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As someone of Teochew descent, I grew up eating lots of porridge cooked by my late grandma. Though it was nothing fancy (just salted egg, canned cai xin and lup cheong), it was comforting and felt like home. So for the next best-rated series, I thought, “why not feature her specialty?” Ann Hoo Teochew Porridge at Cheng San Market & Cooked Food Centre fulfilled the criteria.
At the time of writing, this hawker stall had amassed a 4.3 star rating out of 5 with a total of 117 reviews on Google Reviews. For the past 20 years, this traditional, old-school spot has been operating on the same premises.
“Oh! I think that porridge stall is just average, but their steamed fish is cheap,” said my friend who lives in that area.
I arrived 5 minutes before opening time, and although the stall’s signboard was still unlit, I was surprised that there was already a string of customers waiting.
Is it really good or is it just affordable? Let’s queue up and find out! There were close to 30 chafing plates of food for customers to choose from.
What I tried at Ann Hoo Teochew Porridge
We got 3 bowls of porridge and selected a plethora of 7 dishes including an entire steamed fish, and it cost us S$21.50. Teochew porridge connoisseurs, what do you think? Is it pricey? To us, it wasn’t that bad.
Before diving into the specifics of each dish, let’s focus on the cornerstone of the meal— the porridge.
The rice was grainy and wasn’t cooked to death, giving it a bit of bite (which wasn’t a bad thing), though I would’ve preferred it a tad softer. It also had less water than what I’m accustomed to.
To give it some razzle-dazzle, I slathered the dark braised gravy over, enhancing its fragrance and infusing subtle hints of star anise.
I started out with the bak chor with black beans, a staple I’d never fail to order at any Teochew Porridge affair. My partner nodded with approval but unfortunately, it didn’t match my taste (at first).
In my opinion, the flavour of the black beans had dominated my palate, overshadowing the taste of the minced pork. It also had some chilli which tingled my tongue. Interestingly, by the third spoonful, my palate had adapted and I didn’t mind it as much.
I decided to try something out-of-the-norm and settled for the fried meatballs. The golden-brown, irregularly-shaped orbs had a snappy exterior. As soon as my teeth sank into the first bite, a flood of tasty goodness swept over me.
Though some may have the impression that the meatballs were overfried, they were surprisingly moist on the inside. I dunked the half-eaten meatball into the porridge for a few seconds and was rewarded with an entirely new experience of bliss.
I couldn’t fully make out what the Uncle was shouting in Teochew about the steamed fish I asked for, but “pek” was definitely the first word.
After doing some Googling and asking my reliable dining partner (my dad), it turned out to be pek tor he or rabbit fish. It was served in its purest form, without any dark gravy or fancy garnish.
With my chopsticks, I probed into the flesh (skin included), and a smile immediately formed on my face. For starters, it was way better than the dried steamed fish I had 2 weeks ago at another Teochew porridge spot.
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It was also perfectly moist and well-seasoned. If you’d like a bit more oomph, you may dunk it into the tau cheo.
The portion of the cai poh omelette was a little underwhelming, but at least it delivered on taste. The savoury, crunchy bits of preserved radish were satisfying.
The braised pork belly was unquestionably one of the major highlights of the meal. Each piece was soft, succulent, and richly flavourful. The braising liquid was so delicious that it could easily be bottled and sold for a significant sum.
The hae bi hiam had a chewy texture and hit me with a spicy zing that came out of nowhere— it woke me up for sure! Pairing it with the porridge toned down the heat a little, allowing the umami of the dried shrimp to step forward and steal the show for a bit.
Ever since Ah Seah Teochew Porridge had closed down, I couldn’t find any other place that can prepare a better-tasting chai buey. But the version at Ann Hoo Teochew Porridge might just be on par.
It had the right texture and possessed the ideal balance of sour and savoury. Pairing it with the porridge momentarily whisked me away back to the seats of the now-defunct Ah Seah.
Final thoughts
A couple of weeks prior to writing this feature, I visited a couple of Teochew porridge spots, and I can confidently declare that Ann Hoo Teochew Porridge left a lasting impression on me.
Furthermore, this stall is located just a couple of bus stops away from my residence. Whenever I have cravings for porridge in the future, this will definitely be one of my top choices.
Expected damage: S$5 – S$8 per pax
