Bee Kia Seafood Hor Fun

Better known as "the hor fun stall opposite Thomson Medical Centre", Bee Kia Seafood Restaurant is famous for its seafood hor fun and beef hor fun, rated by food reviewers as one of the best in Singapore. When I went there for lunch today, I was surprised to see many people in the coffee shop eating hor fun. As it is uncommon for Singaporeans to have hor fun for lunch, it only means that Bee Kia's hor fun must be really excellent.


I ordered the seafood hor fun which costs $3. Coated with thick mouthwatering gravy filled with the flavorful essence of seafood, the delicious kway teow is thoroughly fried with an irresistable charcoal fragrance and delightful soy sauce taste. The prawns and sotong are fresh and sweet while the meat is tender and tasty.

This is indeed one of the best seafood hor fun I have ever tasted in Singapore. With well-fried kway teow and savory gravy that complement each other so well, this seafood hor fun is so sumptuous, you can eat it on its own. I will definitely return to try its beef hor fun someday.

8.5/10

Bee Kia Seafood Restaurant
Blk 1 Balestier Hill Shopping Centre
Thomson Road
12pm to 11pm

Chung Cheng Chilli Mee

There is no prize for guessing correctly what makes Chung Cheng Chilli Mee so popular. This stall in Golden Mile Food Centre serves delicious noodles topped with a special chilli paste that is simply irresistable.

Made from red chilli, onion, dried shrimps, prawns and other secret ingredients, this authentic chilli paste bursts into flames in the mouth, gently scorching the gums to produce an unforgettable delightful sensation that lingers on the taste buds.


For only $3, you get a large bowl of mouthwatering chilli-coated noodles with fresh prawns, marinated pork ribs, tau pok, fish cake and a small bowl of savory prawn soup to extinguish the flames in your mouth.

For all chilli lovers in Singapore, this is an extraordinary experience that is not to be missed. Come down to Golden Mile Food Centre and try it for yourself today.

7/10

Chung Cheng Chilli Mee
Golden Mile Food Centre
#01-59
Closed on Tuesdays

Kok Kee Wanton Noodle

If you have eaten at Lavender Food Centre before, you would have noticed that the longest queue is the one in front of Kok Kee Wanton Noodle. And if you have looked at a plate of Kok Kee wanton mee before, you would agree with me that it looks so plain and simple, you really doubt if it tastes good. But if you have tasted Kok Kee wanton mee before, you would understand why it is so popular.


A plate of Kok Kee wanton mee costs either $3 or $4, more expensive than other wanton mee. The delicious noodles are rich in egg fragrance and splendidly springy in consistency. The magic of Kok Kee wanton mee lies in the special sauce that is poured on top of the noodles. This mouthwatering sauce is extraordinarily flavorful and complements the noodles so well that you can eat it without any chilli. The char siew and dumplings are also tasty and tender.

For all wanton mee lovers who cannot tolerate the spiciness of chilli, Kok Kee is just the right wanton mee for you. Unless you are a small eater, please order the $4 portion for a satisfying meal.

7.5/10

Kok Kee Wanton Noodle
Lavender Food Square #01-06
380 Jalan Besar
12pm to 2am
Closed every three weeks on Wednesdays and Thursdays

Ah Hui Famous Hokkien Big Prawn Mee

I came across this prawn noodle stall when I was at Hong Lim Food Centre to try Outram Park Fried Kway Teow. As a prawn noodle lover, the temptation is just too great for me to resist.


I ordered a bowl of $5 prawn mee with medium sized prawns. The halved prawns were fresh and sweet. The pork ribs were tasty and tender. The savory soup, though filled with the flavorful essence of prawns and pork ribs, was somewhat disappointing compared to that of other famous prawn noodles I have recommended, lacking in the authentic taste.

Overall this is still one of the more delicious prawn mee in Singapore. Do give it a try if you happen to be at Hong Lim Food Centre.

6.5/10

Ah Hui Famous Hokkien Big Prawn Mee
Hong Lim Food Centre
531A Upper Cross Street #02-61
Singapore 510531
Closed on Wednesdays

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

What makes a great chicken rice? Is it the fragrance of the rice? The tenderness of the chicken? Or the spiciness of the chilli?

Maxwell Food Centre is famous for its Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. I remembered my first time eating it many years ago. It was a very sumptuous and satisfying experience.


Even though it is so popular, a plate of Tian Tian chicken rice costs only $2.50 or $3. The excellent rice which is thoroughly coated with irresistable chicken broth is sufficiently chewy in consistency and extremely fragrant and flavorful. The steamed white chicken is fleshy, tender and tasty. The special chilli is spicy and savory and complements the rice very well.

Tian Tian indeed lives up to its reputation of being one of the best chicken rice in Singapore.

7.5/10

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Maxwell Food Centre
12 Murray Street #01-10
11am to 8pm
Closed on Mondays

Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodles

Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodles was recommended by a friend who read my blog post on Ah Heng Curry Chicken Noodles. So there are actually 2 famous curry mee in Hong Lim Food Centre. One on the ground storey, the other on the second. Both have been featured on food blogs and magazines. And both have long queues during lunch time.


When I went for lunch today, I had to queue for around 15 minutes for Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodles. Hoping that the long wait will be worthwhile, I was rather disappointed by the small bowl of curry noodles which costs $4. The savory gravy was sweet and spicy but lacking in the fragrance and flavour of coconut milk. The noodles blended well with the gravy but the serving was so little, I could finish it in 4 mouthfuls. The 3 pieces of steamed white chicken were more bony than meaty and miserable, if I can think of a word to describe them.

Comparing the 2 curry noodles in Hong Lim Food Centre, Ah Heng Curry Chicken Noodles is definitely more delicious and value-for-money. Ah Heng's gravy is thicker and more mouthwatering than Heng Kee's. Ah Heng's chicken is fresher and more tender than Heng Kee's. The portions of noodles and chicken from Ah Heng are also bigger and more satisfying than that from Heng Kee (Compare the pictures I posted if you don't believe me).

I really don't know what is it about Heng Kee curry noodles that make people queue for it. Perhaps Singaporeans who are more health-conscious may prefer Heng Kee because of its lower content of coconut milk. Perhaps it has an authentic flavour that I could not appreciate. But I can confidently say that I definitely won't be coming back for more.

6/10

Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodles
Hong Lim Food Centre
Blk 531A Upper Cross Street #01-127
Closed on Sun and Public Holidays

Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee

This fried hokkien mee at Bukit Merah has been discussed on our local food blogs and forums, compared to the likes of Kim's and Nam Sing. When I went down to ABC Food Centre for lunch today, I was surprised to see no queue in front of Yi Sheng Hokkien Mee. After all I had the impression that the length of the queue is somewhat proportional to the standard of the food.


I ordered a plate of $4 fried hokkien mee which comes with 3 medium sized prawns and generous servings of sotong. The delicious noodles are thoroughly fried in mouthwatering prawn broth with a delightful charcoal aroma and flavorful taste. The distinguishing factor in Yi Sheng's Hokkien Mee is its special homemade chilli which is fabulously savory and extremely complementary to the noodles.

Somehow I feel that Yi Sheng fried hokkien mee resembles Geylang Lor 29's in terms of taste and consistency, although Yi Sheng is less oily and more tasty. Compared with Kim's, I still feel that Kim's is much better in terms of culinary skills.

7/10

Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee
ABC Brickworks Food Centre
6 Jalan Bukit Merah #01-13
Closed on Wednesdays

Ah Heng Curry Chicken Noodles

When I saw the long queue in front of Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee, I knew that it must be worth a try. After all, only about half of the Singaporeans enjoy curry mee (the other half probably avoid it because of the high cholesterol content or the spiciness of the gravy) and yet the queue is so long, it only means that this curry mee must be extraordinary.


When I took my first spoonful of the mouthwatering gravy, I was instantly impressed. The irresistable gravy is extremely flavorful with the natural sweetness and distinct aroma of coconut milk which linger on the taste buds. Though very savory, the remarkable gravy is not overly thick or spicy and complements the bee hoon mee very well, coating every strand evenly and thoroughly. The delicious steamed white chicken is tender and juicy and blends impeccably with the gravy.

For all curry noodles lovers out there, Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee is definitely one of the best curry noodles in Singapore. Come down to Hong Lim Food Centre and experience it for yourself today.

8/10

Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee
Hong Lim Food Centre
#02-58
Singapore 510531
9am to 5pm
Closed on Sunday & Public Holiday

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow

I read about this famous fried kway teow at Hong Lim Food Centre but never had the opportunity to try it as it was always closed in the evenings when I went there for dinner. The opportunity finally came when I went there for lunch today and I must admit that it is really fantastic.


Even though it is so outstanding, a plate of Outram Park Fried Kway Teow costs only $2. Compared to the other fried kway teow, it is slightly more wet in consistency and vaguely resembles the Apollo Fried Kway Teow from Marine Parade Food Centre although it is much better. The mouthwatering kway teow is impressively fried with savory sweet sauce which confers a memorable flavour that is accentuated by the pleasant fragrance of pork lard and the unmistakable aroma of garlic. For those who believe that fried kway teow is never complete without cockles, the irresistable kway teow is complemented by a generous serving of fresh cockles.

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow is indeed the one and only fried kway teow that is both delicious and value for money.

7.5/10

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee
Hong Lim Food Centre
Blk 531A Upper Cross Street
#02-18
Singapore 510531
7am to 4.30pm

He Ji Noodle

Located at Jalan Kayu, next to the famous Jerry's BBQ & Grill, He Ji Noodle is one of the recommended wanton mee on Singapore Best Food Online Directory. The website also tells the heartwarming story of how the founder inherited the skill of making noodles with flour and duck eggs from his great uncle, how he improvised, persevered and finally perfected the art of making He Ji noodle that is so popular in Malaysia.

When I went there for dinner last Friday, I was surprised to wait for 20 minutes even though there were only a few customers before me. I couldn't help wondering if the long waiting time is due to the meticulous way with which the noodles are cooked.


Indeed the delicious noodles are special in that they are more springy in consistency than the usual wanton mee. The unique chilli sauce tastes very different from the usual sauce in that it is spicy and savory with an unmistakable tinge of pepper. The dumplings are tasty and complement the noodles very well.

A heartwarming story, a special noodle and a unique sauce. This is what He Ji Noodle is all about in a nutshell.

7/10

He Ji Noodle
273 Jalan Kayu
Singapore 799501

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak

This must be one of the best nasi lemak in Singapore. Even when its side dishes eg otak otak (grilled fish paste) and begedil (potato patties) are sold out, the queue is still so long. Even though the nasi lemak is slightly overpriced, its customers are not deterred at all.


A plate of nasi lemak which costs $3, comes with ikan bilis, fried egg and fried chicken wing. What distinguishes Selera Rasa from the other nasi lemak is the use of basmati rice, a superior grade rice which has a significantly finer consistency and whose grains do not stick together. In addition, the special rice has the distinctive fragrance and irresistable flavour of coconut milk and pandan leaves and is well complemented by the savory sambal tumis. The fried chicken wing is tasty and crispy.

This is indeed one impressive nasi lemak that I will not hesitate coming back for more.

8/10

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak
No 2 Adam Road Food Centre
7am to 10pm

Kim's Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee

When I first tasted Kim's fried prawn hokkien mee, I couldn't believe that it was so fantastic. Even though I visit Joo Chiat so frequently for its delicious food, namely Joo Chiat Prawn Mee, Hong Mao Wanton Mee, Fei Fei Wanton Mee, Joo Chiat Fried Kway Teow etc, I didn't know that at the junction of Joo Chiat Place and Tembeling Road, lies is a small restaurant famous for its world-class fried hokkien mee.


For only $4, you get a large plate of mouthwatering Kim's fried hokkien mee with crispy pork lard and spicy sambal belacan. The tasty noodles are so impressively fried with a characteristic charcoal fragrance, every single strand is thoroughly coated with savory seafood gravy. The special pork lard accentuates the flavorful taste and irresistable aroma of the noodles. While most fried hokkien mee use sambal tumis, the sweeter version of sambal chilli, Kim's uses sambal belacan, the spicier version which surprisingly complements the noodles very well. Even though the hokkien mee comes with generous servings of prawn and sotong, it is cooked so excellently, you can actually eat it on its good.

This plate of fried hokkien mee is a masterpiece indeed. After you try Kim's, you will find it difficult to be satisfied with any other hokkien mee in Singapore.

8.5/10

Kim's Place Seafood Restaurant
37 Joo Chiat Place
Singapore 427761
Tel: 6742 1119
Opens daily from 11am to 3am

Ming Fa Wanton Egg Noodle

Although I patronize Kovan Hawker Centre frequently, I wasn't aware of this stall until recently when I saw it being recommended on a Mediacorp programme, Where The Queue Starts 2. And when I went there for lunch today, the queue was indeed so long, I had to wait for half an hour.


The winning factor of Ming Fa Wanton Egg Noodles is its special noodles with a characteristic egg fragrance. The savory chilli is sweet and spicy and extremely complementary to the noodles. The char siew is well-roasted and the dumplings are tasty and flavorful. The soup is well-brewed with abundant anchovy sweetness.

To the delight of heartlanders in Kovan, this is indeed one of the most delicious neighbourhood wanton mee in Singapore.

7/10

Ming Fa Wanton Egg Noodle
Blk 209 Kovan Hawker Centre
Hougang Street 21 #01-51
8.00am to 3.00pm
Closed on Wednesdays & Thursdays

Tiong Bahru Lor Mee

This stall at Tiong Bahru Market has the original Tiong Bahru lor mee. Despite fierce competition from 178 Shark Meat Lor Mee, Tiong Bahru Lor Mee has its steady stream of customers who prefer its traditional lor mee than the unconventional lor mee from 178.


The first thing about Tiong Bahru Lor Mee that impresses me is the great variety of ingredients. A bowl of delicious lor mee, which costs $2 or $3, comes with ngor hiang, fish cake, fish nuggets, braised meat, braised egg, fried fish and fried dumplings, everything you would ever wish for in a bowl of lor mee. The savory gravy, though not as thick as 178's, is tasty and complementary to the noodles. The braised meat is lean and tender while the fried dumplings are sweet and crispy.

One thing for sure, those who prefer the traditional type of lor mee will certainly be delighted by Thong Bahru Lor Mee.

6.5/10

Tiong Bahru Lor Mee
Tiong Bahru Market
Seng Poh Road #02-79
Singapore 168897
Closed on Mondays

Ng Soon Kee Fish And Duck Porridge

I was never a fan of fish soup until I tried Ng Soon Kee Fish And Duck Porridge. This stall in Geylang East Food Centre has the BEST FISH SOUP IN SINGAPORE. It is so popular, the waiting time is hardly less than 30 minutes. But let me assure you, once you taste the delicious soup, you will agree that the long wait is worthwhile.

What differentiates this award-winning fish soup from other mediocre ones is the extraordinary freshness of the fish. Displayed in front of the stall are slices of mackerel and pomfret that appear so fresh as though they were just caught from the ocean.


A bowl of mackerel fish soup, which costs only $3, comes with generous slices of fresh mackerel which are extremely thick and meaty. The mouthwatering soup is exceptionally tasty with delightful sweetness of fish and subtle spiciness of szechuan vegetables that cleverly remove any slightest tinge of fishy odour.

Indeed after tasting this fantastic fish soup, I won't want to waste my money on other fish soup. If you don't believe me, come down to Geylang East Food Centre and try it for yourself today.

8/10

Ng Soon Kee Fish & Duck Porridge
Geylang East Food Centre
Blk 117 Aljunied Crescent Ave 2
#01-11
12pm to 9pm
Closed on Sundays