I've promised more reviews from the West of Singapore, and slowly but surely I will be delivering on that promise. The West of Singapore does have some great options, but if you're in the North-West (Yew Tee/Kranji) then vegetarian options become very limited. If you find yourself in Yew Tee though, a very good vegetarian option is available at the basement level. The name of the stall is 'Green Vegetarian', but the official Chinese name is 三德 (three virtues). This stall has been existing here for six years. Within this food court, 三德 is hands down the most popular stall, with queues forming even during non-peak periods.
San De Green VegetarianLocation: #B1-17/22, Yew Tee Point 21Contact: 90921328Opening Hours: Daily 6.30am-9.00pm. The owner of the San De chain of outlets is an industrious auntie by the name of Madam Lim. Mdm Lim's passion for vegetarianism was sparked by attending Buddhist talks, over a decade ago. After which, she quit her job as a tailor, converted to a vegetarian diet, and entered into the food business. Mdm Lim really see's F&B as a business, with making a profit as her biggest priority (nothing wrong with that). Mdm Lim has never attended any formal cooking classes, which makes her accomplishment all the more impressive.
There are a total of four 三德 eateries in Singapore. The other three being located at:-
Blk 406A Sembawang Road
Blk 747 Yishun St 72, #01-108
Blk 256 Yishun Ring Rd, #01-1005
The menu at 三德 is quite vast, but many of the items are only available in the evening. If you're coming for lunch or breakfast then mainly the economic rice, soup and a handful of local dishes are available for selection.
The economic rice dishes are served fresh and cooked very well.
The item that I was particular thrilled to try was the soups, which are displayed on the right hand side of the stall in a large glass steamer. The varieties of soups change on a daily basis, so always ask in advance to see what they have.
The first soup that I selected was the
Lotus Root Soup. Many will remember my shining review of the
double boiled soup at Onn Vegetarian. Does this soup come close to beating Onn? No where near. The soup at Onn is so good it ranks as an almost spiritual experience for me. Having said that, the soup at this stall is definitely worth of trying. The flavour of the soup (while not as fragrant nor powerful as Onn) was still good enough, and the ingredients inside all made for a delicious soup flavour.
Price: $3.20. 7/10On another visit I tried the
Dong Gua Soup. Dong Gua (冬瓜) goes by the English name wax gourd. The wax gourd was cooked well. Also lurking in the soup was red dates, goji berry and mushroom stem. The mushroom stem, when cooked in the soup chamber for a long period, begins to break apart, which ultimately thickens the soup quite nicely. Not only that, but the mushroom acts as a nice substitute to meat. I wasn't a big fan of the red dates, as they were still tough and hard - Unlike the red dates at Onn, which literally melt in the mouth.
Price: $3.20. 7/10The
Economic Brown Rice & Dishes from this stall are also quite impressive. They use a more sophisticated heating system beneath the dishes, which allows the food to stay warmer and fresher for longer. The pumpkin was a little tasteless, but I enjoyed the flavour of the eggplant, which was also cooked ideally, so that the texture was nice and creamy.
Price: $3.70. 7/10Here is a look at another plate of
Economic Brown Rice & Dishes, once again the dishes are cooked well (nothing exceptional, but good enough) and made for a satisfying meal.
Price: $3.70. 7/10Conclusion - Mdm Lim has built up an enterprise of vegetarian eateries, and I must say that I am suitably impressed with the offerings at San De. Brown rice and dishes along with a soup on the side really makes more a delicious and healthy meal. I will be moving to the West of Singapore soon myself, and this is certainly a stall that may become one of my regulars.Overall RatingFood - 7/10Ambiance- 7/10 Service - 7/10 Value - 7/10
