A1 Porridge

As most of my friends would have known, I am never a fan of porridge. But A1 porridge and its branches has me going back for more porridge every time. It is the only stall in Singapore so far that has me going back for more. (Yes, not even Chinatown Ting Gai Zok, or Frog Leg Porridge, makes me crave as bad as A1.) While there used to be many outlets, including one at Dhobby Ghaut, now there is only Bugis, Tampines and Marina Square so far that I know of (I'm sure there are more, just that I have yet to explore). 

A1 sells a number of porridge, from Hong Kong Style Porridge, to Dried Scallop Porridge with Sliced chicken, among many other Hotplate delights. I have personally never tried their hotplates, because every single time I visit them, I just go straight for the porridge.

Tonight, I decided to go for Hong Kong porridge, where they serve sliced fish, dried scallops, squid, braised peanuts (and oh how I love them!) as well as anchovies and you tiao. I am never a fan of you tiao with porridge, because most stalls serve you you tiao that are left in the air for too long and are less crispy, but A1 tends to serve crispy ones. Although over the years, A1 has deteriorated in terms of standard, but it was still pretty crispy.

Having such a vast variety coupled with porridge taste that is adjusted to Singapore taste, I love the texture that the porridge brings to the dining table. While A1 used to offer free servings of fried onions as topping, I learnt recently that they no longer do that because Singaporeans don't take them and they end up wasting it anyway. DAMN IT. I love my porridge with a smooth texture with crunchy bits. I used to overload my Porridge with a mountain of crispy fried onions, before I mix it in and enjoy a crunchy texture in every bite. Gone are those days. But still, the porridge is a decent addition to the dining table in terms of standards.

Food: 4 / 5

Presentation: 3 / 5

Waiting Time: ~ 5 minutes to cook

And if you dine at Marina Square? You get the awesome view of MBS, esplanade, or just a carpark, depending on how you decide to sit yourself.