Stall 29 at Zion Riverside Food Centre always fascinated me a bit. Sure, it was just a bak kut teh stall, but they also had some little fish for sale along with it. And when I usually went there, the fish were already sold out...the little ones, anyway. Either that, or the place was closed altogether, as they don't seem to be open for dinner. Today I came down here early enough that they still had some of the little ones left for breakfast.
So how was the fish? Pretty much just like it looked: cold and lifeless, but in a good way, where nothing but the fresh clean taste of the fish shone through, perked up perhaps with just a little squeeze of lime and/or that garlic chili dip on the side. My conscience certainly thanked me for eating something so simple. I only brewed my tea to half-strength this time too (and I'm still a bit jittery).
And oh yeah, the bak kut teh was fine: it wasn't as peppery as others, but in some ways that was a good thing, especially with that scallion garnish. I couldn't help but chuckle at Captain Oveur in Airplane! when I was through with the fish though.
1 comment:
i believe the cook is a teochew. Teochew cook their fish in a dry steam manner, not without water but its the fish in a bamboo basket so the fish doesnt have a sauce. The fish after steaming usually just left on the shelf. The fish usually must be fresh to steam this way, and taste fish haha, nothing but the sweetness of fish, no sauce or salt etc, but Tau zhoi (fermented beans dip) to enhance the sweetness. Yummy and healthy.
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