The founder of Lai Huat (Mr Lim Song Lai) started off from a pushcart way back in 1951. This eatery at Horne Road is run by his elder son, whose own son runs Old Lai Huat at Rangoon Road. The 4 branches of Lai Huat Signatures are the efforts of the founder’s younger son and grandson.
It must be heartening, then, for the elder Mr Lim to see the family recipe being successfully passed down and the business empire expanding healthily.
How does the signature sambal belacan sole fish taste over here at Horne Road? Inevitably, some will like it, some others will not, but whatever it is, we should still respect the history and longevity of Lai Huat.
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| Deep Fried Prawn Rolls ($8) |
We started off with some fried starters. The deep-fried prawn rolls were well done, with a crisp exterior while the interior was bursting with juices - helped by the generous and fleshy prawn bits and diced water chestnuts. At $8 for 10 pieces, I felt it was good value too.
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| You Tiao Fritters ($8) |
These looked a little “malnourished” when served, unlike the well-endowed ones I am more used to. But surprise surprise, the slivers of fish paste inside were tender and juicy, rather than spongy like fishcakes. A good contrast to the crispy exterior. It went perfectly with our Carlsberg, too.
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| Braised Beancurd ($8) |
I liked the generous array of ingredients in this dish - prawns, a combination of mushrooms, tender pork slices, bamboo shoots and capsicums - which lent varied flavours to the egg tofu. There was a subtle wok hei to the dish too. This definitely left a deep impression on us.
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| Kang Kong Belacan ($8) |
This is a zi char favourite, and was fried with the same sambal belacan used for their signature fish. A perfect pairing, although a little oily. Credit must be given too, that the veg retained its bright green hues - proof that it wasn’t overcooked.
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| Sambal Belacan Sole Fish ($45) |
Lai Huat’s signature, and you can choose between pomfret and sole fish here. We opted for the latter as we felt it would be more meaty as compared to the pomfret. The sambal belacan bits spammed all over the fish was less spicy than it looked, but offered a fragrance that made it a great accompaniment to our white rice.
Our anticipation grew upon hearing the crackling sounds as we prised open the flesh. It was pretty crispy, but alas, it was a tad over-fried and hence a little too dry from losing too much moisture. Although it was a bit of an anti-climax, it was still decent enough for us to finish this dish. I definitely prefer the version at Rangoon Road.
Listed as 时价 on the menu, you may wish to check out the price before ordering to prevent any unpleasant surprises. Ours was $45 on the day.
Lai Huat at Horne Road offers a roadside dining experience. It’s directly across the road from Jalan Besar Stadium, and you get to hear sporadic cheers and jeers from supporters if an Singapore Premier League game is going on, as it was when we visited.
You can also check out my TikTok video at the link below for a closer look at the dishes:
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSRfRDwD9/
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