Bak Chor Mee: Singapore's contribution to the culinary world

with Eddie Sng

Eddie is a good friend, a colleague in the air cargo industry and a fellow traveller in horology. Like most (all?) Singaporeans, he has a love for food. And for his AMK neighbourhood. So one Saturday, I drove to AMK to have breakfast with him, and contemplate the meaning of life.



Mee Pok Bak Chor Mee is one of Singapore's contribution to the great culinary dishes. As I grew up in Penang, I did not have the opportunity to sample its delights until I arrived at NUS, and initially got a shock at the use of strong black vinegar in a flattened yellow mee (as I perceived mee pok then). But as the years pass, I grew to love it. The pork bone enriched soup. The pork balls and sliced pork and sometimes fish balls. The mee pok.

I used to satisfy my cravings (yes, the initial shock turned to love) at a store at the Alexandra Point. When they moved to Tampines Mall, it was timely as well, because my office then was just across the road. But when I moved office to the city, I missed my Bak Chor Mee Pok.

Anyway, in comes Eddie to re-introduce the mee pok stall in AMK.

As we placed our order for the noodles, one lady cooks the noodles and the other the soup.



The noodles were cooked al dente...firm to the bite, but tender enough. The flat surface provided area for the pungent, spicy vinegared sauce to cling on. The ingredients were very nice, well cooked, but the speciality has to be the soup. Braised mushrooms adorn the noodles, and provide a nice complement to the meats.



They use pork bones for soup and cook it with red dates and wolfberries. As a result, the stock is very savoury sweet.

Nice BCM.





Sin Kian Heng
Block 226
#01-26, Ang Mo Kio Street 22
Open mornings only.
Closed on Tuesday.