Review: Bau Mak dishes up refined Teochew fish soup by a fine dining chef

You can almost expect queues for Teochew fish soup in Singapore, especially for the good ones. And while I love the dish, I still can’t bring myself to queue for 30 minutes for a bowl of fish soup from Han Kee or Piao Ji — amongst two of the most popular stalls in the CBD area where my office is located. 

But hey, that’s the price you pay for something beyond just merely fish soup. 

Just when you think there’s enough fish soup stores with long queues in the fray, there’s a new stall at Golden Mile Food Centre, Bau Mak, that’s been gaining a lot of traction, and for good reason.

The backstory

Bau Mak is helmed by Kek Wan Fong, a chef with serious pedigree — he has more than a decade’s experience as the head of Gillman Barrack’s longstanding seafood institution Naked Finn, plus stints at Equinox, and Osia Steak and Seafood Grill.

His story gets more interesting: After leaving the world of restaurants, he started a hawker venture in Tiong Bahru called Qing Feng Yuan, also selling fish soup before selling his share to his business partner. 

Three years later, he has since returned to the hawker life.

Bau Mak is a fish soup stall in the purest Teochew sense — clean broths, no evaporated milk, and no MSG. There are only three soups on offer: Batang fish soup (S$5.50), batang fish head soup (S$8.50), and seafood soup (S$8.50), with add ons such as seasoned minced pork, crab stick, and scallops.

Our verdict

You won’t find anything elevated like at Naked Finn here, obviously. However, while Bau Mak may be hawker food, it’s refined hawker food made by a chef who understands the clarity of flavour when it comes to seafood and broth. 

Wan Fong — the only person cooking in the stall — deftly handles two pots side-by-side, over two induction stoves, and whips up each bowl of soup in just a few minutes. 

From S$5.50 for a bowl, his fish soups are already punching above its weight, and makes me appreciate what an accessible, comforting, fish soup can really be in this city of queues and hectic lunch crowds. 

To this I say: Bau Mak is absolutely worth a visit, and you’d want to visit fast before it gets too popular.

What it’s good for

Let’s start with the batang fish soup (S$5.50). The thinly-sliced batang is fresh and well-marinated, tender and flaky enough to fall apart easily in the mouth.

The broth is gently tangy, with a slight umami undertone that’s likely from dried fish powder and preserved tang chye cabbage — the foundation for traditional Teochew fish soups.

If you’re the sort that prefers some additional proteins in your fish soup, the option to add seasoned minced meat (S$1), gives some meaty depth to the broth. The pork is also coarsely minced and very tasty.

Each bowl of soup you order comes with silky cubes of tofu, thin tomato and ginger slices, and some Chinese cabbage that make each bowl extra hearty. You can choose from rice, thin or thick bee hoon, and mee sua (S$0.50 each) to go with your fish soup. 

Want more than just fish? You should get the seafood soup (S$8.50).

In this colourful bowl, you get sliced batang, clams, crab stick, two prawns, and even some scallops — all in the same aromatic broth. 

It has a bit more oceanic sweetness and brininess than the batang soup, owing to the additional seafood elements, but it’s not heavy. If anything, the stars here are the chunky prawns that are really juicy and fresh-tasting.

For our last choice, it was clear we had to try its fried batang fish head soup (S$8.50), a dish you don’t see often at hawker centres, but here it is in all its bony, salty glory. 

This dish sells out fast (I managed to cop the very last portion at 1.30pm on a weekday afternoon) so you’ll want to come early for this. 

The fried fish head gives the broth a greasier, more unctuous body, but I love it. You don’t get the most amount of meat from the head, but the pieces you dig out from the collar, cheek, and forehead are savoury and very tasty. 

It’s not for everyone, but those who don’t mind putting in a little effort will be rewarded.

If you’re craving for something a tad more sinful to pair with your clear soups, you’ll want to order the crispy ngor hiang (S$7 for two pieces).

Wan Fong’s spiced meat rolls are juicy things with chopped water chestnuts for crunch and naturally, plenty of five spice for depth. 

It comes with two sauces: A sharp and refreshing chilli (that’s also great for dipping the seafood into) with lime juice, garlic, fish sauce, and chilli padi, and the more classic sticky sweet sauce that you can’t go wrong with.

What it could improve on

Do I prefer richer, more saltier, thicker soups? Yes. But this is Teochew-style fish soup (rather than its creamier Cantonese counterpart) and I have no right to complain. 

With its refined take on the comforting Teochew fish soup, Bau Mak is well on its way to becoming a big hit, if you ask me.

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? Only if you come during off-peak hours and find a good table. 

Is a reservation necessary? No, as it is within a hawker centre.

How to get there? Bau Mak is located near the middle of Golden Mile Food Centre, a 6-minute walk from Nicoll Highway MRT Exit A.

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

For the latest eats, read our story on Amacha, a new shop selling herbal milk tea in Chinatown, and find out more about Michelin-selected Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa‘s entry into Singapore.

Do explore the GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to Latido restaurant at Tras Street.