In times like these, when food costs are rising with no signs of coming down, it is comforting to know that there are zi char eateries still pegging their menu at affordable prices.
This eatery lies along the perimeter of Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre, with other arguably bigger zi char places Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee and Two Chefs Eating Place just around the corner. Being situated at Block 118, the owners cleverly gave the eatery an auspicious name 日日发 (a play on the Cantonese pronunciation of the numbers 118 - yat yat faat - meaning "prosperous everyday").
A point to note is that the head chef (Jie) is only in his mid-twenties, and is commendably holding the forte in the kitchen. A look through the menu also shows a good variety of dishes available, all at reasonable prices.
The Food
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| Lala Soup 上汤鲜啦啦 （$12）(Recommended) |
The Lala Soup was recommended to us and hit the spot for me. Cooked in a herbal broth containing Chinese Angelica root (当归, known for its blood-tonifying and invigorating actions), Goji berries (枸杞, great for eye health) and julienned ginger, it's a wholesome dish that warms the body. The lala is fresh though not meaty, but the savory broth is comforting and somewhat addictive. I think it was great to have started our meal with this and it's definitely on my re-order list.
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| Crab Meat Beancurd 蟹扒豆腐 ($12) |
Crabmeat Beancurd is a simple tofu dish that uses shredded crab meat cooked in a flavorful, viscous sauce. I'm happy that they don't use egg tofu for this here, I think that'd make the dish so boring. This was savory and enjoyable.
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| Curry Fish Head 咖喱鱼头 ($25) |
Red sea bream is used for the Curry Fish Head here, which meant it was quite fleshy and the large bones could be picked out easily. It was packed with side ingredients such as long beans, brinjal, ladies' fingers, tau pok and cabbage, which helped to enhance the flavors of the aromatic gravy. It wasn't overly spicy, and some of the older kids at the table were able to enjoy this to go along with their rice.
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| Double Flavor Hong Kong Kailan 双味香港芥兰 ($10) (Recommended) |
The Double Flavor Hong Kong Kailan is a style of kailan done in two ways, where they deep-fry the leaves to a crisp and then stir-fry the rest at high heat. This method is catching on and can be found at several zi char eateries already (Food R Us at Queen's Road does a very good version of this).
Over here, the young chef tweaks the recipe a little by topping it off with pork floss, which adds a bit of sweetness plus another layer of texture to an otherwise savory dish.
The Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs were tenderised and lightly fried before they are coated in the sweet-sour sauce and sprinkled with black & white sesame seeds. Meaty and savoury, with slightly sweet undertones - very well done!
I've raved so much about this to my friends, but I'll do it again over here - the Prawn Paste Chicken here is really good. It makes my Top 3 list, because it does everything right - perfect size, strong & deep marinade, plus a netty, crumbly and ultra-crisp exterior. Plus it's accompanied by a strong sambal belacan dip as well. So, so good.
Hotplate Beancurd is a safe dish to order that neither disappoints nor wows. A kids' favorite, with a gravy that's great to go with rice.
The Sweet & Sour Pork is of the tender rather than crispy version of the dish. It's very reasonably-priced at $9 for the portion given.
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| Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs 排骨王 ($9) (Recommended) |
The Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs were tenderised and lightly fried before they are coated in the sweet-sour sauce and sprinkled with black & white sesame seeds. Meaty and savoury, with slightly sweet undertones - very well done!
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| Prawn Paste Chicken 虾酱鸡 ($10) (Recommended) |
I've raved so much about this to my friends, but I'll do it again over here - the Prawn Paste Chicken here is really good. It makes my Top 3 list, because it does everything right - perfect size, strong & deep marinade, plus a netty, crumbly and ultra-crisp exterior. Plus it's accompanied by a strong sambal belacan dip as well. So, so good.
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| Hotplate Beancurd 铁板豆腐 ($9) |
Hotplate Beancurd is a safe dish to order that neither disappoints nor wows. A kids' favorite, with a gravy that's great to go with rice.
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| Sweet & Sour Pork 酸甜咕噜肉 ($9) |
The Sweet & Sour Pork is of the tender rather than crispy version of the dish. It's very reasonably-priced at $9 for the portion given.
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| Signature Handmade Shrimp Paste 招牌手工鲜虾滑 ($12 for 6 pieces) |
If you're looking to jazz up your dinner or out to impress a guest, the Signature Handmade Shrimp Paste is a must-order. The shrimp paste are first shaped into balls, deep-fried and then placed in tea cups within a ferris-wheel structure.
It's a presentation-style that wouldn't be out-of-place in a restaurant. The strips of fried flat noodles could be crispier and saltier in my opinion, but the prawn paste is undoubtedly tasty.
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| Seafood White Bee Hoon 海鲜白米粉 (Recommended) |
There was a period when Seafood White Bee Hoon was a rage and stalls hawking this were popping up all over the place. The zi char stalls caught on and it's not uncommon to spot this on their menu these days. The stock used here is really strong with a nice umami flavor - coupled with the use of fresh seafood (prawns, lala and squid), this was something we enjoyed very much.
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| Hong Kong-Style Fried Noodles 港式炒面 ($4.50) |
As expected, you can find the typical stir-fried noodles/rice/hor fun here, all done competently and at reasonable prices.
It is definitely able to hold its own alongside its more-established competitors within the vicinity (Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee & Two Chefs Eating Place).
Opening Hours: 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 11pm daily.
Phone reservation at 9095 4640.
Order online at https://118seafood.getz.co
Date of Last Visit: 30th March 2024
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