Nian Nian You Yu – Affordable Steamed Fish Sets at Maxwell Food Centre!

Most times, you only indulge in steamed fish when you order a whole fish from zi char stalls, or when you’re feeling fancy at the cai fan stall. But what if you can easily tuck into a steamed fish meal anytime,and it’s affordable as well? Keeping exactly that aim in mind, Nian Nian You Yu is dedicated to serving good quality cuts of fish from their stall in Maxwell Food Centre and successfully draws long lines everyday. 

Undeniably one of the more popular stalls in the hawker centre, this stall is run by a duo of fresh-faced chefs, Isaac and Eric, who met while they were serving National Service (NS). Each of them has their own wealth of experience in the F&B industry, with Isaac having worked as a chef in MICHELIN-starred restaurants and Eric who comes from a family with a hawker background.

The main stars of the stall (the food, not the chefs) are pretty straightforward; build your own fish set ($8) by choosing between pomfret and seabass, cooked in Hong Kong Style or Thai Style Garlic & Lime (+$1). The set comes with a bowl of white rice and soup – simple but very homey. 

They also serve a series of a la carte dishes that you can pair with your set meal, such as Steamed Tiger Prawns with Lala and Vermicelli ($10), Pan-Seared Eggplant ($4), Steamed Tofu with Century Egg ($4) and Steamed Egg ($1). 

I decided to have the pomfret Hong Kong style for a classic traditional combo. The large golden pomfret was doused in a blend of soy sauce and chicken stock, and topped with bits of fried garlic and ginger. The flesh of the fish was wonderfully tender and delicate, making it a good match with the full-bodied, savoury sauce. 

I liked how it wasn’t too salty, which ensures that you can still fully savour the natural flavours of the golden pomfret. 

Moving on to the seabass, which I opted to to be cooked in Thai style garlic & lime. While the size of the seabass might not look as impressive as the pomfret based on the way it’s served, it was still a sizeable portion for one. The flesh of the fish was on the firmer side and could stand to be more tender. 

The dressing here definitely stole the spotlight. Made with lemongrass, chicken stock, chilli sauce and lime juice, it yielded a refreshingly tangy flavour with hints of spice interwoven into it. Perhaps this citrusy sauce does fare better with the firm flesh of the seabass so it doesn’t completely steal the attention away from the fish. 

The bowl of tomato soup on the side was comforting and surprisingly full-bodied.

I can definitely see why Nian Nian You Yu is so popular among the folks who patronise Maxwell Food Centre. If you’re ever craving a comforting steamed fish dish without the hassle of having to divide and conquer an entire fish, this is 100% the place to visit!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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