All I want now is this bowl of hot traditional Cheng Tng to drive away my Monday blues. The old (and known to be grumpy) granny at the stall insists on cooking the 4 items on her menu using the same recipes for nearly half a century till date.

Especially delighted by the slice of dried persimmon, that adds a hint of sweetness, in addition to the usual suspects of dried longan, white fungus, barley, large sago. And perhaps you might have always wondered what’s that black, seaweed-looking thing floating atop the soup. It’s the Malva Nut, something that I enjoy for its texture.

Served in a traditional porcelain bowl truly brings about a nostalgic taste, as I got reminded of the same bowl used when dining at my late grandfather’s house. Xi Le Ting also offers green bean soup (which seems to be the most popular choice!), red bean soup and sweet wheat porridge.