Ru Yi Yuan Vegetarian @ 273 Bukit Batok East Ave 4

I have long heard about the notoriety of the lady boss from Ru Yi Yuan Vegetarian at Bukit Batok East Point.

Since I am checking out Mei De Coffee Shop in this area, I finally had the chance to try this stall at 273 Bukit Batok East Ave 4.

Well, do correct me if I am wrong but this Ru Yi Yuan is unrelated with the one at Margaret Drive Hawker Centre (previously from Tanglin Halt) and the one at Redhill.

Apart from sharing the same name and serving vegetarian beehoon with gravy, the three stalls are, in fact, separate entities from one another.

If you have not already noticed, even though they are all named Ru Yi Yuan, the design of their signboards is not the same with each spotting a different logo.

It is very weird how three businesses could have the same name? I tried looking them up on the ACRA website, but I could only find the Redhill one.

As I stood in line for my turn to order, I decided to get the larger plate to justify the waiting time.

Honestly, it did not take long for me to reach the front because the queue is fast moving with the lady boss assisted by two assistants.

I was served by one of the assistants instead of the lady boss who is known for being calculative and rude.

These are the common complaints that I come across online made by other reviewers.

Since I did not get to experience her service firsthand, I could not comment much on that.

I ordered the fried beehoon and opted for the starchy gravy to be added. I love my beehoon with gravy but not many places offer that.

If starchy gravy is not up your alley, you have the option to add curry gravy instead for a 50¢ top up.

I have not heard of anywhere else charging extra just to have a different sauce added to your vegetarian fried beehoon.

I wonder what is so special about their curry? Did anyone actually ask for it?

Be warned that pickled green chili is a controlled item here. It is not put out there for customers to help themselves to.

Rather, it is fiercely guarded behind the counter; every plate ordered will be rationed with just a little. Want more? Pay for it.

Yikes.

Apart from beehoon, fried noodle and fried kway teow are also available.

Somehow, the kway teow ($5/$6) costs more than the beehoon and noodle ($4.50/$5).

Despite all that, the stall enjoys a brisk business. I observed that this is the only stall in the coffee shop with a nonstop queue.

My plate of beehoon in gravy came with five different types of ingredients.

Other than the usual zai er (mock goose) and cabbage, I do not recognize the rest of the ingredients at all.

Upon my first mouthful of the beehoon, there is an unmistakable whiff of burnt smell.

I believe my beehoon is from the top layer, so the smell is not that strong.

Thankfully, the gravy helped musk some of that making it barely noticeable.

Although the flavors are light, it is not bland at all. The rubbery/plasticky smell that I usually associate with mock, gluten meats, is non-existent here.

While I have no issues with the service or how the food tastes, the portion does not seem proportionate with its $5 pricing.

Ru Yi Yuan Vegetarian @ 273 Bukit Batok East Ave 4