The Pink Drink (not Bandung) at Sims Vista Market & Food Centre

The lions had an enjoyable Saturday lunch with Fixie J at a hawker centre near his workplace. He was brimming over with enthusiasm to feed the lions and show off the low key place where he usually has his lunch fix. Nobody could anticipate the mini drama that would follow where they had to rescue new born kittens from the pounding rain and the "op" that the lion would have to perform on one feline tyke later. Anyway, back to the grub... ...  

A Soya Bean Drink stall here apparently won
the title of "Most Popular Stall" among the Kolam Ayer
community in an online poll.  The beancurd was a healthy
tasting bowl with minimal syrup or sugar, just the
unadulterated, clean taste of soya beans. The most popular
drink here is the Michael Jackson judging from the number of
takeaway bags by folks in the fast-moving queue.

On the opposite ends of a row of stalls sit two competing
carrot cake stalls. One trumps the competition with its black
(sweet sauce) version while the other is better known for the
white (plain) version. The "black" stall was closed early for
the day and despite all the begging, the owner refused to
acquiesce to Fixie J's pleas. The lions tucked into the white
stall's plate with lots of chai poh and hmm honestly not the
best but a decent fix.

If you like your hae mee punchy and strong, slapping you
in the face with the heady essence of prawns, this bowl
is not for you. Yeap, not every one's palate's made the same
and thank gawd for stalls that cater to different taste buds.
This is Fixie J's favourite bowl of hae mee at Sims Vista
hawker centre. It is a decidedly lighter affair with a well-balanced
broth and fresh prawns. Add in chili padi for that extra kick.

The Braised Duck stall with a queue (you can't miss it)
shines with its plate *drum roll* of brown braised rice.
Yup, the usually carb intolerant lioness polished off the plate
in glee. The plate of duck meat was an old school affair:
a watery braising sauce with the faint whiff of spices
and more generous than usual slices of tau pok. 

If the lions had to vote for the prettiest looking drink
on the island, this translucent pink barley
drink would win hands on. Why pink? Cos of the clever
addition of antioxidant rich red bamboo leaves normally used
medicinally in Chinese traditions to aid in detoxification
and digestion, on top of improving sleep quality. A great
cooler for a scorching hot day.

No Bloody Buns will be moving in two weeks' time to an
unconfirmed locale. This stall's known for its kind to
animals buns. No meat lah.

Prices hover around $1.30 to $1.80 for a bun with premium
ingredients like oregano, honey, almonds and Italian spices.

Other joints in the neighbourhood:

A vegetarian cafe.

A new branch of Guru Nice Bakery that started in 2005 as
The Fresh Bakery at North Bridge Road Hawker Centre. Grab the
signature butter milk buns.

Special thanks to Pollyanna (remember the book?) and Mr Fixie J for the use of venue to hold a chop-chop kali pok photo-shoot session for the blog. New homeowners should definitely check the place out for some inspired home decor, especially during Christmas. 

Sims Vista Market & Food Centre
49 Sims Place
Singapore 380049