Singapore's own "exotic meat"
I am, for sure, not the most daring of foodies, but I do have my moments of intrigue when I encounter more “exotic” meats; I would assume that turtle takes the road less travel in terms of how commonly consumed it is as compared to other meats – though certainly not exactly rare to find in Singapore – and I personally have never ventured out to give turtle meat a taste, that is until I had the opportunity to do so at Tan Ser Seng Herbs Restaurant.
A brief history
Turtle soup is a delicacy that originates from imperial China, meant to be enjoyed by royalty. When the recipe was brought over by migrants who stepped afoot onto our shores presumably in the early 1990s, the dish was – and still is – consumed in turn by the common Singaporean folk. Today, it is eaten by locals and foreigners alike and can be found at hawker centres as well as restaurants, such as Tan Ser Seng Herbs Restaurant.
Tan Ser Seng Herbs Restaurant was founded in 1946, where the turtle soup was sold along Orchard Road, followed by Mei Shi Jie on a cart by a man named Tan Ah Sai. The healthy soup dish sought frequent queues. Today, the legacy of his business is handed down to his son, Tan Khar Seng, and cooking traditions are still kept after all the years that have passed. Since then, other dishes such as nutritious herbal chicken soups have been added to the menu.
The dining experience
Situated around a corner at Lorong Bachok, the restaurant breathes an air of nostalgia with its open and simplistic space, filled with tables and red chairs that we’d typically find at our local coffee shops inside and along the roadside curb. The interior does not have air-conditioning but has fans to keep diners cool.
I was dining in with one other friend, and we were definitely not expecting the feast that was coming. Dishes we tried included the signature Claypot Turtle Soup, Ginseng Black Chicken Soup, and Herbal Cordycep Chicken Soup, as well as the Handmade Prawn Roll and Aged Preserved Raddish Omelette.
To start, I was a little nervous digging into this Claypot Turtle Soup ($24) as I have never had turtle in my life. The turtle meat was quite intriguing to me. Texturally, some softer pieces were akin to eating fish, while the tougher, chewier ones reminded me of chicken; I learned that the different textures is due to the use of different cuts turtle meat being used. It is worth noting that the turtles used for the turtle meat are not endangered, and are freshwater softshell turtles sourced from a local, food-safe (HACCP-certified) turtle provider.
Apart from turtle meat, the broth contains other ingredients like coriander, dates, and wolfberries. As it is believed to be a healthy dish that is loaded with vitamins and nutrients, I expected the soup to lean towards a more herbal flavour, but to my pleasant surprise, it wasn’t. Rather, there was a slight lingering gingery aftertaste that came with every spoonful. Having tried this now, I don’t think I’m head over heels for turtle soup, but I’m definitely sure that I wouldn’t shun or be repulsed by it.
Not gonna lie – I was absolutely apprehensive about trying the Ginseng Black Chicken Soup ($13), particularly because when I picked into the meat, it was black throughout. When I conveyed this to other friends, some who have had black chicken before were taken aback that the whole chicken boasted an intense charcoal colour, as they have only come across the same dish with white meat.
Finally giving the chicken a try, I quickly noticed that it was tender and had quite a clean taste, much to my relief. However, as I am not a fan of the taste of ginseng, I did not really enjoy the soup and the overall flavour, but I would like to think that fans of ginseng chicken soup would no doubt enjoy this dish.
In contrast, I definitely preferred the lighter overall flavour of the Herbal Cordycep Chicken Soup ($13), but personally felt that the chicken was a little meatier in taste for my liking, as compared to the ginseng chicken, so give and take for both chicken soups.
I would admit that because of my taste preferences, I definitely found more solace in the sides as on first impression, they were more familiar dishes to me. The handmade Prawn Roll ($10), made with prawn, pork and water chestnut, was pretty tasty and well deep-fried to give a nice, light crunch with every bite, but what I felt really made this dish come through for me was the sweet, honey-like dip served on the side.
Lastly, the Old Preserved Raddish Omelette ($8) proved to be the most comforting dish for me – pretty much as I’d expect from a “zichar style” omelette dish and an ideal comfort food to pair with my meal, especially if I’m having rice (aside from plain White Rice ($0.90), they serve Yam Rice ($1.60) as well). In actuality, the egg itself didn’t bear much taste, but the sweet and salty preserved raddish fully made up for that.
If you consider yourself to be a daring and adventurous foodie, you might be curious to give Turtle Eggs ($3) a try. These are subject to availability, and while I personally gave them a miss, I did learn that they actually burst in your mouth upon biting, the yolk bearing a rather creamy texture.
In conclusion
I cannot deny that the type of cuisine served at Tan Ser Seng Herbs Restaurant is not one that I’m particularly drawn to, but I am thankful to have had the opportunity to step out of that comfort zone and give the food here a try. Overall, I personally feel that the soup dishes are shareable even though all the dishes served during lunch were single portions, and I probably would not refuse a friend’s craving if they are looking to have or try turtle soup around the area.
Meanwhile, if you are looking to give turtle soup a try or are in the mood for something healthy and soupy at the same time, be sure to keep tabs on this generational family-owned restaurant.
*Thank you to the folks at Tan Ser Seng Herbs Restaurant and Studio 155 for having me to try your food!