It has been quite a while since I last had Indian food, so for today's lunch I decided that it was finally time to make it happen again!
I already know a good Indian food stall around the Upper Boon Keng Road area, and this was actually my second visit. During my first visit, I ordered their Mutton Briyani and I remember being surprised by how generous the serving was. There was plenty of rice together with a good portion of mutton, making it a really satisfying and filling meal.
I tried my best to finish everything that time LOL. The food was really good, but I think I'm just no longer used to eating huge portions in one sitting. So for today's visit, I decided to go for something a little simpler.
I ordered the Fish Rice set with white rice, some vegetables, fried fish, and a piece of Pompano fish curry.
The Pompano immediately caught my attention because I don't think I've ever had this particular fish from an Indian food stall before. That alone made me excited to give it a try. I already know that Indian fish curry can be really good, especially because the sauce has a different character compared to the usual chicken or mutton curry.
For me, fish curry has this nice acidity to it. There is a slightly sour taste in the curry that works really well with seafood, and it was especially good with the rich flavor of the Pompano.
What surprised me the most, however, was the texture of the fish.
I'm not sure how they cooked it, but the flesh felt almost like butter. It was incredibly smooth, soft, and even a little creamy. I was actually puzzled while eating it because I wasn't expecting this kind of texture at all. The curry soaked into the fish nicely as well, making every bite rich but still balanced by the acidity of the sauce.
At some point I was already thinking of topping up my meal just to get another cut of Pompano fish LOL.
The smaller fried fish was also enjoyable. It had a light coating before being deep-fried, giving the outside a nice texture while keeping that stronger seafood flavor. Compared to the curry fish, this one tasted more intense and "fishy" in a good way.
Still, if I had to pick the winner of today's lunch, the Pompano fish curry is unbeatable!
I also enjoyed the vegetables on the side, especially the bean sprouts. They added some freshness and crunch to the meal, which helped balance the richness of the curry and fried fish.
Another thing I like about this place is the ambiance of the hawker food center itself. It's quite small compared to some of the bigger food centers around the city, and because of that, the atmosphere feels much more relaxed. Sometimes I prefer places like this where I can simply sit down, enjoy my meal, and not feel surrounded by too much noise and activity.
Overall, this second visit was definitely another satisfying one. There are still plenty of dishes at the stall that I haven't tried yet, so I already have a good reason to come back again.
And maybe next time, I'll get another piece of that Pompano fish curry. 😋
Bon appetit!
