Fermented beancurd is something that you either hate or love, just like durians and blue cheese. And if you belong to the latter group, you might be missing your favourite fermented beancurd after not being able to savour it for at least the past two years.
Leisure travel to Hong Kong seems to be unlikely for the next few months but, thankfully, you don’t have to travel overseas in order to enjoy fermented beancurd.
That’s right, you can actually enjoy it right here in Singapore thanks to this quaint little shop called Mini Star (HK) Fermented Beancurd.
Fermented beancurd in Singapore
You may not have heard of this shop, but it has actually been serving customers for more than 20 years.
Mini Star (HK) first started out as a humble stall at Chinatown Hawker Centre, before relocating to its current location at Geylang.
This eatery is so compact and has all the vibes of the old-school eateries in Hong Kong that it’ll immediately take you back to the last meal you had at a char chaan teng.
They serve three types of fermented beancurd here – original, mala, and crispy slices.
Original fermented beancurd
The original Fermented Beancurd (S$4) comes in two pieces and it is served with the store’s signature sauce that complements the flavours very well.
The moment the fermented beancurd arrives and the pungent smell hits you, you’ll be taken back to the streets of Hong Kong and start reminiscing the days you walked through the buzzy night markets, savouring this smelly but delicious treat.
The exterior of the fermented beancurd is perfectly crisp, but the interior is soft and moist.
Enjoy a bite in its full glory, before trying it with the store’s signature sauce.
Don’t be too busy taking photos of this though, because the fermented beancurd is best enjoyed when it’s hot.
Mala fermented beancurd
If you would like to try something different, you can go for their Xiang Hua Mala Fermented Beancurd (S$6).
This features a few bite-sized cubes of fermented beancurd in a steaming mala hotpot, so be careful when you’re about to take a bite!
If you’re afraid that the crispy fermented beancurd may become too soft if it’s left in the hotpot for too long, you can also request for the beancurd and the hotpot to be served separately.
This way, you can enjoy the beancurd to the fullest with maximum crisp. Simply dip into the soup when you want to eat it.
Crispy fermented beancurd slices
You might be wondering what’s the difference between this and the original fermented beancurd.
Well, for this, the beancurd is cut into thin slices before deep-frying, so it will be a lot crispier than what you will experience when you order the original version.
Other menu items
Mini Star (HK) Fermented Beancurd also serves other dishes that are worth trying if you’re there.
One of the highly raved items other than the fermented beancurd is their Fried Pig Intestines (S$4).
Unlike others, the pig intestines served here do not have a gamey taste.
Instead, they are so crispy, chewy, and incredibly addictive to eat that some people have even likened them to the skin of the Peking duck.
The Roti Prata with Duck Meat (S$8) is also another dish with good reviews. It’s a little bit oily, but that’s what makes it taste so good.
Other favourites include Hong Kong Curry Fish Balls and Cuttlefish (S$8), Fried Potato Strips with Floss (S$8), and Claypot Chicken Herbal Soup (S$16).
Mini Star (HK) Fermented Beancurd is located at 795 Geylang Road, Singapore 389678, and opens from 12pm to 12am on Tuesdays through Sundays. It is closed on Mondays. Do note that since this is a popular eatery with limited seats, you may have to queue and wait for a while before getting to try the dishes. You can try to go earlier to avoid crowds!
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