Yong Kee Seafood Restaurant

We've known about this place for quite some time now, as it's famous for its chao-da (burnt) beehoon but we were avoiding the area due to the ongoing MRT construction works in the vicinity. However, with much of the road now back to normal, it's time to revisit this quaint little coffeeshop and the home-cooked meals it is popular for.

Access: Limited street parking is available along Dickson Road, so you might want to park at the open-air public carpark next to Sim Lim Tower. It's also inconvenient to take public transport as the closest MRT stations (Little India/Bugis) are a good ten-minute walk away and the bus stops are a distance away (due to the distance between Jalan Besar and the corresponding Serangoon Road).

Ambience: There is limited seating in the coffeeshop itself, and most patrons like to sit in the back alley behind Yong Kee for a more authentic dining ambience. There aren't many other places where you can eat at a dimly-lit lane where cars inch past you once in a while.

Signature Dishes: Must try the aforementioned Crispy Vermicelli Bee Hoon 烧焦米粉 ($6/12/18) which is a slightly chewy, browned serve of dry beehoon with beansprouts, fishcake and small prawns. Have this instead of the usual rice when ordering accompanying dishes.

The Curry Fishhead 咖里鱼头 ($26) was quite ordinary, but we enjoyed another of their signatures: Pig Trotters Thai Style 泰式猪手 ($22) which has tender pieces of lean meat, surrounded by well-rendered fatty bits and covered with very crispy skin. Very delish, when accompanied by their homemade acar! Another noteworthy dish was the Prawns served with Salad Cream 沙律虾 ($20/-/28) which almost every table seemed to order. The flour-coated medium-sized prawns was between crunchy and chewy and were well contrasted by the cold pieces of grapes, and honeydew which gave a wonderful mouth-feel with every bite.

Our last dish was a nice combination of a vegetable dish and a soup which saved us from ordering them separately. The Chinese Spinach in Premium Soup 上汤元菜 ($10/12/15) came in a mini wok with a tealight underneath to keep the dish warm. Although a very simple and unremarkable dish, the presentation was quite unique.

Verdict: Good food at rather reasonable prices, and is popular with staff gatherings (Friday evenings) and families (weekends). Come on a weekday if you want a quiet dinner.