Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Hawker's Delight, Main St.


Lamb Curry Posted by Picasa


Bee Hoon, Pork Satays, Tofu Goreng (clockswise from top)

The phrase hole-in-the-wall comes screaming out at you, and it's definitely not an undiscovered one either. Hawker's Delight (4127 Main St, just past King Edward) is packed with trendy Main Streeters looking for cheap, good food. They've found it, and they don't seem to be bothered by the less than pretty surroundings. Which is appropriate, because the Hawker in the name refers to hawker stalls that sell food in the street in Malaysia. There are all kinds of goodies to try, just like being in a hawker centre. Did I mention the word cheap? We had lamb curry for $5.25, and satays for 80 cents each (minimum of 5). We also had tofu goreng (boiled tofu covered in peanut sauce), and bee hoon which is a bowl of thin rice noodles in a coconut milk rich broth, with various veggies, pickles, and boiled egg in it. Both were under $5, I think. I liked the satays and the tofu goreng a lot and it was all good value. I won't order the bee hoon again - too rich, and I'm not a big fan of the mushy veggies, and I even felt a bit sick, but that might be because it was the last thing I ate, and I was stuffing myself at that point. To be honest, this meal didn't agree with my stomach, and I felt sick later that evening, but I'm willing to give this place another try. My dining companion, Martini Man, didn't get ill at all, and he ate everything that I ate, so please don't think of this place as a health hazard. Try it out for a quick and easy little taste of Malaysia, especially if you like hole-in-the-wall places. For myself, I like them sometimes, but I tend to really enjoy restaurants that have the whole package of food in pleasant surroundings. However, the atmosphere is authentic as far as I know, since it's supposed to be just like a hawker stand. This place would be great for take-out, or quick bite to eat when you're in the area alone and hungry.

2 comments:

LotusRapper said...

Hawkers Delight is a great "dive" for cheap cheap meals. Especially fun in the summer when they open up the front shutters so you can sit at the ledge and people-watch (and be watched by people) as you enjoy your $5 portion of authentic Malaysian street food. Hey the place is modest to say the least but they don't put up any pretences to be otherwise ..... so there. After dinner, walk down Main St to Cafe Monmartre for some live music and desserts. Great way to spend an evening in SoMa :-)

Dumpling-girl said...

Thanks, Ken. I just recently stopped into Cafe Montmartre for my first time, and I really liked the vibe there (but it was too early for there to be live music). We only went in for a quick coffee, but I look forward to checking it out again.