Soon Lee Stew Beef (Alexandra Village)

Tbh for a moment I barely realised it's mutton, that's how much their herbal soup is able to cover the smell.

There's something about their beef stew that gains my appreciation the more I have it. It's really quite unlike anything I've had, yet still very familiar and in perfect balance. Unique and lipsmacking, don't dismiss it just because of the gimmicky-seeming firepot

Smaller portion available. Two huge soft beef balls, and everything else was cooked well as expected of their high standards. Impeccable when paired with their sour chili

A good version, mutton was tender and you get the herbal taste without too much sweetness

Very generous portion, beef was tender for this lean cut and the tendons were of good texture. It's comfort food, don't expect mindblowing flavours but I certainly enjoyed it.

What stunned was the zippiness of the chili. Despite the look it might as well be pure lime juice, and I found it rlly works w the semi-thin beef stew

Cantonese not Hainanese. I had an epiphany with this. Since becoming a foodie, I've slowly understood tasty vs fragrant. A lot of food can be tasty as long as it's seasoned enough. But capturing fragrance is a skill. It's either mastering the cooking or using the right ingredients. That's what I felt here. The stewed beef and sauce ignited my senses. Add to that the perfectly al dente noodles.