SZ Kitchen @ Cafe (小珍私房菜) @ Gek Poh Shopping Centre - A Rare Find For Giant Grouper Fish Soup

There are many fish soup stalls in Singapore but hardly do you find one that sell Giant Grouper Fish Soup. The fish can grow up to as big as 500kg but I think those commonly make it to the dining table is around 100-200kg. The best part is that almost every part of the giant grouper can be eaten, provided you know how to appreciate it. If you adventurous to try it, then you should check out SZ Kitchen @ Cafe (小珍私房菜) at Gek Poh Shopping Centre.

The pricing of the Giant Grouper Fish Soup varies, depending on which parts of the giant grouper you want to try. I try the Giant Grouper Fish Soup ($18) that comes with the slices of the fish meat, fish stomach and fish liver.

Giant Grouper Fsh Soup 4/5

The Giant Grouper Fish Soup is not the clear soup base type. It has a creamy consistency with a slight herbal taste that is lifted with the addition of Chinese wine. Hence this may not be suitable for children to eat. Besides that, it also comes with fried egg and a piece of minced meat. The fish meat itself is firm with a slight bouncy texture. You can also find the fish skin in the soup which is packed with collagen.

Giant Grouper Stomach

The more exotic stuff in the fish soup is the Giant Grouper Stomach and Liver. I would say that the fish stomach is so what similar to those pig intestine but thicker, with a firmer and more crunchy texture. As for the fish liver, its really like the pig liver.

Giant Grouper Liver

If you find that the Giant Grouper Fish Soup is not for you, the stall also offers the usual Batang Fish Slice Soup. On top of that, it also sells a variety of dishes ranging from rice to noodles that is reasonable priced.

Zha Jiang Rice 3.5/5

The Zha Jiang Rice ($4.50) comes with braised pork, a fried egg and shredded cucumber. Not fancy just a hearty and comforting bowl of rice that will satisfy one's hunger. For the price, this is really wallet friendly to settle one's meal.

Gek Poh Shopping Centre
762 Jurong West Street 75
Singapore 640762
Tel: +65 81234671
Nearest MRT: Boon Lay (EW Line), Pioneer (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 11am - 930pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Boon Lay MRT station. Take Exit C, D or E. Walk to Boon Lay Bus Interchange (Stop ID 22009). Take bus 181. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Pioneer MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at block 649A (Stop ID 22529). Take bus number 258. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

Tiong Bahru Bakery @ Eng Hoon Street - The All New Afternoon Three Sum

Everyone has probably heard of Tiong Bahru Bakery, which currently has 3 outlets in Singapore and even opening a 4th outlet at Chip Bee Gardens soon. They open from 8am-8pm across all outlets selling things from savoury breads to desserts and tarts.

Afternoon Three Sum 4.5/5

The new Afternoon Three Sum is a combination of 3 dim sum baskets, one consists of Tiong Bahru Bakery Favourites while the other two are French and Singaporean Desserts. In the first basket, there is a Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwich that is surprisingly the tastiest out of them all despite being a typical sandwich we all know about. There are also a Smoked Salmon Bun and Pulled Pork Sandwich that are both really unique.

Next, the middle basket features tarts that are sold on shelves in Tiong Bahru Bakery. I fall in love with the Zesty Lemon Curd, which had a really good balance of sweet and sour, making it really easy on the palette. Next is the Valrhona Dark Chocolate Tart which has a different texture compared to the Lemon Tart. The chocolate tart is more crumbly and there is a smooth layer of chocolate filling in the tart.

In the bottom tier, there are desserts representing Singaporean flavours like the Coconut Cheesecake, Pandan Tartelette and Blue Pea & Yuzu serine Panna Cotta. The coconut cheesecake was a winner for me. I am so tempted to order the whole cheesecake for myself. It was soft and creamy, with coconut flavours sneaking in here and there in a mouthful. The base of the cheesecake is crunchy and fragrant. Everything components of the cheesecake just comes together perfectly.

Pulled Pork Bun 4.5/5

Brie & Roasted Mushroom Croissant 4/5

If you're looking for something heavier, you can give their bread choices a try like the Pulled Pork Bun ($9) or the Brie & Roasted Mushroom Croissant ($8.50). Their croissants are made every 2 hours, ensuring freshness.

Tiramisu 4/5

Another dessert that you should really try was their Tiramisu ($9). The alcohol taste in this tiramisu wasn't strong and they added those little chocolate crunch balls for extra texture.

The Afternoon Three Sum is available from 3pm to 5pm daily, so do give it a try! You can get the best of both worlds. The Afternoon Three Sum is priced at $25 at its Eng Hoon Street and Tangs Orchard outlets and $23.40 at its Raffles City Shopping Centre outlet.

Photos and words by Vanessa Chia. A girl who has a passion for taking photos. Determined to always get better at what I am doing. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Tiong Bahru Bakery
56 Eng Hoon Street
#01-70
Singapore 160056
Tel: +65 62203430
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Outram (EW Line, NE Line), Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 8pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Head east on Tiong Bahru Road towards Jalan Membina. Walk down Tiong Bahru and turn right onto Kim Pong Road. Turn left onto Lim Liak Street. Walk to end of Lim Liak Street and turn right onto Seng Poh Road. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Outram MRT station. Take Exit A or C. Walk to bus stop opposite Outram MRT station (Stop ID 06011). Take bus no. 33, 63, 75, 851 or 970. Alight 1 stop later at Blk 55 Tiong Bahru Road. Continue on Tiong Bahru Road and turn left onto Seng Poh Road. Continue on Seng Poh Road until destination. Journey time 8 minutes. [Map]