After one month of renovation, beloved Soup Restaurant reopens its doors at NEX (#02-15/16) with a refreshed look and a new exclusive menu. Dressed in a new colour scheme of light teak wood with gold accents, the interior is now brighter and more spacious with a casual ambience that invites solo diners, smaller groups and of course, families, to pop in for the same heartwarming dishes and service the Soup Restaurant brand is known for. Chairs and lampshades are also carved with the ginger flower, bringing a full circle to Soup Restaurant’s Signature Ginger Sauce.
Regulars of Soup Restaurant will immediately recognise the Collagen Soup with Fish Maw ($15.90/pax), a rich broth of fish and chicken that is back by popular demand. Rich in collagen, the nourishing brew is boiled for more than five hours to extract the precious protein, then served with fish maw and naibai (milk cabbage) to achieve a well-balanced flavour that is creamy yet light.
Exuding a sweet, smoky flavour with fall-off-the-bone meat, the Earthen Bowl Ribs ($12.50/3pcs) is a delight to eat. The soft and tender ribs are expertly braised and steamed by Soup Restaurant’s veteran chefs to retain its succulent texture, infusing the moreish marinade deep into the meat.
A must-order for seafood lovers is Soup Restaurant NEX’s Chinatown Garlic Steamed Half Shell Scallop with Vermicelli ($18). While this traditional Cantonese dish is simple, the secret lies in the specially selected half-shelled scallop from Japan that comes with scallop roe. These fresh and naturally sweet oceanic gems are steamed on their shells and complemented with seasoned vermicelli and a generous amount of minced garlic, for an umami, buttery flavour.
Whole fish are a symbol of abundance in Chinese culture. Enjoy blessings of wealth with the Half Steamed Half Fried Little Pomfret ($21.90), which offers the best of both worlds, in the perfect size of 400g, for smaller groups to enjoy. It takes technical know-how to prepare this staple, as one side is fried while the other side of the fish is steamed, without compromising the fine and smooth texture of this clean-tasting fish.
Get some greens on your plate with Ah Ma Fried Diced Vegetable ($13.90), nostalgic Chinatown homecooked fare where recipes vary between each family. At Soup Restaurant NEX, this is a platter of diced long beans, fish cake, sweet radish, beancurd, roasted pork and char siew. The epitome of comfort food, Ah Ma’s recipe caters to both the young and old in the family, combining the sweetness from the radish and char siew, with the savoury fish cake and unctuous roasted pork.
Reviving its Roots with a Special Individual Meal
Those who can read Chinese may have been curious about what 三盅两件 actually means. Referring to a complete and healthy, steamed well-balanced meal, its literal translation is “three cups two pieces”. At Soup Restaurant NEX, this alludes to a set of 1 pot of soup, 1 pot of rice, 1 pot of dessert along with 2 small dishes such as sides and vegetables – how the brand began in 1991, determined to serve healthy steamed dishes and soup to customers.
After 33 years of history, for the first time since it began, Soup Restaurant is bringing back its 三盅两件 individual meal: a bowl of steamed rice, a pot of boiled soup and a container of desserts – simple yet soothing, to put a smile on every diner’s face.
A Bright, Spacious Space with Southeast Asian Flair
Soup Restaurant NEX’s refreshed design features a brighter and spacious space, highlighted by a soothing gold and light wood colour palette. Natural elements from Southeast Asia have also been weaved into the design, such as the use of natural teak wood and elegant gold accents. This harmonises with Soup Restaurant’s culinary inspiration, where Southeast Asian flavours are prominent.
The core of Soup Restaurant, their signature Samsui Ginger Sauce, is made from lovingly grown, farm-to-table ginger roots. This is symbolised through the ginger flower carvings that adorn the chairs and lamp shades. As the life of the ginger plant, the ginger flower represents the essence of the brand and brings it to a full circle.
