Pork lovers are in for a treat here with these toothsome roast meats. So, eat responsibly!
Who could resist some "shao la", or Cantonese-style roast meats, once in a while?
For some people, these may even be an item on their to-do list every week. And if the roast meats are as good as those served at Hiang Ji Roasted Meat & Noodle House, it might well become a habit.
While Hiang Ji is a real "gem", it's not exactly a hidden one. It's just that most people who are in the bustling surroundings of the HDB Hub wouldn't intuitively make a turn from the arterial walkways into this lesser-known corner of the Toa Payoh Mall, where the eatery is located amidst a row of F&B establishments. "Out-of-the-way", if you will.
In fact, I only got to know about this roast meat eatery through a friend who works in the vicinity. See how important foodie intel is?
"Chunky" is the word
Meat-lovers will know that a hearty and highly-satisfying carnivorous meal would mean that the meat will have to be chunky. And at Hiang Ji, that's exactly what they're serving up. And it's unlikely that you'll get "slices" of roast meats as you would at some coffee shops out there.
As a pork lover, I naturally made a beeline for the the roast pork (char siew) and crispy pork belly (siew yoke). And boy, it turned out to be a pile of yummy, chunky roast meats! Pure bliss!
Above left: The chunky, juicy, and well-glazed roast pork is a real hearty treat!
Above right: Crispy pork belly which you'll have to hear the crunch for yourself
The chunky roast pork is really well-glazed, tender, and juicy, with just the right lean-to-fat ratio; and it's not overly sweet. And the pork fat is roasted till it's so soft that it's ready to melt in my mouth (which it did actually).
The crispy pork belly is a totally different mouthfeel to enjoy. Its pork crackling was so crispy that I can hear the crunch audibly, as I munched into it. And unlike some other crispy pork belly elsewhere, this one has had a fair bit of lean meat, which was firm but still juicy. I can eat this all day!
By the way, they also serve roast chicken and roast duck, for those who'd prefer poultry.
The sauces are great too
Apart from the roast meats, the sauces here also play a fantastic supporting role.
The chilli sauce is full of citrussy flavour from the calamansi lime juice base, and strikes a perfect balance between spiciness, sweetness, and tanginess. And it goes so well with the chicken rice (otherwise known as the "you fan"), which I ordered as a second portion. Gluttony!
Above left: The spicy, sweet, tangy, and citrussy chilli sauce is the chicken rice's best friend
Above right: Just can't get enough of the braised sauce — not too sweet and very umami
And I love the braised sauce too! It has a delicate sweetness that's well balanced with saltiness, and it actually tastes quite umami. I believe that some of the roast meat drippings may have gone into it and made it so good.
They're well worth the calories spent
If you ask me, these roast meats are certainly worth loading up on the calories for occasionally. In fact, going forward, this will be one of the eateries I'll surely visit, when a craving for Chinese roast meats arises.
North-easties would be glad to know that they also have an outlet at Hougang Village, which has been operating for years and is quite popular. But I haven't tried the food at that outlet personally, and so won't attempt to vouch for the quality.
Locate it
Address:
Hiang Ji Roasted Meat & Noodle House
Toa Payoh Mall
190 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, #01-512, Singapore 310190
Operating Hours:
Opens daily, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Call:
9726 7338
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