GOOD EVENING @ SENG KEE

25th April 2009

SENG KEE BLACK CHICKEN HERBAL SOUP
467 Changi Road
Tel: 6746 4089 5pm - 2AM
or Blk 511 Bedok North Str 3 #01-31 (MARKET)



If you are craving for Black Chicken Herbal Soup, you will hit well with Seng Kee Black Chicken Herbal Soup as their signboard already advertise the link that they specialise in Black Chicken Herbal Soup. It's a chockful of goodness that comes from the generous herbs thrown in and brewed with black chicken. For SGD12, it is worth every spoonful of herbal soup and Dang Gui, one of the herbs added is supposed to be good for women at large. I was not warned and the efficacy of this soup was too much for me as I cannot even take ginseng, to the Chinese it's too "por" or the tonic is too potent and too much of health restoring goodness that I may feel some side effect from taking this nutritious soup.

This place is not your usual restaurant as the shop fronts a side road and the tables and chairs are spilled all over that the road is closed after 5pm. You literally dine under the stars and if it rains, you may just run skelter helter. The only saving grace, there is an air-conditioned dining area on the second floor on one of the shop units, two doors away from where the fresh seafood are displayed.

Location: This place is at the junction of Jalan Masjid and Changi Road and if you are coming from Kembangan MRT, you cross over the main road and follow the big drain and at the end, turn to the right.





The array of fresh seafood is on display and since there is no menu, ordering is placed right in front of the counter with a crowd-puller effect caused everyone is crowding round and pointing to the tray of seafood they wish to order. You just have to pass by this crowd before your turn. Besides the Black Herbal Chicken Soup and Fresh Fish, Clams and Prawns, other signature dishes include MEE-SUAH SOUP which is very popular. Next to my table, the whole table had Mee Suah Soup and the tonic soup looks quite appetising.




At least there were 40 tables outside already taken up, not counting the first floor and the second floor and the place is full to the brim on a Saturday evening. Sidelining the open air road are pots of flowering plants to enhance the atmosphere. We chose the aircon dining hall on the second level and every few moments, the waiters will run up with their plates of seafood or mee-suah soup fresh from the kitchen.




The SGD38.00 CRAB with Mee-SUAH on "opeh" is interestingly old school in their serving. During the yesteryears, even "hor run" or" noodles are dish up and served on this traditional food packaging called "opeh" leaves which comes from the betel nut palm. This signature dish reveals a unique cooking again with mee-suah although I felt the mee-suah was too thick and compared to the usual tang hoon, the latter taste better.

See that WOODEN PEG used for pegging clothing to dry in the sun being used here instantly draws one to kampung days. It's rare to find "Opeh" leaves and "Wooden Pegs" being used in such a serving of dish and only SENG KEE does it.


The Prawn Meat Roll or "Hae Chor" @ SGD8.00 is crunchily nice with lots of chestnut fillings but somehow there is a side taste of what I think if fat, leaves this dish not so desirable to my tastebuds. I still think this dish is nice but somehow to me I just dont like that particular after taste.

The Silken Home-Made Tofu with minced meat tossed on top is very smooth and well enjoyed.

ONLY @ SENG KEE

BLACK CHICKEN HERBAL SOUP

NUTRITIOUSLY BREWED