Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
This may sound slightly corny, but my experience at Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo in Golden Mile Food Centre was indeed special.
The stall has an unassuming storefront and long lines begin forming at 11am. I was rather perplexed by the ordering system of this hawker stall. On closer inspection, I realised there was a super simple menu informing customers that a minimum number of 8 ingredients (S$4.80) must be selected.
Clearly, I was the only one unfamiliar with the usual way to order this hawker delight. Although there was a crowd, customers mindlessly jabbed at the ingredients they wanted to fill their empty bowls. This enabled the queue to move quickly and the remaining time was left to the swift hands of the stall helpers.
What I tried at Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo
While I initially intended to grab only the ingredients familiar to me, I noticed too many options that I hadn’t seen before. Since there were no labels on the trays, please excuse me while I attempt to list the items that I tasted without knowing their exact names.
To begin with the widely-known pieces, the Tofu Puff with Fish Paste (S$0.60) was the perfect sponge to soak up the broth. The fish paste was smooth with a delicate fish flavour that was not too overwhelming (or fishy, as my grandmother likes to call it).
For my vegetable intake of the day, the bunch of Xiao Bai Cai (S$0.60) retained its crunchiness even though it was left in the soup for an extended time period. Another vegetable I bought was the Fish Paste Stuffed Bitter Gourd (S$0.60); a classic item that I always get when eating yong tau foo.
While the Fish Ball (S$0.60) may be the most simple ingredient sold, it was my favourite item of the lot. In fact, I think it may be the most bouncy fish ball I have ever eaten. Even though it had a stronger fish taste than the fish paste, I was not deterred.
Now, on to the lesser-known (at least to me) pieces.
I loved the Fish Paste Stuffed Beancurd Skin (S$0.60) for its doughy but firm texture. Beancurd skin is a must-have item when eating anything soup-based. I felt lucky to have gotten one of these, although I wasn’t sure if the item would taste better fried rather than boiled.
The Meat Stuffed Wonton (S$0.60) was the largest piece in my bowl. The meat filling was ground to a rough texture and seasoned lightly. It was almost like a meatball wrapped in a wonton skin.
The last item I picked out was this Fried Beancurd Skin (S$0.60). Given its significantly darker shade of brown, I was surprised by its sweet taste. I recall eating one of these with fried noodles before.
I could not help but wish that Auntie had packed the fried items separately in a plastic bag. The submerged fried goods had lost all the satisfying crunch that I was hoping to enjoy.
The soup base was clear and lightly seasoned, enabling the individual flavours of the ingredients to shine through. However, it was challenging to pick out the 8 distinct pieces as the fried items had been broken apart in the soup.
Final thoughts
As someone who does not eat this hawker delight regularly, I do not think myself fit to comment on whether they fare better than others. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my simple yet hearty bowl of bee hoon soup piled with a heap of ingredients.
With more pricey hawker stalls out there, I am surprised that the prices are kept affordable here. I would order myself another portion of this comforting dish if I am ever in the vicinity again. However, I would request for the fried items to be packed in a different bag this time.
Expected damage: S$4.80 per pax
