It is quite hard to miss the popping up of steamed fish stalls appearing in hawker centres across the island. Steamed fish, steamed fish everywhere.
While we usually associate steamed fish with large family gatherings at zi char spots or high-end seafood restaurants, brands like Hee Hee Hee, Steamed Fish Fun, Tian Tian You Yu 天天有鱼, and Hello Fish 哈喽鱼 are making this more accessible for solo diners.
I didn’t take note of Hello Fish 哈喽鱼 in the past, and surprised they have sprouted up in several locations in a short period.
These include ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre, Margaret Drive Hawker Centre, Haig Road Market & Food Centre, 183 Toa Payoh Central, and Whampoa Drive.
Yah, so many.
The concept is straightforward because they offer fresh fish steamed to order in various styles, served as a complete set with rice and a side dish.
For fish head lovers, the options start with the HK Steamed Seabass Fish Head Set ($6.80), Cai Pu Steamed Seabass Fish Head Set ($7.30), Asam Steamed Seabass Fish Head Set ($7.80), and Teochew Style Steamed Seabass Fish Head Set ($7.80).
Moving on to whole fish, you can choose from the HK Steamed Golden Pomfret Set ($8.80), Cai Pu Steamed Golden Pomfret Set ($9.30), Asam Steamed Golden Pomfret Set ($9.80), or the Teochew Style Steamed Golden Pomfret Set ($9.80).
At first glance, the prices might seem a little higher than your typical hawker stall.
However, I noticed that each set is fairly comprehensive as it comes with a choice of one side dish and rice.
I tried the Cai Pu Steamed Grouper Fish Meat Set ($13.30) and the HK Steamed Grouper Meat Set ($12.80) across two separate visits.
The HK style relied on a soy-based sauce with ginger and spring onions, and allowed the natural sweetness of the fish to come through.
The Cai Pu version added a salty, crunchy element that worked well with the rice.
The fish was generally fresh and flaky, which is the most important factor for this type of cooking.
One thing I felt was a bit inconsistent was the portion size. During my first visit, the amount of fish felt just right, but the second time around, the serving seemed noticeably smaller.
I left the table feeling that I could have used a bit more protein to round off the meal.
Based on some online reviews I came across, this seems to be a common talking point among diners as the experience can be a bit hit-or-miss depending on the day and location.
For the sides, you can pick from Steamed Egg, Baby Kailan, Broccoli, or Bean Sprouts.
You also get to choose between standard White Rice or Brown Rice, with the latter requiring a small top-up of $0.20.
When you consider the cost of fresh fish at the market, the pricing feels more reasonable for a complete meal.
Hello Fish 哈喽鱼
Margaret Drive Hawker Centre #01-33, 38A Margaret Drive, Singapore 142038
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Sun) (earlier if sold out)
Hello Fish 哈喽鱼
ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre #01-40, 6 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 150006
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Sun) (earlier if sold out)
Other Related Entries
Tian Tian You Yu 天天有鱼 (ABC Food Centre)
Nan Zhen Seafood 南珍海鲜 (ABC Food Centre)
Ah Lai Hokkien Mee 阿来福建面 (ABC Brickworks Food Centre)
The Bowl Story (ABC Brickworks Food Centre)
Nan Zhen Seafood 南珍海鲜 (ABC Food Centre)
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