Keng Eng Kee Seafood 瓊榮記海鲜: Moonlight Hor Fun From Zi Char Titan in Bukit Merah

When you think about zi char, Keng Eng Kee (KEK) Seafood 瓊榮記海鲜 in Alexandra Village should be at the top of your list.

A titan in the realm of zi char, all you have to do is mention Moonlight Hor Fun and everyone will know you’re talking about KEK Seafood.

Zi char is a family affair and part of the fun is sitting in front of a glorious spread of food, waiting to dig in.

While we wait for dining out to become a norm again, we still have the beauty of deliveries. Even though nothing beats having zi char right there and then, I was curious to see how KEK Seafood held up.

I ordered their Family Set D (S$116) and added a Chilli Soft Shell Crab (S$28.80) for good measure. Having tried some of KEK Seafood’s signature items at their Tiger Lab pop-up and being thoroughly impressed, I couldn’t wait to have some of these items again.

I think it’s imperative that I begin with KEK Seafood’s most famous item, the Moonlight Horfun. 

This came with KEK Seafood’s signature ‘moon-like’ eggs still intact, sitting atop gleaming rectangles of noodles and a mess of stir-fried seafood.

As per Moonlight Hor Fun traditions, you’ll have to crack the eggs so that the noodles get coated in an eggy, silky sauce. Supremely satisfying, the smoky, savoury aroma was already wafting into to my nose, inviting me for a bite.

These slippery noodles were full of that tantalising wok-hei, which only points to the prowess of the chefs at KEK Seafood. With fatty slices of lap cheong (Chinese sausage), squid, crunchy bean sprouts and indulgent lard bits. Each mouthful was satisfying and the eggs added a delectable richness to the hor fun.

The hor fun travelled pretty well—the noodles still retained a good bite and were still warm.

If you’ve been a long-time patron of KEK Seafood, you’ll know that the Ming Zhu Rolls are another signature item from KEK Seafood.

A taupok with a “glo-up”, these were created by second-generation owners of KEK Seafood during the early ’90s. Each half is stuffed with intricate layers of salted egg yok, prawn, ham and stewed mushrooms.

It will be a feat trying to get everything in one bite, even though I was pretty tempted to try. However, this is better enjoyed in bite-sized pieces. I wasn’t sure all those flavours would work together—there can only be one star after all. It was a substantial bite where none of the flavours overpowered each other.

Though enjoyable, I didn’t find the roll particularly memorable. However, it’s a conversation starter for sure.

The Coffee Pork Ribs is another zi char staple that you have to order with KEK Seafood.

These caramelised, sticky and boneless ribs will make you forget all other coffee ribs.

KEK Seafood is pretty generous with their servings and each rib is large and hefty. The nutty and full-bodied flavours from coffee are the first thing you’ll notice. Tender and sweet, these hit the mark, alright.

My only gripe with these was that perhaps, KEK Seafood is a little heavy-handed with the coffee flavours, so it did come across a little stronger than I would have liked.

No zi char meal is complete without a serving of crab. For KEK Seafood, it was their Soft Shell Crab with Signature Sauce. For their signature sauce, you can choose between Chilli Sauce, Salted Egg Sauce or Black Pepper Sauce.

Ever the purist, I opted for the chilli sauce.

Don’t me wrong, I adore my chilli crab and wouldn’t mind getting my hands dirty when stuffing my face with those succulent crabs.But, if there was an option to not get as messy—I’m taking it.

With soft-shell crabs, everything is made simpler.

The sauce was thick and meaty, with a pronounced tomato flavour accompanied by a hint of spice at the back of my throat.  This is perfect for finicky eaters and the dish does the job.

Vegetables often take the back seat when it comes to zi char, with flashier seafood and meat dishes taking the spotlight.

Spinach with Ikan Billis might seem rather pedestrian but don’t write this off just yet. Well-fried, flavourful and with just the slightest bite to them, you could have these with rice and be wholly satisfied.

KEK Seafood lives up to its reputation of being one of the top zi char spots in Singapore. Having perfected their dishes to a T, you won’t be disappointed when you order from KEK Seafood. Even though I was a little apprehensive about how the food will fare after travel, I was pretty pleased with how the dishes maintained their integrity.

Not to mention, KEK Seafood is now offering island-wide delivery and you can check out their other sets. A feast awaits you!

Expected Damage: S$19 – S$30 per pax