Below-the-radar gem with tasty lao mian

My case for Lye Bo Toss Noodle is an attention-grabbing one. Its inclusion in my line-up of locations to eat and write about was primarily based on one factor — an attractive picture of its noodles that I stumbled upon on Fb. Okay, perhaps two; the submit’s creator used the phrases ‘can eat’. 

If there’s one factor I’ve learnt, it’s that the Fb people have their finger on the heartbeat. Additionally, ‘can eat’ is principally code for ‘scrumptious’. I made a decision to belief the method, and to the stall I headed.

Lye Bo Toss Noodle is located in Alexandra Village Meals Centre, the place you’ll discover a number of well-known institutions like Ashes Burnnit and Depot Highway Laksa. Compared to these family names, Lye Bo appeared to lack buzz. 

All I gathered from a fast Google search was that the stall specialises in — you guessed it — tossed noodles, or lao mian. Oh, and that they used to promote roast meats and wanton mee. 

I wasn’t fairly certain what to anticipate, however I definitely didn’t suppose there’d be a queue! Appears to me that Lye Bo has their very own devoted following regardless of their restricted on-line presence — hallmark of a well-kept secret, maybe?

Lye Bo has probably the most pristine hawker stall fronts I’ve ever seen; the whole lot was simply so clear and well-organised! With glistening slabs of char siew hung behind the glass-fronted counter and the stall-owners doling out bowls of lao mian in excellent synchrony, I couldn’t take my eyes off the scene.

Curiously, the stall additionally gives low-carb bakes like Pound Cake (S$4/slice) and Burnt Cheese Cake (S$5/slice), as handwritten on the glass panel.

What I attempted at Lye Bo Toss Noodle

Lye Bo’s menu gives 3 simple choices of lao mian paired with both char siew, pan-fried pork stomach or minced pork with onsen egg. 

You’re free to zhng your bowl of noodles with add-ons. I did so with an Onsen Egg (S$1) on high of my Honey Glazed BBQ Pork Noodle (S$5), or char siew noodles for brief. The stall-owner beneficial including precisely 4 teaspoons of their chilli oil to the noodles, together with a dusting of chilli powder to swimsuit my spice tolerance. After all, I adopted the directions.

Look, I don’t imply to magnify however you’ll be able to’t probably disagree once I say that the bowl of noodles was a sight for sore eyes. All the things, from the chopped hunk of char siew to the onsen egg and stalk of kai lan, was positioned so neatly atop the mattress of noodles. Very on-brand for a stall as tidy as theirs!

The char siew was clearly not pre-packaged. Every bit sported a shiny look, with a caramelised glaze coating its mahogany exterior. A leaner reduce of meat was used right here — the blush pink-hued inside struck me as firmer to the contact than most.

Regardless, the meat was decently tender and succulent. It had a candy flavour profile, with nice notes of honey and five-spice from its marinade. Not like most handmade char siew, it lacked a smoky flavour; my guess could be that Lye Bo’s rendition is oven-baked somewhat than charcoal-roasted.

Nevertheless, the slight chewiness of its exterior didn’t fairly complement the meat. I’d have most popular crispier charred edges for added textural distinction. Nonetheless, it wasn’t shabby in any respect.

Sorry, I simply had to incorporate 2 photos of the noodles — simply take a look at how they glistened after a radical toss! 

Look-wise, these noodles resemble every other egg noodles you’d discover at a roast meat noodle stall. Nevertheless, they’d an al dente chunk paying homage to the feel of hand-pulled noodles. Springy but chewy, the mouthfeel was outstanding. 

As I discovered in a while, they’re low-carb noodles. Name it a placebo impact if you’ll, however no marvel they tasted so clear!

The candy soy sauce combination that coated the noodles had a sturdy umami that had me slurping spoonfuls on finish. The binding issue to all of it was undoubtedly the onsen egg, which imparted a velvety richness that elevated every mouthful.

The sweetness of the char siew and the moreish savoury goodness of the noodles was a real match made in heaven. Every chunk was a pleasant mixture of flavours and textures that solely had me wishing for extra.

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My subsequent dish was one with its picture prominently displayed on the stall entrance’s LED display: the Minced Pork with Onsen Egg Noodle (S$4). Adorned with minced meat and that completely cooked onsen egg, the bowl of noodles jogged my memory of mazesoba, one among my favorite Japanese noodle dishes.

Don’t let the seemingly dry look of the minced pork chunks lead you astray. They turned out to be delicate and juicy, infused with a savoury marinade that bore hints of cinnamon and five-spice.

Oddly — however satisfyingly — sufficient, these noodles held extra moisture compared to their char siew counterparts. The dish leaned in the direction of a savoury profile, with every strand of noodle infused with the daring flavour of the minced pork, generously coated in a wealthy combination of candy soy sauce and creamy onsen egg.

It’s superb how one thing with a price ticket as small as S$4 might ship such unimaginable flavour.

Ultimate Ideas

I like a very good hidden gem and Lye Bo Toss Noodle certain is one which impressed me. With a pristine stall entrance, nice service and scrumptious flavours coupled with outstanding worth for cash, it’s a marvel how they’ve but to search out themselves on an inventory of greatest eats in Alexandra Village Meals Centre.

Regardless, you’ll be able to depend on seeing me again once more for extra of these tasty tossed noodles. Perhaps I’ll lastly get to strive the Pan-fried Grill Pork Stomach Noodle (S$5).

Anticipated harm: S$4 – S$6 per pax

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