For over 30 years, Zhen Zhen Porridge at Singapore’s Maxwell Food Centre has been serving rice porridge, or congee, a comfort food. Though popular for breakfast, you can enjoy it any time of the day. You can find congee at restaurants and hawker centres throughout the city, but Zhen Zhen Porridge is the best.
You can tell which stalls are the best by the number of people waiting in line. The better the food, the more people in line. It may not be science, but in my experience, this is true. And this is true at Zhen Zhen Porridge.
While I have been fortunate on my visits, not waiting more than five minutes in line, I have heard some visitors to the stall have waited up to an hour in line. So, it is best to come during off hours.
If you are looking for more information about Singapore, I highly recommend you pick up a guidebook such as Fodor's In Focus Singapore
Table of Contents
Zhen Zhen Porridge Menu
The menu at Zhen Zhen Porridge was simple. You had porridge with fish, chicken, and century eggs.
Each bowl of porridge came in three sizes: small (S$3 or about $2.18), medium (S$4 or about $2.91), and large (S$5 or about $3.64). Are you undecided on which size to order? For me, the medium bowl was filling. I couldn’t imagine eating a large bowl by myself.
In the past, there was a popular raw fish dish on the menu (yu sheng). Due to safety concerns with raw fish, the government required restaurants and hawker stalls in Singapore to remove the item.
Fish Porridge
The most popular item on the menu was the Fish Porridge (S$4 or about $2.91).
I was surprised by the thick and creamy porridge. The texture was less of a porridge and more of a soup. The grains were meticulously stirred for hours until dissolved to reach this consistency. The final result was a thick, rich, creamy soup with a smooth texture. This attention to detail and dedication is why this is a famous hawker stall.
It took some digging around, but under the surface of the porridge was a generous amount of sliced fish. I’m not sure of the type, but it was a soft white fish with the same color and texture as the porridge. The fish was surprisingly fresh and moist. In each bite of the porridge were the salty flavors of this fish.
Added to the bowl were fried shallots, ginger, and green onions. Each ingredient added extra flavor, color, and texture. I enjoyed the fried shallots the most. They were salty and rich, adding a crunchy dimension to each bite.
Soy sauce, white pepper, and sliced red chili peppers were optional. Add them as you like. If you enjoy spicy foods, go heavy on the red chili peppers. They weren’t as spicy as I expected but added a nice crunchy kick of heat.
Remember to mix everything in the porridge before eating it. This way, you can experience all the flavors and textures in every bite.
Service at Zhen Zhen Porridge
Service was efficient and to the point, as the same with most hawker centres in Singapore. Wait in line, be ready to order, and pay. After paying, I waited about five minutes to receive my bowl. During busy hours, you may have to wait longer.
Conclusion
For something as simple as porridge, I was surprised how every bite was full of ingredients, whether fish or crunchy fried shallots. Each bite was unique, infusing the otherwise plain porridge with exciting flavors, textures, and colors.
While there were many options for porridge at Maxwell Food Centre, Zhen Zhen Porridge did it the best.
Pros
- Simple yet flavorful porridge
- Colorful and delicious toppings including fried shallots
- Affordable
Cons
- Often a line
Hours
Wednesday - Monday: 5:30AM - 2:30PM
Tuesday: Closed
Address
Maxwell Food Centre
1 Kadayanallur Street #01-54, Singapore 069184
GPS Coordinates: 1.280422,103.844708
Map
Last Updated on April 13, 2024
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