Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow: An old-school char kway teow which hits the spot!

A stall which has been a staple at Old Airport Road Food Centre since the late 1970s, Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow was under the radar for many decades, known only to regular customers until they were discovered by the media in 2009.

Since then, the stall has been winning awards, thanks to “Uncle Teng’s” unique approach to char kway teow ($3/4).

Unlike Singapore char kway teow which is predominantly Teochew-influenced and has a heavy dark soy sauce and fish sauce seasoning, Dong Ji’s char kway teow is light in its flavouring, almost bordering on being plain.

There are subtle touches of dark soy sauce and fish sauce, while you taste more of the garlic and pork lard. Ask for chilli and there is a sheen of gritty lightly sour chilli.

What you do get is more charring of the noodles and ingredients and that gives the dish a decent smokiness.

That said, the ingredients, not the kway teow, is the spotlight here.

A wide assortment of ingredients are thrown in and you can taste every individual ingredient — lap cheong, prawns, cockles, fishcakes, egg, bean sprouts and chives — thanks to the kway teow not being heavily flavoured.

Each dish is made to order and Uncle Teng knows when to throw in which ingredient such that they come out nicely seared but never overcooked.

Chilled prawns are thrown in first and they come nicely sweet, while cockles are thrown in last so that they retain that fresh blood cockle taste.

Fishcakes and lap cheong pieces are chunkily cut so that when you bite into them, the flavour of each ingredient comes through distinctly.

They used to add in squid rings but they have since omitted that in the last few years.

Also, if you love cockles, come after 11am as the supplier only delivers it around that time.

As of 2019, Uncle Teng fries in the morning, while his daughter takes over at lunchtime and for dinner time. Her version has less of a pork lard flavour, so request for more pork lard if you want a closer approximation of her father’s rendition.

Also note that their portions are on the small side. You won’t feel full even if you ask for $4. However, request for a bigger portion of $5 and they will gladly oblige.