Putian Flavour Food
121 Hougang Avenue 1 #01-1350
https://www.burpple.com/putian-flavour-food
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| Putien Lor Mee (SGD $5 / $10 / $15) |
Authentic Heng Hwa Cuisine
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 5
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 6
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $18 per person.
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Established sometime before September 2012 in the Lorong Ah Soo / Hougang area of Singapore, Putian Flavour Food is a heartland restaurant that specialises in traditional Chinese Heng Hwa Fujian cuisine. Not to be confused with the almost similarly named chain of restaurants, Putian Flavour Food only has this one outlet, which regularly attracts crowds during the weekend.
Ambience at Putian Flavour Food is simple and functional. The limited seating indoors holds about 20 people or so, but there is an option for outdoor seating, and they can open more tables. Exposed to the elements though. Bright fluorescent lights, sturdy wooden and metal furnishings, and minimal decor here. Real heartland vibe.
Service at Putian Flavour Food is brusque and efficiently quick. There's usually a short queue time of 10 - 20 minutes, but staff will quickly seat you when it's your turn. They also expect that you'll order nearly immediately. Decent product knowledge, but not outstanding. Orders are fulfilled quickly, and I note staff clean up just as quickly when diners leave.
Food at Putian Flavour Food is authentic Chinese Heng Hwa Fujian cuisine. An uncommon cuisine in Singapore, so most dishes will look, or are executed, differently, even if their names are familiar. Ingredients are fresh, and dishes feature hearty, comforting flavours. Portions are sized for group communal dining. Prices are wallet-friendly, budget about SGD $18 per person for a meal here.
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| Putian Flavour Food Signage |
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| Putian Flavour Food Facade |
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| Putian Flavour Food Opening Hours |
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| Menu Appetizers |
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| Menu Hot Dishes |
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| Menu Seafood |
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| Menu Seafood |
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| Menu Poultry |
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| Menu Soups |
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| Menu Noodles |
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| Menu Desserts |
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| Warm Water & Dipping Sauces |
Slightly different Deep-Fried Prawn Ball (SGD $8 / $12 / $16) rendition here. The loosely packed minced pork and prawn / shrimp filling is coated in a thin, crisp crust, which shatters beautifully. Has a more delicate savoury sweet flavour as compared to other versions, which are likely to be savoury salty in taste. Also lacks the crunch of water chestnuts. Overall, pretty decent.
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| Deep-Fried Prawn Ball (SGD $8 / $12 / $16) |
What I like about the Stir-Fried Broccoli With Garlic (SGD $8 / $10) is the fresh, crunchy florets of broccoli, very clean-tasting and vegetal sweet in flavour. The garlic lends an aromatic touch of spice, making this tasty even on its own. Good!
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| Stir-Fried Broccoli With Garlic (SGD $8 / $10) |
The Stir-Fried Broccoli With Scallop (SGD $20 / $30) has the same fresh, crunchy florets of broccoli, very clean-tasting and vegetal sweet in flavour. But this time, it's garnished with tender sliced carrots, crunchy spring onions, and luxurious bouncy slippery scallops, with a delicate sweet meaty flavour. A more premium version. Good!
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| Stir-Fried Broccoli With Scallop (SGD $20 / $30) |
The Stir-Fried Yam Taro Cubes (SGD $9 / $12 / $16) is a signature dish here, with small cubes of yam taro coated in a sticky sweet malt sugar glaze, complementing the natural earthy sweet savoury flavours of the yam taro. There is a slight crisp crunch to the exterior, while the interior is soft and smooth, nearly creamy in texture. A sprinkling of sesame seeds lends added crunch. Highly recommended!
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| Stir-Fried Yam Taro Cubes (SGD $9 / $12 / $16) |
A decent rendition of a Fried Oyster Egg (SGD $10 / $15), with a fluffy soft egg omelette, stacked in the center with fresh juicy plump oysters. Nice eggy sweet savoury briny flavours in this dish. No starch here, which means it lacks that chewy texture and smoky aroma, though this will satisfy the health-conscious. Worth ordering!
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| Fried Oyster Egg (SGD $10 / $15) |
The Deep-Fried Mackerel Fish (SGD $9 / $12 / $16) is a signature dish of Chinese Heng Hwa Fujian cuisine, consisting of a simply deep-fried slab of salt marinated mackerel fish fillet. Flash fried under high heat, this creates a light, crispy exterior to the fish, while keeping the interior fish meat moist, tender, and flaky, with good savoury salty flavour in every bite. You've likely had less tasty versions before, but you've never had a delicious and authentic version like the one here. Served with a pungent salty fish sauce with ginger slices for dipping. Highly recommended!
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| Deep-Fried Mackerel Fish (SGD $9 / $12 / $16) |
The Sweet And Sour Sea Bass Fish (SGD $25) is a signature dish, with a whole, fresh, ~700g sea bass fish nicely deboned and filleted, then deep-fried quickly. Coated in a rich, thick, sweet and sour gravy, which complements the natural sweet savoury flavour of the sea bass fish. The meat flakes off easily, as Chef has intentionally carved it to be easy to eat. Very satisfiying. Highly recommended!
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| Sweet And Sour Sea Bass Fish (SGD $25) |
The Garlic Steamed Prawns (SGD $16 / $20) features 8 large, fresh prawns / shrimp, butterfly cut straight down the middle, steamed with fried garlic, served in a light soy sauce and spring onion gravy. The prawns / shrimp have a light sweet savoury salty flavour, then you get the fragrant pungent spicy notes of the garlic. Delicious. Highly recommended!
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| Garlic Steamed Prawns (SGD $16 / $20) |
The Putien Lor Mee (SGD $5 / $10 / $15), also known as White Lor Mee, stands in stark contrast to the more familiar Chinese Hokkien version of Lor Mee, which has a dark braising gravy. Here, the gravy is white and milky, like a thick soup / broth, made from seafood stock. The long, medium thin, hand made rice noodles have a chewy texture, and the dish is garnished with prawns, clams, pork belly, shiitake mushrooms, tofu beancurd puffs, choy sum / Chinese flowering cabbage, and bok choy / Chinese cabbage. It's light, flavourful, and comforting. Good!
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| Putien Lor Mee (SGD $5 / $10 / $15) |
The Fried Hing Hwa Bee Hoon (SGD $5 / $10 / $15) may be a little dry, but the generous portion of ingredients still makes this tasty and value for money. The small plate of thin rice vermicelli noodles is wok tossed with 4 clams, 2 deshelled prawns / shrimp, roasted peanuts, pork loin, Chinese cabbage / bok choy, kai-lan / Chinese kale / Chinese broccoli, dried seaweed, tofu puffs, red onions, and shallots. Pleasant layers of textures, crunchy chewy crispy tender spongy; with delicate savoury sweet earthy flavours. Good!
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| Fried Hing Hwa Bee Hoon (SGD $5 / $10 / $15) |
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| Fried Hing Hwa Bee Hoon |
The Hot Yam Taro Paste With Ginko Nuts (SGD $3 / $8 / $12) is properly thick and creamy in texture, though there was a little too much coconut water in our serving. The yam taro paste has a bold earthy sweet flavour, and the ginko nuts within are tender with a soft chew. I like that it's not too rich or cloying, just well-balanced. Slightly different from what I'm used to, but still an above average dessert. Worth ordering!
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| Hot Yam Taro Paste With Ginko Nuts (SGD $3 / $8 / $12) |
The Sweet Peanut Soup With Red Bean Paste Glutinous Rice Ball (SGD $8 / $12 / $16) has a thin but flavourful peanut and red date soup / broth, which is cloudy in appearance, but has a delicate nutty floral sweet flavour. The chewy glutinous rice balls are filled with warm red bean paste, which bursts forth delightfully when bit. A comforting communal dessert. Good!
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| Sweet Peanut Soup With Red Bean Paste Glutinous Rice Ball (SGD $8 / $12 / $16) |
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| Red Bean Paste Glutinous Rice Ball |
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