Salt: Indulge in comforting Western fusion fare
Check out the fried chicken at Salt at Old Airport Road Food Centre
The Ngoo siblings knew they were not after social media fame when they started their hawker business.
Ms Naomi Ngoo, 30, and her brother Kenny, 23, opened Momo Fries at Old Airport Road Food Centre about two years ago.
It offers fried chicken over rice and pasta.
Their parents, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, fully support their decision.
Ms Ngoo encouraged her brother to join her. He has "no regrets" about his choice.
Their stall was renamed Salt a few months ago. Business has been good. Ms Ngoo said the menu remained the same.
I sensed what worked was the huge back-lit menu box, clearly showing what they offer.
Most of their customers are regulars, and it is easy to see why they come back for the comforting Western fusion fare.
There are 13 items on the menu, with four side dishes and a selection of flavoured French fries - all the stuff that resonate with younger palates and a good reprieve from the usual chicken chop with coleslaw and fries combo.
The Soy Garlic Chicken Aglio Pasta ($6.30) was comforting, right down to the spicy hawker centre standard heat in the pasta. The crispy battered chicken cutlet was perfectly fried, and it remained juicy.
One "un-hawker" method they employed was to cook the chicken sous vide first.
They pack them in airtight bags and cook them in temperature controlled pots.
Not an ounce of flavour is lost when they remove the chicken from the bags and pan-sear it for texture later.
I tried the Sous Vide Grilled Chicken Bolognaise ($7.00) and the chicken was smooth, soft and juicy inside and nicely seared outside.
The extra kick of lime in the pasta sauce went really well with the grilled chicken.
The Soy Garlic and Korean Hot chicken wings ($3.90 for two) was juicier and more flavourful than normal because they used fresh instead of frozen wings.
The Korean wings were not cloyingly sticky and did not bury the natural flavour of the wings. The batter held its texture even after some time had passed and was juicy inside.
We later had a little chat about what else they would include in their future menu.
As Ms Ngoo pondered, I suggested crispy Hainanese chicken or pork chops, and without hesitation, she replied: "Over mash!" When, Ms Ngoo?
Salt
51, Old Airport Road, #01-128, Old Airport Road Food Centre
Noon to 9pm , closed on Tuesdays.
K.F. Seetoh, the founder of Makansutra, dabbles in street food businesses like Food Markets and has his own TV shows on cable. He publishes food guides and online content. He is also the creator of the World Street Food Congress. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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