The Beef House, Syed Alwi Road

I've been wanting to visit this stall (Gar Lok Eating House, 217 Syed Alwi Road) for the longest time after having heard numerous mentions of their beef balls on multiple occasion over the past years. They are apparently still the only Hakka styled beef ball makers in this country in these years. I hear that each of their beef balls are painstakingly molded by hands.

How were those beef balls you ask?

The surface had interesting looking terrain for one. Those hand molded bovine orbs were also both beefy tasting and impressively springy in texture. I dare say that these are the best beef balls I've ever had so far, bar none. What got me though, was that I couldn't figure out which was the regular beef ball and which were the ones that had tendon in them for a mixed bowl of balls since they tasted pretty much the same together. These were served in a light beef bone broth which didn't quite blow me away, but was unexpectedly 'cheng'.

There was also some rather ordinary mee kia that one could opt amongst a few noodle options. It's the variety with minced meat and lard that can be found in countless second rate yong tau foo stalls all over, but these are probably nicer and they don't clump up. What makes them really good is the garlic spiked chilli sauce which the stall also provides. 

Beef House also serves abacus seeds, another traditional Hakka food item and these were pretty tasty. Springy, lightly chewy like a sort of Asian flavored yam gnocchi with mushrooms and dried shrimp.

The soon kueh had thick chewy skin. They tasted pretty rustic and greasy, but the stuffings of chopped vegetables and mushrooms were generous and tasty.