Heng Long Teochew Porridge Hougang Singapore

A greeting in Singapore is not “hello” or “how are you?” It is usually “吃包沒?” or “Jiak Ba Buay?” in Hokkien or Teochew (exact words except for the dialectal accent employed) which translates to “Have you eaten?” According to Vinns, a Malaysian friend, this greeting was brought down by our ancestors during the Great Famine Of China in the 1870s. “吃包沒?” in any dialect was started with the people showing concern for their village folks by asking if they had taken their meal. So Benny, a Teochew Ah Hia (brother), asked me “Jiak Ba Buay?” Teochew Muay was elected as cuisine of the day on 11th July’s makan outing. Together with Mystery Man, also a Teochew, we drove to Hougang, where majority of the Teochews populated back in the early history of Singapore. We wanted to eat at Soon Soon Teochew Porridge at Simon Road but couldn’t get a parking lot so we drove out onto the main road and saw Heng Long Teochew Porridge 兴隆潮洲糜 on the opposite side.