Shun Li Yong Tau Foo 顺利酿豆腐 ............... Good Chilli Padi flavoured soup

Shun Li  Yong Tau Foo 顺利酿豆腐 is one of the "out of the world" dining experience in Singapore. Even if you're not really there for the food, it can still be a "fun" outing for a group of friends.

The stall is supposedly opened at 10.30pm but the opening hours usually stretched to 11.00pm. Last night, the stall opens at 12 midnight. That's just how erratic their time management can be. The stall is closed at around 3.00 ~ 4.00 am. This is not a typo error. Yes, 10.30 ~ 11.00 pm is the stall opening hours. Shun Li does the late night business. But just look at the crowd ....... Singaporeans are real hungry!

I've been to eat at Shun Li many times. The following describes my observations. Read it carefully .........  it is a free tip I'm giving to get your food faster at Shun Li. The "strategy" is in sequence.

You need at least 2 people and some strategies to get your food fast (1 person shall be the designated queuer and the other the food grabber).

TIPS FOR THE QUEUER :

The stall sign will not light up when the stall owners are still preparing to start business. At about 15 ~ 30 mins before the stall opens, many people will crowd around the stall. The aunty will sometimes chide the overly enthusiatic customer to stand back and stop obstructing her. Then all of a sudden the queue just forms. The queue is positioned on the left of the stall and right in front of the entrance into the stall. It'll lead out of the perimeter of the hawker center and then start to snake into an L shape.

The queue ..........

At this time you need to queue fast. If not you'll be standing at the back of the queue and it'll be 45 ~ 60mins lesser sleep for you (and your party of hungry frens). Every person that is in front of you will easily pose a minimum 10mins waiting time. Everyone will  grab as much food like there's no tomorrow. The mentality here is : since you wait for such a long time, might as well eat more!

TIPS FOR THE "FOOD GRABBER" :

When the stall sign light up, like in the start of an F1 race, you'll see many "dangerous" over taking manoeuvres. Make sure the "food grabber" goes in and grab the bowl and then the pincer (pincer at the top shelf). Then just flow with your food instinct and pick the food fast. If you think just a second more, you'll either miss some food item that you want or you'll have to wait again for the aunty to refill. When you are in position, stand your ground, ignore all shoving until you finish grabbing your food items. If you are behind, find gaps between people, or if you are tall enough, stretch you arm over people, to grab the food. After you are done, place your bowls onto the big metal tray on the table right in front of the stall. The "food grabber's" job is done. All that's left is to remember which bowls of food item on the metal tray belongs to you.

Grabbing food items for your Yong Tau Foo ...............

The big metal tray where bowls of food items are placed ...............

TIPS FOR THE QUEUER :

When the queuer reach the front, get your bowls of food items and pass them to the aunty or uncle. Let them know if you'l like extra ikan bilis or chillipadi to be added to the soup. Then when asked, tell them how many bowls of nodles you want to go with the Yong Tau Foo soup.

Observations:

1) At 15~30mins before the stalls open, you'll see groups of Yon Tau Foo "fanatics" creep slowly to the front of the stall and then some start cupping their ears to start discussing "strategies"

2) In the queue, you'll hear alot of grumbles about the long wait. So for the faint hearted and the impatient, avoid this stall.

The spoils of our "mission", 2 bowls of food filled Yong Tau Foo soup. Good tasting soup that taste even better after the effort ..........

Close up of the soup shows a good generous amount of the ikan bilis (anchovies) and green chill padi. Considered a fiery soup to some people with low chilli spiciness threshold .............

You'll be stopped by some mysterious folks (who's sipping beer at tables near the stall) from taking photos of the stall. Don't know what they'll do to you ........ I'm publishing this at a risk. :)

Cost : S$22 for 6 person (the 2 big bowls of Yong Tau Foo in the photo)

Address : Blk 115, Bukit Merah View, #01-397, Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre

Opening Hours : Daily 10.30pm ~ 3.30am. Closed on Monday.

Country : Singapore