Mellben Crab: Crab Bee Hoon!
It was just after the Chinese New Year and I was looking for stuff to eat around Toa Payoh and everything was still closed. Then I remembered that the famous Mellben Crab in AMK had recently opened a branch here in Toa Payoh! So after being dissapointed at Lor 4 and Lor 7, I found myself in Lor 8 ordering Crab Bee Hoon in the middle of the afternoon! Hardly an appropriate time to eat crab, but nothing else worth eating was open! I think the staff was also quite surprised that someone would walk into the restaurant and order just one Crab Bee Hoon and nothing else!
I found the soup quite robust and savoury with a tinge of spiciness to it. The taste of the galangal, milk and spices really came through. If you ask me, it tasted like a laksa without the chilli and with milk instead of coconut cream. (not quite laksa but I hope you get the picture). I was a little dissppointed with my crab that day because the claw meat was atrophied (about half the size of the shell). I would consider any Crab Restaurant worth its salt to ensure that the crab is solid. (I never had bad crab at Jumbo East Coast before) Maybe the crabs had been kept over the CNY period and as a result became sluggish. 4/5
Conclusion
Quite a robust and enjoyable soup. Dissppointed that they sold me a Handicapped Crab for $35. BUT, my feeling about crab beehoon may be best expressed by the words of U2: "I still haven't found what I'm looking for!" Seriously, if people are so bowled over by Crab Bee Hoon there must be a really really shiok one out there. I think I will still need to visit the original stall at AMK to see if I can discover the holy grail of Crab Bee Hoon there!
Mellben Seafood
Block 211 Lor 8 Toa Payoh
#01-11-15
63533120
Kelly: 91469932
12 comments:
the original one at AMK is great! but either call to reserve first or go early (before 7pm). once i tried to go at about 8, and it was so crowded i had to give up my craving for that night.
yes.. i agree. Best time is to reserve for the first sitting at about 6pm. Do try the playboy chicken (Yes that's the name) there too, it's really good also!
Went to the outlet on 2nd March, the waitress did tell me that the crab available was not that "mei" (pretty).
I asked her to tell the crab crab to look at itself in the mirror (to make up).
At least they have the courtesy to pre-empt consumers... lower my expectation, having eaten at AMK before too.. i did realise that the soup at TP is not as rich.. but the shiokness of the taste is still there
rafale
Look no further. Ming Kee Live Seafood @ Mcpherson has the best crab bee hoon. It's marvellicious!!! Go try it to find out.
Stanley
Mellben Seafood Restaurant is not the same as Uncle Leong Seafood Restaurant. They are opposite each other in AMK. Heard they are owned by a pair of brothers though. But Mellben is the real thing!
Melban AMK is run by Boon Chuan. Uncle Leong is run by Leong and Melban TP by Kelly. Patronised Melban while they were at Serangoon Central and then to AMK. Standard dropped at AMK. Uncle Leong opened later and was better than Melban AMK. Then Melban TP opend this year. Have not tried yet. Understand from Leong that they train their chef to cook similar recipe but it is not possible to cook idenetical by different person. Still. I find Uncle Leong has a more robust and flavourful stock. Quality of crabs better during weekday.
wa lau.. e hor fun i recommended at lor 4 very disappointing meh?? =(
For seafood beehoon soup, can also try Singapura Seafood Restaurant. You can request for an additional crab to be added into the beehoon soup. Loaded with prawns and mussels, the taste is quite shiok! Check out their site
http://four.fsphost.com/singseafood
You have to try this Fried Crab bee hoon at Geylang Lorong 35. It is better than s*x.
His shop is at a corner and he only sells a few dishes- crab beehoon, Chicken Essence frog legs, steamed stingray(blue spotted ones!)
I tried both Melben AMK and TP branches recently, and can vouch for tastier food at TP. Kelly has mentioned the head chef in AMK went over to TP. It's a pity that TP branch is a much smaller fitting and worse if it rains.
Just realize that the zi char place near my place (Pasir Ris Dr 4) is also under Mellben. Always ordered their zi sha crab.. very nice. 1 plus point, definitely not as crowded as AMK.
I AM ABSOLUTELY STUNNED AT THIS RATING... MELBEN CRAB is Awesome and it never fails to blow me away!!!
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