Singapore Laksa War: Which Stall Has The Original Katong Laksa Recipe? | Food Feud | On The Red Dot
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 พ.ค. 2024
- When it comes to laksa, one of Singapore’s national dishes, Katong Laksa sets the gold standard. In fact, this brand of laksa is so coveted that a stretch of East Coast Road became battleground for the 'Katong Laksa war' in the 1990s. Laksa sellers engaged in fierce competition, each claiming to serve the original Katong Laksa.
Since then, several brands scattered across the island, continue to claim to be “Katong Laksa”. Who is the originator of Katong Laksa and which is serving up the real deal?
00:00 Which is the original Katong Laksa?
03:27 328 Katong Laksa's claim to fame
05:01 Originator of Katong Laksa: Janggut
09:24 The "Katong Laksa" feud of 1998
11:53 The most popular v.s. the most original
14:33 Do Roxy Laksa and Katong Laksa (George's) have the original recipe?
18:23 Taste test: Which laksa tastes most like the original?
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I like how 328 Owner is the most well known one yet she acknowledge that she is not the originator.
Poor people are unable to buy gold. ALL INDIAN POLITICIANS AND TERRORISTS STOCKS MORE GOLD SO GOLD PRICE SHOULD FALL EVEN MORE....CHINA SHOULD PROMOTE PLATINUM STANDARD NO GOLD STANDARD....
Even the Michelin Star Sungei Road Laksa is also not the original Sungei Road Laksa originator. The founders are likely all dead or cannot be bothered while others are stealing their 'brand names' to make money.
@@marvelcomiks8078 There are NO michelin star laksa stalls lah. Learn the diff btw star, bib gourmand and plate pls.
@@loongseng Sorry, not familiar with these stars or bibs or tissue papers. Never thought anything of them. You seem to be familiar with such frivolous labels.
@@loongsengChill man 😂 you on drugs or what
Got to give it to 328’s Nancy for acknowledging she is not the original one.
This is a documentary and she would be quickly exposed if she lies.
She tried at first. See the name? But there are many people who grew up eating the original and we know the truth.
mdm fong (the judge on the extreme right) is a legendary hawker herself! she used to run a noodle shop, selling hokkien mee and mee sua, with her husband in alibabar, the corner shop opposite i12 katong. eating there was my childhood and she had recently retired 4 years ago. seeing her brought back great memories and i really miss her food since it was not passed down to anybody. great to see that CNA brings on valid judges! :D
Janggut wld carry his laksa even along Joo Chiat road down to Marine Parade where the land met the beach there was an old run down bungalow where Janggut will sell to those Peranakans who relax for a cup of coffee and ice kachang at that corner old bungalow facing the sea before reclamation . In the late 1950’s my parents brought me to that old bungalow facing the sea and Janggut and his laksa was there!
I am. 72 now I can testify to that!
At 72, you better don't eat too much Laksa this kind of junk food. Wait you get more heart problems then you know ya? 🙂
@@schadenfreude6274come on let him enjoy
Poor people are unable to buy gold. ALL INDIAN POLITICIANS AND TERRORISTS STOCKS MORE GOLD SO GOLD PRICE SHOULD FALL EVEN MORE....CHINA SHOULD PROMOTE PLATINUM STANDARD NO GOLD STANDARD....
Have you tried the Janggut version these days? How is the similarity compare to 70 years ago?
@@schadenfreude627472 still don’t eat want wait till when???!!
Maybe one of the reasons that the laksa today no longer tastes the same is the use of packaged coconut milk. In the past, they would have used fresh santan. I also remember the cook using a coconut husk ladle to scoop the gravy for the laksa.
This is definitely one of the key reasons. No longer able to get fresh santan commonly now :(
Makin santan from scratch are both time and labor intense, i think it would be impractical nowadays to make santan from scratch everyday
Can't agree more. Same with cendol
I remembered when I was younger, there were still stalls in the wet market that would grind coconuts on the spot
I remember at least early 2010s,there still small shop still have that coconut grater machine. Now no more
Really enjoy these series. Please keep it going!
Pawn of the ddcccxdcp2?
Are u a member of the zina comments party?
Comments for the entire month!
@@jessicaregina1956Keep your retarded comments going.
@@jessicaregina1956 shut up la low-life
The Janggut Laksa owners really know the history of their dish.
loving these series! thank you for making them, i love the knowing the stories especially the FEUDs
Can y'all do Eng's Wantan Noodle Food Feud please!!!!!!! It'll be quite the showdown due to the family feud that was involved in the ownership too!! There's also Dunman Road Wantan Mee (the lady that worked at Eng's before the Mr Eng retired) who carried on his legacy but renamed her shop to 'Dunman Road' instead of taking on Eng's. Hoping for an incredible next episode!!
Jln Tua Kong Meepok will be more interesting!!!
Must be nice to nit pick which is original. As someone in Toronto, Canada, we would die to have anyone of them here. Haha.😅
Poor people are unable to buy gold. ALL INDIAN POLITICIANS AND TERRORISTS STOCKS MORE GOLD SO GOLD PRICE SHOULD FALL EVEN MORE....CHINA SHOULD PROMOTE PLATINUM STANDARD NO GOLD STANDARD....
Yeah, remember getting all excited hearing about a laksa shop in Scarborough and discovering it is yeo hiap seng chicken curry over yellow noodles. ,🤮🤮
@@bminton3291 thought there will be selling pre pack laksa paste , and with some cooking , should be ok
So heartwarming to be able to reminisce my childhood through this video; been eating at every one of these old Katong laksas since i was a little girl. 💖 The neighbouring rojak and porridge shop by 328 was pretty good too. Thank you so much for this. ❤❤
Sort of reveal yr age. LOL
Yes, it's my memory katong Laksa. Thanks for uploading. I only went back to katong to try but the one which I have tried was no longer there when I started working. So now it's time to go down to Makan.😊
I have been living in the Katong area all my life too. I'm in my late 50s and yes, Janggut Laksa is the closest to the laksa taste in my memory. In fact, his stall was near my pri/ sec school at Ceylon Road. :) I went to Janggut Laksa recently with my Canadian friends who were visiting, and they loved it too.
Oh man this series is awesome!
An episode nicely done. Enjoyed watching it.
Love the research! Recently we tried the Singapore, Penang and Sarawak laksa and did a video on it too.
Having tried all versions of laksa in katong and east coast..gotta say Uncle George one is best la at Changi Road...used to be at corner kopitiam at end of Telok Kurau Rd. my fav breakie place. Love uncle george's nonya broth taste..just rich yet not too jelak
I think you meant it as muak not jelak
@@eyhtwozed2606agree Uncle George best for me
There used to be a pushcart Laksa seller in the 50s and 60s around the Newton circus area (near Hooper Road. I remember my parents going there to eat it after church every Sunday. It was served in the small cockerel laksa bowls with a spoon. Balestier road had a good laksa stall at the corner coffeeshop on Jalan Dusun. It as called 'Traditional Laksa'. I like Janggut and the Balestier one best. The gravy is more watery, which makes it drinkable (not 'jelak makan' ), but still lemak with a very flavourful prawn base rempah.
Love this series!!! I’m living overseas and I’m torn because i want to watch more but it’s also making me hungry and homesick.
Loved this episode. My favourite hawker food. I know it has this piece of history but never studied it. Now I know.
So interesting!
I am a fan of Katong Laksa so this is very interesting. I stay in the west so not really very familiar with the Laksa war but I did went all the way to East coast to try in the old days.
These days I do not need to do that as queensway shopping center has these 2 famous laksa still having war there :)
And my favorite is actually Holland V katong Laksa which unfortunately do not open for dinner.
OMG looks yummy! , I will head down to try it for myself this weekend!
I was lucky enough to have my weekly dose of katong laksa at 49 Ceylon Rd over 10yrs ago and 328 was in operations across the road. It was a shame it closed. I have never found one that tasted like the old 49 laksa again.
Can you describe how it tasted? More fish or more prawn taste? Which toppings did it have?
I once had laksa with a boiled quail egg and meat stuffed peppers. Never found any place like that again.
@@ForsettaLuminosa very shrimpy and yet not heavy on the palate. The spices were mild and not overpowering so u can just slurp the whole bowl down and ask for 2nds
Now that you have done laksa, can you also do the chicken rice wars in katong area. That was after the laksa wars
is there a chicken rice war in the first place ?
back in the days when 49 and 328 were opposite each other at the junction, 49 katong laksa was my favourite.. too bad its nolonger around anymore.. so next best is janggut, 328 tastes quite commercial thesedays..
Craving for a bowl of Katong Laksa now!
i watched this at 12am, so hungry now!
Loved this episode. Thank you for making this video. Tomorrow, I will head down to try it for myself. I have been eating Stall at 49 East Coast Road (@Ceylon Road) Laksa for many years. Didn't know they have moved to Roxy Square. By watching this video, I discovered The Original Katong Laksa was known as (Marine Parade Laksa). They have moved to Roxy Square Stall #01-59 I will head down to test it out. I will also want to locate George Laska to taste how good his Laksa.
Uncle George's laksa is underrated. His stall name also quite strange: Eunos (MRT) Bak Koot Teh at 307 Changi Rd
Janggut Laksa is the original and is clearly the more flavourful vs 328. I have never tried George's and will do so.
George’s is actually quite good. Very close the original one where they had no chopsticks
I tried so many different laska store and even tried the famous one. But i personally still like the one from Toapayoh
I live in Berlin, and would be happy to have any of them here 😁 though i usually go to Janggut. Hope the govt do something about rent to preserve our heritage!
Now I know. Somehow I wouldn't call this a food feud. There's an understanding between each stall and yes, they all have roots to the original creator.
It's a feud because each stall calls themselves "Katong Laksa".
😊🙏 Stationed in Tanjong Katong area during the early 1990s , & still remembered those aromatic dishes they offered there like Katong Laksa ( Still remembered looking for chopsticks to eat it until realised the noodles were quite short because they've been cut! 😅 ) , Hong Kong Fish & Ginger with Egg Congee ( Porridge ) & the many black Hokkien wet fried noodles that only opened stalls after 6pm near the old Tanjong Katong Shopping Complex! Many Singaporean Peranakan Clans lived in Tanjong Katong area ... Great fond memories of the 1990s ... 😊🙏🌷🌿🌍✌💜🕊🇸🇬
my first time eating janggut laksa in the 90s there is no cockle. I still remember the stall was shared with another duck rice stall which is also my fave. Now George Katong laksa is the one I patron more often.
Janggut laksa founder very helpful … so many generations & branches he helped …
used to visit 328 quite often but ever since 51 got renovated and became aircon with their new style, the standard took a deep dive....
I lived in Marine Parade, most of us would go to janggut laksa in Roxy. Still go there, more than 30 years still eating it
I grew up eating at the outlet in Queesnway, it hope my kids will have a chance to have a taste and appreciate it just as much as I do.
In those days 60 & 70's in a big bowl, honestly it was very tasty.
This series is awesome, who can guess that Janggut legacy still alive now just because he want to help his friends. Such a great guy!!
is it process food or organic food?
any approved industrial food chemical use in the process?
Here is my two cents worth. In late 1980s, jangot Laksa was selling at the extreme corner of the coffee shop, directly opposite a cinema "Palace". The rest of the so called original Laksa were late comers. Jangot shifted a few shops away because the owner keep rising its rental and so was the bowl from $2.50 ....I stopped when it reach $4. When Jangot shifted there was another guy related to the owner started the same, but by then 328 across the road sell better and thereafter whoever run it didn't survive. He left the place again with no forward address until late 90s I accidentally stopped at Blk 128 Bedok for a tea break. I glanced across and saw a familiar guy selling Laksa. His brother together with his parent were mending the stall. I patronized it for a few years until "high cholesterol" stopped me from enjoying the best bowl of laksa in Singapore and Malaysia and some say even Batam.
10 years ago till covid time, I never had to wait 45mins for Katong Laksa at Roxy Square..... I went last weekend and I had to wait like 45 minutes thanks to this video TT
yah , long time i also tried roxy square, then try ang mo kio(erm...) , then tried queentowns.
personally , Roxy feels better than queentown , can be due to my taste buds changing. now will just random laksa
Do the same series for Tu Tu Kueh too. I’m sure Tan’s Tu Tu Coconut Cake at Havealock is the real G
Please do a similar video for the 2 different Chinatown Tai Chong Kok mooncake confectionery. With and without Hue Kee. Thanks
The laksa rempah is unique but I can tell you the rempah definitely wasn’t as robust ( thicker ) as 6 decades ago!
My childhood kampong days in the early 60s yummy laksa only cost around 20 cts for a big bowl. I love the kampong malay laksa, nice chilli, not too thick coconut gravy with beansprouts and "tau pok" only. I could no longer find the original malay laksa. Nowadays, laksa so expensive with unnecessary add on of prawns, egg and " batu hum".😂
The original Katong Laksa is the one at 49 East Coast Rd (corner of Ceylon Rd junction). Use to eat there when I was a kid.
Waiting for a malaysian to claim it is a malaysia food
And what happen to the 49 Katong Laksa now ?
I tried 328, janggut , Sungei road laksa and Katong laksa at 307 Changi Road. Just my personal opinion. 328 is last on my list . Favourite is 307 Changi Road Katong laksa
I haven eaten all the laksa mentioned.
But I have to say Janggut stands out for me.
Regardless whether it's original or not
Last time laksa haven eat......far far away can smell the laska soup smell, 1 distance block away, there is another golden mouth can taste which is the best food. 😅
The price definitely has inflated almost 3times! Is it really worth it?
more worth it than paying shite prices in north america for this
lol! you drink koi, starbucks. Put powder. $5+++. Compare to a bowl of laksa, that is prepped early while you are sleeping and they are working. Using their heart and soul to maintain almost the same standard of taste. Geo political tension that disrupted supply chains all over the world that has cause an increase price everywhere in the world. So you mean they are unable to increase price due to an increase in cost prices from their supplier?? Nice reasoning btw. Your thinking is so shallow.
Sad how Roxy Laksa is gone now :( still the best when they were still selling it at ECP food centre. Please bring it back!!
Got to know janggut laksa from queensway shopping centre. There's definitely difference between 328 and the original janggut laksa.
Wah I am old enough to enjoy the Laksa wars alongside Katong due to my maternal grandparents place
Roxy was my choice cause it was cheaper than the others especially 328 which hiked the price like mad
During the early 80s, Janggut was pedaling his laksa around Geylang area, once a week he would come by our industrial area in the late afternoon.
He would scold us, me and my stepbrother, if we did not finish every last drop of the laksa... 😂 he was very impressed by how well we got along and lamented that his sons were fighting over his recipe... so he deliberately gave them each a slightly different recipe so that they would never get it right as long as they kept fighting... when we pressed him for the secret of his recipe, he eventually took out a bag from the boiling pot to show us the 3 secret ingredients that made it special.
i would love to know more!
Try the one in Bogor-West Java
i wanna go to SG and try Laksa
Hahahaha... there are those of us who started eating laksa that was home cooked by either our grandmothers or grandaunts, which we think was even better than those sold as Katong Laksa.
I wonder why nobody ever brought up this point, despite the fact that originally, nonya laksa was home cooked recipes. Till today, we still think our home cooked laksa can not be matched by those sold outside, not even Janggut's. That's nonyas for you! 😁
katong laksa come about due to unique taste of a shop selling it few decades ago. after years, ppl get use called it katong laksa. It s the same when some ppl still called Tiong bahru 包。but i am sure, they are not the first to sell 包 in Singapore . There is likely no original as it took years and many other shops to join in to sell katong laksa in the vincinty to make it called " katong laksa". the orginal was close years years ago....
328 Katong Laksa had cut back on it's ingredients, especially the dried shrimp and yet increase the price many folds.
And the chilli now come in one small packet now :(
I once spoke with my grandma who grew up in that area. The OG Katong laksa is an adapted version of the Nonya laksa sold by roving vendors in the past. The noodles were actually made using fish meat, hence its iconic characteristic of it being “shorter”. This trait is still continued even with the use of beehoon. Also the generous use of hae bee to make the kuah as prawns are expensive. Now the veracity of this, I’m not sure. But it does seem to make some sense.
Definitely George!
I grew up in Katong in the 70s and I eat at both 325 and Janggut. I must say, for me, Janggut is more tasty.
328 Nancy is very humble. And i like 328 more than Janggut. Janggut, esp the Queensway outlet is super snobbish and poor attitude.
So now 49 katong laksa no more selling laksa? Didnt mention about 57, janggut's niece , and 47's ?
47,49,57 all go bust for a long long time.
If you go queenway shopping centre the competition is not even close as to the prefered katong laksa among local.
Base on this video and comments given by the four taste testers, only could said that doesn't really matter. Really matter is to try out all of them in order to determine who is the best, regardless who got the recipe. Original recipe is the best? May or may not be the best??? So try out all of them and no need to convince others. Crown the best laska yourself.
Debate all we want but Promote all. Healthy competition with a worldwide fan base.
Mr Janggut might be telling us if he is still alive “ I am not the original, there is this old man residing there who had taught me the recipe “
Personally I liked to eat Laksa with Yellow Mee & soup got to be thick and tasty!
So who is the best?
I just care which one is the best and tastiest.
When I was young about 25, I ate at a store name ‘Katong Laksa’ at the beach at East Coast.It was very tasty.
That’s the reason I remember that name..
At that time, Katong Laksa was not well known.
I think all those KL shown in this video are not THE original.
I am 76 yrs now.
I have not tried to "original" katong laska since I was not even born nor do I really care who is the original
After trying both 328 and janggut, the clear winner in terms of taste is definitely janggut in my personal opinion.
the first time I ate it, the flavors blew my mind
All tried to ride on the popularity of original stall owner who had accumulated 30 years of customers. Either by using the location, name or claim to know him. Frankly, no one talk about the laksa itself. There is no katong laksa but NONYA LAKSA. For those who know how to cook laksa. Penang version is white soup and quite watery. When u eat, need to add sambal chili. Most nonya laka has a distinctive dried prawn taste and very coconuty. Sambal chilli have to be spicy. Instead of fighting over the name, all should compete on taste of the food. I had tasted both 328 and Jangut at Queensway. Both are quite close, Jangut is better. But, honestly, both are just average.
If use horfun flat noodle and cut like squares then eat as using spoon because the soup is the point of nice laksa I think? Flat noodle laksa? Maybe it will be nice?
I ever plan of an all-top recipe type of restaurant competition every 1 year? This should be nice also since spoken as original, the restaurant to have even "nasi ayam and lemak", if imagine cold place as long as it's top food it's nice when hot right? Like a collection of the best at one place. At first Holland Village, then now newton. Laksa is special I think, must have also.
do one on jalan tuakong meepok
LHL siblings feud make to movie will be more exciting
🤣 🤣 not on the menu.
Katong laksa just try it from other restaurants.. Just same.. Same taste. Ok. 😋
Those so-called Katong Laksa prices are also scary… 😅
Go to shopping malls eat sub par sushi, sub par ramen, $15-$20++ per head, but people are ok with that. Then when pay $10 for Michelin star noodles from Tai Hwa or $10 Katong Laksa that are bao jiak and good to eat, complain scary pricing, complain price is kill people set fire. Then after all the good stores close down, then complain not authentic anymore, gone are the good days.
@@phoneyaccount Well said bro.
@@phoneyaccount you are rich and you can afford but not me.. 😂😂😂
@@phoneyaccountramen is the most over priced and over rated food in my opinion .
CNA caption writer, it’s ‘peddled’ not ‘pedalled’. Thanks
Real katong laksa actually use redworm, the small redworm to feed the fish
I tried laksa when i was in singapore.
I'm sorry i felt headache. I don't know but maybe i didn't get use to eat it.
Best laksa is Nyonya Laksa in Melaka the birthplace of Peranakan food
Malusia the land of copycat and claim
@@samchan3240 Easy there. OP is talking about Melaka delicious peranakan food. Not politics.
"Earthworms" in Laksa to make it taste better in the old days (when they were still selling streets to streets) according to an old granduncle. 😝Hmm i wonder whether it's true and whether its the Nonya type, or other types? 😆
328 was a let down, the broth was lukewarm and the Otah, cold and limp.
Everything: battle
Battle of the bands
Laksa battle
And they wonder why theres no peace on earth 😂
Should try laksa nyonya by daun kesom... halal laksa.. very shiokkkk!!!
Original how siao. My nonya grandmother laksa was the best. No pecha minyak cook with low fire.
Laksa is a serious business!
I tried the 328 laksa recently.. n sorry to say its beyond my expectation at all. I prefer the old singapore laksa that i used to have. I don't like the presentation which is diff from the actual bowl when they serve it. The taste is too thick. Overall I will never come back again. Forget about Gordon Ramsay's view. If that is his opinion than I shall not follow his again. We are just have different taste.
Laksa Loving. nice to have credible guests on the show. Sharon Wee, the author of Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen. not like *that someone* who pinched her stories. that is just undignified, no integrity & unethical.
This looks very similar to Sarawak Laksa. Interesting.
Taste is very different. Katong laksa much much nicer.
i see..this "much much nicer is according to whom? @@90taetaeya
Originally eating BCM should eat soup ,not dry
This freaking competition only happens in us - Singapore…. Greed is one big problem….
Wait till u go to malaysia, even a list about breads they big head already 😂
Madam Sharon Wee, would you be kind enough to give me a nice bowl of laksa?😊😊👍
I have the recipe in parts, I open laksa 😂