Soup or Viagra?

By HungryGoWhere July 11, 2021
Soup or Viagra?
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I once heard a joke that if Adam and Eve were Chinese, they would probably have eaten the serpent in the Garden of Eden instead of allowing it to tempt them to eat the forbidden fruit. This is because the Chinese are known to be adventurous with food. To prove my point, I’ll introduce you to an unusual dish–turtle soup.

When my makan kaki suggested we go try this turtle soup, I felt an emotional mix of excitement and trepidation at the same time.

Turtle soup is not for everyone and there’s a lot urban legend surrounding this dish. Many believe that turtle soup is an aphrodisiac and that it warms the body and increases alertness. I am no expert in this, but I think it is believed that some ingredients in the soup cause blood vessels to dilate, thus increasing blood flow, mimicking the effect of Viagra!

Now, eating turtle soup in Geylang with two other men might be especially risky as it may invite unwanted attention. It was 2.30pm in the afternoon and the restaurant was quite packed that day. It was common knowledge a few years ago that if you were in Geylang for food, then you should head for the odd number Lorongs and avoid the even ones.

Now, the beauty of turtle soup (so I was told) is all that soft gelatinous skin and shell which you would love if you love fish head. Boiling all that cartilage makes the soup a little smoother and viscous, very much like shark bone soup. Taste wise, the turtle soup tasted like the standard herbal soup to me and all that soft gelatinous stuff didn’t thrill me that much. I suspect that psychologically it may help some to feel more revitalised after consuming a bowl of soup that is rich and filled with ingredients. At $40 per claypot of turtle soup, it seemed a little pricey to me. I gave it a 3/5. However, one of my makan kaki came away feeling seemingly rejuvenated and glowing with renewed energy. He gave it a 4.25/5. I guess turtle soup is something you either love or eat it only once in a while.


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