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Often, we see hawker stalls closing shop 1 to 2 hours ahead of closing time, especially the popular ones. But have you ever heard of a stall still operating beyond its opening hours? Recently, I chanced upon such a stall for the first time: Mei Xiang Yuan Satay & Rojak at Marsiling Mall Food Centre.
I was initially here to visit another stall at the same food centre, but I guess it was too popular. Although I arrived at 7.40pm, 50 minutes before their closing time, they were already sold out. Looks like I should visit earlier next time!
In contrast, when I walked past Mei Xiang Yuan Satay & Rojak, I noticed they were still cooking their satay less than 20 minutes before their closing time. I Googled the stall and learnt that they have been around since 1978. Would a stall with nearly 50 years of legacy perform well? We’ll see.
What I tried at Mei Xiang Yuan Satay & Rojak
Mei Xiang Yuan offers 3 types of Satay: Chicken, Pork and Mutton, all priced at S$1.10 per stick. There is a minimum order of 10 sticks, so I ordered the Chicken and Pork Satay with 5 sticks each.
The stall also offers Rojak (S$5 for Regular, S$6 for Large), as well as other variations of the dish. I ordered the regular You Tiao (S$5 for Regular, S$6 for Large) rojak, and after a 25-minute wait, it was mealtime.
I first tried the chicken satay, and it was tender! The meat was easy to bite and easily separated from the satay stick. There was also a good amount of caramelisation. The sweetness was not only prominent on the outer layer, but also absorbed into the meat.
However, I thought the chicken satay could have a more smoky flavour. The main flavour I tasted was just the sweetness, and even that wasn’t very strong. Once I dipped the satay into the nutty sauce, that was the only thing I tasted. Barely any sweetness or smokiness present.
I was about to move on to the pork satay, but faced some difficulty differentiating the chicken and pork skewers.
Upon closer look, I noticed that the chicken satay was leaner and lighter in colour, while the pork satay was fattier and darker.
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Taste-wise, the pork satay was similar to the chicken satay. I enjoyed its sweetness, but believe it could be more smoky to bring out its true goodness.
But the main issue wasn’t the taste; it was the texture. Since the pork skewer appeared fattier, I was expecting it to be more tender. Unfortunately, I had to bite hard with my teeth and pull the stick for 2 seconds before the meat successfully detached from the skewer.
While I thought the pork could be more tender, I enjoyed the tiny bits of fat on each skewer. These translucent fats came with an indulgent crunch that reminded me of the sinful bits of lard within my bak chor mee, except that the fats were sweet as well.
Next, I moved on to the You Tiao, a dish I was excited to try. Since this stall decided to make youtiao the main ingredient of this rojak, their youtiao must be something extraordinary, right?
I guess not. While some parts of the youtiao were crisp, most of it was soggy. Either it had been kept for too long, or the sauce had turned it soggy, or both.
The rojak sauce was mainly sweet, probably because there were no fruits to give it a tangy flavour. I also noticed a slight bitter taste; was it from the sauce?
Nope. After another bite, I realised the taste came from the youtiao. Looks like it was fried for a little too long, resulting in a charred flavour.
Who Mei Xiang Yuan Satay & Rojak is best for
If you’re looking for a satay stall in the north, or want to try rojak with youtiao as the highlight, Mei Xiang Yuan Satay & Rojak is the place to visit.
How to get to Mei Xiang Yuan Satay & Rojak
The nearest MRT station is Woodlands (NS9, TE2). Head for Exit 1 and take bus 911, 911A or 911T from Woodlands Interchange. Alight at Opp Blk 101 and walk for roughly 7 minutes to Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre. The stall is located at #01-15.
Do we recommend Mei Xiang Yuan Satay & Rojak?
Personally, I don’t think I would visit the stall again, since I don’t stay in the north, and can find better options near me. But if you live in the vicinity, you could still give Mei Xiang Yuan Satay & Rojak a try. Perhaps you’d have a different verdict from me!
Order Delivery: foodpanda
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