Eat First (spin off Sik Wai Sin)

I’ve not had Sik Wai Sin in the past 20 odd years. But as a child I remember this smoky dirty old coffeeshop with big industrial fans blowing, packed to its brim. I was recently reminded off this place again via news of a split between two brothers taking over the father’s business. I decided to try first the outlet where their mother is, hoping that there would be more retained authenticity.

Sadly I was proven wrong, and my mum was ghastly disappointed. This was a far cry from the original taste - incredibly bland and watery. The steamed fish head had no sauce! It seems like its merely the water from the steaming that trickled past whatever small amount of bean paste mix spooned onto the fish. Don’t be deceived by the pork lard, it added no flavour. Perhaps the closest to the the original fish, you’d find in the Chinatown Smith St Market.  

This dish was the reason I came, as a boy I would wolf down bowls of rice just with this minced pork with salted fish. Yes the meat texture is good because this is pounded pork instead of machine minced, giving it a fatty and juicy bite. However, the salted fish flavour and fragrance did not seem to penetrate the meat as it used to. 

I wouldn’t even bother with this dish. The bittergourd is overcooked and mushy, as with the pork ribs dry and tough. The viscosity is not from reducing a sauce but a quick and dirty way of corn starch leaving little fragrance or flavour.