When most Singaporeans think of carrot cake, their first thought may not be the western dessert but instead the fried, oily local favourite. Also known as chai tow kway, cubes of radish cake are stir-fried in a hot wok with garlic, eggs, and chai poh (preserved radish).
But fried carrot cake wasn’t always so sophisticated – when Teochew immigrants from China first brought it here, it was just rice cakes cooked with dark soy sauce. Now it’s a staple in every hawker centre. In the sea of carrot cake stores in Singapore, which one should you really give a try? Here are some you should look out for.
Bukit Merah View Carrot Cake
Image Credits: Black and white Bukit Merah View Carrot Cake, Miss tam chiakBukit Merah View Carrot Cake has a long history, dating back more than 60 years, and is presently operated by a pair of brothers. This was formerly one of the few locations in Singapore to adopt traditional radish cake, instead of simply using rice flour. The brothers would grind broken rice into a fine grain, make a paste from it, and then add white radish and turnip to craft their dish. They now obtain their cakes from a manufacturer that employs the same time-honoured method to keep up with demand. Luckily, the flavour hasn’t deteriorated; where both the black and white varieties ($2.50) are presented chunkier than normal, with plenty of wok hei flavour.
Location: 115 Bukit Merah View, #01-37, Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 7.00am – 6.30pm (Fri, Mon, Wed), 7.00am – 3.30pm (Sat, Sun, Tue, Thu)
Ghim Moh Carrot Cake
Ghim Moh Carrot Cake, one of Singapore’s most famous carrot cake hawker stalls, now has a second location at ABC Brickworks to allow more chances for hungry people to beat the line. Nonetheless, anticipate and indulge in handmade carrot cake which will taste superior from the commercially available ones. A serving of white or black carrot cake costs $2.50 and deciding which is better is just plain difficult so grab a friend so can have the best of both worlds.
Location: ABC Brickworks | Ghim Moh Road Market & Food Centre
Opening Hours: 6.30am-1.00pm (Wed – Sun) | 7.45am – 6.00pm (Tues – Sun)
618 Sim Carrot Cake
Image Credits: White 618 Sim Carrot Cake, SethluiIf you’re looking for something a little unusual, try 618 Sim Carrot Cake’s carrot cake with prawns ($5). Fresh prawns are chopped and placed into the egg mixture before frying with the radish cakes to add crunch and umami flavour to the meal. The standard white carrot cake ($3.50) is just as tasty as well, and it’s served with a generous dollop of chai poh on the side for those who can’t get enough of it. 618 Sim Carrot Cake is arguably one of the greatest carrot cakes in the North, and is run by the humble Mr. Sim Yih Hao, who was trained by his parents who previously ran the place.
Location: 618 Yishun Ring Rd, Singapore 760618
Opening Hours: 6.30am-1.30pm (Wed – Sun)
Song Zhou Carrot Cake
Image Credits: Black Song Zhou Carrot Cake, Miss tam chiakMake your way to Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre for a remarkably delicious meal in the East. The hawker center is home to a handful of well-known stalls including Song Zhou Fried Carrot Cake. Order the white variation ($3), which is fluffy, comes in a huge pile, and has just enough chilli to give it a nice burst of heat. The black version is equally as tasty, with a sweet flavour that doesn’t dominate the other components, perfect for the little ones.
Location: 207 New Upper Changi Rd, #01-37 Bedok Interchange Food Centre, Singapore 460207
Opening Hours: 6.30am-8.30pm (Mon– Sun)
With all the competition, these few stalls are the perfect example of how great a classic hawker dish can get. Be sure to drag a friend along so that you guys can order both black and white variations at every stall for the best experience. If you are keen to learn about more tasty local affairs, do check out the many other food filled articles that is on our website.
