Monday, April 2, 2012

KL Hokkien mee in Singapore: Found in Food r us?

KL Black Hokkien Mee in Singapore

The KL style of hokkien mee is a potent varient of the fried noodles. Black, beguilling. Salty, but also with the faintest tinge of sweetness, coupled with the powerful wok hei and the bite of a good belachan chilli. Intoxicating! Finding one in KL is difficult enough, but to find this style of cooking in Singapore...well...let's not ask for too much. But what are the best fascimilles of this intrepid style?

Many cze char stalls in town serve up some variant. The Singapore style is less black, less wok hei, less powerful sambal. I have grown to love the local variant as well. The best for me, being the one in Beng Hiang. Thick yellow noodles, nestled...drizzled with a brown sauce. Fragrant and wonderful. There is a stall somewhere in Geylang, which I have yet to try...Kong Kee...which is reputed to serve authentic KL style. But as I live in Farrer Road, just across the MRT station is one which I hear (from Makansutra Forum) that is equally as good...so we went to try.

Certainly nothing much to look at. But the powerful whiff of the wok hei is present and accounted for. The crispy bits of pork lard is present. The beautiful, nearly black sauce shows its beauty...not quite as black as some of the famous ones in KL, but good enough for Singapore. Taste? Very good. After months of not eating the real KL stuff, this one is a good approximation. So far, in my view, probably the closest and most authentic in Singapore. High praise indeed...but try it for yourself.

Somewhat less successful in authencity...perhaps they were not aiming to be authentic...but still rather tasty is the KL style ying yang

Fragrance of the wok hei is apparent. The noodles were expertly fried. The bee hoon crisp. The hor fun could be fried a bit longer...but I found this dish satisfying. Nice...ticks all the right boxes. Kin found it to be only adequate.

We also ordered a plate of Penang Char Kway Teow...fergedaboutit....nothing like the real thing. Too greasy. Kway teow was too thick...more like hor fun. Urg.
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