Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Ya Kwang Dai Pai Dong: Crab Tang Hoon!

With Amagada, SCS Butter and Happi Mummi

Crab Tang Hoon $25 for 2 Crabs

Just while you are still thinking about going down to Ya Kwang for the Lobster Noodles, let me just throw one more dish into your list of Must Try dishes. Ever since I discovered this Ang Moh Pai (Westernized) Cze Char Hawker, I have been back a number of times to try out new dishes. It's great when the Cze Char Hawker just happens to have traveled the world in his younger days. It means that he has a wider perspective of food and are willing to experiment with a wider range of ingredients.

Just take this Crab Tang Hoon for example. This Teochew dish is quite popular in Bangkok and there are a few Cze Char stalls that already offer it in Singapore. When I was living in Bangkok, this was one of the standard dishes that I must have everytime I have seafood. In fact I prefer Tang Hoon to Bee Hoon as I find that it absorbs the flavours even better.



So let's take a Crab Tang Hoon and think about how to make it even better. OK, I can't wait for you to think, so let me just tell you what Chef Jason did. Instead of using the normal thin local Tang Hoon, he used Korean Tang Hoon which is thicker and more chewy. Whoa, if you have even eaten Korean Tang Hoon before, you would wonder why we are still using the local Tang Hoon at all. The texture of Korean Tang Hoon is just fantastic. I love the way it is sticky without being gooey and it is so lively it just leaps into your mouth! Each and every strand was infused with the flavours of the Crab, ginger, stock and a few secret Japanese ingredients. Simply addictive. 4.75/5



The reason I keep coming back to Ya Kwang is that I am always game to try new stuff. This picture of the Mussles Fried Ban Mian is probably a world first. I asked Jason if there was anything new on the menu and he simply came by with a bucket of Mussels and said he could try whipping up a noodle dish with it. Sure, why not. Life is too short to always eat the same stuff.

You can think of this dish as a variation of the KL Hokkien Mee. The dark sauce is very similar but Jason added Seaweed and Tee Poh (Crispy Fried Sole). He also specially fried some Pork Lard to go with it. Oooohhh yeah. Even SCS Butter who usually doesn't like Mussels was lapping it up. I think that Ban Mian was good but it would have been perfect if the thick round Hokkien Noodles or Udon was used. I think I am going to persuade Jason to whip up a worthy KL Hokkien Mee soon! 4.25/5

Conclusion

I will be back soon to have the Crab Tang Hoon all to myself. For $25, you get 2 small crabs so it is quite affordable. If, however, you want your big Sri Lanka Crabs, you can order ahead so that Jason that get them for you!

Ya Kwang Dai Pai Dong
709 Geylang Road
(Lor 37)
11am to 11pm daily
98170006
Special orders before 7 pm

32 comments:

From The Bagaholicboy That Hails From Singapore said...

Looks great! I have to go down sometime soon and try them out for myself! Slurp!

summerpeach said...

wah looks delicious.
i cant believe u gave it a 4.75.
does that mean it taste better than the crab beehoon-s u rated before?

i am so hungry...

ieat said...

It means that I am still thinking about it today. And anyway at $25 its less than half the price of the Crab Hoon though of course the crab being smaller. But I go for the Tang Hoon!

Anonymous said...

Wow, I finally had the lobster noodles yesterday and it's not often that one can boost about giving two good friends a maine lobster treat..not when Chef Jason was commenting that a similar lobster offering at a five-star hotel was going for $180++.
Definitely worth the $60 per lobster dish as I see my two good friends lapping every morsel of it and decent host like me limiting myself to one piece..Yes, going back for the whole lobster all for myself the next time round!
Food crazz

SCS butter said...

Thank God for Korean Tang Hoon....

It really soaked up the crab flavour or perhaps it's due to the fact that we have to wait for ieat to release the dish only when he's done with his shutters....

Anonymous said...

Tasted a similar dish in a Miranda (Sydney) Cantonese Restaurant. They call it Golden Sand Fang Zi Hai Por. It is our family's favourite dish. Cost a lot more. The owner/chef, mainland Cantonese, said it is a Thai dish. Now I know the origin of this dish. Must try Ya Kwang, when I am back in Singapore. Great Site, Leslie.

From The Bagaholicboy That Hails From Singapore said...

Went down with 4 other friends last night and had a jolly time with the Crab Tung Hoon, Oysters KL Hokkien Mee, and a rather interesting fried rice with lots of tau-ge and Chinese sausage. Will go back again for sure! Thanks Leslie!

Anonymous said...

My group of ten had fried oyster, crab bee hoon, crab tang-hoon, fried and steamed versions of the kong-bak pao, freshly made guo-tiao and three-person set of kuah chap and they were good! The items were all someone's favourite and we can enjoy them together in one shop. I guess the passion of Jason for his food and the variety he provides makes a difference!

summerpeach said...

ok. thats it.

i am so gonna try it next weekend.
do they do takeaways?

wana buy back for my folks.
wondering ok with the crab tanghoon, if it will get lumpy?
what other food i can tabao & wont be that bad?

zhouzi said...

summerpeach, why wait next weekend, can tahan ha? Me, I going tonight. As for your questions, I think you will have to call ahead for the crab tang hoon so you can get the answer from the horse's mouth. Like you, I tabao, will let you know. Ur 2nd question, you will have to check it out. There are too many dishes to mention here.

zhouzi said...

Hi summerpeach, I went, I saw, I tabaoed. I did ask whether the crab tang hoon can tahan the journey home. Anyway, took the gamble and happily went home with my packet. Upon reaching home, taste tested it with my other - one word - Sedap!!! Tore myself away and waited for dinner with my kids. I tell you, the cold crab tang hoon was even more sedap. Tang hoon more favorful, crab meat was extra shiok. Go for it man, tabao it home. Won't regret one.
Note that it was left on the table for nearly two hours.

summerpeach said...

oh my!
how to wait until weekend...
u make me hungry again... :C
haha..

thought of tabao-ing this coming weekend to celebrate my youngest sis on her to-be-finished P6 prelims..

since u say until so sedap like ieat, i dunno how much is enough.. 5 adults & 1 crab lover kid(inclusive my hubby & bro who eat like ns men), i beta tabao other stuff too..

ieat said...

You all can also request for big crabs which he can procure from across the road. The one shown in the pic was $25 with tang hoon.

Kawaii Paw said...

Reservation required?

ieat said...

No, but always good to ring Jason to see if there are still crabs.

Sharon Tan said...

It was a disappointment lah...... First of all, the people running the place seemed quite blur - you know the garang gaboh type. Ok never mind, maybe the crab is really good. We ordered the crab tang hoon and the chilli dumplings. The dumplings came first. But alas, they forgot the chilli! We had to remind them that we ordered the chilli one.

Then came the crab tang hoon. Taste, ok only lah - nothing special. The amount of tang hoon certainly wasn't as much as what ieat had in the pictures. Then, the biggest shock was that size of the crab! Didn't even bother to serve in handy pieces (If I remember correctly, 1 crab is usually chopped up into 6 pieces. This one serves it in 4 only). Aiyoh, so big piece how to eat??

Last part is the best. Dun know what happen at the fish market that morning. They must have had a lucky grab since ieat only paid $25 for 2 small crabs. We paid a total of $70+ for the 2 dishes that we ordered. Definitely, not value for money.

Anonymous said...

Finally managed to try Ya Kwang at geylang...no regret. Kong bak, kueh chap and beef stew were good. Good service too. Looking forward to trying other items during my next visit.

smart said...

Tried the Crab Tang Hoon. Chief Jason was kind enough to walk opposite to buy a crab as his stock did not arrive.Chief Jason is passionate n love eating n cooking.
Yes I have ordered their Fish head curry for lunch coming Wed.Jason yes sure no regret. Let see.
Aiya almost forgot, the Crab Tang Hoon very good.

smart said...

Fish Head Curry lovers, go try it at Ya Kwang at Lor 37 Geylang. I tried it today n will give a 4.6/5. His curry is more on the sour/sweet type (almost like assam).Beat any of those Indian fish head curry at Race Course. But must warn you. You must call Chief Jason at least 1 day in advance. He has to go 'fishing' in the wet market. If you are lucky he will find a very fresh fish head.

Anonymous said...

Tried the fish head curry at Ya Kwang on smart's recommendation. Sedap! Fish is fresh and minus the coconut, it is not jerlah and is a healthier version. The curry gravy leaves a pleasant mix of sweet and sour taste. Chef Jason always adds novelty to our meal and this time, we get to try his latest creation, crispy wasabi sotong & prawn which was good. The crab tanghoon remained a must, which turned out to be my Australian guest's favourite. We brought white wine along this time and Jason even provided wine glasses to complete the wonderful meal.
From Foodcrazz

smart said...

Foodcrazz, glad you like the curry fish head.Heard Jason went fishing so visited Ya Kwang with my family yesterday evening. Yes He has stock of Fish heads n my family really like it. Tried also the Fried oysters, very good, not oily. Next week I hope to try his 'ang sieow' Fish Head. This is the black sauce type with sieow bak (but not in a craypot).

smart said...

Seem I am talking so much about this stall, but cant be help if the food is good. 9 of us ex Saints had a wonderful lunch there yesterday. Some of us cant take curry so requested Jason to cook the fish head half in curry n half in 'ang seow'. Both won praises from my makan kakis.Had the La La, Tahu with prawn n squid, tau kay n braised duck.The duck was ok but cant beat the one a teka FC (just had it a day ealier).

zanzoo said...

Hullo ,

I m thinking of bringing my Cell Group friends to give this stall a try ! Must Lah , since Uncle "Smart " has been going back to this stall a few days in a row !


Is there a list of Jason 's specialities or dishes that you think must ask him to whip up !

Thanks !

Regards
Mark

Damien said...

Try the curry fish head, curry-spiced chicken wings, or luak and the crab tanghoon or bee hoon :)

smart said...

Try the ang seow fish head, penang char kuay toew, wasabi prawn n sotong. Suggest you give Jason a call before going Tel 98170006. Tell him what you like and how many people, he will know what to do.If you have a budget pls let him know.Hope you like the food. I was there for lunch today n met 'Power Aunty' n her Power gang.

liverpool1965 said...

haven't managed to visit this place, lunch or dinner next week anyone?

foodcrazzz said...

smart advice from Smart indeed! At Ya Kwang, if you have a budget, pl let him know. Some days we go for the lobster and crab noodles for a treat but some days, we jus go for his staple items like kway chap, kon bak pau, handmade dumplings, braised duck which are equally good but easier on the pocket. Eat to my heart's and pocket's content!

smart said...

Ha ha Foodcrazz, I have NOT tried the Bolton Lobster yet leh, Hope one day I save enough or Jason give me a big discount.

zanzoo said...

Dear Uncle Smart & Damien ,

thanks for the recommendations !
The food was great ! Had the crab tang hoon, fish head, clams & char kway tiao ,

Alas, didnt get to try the wasabi prawns !

Will be going back soon !

Jason was very nice & friendly !

Thanks !

smart said...

Jason has some new dishes, prawn, sotong n tahu with oyster sauce, he pure (pig skin) soup, kong bak pau ( this is more healthier than others as he choose less fatty pork n use Japanese sauce instead of the dark sauce). If in a big group suggest u call him before going.Last lunch with 10 people on 7 Dec Jason even bought Durian for us! (not free but such good service).

smart said...

sorry he pure is fish maw not pig skin

mfl said...

visited the stall today.. tried the tang hoon, fish maw soup, penang kt, ckn wings, pig trotters.. was a lil disappointed with the tang hoon thou.. tasted too sweet to my family's likings.. anyway, we fancy the fish maw soup n pig trotters! so thanks for the recommendations! oh btw, is it $25 for 2 crabs?

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