Big fans of Chin
Chin, we of course had to try out Chef Benjamin Cooper’s latest creation,
Hawker Hall. The night before, we had arrived at 6:00 p.m. only to be told that
we would have to wait for 90 minutes! So this time, we arrived an hour earlier
and (barely) managed to get a table.
The atmosphere is electric. It’s a huge space adorned with lights and neon signs. The DJs keep the volume loud and your eardrums ringing. True to its name, Hawker Hall feels like a pimped-up version of the hawker centres in Singapore.
The atmosphere is electric. It’s a huge space adorned with lights and neon signs. The DJs keep the volume loud and your eardrums ringing. True to its name, Hawker Hall feels like a pimped-up version of the hawker centres in Singapore.
Our waitress (don’t know her name, she's in the blue shirt at the bottom of the first photo above) was really friendly and attentive in a
natural way. However, service in general was slow at times. I guess this is a
consequence of the place always being so insanely busy.
I had a Sugar Cane Juice with Mint & … ($7.50).
Interesting, but a bit too sour to be refreshing.
Sugar Cane Juice |
To start off, we had the Cucumber, Mint & Shallot Salad
with Cumin & Coconut Yoghurt Dressing ($9.00). In short, this was a huge disappointment.
When I read ‘Cucumber, Mint & Shallot Salad’,
I envisioned slices or julienned strips of cucumber and shallot mixed with mint
and yoghurt to make a crunchy and refreshing salad. What we got, however, were
a few haphazardly-cut chunks of cucumber dumped on a plate. Strangely enough,
this was one of the ‘recommended dishes’. I strongly advise that you don’t order this.
Cucumber, Mint & Shallot Salad with Cumin and Coconut Yoghurt Dressing |
But things thankfully took a turn for the better after that and
stayed that way. The Malay Vegetable Spring Rolls with Green Chilli Soy (4pc,
$12.00) were hot and super crunchy. I think they should offer non-vegetarian
fillings like prawn and pork too as these have the potential to become one of
their signature dishes.
Malay Vegetable Spring Rolls with Green Chilli Soy |
Next was the Combination Satay Plate ($18.00) – 2 skewers each
of Beef, Chicken and Pork with Peanut Sauce and 4 Squid skewers with Sambal
Belachan. When this came out, the table next to us, who were still looking
through the menu, gasped and said ‘We are definitely
ordering that.’ And it certainly tasted as good as it looked. Every meat was
tender and succulent; for me though, the stand-out was the squid. Highly
recommend.
Combination Satay Plate - Beef, Chicken, Pork & Squid |
Then came the Chicken Tikka with Coconut Yoghurt, Chilli
& Lemon ($16.00). The chicken was well-cooked and moist. The flavours were
nice but way too subtle. Needed a lot more spice.
Chicken Tikka with Coconut Yoghurt, Chilli & Lemon |
The highlight of the night was without a doubt the Malay
Coconut Beef Rendang ($15.50). The beef melted in your mouth and the curry was
rich and fragrant. Every mouthful brought a smile to my face. How is this not
one of their ‘recommended dishes’? You simply must try it for yourself!
Malay Coconut Beef Rendang |
As you can see the Beef Rendang came with rice but since we
were sharing we ordered an extra bowl of Jasmine Rice ($3.50).
Jasmine Rice |
Finally, the Roti Canai with Curry Sauce & Eggplant
Sambal ($8.50). At first, when we asked the waitress whether they made their
own roti and she told us that it was made off-site then cooked in their
kitchen, I was a little doubtful. But my doubts disappeared as soon as my teeth
sank into the crisp and buttery roti. Some people say it’s not flaky enough,
but I actually like my roti to be more substantial like this one. Tip: order it
without the sauces, as it’s $3.00 cheaper, and dip it in the curry instead.
Roti Canai with Curry Sauce & Eggplant Sambal |
On the way to the bathroom, J saw Benjamin Cooper himself
mopping up the floor. Not something you’d expect to see at all. Respect!
Verdict: Don’t be
put off by everyone’s comparisons to Chin Chin, Hawker Hall is the real deal -
it’s just a matter of choosing the right things to order.
Food: 8
Service: 9
Atmosphere: 10
Value: 8
Would I come back?
Yes.