How do we jazz up a bowl of boring looking fish soup? YuTang Clan is a good example! From a famous “Market Street” hawker for 9 years to a new fish soup eatery in Shenton Way, Yu Tang Clan continue to serve its signature mackerel fish soups and broths incorporating self-ordering terminals and a unique branding.

So you just take your pick from the ordering system and once your ordering number is being displayed on the screen, you can collect your fish soup. I have been here a few times just to try the different soups. On one of the mornings, we met Aunty Jenny who has been working for the boss for many years. She cooks the soup in the stall early morning to prepare for the lunch crowd.

The first question I asked was, “Got milk anot?” Aunty Jenny shakes her head. Fresh shark cartilage simmered over low heat everyday for more than 10 hours without any MSG. When asked what other ingredients did she add into the soup, her lips are tight, she refuses to share a single ingredient. #OkYouWin

There are a few choices for you to choose from – Tom Yam, Teochew, Sichuan Ma La, Beauty, Signature seafood and Fish Porridge! The fish soup base is mostly the same so it just depends on whether you want it spicy or not. My three favourites are Tom Yam, Beauty and Signature Seafood. You can order a set which comes with a drink and a side dish. Choose from prawn fritters, fish skin, braised peanuts etc.

Tom Yam remains as a strong contender as the soup is balance with brisk lime juice detected. The prawns provide a fresh crunch, and even the tender fish slices do not lose texture to the soup.

Being a huge fan of Beauty in a Pot, I definitely like the collagen-based soup that is rich and dense in flavours (and there are ginger root found in the soup). On normal days, I would go for the Beauty Soup but if I wanted something more extravagant, their Signature Seafood Soup ($18.80) works with a variety of ingredients like sotong ball, prawns, mushrooms, tofu, fried fish, sliced fish and fish skin.

Upgrading of location and branding also means the price will increase too. I welcome this change for YuTang Clan because I like the new concept better. But of course, I cannot speak for rest of the office crowd who are looking for a cheap lunch spot.