#Noshtalgia alert!
His great-great-grandfather started this Teochew Porridge business on Beach Road several decades ago - that’s what we learnt from the fifth generation young man who served our food. He added that “Choon Seng Teochew Porridge” has been at their current location at Blk. 43 Cambridge Road for twenty-four years. I also witnessed for myself that regular customers don’t even need to state their orders - they just take a seat and food is sent over shortly after. One of them even nonchalantly mentioned he had forgotten to pay the day before and the hawker was super chill about it.
Anyway, I did go a bit mad when ordering and ended up with enough food to feed three (the bill came to about $27) but somehow, @huatkaliao and I managed to conquer the spread.
What was most unusual was the dish of shark meat and its liver. It seems they are purchased from Pek Kio wet market, a stone’s throw away. Both flesh and collagen of the fish were firm and quite chewy, while the liver was softer with an iron-rich creaminess. If you are sensitive to strong smells, I suggest skipping this even though it does come with a housemade dip of plum sauce, chilli, garlic and peanuts that helps to neutralise.
I also picked the following to have with our bowls of plain porridge:
- Braised Pork Belly - Very good!
- Bittergourd With Egg - Full of “wok hei”.
- Braised Pig’s Ears - Excellent.
- Braised Egg
- Tau Kwa
- Tau Pok - Always enjoyable.
- Kiam Chye Buay - Theirs is not salty.
- Fish Cake
- Stirfried Chye Sim
- Stewed Cabbage with Tau Kee and Tau Kwa
I liked this stall’s vinegar-sharpened chilli and garlic dip very much - it’s a great complement for all the braised items.
My go to place for steam fish teochew style or salted soy bean paste. Pricing is comparable to restaurant but you get much better taste value. From giant grouper, lobster, soo mei, chinese pomfret to emperor red snapper, you will be assured of the freshest catch of the day that the owner procured painstakingly. No fancy cooking, yet you can taste sublime umami from these steamed dishes. Many would hv alr mentioned the signature prawn cake, a must order item. Other dishes are very home style cooking and comforting. A pure gem place.
Quality food all the time, feels homely and satisfying whenever we are at Choon Seng.
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