Beulah Kitchen Review: Unique XXL Mushroom Chwee Kueh, Har Cheong Chicken Pasta And More In Chinatown

The cosy and homely cafe is founded and ru n by May Tan, an ex-pharmaceutical executive who’s had over 20 years of experience in the trade. Food at Beulah Kitchen Handmade kueh is the forte here, as seen from the array of options shown on the menu.

Purists can go for the popular Yam Kueh or Pumpkin Kueh , available by the slice at $3.50 or as a whole 7.5” round from $20. Beulah Kitchen as well serves a decent variety of innovative lunch mains, including Stew Pork Bee Hoon ($9.80) , Har Cheong Chicken Pasta ($8.90), and Cheesy Pork Roll Pao Fan ($9.80) .

We wanted to try something different, so we got the Spinach Kueh ($3.50) to start . The green-tinted kueh was steamed to a perfectly soft and bouncy texture, topped with a heaping spoonful of fried shallots for added crunch and sweetness.

Another must-try is the Sumo Chwee Kueh ($3.50) , a zhnged-up rice cake filled with a mushroom middle, topped with a generous serving of chye poh , and served with a fragrant chilli paste. I loved the juicy bits of mushroom hidden in the centre of the kueh, which added texture and umami to the tender rice cake base and sweet chye poh.

Even if the kueh texture was a little more dense than what I’d associate with chwee kueh, I didn’t mind it that much as the flavours worked well. Speaking of fusion, one item that caught my eye was the Honey Ham Soon Kueh ($3.50) .

The savoury ham was a welcome addition to the sweet and crunchy turnip strips, but the handmade skin was a little too thick for our liking. Beulah Kitchen also offers Western-style bakes such as the Ham Pineapple Quiche ($6.50) and Cheesy Chicken Mushroom Pie ($4.80) .

The former was of a sizeable portion, filled with a savoury and custardy filling that’s spiked with bits of ham and pineapple chunks. We utterly enjoyed the rich and cheesy filling, which was studded with chicken and mushroom bits, but felt that the pie crust could be made a little thinner and crispier. Featuring bee hoon doused in a house-made sauce of stewed pork and braised mushrooms, this dish was the clear winner for us.

The pasta sauce was garlic-heavy, with bits of onions and visible chunks of tomato. The noodles were also cooked to al dente doneness, and well-coated with the savoury sauce.

As soon as the safe distancing regulations are removed, there are plans to increase the seating capacity to 18 diners. While there were a few minor misses during our visit, we were impressed with the selection of unique kueh flavours and well-executed mains, which were all affordably priced for a central location like Chinatown. Throw in the warm and homely vibes reminiscent of Ah Ma’s house, and you get Beulah Kitchen.