The ultimate guide to Hougang

Sin Heng Kee is a stall that sells porridge with a variety of ingredients. The rice is boiled down, congee-style, to a thick, smooth, and slurp-worthy consistency. Your order could come with meatballs, slices of pork, pig’s liver, and even the option to throw in cubes of century eggs. Frog legs (from $8), cooked in a claypot and tossed with either dried chillies or ginger and onion, is also a popular option. But most people visit this porridge specialist for its signature bowl ($5) that comes with a little of everything – minced meat, slivers of pork, liver, cuttlefish, fish, century egg, and more to add a different texture to every mouthful. Craving something simpler? Options of mixed pig’s organ ($4) and sliced fish ($4) will warm your belly too. 

One of Singapore's best kept secrets (and oldest ones too!), Arnold’s Fried Chicken have been serving some the best fried chicken in Singapore. Starting out as a small fried chicken eatery tucked in second floor corner of City Plaza, Arnold’s Fried Chicken’s humble beginning is the brainchild of two entrepreneurs. Many keep returning for their delicious crispy fried chicken that come with an assortment of classic sides. 

Somewhere in the northeastern suburbs of Hougang on Avenue 8, there's an elderly couple toiling over giant woks side-by-side for hours on end, churning out plates of fragrant and morish fried kway teow and oyster omelette. Lim Suan Eng and Ong Lim Chong have spent the past 30 years mastering their craft and they work together like a well-oiled machine.

The omelette is fried perfectly so it is crispy while still retaining its starchiness. Oysters are also imported from Korea because they are plumper and juicier. Don't forget the homemade chilli on the side. 

With 40 stalls at the hawker centre, variety is king at Ci Yuan. Find all the local favourites like Hokkien prawn noodles, carrot cake, lor mee, kway chap, Hainanese curry rice and nasi Padang. Other than local fare, indulge in Japanese rice bowls, spicy Sichuan noodles, cheap xiao long baos and creamy pasta from other stalls. All food is affordable so you can have yourself a little heartlands feast here.

Besides amazing hawker options in Hougang, this little eatery also serves up some decent vegetarian fare. It is famous for its range of vegetarian dim sum when it first opened that has seen many customers return for more. The menu has expanded since and now includes local favourites like roti prata and roti john, zi char staples and even ramen. 

In the debate of whether nasi lemak is breakfast food or not, Ponggol Nasi Lemak goes on to only open in the evenings. Still, the stall warrants snaking queues and a supper crowd because of the late closing hours. There's so much variety at the stall – think beyond just a fried egg and fish as the sides – prepare to choose from crispy fried chicken, fried prawns, green beans, okra and more. 

Lola's styles itself as a 'backyard café', and it sets to emulate that homely vibe by encouraging the use of hands to eat instead of the usual fork and spoon. Being at home also means having your pet with you, and accordingly, the café welcomes your fur pals at its outdoor seating area. Its extensive menu offers brunch staples like eggs benedict, jazzed up with pulled pork and avocado ($16), bangers and mash ($11) and even a miso salmon grain bowl ($18) for the health nuts. The beverage menu is designed to give you options, from coffee and tea lattes to sodas and craft beers. 

What the heck is a jaffle? Well, ask the Australians – after all, it was conceived from Down Under. A jaffle, named after the jaffle iron invented in 1949, is basically a toasted sandwich. And Amber Ember, a café located right smack in the middle of Serangoon and Kovan MRT stations, may be the first to bring this slice of Australian gastronomy to our sunny shores. Splashed out in shades of dusty pink and warm neutrals, the Instagrammable café offers six jaffle options with its signature purple sweet potato mash. From the lot, we spy with our little eye Cheesus Loves You ($14), featuring melted gruyere, emmental and mozzarella stuffing, and Nice to Meat You ($15), stuffed with beef pepperoni, pork chorizo and bratwurst. There are also other food items such as Amber's Fried Chicken ($12) for sharing and a range of pastas. Amber Ember takes the coffee culture seriously, where cuppas (from $2.50 for an espresso to $7 for filter) are brewed from single-origin Guatemala. And yes, the café is extremely work-friendly with power points and free wifi; what’s more, its relatively ulu location means lesser crowds, so you’ll get a spot there for sure.

You can spend a day in Hougang without acknowledging its ties to The Workers' Party, an opposition party in Singapore. The coffeeshop located at Blk 322 in Hougang is often referred to as the unofficial homeground of Workers' Party supporters. It's a place that has seen a lot of celebrations in the past two general elections – and also a good place for some kopi or teh. If you love talking politics, come have a drink or two and go in-depth about the pros and cons of implementing minimum wage in the country. Discuss. 

This humble neighbourhood bicycle shop may be small but it is a favourite stop for the enthusiastic cycling crowd in this neighbourhood. You can pick up a bike for a leisure ride to the nearby parks, or get your bicycle serviced or tuned as well. Customisation is also available if you want to spruce up your bike to stand out on your rides. 

Clocks of all shapes and sizes occupy every possible nook and cranny of this two-storey shophouse. Some have been restored to their former glory, but most are waiting for their turn to be tinkered by second-generation owner David Lim, 55, or his son and protégé Shawn, 23.

Located at the end of a sleepy, sun-drenched street in Upper Serangoon, the shop is quiet, punctuated only by lulling chimes as the duo work on mending timepieces. It’s a job that requires fine tools, intense concentration and years of experience passed down through hands-on practice since the shop opened in 1947.

Despite his store’s name, David doesn’t deal in watches. He gave that up about a decade ago, deciding to focus on antique clocks instead – they’ve a longer and more interesting history that appeals to him. Sourcing from overseas dealers, regular customers and even karung guni, David has amassed a collection so vast that it extends into his home and, at one point, into his toilet. Asked how many he has and he simply shrugs: too many. 

While repairing and restoring clocks – from grandfather’s clocks to a rare 19th-century, French-made Oriental clock – is the mainstay of the business, the father-son pair also handles gramophones, musical boxes, or, as David so succinctly puts it, ‘Anything with gears in it’.