Fei Fei Wanton Mee: A tale of two Wanton Mees: Wanton Mee Challenge Part 2 of 3
Fei Fei Wanton Mee is probably one of the best known Wanton Mees in Singapore. The first time I tried Fei Fei was when I stumbled upon it few months back when I drove past this newly renovated coffeeshop which had the Fei Fei name and "open 24 hours" stated on the shopfront. I was not too impressed with the noodles at that time so I wrote it off for a while.
Then I realised there was another Fei Fei Wanton Mee just down the road, in a "original condition" coffeeshop. Could it be that I ate from the wrong Fei Fei? It turns out that I did AND not only from the wrong Fei Fei, but also during the wrong week!
When Grandpa Chan Ah Yean bestowed the famous Wanton Mee stall to his 2 maternal grandsons, he must have expected them to share and share alike. This they did to the letter. The brothers would take turns to run the stall on a weekly basis. After a few years, the elder brother decided to go the franchising way and opened the brand new corner coffeeshop selling Fei Fei Wanton Mee 24 hours daily. However, he still kept his rights to the old stall which he mans on alternate weeks.
Expansion of Fei Fei meant that the care and personal attention to the quality of the noodles had to be sacrificed. Even though the noodles are still made to specification, it lacks that sublime quality of the personal touch. The younger brother on the other hand still goes down to the noodle factory daily to ensure that the noodles are made according to his Grandfather's recipe.
That personal touch does make a big difference. The noodles were lively, QQ and gave me that comforting carbo rush. At Fei Fei, the noodles are undeniably the star of the dish. The wantons were also very tasty albeit a little tiny, about the size of a macademia nut. The char siew was a big letdown. Lau Ban Niang Serena shared that they don't have the facilities to roast their char siew anymore, so the char siew was boiled instead. Good thing they still made their own chilli sauce which complemented the noodles really well. Not overly spicy and it managed to synergize with the noodles to enhance the comforting taste in every mouthful. 4.25/5
Conclusion
This place has the best noodles I have ever tasted, but the lack of a good char siew is one of the major stumbling blocks between this being very good to it being "die die must try". The sauce could also be a little more robust. With some minor tweaking, this has so much potential to be the the preeminent Wanton Mee that everyone would talk about in Singapore!
PS: You need to make sure you get there during the week when the younger brother is selling the noodles! Look for Serena or give her a call to confirm.
Fei Fei Wanton Mee (Not the 24 hr one)
62 Joo Chiat Place
Serena Lim 97777988
Available on alternate weeks 12 Mar - 18 Mar
available 6.45am to 10pm Mon-Sat
6.45am to 9pm Sun
Update: 16 Mar 2009
You can find Serina now at 207 new upper changi road #01-14, Singapore 460207 & 16 Bedok South rd #01-191 singapore 460016.
22 comments:
wat is tat on e spoon in e first picture? e color of e noodles on e first picture dun look very appetizing to me lei.. but then again, looks can be deceiving!
If you love eggy noddle this is the stall. Wanton and char siew is nothing to talk about. To complement many ordered the yong tau foo from the next door.
Am totally unable to concentrate on any work when I come to this site. Anyone want to trade some high grade wagyu beef for a big bowl of wanton mee?!
Seriously, the lack of wanton mee here is so sad, even though I think the Japanese would love it. Maybe should quit my studies and open a shop.
how abt the other wan ton noodles at Geylang? Kong's, i believe.. have u checked it out?
rgds
No, I did not check out the Geylang one because someone on the forum reported that it was not that great
Yea Xueyun, I don't like the one in Geylang... something like Kong's something something.. overrated like the one at Parklane.
Hi, I've been to Fei Fei and always patronise the 24hr coffeeshop 1. I've not tasted the old coffeeshop, but personally I felt that the 24 Hrs Fei Fei was real good ! Its mee n chilli sauce is great n addictive ! I thought both coffeeshop should not be too different, n also the 24hr is more confortable compared to the old n heaty coffeeshop. Perhaps i will try the old coffeeshop 1 day. Any bloggers here tried the bothe versions ? Any comments whether is there any significant difference ?
unfortunately for me, my first taste of fei fei was bad...i will even rank it 2/5......noodles were good but the wanton is so salty that i think they have a teaspoon of salt in it
I believe that the noodles at Fei Fei's is the main reason for its popularity. i really dig the noodles! I've only been there once, so can't say much. But you have to try the chinese rojak at that same coffeeshop! the lady and her son only opens in the late afternoon.. they toast the ingredients on a charcoal grill when you order. They also serve the sauce in a bowl. Love it.
Hi, your makan blog is interesting. There's a very popular wan ton mee at Geylang Lorong 13 Koung Stall.. selling I think for almost more than 30 years! You Must try.
Apple3638
I personally felt Feifei is way overrated now and getting way too expensive.
I first started off with Feifei in the late 80s with my parents. It was like the best wanton mee i tried. I patronised them over the years and felt their std dropping till the last time I ate it was like almost 2 years back when I sworn off that place completely.
1) The portion is pathetic. Really pathetic. Don't believe me ? Try one and see.
2) I tink ieatishootipost have said it, the char siew. Yes, it is just not the way as it is anymore. Period.
Last straw that made me sworn them off was I was conned twice. First time, i ordered 5 pax of wanton mee. Returned home with 5 pax of wanton mee. ( 3 sets with your noodles, char siew, wanton. Other 2 sets with just Mee and nothing else. )
Second time, i ordered 3 sets. Knowing how small their portion is, 2 of the sets i requested for BIG one. As parking was an issue that night, i collected, paid and quickly drive off and discovering all 3 all same miserable size & portion at home.
Nowadays, I would just drive a bit further to Dunman Food Court and go for Ah Seng Wanton mee (Beside the Lau Hong Rojak)
Good news to those staying in Bedok. Fei Fei has a new stall at Bedok FC Block 16 same FC at the famous Hill St. CKT. This stall run by the younger brother and opens 8am till night.
Tried it and still very good noodles.Free flow of pork lard!.The swee kow n wontan also good with flavour of 'ti por'.
just had dinner there but didn't see Serena. Maybe not their shift.
maybe today is not my day. I was certainly not impressed. The char siew and wanton is not much to talk about.
I order a small serving that cost $2.50 but added 'ingredients' for another dollar (as per their signboard). But still, I only had 2 wantons on my bowl.
The bowl of dry noodles was served without a usual bowl of soup. When I asked the lady who brought the noodles to me, she said that I have to use the same noodles bowl to get soup after I have finished with eating. Maybe I am asking too much but I have not had dry wanton noodles without an accompanying bowl of soup.
Now Fei Fei has two stalls in Bedok, at Blk 16 and now at Bedok Interchange. Enjoyed it only when I packet home and the flavour sinks into the noodle and it's yummy. The signature component is the noodle definitely not the rest. They seemed to be expanding and the taste at Blk 16 surpassed the Bedok Interchange.
Some people absolutely swear by Fei Fei. I'm not one of those. There are other places in the East to go for wonton mee.
And personally, I prefer the springy Hong Kong style noodles.
In my book...FF wonton mee ranks in the dark dank bottom rung of the ladder, right next to the lavendar wonton mee...
the only difference being how many slices of THINLY sliced char siew they give u on the day...
Had it today,second time eating at the place the only thing I find is noodles are very QQ best eaten plain,The chilly doesn't complement the noodles,the char siew below average and wantons average.
thanks
hi,
this is serina, i would like to advise that i am no longer at 62, joochiat place. but you can find me at 207 new upper changi road #01-14 singapore 460207 & 16 bedok south rd #01-191 singapore 460016.
regards.
No wonder, I was there just last Saturday and it was not the same.
So what happened to the original stalls? Who is Serena?
Serena is the wife of the younger brother
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