Dunman Food Center: Dragon City Claypot Frog Porridge & Lau Hong Ser Rojak

Every time someone asks for a recommendation for Frog Leg Porridge, the first thing that comes to mind is Geylang. The only variation is about which Lorong to go where the actual stall is. Now, thanks to the recommendation by my friend Cecilia, I have a alternative - in fact, it's a better alternative.

Dunman Food Center

 The one bad thing about this place is the accessibility of the food center (or rather the lack thereof). The nearest MRT station from here is Eunos Station and for those who drive, parking is a nightmare.  Nevertheless, we made it there after parking further down Joo Chiat Road.

DragonCity Claypot Frog

The place is pretty small so it isn't really hard to find the stall. For those who still need directions - just head up to the second level and its the stall at the corner near the railings. As there were only two of us, we ordered 3 Frogs and 1 pot of porridge.

Porridge

First up - the Porridge. Served in a claypot, the porridge was smooth and the portions were pretty generous. Some might find that the porridge is a little too blend but I think it's just right when combined with the salty black sauce from the frog leg pot. I'm not a fan of porridge but this is one pot that I'll come back for more.

Dried Chilli Frog Legs

Next came the frog legs. First thing that hit me - the pot is really huge! The ones in Geylang usually comes in much smaller (but slightly deeper) pots that makes it harder to "navigate around". Another major difference from some of the stalls in Geylang (the not-so-good-ones), the frogs inside are big and very fleshy. This frogs are definitely bigger than usual, making them more value for money.

Tender meat

Even though the meat on these frogs are much more chunky, they are cooked perfectly to become soft and tender - which basically differentiates frog meat from any other meat. Even the harder-to-eat parts like the ribs is easy to eat as it comes of the bone easily. Kudos to the chef!

Porridge and Frog

The last element for this entire dish is the sauce for the frogs. Most places would go heavy on either the saltiness or spiciness but here, there is a good blend of spice and salt. So basically you won't go away with extreme thirst or with a numb tongue and burning lips. The sauce is still too salty to be eaten on its own but when put together with the porridge, it pretty much evens everything out, giving you a good blend of taste. 

Enjoying the pot

Besides the Frog Leg Porridge, we ordered some sides to go along. This included the Popiah and the Rojak (which was reviewed by ieatishootipost)

Popiah

The $1.30 Popiah was so-so. There was a generous serving of Bangkuang. However, that made the skin really wet and the entire thing fell apart when we tried to "kiap" it with our chopsticks. 

Termed as "The Undisputed Champion?" by Mr Leslie Tay of ieatishootipost blog, this Rojak is definitely one of the best Rojak that I have eaten in Singapore. So what makes it so good?

Lau Hong Ser Rojak

Firstly, the entire plate is NOT drenched in sauce. I admit I love the rojak peanut sauce but more often than not, some stalls simply spam the sauce and drowns all the taste and texture of the ingredients. The sauce was perfect as it wasn't too wet yet it managed to cover all the ingredients.

Next, the You Tiaos were crispy when the food came to us. The sauce did nothing to dampen the texture so you get a crispy texture together with the tasty peanut sauce. I can't ask for a more perfect combination.

Lastly, the ingredients tasted fresh (despite it being late at night) and the portion was pretty generous. The plate you see above is $3 and took more than 20 minutes to come. So be prepared to wait for a bit especially during busier periods.

All in all, this place is (IMO) a better alternative to similar selections found in Geylang. Did I mention that its $18 for 3 frogs? I'll definitely will be back here for more.

Dunman Food Center
271 Onan Road 
Open till late