Lee Tong Kee Ipoh Hor Fun: Smooth and slippery as Ipoh Hor Fun should be
LTK Hor Fun $3.80
This is probably one of the most well established Ipoh Hor Fun in Singapore. Mr Lee Tong Kee started selling his Hor Fun in 1948 in KL and then opened one in Tanjong Pagar in 1969. It is one of the few restaurants around that serves Ipoh Hor Fun as their signature dish. (I am not aware of any others)
I think the key characteristic of a great Ipoh Hor Fun is the texture of the Hor Fun itself and Lee Tong Kee has got a Hor Fun that is really smooth and slippery. It is one of the best I have tasted. The sauce is a closely guarded secret and is made everyday by Mr Lee's daughter. It was tasty and complemented the Hor Fun well though I felt it could have a bit more ooomph. However, being a bit bland does allow you to fully appreciate the quality of the Hor Fun itself. The chicken and prawns were nothing spectacular. They are like people you wouldn't miss if they didn't turn up at your birthday party. 4/5 
Beef Hor Fun $5.50
For those of us who prefer our tastebuds to get a bit more excited, I would suggest you go for the Beef Hor Fun instead. The gravy is a classic Ngau Lam (Stewed Beef Brisket) which is spiked with a good dose of Chinese Five Spice powder.
This is one of the best Ngau Lam Hor Fun that I have come across. The only complaint was that I did not get some "melt in your mouth" beef tendons that day. Next time, I will have to specially request for it. 4.5/5
Conclusion
Excellent Hor Fun in an air-con environment. I have to admit that when it comes to Chicken Hor Fun, my tastebuds still yearn for Wing Kee at Changi Village. Please don't give me that "but Ipoh Hor Fun is not supposed to have fried chicken cutlet" look. I just like it. However, this place is where I'd come for Ngau Lum Hor Fun. Mmmmm.... smooth, slippery and shiok!
Lee Tong Kee Ipoh Sar Hor Fun
278 South Bridge Road
62260417
www.ipohhorfun.com
10am to 9pm daily
16 comments:
Started eating the Ngau Lum Hor Fun when I met my husband whose parents would patronise them every week for nearly 30 years till today.
I must say the stewed beef is excellent and goes well with the hor fun, we hardly order other stuff except vegetables and dumpling soup to go with the hor fun. Not fantastically good, you can find similar taste else, but the stewed beef is marvelous.
BTW, Leslie, know of anywhere that serve nice dumpling soup where they add 'flat fish' (zor hou yu) in it besides minced pork, chestnut and prawn?
Thanks, nice weekend ahead!
I love stewed beef brisket. Thanks for the introduction. Will make a point to visit soon.
LTW "housebrand" hor fun is good as I ate there since it was opened in 1969 at the old shophouse in Tanjong Pagar. The chicken with oyster sauce was very good then. Have not tried the beef brisket as I prefer the HK stlye of beef brisket with melting tendon and tender meat between the membrane and the HK taste.
Jess, ooooh, I know what you mean! Nothing comes to mind unfortunately. Maybe we can persuade someone to do it?
Love LTK's hor fun. Another stall which I enjoy is the cray fish hor fun from Hong Lim hawker centre, tho nowadays, he tends to make it a little too peppery. But the texture of the ipoh hor fun is still very soft and smooth. Yum!
Ooo looks nice. Btw Leslie I have a question for you. What is tendon? Is it fat/fattening and what are the calories?
Tendon is collagen not fat so not high in calories. But still very smooth and soft.
Jess,
Make your own wanton soup with the ingredients you mentioned, it easy. But you must get the right thin wanton skin to wrap the meat and a good homemade robust stock. There is a house in Eng Watt St,Tiong Bahru, I think, that sells very good wanton skin, also wanton mee (ok). Have tried the wanton skin and its good, thin and smooth.
You found my long lost Ipoh Hor Fun!!! they use to have great wanton too. I am scooting down to the store soon.
i love the hong lim crayfish hor fun too!
though some think it's overrated but it's always satisfying for me... :)
Okay, thanks for the info!
If you find the horfun a little bland, you can ask for extra prawn oil from the store to enhance the taste further.
Wow, a great and comprehensive review! You did not try the Beef Hor Fun? That was what I was raving about. Did you decide if it was the one your dad brought you to 20 years ago?
Hi,
Yeah, sorry, forgot to conclude. Yup, my dad says this is the one that he brought me many many years ago at Tanjong Pagar.
I didnt try the Beef Hor Fun cos I like to eat Ipoh Hor Fun.
Often when it comes to food, I dare not venture towards the unknown or the untried. I tend to stick to those that I've tried and tested before. But its kinda conflicting isnt it? If I dont try the new stuff, it will always remain unknown and untried. Cos when I have the options of the tried and tested, there are risks of trying the road less taken (for me). If it turns out to be unpalatable, I would surely go 'aiyah, shld hv known dun eat this, shld hv eaten that one instead'.
Anyways, stop blabbering ahbeR.
Leslie, Im one of those that check up your blog everyday.
I have to say that I like the template of your blog very very much. Apart from the main articles filled with pictures and detailed description in the middle, there are recent comments on the top left which is an useful insight into other readers' minds and views.
Better yet, bottom of that, you've categoried your entries into the various types of dishes, makan places, hawkers, districts and what not.
It is very useful and user-friendly for readers to check up on venues or their favourite dishes.
Many have commented on your fabulous photography skills as Im sure it has induced many digestive juices and salivary glands to secrete throughout the day, and night as well while going through your food blog. Thats why I kept posting on my msn, "Stop reading food blogs at night!!" - my waistline has increase by 2 inches as of late.
Without a doubt, ieatishotipost has got to be the current Number 1 food blog with no other coming close. And I hope it remains this way in time to come, prob till there arent any new food places to review anymore.
ieatishootipost may be many readers source of reference for makan places and lunch/dinner places to go. If Singapore had a Street Directory, ieatishootipost is a food directory!
With a huge and increasing fanbase, who knows, you might be the next Seto on TV, or the next Seto with another makansutra handbook. Publishers anyone?
Cars are starting to mount up GPS in their cars to lead them from point A to B. 5 years from now, there might very well be a FPS navigating drivers to food joints! FPS? Food Positioning System! hahahhaa - ok, thats just so lame.
Keep posting and we'll keep eating! Its our national past time anyway.
Should the govt declare an increase in adult obesity, eyes will be upon thou! LOL
PS, Im having a hard time trying to book a Australian Wagyu beef ($39) for the past month, cos whenever I called in to check, they never seem to have stock. wassup with that man?
-ieatishiokifat
Aston's is closed until the end of the month and will reopen again on 1st May. They are doing renovations and will increase their premises from the current 30 seater to a 90 seater restaurant. Best bet to catch the Wagyu is to turn up on 1st May for lunch.
ah, ic u hv reviewed this.
I have been patronising this place since i was 5, when my parents would bring me. it used to be located along tanjong pagar, i still remember, without aircon, and next to some tire and motor car workshops, with a large deep drain just outside teh 5 foot way. not the most hygenic...
yes, this place used to have this guy whom i rememebrd as Mr Calculator. He would come up and calculate the food bill in cantonese, rattling off very quickly, and out loud. and come up with the bill. we did check the calculation once in awhile, and he was always right! it was always a good end to the meal, cos i found it truly entertaining and funny whenever he did that.
even as recent as the mid 90s, when they shifted to their current premises, Mr calculator was still around, but he retired 5 - 10 yrs bck.
the way i eat this hor fun, is to drown the chilli over the horfun. its truly one of the best hawker chili sauces in my opinion.
their bak cham gai (white chicken) is also one of the smoothest and tender chickens around, using topgrade oyster sauce.
the other item which was really good was their steamed fresh water prawns. they used to steam it with eggwhite and rice wine, and the prawns are full of roe and meat.
however, i find standards have dropped since the old days. the prawns are smaller, the chicken not as tender...
probably different chefs. nevertheless, still good hor fun and chicken combi.
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