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People often proclaim that old-school food stalls run by veteran hawkers are undoubtedly up to standard. I agree with the saying, ‘old is gold’, but to some extent, I also believe we should give the new generation a chance — especially when they’re willing to embark on the path less travelled of becoming hawkers.
In this showdown, I pitted 68-year-old Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo at Golden Mile Food Centre against SanDai Yong Tau Foo at myVillage @ Serangoon Garden, a 6-month-old venture by Delonix Tan, the third-gen owner of SanDai Fishball at Kim Keat Palm Market.
Why these contenders?
One shared hallmark between Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo and SanDai Yong Tau Foo is that both use fresh yellowtail to craft their yong tau foo and fishballs. Oh, and I haven’t personally tried either establishment before, so this is the perfect opportunity (or excuse), tsk tsk.
Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo
Managed by 2nd-gen hawkers, 63-year-old Mr Chng and his sister, Golden Mile Yong Tau Foo was first started in 1958 by their father on a modest pushcart along Jalan Sultan. As I was selecting the ingredients, my eyes were instantly glued to the gargantuan metal pot in the middle that Mrs Chng was using to simmer the ingredients. Perhaps the last time I saw such a nostalgic piece of equipment was at my primary school canteen.
The selections were pretty classic, or what I like to call old-school. You won’t find fancy processed items like stuffed sausage, crabstick, or cheese tofu here; just a mix of stuffed ingredients, pig’s skin, and veggies. From my knowledge, Mr Chng personally prepares the yellowtail fish paste from scratch, which involves heading down to the market to purchase the fish, mincing it, and beating it into a bouncy, luscious paste.
Each piece costs just S$0.60, 10 cents cheaper than my neighbourhood hawker stall in Ang Mo Kio. There’s a sign stating the minimum number of pieces required to take is 8, which’ll set you back at least S$4.80.
The stall offers just bee hoon, so if you’re into kway teow or white rice, then you might be disappointed. I took a total of 10 ingredients and opted for dry bee hoon with chilli, which amounted to S$7.20.
My usual practice of collecting plastic cutlery and helping myself to the sweet sauce and chilli didn’t apply here. Everything was settled for me, and the stall helper handed over my order on a tray, complete with chopsticks and a spoon. As I tossed the ingredients and bee hoon up, I was worried that they might have skimped on the sauces (I usually spam them!).
Guess what? Thanks to their experience, they nailed the perfect ratio! Every strand of bee hoon was coated well with the sauce mixture. Besides the savoury-sweet notes of the hoisin-fermented soybean sauce and heat from the chilli, there was an additional fragrance lingering in between — one I can’t quite put into words. All that I can say is that IT’S GOOD!
One bite of their handmade fishballs, and I was instantly sold. It had a light and chewy texture, with a pronounced taste of the yellowfish, which was naturally sweet and gave it a gentle umami backbone. I thought to myself, “What kind of fishballs have I been eating all my life? This is just on another level!” The amalgamation of sauces enhanced the experience even more, tempting me to immediately get an extra bowl of fishball soup on the side.
The other ingredients like the stuffed silky tofu tasted fresh, but it was the fried wanton with stuffed minced meat that left a lasting impression.
Even the small bowl of clear soup made me smile. It might not have been heavily laden with seasoning, but the soup’s clean, refreshing profile caught my attention. Its robust taste was likely derived from the slow simmering of ingredients that drew out every ounce of flavour. I guess I’ll be ordering the soup version on my next visit!
SanDai Yong Tau Foo
As you approach the SanDai Yong Tau Foo counter, you’ll be greeted by ingredients galore, adding up to over 30 varieties, spanning traditional and modern options.
We ordered the standard 5 Pcs + 1 Carbs (S$6) with a total of 5 additional ingredients, including 3 premium items, which came to S$13.70.
Similar to the one I ordered at Golden Mile, my dry bee hoon with chilli wasn’t tossed in the standard yong tau foo blend of sauces, but instead had a savoury, spicy dry noodle-style flavour. The portion was a lot more generous here, which justified the slightly higher price tag. That being said, the blend of seasoning was not bad, but not my cup of tea.
The fishballs, which SanDai is famous for, were indeed among the largest I’ve ever encountered. They were plump and bouncy, and as I chewed on them, I fell in love with their uniquely springy texture. I could taste the fish, but it paled compared to the Golden Mile version, which was far more robust in flavour.
The meat filling of the herh kiao was deliciously addictive while the gigantic fried meatball was tender despite its size, giving a satisfying mouthfeel. I know yong tau foo is supposed to be healthy, but I always appreciate a stall that separates certain ingredients for frying, as it enhances the overall experience.
The soup here is as good as the previous stall’s — clean, lightly seasoned, and sweet. The chilli was savoury and had just the perfect amount of heat without overshadowing the taste of the ingredients.
Verdict
| Stall | Overview | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo | A perfectly balanced bowl of dry bee hoon with spicy, savoury, and sweet flavours. Tasty fishballs and fresh ingredients, great soup. Portion is a little underwhelming but price is affordable. | 👍Best Overall – An old-school classic with balanced flavours, but portion could be improved. |
| SanDai Yong Tau Foo | Generous portions and great soup. Premium items like the meatball were delicious. Fishballs had great texture but taste can be improved. | 😋 Most indulgent – Loaded and unique ingredients but some areas can be improved. |
This was definitely one of my toughest decisions, leaving me going back and forth over who to choose as the winner. Both sides had their strengths and weaknesses. Golden Mile felt nostalgic, while SanDai is modern and pushes the boundaries of innovation. In the end, Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo won me over, leaving a stronger impression and an irresistible urge to revisit — even if it’s a little farther from home.
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