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So, my friend, with his trusted palate, whispered to me one day that I should try some of the food at the Kopitiam Square in Sengkang, but not without judging me heavily that it’s taken me this long to pay a visit to my own neighbourhood kopitiam. I admit; I’m not one to be lured to a hawker centre simply based on the fact that I’m spoilt by the need to feel cool while eating. With that said, if it was that pertinent for me to venture within my neighbourhood, I knew it had to be a place that stood out—to which Sengkang Square Oyster Omelette called to me.
Locating the stall in this open-air hawker centre requires one to dive headfirst into the balmy fumes of hawkers tossing, frying, and grilling their fares. It’s snuggled right in the deep-end of the centre, with an impressively large stall that you won’t miss. Although its namesake points only to oyster omelette, they also sell satay, fried carrot cake, and fried kway teow—all halal.
Yes, in a wondrous twist, not only is this beloved Sengkang haunt known for its oyster omelette, but it also happens to be one of the few in Singapore that’s halal. Given that its repute leans heavily on oyster omelette, I wanted to put it to a cheeky test of only trying that dish—and that alone.
What I tried
Now, here they hawk Fried Oyster and Fried Oyster Omelette, with the former having potato starch added while the latter is scrambled with egg. I ordered the latter in the S$6 portion (they also serve an S$8 portion). It arrives tantalisingly fragrant, with enough smokiness to battle with the hawker centre’s already hazy atmosphere. At first glance, there is a modest amount of oysters glistening and plump for devouring.
When it comes to oyster omelettes—and many of our adored hawker dishes—the chilli really does seal the deal. The one here is runny and carries a burnt orange hue rather than bright red, which translates into a tangy heat on first taste. It doesn’t pack much heat, but it lends sufficient acidity for it to be adequately complementary.
Taste-testing this proves to be straightforward and there’s very little for me to loathe. Char? Check. Seasoning? Check. Chewiness? Check. In fact, after a few bites, I start to forget that this iteration isn’t prepared with lard nor pork—and as the seconds pass, I grow more impressed.
The oysters themselves show up chubby and chonky, satisfying my appetite and personal standards for oyster omelette. The portion I ordered is polished off with ease in under 15 minutes, all thanks to this delightful recipe and also to avoid having to sit any longer in the heatwave of this sweltering arena. Call me a princess; when it comes to exceptionally hot weather, I’m intolerable.
Final thoughts
I hardly tend to or rarely do judge an establishment based on a single dish, but a naughty streak sparked in me for Sengkang Square Oyster Omelette, and it worked. As they say, if you’re going to name yourself after a dish, by golly, it better be darn good. And this was—and is. I bet if you served this to someone in a blind taste test, they wouldn’t be able to tell that this is a Muslim-friendly rendition—or even if they could tell, it would take some time for them to catch on.
My only advice when heading down is to come with a portable fan—like this one, which I absolutely love and bought for myself—and dress from head to toe in dry-fit attire. You’ll thank this article for this precious piece of advice—I’m sure of it.
Expected damage: S$6 – S$8 per plate
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