More Prawn Mee: Joo Chiat Prawn Mee

One of the older prawn mee stalls around, and as I understand a spin off run by the daughter of the famous Beach Road stall, this little stall is tucked in a quiet residential street near Joo Chiat.

It came highly recommended for the flavourful soup and the tender pork ribs...so while I tend to order only prawns for my prawn noodles, I tried the pork rib version this time.

I was not disappointed. The broth is old school...very tasty, bursting of umami, and very flavourful. The prawns were quite large, fresh and sweet, nice bite, and very tasty. The pork ribs were very tender...almost cliche fork tender, and rather nice. The deep fried shallots and pork lard crisps complete the ensemble, making it wonderfully aromatic and very tasty. The noodles were cooked the soft side of a bit over, but not too much, and still had some life in it to have some bite.

Overall, a nice bowl of prawn noodles. The soup, which it was famous for, however I feel is bested by the Penang Kia at Compassvale. The broth there was more robust, even more flavourful. But Joo Chiat Prawn Mee deserves a recommendation.

Xin Hua Ji Food House, 15 Crane Road 

Hours

Closed on Tue, Wed to Mon: 7:30 am - 3:00 pm

Prawn Noodles in Sengkang: Penang Kia

My lunching friends are now crazy over prawn noodles, so I have been going around tasting interesting candidates.

Recently, this little stall in Compassvale made some news when Leslie Tay wrote about it in his facebook page. Immediately the next day, long queues formed. But when I cycled to Compassvale one fine Wednesday morning, at 11:30am, there was no queue. 

They have several kinds of prawn noodles. What they call Penang Prawn Mee is only $3.50, available soup or dry. And the big prawn noodles for $6.50. They also have various combinations with pork rib. I went for the big prawn noodles.

The prawns were cooked on order, so it takes a while...though the cheaper $3.50 dish can be served immediately.

The wait was worth it. The broth is the winner. Thick, savoury, very beautiful flavours. I loved it. Very ince.

The prawns were rather large, and two were presented. They were fresh, had a crunch to the bite, and sweet. Nice. Two slices of lean pork accompanies, just like in Penang. I understand the couple who own the stall were former SQ Cabin Crew, and the wife was from Penang, and her father used to run a Hokkien Mee (as they call Prawn Mee in Penang) stall. When I was there, only the husband was there with a helper.

I found it to be very good. Worth the calories and worth the ride to eat. Its a 45km round trip by bicycle for me. Highly recommended.

Penang Kia

Prawn Noodles

Coffeeshop @ Blk 205D Compassvale Lane.

Lam's Prawn and Crab noodle

I love prawn noodles. And have cravings to eat the dish every once in a while.

My gold standard is Wah Kee at Cambridge Road, but the queues are too long. I often eat at Khoon Kee at Bukit Merah, which is close, but not quite the same level. But there is another which is also very good, though a different style, and not directly comparable. This is Lam's Prawn and Crab Noodles.

Tucked in a coffee shop in Rangoon Road, this little stall is quite interesting. It offers not only regular prawn noodles, but also large prawns. And also offers the customers to add scallop and crab to their noodles. I have not tried those specials, bu thave eaten the regular and large prawns a few times.

The regular prawn noodles is rather nice, though I found the prawns to be crumbly and powdery in texture. The prawns were also not sweet enough, but the soup was very good. And the more one drinks the soup, the more satisfying it is.

The $5 portion comes with 6 fairly large prawns.

I also tried the large prawns version, only 3 very large prawns were served.

The prawns were altogether different. The prawns were very large, measuring perhaps 3 inches in diameter. And the prawns were quite fresh. The flesh is firm and very sweet. The noodles were ordered dry, and came with a magnificent sauce, which is savoury and very tasty.

Mildly addictive soup, magnificent large prawns. Recommended, but certainly does not dethrone Wah Kee as my reference prawn noodle.

Lam's Prawn and Crab Noodles
137 Rangoon Road
63963289
9am - 9pm(Closed on Tue)

Friend's favourites: Whitley Road Prawn Noodles

Prawn noodles is a perennial favourite in Singapore. Each have their own favourites. I have shared my favourite, here is one from one of my good friends...his favourite. This begins a series of posts, where I will explore the favourite makan places of my friends.

The Whitley Road Big Prawn Noodle is an old, old favourite of many. They used to operate under the Whitley Road flyover, and was famous for many years. When the hawker centre was removed by the government some years ago, they disappeared...but have appeared in the city.

Recommended by a good friend as it was his favourite...we dropped in during the heat of the lunch hour...the place was choking full of people. And we had to wait some 20 minutes for our noodles.

So how was it? The noodles were done just right...we had the mee with coarse bee hoon. Soft to the bite. I had the one with pork ribs, which was tender, and light in porky flavour...just right. The prawns were partly deshelled, and rather fresh, sweet, nice firm meat. The soup was nice and hearty...good stock.

How does it compare for me to my favourite at Pek Kio Market? Well, for me, Wah Kee still rules the roost. The prawns are a bit fresher and sweeter. The stock is where Wah Kee at Cambridge Road (Pek Kio) Market leads...strong crusteacean flavours, developing beautifully from the base of pork bones and prawn heads. The Whitley stock was a bit sweetened by either rock sugar or sugar...a bit too much for me, and as far as I can tell my favoured Wah Kee does not sweeten the stock.

Worth the eat? Yes, but for me, I rather go to Cambridge Road...but the wait there is even longer...often 45m to an hour during meal times.

Whitley Road Big Prawns Noodles
18 Lorong Telok
#01-01

Da Dong Prawn Noodles

Hokkien Prawn Mee is a hot favourite Singapore hawker food...probably amongst the top 5 most popular, I rekon.

My favourite is Wah Kee in Pek Kio, but a friend suggested that since he has been eating at Da Dong for many years, following the hawker as he moved several locations, I had to try.

The fragrance wafts to one's nostrils as the noodles are being served.

This is the dry version. The noodles were firm...al dente even. Very nice, with a light kee base, but being coated in the sauce/soup had a beautiful aroma of the crustaceans. The soup is probably the star here...savoury, but very fragrant, aromatic. The liquid is more viscous than most watery soups, and packs a punch. The prawns were very fresh.

Overall, for me, this is very good prawn noodle, but the Wah Kee auntie gets to keep her crown for the best.

Da Dong Prawn Noodle
Mellvyn Coffee Shop
354 Joo Chiat Road

Khoon Kee Tasty Prawn and Char Kway Teow: nice or not?

I dropped by the studios of Teo TH, one of the first and most respected professional photographers in Singapore, and after an excellent discussion, we were famished....so Teo, ever a foodie, introduced me to Khoon Kee...one of his favourite prawn noodles...



The owners are sibblings...the brother used to be cook at Japanese restaurants in Japan (he speaks fluent Japanese), and the sister helms the wok for the char kway teow...interesting combination for a stall...but it works.



We ordered some of both...Teo had the soup prawn mee, and I had the dry with pork ribs. And of course a plate of char kway teow.



A closer look at the large, succulent, sea prawns:



The secret of a good prawn noodle is the soup...it must be thick, rich, imbued with crustacean flavours. My favourite at Wah Kee, where the soup is really savoury and super rich. But Khoon Kee's puts up a good fight. Ultimately, it is edged out by Wah Kee, but it comes very close...the soup is beautifully made. The prawns are also very fresh, and superb. Crunchy, yet sweet and fragrant. Very good. Shiok. The pork ribs are good too, but not exceptional...next time, I'll just order the version with only prawns.

The Char Kway Teow is rather good too...but I can see some of my friends will think it is not sweet enough...but the style is similar to Dong Ji, except it sans seafood, and the ingredients used are regular Singapore CKT. I rather enjoyed it.



We also had some jeu her eng chye...cuttlefish with kangkong...in a sweet, spicy sauce, with crushed peanuts from Bak Kee Teochew Satay Bee Hoon:



Most people queue up at this stall for the satay bee hoon. But as we already had prawn noodles and char kway teow, we had the jeu her eng chye instead.



Not bad. Though I find the sauce a bit too sweet. The jeu her was rather crunchy, though a bit lacking in flavour. But the kangkong was excellent, cooked just right. And the sprinking of freshly crushed peanuts were great.

Both stalls are an excellent eat. Worth the visit.


Khoon Kee Tasty Prawn Mee and Char Kway Teow
Blk 85 Redhill Lane, #01-58 Redhill Food Centre, Singapore
9769 3991
Daily: 9.30am – 9pm
(Closed on Tue)

Bak Kee Teochew Satay Bee Hoon
#01-40
12pm - 8pm
Closed on Wednesdays

Wah Kee Big Prawns Noodle. Pek Kio, Singapore

with family for breakfast




The last time I went on a Prawn Mee adventure with Larry, it turned out that I did not manage to eat at Dr. ieat's favourite Prawn Mee.

I wanted to eat this so much, I went back the following Saturday for breakfast, but did not bring a camera...the noodles tasted excellent - let me not beat around the bush, this is my reference standard for prawn noodles. So good, that I had to return and take some pictures for this review.

My mother had the soup version...she refers to it as Hokkien Mee, as prawn noodles is referred to in Penang.



Four rather large prawns (1 large, 3 smaller, but still reasonable sized) adorn the bowl. The prawns were very fresh. Crunchy with each bite, tasty, sweet. Very good. Mom made reference to the fresh prawns; and she is a good cook herself, and not easy to please. If she says its fresh, the only way it could be fresher would mean the prawns were still alive.



Another look at the prawns. Two thumbs up!

The dry version has the 4 prawns in the soup, and the noodles came in a separate bowl in a thick soup gravy. Compared to the Nam Hoe version which was $7, Wah Kee's portion was $5, and proved more value. In terms of taste, I also preferred Wah Kee...more concentrated flavours, better and fresher prawns.



A generous helping of crunchy pork lard provided the flavour and superb taste. The thick soup bursts of crustaceans...wonderful. The soup which accompanies is somewhat thicker and more flavourful than the soup version. This is attention to detail...two different concentration of soup - I know, its probably diluting a bit more for the soup version, but this points to the attention to detail.



We walloped the noodles...plate with the ramains of the prawn shells.

Satisfying. Most satisfying.

We had the Heng Leong Carrot Cake again...richly caramelized, firmish cake. Great plate.




I would like to tribute this post to my senior who first brought me to this very same stall at the Farrer Park Hawker Center long ago...when I was still young. Hats off to you, John.



Wah Kee Prawn Noodles
Blk 41A Cambridge Road Hawker Centre (Pek Kio)
#01-15
7.30am to 2pm
Closed on Mondays

Photonotes. Taken with 1Dmk3 with 17-40L, raw. Usual raw processing. White balance AWB in camera.

The first pic seemed a bit more orangy than the rest...and looking at the white of the insides of the bowl, it does seem, my white balance is slightly out on the first pic.

Prawn Mee and distractions

with Larry



Had lunch with my good friend and fellow major foodie. Wacow sms me to join the ieat super-gang for a Prawn Mee tasting at Henderson Road, but I had already setup this makan with Larry last week.

Larry suggested the Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles at Pek Kio Hawker Center, he had been a fan for years. ieat blogged that this was the best Prawn Mee.. And years ago, as a young chap, one of my seniors, who is a prawn noodle superfan brought me to the Farrer Park Hawker Centre and we had this as his favourite. I vaguely remembered it as quite excellent.

When we arrived, the lady boss told us that they are not able to cope...too many orders. Waiting time at least half an hour. So we will have to come back another day.

Larry went off to get some chwee kueh from Pin Wei just across from the noodle shop.



I remarked that I am not a fan of chwee kueh, but Larry said, "Try...you will like it". And indeed I did. I think its better than the famous Tiong Bahru one. When it arrived, it is apparent this is a different Chwee Kueh...measuring some 4 inches in diameter, it is larger than the average Chwee Kueh...like mockingly calling to itself as the king. Next, it was fully laden with chye por...not the miserly bits that adorns the peasant Chwee Kueh. The chye por seem to me to have been simmered/fried lovingly to absorb flavours of the other ingredients...I don't know what the ingredients are, but its yummy. The rice cake is smooth, and had a beautiful texture...firm yet very soft. Sounds like an impossibility....but as the cake enters your mouth, this is the feeling which permeates. The chilli was powerful, and provided the necessary kick to make this a great dish.

We also ordered a plate of black carrot cake from Heng Leong.



This is a power carrot cake. The sides of the cake are singed - nearly burnt...with thick, sweet sauce. The cake is firm to the bite, unlike many which are so soft that it falls apart at the mere poke from a chopsticks. This remained firm when being transported to the mouth, and provides some bite. In this respect, it reminds me of a Penang version called Kueh Kak. The egg clinging to the cake provided flavour and the radish completes the taste. Excellent carrot cake.

Still hungry and needing our prawn noodle fix, Larry suggested we drive over to River South (Hoe Nam) Prawn Noodle near the now abandoned Jackson Centre.



The store offers all kinds of "accessories" to your bowl of prawn mee. Ranging from pork ribs, abalone, pig tail, fish cake. We ordered a mee sua and a mixed beehoon mee with prawns and pork ribs.

The wait was about 10 mins, and we had some fish cake to while the time away. Not bad, but not very special either.



Then the prawn noodles came. Impressive. Each serving of dry noodles came as a set of two large bowls...one with soup and prawns/ribs. And another with the noodles in thick broth.



Each bowl ($7 each) came with 3 prawns, 2 large, 1 smaller. Partly deshelled, the prawns were reasonably fresh, and tasted fairly sweet and was crunchy. The noodles in dry gravy was quite special. I had beehoon mee mix, and Larry had mee suah...my beehoon mee was done slightly soft of al dente, but still nice and tasty as it was coated in thick broth. The broth was rich, and crustaceany in flavour. The soup was robust, and had a nice aroma. Taste was quite good...sweet, with strong flavour of prawns. I enjoyed this quite a bit.
























Heng Leong Carrot Cake
41A Cambridge Road
#01-13 Pek Kio Market & Food Court Centre

Pin Wei Chwee Kueh
41A Cambridge Road
Pek Kio Market & Food Court Centre (forget to take down stall no, but opposite Wah Kee Prawn Noodle)



River South (Hoe Nam) Prawn Noodles
31 Tai Thong Crescent (Near Jackson Centre)
Singapore 347859
Tel: 62819293
6.30am to 4.30pm daily
Closed once a month on Mondays

Photonotes. No experiments done during this shoot...except +1EV overexposure...inadvertently left on from yesterday's shoot. Histogram corrected in ACR.