Review: One-man stall Curry Popo serves up a homely curry chicken at Alexandra Village

I’m a sucker for a good bowl of curry chicken, the kind that’s rich and fragrant enough that you find yourself looking for something just to mop up every last drop of the gravy with. 

And I found that and did just the same at Curry Popo, a new stall at Alexandra Village Food Centre that does little else besides curry chicken. That’s not a bad thing because the menu is short enough that I ended up trying everything on it in just one visit, and you can probably do the same, too.

The backstory

Curry Popo opened at the beginning of August this year, and one of the first things you’ll probably notice when you spot its stall at the hawker centre is its striking signboard which bears a caricature of a granny. 

It’s clearly a nod to the “popo” (the Chinese term for grandmother) from whom the recipe of the stall’s main dish — curry — comes from, albeit with minor tweaks.

The owner helms a one-man show here from taking orders to dishing out the traditional Singapore-style curry. To me, this version was lemak but rempah-heavy, and drinkable rather than thick. 

And yes, he makes his own rempah from scratch, using his own blend of spices.

Curry Popo’s menu is simple, comprising four main dishes currently: curry chicken drumstick (S$6), curry chicken thigh (S$6.80), a combined bowl of drumstick and thigh (S$8.80), as well as curry vegetables (S$5).

Add-ons include rice and yellow noodles at S$0.80, tau pok and potato at S$1 each, tau kee (S$1.20), and a few slices of French loaf for S$1.20. 

Want the best of both worlds? There’s also a S$1.50 top-up that gets you rice and French loaf.

It’s worth noting that there’s a sambal prawns with rice dish on the menu, though this is redacted at this point. We understand it’s being worked on and will be added once the owner is happy with it, possibly later this month or next.

Our verdict

Curry Popo serves up a style of curry I thoroughly enjoy — one that’s lemak with coconut milk, well-spiced and full of flavour, but still drinkable rather than thick or greasy. (Though I wish it was a notch less spicy, for the sake of my stomach.)

The pricing is also reasonable for what you get. The chicken combo and curry vegetables together came to S$13.80 before other add-ons, portions were also great value for money and made for a filling lunch for two.

Despite having to attend to everything on his own, the owner was really friendly. Since there was no buzzer system in place and the stall was not particularly busy, he offered to bring the food to my table around the corner, and even asked if the rice he portioned out was enough.

If you’re looking for delicious, affordable curry with a tinge of nostalgia, this new stall is well worth a trip to Alexandra Village Food Centre.

What it’s good for

If you’re like me and find it impossible to choose between the chicken parts, then the curry chicken drumstick and thigh (S$8.80) is the one to order.

I usually expect a chicken thigh in curry to be a hassle to eat, but this one was cooked till it was soft and falling off the bone, so I didn’t even need to use my cutlery to debone it.

The gravy is fragrant with coconut milk, rempah-heavy, and savoury with the right level of saltiness, so you could happily spoon it up on its own. 

But beware of the heat from chilli padi, though — it doesn’t hit you all at once, but slowly builds with each spoonful. When it finally hit, I had to take a pause to buy a cup of sugarcane juice to quell the heat, and still felt a soft burn in my stomach for the next few hours.

If you love potatoes in your curry, you’re in luck at Curry Popo, too. Its curry features plenty of chunky pieces that actually hold their shape, and are not so soft that they fall apart when you fish around the bowl. Plus, it also soaks up the curry nicely.

I’m no nutritionist, but I do know that curry and carbs go hand in hand, so I topped up S$1.50 for rice and four slices of French loaf. 

The rice is on the drier side which soaks up the curry nicely, and the bread is briefly toasted so you get warm crisp slices for mopping up the gravy.

Do get the yellow noodles (S$0.80), too. The owner asked if I wanted curry on top of the bowl, but I opted for it plain to taste it on its own and with the gravy.

There’s a slight alkalinity alongside a firm, chewy bite, and since the curry isn’t too thick, it coats the noodles well — I personally prefer this to the rice, when taken with the curry here.

Interestingly, the curry vegetables (S$5) features a different curry base — it’s sweeter and has noticeably less coconut milk, but retains a creamy consistency despite all the vegetables (which usually release a lot of water).

And it still packs a spicy punch, too.

Here, white cabbage, long beans, and carrots are stewed till soft and sweet. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, it’s worth noting that this has a hint of umami from tiny dried shrimp (which you also get in your bowl).

The tau pok (S$1) holds its own with a good bite and plenty of curry soaked in, as does the tau kee (S$1.20). The latter interestingly comes freshly doused in a separate bowl of curry so it retains its crispiness and chew still — if you eat it fast. 

Both serve well as spongy vehicles that absorb the rich taste of the gravy, and make for a good protein alternative if you decide not to have the chicken versions on your visit.

What it could improve on

There’re just two things — while not exactly negatives — that you should know if you’re planning to head down for a bowl. 

First, the spice level: This isn’t exactly a gentle curry, so you’ll probably want to pair it with plenty of carbs. 

The second is its small menu, which only features chicken and vegetables for now. It’ll be nice to see Curry Popo come up with more protein options that’ll go well with its curries as it continues running. (Besides the sambal prawns, it seems like there’s curry pork ribs in the works, too, so we’re hopeful!) 

It’s worth us reiterating that the owner is also running the stall alone, cooking and serving at the same time so a little patience goes a long way. 

While I was the only one ordering when I headed down at 1.30pm on a weekday, it would be unsurprising if there’s a short wait during peak meal times. 

For curry of this calibre, though, I’d say it’s worth it.

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? This particular hawker centre can get packed and noisy during peak meal hours, but is alright the rest of the time.

Is a reservation necessary? Walk-ins only.

How to get there? Alexandra Village Food Centre is an 11-minute walk from Queenstown MRT, though there are connecting buses, too, from the station if you prefer a more comfortable travel option. 

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

For more yummy new eats, check out our new menus round-up this month and Spicy Hubby, a new offshoot by the popular Amoy stall Spicy Wife.