Char siew + siu yuk rice (叉烧烧肉饭) ($5)!
A Tanjong Pagar hawker plate of Cantonese roast meats: char siew and crispy siu yuk over soya-glazed rice, with cucumber and a side soup. $5.
Lunch at a Tanjong Pagar hawker: char siew + siu yuk rice (叉烧烧肉饭) for $5, the Cantonese roast meat duo. 😋
What was on the plate ($5):
- Char siew (BBQ pork): sliced, with dark glazed crispy edges and a tender pink interior
- Siu yuk (roast pork belly): sliced, layers of crackling skin, fat and meat
- White rice drizzled with a dark sweet soya glaze
- Cucumber slices on the side
- A side bowl of clear soup
Getting both roast meats on one plate is the smart order. The char siew had a lovely dark, glossy glaze with slightly charred edges (the burnt-fragrant bits everyone loves) and stayed tender and pink inside. The siu yuk brought the crunch, a shattering crackling skin on top over a moist meat layer that the fat had basted as it roasted.
The dark sweet soya glaze drizzled over the rice is the little touch that ties it together, soaking down into the grains for a savoury-sweet finish, while the cucumber keeps things fresh against all that richness. The clear soup on the side is the classic roast-shop palate cleanser.
At $5 this is the everyday neighbourhood roast shop tier. The famous names charge $7 to $12 for the same plate, so the quality is a touch below them, but the value beats them comfortably.
Overall: 4.1 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Dark-glazed char siew and crackly siu yuk over fragrant soya rice. Cantonese roast comfort at a neighbourhood price.
