Hong Weng Mutton Soup have been a fixture here at the level 4 food court of Beauty World Centre for as long as I can remember. I used to live and work near here, so Beauty World was my regular food haunt.
This breezy, sometimes windy centre court is my favourite hangout at Beauty World Centre. In the old days, if you sat near enough to Hong Wen Mutton Soup stall, you can smell the gaminess of mutton and aroma of herbs wafting from their steamy pot.
You can also hear Taiwanese ballads blaring from two loudspeakers perched on top of Hong Wen stall.
Today, the centre court and Hong Weng stall front haven't changed much. Hong Weng boss also didn't aged much 😄 (jealous 🙄 ) But, the mutton smell, herb aroma and music are gone 😥
Just a couple of weeks ago, I bumped into ex-colleague Vince who came all the way back to savour that old mutton soup. Today, Clown Prince wanted to relive his school days - people is from Hwa Chong one.
I took a couple of tasting sips from Clown Prince's bowl of Hong Wen mutton soup.
It was no longer as gamey and herbal as before. I remember the mutton soup's robust raw ginger taste and spiciness but it was hardly there now.
Instead, there was a strong sweetness from goji berries which weren't there in the old recipe. The sweetness was strong enough to dominate the whole dish, masking the mutton gaminess and herbal taste. The ginger was hardly discernible.
We didn't speak with Hong Wen boss but from a quick browse of Google reviews, several who rated Hong Wen highly now cited "not gamey", "mutton does not have too strong a flavor" as their reasons.
Written by Tony Boey on 22 Feb 2016 | Reviewed 11 Dec 2021
Back at my favourite Hong Wen Mutton Soup today (2016). I used to eat at Hong Wen regularly when I worked nearby. This mutton soup was also our reward when we finished climbing Bukit Timah Hill on weekends. We like Hong Wen's unapologetic lamb gaminess and strong herbal taste 😄
You will rarely see a snaking queue at Hong Wen Mutton Soup - just a steady stream of loyal fans who kept Mr Tan busy for the last 50 years. (Mr Tan's father founded Hong Wen at the long demolished old Seventh Mile market 七英里 50+ years ago. Mr Tan's elder brother runs the other Hong Wen stall at nearby Bukit Timah Food Centre.)
The youthful looking Mr Tan said that Hong Wen serve the Teochew style of mutton soup. It differs from the Hainanese version by being more herbal and does not use taupok (fried bean curd). Mr Tan's looks hasn't changed much over the last two decades! I am envious.
I found the sight of stacks of lamb ribs irresistibly seductive especially with lamb and herb aroma hanging in the air.
Mr Tan also plays 1970s vintage Taiwanese love ballads blaring out from his stall. The Yu Tian 余天 songs added to the dining experience at Hong Wen which fans are mainly baby boomers.
(Update 2021: He doesn't do that anymore. I didn't ask him why 😅 )
Hong Wen uses New Zealand lamb, preferred for its texture, flavour and aroma. This justifies the relatively high price for Hong Wen's mutton soup which starts at SGD5 per bowl (2016 price | starts at $8 as at 2021).
We ordered the largest SGD8 bowl of mutton soup with (good quality) fragrant rice at fifty cents per bowl. (Largest serving is now at $15, 2021 price.)
The broth was surprisingly clean tasting and much less greasy than I remembered it. I like the broth's robust sweet, herbal and gamey flavours balanced by slight savouriness. There was also the distinct taste of rice wine and vinegar. There were also lots of shredded fresh ginger and a heap of cilantro to balance the robust gamey taste.
The lamb meat is tender and juicy with pronounced lamb flavour. Mr Tan shaved off most of the fat.
I like the tender bounce and chew of the lamb stomach.
We drank the mutton soup to the last drop which only set off a craving that can only be resolved with an immediate follow on order of a second SGD8 bowl.
This good old style mutton soup appeals to a niche but loyal market. We won't be seeing a craze for it like the salted egg yolk croissant phenomenon. But, food fads come and go like dew in the morning. (Yeah, the salted egg yolk croissant craze is long forgotten.)
Hong Wen uses New Zealand lamb, preferred for its texture, flavour and aroma. This justifies the relatively high price for Hong Wen's mutton soup which starts at SGD5 per bowl (2016 price | starts at $8 as at 2021).
We ordered the largest SGD8 bowl of mutton soup with (good quality) fragrant rice at fifty cents per bowl. (Largest serving is now at $15, 2021 price.)
The broth was surprisingly clean tasting and much less greasy than I remembered it. I like the broth's robust sweet, herbal and gamey flavours balanced by slight savouriness. There was also the distinct taste of rice wine and vinegar. There were also lots of shredded fresh ginger and a heap of cilantro to balance the robust gamey taste.
The lamb meat is tender and juicy with pronounced lamb flavour. Mr Tan shaved off most of the fat.
I like the tender bounce and chew of the lamb stomach.
We drank the mutton soup to the last drop which only set off a craving that can only be resolved with an immediate follow on order of a second SGD8 bowl.
This good old style mutton soup appeals to a niche but loyal market. We won't be seeing a craze for it like the salted egg yolk croissant phenomenon. But, food fads come and go like dew in the morning. (Yeah, the salted egg yolk croissant craze is long forgotten.)
Foods like Chinese mutton soup are much more resilient (we hope). We have to be mindful that it does not slip into a long slow slide into oblivion because we didn't nurture a new generation of Chinese mutton soup lovers.
Hong Wen Mutton Soup at Beauty World won't win any popularity contest but its signature taste has its die harder fans who are fiercely loyal.
Hong Wen Mutton Soup at Beauty World won't win any popularity contest but its signature taste has its die harder fans who are fiercely loyal.
Was at Beauty World Centre today (Nov 2021) and bumped into old buddy Vince. He came all the way back here for his Hong Wen mutton soup fix. It's been at least 15 years since I last saw Vince. So yeah, Hong Wen have hard core fans and food still brings people together.
I didn't have mutton soup but was checking out the soya sauce chicken and beef brisket noodle.
👉 This is one of my favourite Chinese style mutton soup at the moment.
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| 2016 |
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| 2021 |
Restaurant name: Hong Wen Mutton Soup 紅炆羊肉湯
Address: Level 4, Stall 04-20, Beauty World Centre, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 588177
Nearest MRT: At Beauty World station
Tel: +65 9889 8948
Hours: 11:00am to 3:00pm (Mon off)
Date: 28 Feb 2016 | Reviewed 19 Nov 2021
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I might not be a baby boomer,but I have been eating here for as long as i know (since my mother brouhgt me here). Am praying every day that the place remains open so that I can bring my son here as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Lyian, that's great! As long as there are mutton soup fans there will be mutton soup (I hope this economic principle is true here :-D).
DeleteI just have the mutton soup this afternoon at beauty world food centre. THe price has increased now. It’s $8 (S) / $10 (M) / $15 (L) now.
ReplyDeleteThe soup is comparatively thinner and lighter than it used to be under his dad. I have since stop visiting this stall as the old taste is long gone
ReplyDelete