ETL x Quantum Food Lab 外星食堂

On one of those rainy days at work in town, J and I came across this little eatery just off the overhead bridge linking China Square to Hong Lim Complex. Named ETL x Quantum Food Lab 外星食堂, the brand has another space next door that sells their own formula of eco cleaning products for the home. The eatery is thankfully air-conditioned, a must in the noon-day heat even though it was raining. It’s a Taiwanese cafe of sorts. The vibes and the decor is fairly Taiwanese-cute. It’s fascinating.

So although Singapore is hot as a furnace all year round, we still love our hot soups. This not-too-tiny eatery serves soups on its lunch menu. It offers diners about six to seven choices of familiar Chinese soups that come with brown rice, thick or thin beehoon, handmade noodle (手工麵) or mee sua.

I was interested in the sliced fish soup. However, it said 'herbal', ‘藥材魚片湯’, so I was wary of it. My body doesn't react well to herbs, and most times when I make the mistake of drinking a 'casual herbal soup', my eyelids swell and hives come out. So I passed. Of course the vegetarian 'forest soup' is herbal, and the chicken soup too; even the 'laksa chicken mini pot' is branded herbal. Their daily specials are usually some herbal soup with pork and old cucumber or winter melon. Okay all I cannot eat.

That lunch, both J and I took the laksa handmade niang dou foo. It’s not what most people would term as delicious because it isn’t authentic, but to me, this lighter version works and sits easier in my stomach. It's fairly healthy food decently cooked. I enjoyed it. The menu offers the usual non-spicy version of niang dou foo, and a dry version too. I'd be happy to return and order those another day.