This seafood soup is a relatively unheralded homegrown dish created in Singapore's far north, Woodlands some 30 years ago. During these years, the original stall spawned several "offshoots" opened by people who had worked at the Woodlands stall through the years. I personally know of 6 such stalls around the island (there could be more). This dish still does not have a name and is known simply as "seafood soup" 海鲜汤.
A.S. Seafood Soup 安盛海鲜汤 at Bedok Blk 412 Eng San coffee shop is one of the "offshoot" stalls offering the famed Woodlands seafood soup.
The basic orangey hued broth comes with three good size prawns, dory fish and chunks of minced pork "cakes". Prices start at SGD6. Add SGD0.50 for a bowl of steamed rice. Customers have the option of slices of red grouper 红斑, promfet, or crayfish (at additional cost).
I indulged in the SGD10 version with red grouper fish 红斑 slices.
I rearranged the dish a little so that you can see the prawns, minced pork, and red grouper slices more clearly.
The medium bodied broth was tasty with well balanced mildly sweet and savoury flavours extracted by boiling pork bones, old hens and scallops for hours.
Compared to the Woodlands version, A.S.'s broth is missing the more pronounced crustacean type savouriness. Which version you prefer then depends on whether you like more or less crustacean taste in your soup.
The three good sized prawns were fresh enough.
The signature minced pork chunk of Woodlands seafood soup. A.S.'s version has pieces of black mushrooms in the minced pork (just like the original). Nice tender bouncy texture with mild sweetness from the lean meat and pork fat. The mushroom added spongy texture and flavour to the meaty "cake".
The red grouper fish 红斑 was cut into nibble size, odd shaped bits. Sufficiently fresh and sweet, though I felt the flesh turning soft and breaking when held up.
Next time, I shall just stick to the basic broth which comes with prawns and signature mince pork cakes. Or, try the crayfish which should fortify the broth with more robust crustacean savouriness.
A.S. makes a good rendition of Woodlands seafood soup.
If you are in Bedok, go to A.S.. Go to any stall near to you selling this Woodlands style "seafood soup".
Click ^ on photo to read my post on the original Woodlands seafood soup ^
But, if you are the type who will go to the ends of the Earth to get the best possible, then may I humbly suggest, go to Woodlands :-D
You know the myth that the sifu will never teach the disciple everything? I donnu lah ;-D
Restaurant name: A.S. Seafood Soup 安盛海鲜汤
Address: Blk 412, Bedok North Ave 2, Singapore 460412 (10 minutes slow walk from Bedok MRT station)
GPS: 1.328839, 103.930947
Hours: 11:00am to 9:00pm
Non Halal
Dated visited: 20 Jan 2016
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They have moved to Blk 418 which is the block behind the one across the street bearing a different signage, apparently somebody registered their original name. The new name is A.A.S.S seafood soup.
ReplyDeleteapparently A.A.S.S is a different stall but selling very similar style seafood soup... i just had A.A.S.S recently and then i walked over to blk 412 and see that A.S. is still there as well...
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