Tong Ah Eating House (36 Keong Saik Road)

Tong Ah Eating House (36 Keong Saik Road)

Food Quality:0.5 =)

Ambiance: 0.0 =)

Service: -0.5 =)

Value: 1.0 =)

Overall: 1.0 =)

Cost: S$49 (4 pax, excluding drinks)

Will I return again: Likely

This is your regular zhi char (wok-cooked food) stall situated at the outskirts of Chinatown. Let's start with the dishes that surprised the most: The House Specialty Fried Beancurd and Shrimp Paste Chicken (Har Jiong Kai or 虾酱鸡). The Beancurd had a generous serving of minced pork and preserved turnip (chai poh) and was not too salty. On its own, the dish was able to exude the real home-cooked style of the eatery. The Chicken was surprisingly merciful on the palate (I am not a fan of excessive shrimp paste dishes). It was fairly tasty on its own (although it comes with a sweet chilli sauce), and there were a few chunks of meat with more chicken meat than bones.

The Pork Ribs was sweet from start to finish. It had a good balance of meat-to-bones, and the meat was quite tender. Definitely one dish that will entice a diner back for seconds.

The Sambal Kang Kong and Prawn Hor Fun were... average. The Kang Kong appeared slightly overcooked while the Hor Fun lacked the character of a superstar dish. The flat rice noodles on its own honestly tasted not bad, but the whole dish disappointed without a signature gravy to complement the noodles.

In humid Singapore, the lack of air conditioning usually does a disservice to the dining experience. In this case, the situation was salvaged with the strategic positioning of large, wall-mounted fans, which kept the eatery well ventilated throughout the meal.

All in all, a relatively decent chow. There were a number of articles on display (not so much that of the over-used Channel U food shows), including an article each from The Business Times and The New York Times.

Pork Ribs

House Specialty Fried Beancurd

Sambal Kang Kong

Prawn Hor Fun

Shrimp Paste Chicken