Tan Hock Seng

For most traditional Chinese, the name «Tan Hock Seng» needs no further introduction. Situated at Telok Ayer St for more than 70 years, it has been widely known for its Hokkien pastries, amongst which some are already near «extinct» in Singapore.
Their signature items are the Beh Teh Sor ($ 2.50/5pcs) aka horseshoe pastry that are made fresh daily. Was confused when I saw Pong Piah & Beh Teh Sor lying side by side as I usually thought they were the same thing.
In fact I was not wrong. Uncle says they have the same filling but the difference is that Pong Piah has a soft skin while «Beh Teh Sor» has a crispy skin.
But I got confused even more. Isn’t pong piah usually very crispy? Nevertheless, I still go for the crispy «pong piah» (beh teh sor). If I treat it like a pong piah, this one is average. Why? Because the maltose was not in a semi-​liquid form at room temperature, unlike the pong piah sold at a nearby wet market. Reheating this Beh Teh Sor does improve the texture a little but overall still clumpy.
Similarly, I did not recognize the ($ 3 for 4) here because it looks different from the usual Hong Kong Style ones (maybe because this is Hokkien-​style?) I am not a Wife’s biscuit guru like my Old Ma, who felt that the filling is not chewy or gelatinous enough.
Unexpectedly, the Pepper Biscuits ($ 3/​5pcs) emerged as the darkhorse due to its uniquely sweet-​salty flavour with Chinese five-​spice aftertaste. The white sesame seeds ingrained on the pastry skin make it extra crunchy.
Other items recommended by friends are Salty Tau Sar Piah ($ 2.50÷5) and the Ang Ku Kueh Bean Paste and Peanuts (80 cents each). The skin of the Ang Ku Kueh was slightly too thick. But the Tau Sar Piah was better. Each ping-​pong ball sized tau sar piah had nice golden brown sheen and very fragrant.
On my most recent visit, I saw my favourite primary school snack– (Piglet Biscuit)!! I quickly grab the «hard kosong» packet (10 pcs for $ 2.50) as these are not too sweet and I can enjoy the biscuit fully. They have it also in «soft kosong» and also «soft with lotus paste».

Last of the traditional hokkien bakeries. Freshly baked tau sar piah everyday at 5pm is the best!

Beh Teh Saw (SGD5 for a pack of 10) — «Crispy Biscuits» or «Horse Hoof Biscuits» are crispy flaky pastries with sticky sweet and salty sesame paste inside.
On one of my foodie adventures in Singapore, I happened to be in the Far East Square (not a popular foodie spot, but near the original Ya Kun Kaya Toast Shop). I stopped in this very small bakery stall and came here to specifically order their famous beh teh saw. 10 beh teh saw for SGD5 is a lot for one to eat. The lady inside was nice and packed me 5 fresh ones from their oven! They’re also famous for their pong piah, which has a softer skin than the beh teh saw and no sesame top.
The crunchy beh teh saw was very tasty and satisfying! I’m glad it wasn’t overly sweet. There was a good balance between the sweetness and saltiness. It’s quite a filling snack! After 2, I had to pack the rest away. They still kept well by the end of the day, but of course it’s best to eat it while they’re still warm and fresh!
Tan Hock Seng is claimed to have the best biscuits in the world! I definitely agree! :D
Nearest MRT stations: Raffles Place or Chinatown