POH - Chye Poh Hor @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

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When I was at Empress Road Market & Food Centre three years ago, I had wanted to try the stall named POH, which serves chye poh hor (菜莆河).

Alas, the four trips that I made to the food centre would always end in disappointment as the stall was perpetually closed each time. I later learned that the stall has shuttered for good.

Fast forward to a few days back, I was at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre when I noticed a new stall along the same row as Chef Sham.

Somehow, the familiarity of the stall - from the menu to its name, reminded me very much of the old "POH".

As it turns out, it is indeed them! Fans would be elated to know that after taking a three years break, their favorite stall has made a comeback at a new location!

They are marked as permanently closed at their previous location on Google. Because they are still new at their current place, they are not visible on Google at the point of writing. I have already made a submission so hopefully, by the time you read this review, their new status would have already been updated.

I ordered the chye poh hor ($6) which is basically a Teochew-style dry hor fun stir-fried with prawns, eggs and chye poh (preserved radish). At first glance, the dish was not that visually appealing to me and truth be told, I am even a little bothered by the portion served on the plate.

However, for what it lacks in quantity. the hawker makes up for it with quality. As I send a mouthful of kway teow into my mouth, my olfactory system were infiltrated by the evident presence of wok hei.

What impressed me is that the dish is not overloaded with MSG. What I tasted, for instance, are the eggy fragrance from the egg, savoriness from the chye poh, the burst of flavors from the occasional crispy pork lard and the wok hei from the kway teow that has been seared over high temperature.

That dollop of sambal served separately on a saucer somewhat further accentuates the taste profile of the dish.

If you need even more convincing, the icing on the cake is that the dish is not greasy at all.

My only gripe is the temperature of the prawns which felt a little colder than the kway teow. Apart from that, they tasted fresh with a crunchy bite yet subtle with prawny sweetness.

I think six pieces of prawns are pretty generous.

This dish is more commonly found in Teochew restaurants rather than in a hawker setting. To be able to enjoy restaurant quality fare at a fraction of the price is truly a blessing.

I am consoled that with the return of POH, this uncommon Teochew heritage dish is made more accessible and affordable to the masses.