Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Satay bee hoon is an old classic. It’s a dish that has been around since Singapore was founded, with some even claiming that it was brought in by the Teochew people when they immigrated to Singapore. Sadly, Teochew satay bee hoon is a dying dish, with fewer and fewer stalls selling it nowadays—I’m a millennial and I’ve got to admit, prior to this review, I haven’t tried it yet.
Bak Kee Teochew Satay Bee Hoon was founded in the 1960s—yes, when Singapore gained independence—by the late Mr Lee Sar Bak, who started a roadside stall selling Teochew satay bee hoon. He concocted his own peanut sauce using over 20 spices and ingredients. It has become so famous that the family even started a factory business to manufacture and sell its sauce!
Bak Kee only sells two dishes on its menu: Satay Bee Hoon (S$4/S$5) and Cuttlefish Kang Kong Bee Hoon (S$4/S$5).
When I dropped by Redhill Market and Food Centre on a regular weekday for lunch, there was already an insane queue at Bak Kee.
I’m not even kidding when I say that the queue was so long that it merged with the queue for the opposite stall.
Plus, because everything is freshly cooked upon order, I had to wait even longer in the queue. I ended up waiting for about 25 – 30 minutes before reaching the front of the line.
The Satay Bee Hoon (S$5) came drenched with a generous amount of satay sauce, so much so that I couldn’t even see my bee hoon!
I could immediately smell the nutty and mildly spicy aroma of the peanut sauce, which started to make my mouth water. Mmmm.
While the thick and rich sauce tasted distinctly of roasted peanuts, I could also taste an underlying sweetness, as if the juices from the meat had been added to the sauce. Plus, there was also a mild spiciness, which helped cut through the jelak-ness of the sauce.
I ended up wolfing down mouthfuls of bee hoon doused in satay gravy because of how delicious it was. I even wished there had been an additional bowl of satay gravy so I could drink it just as it is, but having it together with my thin bee hoon was just as yummy.
What I really liked about Bak Kee’s peanut sauce was that they hadn’t ground the peanuts too finely, so I could identify thick chunks of peanuts in the rich sauce, which gave the sauce more texture.
It was a bit oily, but it was barely noticeable once it had been mixed with the bee hoon.
It also had a variety of other ingredients, such as pork slices, pork liver, beansprouts, cockles, kang kong, and tau pok.
The pork liver slices were a little gamey with a slightly pungent aftertaste. What I really liked was the pork slices, which were tender and juicy, as if it had been marinated in cornstarch prior to cooking.
Cuttlefish is a staple ingredient in Teochew satay bee hoon dishes, and Bak Kee’s rendition of this classic favourite didn’t disappoint.
It was springy, fresh, and sweet, and I had zero problems biting through it at all—which is a real plus considering how easy it is to overcook cuttlefish.
I also ordered the Cuttlefish Kang Kong Bee Hoon (S$5), which came with jellyfish, pineapple slices, kang kong, cuttlefish, and beansprouts.
Rather than the peanut-based satay sauce, the Cuttlefish Kang Kong Bee Hoon came doused in a sour plum sauce that was a little sweet, just like the sweet sauce you’d get with dry yong tau foo.
This dish was definitely a lot drier than the Satay Bee Hoon, partially because of the type of gravy used.
To me, it tasted exactly like what dry yong tau foo or even chee cheong fun would taste like—sweet, like hoisin sauce, with a tinge of nuttiness from the sesame seeds.
For those who prefer sweeter dishes or who might not like the robust savouriness from the Satay Bee Hoon, I recommend you go for this dish instead. It’s a lot more refreshing and has a good mix of sweet and sour flavours.
I loved that they included pineapple slices, which made me think of rojak. It was fresh, juicy, and sour, and made the dish even more appetising for me.
Even though Bak Kee only has two dishes on its menu, I can understand why it’s so well-loved. It’s addictively delicious, with both savoury and sweet versions to cater to different tastebuds or cravings.
For just S$5, you can get a hearty plate of Satay Bee Hoon, which would go well with a refreshing cup of sugarcane juice. Maybe next time, I’d ask the stall uncle for extra satay gravy so I can sip on it once I’ve polished off my entire plate.
Expected Damage: S$5 per pax
