Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
I remember the last time I visited Ubi, I chanced upon Thai Seng Fish Soup and quickly jotted it down on my phone. I’m usually not one to pay attention to fish soup since it’s not a top love like Hokkien Mee is to me. There was only one reason that commanded such behaviour – the insane queue. Immediately, it ignited a determination to return.
And return I did, investing a solid hour in line – an hour-long anticipation that, in the end, left me contemplating its true worth.
What I tried at Thai Seng Fish Soup
Prior to ordering, I thought I would opt for a few combinations and observe what the others in line were getting here at Thai Seng Fish Soup.
Two popular customisations were: opting for ee mian (crispy noodle) and cracking an egg inside. And so, I did just that for my first bowl.
The first bowl I tried was the Sliced Fish Ee Mian (S$5.50), with a cracked egg (+S$0.50) inside. This was easily my favourite bowl of the lot and I’ve got the regulars to thank for this exceptional combination.
The dish intertwines the silkiness of sliced fish with the robust integrity of ee mian. The egg’s velvety embrace added a layer of comfort, making each spoonful warm and hearty.
What sets Thai Seng Fish Soup apart is how fresh their batang fish is. The couple slices it themselves daily with enough to go around during the 4.5 hours they open every day. I mean, just look at it!
Every bowl had around six slices and each bite was soft and tender. For someone who prefers fried fish to sliced fish, this was one strong contender to change my mind!
Praises came in from left and right when I snooped around Thai Seng Fish Soup’s tom yam soup base. One thing’s for sure is, I’ll never let a top recommendation slip by me, even if it might be overrated.
The Tom Yam Seafood Soup (S$7) was a tantalising Thai-infused creation, served with a medley of fresh seafood. It delivered a harmonious blend of spicy and sour, with the tanginess kicking in quickly as soon as you take your first mouthful.
As someone that adores spice but unfortunately does not have that love reciprocated, I’d say, beware of how spicy this dish can get! The tanginess kicks in first and just as you relish the broth, the spiciness greets you with a fiery enthusiasm.
Turning to the Tom Yam Seafood Soup, the fiery Thai flavours did justice to the seafood medley. Definitely, one to be paired with a bowl of rice. Yet, it was a testament to the dish’s competence rather than a revelation of extraordinary dimensions.
I tried the classic go-to, Fried Fish Bee Hoon Soup (S$5.50) last, because how extraordinary could it be? It was served generously with lots of xiao bai cai (white cabbage), fried shallots, crispy egg strips, and coriander.
I’ll be honest with you, I really expected this to be mind-blowing. Perhaps the long wait sharpened my expectations too much.
The milky soup was normal, to say the least. In fact, I thought it tasted better with the creamy egg in the first bowl I had. It was missing the nostalgic kick of ginger which is quite the essential ingredient for me for fish soup. Perhaps I should have opted for the clear soup!
Onto the star of the dish – fried fish. It was chunky and tasty, altogether decent. I do wish it could be fried a bit crispier though. I can see why this would be a go-to lunch option for the employees around.
Final Thoughts
Thai Seng Fish Soup is like a faint star in the food world. It’s got queues that stretch, telling a tale of its own. The dishes they serve, though crafted well, didn’t quite match the line’s anticipation.
The choice of Ee Mian was probably the best of the lot, as well as the addition of the raw egg. Plus, the tom yam soup base had a memorable zing – I can’t deny that. But the hour wait doesn’t quite tip the scale in favour of the flavours.
And hey, let’s talk timing. They’re open from 10am to 2.30pm on weekdays (excluding Mondays), claiming the peak hours of sunshine and lunchtime crowds. Be cash ready too, as they don’t do digital payments. It’s likely I’ll return with one non-negotiable term – no queue!
