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It is said that Chinese eat everything with four legs except tables, everything that flies except aircrafts and everything that swims except submarines.
Back in the thirteenth century, the Chinese were already ahead in food “creativity” as noted by Marco Polo when he saw Chinese eating pests(eg. snakes) and pets(eg. dogs,cats). But today, the Chinese are still ahead as they are still eating many things that are still causing a bit of controversy. For example, things like sea cucumbers are enjoyed as a delicacy but it is no more than a rubbery tasteless thing to westerners. Trust the Chinese to show you what to eat, I’m just surprised that we haven’t seen an earthworm burger after all these years!
Although the situation suggests that China’s food culture is the most controversial of all the food cultures in the world, there is one thing that no one can deny: The Chinese succeeded in making food out of nothing in many different ways. In that sense, there’s not a slightest doubt that China is, at the very least, a top student in the School of Wok and possibly a few decades ahead of the rest of the world in culinary “technology”.
Pig intestine is easily one of the most celebrated pig’s spare parts in the hawker centre. The exotica of it knows no bounds and I personally consider it one of the shiokest things in Chinese cuisine when cooked right.
Ex Blanco Court Food Centre (3rd Storey) To-Ricos Guo Shi
To-Ricos Guo Shi at Old Airport Road is a kway chap stall formerly operated at the 3rd storey of Blanco Court Food Centre. To Rico is obviously a South American word and definitely a mismatch for a Kway Chap stall but what many don’t know is this, they actually started the business selling chicken wings and it was only later on that they decided to switch to selling kway chap and they couldn’t be bothered to change the name.
This is possibly the only kway chap stall in the whole island that operates from 2 units(side by side) and as if that’s not enough of a sign to tell it is a good kway chap stall, the queue was super long at lunch time. The wait was almost 30 mins with about 10 customers in front of me.
To-Ricos Guo Shi Kway Chap $4
The flavour of the “lor”(braised gravy) here charmed me. What I dread in a bowl of kway chap is the overpowering herby flavour but at To-Rico, it is only very subtle and the overall taste was infact quite pleasant. The intestines were quite good with a little springy texture that expounds a nice “lor” pungent. The boey chye and tao pok were pretty weak in flavour but nonetheless complemented the entire bowl of kway chap very well. The “signature item” here is the pig’s trotter but it is quite a big portion so you definitely need to have at least 2-3 mouths for that.
The flavour is well balanced and quite good for me though the overall taste fall short of being absolutely outstanding. It was definitely a satisfactory bowl of kway chap but I was expecting one that can floor me. I guess the overall richness and complexity of the flavours can do better. The intestine was good but not great. I will need to find a few mouths to come back here to eat the pig’s trotter and see whether it can justify the remarkable queue.
To-Ricos Guo Shi Kway Chap $4
Price: $4
Recommendation: Pig’s trotter is what they’re famous for.
Conclusion: Quite good no doubt but have rooms for improvement. Quite a generous plate of “spare parts” for $4. Won’t be long before I come back to try the braised pig’s trotter.
Likes: Herby flavour of the “lor” is very subtle only.
Dislikes: The taste wasn’t intense enough.
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