It's amazing how one fellow can cook so many dishes (20) and not just for one day but everyday. The guy is a Malaysian Chinese and he is a cook. There are many like him in Singapore. They are relatively young, perhaps around 35 years old but they are good cooks of Chinese and local dishes.
They are paid around S$2,500 or MYR 7,500 per month and that's quite a tidy sum for a Malaysian cook. In Malaysia they do not earn more than S$1,200, I was told.
Do you know why it is called "Economy Rice"? It is because the dishes are supposed to be sold cheap or affordable to the heartlanders. The set meals like a plate of white rice with 1 meat and 1 vegetable cost $2, 2 veggies and 1 meat is $2.50, 2 meat and 1 veggie is $3.50 etc. However, one may also order a' la carte dishes which cost a bit more. The bottom picture was my a' la carte order. It is a plate of rice with sambal sting ray, some pieces of pork chop and a portion of towgay or beam sprouts. My order cost $6.50c. The sting ray itself was $3.50c.
Overall, the food is quite good considering the reasonable prices. Usually, there will be a long queue during the lunch and dinner periods.
