Earth Jar Treasure: Hidden coffeeshop stall with soup served in traditional Chinese jars

Dec 28, 2023

One of my all-time favourite dishes when I’m feeling a little under the weather is Chinese soup. There's nothing more comfortable than tucking into a piping hot bowl of soup cooked with an assortment of wholesome ingredients, ranging from ginseng to lotus root to red dates. Coming across Earth Jar Treasure in a Marymount coffeeshop was hence exciting for my soup-loving self.

Earth Jar Treasure gets its name from how its soup is prepared. The soups are broiled in earthen jars and are served in ornate pots and urns, which give off a traditional Chinese feel. Each individual bowl of soup contains a sachet of herbs too, for the herbal flavour to be extra potent.

I was amused by the names of the stall's dishes, with some of their soups boasting their unique health benefits. Take for example, Heart Relief Lotus Root Soup (S$7.50), or Cultivate Blood Black Chicken Soup (S$8). These dish names certainly live up to Earth Jar Treasure's tagline, "health in a bowl"!

Within 2 minutes after I ordered my dishes, they were served to me at my table. How efficient! I started off with one of my favourite soups, the Ginseng Chicken Soup (S$8.30). This soup contained a whole chicken leg within, along with a ginseng root and a sachet of herbs.

The soup, or as I prefer to call it, liquid gold, was incredibly rich in flavour and had a strong herbal taste. The earthy profile and slight bitterness of the ginseng shone through the soup, giving the entire concoction layers of dimension.

The chicken within the soup was very tender, allowing for its flesh to be torn apart easily. It had absorbed the savoury flavours of the ginseng soup, making it even more enjoyable.

I personally would have liked if the Ginseng Chicken Soup contained more ingredients, such as wolfberries and chives, in order to further enhance the textural contrasts of the dish.

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Earth Jar Treasure's Great Health Duck Soup (S$8) was served in a black pot that resembled a cauldron. Within the pot were a few pieces of chopped duck meat and a herb sachet.

The soup was refreshing and savoury with a robust, full-bodied flavour. Compared to the Ginseng Chicken Soup, it was slightly richer and darker in taste, presumably from the addition of the gamey duck.

I liked how generous Earth Jar Treasure was with the duck meat, which was meaty and slightly gamey. Though the flesh of the duck erred a little more towards the firmer, tougher side, it was still very satisfying and not too chewy.

I opted to get a bowl of Yam Rice (S$0.70) to pair with each bowl of soup, and was delighted to find that they came with bits of mushroom and dried shrimp within. The rice had a light aroma from the yam, although I did find it to be a little dry for my liking.

When I added the Yam Rice to the soup, its unique yam fragrance was no longer distinguishable, but it soaked up the flavours of the soup nicely.

Aside from offering soup dishes, Earth Jar Treasure also has a range of side dishes, including sambal squid, sambal lala and various stir-fried veggies. I opted to try the Omelette with Onion (S$5) and was delighted at the gorgeous golden brown egg that was served to me.

The omelette was crispy and fluffy with enough sweetness and saltiness enhancing the flavours of the egg. I especially loved the generous amount of sliced onions— every inch of the omelette contained sweet and crisp onions that made the dish all the more delectable!

While the dishes at Earth Jar Treasure were a little steeper in price compared to other coffeeshop stalls, they did not disappoint. Each soup dish was rich in herbal taste, while the Omelette with Onion was a fantastic side dish to pair with the rice.

The traditional, slightly rustic feel of Earth Jar Treasure also makes it stand out from other herbal soup stalls, from its broiling methods to its unique presentation and tableware. I’d love to dine there again when I am in the area!

Expected damage: S$6 – S$9.50 per pax

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