Lai Li Economical Bee Hoon is certainly one of my private gatekept meals stalls which my household and I’ve been patronising for fairly a while. Located throughout the confines of AMK 443 Consuming Home inAng Mo Kio, this humble, neighbourhood kopitiam stall first blew me away when my dad introduced house their fried bee hoon— I used to be instantly gained over!
Lai Li Economical Bee Hoon is managed by an aged couple, who seem like of their late 60s to early 70s. The spouse, who carries a slight hunch, skillfully takes cost of the cooking whereas her husband effectively tends to the patrons. To handle the morning rush, they’ve additionally enlisted the help of a helper.
On the signboard, strips of purple tape might be seen pasted over a few of their dishes like chwee kueh and porridge. As a result of their previous age, they’ve diminished their choices to alleviate their day by day workload.
The meals choices are easy. Fried rice, noodles and braised greens are displayed on the backside whereas their assortment of fried goodies are positioned on high. There’s additionally a small plastic container displaying just a few sorts ofNyonya kueh positioned alongside the cutlery part.
What I attempted at Lai Li Economical Bee Hoon
If in case you have a hankering for the Chee Cheong Enjoyable (S$0.80), be sure that to be the early fowl that catches the worm because it’s usually accessible solely until mid-morning. To my shock, I acquired 2 rolls although I requested for one; it was in all probability halved as a result of its elongated size.
The Chee Cheong Enjoyable wasn’t the frilly Hong Kong-style selection with totally different stuffings. As a substitute, it was harking back to what I used to have throughout my scholar days— a basic, no-frills model, that includes a easy drizzle of candy sauce and a lightweight sprinkling of sesame seeds.
The rice roll had a pleasingly smooth texture, and the mixture of candy sauce and chilli evoked a way of nostalgia, really capturing the old-school flavours that I keep in mind.
Girls and gents, I current to you the fried bee hoon which obtained me hooked. I topped up an extra otah, luncheon meat and blended greens and it price me simply S$3.30.
The bee hoon nonetheless maintained its unique ivory hue and was stir fried with carrot strips and taugeh. For some cause, the rice vermicelli that day was barely under-seasoned, however was nonetheless palatable. Maybe the aunty struggles a little bit with getting the style persistently proper on a regular basis (one thing that each chef offers with).
The otah was considerably bigger than the widespread run-by-the-mill ones served at different spots. I discovered it tasty with simply the best degree of spiciness.
The luncheon meat was sinfully good and had a slightly-crisped floor.
The braised greens had been a melange of broccoli, carrots, child corn, and purple capsicum items which had been braised until they had been lusciously smooth. Whereas the style wasn’t excellent, it definitely served its supposed goal (as my colleague likes to place it).
I additionally opted to pattern the Hokkien mee. I added a fish roll, tau kwa, and a bit of fishcake, bringing the entire to S$3.50.
The Hokkien Mee at Lai Li Economical Bee Hoon was avegetarian model with a mix of yellow noodles and thick bee hoon sauteed with carrot strips and inexperienced veggies. It didn’t fairly match the flavour of the fried bee hoon, however did have the benefit of not being overcooked, retaining a satisfying mouthfeel.
Savouring the tau kwa, I relished the quick sensation of its inside gently crumbling with my very first chew. The outside was additionally properly fried which contributed to its delectability.
Because of the look of the fish roll, I had initially mistaken it for ngoh hiang. The insides had been stuffed with bits of carrot and spring onions and the paste itself was silky smooth. The fishcake, although, was a little bit disappointing because it turned out barely powerful and dry.
Last ideas
Lai Li Economical Bee Hoon might not declare the highest spot by way of style and high quality, but it surely definitely earns factors for its affordability and generously-sized parts.
I like to recommend visiting them for the bee hoon. Nonetheless, be ready for a possible wait, because it tends to promote out quickly, and also you may end up ready for the aunty to organize a contemporary batch.
