Kim Wee Soh
★★★★★
3 years ago
Remember when you're a school boy, visiting the grandparents over the weekends for lunch used to be a memorable event. Grannies will whip up nourishing yet simple dishes with home cooked flavours and close to the heart goodness. This is only my second time here and I am sure I will be back for many many more times. Busy office workers would takeaway lunch boxes with rice but it's not hard to see seniors occupying a few tables at any one time savouring their fish and porridge. First and foremost, you can order any fresh steamed fish when available, and it will be done on order. Or you can simply pick off the ready dishes which are the usual Teochew porridge suspects though a small selection is offered. I wanted a light lunch, pre workout, hence porridge seemed in order. I was lucky there's still a last ready blanched rabbit fish, as they aren't in season. Braised chicken wings, cabbage and my porridge and I am good to go. First off, the fish is done very well. None of the rabbitfish's notorious fishiness at all, and the meat is done just right with a good bite and easily off the bones. Moist and tender. Next the soy sauce braised chicken wing bites are tender and flavourful, savoury with soy sauce umami. The stir fried cabbage, unlike Hainanese style is not done tender through but with a light crunch. Light on the palate with good texture. Lastly the porridge is done perfect. You can taste the porridge broth with rice goodness and individual grain is soft, tender and not too gluey. Like how grandma used to make. The accompanying condiments, a tangy chilli sauce where you can taste the vinegar and ginger, is perfect and the taucheo, salty and watery is great to add a bit of zing to your porridge. For the fish, without the fishiness I did not need any dip at all. Though I find myself alternating a bit of braised sauce and the taucheo sauce to give my porridge a bit of kick. Man if I am the invigilator, this porridge gets a Michelin recommendation.
