Hawker Auntie Runs 3rd-Gen Liang Teh Stall With Potent “Bitter First Sweet Last” Brews
In TCM, heatiness is countered by consuming ‘cooling’ stuff like Chinese herbal teas, which is also known as liang teh. It’s common to see bottled liang teh sold at TCM halls or even supermarkets, but hawker liang teh is pretty unusual.
Photo: Rick Hkc
Hawker liang teh
You can get such house-brewed herbal concoctions at Ng Tong San Herb Tea, a third-generation-run stall at Old Airport Road Food Centre. It specialises in self-proclaimed “bitter first sweet last potent brews”, a literal Chinese translation that refers to suffering bitterness first (in this case, the pungent liang teh) before reaping the sweet rewards of its medicinal properties later.
Photo: Rick Hkc
Bitter brews
A bio on Ng Tong San Herb Tea’s Facebook page states that “regular customers shudder at the bitterness of their herbal tea, but believe that it really does help to cleanse their digestive system and dispel excess heat from their body.”
Photo: Rick Hkc
Stall run by a friendly auntie
According to netizen Rick Hkc who shared a post on the stall in Facebook group Can Eat! Hawker Food, the stall is run by a “very friendly aunty” who is “very popular” in the hawker centre.
Rick adds that the hawker can suggest herbal concoctions to take based on her customers’ individual needs. He says: “Just tell her what’s your problem then she will recommend [to] you what to [drink]. Whenever my throat doesn't feel good I will come all the way here to look for Aunty to buy the Chinese herbal tea from her.”
It should go without saying that guzzling liang teh isn’t a substitute for professional medical attention, so don’t hit up this stall expecting a cure for your ailments.
Photo: Rick Hkc
The herbal tea menu
A menu displayed at Ng Tong San’s stall offers about 12 types of liang teh. This includes the proprietary Herbal Tea, the only concoction served in an old-school bowl that you drink on the spot ($4; $5.50 bottled). Other flavours are sold in plastic bottles, like 24 Flavour Herbal Tea ($3.50), a Cantonese-style brew for ‘yeet hay’. It is made with up to 24 types of herbs including chrysanthemum flowers, luo han guo and mulberry leaf.
There’s also Five Flower Tea ($2.50) and Hawthorn Tea ($2.50), which are said to aid digestion, plus White Fungus & Longan ($2.20) and Loquat ($2.30). More common brews include Honey Lemon ($2.30) and Luo Han Guo ($2.30).
Photo: Rick Hkc
Very long opening hours
What’s also interesting about this stall is its very long operating hours, which is 7.30am to 11pm daily. A little sign there emphatically states “OFF DAY — NO OFF DAY”. In keeping with the times, Ng Tong San’s herbal teas are also available for delivery via the hawker delivery app WhyQ.
#01-50 Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Rd, S390051. Open daily 7.30am-11pm. www.facebook.com/ngtongsanherbtea.
