When I heard about the local dish of turtle soup in my younger years, my initial reaction was “How can you eat turtles!? That’s awful!” Fast forward a decade or so, and my stance has changed to “Eh, why not?” I found my chance to try this dish for the first time when Shan Zhong Bao Herbal Soup reopened at its original location in Berseh Food Centre after a 10-year hiatus.
Shan Zhong Bao is run by Sunny Lew, a 2nd generation hawker. The stall was originally founded in 1965 by his father, and it moved to its current location at Berseh Food Centre in the 1970s. The stall closed in 2014 after his father passed away, and Sunny has recently returned to continue his father’s legacy.
The menu comprises Signature Turtle Soup (S$10/S$15/S$20/S$25/S$30) and Braised Turtle (S$20/S$25/S$30). You can choose between either Yam Rice (S$1) or White Rice (S$0.60). Sunny was all smiles and chuckled when I told him my dining companion was afraid to try this soup. “It’s very good for you!” he said, laughing. “Nothing to be scared of. Very nourishing.”
What I tried at Shan Zhong Bao Herbal Soup
Since my colleague joined me, we ordered a slightly larger portion of Signature Turtle Soup at S$15. I opted for Yam Rice, while she asked for White Rice. One of the stall assistants offered to bring the soup to our table despite me saying that I didn’t mind carrying it myself. (Bonus points for very friendly service.)
The soup is served in a scorching hot claypot, which both of us accidentally scalded ourselves on. (Please exercise caution when drinking!) The soup was still gently bubbling when it arrived at our table, and we were advised to enjoy it while it was piping hot.
The soup had a very strong dang gui smell, and there were goji berries and red dates floating in it. It was slightly cloudy, and despite the strong herbal smell, it ended up being quite sweet, and almost mellow compared to how it smelled. The slight herbal bitterness came towards the end. Despite how hot it was that day, I found it quite comforting to sip on the hot broth.
The turtle meat, however, was an acquired taste. I’m someone who generally likes more unusual textures and has no qualms about raw meat or raw egg, but the gelatinous parts of the turtle proved too much even for me. The skin also had a very bitter aftertaste that I couldn’t seem to get past. The chunks of lean meat, though, were very tasty. They reminded me slightly of crocodile meat, which is best described as extremely lean chicken.
Kin Turtle Soup: Light yet flavourful delicacy in nondescript coffeeshop at Geylang
The Yam Rice was picture-perfect, neatly molded within its bowl. I was almost loath to disturb it – I could see fried shallots and dried shiitake within the beautiful brown grains.
I eventually disturbed its rest, and uncovered more goodies underneath. There were cubes of tender yam and dried baby shrimps, and each bite was full of umami and yam goodness. Genuinely one of the better renditions of yam rice I’ve had.
Final thoughts
Having never tried the version that Sunny’s father used to make, I don’t have anything to compare this to. But, I will say that my first turtle soup experience was a pleasant one, and is worth checking out if you’re in the area.
Expected damage: S$10 – S$30 per pax
Special Chilli Yong Tau Foo: Affordable YTF at $0.50 a piece, open for only 3.5 hours a day
Price: $ $
Our Rating: 4 / 5
Shan Zhong Bao Herbal Soup
166 Jalan Besar, Berseh Food Centre, #01-05, Singapore 208877
Shan Zhong Bao Herbal Soup
166 Jalan Besar, Berseh Food Centre, #01-05, Singapore 208877
