Fatt Soon Kueh: 20-Year-Old Traditional Soon Kueh Stall With Crunchy Ku Chai Kueh

Traditional Teochew kueh at Fatt Soon Kueh

Although it’s not as popular among the youth of today, soon kueh is a favourite of the older generation. My own parents, who have fond memories of eating the traditional snack when they were younger, tell me that it only cost $0.30 for a piece back then. While it might not be as ancient as some of the other Teochew kueh bakeries, Fatt Soon Kueh at Bedok is pretty popular among residents of the surrounding neighbourhood. 

This soon kueh stall has been around since 1999, and has three outlets around Singapore. Their Bedok branch serves three things: soon kueh, png kueh, and chye kueh. As expected from soon kueh, the prices are low and easily affordable. Every dish here is a dollar each. 

All their handmade kueh are steamed at the start of the day. It was early afternoon when we arrived, so we didn’t get to watch the magic happen. The store looked a little bare-bones, with a simple menu and mostly empty space. 

Food at Fatt Soon Kueh

The Soon Kueh ($1) is as classic and traditional as it gets—a pretty sizable dumpling, filled with jicama, carrot, black fungus, bamboo shoots, and prawn. The shiny skin was a bit thicker than standard soon kueh skin, but was still thin enough for us to see the contents within. 

The texture of the crunchy vegetables went well with the chewy skin. I liked the mild savouriness that the dried prawns gave, and the jicama was fragrant. The kueh was light and tasty, and since there were so many different textures and ingredients, I didn’t get sick of it after eating a whole piece. I’d definitely enjoy having one or two of these for breakfast in the morning. 

Adding chilli improved the taste significantly, since it gave a potent kick of spice to the glutinous skin. I tried adding some sweet sauce to it, but preferred the piquant chilli in the end. The spiciness helped enhance the taste of the filling.

The Rice Kueh ($1), commonly known as png kueh, came with an attractive pink skin. I could see the glutinous rice peeking out from underneath. It was pretty sizable, and looked quite sturdy despite the skin being thin in places. They were shiny from being steamed, and slightly sticky to the touch. 

The odd shape of these pink dumplings are based off peaches, and they’re moulded with various patterns. Png kueh are sometimes used in prayers and during festivities, as offerings to ancestors. There are white and pink versions, but the former is rarely seen nowadays. I can’t remember the last time I caught sight of the white ones, and the pretty pink dumplings are by far the more iconic of the two.

Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t very remarkable. It was average, with filling that wasn’t as savoury as I hoped; rice that was just a tad dry and overly tough skin. The texture got almost gritty after a while, and the hard glutinous rice made it difficult to keep going. It was a bit better once I added the sauce to moisten it, but overall, I enjoyed this one the least. 

Out of the three, the Ku Chai Kueh ($1) was my favourite. The chive-filled snacks had the same bouncy skin as the soon kueh, with the addition of far more flavourful greens inside. I preferred the stronger, earthier flavours over the jicama and rice. 

You can see here just how thick the skin was. Biting it open revealed a pretty sight within; vivid green leaves, still looking fresh, contrasted with the pale white skin of the kueh. The chye inside was aromatic and fragrant. If you don’t like the slight pungency and sharp sweetness of raw spring onion, leeks, or any other alliums, this kueh may not be for you. 

Overall, I’m a huge fan of the greens and loved crunching on mouthfuls of veggies that were covered by the QQ skin. The chive-stuffed kueh went well with the spicy, mildly sour chilli. It helped to cut through the strong sharpness that the veggies had.

Ambience at Fatt Soon Kueh

The stall is located in Block 208 Food Centre, which is a short walk from Bedok MRT Station. It’s convenient to get there, and it’s right next to Bedok mall. You definitely won’t be short on options in the area. This hawker centre is also shaded with fans around, so you won’t have to worry about the heat while you eat.

The verdict

Overall, while I did enjoy the kueh, I didn’t find it particularly special. I liked that Fatt Soon Kueh tried to shake things up a bit by having thicker, chewier skin, but the filling wasn’t too far off from generic soon kueh that you’d find in other soon kueh stalls. I wouldn’t queue up specifically for it, but if you’re in the area, it’s a decent spot to buy these chewy and crunchy snacks at. 

For more traditional kueh, check out our list of 10 traditional soon kueh stalls! And if you want to check out more food at the East side of town, including Bedok, check out our guide to late-night supper spots in the east!

Address: 208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-18, Block 208 Food Centre, Singapore 460208
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 8:30am to 8pm
Website

Photos taken by Huang Xiao.
This is an independent review by Eatbook.sg.