Yin Yang Fremantle review: April Ooi visits FOMO Freo cafe for hawker food including mee goreng, nasi goreng

For me, hawker-style food isn’t just nostalgia — it’s in my DNA. I grew up with parents who made their living from it, so ready-cooked, wok-tossed meals were a mainstay of my childhood. On my last visit to Fremantle, my siblings and I were craving something hot, both temperature and spice wise. It only took a quick Google search to land on Yin Yang Wok & Soup Bar, which definitely fit the bill. Yin Yang keeps it pretty casual; they have bain-marie full of ready-made $10 takeaway deals, and a simple modern fit-out that is sleeker than your average hawker shop. The tables in the FOMO Freo complex are communal like a food court, so as long as we sat somewhere in the vicinity of Yin Yang, we were alright. While the takeaway boxes were tempting, the hot and steamy cook-to-order meals are always my favourite. The menu is compact, with only a handful of noodle and rice dishes. And service is quick; we had our food within 10 minutes. My sister got the beef mee goreng ($17.50). The noodles arrived glistening and tangled. The dish was on the oilier side but lacquered with delicious soy flavour. There was self-serve, house-made chilli oil which we drenched over the noodles, resulting in a fiery kick that clung to every strand. The beef itself was a little rubbery at times, but I find that velvet beef gets like that when it’s overcooked. I had the chicken nasi goreng ($17.50), which used to be my favourite dish growing up. The smoky flavour, the generous chunks of chicken and peppery seasoning were all a big yes. The dish came out steaming hot and best of all, the portion was massive. My brother picked out the vegetable clear noodles ($16.50), which was rice vermicelli noodles in a light broth. The soup could have been hotter, but it’s a nice subtle dish with plenty of carrot, cabbage and spring onion to sweeten the broth. Overall, Yin Yang is a neat and safe take on hawker cuisine. They deliver on flavour, portion sizes and speed — making sure you’re full and cravings are satisfied without a long wait. Yin Yang Wok & Soup Bar 5/34 William Street, Fremantle (inside FOMO Freo) OPEN Tuesday to Thursday, 11am-3pm; Friday to Sunday, 11am-7.30pm CONTACT 0413 996 799 BOOKINGS No THE VERDICT Quick, simple and convenient Chinese noodle and rice dishes in the heart of Fremantle. 14/20