Shaker Lakers Review: Ex-Marche Chef From NYC Opens A Western Food Stall At Yishun

Since its first day two years ago, Yishun Park Hawker Centre has hosted dozens of unique concepts and modern-day takes on hawker food, with stalls such as Ah Tan Wings and Outsliders . Opened in August this year, Shaker Lakers is the newest addition to the hawker centre, serving up Western fare inspired by local Peranakan flavours.

The former is an Irish chef who cooked in New York for 12 years, and the latter is a Singaporean. Eventually, they began trading Shaker Lakers at Yishun to dish out affordable food in a more casual setting. The few dishes from the Eastern side of the partnership, such as chicken merah and Hainanese pork chops, have also undergone changes that are inspired by Michael’s culinary background.

After reading reviews of its generous portions and succulent meat, food at Shaker Lakers We originally set out to try their pork chops. The slab of chicken was juicy and tender, with the golden-brown breading seasoned excellently and adding a solid crunch to the meat. Going to The thick sauce, a layer of sweet and savoury flavours to the breaded meat.

I reached out for it but realised the consistency was too thin to be so. The potato wedges could have used a bit more savour, but that was resolved by dipping it into either the chilli sauce or house-made chilli mix.

As a beef lover, the dish I was most excited for was the Lakers Signature Beef Burger ($7.50) . It was thick and looked juicy, and was served with a side of hand-cut fries and barbecue sauce.

We were originally planning to try the chicken merah, which was one of their signature products, so I was a bit disappointed when I found out it was unavailable that day. The sambal sauce was hot and rich, but the chewy mouthfeel of the al dente noodles stopped it from turning too jelak. It was spicy enough to leave me sweating once I reached the bottom of the bowl, but wasn’t so hot as to leave me gasping for water.

The spicy sambal, al dente linguine, and a generous serving of prawns left me longing for more once it was done. The stall is currently too young for Gillian and Michael to think about rollout or branching out, but the dynamic duo stated their interest in opening earlier and introducing breakfast items if the business goes well.

The verdict When I was a boy, Western food was always my first choice at hawker centres and food courts. The food was enjoyable, and it was really impressive to see the hard work put into preparing the elements and cooking each meal.

But for the handiwork and portion size, I’d say Shaker Lakers is definitely worth a visit if you live in the North. For more food at Yishun Park Hawker Centre, check out our review of Jiao Cai Hotplate for spicy sambal and delicious stingray.