Traditional Hakka Lei Cha Thunder tea story

Good Thunder rice is usually hard to come by, especially in the Singapore Hawker scene. One gem of a Lei Cha store is located at Bukit Merah area in Block 115 Bukit Merah View. Notably, Thunder Tea Rice (Lei Cha) is a special dish commonly prepared among the Hakka Chinese. It is a rice dish served with a side of tea-like soup. Lets check out this Thunder Tea Story with a dine-in today.

A Rice Potpourri

Furthermore, the Thunder Tea Rice name comes from its special spice blend that goes into making the Asian dish. It is quite a spice potpourri. Ingredients of the trade which goes into the soup includes spices such as coriander, basil, green tea, mint and mugwort. It gives the soup a tinge of green colour infused with topping bits of sesame seeds.

Additionally, each dish is served with the rice topped with an assortment of diced and stir-fried toppings. This includes chopped vegetables, cabbage, tofu cubes and peanuts. As part of the ingredient preparations, these dish ingredients and toppings are arranged by hand prior to serving.

The highlight of tea rice would of course be the tea part of the dish. Your meal comes accompanied with a green soupy side dish. I found the Thunder Tea Rice soup clear and not excessively strong nor has any remnants of spice clumps. It has a consistent texture throughout the entire soup without any glaring sediments within.

Also, for the price, I found the quality offerings rather commendable. The peanuts crunchy and vegetables fresh. The rice is your standard white or brown offerings and are not overcooked.

Many Ways Of Eating Hakka Lei Cha

In addition, you start your meal by mixing your rice dish into a soupy rice contraption. Most would recommend to pour the green soup over your rice before starting your meal. But just like Japanese tea rice, there is no one right way to consume Chinese Hakka thunder rice. Also, you can have your rice in your soup, soup in your rice or even have them separately with the soup as a side.

Moreover, menu offerings are straightforward here with just one offerings of their Lei Cha rice dish with a couple of add-ons. Your dish start at $4.50 with option to upgrade your white rice to brown rice for 50 cents extra. Up-sizing your meal cost a dollar extra. The dish, though looking small in portions are rather filling at the end of your meal. This is especially so if you option for the healthier brown rice.

In addition, if you are craving to have the store’s Lei Cha at home, you can purchase separately an 8 sachet ready-to-cook their Lei Cha soup base sauce for $12. Also, the store offers a $6 Yong Tau foo platters. It is meant to be consumed as a side dish or for sharing.

All in all, Thunder tea story take on Traditional Hakka Lei Cha is one of the best take of the Chinese dish in a hawker offering, well-priced for the quality offered. Notably, the store’s location at Bukit Merah View is located just across the Sprout hub city sprouts hipster cafeteria we visited a couple of years back and is home to a number of community greenhouses.

Verdict:

Must Go! | Actually pretty Good | Worth Trying | Shortlist Optionally | Should Avoid

Hakka Lei Cha (Thunder Tea Story) Locality Map

115 Bukit Merah View,
#01-71,
Singapore 151115
Opening Hours: 10:30am–3:30pm
Closed on Fridays.