Boon Pisang Goreng: Vegan hawker stall with fried yam niangao, banh mi by Vietnamese lady boss

The vegan lifestyle may seem hard to adopt, but as I’ve learnt in recent months, finding affordable yet delicious vegan food is not as difficult as we think. I recently visited Boon Pisang Goreng, a stall selling vegan food in Balestier Market, where I was treated to an assortment of fried fritters and Vietnamese dishes.

Boon Pisang Goreng was founded by the late Mr Boon Fong Juan in 1998. After his passing, his wife, Mrs Rose Boon, took over the stall and has been running it ever since. Boon Pisang Goreng initially opened in the now closed Longhouse Food Centre in Thompson, where it garnered popularity and recognition for its amazing fried fritters.

Today, you’ll find this humble stall within Balestier Market, with Rose at the forefront of the stall. Rose, who originates from Vietnam, even has Vietnamese fried spring rolls and banh mi on her menu.

During my visit, I witnessed as diners flocked and crowded around the stall to get their fried fritter fix. Rose’s daughter, Siang An, shared that the stall had even garnered loyal customers!

What I tried at Boon Pisang Goreng

The first dish that I had to try was the famed Goreng Pisang, available at 5 price points ranging from S$1 to S$1.70 depending on the size of the banana.

The Goreng Pisang had an airy, golden fried exterior. I liked that the batter wasn’t too dense, allowing for the fritter to be delightfully crispy and not too oily. The banana within was sweet and soft with a slightly gooey texture. It was definitely one of the best Goreng Pisangs I’ve ever had!

The Green Bean (S$1.20) fritter was densely packed with mushed green beans, giving it a bit of heft despite its small size. The green bean filling was earthy and textured, and I liked how it was minimally sweetened, allowing for the natural flavours of the green bean to shine through.

Boon Pisang Goreng’s Sweet Potato (S$1.20) fritter was yet another fantastic dish, containing a whole slice of orange sweet potato. The sweet potato was earthy with a natural sweetness, and texture-wise, it was soft and a little mushy, giving it a satisfying mouthfeel.

The Yam (S$1.30) fritter was similarly earthy with a firm yet soft texture. The fritter contained a whole slice of yam with zero additives or sweeteners, making it a snack that yam lovers will be sure to enjoy.

My favourite dish at Boon Pisang Goreng was without a doubt the Niangao + Yam (S$1.50) fritter, containing a layer of chewy, mochi-like niangao and a layer of yam. The addition of the niangao to the fritter elevated it to a whole new level, as its mild sweetness enhanced the flavours of the yam slice. Plus, its addictive bouncy and chewy texture made the Niangao + Yam fritter so much more fun to consume!

Rose shared that sometimes, customers would even request for a niangao fritter without the yam, and she would gladly prepare them fresh on the spot.

The Tapioca (S$1.20) fritter was one that surprised me the most. I had never had fried tapioca before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was excited to find that the fritter contained a piece of bouncy tapioca cake.

The Tapioca fritter was chewy and springy, and the fried batter on its surface added a crispy element. Both textures came together beautifully, and I would most certainly get the Tapioca fritter again.

Next on Boon Pisang Goreng’s menu was the Potato Curry Puff (S$1.40), a hefty pastry filled generously with curried potatoes.

The crust surrounding the Potato Curry Puff was crumbly and had a buttery mouthfeel (without actually using any butter!), and the potato filling had a light spice to it. I loved the soft potatoes within the puff, and I especially liked how the Potato Curry Puff was not as jelak as regular curry puffs.

Finally, I tried the two Vietnamese dishes available at Boon Pisang Goreng, starting with the Golden Roll (S$1.50 per roll), a fried spring roll made with rice paper and various fillings like yam, mushrooms, taupok and coriander.

The Golden Roll was super crispy and addictive, with its various fillings complementing each other. Its also served with a side of chilli sauce and cucumbers, for extra flavour.

I ended off my meal at Boon Pisang Goreng with the Vegan Joy (S$5.50) banh mi, consisting of a crispy baguette filled with vegan meat, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, spring onions and coriander.

For anyone looking for a hearty, healthy and affordable vegan meal, I would most definitely recommend getting the Vegan Joy. The baguette was light and crispy while the various fillings were fresh and crisp, with just the right amount of chilli sauce within to add a good amount of saltiness to the dish.

Plus, with its wholesome and healthy ingredients, the Vegan Joy did not taste jelak at all and left me feeling satisfied!

Final thoughts

Boon Pisang Goreng’s dishes surpassed my expectations and by the end of my meal, I found myself having a newfound appreciation for vegan food. It is no wonder that this little stall has amassed a group of loyal customers and regularly sees crowds and queues, given the quality of the dishes and their affordable prices.

When you pay a visit to the stall, be sure to try out the Niangao + Yam fritter, Goreng Pisang, Golden Roll and Vegan Joy. I know that I will return to Boon Pisang Goreng very soon to enjoy Rose’s dishes again!

Expected damage: S$1 – S$5.50 per pax

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