Li Na Fishball Noodle : Bak Chor Mee cooked by an Indian

Jeevan Ananthan, 28, started the stall with May Leena Krishnan, 29, his fiancee, in August 2019. The stall is named after the Chinese name of Leena. He is likely to be the first Indian cooking Bak Chor Mee and Fishball Noodle in a coffee shop. There is an Indian-Chinese man serving the traditional Teochew-style Fishball Noodle in a coffee shop at Commonwealth Crescent. There is also a Chinese lady serving Malay-style Biryani at Circuit Road Food Centre. 

Jeevan used to be an Investment Banker for a few years and Leena was a Digital Marketer before deciding to start the hawker stall doing their part to preserve the hawker culture. Jeevan is the main chef and he was trained by an experienced hawker imparting the basic techniques to him. He developed the recipes for the braised mushroom, chilli paste, and the sauces. 

The menu consists of Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle ($3.50/$4.50), Signature Noodle ($4.50), Fishball Noodle ($3/$4) and Fishball/Fish Dumpling Soup ($3/$4). They also have handmade Her Giao (Fish Dumpling) Noodle for $3/$4 and $5, the Fish Dumpling is also available at $0.70 per piece or $2.00 for 3 pieces. 

I ordered the large portion of Mushroom Minced Mear Noodle and added 3 pieces of Fish Dumplings. It was served with a good portion of mee pok with braised mushroom, minced meat, sliced meat, and meatballs, topped with crispy lard and chopped spring onion.

My dining companion took a mouthful and said, "This is pretty good. The chilli and vinegar have a good balance. The texture of mee pok was cooked just right." He then took a piece of the Fish Dumpling and said, "Did they handmade it? It is surprisingly good." 

The queue was still long during lunch.

LI NA FISHBALL NOODLE

Block 116 Toa Payoh Lorong 2 SINGAPORE 310116

Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 7.00 pm (Closed on Wednesdays)

新建兴肉脞面 at Sin Ming

I came here to take away once to eat it at home. The overall taste was not too fascinating but rather pleasant. I decided to have it again after having the not too filling mee hoon kueh at the coffee shop next to it. It was lunchtime and most of the tables in that coffee shop have been taken up and most of the tables ordered the noodles from this stall. There were other customers waiting to order in front of the stall. I went with the bowl with add-in ingredients at $5.50 and added chicken feet for an additional $2.00. I was given a buzzer for collection later and I waited for about 10 minutes to do so.

This bowl consists of a good portion of mee pok with ingredients like braised trotter, braised mushroom, braised small intestine, braised chicken feet, minced meat, sliced meat, fishball and slices of fishcake. 

My dining companion took a mouthful and said, "It smells better than it tastes." He added, "Though not disappointing but not much of a surprise." I had agreed somewhat. The chicken feet and pork trotter would be nicer if it is slightly softer, those braised intestine were a little too chewy and not as flavorful. There was also not much sauce underneath the pile of noodles so it tasted a bit dry after tossing it. Though not the best amongst what I had eaten, it is good enough to satisfy a pang of hunger. 

It is getting harder to find a really good Bak Chor Mee these days. Somehow, I still prefer the traditional type with the liver as part of its ingredients. 

新建兴肉脞面

Block 22 Sin Ming Road SINGAPORE 570022

Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 2.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Da Sheng Minced Pork Noodle : my old favorite Bak Chor Mee

Bai Yong Sheng, 36, the 4th generation owner, started helping out at his father's stall since 15 years old before eventually taking over the stall, using a recipe from his grandfather that used to operate a pushcart. They used to be at Plaza Singapura from 1997 to 2012 then moved to Block 739 Bedok Reservoir Road before moving to this canteen at Ubi Avenue 1 in May 2018. He is serving the traditional Teochew style Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle, commonly known as Bak Chor Mee. Black vinegar, braised mushroom sauce, and lard are used as part of the sauce mixture in his secret recipe. He is hoping to provide better Bak Chor Mee using quality ingredients as the current rental is lower. 

There was a short queue when I came for lunch on the last day of 2018. When it was my turn to order, I decided to go with Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle and I wanted it with Chicken Chop. The friendly lady boss asked, "Do you want the $4.50 or $5.50 bowl?" I asked, "What is the difference?" She replied, "The $5.50 portion is served with 2 fried dumplings." I went with the $5.50 selection. She also asked, "Do you want it with chilli?" As I will be sharing it with my dining companion and he could not handle spiciness so I asked, "Is it going to be really spicy?". She replied, "Not really for normal spiciness." I wanted to give her $10.50 as it stated that Chicken Chop is available at $5 as a side order. She said, "It is only $7.50. I do not think you can finish it so just an added-on option will be good enough." While waiting for my order, I said, "I used to be eating this regularly when it was still at Plaza Singapura." She smiled and said, "That was 7 years ago." Yong Sheng looked up while cooking the noodles and gave me a smile when he overheard it. I used to have it for lunch and even dinner when working near Plaza Singapura more than a decade ago.

The noodles were cooked well, serving with ingredients like minced meat, meatballs, liver, braised mushroom and 2 pieces of fried dumplings. The amount of black vinegar was not overpowering and the level of spiciness is quite acceptable. The fried dumplings were quite tasty, they replaced the water chestnuts with turnip, it did not have the crunchiness though there was still a slight sweetness. It can be ordered as a side dish in 10 pieces for $5. I actually liked the nicely seasoned chicken chop.

There are also Chicken Chop Noodle ($5.50), Fried Dumpling Noodle ($4.50/$5.50), Teochew Dumpling Soup ($4.50/$5.00) and Fishball Noodle ($4.00/$5.00) on their menu.

My dining companion tasted the lightly flavored soup and said, "This is better than the Lotus with Pork Ribs Soup from Mei Mei Roast." And, he actually finished the whole bowl of soup later. 

I am a big fan of Bak Chor Mee and this is definitely one of the better bowls of Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle. 

DA SHENG MINCED PORK NOODLE

Block 3014 Ubi Road 1 SINGAPORE 408702

Operating Hours: 6.45 am to 3.30 pm (Closed on Sundays)

Xin Heng Hong Mushroom Minced Pork Noodle : a new found favorite

A friend told me about the Bak Chor Mee from this particular stall and it reminded him of the already closed Joo Heng Mushroom Minced Pork Mee at AMK 628 Food Centre when he first tried it. The stall is manned by an Auntie solely. She looked up while cooking and asked for my order. I told her that I wanted the larger portion of Mushroom Minced Pork Noodle ($3/$4) with additional braised mushroom and liver for $6. There were another 2 customers in front of me and both of them ordered the Pork Ribs Noodle ($3/$5). I decided to order a portion of Pork Ribs for $3 and I asked to have it served separately. There are also choices of Fishball Noodle ($2.50/$3.00) and Mini Pot Noodle ($4/$5). I opted to have it with mee pok. 

While waiting for my order to be ready, I said, "A friend recommended your Bak Chor Mee so I travelled from Ang Mo Kio to here. He mentioned that the liver is nicely cooked. Most stalls usually sliced it too thin and cooked it for too long so it is not nice." I asked, "What time do you usually closed?" She replied, "I usually close around 2 pm but often earlier on weekends." She also said, "I am here as early as 4 am to start the preparation so I can open at 7 am. My husband usually sends me here from Seng Kang and he will come over to fetch me when I am done." She continued to say, "This stall is handed down to me and it has been around for more than 20 years."

It tasted close to Joo Heng Mushroom Minced Pork Mee but not as saucy. I will try having it with extra chilli next time. The perfectly cooked noodles were served with minced meat, fishball, liver, braised mushroom and a handful of bean sprouts, topped it with some shredded lettuce and red leaf lettuce. My dining companion said, "Wow, they actually served it with the "atas" lettuce that normally uses for salad, this is quite unusual." He then took a mouthful, nodded his head and said, "This is nice." I particularly enjoyed the braised mushroom and liver. 

The pork ribs were soft and it was served with branched beansprouts. My dining companion said, "I took notice that most of their customers actually ordered the Pork Ribs Noodle when I was here the previous times."

It was also served along with a bowl of lightly flavored soup that garnished with chopped spring onions.

Though not as popular but this is definitely better than the Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle. The best thing is I do not have to wait for 45 minutes just to eat it. 

XIN HENG HONG MUSHROOM MINCED PORK NOODLE
Block 210 Toa Payoh Lorong 8 #01-19 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh Food Centre SINGAPORE 310210
Operating Hours: 7.00 am to 2.00 pm (Closed on alternate Tuesdays)

Punggol Noodles : the one-armed hawker legend

Mr Yee Meng Yong, 55, the owner, he lost his right hand in an industrial accident in 1984 at the age of 21. Another setback was the loss of his wife in 2008. He has been cooking with just his left hand for 22 years to raise his family. It used to be a noodle stall in Punggol Road near to St Anne's Church. It was only $1.20 for a bowl then in 1985. It moved to Kovan Food Centre then to Block 210 Hougang Street 21 before moving to its current location in October 2011. That is why the stall is known as Punggol Noodles even though they are located in Hougang. 

There are different types of Teochew-style Minced Meat Noodles from $3 to $3.50 as well as side dishes like Braised Intestine ($2), Teochew Meatball Soup ($2/$3) and Vegetable Soup ($2) on their menu. There is also Teochew Handmade Meatball paste at $12 per box for ordering, each box can be made into about 30 meatballs. 

I decided to go with Minced Pork Noodle ($3.50) and a bowl of Teochew Meatball Soup ($2). Their signature handmade meatball is as big as a ping pong using minced meat, fish and deep-fried sole fish as its main ingredients. Uncle started making it when he took over the stall from his father in 1995, it was handed down to his parents from his grandfather. He was forced to do the cooking due to circumstances. 

He asked, "Do you want pork liver? Do you want it with bean sprouts?" Uncle is cheerful and rather friendly. He went swiftly ahead to blanch the pork liver, lean meat, minced meat and the meatballs in the boiling water before dished up and placed them in 2 bowls. The assistant ladled the soup into the bowls thereafter. He quickly tossed a portion of noodles in the boiling water and started to prepare the sauce mixture in a bowl, he then balanced the strainer with his amputated right arm while stirring it using his left hand before placing the blanched noodles into the bowl and topped it with braised mushroom. It left me feeling amazed.

I was delighted that those slices of pork liver were cooked to a perfect tenderness. I noticed that the soup was lukewarm so as not to continue cooking those liver in the bowl. The soup was lightly flavored with a hint of natural sweetness. The noodles were cooked well to retain its springiness. The well-flavored meatballs were not overly starchy coupled with the desired bounciness and a notable flavor derived from the dried sole fish. It tasted unique and different from the other meatballs. 

I am definitely coming back for the braised intestine that I did not get to taste it this time and I will go for additional ingredients when ordering the Minced Pork Noodle again. 

PUNGGOL NOODLES

Block 105 Hougang Avenue 1 #02-24 Hainanese Village Food Centre SINGAPORE 530105

Operating Hours: 8.00 am to 3.00 pm (Closed on Mondays and Fridays)

Seng Kee Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle : A New Found Favourite

Though i have eaten this particular Bak Cho Mee for a few times but it has never been a favourite though it tasted above average. I used to really like the Bak Cho Mee from Joo Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle but they have already ceased operation for a while. I have since went on a hunt for the next favourite. I have tried some of those familiar ones but did not particularly like it. 

I happened to be back for another 2 times to eat at this stall and i started to fall in love with the taste. It is nice, even nicer than the famous one at Crawford Lane. Taste aside, it is definitely more value for money with a shorter queue. 

There are the $4 and $5 portions for selection. The ingredients consist of braised mushroom, minced meat, slices of lean meat and pork's liver, fish dumpling and greens served along with perfectly cooked mee kia. Though requested for an extra amount of chilli to be added but the level of spiciness was rather mild. When mixed it well, the fragrance of the chilli blended well with the sauce and a tasty bowl of noodle awaits. 

This is the closer alternative to the version by Joo Heng Mushroom Mined Meat Noodle that i really liked. 

SENG KEE MUSHROOM MINCED MEAT NOODLE

49A Serangoon Garden Way Serangoon Garden Food Centre Singapore 555945

Operating Hours: 7.30 am to 2.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle : What is Good?

This stall has been featured in one of the recent episodes of 'Makan Lost & Found' thus i expected them to be of certain standard. This stall is solely operated by an elderly Uncle. I remember it was the same Uncle that appeared in the TV show. 

I went with Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle ($3.30) and Fishball Noodle ($3.30). As i was the only customer then for an early dinner, the waiting time was a short one. 

I requested for an extra amount of chilli to be added to Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle, the level of spiciness was still rather mild but a little oily. A substantial portion of mee pok was served along with minced meat, slices of lean meat and liver with braised mushroom. The liver was in thick and big pieces and cooked pretty nicely to give it a just right texture with a desired softness, just exactly how i liked it. For that alone, i am likely to eat it again if i happen to be in the vicinity. 

The Fishball Noodle tasted quite ordinary. A same equally good portion of mee pok served with minced meat, slices of fishcake and a few pieces of fishball. Seemingly, the fishcake and fishball did not taste like handmade as it has little elasticity. 

If i have to choose between both, i would think that the Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle is of a better choice and value. 

LAI HENG MUSHROOM MINCED MEAT NOODLE

165 Bukit Merah Central #01-3683 SINGAPORE 150165

Operating Hours: 9 am to 9 pm (Monday to Friday) / 9 am to 3 pm (Sunday)

Soon Lee

Though i have tried some of those famous Bak Cho Mee out there but none has come as close as my favourite Bak Chor Mee that closed down a couple of months ago.  So, the persistent long queue of this stall definitely caught my attention.

I joined in the queue and waited for 10 minutes to order. Though this stall is only manned by 2 elderly uncles but the waiting was a short one. I wanted the $3.00 portion of Mee Kia with extra chilli added.

A substantial portion of Mee Kia was given with ingredients like slices of fishcake and lean meat, minced meat, fishball and braised mushroom then garnished with coriander.

Though extra chilli was added but it still did not taste spicy enough to my liking.

It has got quite a distinctive taste of vinegar. I am not a fan of vinegar so the taste was a bit overwhelmed. If you do not like it too then you might want to request to omit it or to request for lesser amount to be added. The soup that served along with the Mee Kia tasted rather plain with just a slight peppery taste.  Though not the best that i have eaten but it actually tasted not too bad. It definitely worth a try if you are there for lunch.

SOON LEE MUSHROOM MINCED PORK NOODLE

41A Cambridge Road #01-22 Pek Kio Food Centre SINGAPORE 211041.