Continuing with this season of food week with something much closer to my neighbourhood: Malaysian-styled Wanton stall + Roast meats at Binjai’s Hup Choon Eating House!
Ever since we discovered Hup Choon Eating House hidden within the Binjai Park estate when I was a child, it’s been a staple in our breakfast diets for over a decade!
I remember covering the roast meats this stall has to over a bit ago, so today I’ll be focusing on my f a v item here: Their char siew wanton kway teow soup! (Yes, I know that is a very specific order.)
Some FYIs: The goodies tend to sell out after lunch; the entire coffeeshop is closed on Weds; the location tag is for the seafood stall that’s run by the coffeeshop’s owner, this stall is next to it!
Now that that’s out of the way, here’s why I’ve no problems eating their wanton kway teow nearly every single week for breakfast across multiple years (that trend is still going strong!):
The meat cuts you get here — be it duck, roasted pork, or char siew — are always freshly roasted, and are lean yet juicy. This doesn’t mean you end up with dry, bristled pieces. On the contrary, because of the roasting process, you get to savour the sweetness inherent to these cuts without being inundated with excessive fats and oil. (You can request for specific cuts — the uncle-auntie pair is really friendly and loves to chat!)
Their wantons aren’t anything to scoff at either. Each bulb is generously stuffed with meat and wrapped in a thin layer. The meat is never fatty, and seasoned just enough to provide flavour to pair with, but not distract from the soup. (Order a separate bowl of these/shui jiao on cold days for a treat!)
Finally, what really enamoured me to this specific dish is the soup. No, it doesn’t share a profile with complex double-boiled soups; instead, it offers a smooth, warm, comforting bloom of yellow beans suffused with vibrant greens — it’s the perfect complement to the heavier meats, and grounds you back into the simple yet blissful joy of enjoying a bowl of freshly cooked noodles. It’s a reminder that no matter how tough the day is, there is always a warm, homecooked bowl waiting to nourish you.
