kupat Tahu S$7.00

Taste: 7.5/10

Hailing from the city of Bandung in West Java, Indonesia, Kupat Tahu Gempol is said to serve the best tofu salad in the archipelago. Topped with crunchy onion crackers, beansprouts, rice and tofu cubes were laden with peanut sauce and sweet soy sauce. While it was just a tad too sweet for my liking, the chili sauce was delightfully powerful.

Soto Ayam S$8.00

Taste: 8.5/10

Coming from the city of Surabaya in East Java, Indonesia, Soto Ayam Ambengan Pak Sadi prepared clear chicken soup brightened by turmeric. The white meat was sliced quite thinly, each piece being tender. What made it delicious was the powder called koya, made of crushed crackers and garlic, that also gave the soup a truly heady fragrance.

Mee Kuah S$6.00

Taste: 7/10

A local dish by M A Deen Biasa located at Jalan Sultan, the visually appealing Malay noodle in red spicy soup was like a flamethrower on the tongue. Minced meat, peas and a runny egg embellished the dish. Taste wise, I found it not as complex as I thought it'd be, perhaps the spiciness masked the delicate flavours of some spices.

Har Cheong Kai Burger S$10.00

Taste: 8.5/10

A uniquely Singapore fusion food by Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee, the burger with prawn paste chicken and coleslaw impressed me. For someone who isn't really a big fan of the said chicken dish, the white meat was oozing with juice, and its skin was delectably crispy skin. The sweet potato fries could be crispier.

Bratwurst Sausage Combo Set S$10.00

Taste: 8.5/10

Temporarily flying to Germany, I relished the meaty pork sausage that was well-complemented with tangy mustard, which was generously given by the friendly white man at the stall. The homemade potato salad was moist with a sour twist, unlike the common ones that come with mayonnaise. 

Kinilaw S$9.00

Taste: 9/10

I've always loved food trucks in the States, and it's certainly heartening to see that East Side King from Austin, Texas is here for five days. The Filipino style ceviche that I tried was truly fresh and not at all heavy on the palate. The sweet and succulent snake-head fish married the shrimps, sealed with coconut vinegar and olive oil. 

Sisig in Wanton Cups S$9.00

Taste: 8/10

For a taste of authentic Filipino cuisine, I tried Bale Dutung's dish that means "to snack on something sour" in English. Chewy and crunchy at the same time, the mixture of pork ears, cheeks and jowls was pretty sinful, spiked with chili and calamansi. Without doubt, the wanton cups were truly crispy.

Puri Subji S$6.00

Taste: 7.5/10

I saw Pradeep Sweets from India selling gulab jamun (Indian deep-fried cottage cheese dumplings in simple syrup), but I was more interested in their deep-fried flat rounds of flour surprisingly didn't turn out to be oily. They weren't crispy like potato chips, but airily crunchy, served with mild potato curry, as well as chopped onions and tomatoes.

Crispy Thin Apom (3 pcs) S$4.50

Taste: 8.5/10

Penang Apom Manis prepared paper-thin pancakes that would snap even by the slightest force, but the middle portion of each was enjoyably soft with a heightened taste of coconut milk. Yes, S$4.50 is the cheapest price one can expect to pay at the jamboree, and I can assure you that this sweet treat is definitely worth it.

Churros Sundae S$8.00

Taste: 9/10

Before my BFF and I left the place, we decided to check out Churros Locos, a food cart from Portland, Oregon in the States. Even though the vanilla ice cream was served in a small cup, it came with three extraordinarily light, air and crunchy pieces of deep-fried donuts. They could be more generous with the amount of cinnamon powder though.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8/10

I didn't manage to try the lechon (Filipino crispy suckling pig) that had a waiting time of about 3 hours just now, but it's alright since I've had an authentic one at Zubuchon in the Philippines, in Cebu to be exact. Another treat that I missed out was the Bolivian skewered meat. Pika's advice: Tomorrow, 12 April 2015, is the last day for you to enjoy the smorgasbord of food at the World Street Food Jamboree 2015. Do pay a visit if you haven't done so!

World Street Food Jamboree 2015

Tan Quee Lan Street

Open Field Opposite Parco Bugis

Singapore

(Wed-Fri: 5.00pm - 11.00pm; Sat-Sun: 1.00pm - 11.00pm)

http://wsfcongress.com/

*Prices quoted are nett prices.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)