Oyster omelette, otherwise known locally as orh jian or orh luak, is a hawker dish consisting of potato starch, eggs and of course, oysters. The dish is pan fried and further enhanced with a spicy chilli sauce with lime. Other Asian countries have their own variation of the dish, for example, in Taiwan you can find versions that are served with a ladle of sauce! Here in Singapore, shrimp can sometimes replace the oysters, and there is also a version without the starch called hao dan, or oyster egg.
While the dish might not be very IG-worthy and it doesn’t enjoy the same level of fame as char kway teow or carrot cake, for hawker aficionados there are few dishes less satisfying than a good plate of oyster omelette. Without further ado, here are the best oyster omelettes in Singapore!
1. Lim's Fried Oyster
Those who like the oyster omelettes on the starchy side will adore Lim’s Fried Oyster. They’ve perfected their recipe over forty years and the balance of flavours is what makes them so popular. Think a good mix of egg and starch batter fried in garlic infused oil, topped with succulent oysters and charred to perfection. Dress the dish with some spicy, sour chilli mix and you have the perfect bite.
2. Hougang Oyster Omelette & Fried Kway Teow
Prefer crispier oyster omelettes instead? The Hougang Fried Oyster is starchy on the inside while delightfully crispy on the outside. The portions are also pretty huge and mega worth your money! Unlike other orh luak stores, the oyster omelette here is served with lime. We have to say that we’re huge fans of how the acidity really ties the whole dish together!
3. Ah Chuan Fried Oyster Omelette
Come prepared to queue because at its most popular, this stall is only open three hours (or less) a day! The secret is undoubtedly in their batter and the crispy edges create a perfect consistency against the soft centre and juicy oysters. The original owners have retired, but the dish remains just as great.
4. Huat Heng Fried Oyster
Listed in the Michelin Guide with a Michelin Plate, Huat Heng Fried Oyster leans towards the eggier side, and chilli is mixed into the batter. The way they fry the baby oysters with the eggs is different from other stalls, so you don’t get the usual large, clumpy, pieces of fried batter. Everything is chopped up with the spatula so you get more even, bite-sized pieces, and the sour chilli ties everything together.
5. Xing Li Cooked Food
Serving up fluffy oyster omelettes at Old Airport Road Food Centre, Xing Li Cooked Food’s version of orh jian is very eggy and not heavy on the starch. The stall is helmed by an elderly uncle who’s a one-man show, so you may need a little more patience than usual! The wait is very much worth it, once the fresh oysters explode with freshness in your mouth.