Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee: Taste IS subjective

There are several phrases which I think are overused when it comes to discussion about food. One is "Overated" and the other is "Taste is subjective". I have always prided myself to be a bit of a rebel (ok a soft core rebel) so I steer clear from using those phrases.

However, today I seem to have no other recourse. You see, everyone says this place has got a fantastic Lor Mee and the last time I was here, it was sold out. What's more they were even featured in the 2007 Makansutra Street Food Masters. So my level of expectation was very high.

I guess the gold standThe gravy was good but was not the kind of "Holy Grail" experience that I was led to believe. The ingredients was also good but not tongue tingling great. The fried snapper that they put on top was generous but tasted a bit fishy that day. Also they ran out of Ngoh Hiang which did not help. One thing that was good though was the black vinegar which was really smooth and piquant. So, much as I hate to say it, this stall is "overated" but then again "taste is subjective". 3.75/5

Conclusion

Any fans out there who would beg to differ?

Xin Mei Xiang
Blk 51 #01-116
Old Airport Road Hawker Centre
7am to 2.30pm
Closed on Thursdays

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Mei Xin Minced Meat Noodles: How do ST reporters find these places?

Bak Chor Mee $2.50

I found this review by Teo Pau Lin not long ago about this Bak Chor Mee "in the boondocks" and what struck me most was how in the world do these Straits Times reporters find this sort of places. I mean, the Food Centre is smack in the middle of nowhere in Loyang Industrial area and Loyang itself is smack in the outskirts of Singapore. So how did Ms Teo even find this place? Even if her friend had given her the tip, what in the world would possess her to make a trip to the middle of nowhere to eat and review a bowl of Bak Chor Mee? And when she was writing it, did she really think that Singaproeans would be crazy enough to make a trip to the middle of nowhere to eat this Bak Chor Mee?

So I decided to find out direct from the horse's mouth and called up Ms Teo's secretary to arrange an appointment for an interview..... no lah, Ms Teo doesn't really have a secretary. The answer was sublime... tell you about it later.



This is one hearty bowl of Bak Chor Mee. I guess "being in the boondocks" they have to cater for men with big appetites. So each bowl not only has a generous mound of noodles, it is also chock full of minced meat, sliced pork and sliced fish cake.

The noodles are also the eggy thin Mee Pok type which is my favourite. I like the way it has a firm bite but still gives you that nice "serrated" feel when you slurp it. You need to take this mee pok with the chilli sauce because the non-chilli version only has vinegar and soy sauce. The soup was tasty but not as robust as some of the others in this blog. 4.25/5



The Keow is made with a fish paste filling which is quite tasty but one is never enough. You can get an extra bowl of 6 Keows for $1. It's too bad I got there after the lunch crowd. I think they would have tasted even better fresh.



The other little surprise that I found was their Lor Mee which was actually quite good! The sauce is not overly thickened and it has a sweet, flowery fragrance to it. Again the portions are rather generous for $2.50. The ngor hiang was ok but the lor bak was quite tasty. 4/5

Ah yes, back to our little mystery of how our intrepid ST reporter traveled to the boondocks to eat a bowl of Bak Chor Mee. Her "friend" was non other than the man to whom she is married to now. He works in the area and told her about the noodles. Ha! So Ms Teo went to review food and at the same time had a tryst with her boyfriend!! (Last statement is only my imagination yah?)

Conclusion

Good hearty bowl of Bak Chor Mee. But how many would be game enough to travel all the way there to try it, I wonder?

Mei Xin Minced Meat Prawn Noodle
NTL Eating House
64 Loyang Way
6am to 4.30pm Mon - Friday
6am to 11.30pm Sat

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Wei Nan Wang Lor Mee: Inflation? What inflation?

With iwatch_ueat and introducing our latest makankaki, gubak


Once upon a time, there was a young couple who started selling Lor Mee in Bugis Street. Forty years later they have moved several times, but they are still happily married and selling the same stuff at almost the same price! And the couple lived happily ever after.

Anyway, if you are really hungry and only have $2 in your pocket, head down to this stall and you can have a nice big bowl of Lor Mee with lots of ingredients for just $2. And the Lor Mee actually tastes quite good too. The sauce is not overly thick and has got a sourish tang to it. The crispy fried stuff soaked in the Lor was quite shiok. 4/5



Conclusion

There's something really romantic about an old couple manning a store together. Reminds me of that song, "Love Me". You know, the one that goes "If you get there before I do, don't give up on me..........but between now and then, till I see you again, I'll be lov'in you...... Love Me" (Always thought I'd be in a Karaoke somewhere when I am 70 singing this song to my wifey... not that I can sing hor) They were lovely to talk to and very friendly. So you get value for money and service to boot. For $2, you really can't complain too much.

Wei Nan Wang Hokkien Lor Mee
Golden Shoe Carpark
#03-03
Open 9.30am to 3.30pm

Recommended by Gubak

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178 Sharks Meat Lor Mee: Tiong Bahru Market Part 3 of 6

Yet another stall with a 3 digit name! Beside this one, I know of 115 Dessert, 132 Mee Poh and 91 Fried Kway Teow. I mean, we are living in an age where nobody remembers the 8 digit phone number anymore and yet we are made to remember all these 3 number stalls. What's the story? Well, at least it is easy to SMS.

This stall is one of those new rising stars, having been around for only 2 years, it has already got long queues and been in the Bryan Wong show. So I was fortunate to arrive after the peak period where I did not have to line up for my Lor Mee.




The special draw of the stall is of course its famous Shark's Meat fritters which are added to the Lor Mee. Ah, at least now we are making use of the whole shark and not just the fins! If you ask me, I really don't think shark's meat is that unique in taste. It tastes much like any other white fish. But the Lor (sauce) is very tasty and they give lots of crispy crunchy stuff that is awesome with the Lor. I also really like their crispy meat fritters, very pang (savoury). This is how Lor Mee should be like: Crispy fried stuff drowned in a gooey tasty Lor! There are some things I miss though, like the braised pork, ngor hiang and braised egg.

Conclusion

Though its been a long time since I ate Lor Mee, this one really got my vote for one of the outstanding Lor Mees in Singapore. 4.25/5

178 Lor Mee
Tiong Bahru Market Stall 02-58
Open 6am - 9.30pm
Closed on Wednesdays

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