Bak Chor Mee Fish Ball Noodle @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

It has been a while since my last visit to Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre and it is high time that I return in search of new stalls to try out.

I must say this trip is rather fruitful as there are indeed a number of newly opened stalls (and some closures).

The first stall to catch my eye has a very straightforward name with a clear indication of what they sell - Bak Chor Mee Fishball Noodle.

If it is of any interest to you, this noodle stall occupies the vacanted unit of Tian Tian Porridge, the Cantonese porridge stall with a history of seventy-years. Run by five elderly siblings, they ceased operations last October due to old age.

Gimee Face Noodle House @ Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31

I have not been to this coffee shop at Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31 for the last three years since the beginning of the pandemic.

When I finally paid a visit this week, I was surprised to learn that a new noodle stall named Gimee Face Noodle House have taken up space here.

I have heard of the branding before which is a chain co-owned by Tenderfresh’s COO Kelvin Chua and Bakerzin's Daniel Tay.

Stepping foot into the coffee shop, it is not difficult to spot the stall with its eye-catching signboard and impressive menu:

01) Original Pork Noodle ($4.30)

02) Abalone Pork Noodle

03) Spicy Volcano Mee Kia Soup ($7.30)

04) Longevity Mee Sua Dry ($5.30)

05) Mala Spicy Pork Noodle ($5.30)

06) Teochew Fish Ball Noodle ($5.30)

07a) Fragrant Laksa

07b) Fragrant Seafood Laksa

08) Braised Pork Rib Noodle

09) Silky Pork Liver Noodle ($4.30)

10) Fish Ball Kway Teow Soup ($4.30)

11) Homemade Pork Ball Soup ($4.50)

12) Bouncy Fish Ball Soup ($4.30)

13) Heibee Hiam Pork Liver ($4.30)

14) Heibee Hiam Duo Ball ($5.30)

I discovered that menu items #2, #7 and #8 are missing from the signboard. I compared the menu against the one on their Facebook and realized that, perhaps, they do not serve those here at this outlet. 

Ah Gong Minced Meat Noodle - $2.50 Claypot Bak Chor Mee @ Maxwell Food Centre

Madam Chow has been a hawker at Maxwell Food Centre for the past five years but business has not always been rosy due to the construction of the Thomson-East Coast Line in the area. 

As the proverb goes, it never rains but it pours. Her business was dealt a further blow when the pandemic struck. Footfall to the food centre fell drastically as dine-in restrictions were imposed.

Not one to admit defeat, Madam Chow turned to selling claypot bak chor mee (she was selling something else before that) thus, Ah Gong Minced Meat Noodle was born. 

Fu Ji - Minced Meat Noodle @ Blk 491 Jurong West Ave 1

After my dental appointment at the nearby Polyclinic, I visited this noodle stall named Fu Ji which is located inside Fu Chan Coffee Shop at Blk 491 Jurong West Ave 1. 

I learned about the minced meat noodle here weeks prior my appointment from a Instagram friend so I planned a visit to check it out.

Business was sluggish upon my arrival with only Fu Ji and a chicken rice stall opened. At a glance, there are less than five customers in the coffee shop.

As it is my first time here, I am not sure if it is due to the dine-in restrictions or competition from across the road at Jurong Central Plaza where there are more coffee shops and therefore more choices.

Chun Seng Noodle House - Braised Pork Made With A 100 Years Old Recipe @ ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre

Update: Chun Seng Noodle House has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

Chun Seng Noodle House is a relatively new hawker stall at ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre.

Opened in late 2019, it is run by a pair of young hawkerpreneurs who signed up for the hawker incubation stall program. Under the scheme, aspiring hawkers pay subsidized rental fees for a total of 15 months and the stall came pre-fitted with basic equipment to lower the upfront capital investment.

Since they are a noodle house, they sell a variety of noodles such as minced pork noodle ($3.50/$4.50), chicken feet noodle ($3/$4.50), braised pork noodle ($4/$5/$6), meat ball soup ($3/$4/$5) and fish ball soup ($3/$4/$5). 

The highlight of this stall is their one hundred years old braised pork (lor bak) recipe that has been passed down and perfected over three generations.

Needless to say, I skipped the others and head straight for their braised pork noodle.

Rong Fa (Mui Siong) Minced Meat Noodle @ Redhill E-Centre

Update: Rong Fa (Mui Siong) has relocated. The new address has been updated at the bottom of this post.

Mention Mui Siong and people would first think of the minced meat noodle stall at blk 638 Veerasamy Road but, did you know that they have another stall in the central region along Jalan Bukit Merah?

It is located inside a cafe on the ground level of E-Centre@Redhill, diagonally across the main road from CPIB which is just a few minutes walk from ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre.

The difference between the two stalls is that the one at Veerasamy Road named Jin Xi Lai (Mui Siong) Minced Meat Noodle is run by the brother while the one at Jalan Bukit Merah named Rong Fa (Mui Siong) Minced Meat Noodle is run by the sister. 

Mui Siong was started by their mother in the Rochor area fifty years ago. The siblings loved their mother's cooking and minced meat noodle so much that they decide to carry on her legacy.

In fact, Rong Fa was opened in 2015 while Jin Xi Lai only opened two years later in 2017. I have been to the coffee shop at Veerasamy Road in 2017 but I was there for Victor Famous Fried Chicken Wing Rice instead. I believe I was there one month after Jin Xi Lai opened but I did not know about them then therefore I did not try their noodle.

Tai Wah Pork Noodle @ Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

Mention Hong Lim Market & Food Centre and chances are, Tai Wah Pork Noodle would come to mind.

It is one of the more popular stalls here evident by the line of customers it serve everyday. I have long wanted to give it a try but was intimidated by the waiting time.

Imagine my surprise when I visited the food centre on a particular morning to see only five people in the queue. I did not go there specifically for the pork noodle but since such an opportunity does not come easy, I wasted no time in joining them although it still took about thirty minutes for me to receive my bowl.

58 Minced Meat Noodle @ Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre

58 Minced Meat Noodle is undoubtedly one of the more popular stalls evident by its daily snaking queue. Located on the third floor of Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre, the line often stretched to the nearby escalator, blocking the path of the people coming up.

With a history spanning 47 years, the stall is now succeeded by Deon Ang, the second generation who has been helping his father out at the stall since his teenage years when they were still at their previous location.

On the day of my visit, Deon was there at the helm, cooking bowl after bowls of minced meat noodle at lightning speed while assisted by a lady helper.

Lengkok Bahru Minced Meat Noodle @ Blk 58 Lengkok Bahru

How did the residents of Lengkok Bahru keep a certain minced meat noodle stall in their neighborhood under wraps from the rest of Singapore all these years?

Located within an old-school coffee shop at the foot of block 58, this noodle stall does not even have a signboard. However, that does not stop people from locating them, as words of mouth soon gave the secret away.

When I first visited the stall a year ago, the noodle stall was closed despite it being a weekday (their off day is on alternate Sundays).

Determined to have my bowl of noodle, I made a return trip to the coffee shop earlier this week, reaching there just a little after ten in the morning. I was half expecting it to be a slow and quiet morning, with only a couple of retirees engaging in a game of chess over a kopi-o siew dai.

51 Noodle House - Japanese Fusion Bak Chor Mee @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

During my previous visit to Yishun Park Hawker Centre, I went to the wrong bak chor mee stall therefore, I am back again to look for the correct one called 51 Noodle House.

51 Noodle House is the collaboration between two young hawkers who already have their own respective food stalls at the food centre.

Rather than being business rivals, the two - Henry Yap from Ipoh Curry Noodle (#01-36) and Darren  Teo from Seafood Pirates (#01-35) - teamed up to open another stall offering fusion bak chor mee with a Japanese element to it.

Da San Yuan - Bak Chor Mee @ Yishun Park Hawker Centre

The purpose of this trip to Yishun Park Hawker Centre is to check out the bak chor mee.

Upon my arrival, I realized that I had forgotten the unit number and name of the stall. I began looking around at the signboards, searching for one that offers the dish. It did not take me long to find it and I promptly ordered a bowl.

After taking a few pictures, I began to dig in eagerly. However, a few mouthfuls later, I started questioning myself the reason for including this stall on my list. Do not get me wrong; the taste is decent but the ingredients are hardly rave-worthy for me.

I took out my list to verify only to discover that... I had actually gone to the wrong stall!

I am supposed to go to 51 Minced Meat Noodle but I had mistaken Da San Yuan for it instead. Well, my bad. I had not expected that there would be more than one bak chor mee stall at the food centre.

Apart from bak chor mee, Da San Yuan also sell fish ball noodle, mini pot noodle and laksa.

Ah Hor Teochew Kway Teow Mee @ 165 Kitchener Road

Just across the road from City Square Mall is a coffee shop housing a very popular Teochew noodle stall. 

I have kiv-ed this stall at the same time as the braised duck rice stall because they are categorized under the same area. This noodle stall called Ah Hor Teochew Kway Teow Mee has since moved from the address (12 Verdun Road) recorded in my list.

According to Dr Leslie Tay, the old stall used to be under an elderly man in his 70s who had a penchant for long sleeved shirts with flowery prints.

However, when I was at their new location, the havoc uncle is no where to be seen. Instead, the cooking was done by a middle aged lady with a young man taking orders.

Huang Da Fu Minced Meat Noodle @ Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre

Huang Da Fu is one of the more popular noodle stall at Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre. 

Run by a young couple, the stall serves minced meat noodle (bak chor mee) that come in three sizes ($2.70/$3.50/$4.50).

Their cheapest bowl, at $2.70, is the most affordable I have ever seen. I think bak chor mee at most places starts from $3. I decided to go for the medium bowl and the lady who took my order suggests adding on their delicious fish dumplings (4 pieces for $1).

After collecting payment, the guy immediately gets to work; blanching the noodles and putting the bowl together.

Seng Huat Coffee House - Bak Chor Mee @ Blk 811 Hougang Central

Located within the same coffeeshop as the pork chop bun is a noodle stall that sell dry mee sua, fish ball noodle, abalone noodle and bak chor mee.

I have heard nothing but good reviews about their bak chor mee so I decided to try it out. Now, do you understand why I did not order soft-boiled eggs with my pork chop bun?

There is a short queue before me which cleared pretty fast. When it finally reached my turn, I ordered a bowl of bak chor mee kia.

Original Jalan Tua Kong 132 Mee Pok @ 24 Sixth Avenue

Located in the same coffeeshop as 6th Avenue Wanton Noodle is this noodle stall called Original Jalan Tua Kong 132 managed by two guys.

The name of the stall baffles me as it is a combination of two very famous Teochew mee pok stalls like 132 Mee Pok from Marine Terrace and Jalan Tua Kong Lau Lim Mee Pok from Simpang Bedok. 

I know of the story between 132 and Lau Lim but what about this stall which claims to be the original? Is this stall hitching a ride on their names or simply a disgruntled sibling/relative/ex-worker striking out on his own?

In all honesty, I have not eaten both 132 or Lau Lim before hence, I cannot compare who does it better. However, this stall's mee pok is the best that I have tasted ever thus far.

Ah Hoe Mee Pok @ Blk 501 West Coast Drive

Ever since the new location of the old Bukit Purmei Lor Mee was discovered, I have gone to have my favorite bowl of Lor Mee (Braised Noodles) four times.

Each time while queuing for my Lor Mee, I cannot help but notice that the Bak Chor Mee (Minced Meat Noodles) stall next door is also doing a very brisk business. A quick google on the stall name Ah Hoe Mee Pok revealed that stall owner, Eric Chia made news recently by teaching a Japanese man the skills to cook his mee pok.

After learning from Eric for six months, the Japanese - Naoji-san - took over the stall at Blk 710 Clementi West Street 2 with his daughter to sell this dish. They had a second stall manned by his wife and son further away at Blk 713. According to their Facebook, they are currently looking for a third stall.

What happened to Eric then? Well, he moved to set up his stall at the current location at Blk 501 West Coast Drive.

吊桥头大华猪肉粿条面 Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle @ Crawford Lane

I have long heard about this famous "Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle" which have been hailed as the best Bak Chor Mee (Minced Meat Noodle) in Singapore by its fans.

That claim sure arouse my interest but I only got to try it last week when I went to collect my new passport from the ICA (Immigration & Checkpoint Authority of Singapore) beside Lavender MRT.

The stall in question is located at Blk 466 Crawford Lane, which is right behind the ICA building.

Even though I was there at 11am, a queue of 6 people had already formed in front of the stall. The queue is very slow moving; by the time it reached my turn, twenty minutes have passed.

Of course, I know twenty minutes is not a very long time to wait considering that the queue can sometimes stretch beyond the perimeter of the coffee shop during peak hours (which literally translates to at least 60 minutes of wait)!

I really take my hat off to these people who bothered to queue so long just to have a bowl of noodles.