Nam Seng Wanton Mee: Is This Singapore's Oldest Hawker Legend?

Mdm Leong, 80, founder, owner and operator of Nam Seng

Usually I would put the photo of a dish as my first picture, but as I started to write this post, I began to feel that this story is more about Madam Leong rather than the Wanton Mee which she has been dishing out since 1959. At 80 years of age, I think she is the oldest working hawker that I have met. Amazingly, she still comes to the stall at 6am in the morning to prepare the ingredients for the day.

You might have heard about this stall, which is the famous Wanton Mee stall at the old National Library. You might also remember that SM Goh recounted his early dating days at the National Library. What you might not have heard is that according to Mdm Leong, besides using the National Library as a dating hotspot, he also went there to get his foodie fix back in the days when he was Minister for Trade and Industry. Aside from SM Goh, Mdm Leong also rattled off a few other Ministers and VIPs who had frequented her stall. I guess, you can say there she is quite a living legend in the hawker scene.

When they moved out of the National Library premises about 14 years ago, they relocated to Joo Chiat where they stayed for a while before being invited to open a stall at Far East Square. It turned out that one of the Directors there is also a fan of the stall and wanted to make sure that this stall's legacy lives on. So, as you can see there are a lot of VIPs who grew up as fans of the stall in their not-yet-so VIP days!


Wanton Mee $4

So if this stall has survived for 41 years, it must be good right?

Right!

If you are a Wanton Mee lover, then this is certainly one stall to add onto your list. Now, my taste for Wanton Mee has been evolving. When I was younger, the Char Siew was the main thing for me. As I got older, I am beginning to appreciate the noodles more and more. But I would say that there are several styles of Wanton Mee and each can be appreciated in its own right. You really cannot compare a KL style Wanton Mee with black sauce with a Singapore style Wanton Mee with tomato ketchup. I think each has its own merits and should be judged in its own category. But of course we can all have our own preference for a certain style.



This Wanton Mee is one where the noodles take centre stage. This is in the same style as the popular and controversial Kok Kee at Lavender Food Centre. When you look at the Wanton Mee, you will not be impressed because the noodles nook quite plain and the fluorescent red charsiew, dry and unappetising. However, when you take your first mouthful of the noodles, you would be rewarded with a great tasting noodle and a secret sauce which will make you stop and wonder. I tried very hard to find out more about her secret sauce, but only managed to guess correctly that there is some dried scallops in it. The noodles and sauce alone deserves a 4.6/5.

I have always rated Wanton Mee based on the whole package and quite often, stalls don't get a 4.5 unless their Char Siew and Wantons are also of a certain standard. The Char Siew here is not the juicy charred type which I like, but I think that traditionally, this type of dry fluorescent red char siew might resonate with some readers. The wontons are very good, but I have tasted better. However, despite the lack of good charsiew, I still find myself thinking of the noodles the day after I ate them and find myself wanting to go back again. So for that I feel that it is justified that they get a 4.5/5.


Venison Hor Fun $4

Besides Wanton Mee, there are two other dishes that are also very famous. The first being the Venison Hor Fun. Now, the sauce for this Hor Fun is really really good. It is quite addictive and very satisfying. However, I was less enthusiastic about the Hor Fun as it lacks the smoky Wok Hei flavour. I highlighted this to Madam Leong but was told that unfortunately, the landlords do not allow them to use a gas stove in the premises and so they have to use an electric hotplate to cook the Hor Fun. I can only imagine what it must have been like previously. Still, it is one of the tastiest Beef (in this case Venison) Hor Fun around. 4.25/5


Fried Rice

Since Madam Leong had been serving their fried rice since 1968, she wasn't going to let a small detail like not having a gas stove to stop her from serving the fried rice for her customers. I felt that the Hor Fun could still make it because the gravy did not really need a hot wok to cook. But for fried rice, a hot stove is essential. So for me the fried rice was quite ordinary. It was a bit dry and not something I would order again. 3.5/5

But, she still has fans who have been eating this rice for the last 50 years who would raise a ruckus if she stopped selling it. And remember what I said before? Some of these guys are now VIPs, so we won't want to dissappoint the VIPs would we?

Conclusion

I reckon Madam Leong is the oldest working hawker around. The 2nd oldest would probably be Mr Liang of Ah Hor Mee Pok Tar. But of course, those are the only ones I know. If you know of any older hawkers who are still selling the same dish for the last 40 or more years, do write in so that I can blog about them! Let's see if we can find Singapore's oldest living Hawker Legend.

Nam Seng Wanton Mee
25 China Street #01-01
Far East Square
Open 8am to 8pm
Closed on Sundays
www.namsengnoodles.com


What to do next:

Pop by next door to try another Hawker Legend: Hock Lam Beef Noodles
Then hop, skip and jump to Nanyang Cafe for some Kopi and Kaya Toast

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Hong Mao Wanton Mee: I don't see no Ang Mo around

I know that there are quite a few people out there who regard this particular Wanton Mee as the best in Singapore. The most famous of whom is Gerard Ee, the ex-President of AA and also Singapore's most well known philanthropist. His face is unceremoniously pasted on the glass display cabinet next to the noodles. Apparently, he comes here every Saturday to have his wonton mee fix. The other not-quite-as-famous, but perhaps still quite famous personality (at least within foodie circles) who frequents this stall is Aston of Astons Specialties. When Aston is not eating steak, he is sitting here eating what he considers to be the best Wanton Mee in Singapore.

I have written much about Wanton Mee and have posted reviews of twenty of the most well known Wanton Mees around Singapore. It is in actual fact a very simple dish which many Singaporeans enjoy, but I still haven't been able to find one that stands head and shoulders above the rest. The highest I have given for Wanton Mee was a 4.6/5. They all seem to have just something lacking to make the 4.75 grade. When the noodles and sauce is good, the Charsiew is lacking. When the Charsiew and noodles are good, the Wantons are lacking. I reckon that the main stumbling block for most Wanton Noodle sellers must be the Charsiew because unless you are able to Chargrill your own Charsiew, it is difficult (an expensive) to procure one that is really good.



The Charsiew just happens to be the stumbling block for this particular Wanton Mee. The texture and taste of the noodles are very good, as are the Wantons and the soup which is full of anchovy flavour. But the Charsiew just couldn't make it. Now, if I could get hold of some freshly roasted "Bu Jian Tian" Charsiew from Fatty Cheong to add to the noodles, I reckon this might then be a Wanton mee I would really rave about. 4.25/5

Conclusion

I know I will be getting a lot of protests from fans of this stall who consider this to be the best Wanton Mee stall in the East, if not the whole of Singapore. That's fine, if you feel strongly about this Wanton Mee than do write in to express your support. And btw, if you know why it is called Hong Mao (red hair), do write in and let us know. Apart from the lady boss, I certainly don't see anyone there with red hair.

Hong Mao Wanton Mee
128 Tembeling Road
7am to 4pm
Closed on Mondays

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Yi Shi Jia Shu Shi: Do you like Wanton Mee with Tomato Ketchup?

You know, some people might frown upon the use of Tomato Ketchup in wonton mee, saying that authentic wonton mee should not have ketchup in it. I think what they are trying to say is that Hong Kong style Wontan mee should not have ketchup in it. But I actually know a lot of people who love wanton mee with tomato ketchup in it because they grew up eating it. So I really think that this form of Wanton Mee which is also what I grew up eating really is our very own version of the dish.

This stall in Kovan Food Centre prides itself in selling a Wanton Mee which is hot, sour, sweet and salty and they also want the world to know that they are still using the same SinSin brand of tomato ketchup since their father started the shop some 30 to 40 years ago.



The wanton mee is very old school. You still get a generous helping of crispy pork lard as well as the traditionally thin slivers of tasty char siew. The noodles are quite good quality and I am told by the Lao Ban Niang that they spend a little more money to procure a better quality egg noodle.



Undoubtedly, the star of the show for me was the Wanton. They were very tasty and one of the best that I have tasted. Overall, I would give this Wanton Mee a 4/25. I would have loved a juicier and thicker charsiew to go with it.


This is how we all learnt to eat Wanton Mee!

Conclusion

You should pay this stall a visit if you are looking for a simple, old school Wanton Mee. They are quite popular in Kovan Food Centre judging from the queue they had even at 2.30pm in the afternoon.

So tell us, how do you feel about Tomato Ketchup in Wanton Mee?

Yi Shi Jia Shu Shi
Stall 57, Kovan Food Centre
7.30am to 4.30pm
Closed Sundays
92957134

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Tai Shek Hai House of Bamboo Noodles: So Good You can Eat it on its Own!

Freshly made Bamboo Noodles

There are two kinds of people when it comes to Wanton Mee. There are those who consider the whole dish as a package, so a good plate of Wanton Mee means the sauce, the charsiew, the wanton and the noodles all have to be good. Then there are those who focus just solely on the noodles.

I used to be the former. Now I am both.

In Singapore, where virtually all the egg noodles have been procured from factories, it is very difficult to appreciate a good egg noodle. In the past, some hawkers such as Fei Fei used to make their own noodles and it is the quality and taste of their noodles that set them apart. Most wanton mee stalls nowadays buy theirs from factories. There are of course different grades of egg noodles that you can buy and some stalls pride themselves for buying a better grade noodle. Some even have their noodles specifically made to an old family recipe. But it is not the same as having the noodles made in the restaurant itself where the emphasis is on producing a fragrant egg noodle that can be eaten on its own.


Kneading the Dough with Bamboo Machine

Nowadays, we are seeing La Mien being made on the spot and so the humble noodle is back in the spotlight again. In Japan, there are restaurants who also make Soba noodles on the spot and the Japanese, in true Zen tradition, focus their attention solely on the noodles. In Singapore, our humble mee kia has always been taken for granted but I am glad to say that that is about to change.


Soft and delicate texture

The house of Bamboo Noodles was started because the owners loved the taste of these noodles while travelling in Guangzhou and just could not find the same stuff in Singapore. These noodles are essentially the egg noodles that we are all familiar with, except that they are made using a bamboo pole to knead the dough. Traditionally, this meant that the noodle maker would have to sit astride the bamboo pole and use his weight to apply force onto the the dough. But our friends from the restaurants decided to design a machine to do the job instead. This is good because I think some people (especially those from the NEA) might object to the fact that the bamboo was in contact with someone's bum.I got to handle some of the raw noodles and I must say I found it rather therapeutic. The freshly made noodles had a rather fragrant aroma and because of the kneading process, they were made without the addition of "Kee" (alkali). The noodles were delicate and springy and when you release them, they would slowly retract to their original state. You should try playing with a ball of uncooked noodles so you can appreciate the fragrance and texture of it.


Plain Noodles tossed in oil

The Wanton noodles are usually served Hong Kong style, with a black soy based sauce. But I requested mine to be served plain, just tossed in a bit of oil because I wanted to focus my senses on just the texture and fragrance of the noodles itself. I found the texture of the noodles to be excellent. It was light and springy and firm to the bite without being too stringy. It is one of the best egg noodle I have tasted so far. 4.5/5 The normal sauce which they use for the wanton mee still needs more work so if you order a normal plate of Wanton mee, it might taste like just another plate of wanton mee which you can get anywhere.


Fried Egg Noodles $6.80

My favourite version of fried egg noodles is what is commonly known as "Hong Kong Mee" at our Cze Char stalls. I was very impressed when the Hong Kong Mee was presented because the fragrance of the Wok Hei and the egg noodles was so strong I could smell it when I was taking the photos. If you enjoy Hong Kong Mee, this is a must try. I suggested to Amy that if crab meat could be added to the noodles, it would be even more delectable. 4.5/5


Specialty Tobiko Fried Dumpling $4

The stallowners are quite adventurous in experimenting with food, so you sometimes get a fusion of Japanese and Chinese cuisine like their wanton which has Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe) in it. I like the wantons, which I thought were substantial and quite tasty, but the Tobiko doesn't add any value for me. 3.75/5


Spinich Soup $4

I also quite like the Spinach soup which is quite similar to a Shark's Fin or Fish Maw Soup. Amagada didn't think much of it though. Like Shark's Fin soup, it is thick and sticky and taken with a dash of black vinegar 4/5


Deep Fried Golden Mushroom $8

The surprise item of the day has to be the deep fried golden mushrooms. Surprise, because even the kids who usually shun mushrooms managed to finish the whole plate. It is great as a garnish for the plain noodles as the crispiness adds a nice contrast to the chewy noodles. 4.25/5

Conclusion

This is actually my 2nd visit to Tai Shek Hai. When I first visited just prior to their official opening in September, I felt that the food was not good enough to blog, since then, they have really improved on the noodles and managed to come up with a few dishes which are really quite good. The fact that they painstakingly make their own noodles is a good thing and I hope to see more eateries doing the same and refocussing our attention back to the humble mee kia which is actually quite tasty on its own when it is done right.

PS:

They do sell their noodles raw as well. I cooked some of the noodles myself at home and it is faster to cook than instant noodles. Just rinse the flour from the noodles and put them in boiling water and count to 15 slowly. Then strain the noodles and they are ready to eat. I just added some shallot oil, Goma Sauce and Pork Floss and it was marvellecious. If you have some Hae Bee Hiam, that would work too!

Tai Shek Hai House of Bamboo Noodles
283/285 Joo Chiat Road
Jn of Koon Seng and Joo Chiat Road
Singapore 427539
63455095
10.30am to 11pm daily
This was an invited review

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Hong Ji Mian Shi Jia: Translucent Mee

With Liverpool and smart

Wanton Mee with extra Char Siew $3.50

I am beginning to see that there are really two broad groups of Wanton Mee fans. One group focuses just on the quality of the noodles. They don't really care if the Char Siew or Wanton is quite ordinary, they just go for the noodles and chilli. Damien belongs to this group.

The other group go for the overall package. The noodles must be good enough, but it has to come with tasty, juicy Wanton and a substantial Char Siew that is at least roasted with charcoal. I belong to this group.

OK with that background, you will understand more clearly what I am trying to tell you about this Wanton Mee that Damien recommended. This is apparently his number one favourite Wanton Mee stall and trust me, Damien has eaten at a lot of Wanton Mee stalls.

Well it is the kind of Wanton Mee that on first impression will elicit a "You mean I travelled all the way here to eat this?" kind of response. At $2.50 per plate it is undoubtedly cheap but the few slivers of Char Siew that looks as if it has been cut by a microtome look more like garnishing than a topping. But that's okay, with just a request to "Geh Liao" and $1 more, the noodles can be dressed with a bit more modesty.



The good thing about this Wanton Mee is the noodles which are really thin, translucent and flat rather than round in cross-section. I actually like mee kia (fine noodles) which is flat rather than round because I find that the bite is more lively. I think the flatness makes the noodles more curly compared to round noodles. Just like the difference between the hair on your head and the other major cluster of hair on your body. You all know of course that the hair on top is round and the one at the bottom is flat, right? I am only guessing about the noodles but the trivia about the hair is fact.......sorry, hope I didn't throw you off flat noodles forever.

The wantons here are a waste of calories. Full of wanton skin with very little mince, it really is very disappointing for such a well decorated stall. However, the Char Siew here is excellent. They still make their own with a Charcoal oven hidden in the corner of their tiny stall. Sweet and succulent with just enough of the crunchy burnt bits. The only problem is you have to ask them to pile in on in order to get some real satisfaction. 4/5

Conclusion

We were there in the afternoon, so the old man was not the one cooking. I was told that his braised pork is really good. So maybe in the mornings you might get a better plate of Wanton Mee. It was certainly one of the better Wanton Mees around and would please the group of people who just go for the noodles.

Hong Ji Mian Shi Jia
#01-05 Telok Blangah Market and Food Centre
Blk 79 Telok Blangah Road
Closed on Fridays
Open 7am till 7pm

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Da Jie Wanton Mee: Simply Divine!

With SCS Butter

Braised Chicken Feet $3

Wanton Mee is a serious misnomer.

Just the other day I was talking to some passionate Hong Kong foodies about our Wanton Mee and all I got was a "Pfffff! You call this Wanton Mee? Yao Mo Gao Chor Ah? (Gotta be kidding right?)" I think I would have to agree. Unlike the Wanton Mee in Hong Kong where all you get are big juicy Wantons with noodles, Our Wanton Mee here is served with Char Siew, veggies are pathetically anorexic wantons where there is more skin than meat. So really, we shouldn't call our Wanton Mee, Wanton Mee since the Wanton is such a small part of the whole dish. Gon Lor (Dry Tossed) Mee would be a more accurate name in order to differentiate our version from the Hong Kong version.

Since we are on this topic, wouldn't it be great if some enterprising hawker would take on this idea and start dishing out ping pong sized Wantons? It will surely get the attention of the foodie community! Now if you know of someone who is interested to take on this idea or if you know of any stall already doing this, do let us know!


Wanton Mee $2-$3

This Wanton Mee was really a very pleasant surprise. For me the noodles and the sauce really hit the U-Spot (Umami Spot). The texture of the noodles was perfect and comes alive when you slurp and chew on it. The sauce had that extra something in it that made the difference between great and eye-opening "Phwa, Shiok!" (Yes there's lard) I have been continually thinking about eating this again the whole of this week! Now if this Wanton Mee had big, juicy Wantons and Char Siew that had a little more burnt bits and fats, then I would have found my Holy Grail. 4.6/5



One of the secrets to the texture of the noodles aside from the fact that they use a specially ordered egg noodle is Da Jie's practice of actually loosening all of the noodles and allowing it to rest in a big box. If I were to open a Wanton Mee stall, this is definitely what I would do. Of course a lot has to do with the way the noodles are cooked as well. That one I still have to learn.

SCS Butter raves about the Chicken Feet here. The Chicken Feet are stewed till they are super soft and gelatinized, so you really get to slurp up the sticky gluey juices and it is literally "finger lickin good!" (both yours and the chicken's). A bit more kick with the sauce, (perhaps a little cut chilli and fermented black beans) might just make it so much more enjoyable. 4.25/5

Conclusion

Most enjoyable plate of Wanton Mee I have had in a long long time!

Now please remember my Ping Pong sized Wanton challenge. If you know of anyone who is game enough to serve up a Wanton Mee that would satisfy my Hong Kong foodie friends, please write in and let me know! The thing is there are $5

Da Jie Famous Wanton Mee
209, Jalan Besar (Sam Leong Road)
96670087
7am to 2pm daily
Closed on Sun and PH
Recommended by SCS Butter and Tian Tian Chi

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Wanton Noodle Specialist: Hong Kong Style Wanton Mee Since 1965

What do you all think constitutes a classic Wanton Mee? Mee, Char Siew and Wanton are standard. The only difference is the sauce. Do you think Classic Wanton Mee has got tomato ketchup in it or should it be only a dark soy sauce based gravy? Should it be eaten with chilli? I think most people would consider Hong Kong style wanton mee as the dark soy sauce type and the Singapore style ones to be served with chilli and ketchup. What do you all think?

This stall has been around for over 40 years and is a self proclaimed Wanton Noodle Specialist. So they should know right? Their wanton mee is the dark soy sauce type and has quite a regular following. Our friend, Liverpool has his cafe just around the corner and his staff comes almost daily to partake of the Wanton Mee. Sounds like its got some sort of "Gong Tau" (Addictive substance) in it. And while I was buying the noodles, I also met another customer who comes every week to eat the noodles. Hmmmm... this should be good.



The best thing about the Wanton Mee is the noodles. They were lively and springy to the bite. The sauce was good, not really outstanding, but tasty enough. The homemade Char Siew is properly grilled, tender and juicy but the wantons were pretty ordinary. Overall, a decent plate of Wanton Noodles. 4/5

Conclusion

If you are a noodle person you might become one of the regulars at this place. For me, the Char Siew and Wantons play quite a significant role in the dish and I like my sauce with a bit more kick.

Wanton Noodle Specialist
#02-49 Hong Lim Food Centre
10.30am to 8pm

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Sarawak Kuching Kolo Mee: Real Kolo Mee at Coffeeshop prices!

With iwatch_ueat and SCS Butter

Sarawak Kolo Mee $3 (Big)

What I really enjoy about Sarawak Kolo Mee is the noodles itself and the savoury minced meat sauce that goes with it. In fact, I like these frizzy QQ noodles so much that I wonder why there aren't many more hawkers selling them?

Anyway, the last time I blogged about Sarawak Kolo Mee was the Yummy Wonton Mee stall at the Tampines Round Market. However, that one was a Singaporeanised version of the Kolo Mee and lacked the meat sauce. This time round I found a true blue (I am told) Sarawak Kolo Mee run by a couple that are real Sarawakeans. I found out that they actually make their own noodles at the factory! It's funny, when I asked them about how they knew how to make the noodles, the answer they gave made it look as if EVERY Sarawakean actually knows how to make their own kolo mee! It's like saying every Hainanese knows how to make chicken rice and every Hokkien can cook Hokkien Mee!



Whatever it is, the noodles were excellent and the combination of the Minced Meat Sauce with the noodles was even better. It would have been perfect if they had better char siew and the fried dumplings had more stuffing. 4.25/5

Conclusion

Authentic Sarawak Kolo Mee at hawker prices! Well worth a trip. Usually sold out by 2pm, so make sure you get there early. The shop is right at the back of the coffeeshop itself and easily missed.

Sarawak Kuching Laksa, Kolo Mee
Sing Li Coffeshop
177 Macpherson Road
8am t0 2pm Mon-Fri

Recommended by SCS Butter

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Kallang Wanton Noodles: Yellow Signboard Wanton Noodles

There are 3 famous Wanton Mees at Old Airport Road Food Centre and no clear winner yet. They are differentiated by the colour of their signboards which are very easy to remember. Red, yellow and green. I learnt about this from bobafett whose preference was Red, Yellow, Green. Now I don't think that there are many Wanton Mee lovers out there who actually go to the extent of trying all three and having an order of preference. Or maybe there are? Do identify yourselves please and let us know your personal preference.

I have already blogged about the Red one last time, so now its time for the Yellow Signboard.



This stall is the least "Tua Pai" (Showy) of the three stalls and the owner was very modest about her noodles. The Char Siew is procured from other sources and is good but not unremarkable. They also use a better quality noodle and the texture is good. The thing that I like about this wonton mee is the sauce that they put in it. It is a bit sweeter which agrees with my tastebuds. 4/5

Conclusion

One of the better Wontan Mees around but I between Red and Yellow, I really have no preference.

Kallang Wanton Noodle
Old Airport Road Hawker Centre
01-61
10am to 11.30pm
Closed on Tuesday

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Hong Kong Wanton Mee: The Anderson JC Alumni Pilgrimage

This stall has shifted to Toa Payoh

Wanton Mee $2

I was at ABC Brickworks eating at Fatty Cheong's when I happen to bump into one of our blog readers, Tarzan (cos he's married to Jane) who also happened to be eating at Fatty's. However, I noticed that he had a plate of Wanton Mee which was from another stall, so I asked him if he thought it was good enough to be featured on the Blog. Not willing to put his Tarzan underpants on the line, he merely said it was the 2nd time he was eating there in a fortnight. OK Tarzan, let's see if this Wanton Mee has got that "Orh Yi Orh Yi Orh" or not.

The stall was operated by this friendly elderly couple (which I have a soft spot for) who have been operating the stall for over 20 years. They proudly showed off their trophy which they won for "Best Food Stall - Henderson Junior College". Since when was there a "Henderson" Junior College? After chatting with them for a while, I found out that they were at Anderson Junior College from 1985 to 1999, selling their wanton mee and also rice dishes. I think that AJC alumni should be quite glad to find your long lost Aunty and Uncle eh? Time to go back and pay them a visit, and tell them about how you all have progressed and how many kids you have!

Now, I remember that RJC used to have a killer Nasi Padang stall way back in the 80's. Anyone know where they went? The one Hawker that I would desperately like to find is that Char Kway Teow man from St Andrew's School in the 70s and 80s. That would really bring back fond memories!

So, if you all know about any of your favourite hawkers who have subsequently left your school canteen to set up their own stall, do write in to let us know!



This old couple still take pride in serving up quality noodles at School Canteen prices. No kidding, at $2 per plate, this has got to be one of the cheapest Wanton Mee in town. And they don't skimp on the quality or quantity either. They use a full egg noodle which are thinner than usual. It is the type that "Hong Kong" wanton mee is supposed to be. The Home-made charsiew is tender and quite generous and you get three good sized Wantons. Being "Hong Kong" style, they don't add tomato sauce, but instead have a specially brewed anchovy based sauce. The texture of the noodles were excellent, and although the Char Siew still cannot compare with Fatty Cheong's, they were still quite competent. 4/5

Conclusion

Great value for money Wanton Mee and a "Must Visit" for AJC alumni, I should think!

Hong Kong Wanton Mee
ABC Brickworks Food Centre
#01-41
97276492
5am to 2pm
Recommended by Tarzan

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Yummy Wanton Mee: Singapore style Sarawak Kolo Mee!

Kolo Mee $3 per bowl shown here with extra fried Sui Gao

Recently there has been several shops offering Sarawak Kolo mee but these sell their Kolo mee at Cafe prices and the last time I ate Kolo Mee, I felt that the meat sauce was a bit salty and overpowers the taste of the noodles.

So I was very delighted to find this stall in Tampines Round Market that sells Kolo Mee, Singapore style at $3 a bowl.

Kolo Mee actually tastes different from the mee we are used to. It is whiter in colour and is very curly like instant noodles. It is white in colour because they use only egg white. The noodles also smell different because there is no alkali (Kee) used in the manufacturing process.



This is the first wonton mee seller that told me that his noodles should be taken WITHOUT chilli. That was surprising as all the rest take a lot of pride in their chilli sauce. All the stallowner did was cook the Kolo Mee and add a dash of fried shallot oil and soy sauce.

Now, before you actually eat the noodles, do yourself a favor and just take a good long whiff of the noodles. It is quite fragrant. The noodles are good enough to be eaten by itself without the condiments, but this stall's Char Siew and Sui Gao are actually pretty good too. Simple yet surprisingly good bowl of wanton mee. 4.25/5



The Sui Gao here has got enough water chestnuts to give it the sweetness and crunchiness. Worth getting a bowl as a side order.

Conclusion

Probably the cheapest Kolo Mee in town and quite a novel experience if you have not tried Kolo Mee this way. My only question is that if mee can be made without "Kee" why don't more people make it that way since a lot of people complain about the smell of "alkali" in poorly made noodles.

Yummy Wontan Mee
Blk 137 Tampines Round Mkt and Food Centre
#01-45
93804478
5am to 3pm daily

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Koung's Wonton Mee: Another famous one!

For all the noodle lovers out there. This one's for you!

This is one of the five wanton noodle stores which was featured in a Straits Times article together with Foong Kee, Fei Fei and Sin Hoe Hin and one more which I can't remember. I had initially omitted it in my last wanton mee comparison run since it did not get rave reviews. But I thought that I should include it since it is so established.



This wonton mee is good for those who like their noodles simple. I have already declared my preference for dark sauce, juicy charsiew and crispy fried Sui Gao, so this one is not really on top of my list. The noodles were good, but does not have the carbo rush of Fei Fei's. The charsiew and the chilli sauce were competent but unremarkable. The one good thing about it is the liberal use of crispy pork lard. Overall a good plate of wanton mee but not something I would make another trip to go down to eat. 3.75/5

Conclusion

People who like their wanton mee simple may give it a higher rating.

Koung's Wan Tan Mee
No 1 Lor 13
Geylang Road
7.30am to 8.30pm
67480305

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