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As a Toa Payoh resident, I have witnessed the steady growth of Soon Heng Rojak within the last couple of years. The humble business continues to work on a cash-only basis and has implemented a digital queue system to cope with massive queues.
Throughout all this time, 1 thing has remained constant— the substantial quantity and excellent quality of their Chinese rojak.
Do not be discouraged by the (extremely) long queue— the team works effectively and in unison to prepare fresh hot plates of rojak. Take a leisurely browse through the other food options around the food court, and before you know it, your queue number will be displayed on the digital screen.
What I tried at Soon Heng Rojak
With only 1 item on the menu, it should be an easy feat for customers to place orders. Simply choose your portion size, throw in additional toppings and indicate your spice preference.
I went straight for the S$8 (sauce separated) portion which I deemed fit for 3 pax.
Made from fermented prawn paste, sugar and ginger flower amongst other ingredients, the base of the rojak is whipped up using a wooden spoon in a wooden bowl.
The dark brown (almost black) sauce was intense in flavour. This was mostly attributed to the pronounced taste of fermented shrimps and sweet sugary taste. It was not salty at all.
Lau Hong Ser Rojak: Homemade sauce at 50-year-old stall open till 1am
The addition of ginger flowers introduced a subtle floral fragrance and taste, despite only small amounts being used.
After the sauce was made, a heap of ingredients were thrown into the large bowl. I had mine as a takeaway and noticed that beansprouts, cucumber, freshly toasted fried dough sticks, pineapples and tau pok were used in the mix.
I experienced an explosion of textures and flavours. The fresh vegetables and fruits were perfectly ripened and bore no sourness at all. Together with the freshly-sliced turnip, they brought the crunchy element to the plate.
Filled with airy pockets and sponge-like textures, the fried dough sticks and tau pok successfully soaked up the robust gravy which resulted in juice bombs.
My favourite ingredient in the standard ingredient mix was jellyfish. Adequately snappy and slippery, I found the textures of this seafood to be the most worthy pairing with the nutty and sweet glaze.
To elevate Uncle’s rojak, I added a Century Egg (S$1.50) . It was especially satisfying to bite down on with its jelly-like exterior and creamy yolk. In my opinion, this is another personal favourite that is a must-have.
Final thoughts
To add the finishing touch, I especially enjoyed watching Uncle garnish each plate of rojak with heaps (and I mean heaps) of crushed peanuts.
While some concern over the sheer amount of sugar used in this dish started to envelop inside my head, my gluttonous thoughts quickly shoved them aside as I devoured the dish. The crushed peanuts encapsulated each ingredient and created a crunchy exterior that was so addictive.
I found their utensil — that is, wooden sticks — extremely handy in facilitating quick bites of the rojak. I simply could not stop the repeated motion of jabbing at the ingredients and popping them in my mouth. It was certainly a fun experience devouring this local delight and I’ll be returning for more!
Expected damage: S$4.50 to S$9.50 per pax
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