10 Must Try Fried Carrot Cake aka Chai Tow Kway In Singapore
Chey Sua Carrot Cake
Blk 127 Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre Lor 1 #02-30 Singapore 310127
Opening Hours: 6am – 1pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
Sisters Grace and Shirley man the stall, staying true to how their parents have done the dish over the years.
The prices are still very reasonable at $2, $3, $4, and there is only a ‘white’ version, not the sweeter black kind. there may not be a line per se, but everyone around the stall are just waiting.
So after a 30-minutes wait (or more), the ‘chai tow kway’ looking like a pancake arrived.
Unlike some of the other variants, Chey Sua’s version is fried like rectangular blocks, crisp brown on the outside, spread with a thin layer of chilli, looking thinner and flatter than usual.
Beneath the outer layer contains soft, small pieces, and I liked the texture which was moist and soft (unlike factory-made ones which have a certain firmness). Though some may find this version very oily.
There is something nostalgic about this, like the Carrot Cake of my growing up years.
Fried Carrot Cake
#01-45, Blk 448 Clementi Ave 3, Singapore 120448
Opening Hours: 6am – 12pm (Tues – Sun)
Some call this the “Best Carrot Cake in Singapore”. This is probably the stall at Clement 448 Food Centre with the longest queue, and people love this for its old-school flavour.
The stall used to be owned by an old uncle Mr Ng, who has passed his skills to his son and grandson.
Brace yourselves for at least half an hour long wait with long queues. They sell both the white and black variety of the Carrot Cake ($3, $4), and the dish is cooked fresh upon order.
Hard to say which version I preferred, but the White Carrot Cake had a nice crisp generally more on the soft and slightly mushy side. I noted that the pieces were cut and fried till very small.
The Black Carrot Cake included dark sauce slightly sweet, while both versions were fried with generous amounts of egg.
He Zhong Carrot Cake
51 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #02-185, Singapore 588172
Opening Hours: 7am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Probably one of the most famous White Carrot Cakes around, though Bukit Timah residents may say that this used to be crispier and better in the past.
Note: While the stall only sells White Carrot Cake, there is a stall a few rows behind serving quite a decent rendition of Black Carrot Cake (Called 134 Yong Ji).
This stall is special for many reasons. It isn’t in the usual flat or scrambled style, but chunky blocks that are almost rectangular and piled on top of the other.
The big chunks of white carrot cake have a tempting eggy aroma, generally more to the soft and fluffy side.
For only $2.50 onwards ($3, $4, $5) per serving, you get quite a generous amount of carrot cake. I do enjoy the springy and flavourful chunks, mildly salty chai poh and hints of garlic.
Another bonus: they send the food to your table.
Heng 興
Newton Food Centre #01-28, 500 Clemenceau Avenue North, Singapore 229495
Opening Hours: 6pm – 1:30am (Mon – Sun)
Heng 興 which has been around since 1971, was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand.
The stall is known for selling Carrot Cake ($4, $5, $6, $8) in both black and white versions. No pork, no lard.
The owners from Heng still steam their own Carrot Cake, which is getting more unusual in Singapore as many stalls simply get supplies from the factory.
Typically, I find that ‘homemade’ carrot cakes have a more wobbly texture with less generic taste – sometimes you can feel those strips of radish.
Be prepared to wait if you go during peak hours, though they would likely send the plate to your table if you sit nearby. So if you ordered a couple of dishes from various stalls, this may be the last to arrive.
The White Carrot Cake was quite ‘eggy’ with soft and moist cubes, though I could imagine some people finding this on the bland side and would reach out for more chilli.
Fu Ming Carrot Cake
#01-49 Redhill Food Centre, Blk 85 Redhill Lane, Singapore 150085
Opening Hours: 5pm – 1am (Mon – Sat), 6am – 1am (Sun)
Of all the new entrants of the Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Guide 2019, perhaps the most surprise entry would be Fu Ming Cooked Food 福明熟食.
Fu Ming Cooked Food is quite popular as a supper treat for its Fried Carrot Cakes ($3, $4, $5), available in both white or black versions. The stall also sells Bak Zhang on the side for $1.40 each.
To look out for the stall, find the “Mickey Mouse” on their signboard.
Good to know that this stall still steams their own carrot cake, and thus you would find it softer and more watery, compared to many others who simply get their supply from factories.
Get the black version. There is this soft texture and flavour along with hint of radishes, some pieces of eggs, dribbled with sweet black sauce which was added twice for extra sweetness.
Song Zhou Fried Carrot Cake
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-37 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 462208
Opening Hours: 7am – 8pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun
While Song Zhou gets their carrot cake from a supplier and quality may not be consistent depending on who’s frying it, their Black Carrot Cake probably still ranks as one of the tops you can find in Singapore.
Accordingly, they have a secret which makes their carrot cake cubes softer and therefore delicious.
The pieces are fried with fresh chai poh and garlic, and later with egg batter, fish sauce and black sweet sauce.
Most people would order the Black ($3, $3.50, extra egg $0.50) in which each piece would be coated with the sweetness from the sauce, and slightly charred eggs.
A good balance of savoury and sweet. Get the extra eggs version.
LAU GOH Teochew Chye Thow Kway
Zion Riverside Food Centre #01-26, 70 Zion Road Singapore 247792
Opening Hours: 11am – 3:30pm, 6pm – 11pm (Mon, Wed – Sat), 8:30am – 4pm (Sun). Closed Tues
Carrot Cake seller Peter Goh might seem to be your usual hawker at first sight. In fact, he was extremely polite and smiled thoroughly, asking if you wanted more chilli and pepper.
It was only after reading a sign that I realised that he was deaf, and had to take orders by either lip-reading or through gestures.
Disability had not prevented him from taking over this popular stall from his father (who is Lau Goh).
The stall specialises in classic Teochew style carrot cake and sells both black and white carrot cake ($4 onwards depending on portion size). Those who cannot decide between the two options can simply get the black and white mixed version – the best of both worlds.
I found his version to taste ‘healthier’ and less greasy than usual, probably because Peter used vegetable oil instead of lard.
Guan Kee Black Carrot Cake
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-59, Singapore 180270
Opening Hours: 7am – 6pm (Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat), Closed Mon, Thurs, Sun
This stall only opens a few days per week, and so do get a chance to try it while you are there.
You can choose between white (salty) or black (more sweetish), though more would go for the black.
The Black Carrot Cake ($3) had a smooth and soft texture. The uncle was quite skillful and experienced in manning those flames to get the chunks just right with crispy edge wok hei along with plentiful pieces of egg.
Bukit Merah View Carrot Cake
115 Bukit Merah View #01-37 Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 7am – 1:30pm, 4:30pm – 1:30am (Mon – Sun)
One of the under-rated Carrot Cake stalls in Singapore, this is my go-to place for late-night cravings as it is opened till 1:30am.
The bonus? The stall is opened from 7am.
This is where both White and Black versions have their own fans. A pity that while they used to mill their own rice and steam the cakes, they have switched supplies.
A positive thing is while the cakes are generally in bigger cubes, they remain soft with distinct trace of radish. Also, loads of eggs given.
The black version is unlike the usual, with a tinge of savoury-sweetness, though I personally prefer a richer version.
Oh yes, the brothers take on varied shifts at this stall, so the very same item can taste somewhat different both day and night.
Ang Mo Kio 409 Fried Carrot Cake
Stall #24, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 4pm – 11:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
This stall is famous for both its Fried Oyster ($5, $8, $10, $12), and Carrot Cake ($3, $4, $5).
While a number of online reviews sing praises of its Orh Luak (which I thought was more to the starchy side and would prefer more eggs), I thought that the more stand-out dish was its Chye Tow Kueh.
Its Carrot Cake comes in both the white and black variety, and pay $5 and you can get a yuan-yang plate of half and half.
The white version had a slight crispy texture, contrasted with its soft and smooth radish cake which was quite pleasurable. The black version was also not bad, but I would prefer more distinct flavours of the sweet black sauce.