Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
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While I was once again scrolling through Facebook, I chanced upon Emo Snacks on the Hawkers United Facebook group. With over hundreds of comments and shares, I was intrigued as to why this Taiwanese eatery was so popular. Coupled with their visually appealing and enticing pictures, I decided to give it a try to subdue my Taiwanese food cravings.
Relatively new on the block, Emo Snacks opened its shutters a month ago in hopes to create Taiwan snacks suited for Singaporeans taste buds. Located in Geylang Road, the cafe specialises in Taiwanese snacks popular with Singaporeans—such as chicken chop, braised pork rice and bubble tea; an insanely popular Taiwanese drink that has won the favours of our hearts and has taken the world by storm.
The ordering process was a breeze, with prompt responses and impeccable service. I was required to fill up an order form and my order was complete within five minutes.
I landed myself with some of their best sellers–-Braised Pork Rice (S$4.90), Oyster Mee Sua (S$4.90), XXXL Chicken Chop Bento (S$8.90), Mala Chicken (S$4.50), Brown Sugar Fresh Milk With Pearls (S$3.50) and Thai Milk Tea With Pearls (S$3.50).
The Braised Pork Rice, otherwise known as lu rou fan is an extremely popular and incredibly delicious Taiwanese speciality. It featured luscious chunks of pork belly over a bowl of piping hot rice and a perfectly cooked half-boiled egg. The pork belly was melt-in-the-mouth tender, with a good balance of lean and chunky bits.
I appreciated the fact that the pork belly didn’t entirely disintegrate in my mouth and managed to retain a bit of bite. The preserved vegetables added a varying bite texture, complementing well with other components of the dish. It was surprisingly non-greasy and pretty light on the palate, though I’d wish for more gravy to filtrate down to the rice for maximum enjoyment.
The Mala Chicken was phenomenal, it filled my heart with utmost delight. It was vibrant in colour and sharp in taste; just a whiff of it set my stomach rumbling. Packing bold flavours and fiery levels of spiciness, this dish is any spicy lover’s dream. Deliciously smothered in mala spice, it pursued a bold and deep flavour which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Teeming with conspicuous peppercorns and chillies, the dish came together well with a tingling-numbing sensation all mala lovers chase. This snack is definitely not for the faint-hearted so you better prepare pitchers of milk to gulp down right after because that’s some hot stuff right there.
Without a question, the popular Taiwanese fried chicken is an indispensable snack in Taiwan. Don’t be fooled by its simple appearance, the XXXL Chicken Chop Bento might just seem like a bowl of white rice topped with some fried chicken thigh pieces, an egg and some greens. The flavour, however, will surprise you with its depth and savoriness.
To paint you a clearer picture of how humongous the chicken was, it was right off the bat bigger than my face. Unlike the usual fried chicken cutlets made with boneless breast meat, this was without a doubt, juicier. It was tender to bite and well seasoned, retaining its crunch at the edges. Pleasantly coated with moreish, salty seasoning, each morsel coated my palate with tons of umami flavour.
The Oyster Mee Sua comprised of oysters, shredded chicken breast, black fungus and Chinese parsley for garnishing. Featuring soft thin noodle simmered in a light broth, I was greeted with a mellow hint of garlic and black vinegar.
The oysters were relatively fresh, though this dish fell a little flat to me as I wished the soup base was packed with more flavour.
For all bubble tea lovers, if you’re too lazy to make your own bubble tea, Emo Snacks has also got you covered. The Brown Sugar Fresh Milk Tea was a blend of fresh milk, brown sugar syrup and pearls. Not overly saccharine for my liking, the beverage appealed to me with its chewy bouncy pearls and smooth rich milk flavour. The pearls boasted the right amount of chewiness whilst the milk tea was infused with deep, earthy notes of caramelised brown sugar.
For a change, try out their Thai Milk Tea With Pearls. I would say it tasted pretty authentic in comparison to a local Thai street vendor. It was deliciously creamy and refreshingly sweet. You’ll be sure to have your bubble tea cravings satiated with their wide array of bubble tea offerings!
All in all, I would say Emo Snacks is a modest and unpretentious eatery serving up authentic Taiwanese fare. It was a comforting and absolutely satisfying lunch for me as my stomach was incredibly blessed by the intensively flavorful dishes.
In the time of an extended ‘Circuit Breaker‘ period, relive your last holiday to Taiwan with some delectable food and drinks from Emo Snacks! They are currently offering a 20% discount for self pick-up orders and free islandwide delivery for a minimum purchase of S$55.
Expected Damage: S$8 – S$15 per pax
