Taste of Home: Ex-Hyatt manager’s authentic Seremban cuttlefish bee hoon cures homesick Malaysians
We’ve all heard about the popular classics from Malaysia— nasi lemak, mee goreng, etc. Hidden in the down-low Potong Pasir neighbourhood lies Taste Of Home which serves authentic cuttlefish bee hoon reminiscent of Seremban, Malaysia.
Taste Of Home may not be such a stranger to some, given their recent coverage by a popular publication. However, it is still fresh on the F&B market as it just opened in Apr 2023.
Started by former Grand Hyatt manager Mr Lim, this niche stall caters to Malaysian dishes like Seremban Cuttlefish Bee Hoon (S$5) and lai fan, which is a type of rice noodle. As a local from Seremban, he understands how homesickness affects Malaysians working here. What better way to cure that than through food?
The menu here is fairly simple, having a total of 4 base dishes. Unfortunately, there was no queue when I was there. Perhaps folks are not too accustomed to this unique fare?
Despite the ulu location, this particular coffeeshop was packed with diners. Full-house by the time mid-afternoon rolled by, the crowd was mainly residents from around the area. It was no wonder, either, as convenience was truly a winner when it comes to decisions on what to eat.
I found the coffeeshop to be slightly on the less ventilated side. It will be slightly warm, so be sure to chope a spot under the fans before heading to place your order!
What I tried at Taste Of Home
I immediately jumped to order the Seremban Cuttlefish Bee Hoon, having heard through the grapevine that it’s the stall’s speciality. Mr Lim had learned to cook it from a senior hawker, who had clearly honed his craft and ran a popular cuttlefish bee hoon stall in Malaysia.
At first glance, the generous portion satisfied the foodie in me. Containing noodles doused in a thin brown gravy, the dish also had 4 slices of cuttlefish and braised beef and was topped off with a few leaves of Chinese cabbage. I truly appreciated the full balanced meal for just S$5!
Mr Lim recommended that I get a mixture of hor fun and vermicelli. This decision was a wise one as I was pleasantly surprised by the result.
The hor fun soaked up the gravy well, allowing for a deeper flavour with each bite. Chewy hor fun combined with snappy bee hoon made for quite the textural contrast, which resulted in me gobbling the beloved carbs speedily.
I had expected the gravy to be slightly thicker and with a touch more flavour. Rather, the one at Taste Of Home was almost like a soup, almost like a lighter version of a dark braising liquid. Folks who prefer a less salty base will adore this, for sure.
Topping-wise, the cuttlefish was free of any fishy smell or taste — a testament to its freshness. With only 4 slices, they were devoured fast, leaving me saddened by their departure.
However, its braised beef companion had to be my favourite item! Those soft beef morsels were packed full of flavour and were incredibly tender to bite. As a skin fanatic, I adored how the beef had retained slim slivers of skin.
Classic me had to get a dessert and Taste Of Home’s Almond Beancurd (S$2) easily did the trick. At first bite, my eyes widened at the strong almond flavour, similar to the almond beancurd at Lao Ban Soya Beancurd.
It is on the firm side, unlike the softer ones I was used to. On the other hand, the milkiness complemented the almond flavour. Despite my sweet-tooth mindset, the lack of sweetness didn’t bother me as it allowed the almond taste to shine.
Final thoughts
For all the Malaysians who reminisce about the food back home, Taste Of Home should find its way to your to-try list soon. I’ll definitely be back to taste their lai fun selection, which is said to be completely made in-house. For the Malaysian folks, you may learn through visiting this stall that the best way to cure homesickness is through the stomach!
Expected damage: S$5 – S$7.50 per pax
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