Old Flavour Spinach Soup: Michelin Bib 2023 stall’s affordable spinach soup and bao zai mee
You have to wonder why spinach had such a bad rap when we were kids. To be fair, any vegetable will usually have kids cringing. It’s funny then, as you grow older, you tend to appreciate vegetable dishes a lot more. It’s likely why I thoroughly enjoyed the soups at Old Flavour Spinach Soup at Eunos Crescent Market and Food Centre.
Although it lacks an online presence and following, it’s a popular pick within the neighbourhood. I got to see their countless patrons first-hand, forming an ongoing dinner queue throughout the evening. It even has official recognition with a Michelin Bib 2023 sticker out front.
What could ever make a bowl of spinach soup Michelin-worthy? The dish may be modest, but it comes packed with nutrients and flavours. As they say, don’t judge a book by its cover.
Their menu consists primarily of homely comfort food. As its name states, Old Flavour Spinach Soup offers a variety of spinach soups. They also offer several types of porridge, Bao Zai Mee (S$3.50) and Macaroni (S$3.50).
Their menu spread and price point were no doubt why their primary clientele was made up of old folk, though there were a good number of office workers, too.
What I tried at Old Flavour Spinach Soup
I started with their Signature Spinach Soup (S$6). A handful of the people in the queue before me had that as their order as well, so it piqued my interest.
The Signature wasn’t much in terms of presentation, with a mostly clear broth. Usually, spinach soups come with stray bits of egg but there weren’t any in this dish.
With just a sip, I could taste the mellow sweetness, making me assume there was a fair bit of seafood in it. While there were indeed prawns used in the Signature, there were only two of them with no other crustaceans in sight.
The prawns were by no means small, but the size mattered very little as they weren’t the freshest.
I later realised that the bits of minced meat were another contributor to the sweetness.
Easily catching my eye next were the two big fishballs. They were a nice recovery from the prawns as it brought my expectations up again. Both were bouncy, with no hint of fishiness from them. You could make out the subtle taste of the herbs used in it.
There were also a few pieces of stuffed beancurd and one tau kwa, which made me feel like I was drinking a bowl of yong tau foo soup instead. If not for the prominent amount of spinach, you could likely be convinced.
As I was quite hungry, I decided to add a bowl of carbs. There are quite a good deal of interesting options, including Macaroni (S$0.50), Mee Tai Mak (S$0.50), Koka Noodle (S$0.50), and Mee Sua (S$0.50). But out of dinner time habits, I picked a simple bowl of Rice (S$0.50).
As I could never say no to more soup, I also ordered Old Flavour Spinach Soup’s Spinach Century & Salted Egg Soup (S$4).
The broth was cloudier, with bits of goji berries and century eggs floating about. I wondered where the salted egg was until I took a sip, realising it had mostly broken down into the broth.
Compared to the Signature, this was richer with a far more complex taste. Likely thanks to the mixture of spinach, minced meat and salted egg, the soup didn’t taste vulgar despite the inclusion of century eggs.
It wasn’t overly savoury either, so it still felt light to drink.
The only ingredient I felt didn’t have that strong a presence was the mushroom. It does at least add a nice change of texture to the whole bowl.
Lastly, let’s talk about the iron-heavy star of both soups: the spinach. In both bowls, it was not overcooked to a soggy yellow mush. Instead, it was still vibrantly green with a good balance of softness and crunch from the stems.
If you know anyone who fears the bitterness of vegetables, this would be a good way to change their mind. Thanks to the strong flavour of the soup, the earthy taste isn’t prominent at all.
Final Thoughts
I do see myself returning for another bowl and more. Old Flavour Spinach Soup offers such homely and comforting soups that I find myself craving a taste even when I’m not sick.
As the main star of the soups is spinach, it is a good outlet for nourishing food options as well.
Expected damage: S$3.50 – S$6.50 per pax
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