Hits and Misses at Hawker Hall
There's really not much more that can be said that hasn't already been said about Hawker Hall.
Housed in an historic turn-of-the-century horse stable, Hawker Hall sets out to replicate the bustling night time Hawker scene of South East Asia. To this end the venue sets the tone nicely and it's a busy, vibrant spot that's open late. Sitting outside is always good for people watching and slightly less boisterous as sitting inside and trying to talk over the Hip hop soundtrack.
If you're keen on trying a range of small batch hops - then this is definitely the spot for you. The range is excellent and offer a wide variety of fresh brews straight from the tap.
Jumping straight into to the food and the Asian Street Food menu reads like a greatest hits catalogue of everything Singapore & Malaysia is famous for.
On this occasion we started with the Prawn & Ginger Dumpling which were a decidedly middle of the road affair with the wontons being a little thick and chewy truth be told. On the other hand the side of caramel black vinegar soy was outstanding and did all it could to save the dish, elevating it nicely with a hint of chili. In all, a little steep and a little bland at the equivalent of 35 Dirhams.
Looking to get things back on track, the Green Beans (AED 26) were up next and while they looked appealing they ultimately fell a little flat in the flavor stakes. Sure they were crispy and had a nice char and a beautiful green glow to them but they were really one dimensional in spite of the nicely roasted coconut cashew pieces that topped the dish.
So two dishes in and we’re now looking for some star appeal.
Enter the magnificent Malay Coconut Beef Rendang. At 50 Dirhams this was an absolute pleasure to eat with it’s beautiful aromatics, crispy coconut pieces and falling apart, melt in the mouth meat. There are some deep, amazing flavors going on here and each bite was as moreish as the previous. This is a must try and single-handedly saved the meal from being pretty average to turning it to pretty amazing.
Rounding the evening out quite nicely were the Economy Noodles (AED 35). This dish is a combination of the noodles of the day. It was decent, it was flavorsome and at this point too much food!
Everyone has their own experience of Hawkers and being so popular and busy seems the kitchen can't get it right every time. This does take a little away from the score as this visit wasn't as stellar as the last. If it weren't for the amazing Rendang then it would have dropped even further.
Having said that, it's still a great place for what it is and probably best for groups looking for a bit of a night out.