Food Republic “Hawker King” @ 112 Katong

Katong is always known as a place in Singapore with good food and rich cultural heritage.

When Food Republic set up a new outlet at the newly furbished 112 Katong shopping mall, they knew much effort has to been put in to keep up with the stiff competition in the area.

Enter many of Singapore’s favourite local delights and foreign food fares, with rows of chefs professionally at work in a full open kitchen concept.

A select group of 12 omy bloggers were invited to a media tasting session the previous Saturday (14 Apr). Other than just sampling a variety of signature dishes from the various stalls in Food Republic at 112 Katong,  they also got to meet the chefs at the various stalls and observe them in action, whipping up delicious fares, one after another.

I was there with them. Below are some event photos I took:

The pictures are lips smacking good ain’t they? 🙂

 This is precisely the unique culinary experience Food Republic seeks to bring out at 112 Katong:

MORE LOCAL FARE

Ever joined the long queue at Old Airport Road for the famous Cho Kee wanton noodles? Cho Kee Noodle brings the tried and proven 50-year-old recipe with a healthy twist to the wanton noodles. Mdm Soh, owner of Cho Kee Noodle, launched “coloured noodles”, like carrot and seaweed flavours, created especially for Food Republic 112 Katong.

The mini restaurants at Food Republic 112 Katong are also taken up by seasoned powerhouses, like Pepper Lunch and Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice. Creating a sizzle the moment it arrived on the shore of Singapore, Pepper Lunch presented the novel concept of a DIY sizzling steak at affordable prices. Recently crowned AsiaOne People’s Choice Awards 2010 Best Hawker, Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice is a national pride that has preserved the heritage of Hainanese Chicken Rice since 1989.

For a quick hunger fix, diners can look to Fortune Popiah for popular snacks such as the fulfilling Handmade Popiah and the crispy Kueh Pie Ti prepared on the spot upon order. Even the Popiah skin and Kueh Pie Ti cup is freshly made daily to ensure utmost satisfaction each and every time.

Diners can also look forward to other local veterans such as Yong Soon You Tiao, Thye Hong Fried Hokkien Mee, Fu Lin Tofu Yuen, Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles and Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wing serving their sumptuous delights. With a food history of at least 15 years, these stalls have continued to bring their heritage of food to customers.

INTERNATIONAL FAVOURITES

With Singapore being a cosmopolitan country, customers can definitely expect popular international fare offered at Food Republic.

The Ju Shin Jung Korean Cuisine comes all the way from Korea, Seoul; serves authentic family-styled Korean food. Showcasing their fare in a food atrium environment for the first time, the family behind Ju Shin Jung has taken great efforts to infuse the Singaporean culture in dishes while retaining the Korean authenticity.

Famous stalls added to the melting pot include Dapur Padang, Formosa Delights, Bangkok Gem and Fragrant Hot Pot to delight the palettes of multi-racial customers.

PROFESSIONAL CHEFS’ KITCHEN

Be greeted by the rows of chefs as they indulge you with great tasting local delights made to perfection with their professional culinary skills. The kitchens are fitted with clear glass, which adds to the space and cleanliness while exuding an air of class. The clever use of the open kitchen concept allows patrons to see the chefs at work and the fresh ingredients used in whipping up the delicious food to double up as displays in the outlet.

About Food Republic @ 112 Katong

Opening: 25 November 2011
Address: 112 East Coast Road #04-01, 112 Katong (S) 428802
Opening hours: Monday – Thursday, Sunday and Public Holiday: 10am – 10pm
Friday, Saturday and Eve of Public Holiday: 10am – 11pm
Floor Size: 16,000 sq feet
Total No. of Stalls: 17 (14 stalls; 2 mini restaurants; 1 kiosk)

STALL LIST:

1a. Juice Bar

Specialties: Mixed fruit juice, Strawberry smoothie, Mango smoothie, Banana smoothie

1b. Hot & Cold

Specialties: Pepsi Float, Root Beer Float, Homemade Ice Lemon Tea

1c. Ice Shop

Specialties: Ice Kachang, Chendol, Cheng Tng

2. Yong Soon You Tiao

Specialties: You Tiao (Fried dough fritters), Butterfly Dough Fritters, Xian Jian Bing (Deep-fried salty fritters)

3. Thye Hong Fried Hokkien Mee

Specialties: Fried Prawn Noodles, Char Kway Teow, Fried Oyster Omelette

4. Fu Lin Tofu Yuen

Specialties: Minced Chicken Mushroom Gravy with Noodles, Wide variety of Fried Gor Hiang, You Tiao and traditional Yong Tau Fu

5. Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodle

Specialties: Fishball noodles (Dry and soup with a selection of noodles)

6. Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wing

Specialties: Barbecued Chicken Wings, Carrot Cake, Satay, Rojak

7. Cho Kee Noodle

Specialties: Wanton noodles, Creative handmade noodles

8. Dapur Padang

Specialties: Curry Chicken, Gulai Mutton, Rendang, Ikan Asam Pedas

9. Formosa Delights

Specialties: Dao Xiao Mian, Ban Mian, Stewed Beef with Noodles Soup, Fried Dumpling , Black Pepper Chicken Noodles, Chicken with Dry Noodles

10. Bangkok Gem

Specialties: Pad Thai, Tom Yum Goong, Thai Mango Salad, Green Curry

11. Ju Shin Jung Korean Cuisine

Specialties: Ginseng Chicken Soup (Samgaetang), Mixed Vegetable Rice in Hot Stone (Dolsot Bibimbob), Seasoned Beef with Rice (Bulgogi Set), Spicy Tofu Soup (Soondubu Set), Korean Chicken Noodle (Chicken Ramen)

12. Ah Yip Herbal Soup

Specialties: ABC Soup, Herbal Duck Drumstick Soup Noodle, Boneless Chicken Rice/Noodle, Qi Zi Dang Gui Chicken Rice, Herbal Stew Duck Soup

13. Fragrant Hot Pot (飘香麻辣香锅)

Specialties: Ma La Sauce with a selection of fresh meats, seafood and vegetables

14. Indian Express

Specialties: Tandoori Chicken, Butter Chicken, Garlic / Butter Naan, Dum Biryani

15. Pepper Lunch (mini restaurant)

Specialties: Beef Pepper Rice, Pepper Steak, Salmon & Chicken, Double Hamburg Steak & Egg

16. Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice (mini restaurant)

Specialties: Steamed Chicken, Roast Chicken, Cereal Prawns, Assam Fish Head , Chilli Crab, Salted Egg Yolk Pork Ribs

17. Fortune Popiah

Specialties: Popiah, Kueh Pie Ti, Laksa, Ayam Koro Bun