Zhang Zetong Shares Fave Hawker Picks, Starstruck When He Saw Fann Wong & Christopher Lee At A Stall
The Malaysia-born actor moved to Singapore when he was 17, and used to live in Tiong Bahru. He would frequent the nearby Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded stall at least once a week. The joint is famous for its Teochew-style pig’s organ soup, which comes with pig innards, pork balls and lean meat,
"I especially like eating pork offal, whether it is with soup or braised in gravy like kway chap. I would always crave for it," says Zetong. "Sometimes you just want something that is lighter on the palate, and a bowl of pig’s organ soup is very suitable."
Nothing hits the spot like hot soup
According to Zetong, the dish reminds him of his mum’s cooking back home in Johor Bahru. “Every time I have hot soup, I get a sense of homeliness. This is why this stall has a special place in my heart,” he shares. Other than the clear peppery broth, which has been boiled with salted mustard greens for eight hours, he also likes that the organs are “very clean and not gamey”.
If you have never visited this stall, Zetong recommends his go-to order, the signature Pig’s Organ Soup ($4.50). He usually gets it sans liver ‘cos he “doesn’t like it”, but opines that the dish is best enjoyed with the stall’s house-made tangy chilli. “I like that they allow you to customise your soup. Sometimes when I don’t feel like eating offal, I will get soup with just lean pork slices and meatballs,” he shares.
Glutinous Rice Sausage, $5.50
Good food is worth the wait
Despite the perpetually long queues at the stall, Zetong has no qualms about joining the line. The longest he’s queued is 20 minutes. “The line is long, but the hawkers are very efficient, so it moves quickly. But if you want to avoid the crowd, head over around 11am on weekdays,” Zetong advises.
So, does he get any star treatment at the stall? “I do get recognised, but, nope, no perks,” he laughs. “I still queue, pay the full amount and get the same portion just like anyone else. I would feel embarrassed if they gave me special treatment.”
Another nostalgic joint that Zetong used to frequent in his old ‘hood is Ah Chiang’s Porridge, located at Tiong Poh Road, a few minutes’ walk from Koh Brother’s stall.
Zetong shares that whenever he felt unwell, he would head to the Cantonese congee joint for some comfort food. Though their bestseller is the pork porridge, his favourite dish is the century egg fish porridge with an extra egg.
“The century egg adds creaminess to the porridge and you can taste the natural sweetness from the fish slices,” he says. Cooked for hours over a charcoal flame, the chok also boasts a mild aroma from the charcoal, he adds.
Besides porridge, the eatery also offers a small selection of side dishes like stir-fried veggies, lean pork soup, and sambal lala, which Zetong could not stop raving about. “I love the sambal lala, which is very meaty. It goes really well with the porridge, which balances the savouriness of the clams,” he gushes.
Turns out Zetong’s Star Search mentor Christopher Lee and wife Fann Wong are also fans of Ah Chiang’s. Zetong bumped into Chris and his family when they were dining at the eatery and he recalled feeling so starstruck that he didn’t dare make eye contact with Fann.
“This was around a month after the Star Search competition. It was my first time meeting Fann and I just stood at the side chatting with Christopher and dared not look at her. I was still very shy then. I only said bye to her when I left!” he laughs.
The details
Ah Chiang’s Porridge is at 65 Tiong Poh Rd, S160065. Open daily 6.15am – 10pm. More info via Facebook.
Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup is at #02-29 Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre, 30 Seng Poh Rd, S168898. Open daily except Mon 9am – 2.30pm; 5pm – 7.45pm. More info via Facebook.
Photos: #JustSwipeLah, Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup
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