Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice @ Eng Hoon Street

UPDATES (6th June 2014): Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice has moved location. New address is updated at the end of this post.

Mention Tiong Bahru and what comes to mind?

Other than the unique pre-war and post-war architecture as mentioned in my previous post, what draws people to this quaint little estate has got to be food!

And indeed, Tiong Bahru boasts some of the best hawker stalls that Singapore has to offer!

While planning my Tiong Bahru trip, l did some research on what to eat as well. Among all the suggestions that turned up in the search list, what caught my eye was Hainanese curry rice.

I have long heard about Hainanese curry but have never got around to tasting it. Since most of the reviews that I found have been quite positive, I see no reason to deny myself a visit to this stall!

The stall in question was Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice located at Blk 57 Eng Hoon Street.

Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice SGD 4.90
(Bernese Mountain Dog in the background)

Based on the results I gathered, it seems like the pork chop, chap chye and squids are the must-eats at this stall.

To play it safe, I ordered what was being recommended by the foodies although you cannot really tell which is which from the picture above...

Loo's Curry Rice

The Verdict?

My ratings 2/5

After a few mouthfuls of the curry laden rice, I am sorry to say that this is not the type of curry that I like as it is not spicy enough for me.

Loo's curry is rich in coconut milk but it does not make me break into a sweat like it's Indian cousin does.

Curry for me definitely has to be spicy but Loo's sweet version simply did not cut it.

Squid

The Verdict?

My ratings 2.5/5

One thing I noticed about Loo's was their generosity with food portions. I was given a whole Squid.

A typical Chap Chye Peng stall would have given you only a few rings instead.

The squid was fresh and very chewy but as you can probably see from the first picture, the curry was drenched over all the dishes, masking their original flavor which is a pity.

Chap Chye

The Verdict?

My ratings 2.5/5

Chap Chye was one of my comfort food which I would eat on a regular basis. I like my Chap Chye stewed until soft with lots of tang hoon which is how Loo's Chap Chye was prepared but I was unable to taste the original sauce it was stewed in due to the curry.

Pork Chop

The Verdict?

My ratings 3/5

The Pork Chop was marinated and breaded with Soda Crackers （苏打饼） before deep fried. There was no sign of oil oozing out at all when I press on the meat with my fork.

I believe the chef's experience in fire-control plays a big part in expelling the excess oil during the frying process.

The meat was thick enough to please and not too dry.

The Pork Chop was served in tangy tomato sauce which I did not request for.

Loo's stall

Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice is definitely value for money in terms of their generous portion. I almost had trouble finishing my food even though I had already requested for lesser rice.

However, in terms of taste, I find it unfortunate that all my dishes were doused in curry sauce thus I was unable to savor their real taste.

I might just have to make another trip down to try out their food again and this time, I must remember to request for the curry first before adding on other dishes if not, everything will end up tasting like curry again!

Do try it out yourself and share with me your thoughts about it!

Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice is located diagonally across the road from Tiong Bahru Market.

LOO'S HAINANESE CURRY RICE
Tai Kwang Huat Coffee Shop
Blk 57 Eng Hoon Street Blk 71 Seng Poh Road
#01-88 #01-49
Singapore 160057 Singapore 160071

Opening Hours:
Mon - Sun: 8am - 2.30pm daily
Closed on alternate Thursdays