Happy Chef Western Foods

Tai Hwa Coffee Shop,
Block 466 Crawford Lane

The first time I saw this place, it was just thronging with people crowding around its giant menu board. Though I am generally more inclined towards my favourite bcm (ba chor mee – minced meat noodle) right next door, I made a note to try it soon.

From what I know, the folks behind Happy Chef are Hainanese (generally known to be the great cooks) and they used to run a very successful Western food shop in Australia. But they chose to move back to Singapore and now we have chicken kiev right in the heartlands.

We ordered this and sirloin steak at a more than reasonable price of S$6 (US$3.50) per portion. As expected, what we had was Asian-style Western food, not unlike those that you would find in Han’s and Jack’s Place. The food tasted alright, but nothing so spectacular that would bring me back for seconds. A friend who had tried the chicken skewers a few days ago was quite enamoured by it. So how do we explain its drawing power? – my guess is its very affordable prices, extensive menyu, and for those of us who grew up with this style of cooking, memories of when we were little again.