Kim's Hokkien Mee: Possibly Singapore's Most (In)Famous
With The Butcher
Who hasn't heard about the eccentric Mr Tan Kue Kim who wears a gold rolex and long sleeve shirt while frying hokkien mee? He was most famous back in the eighties when he was dishing out $15 bowls of claypot Hokkien Mee and people were lapping it up without complaining. Those were the Food Nazi days. Then something happened and Kim disappeared from the scene for a while only to reappear in many different places, much to the confusion of the everyday Singaporean.
What happened to Kim? Some say he had a few wives to look after and they sapped up all his money. Some say he gambled his fortune away on horses. Then there is the question over the number of different stalls which have sprouted up across the island with the same brand name. Are they genuine Kim's or is there a family tussle over the brand name. And where is Kim nowadays?
These questions were always at the back of my mind whenever I drive past a Kim's outlet. As luck would have it, I drove past the stall along Jalan Eunos one day and spied a man frying Hokkien Mee wearing a long sleeve shirt! Ah, could this be my chance to get to the bottom of this mystery?
Mr Tan turned out to be quite a personable man who is not shy of the camera and yes, he was wearing his gold Rolex and long sleeve shirt. So I asked him the $69,000 question. What happened in the 80's? What brought down the Kim empire? Was it the gambling or the bickering wives? (Yes, I actually asked him that)
Well, what he told me turned out to be relatively mundane. At the peak of Kim's popularity, he bought a building in Geylang (Kim's) which lost him a lot of money because one of the groundfloor tenants who was supposed to move out did not. As a result of the financial disaster he decided to retire for a while. Oh yes, he also said categorically that he only has one wife.
Kim's now operates a number of stalls all over the island. According to him, his sons are in charge of the other stalls but they are all under the Kim's umbrella. No family feud, no juicy gossip, just simply a family business. Well, it's up to you to believe what you wish, I am simply reporting what I got from the boss's mouth. Do tell us your version of the story.
Kim's hokkien mee is pre-fried and left to rest and refried when you order your plate. According to Mr Tan, this is done so that the noodles taste better and not to save time. He uses only sea prawns and the best sotongs which he proudly showed me. Those who like the thick bee hoon, wet style Hokkien Mee would be happy with this Hokkien Mee. The other commendable item is the wonderfully fresh and crunchy lard bits which will not disappoint lard lovers. It could have been even better if they still included the pork belly and fried the noodles a little more to get all that nice flavor in. 4.25/5
Conclusion
Although the Hokkien Mee was good, I felt it must have lost a bit of the magic it had when it was at its prime. Fortunately for me, Mr Tan has agreed to cook my fantasy plate of Hokkien Mee which would have the noodles simmering in a claypot together with Sio Bak and Pork Balls. Stay tuned for that review!
Kim's Hokkien Mee
62-B Jalan Eunos
Jn of Jalan Kechot and Jalan Eunos
67478766
www.kims.com.sg
Opened 11.30am till 1am daily
22 comments:
So can we request for noodles in claypot (with Sio Bak tarpowed from elsewhere)?
Kim's mee is expensive but does not taste as good as Old Airport Road FC one or the Hainan HK Mee in Golden Mile FC. In addition, I saw birds pecking on the mee near the stove on one Sat afternoon.
He did indeed try to open a seafood restaurant in Geylang...just behind the row of Durian shops near Lor 9 (direction towards Upper Changi Road). But I guess it failed coz it was not there for very long.
I used to frequent his only stall back when it was along Upper Changi Road and it was good. Perhaps with other Hokkien Mee these days up and coming, his version is just one of the many :)
Tried it @ beach road...ok only la
Well the thing about Hokkien Mee is that the person frying it is very important. Even at this main branch, you need to make sure that it is Kim himself frying it.
I agree.
I make sure that the boss is personally at the wok, not his young apprentice nor his wife(s) or anyone else. Have never patronised other Kim outlets except Jalan Kechot.
This HKM is the only one i know that is available up till 1am (Forget about Geylang Lor 9) - So I can satisfy my HKM supper craving.
So you'll be interested in the claypot Sio Bak Hokkien Mee extravaganza huh?
i have yet to try a kick-ass HKM in singapore... one that sends you to heaven...
so far the perfect hokkien mee with the right mix of fragrance, pork lard and not over oily only exists in my mind....
even kim's dont do it for me... yet to find the elusive one..
If it's a good HKM simmered in roast pork, you bet i'll be there.
I hope he can do his old version when he was at Changi Road that is the claypot FHM with soi bark, abalone, big prawns etc. Then is was $10 to $15 expensive very shiok
eh count me in too Damien!
Uncle Smart, the boss should be most willing to do the claypot HKM for us.
Claypot Sio Bak HKM for late night supper next week?
Let's do this!
me too!
OK, if anyone else would like to be in on this supper, please write to me at leslie.tay@gmail.com and I will put you on the email list. It will be late, around 10pm middle of next week.
When does the man make his appearance?
He told me he is there all the time but sometimes his assistant takes over the frying
Heya! juz happen to wander by this site. Nice site! Keep up the good work =P I absolutely HEART hokkien mee. Cant really get good ones in Melbourne though. Thanks for sharing it wif us.
Kim's has been around for years and where it used to situate at the old building at Aljunied then went gone for awhile and reappear near the Kembangan MRT along changi road.
That coffeeshop is also gone with 3 more up one at Jalan Eunos, Beach Road(Tan Que Lan) and Joo Chiat.
Rumours of wife etc. might not be true anyway that people's personal life. You should find out where he learn his skill from and his teacher is still around in Changi Village market!
so his sifu has a hokkien mee stall at changi village now? Or?? where????
I tried their XO version of hokkien mee last night and I was happy with it. The extra oysters just blended very well. Only wish their noodles where more thin.
yes at changi village base there even beofre Kim's was around. There is only one that has been there so long.
This store is open for v long already.
yea true long store liao leh
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