The one and solely soup-style bak chor mee you will want at Bedok 85

As a lifelong resident of the North, I need to say that I’m not precisely essentially the most well-versed on the subject of well-known hawker stalls in different elements of the nation. Nonetheless, Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian is likely one of the uncommon stalls within the East that I’ve travelled down simply to eat.

Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian has been thought-about as one of many finest stalls for bak chor mee in Singapore by many. In contrast to different eateries that provide dry variations of the dish, Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian stands out for being the OG soup-based bak chor mee in Singapore. Should you’re a fan of dry bak chor mee, you’re higher off trying elsewhere, for this stall strictly affords soupy noodles solely.

Beginning out as a roadside stall in Changi all the way in which again in 1968, Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian moved to Fengshan Meals Centre (also referred to as simply “Bedok 85” to most folk) in 1976, the place it has been working since.

I first discovered about Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian from my mom, who would continuously order bowls of the stall’s bak chor mee each time she was in Bedok. Finally, I learnt concerning the large recognition of this humble little stall, from the array of media options and awards proudly displayed on the storefront. Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian was even featured within the MICHELIN Information Singapore!

Deciding on what dishes to order was no sweat, for the stall solely affords two dishes: Minced Pork Noodles or Minced Pork Soup, out there in S$3.50 and S$4.50 parts. I ordered a S$3.50 bowl of Minced Pork Noodles and bought able to tuck into my meal.

What I attempted at Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian

The Minced Pork Noodles have been served with yellow mee pok noodles, clear soup, 5 meatballs, minced meat and fried lard. Topped with some chopped pink chilli, the piping sizzling bowl of noodles appeared like the right dish to get pleasure from on a chilly day.

Da Muzhi Minced Meat Noodle: Prawn noodle-bak chor mee fusion with hand-made meat & prawn balls

Though the soup of the Minced Meat Noodles appeared unassuming attributable to its plain and clear color, it was bursting with flavour. The soup was mild with a tiny little bit of sweetness and saltiness to boost it. Its full-bodied, strong style made it a delight to slurp down each final drop. 

The mee pok noodles have been springy and bouncy. They’d a very nice texture and absorbed the soup effectively, such that every mouthful boasted the flavours of the soup. These noodles definitely stood out even on their very own.

The meatballs weren’t significantly thrilling, however they have been nonetheless pleasant. Every meatball was agency and tasted fairly typical, with a bland but meaty aftertaste. Nonetheless, for under S$3.50, I discovered the addition of 5 complete meatballs to be beneficiant.

Speckled throughout the Minced Meat Noodles’ soup have been varied clumps of minced pork meat in assorted sizes. The minced meat was extremely delicate and tender with an virtually mushy texture, not like different minced meat which might be often firmer and chewier.

The generosity of the minced meat positively made this dish much more thrilling, as I might uncover little bits of meat clumps with every spoonful I ate.

The cherry on prime was the addition of the fried lard bits, which gave the dish a satisfying crunchy and fatty, flavourful ingredient.

Closing ideas

Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian is one in all Singapore’s most acclaimed hawker stalls, and it’s straightforward to see why. The costs are affordable and reasonably priced, and the parts are filling too. Regardless of the straightforward look of the Minced Meat Noodles, it delivers by way of flavour, and in offering a nostalgic and comforting feeling.

No matter whether or not you reside within the East or not, Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian is one hawker that’s definitely worth the journey down for, particularly since soup variations of bak chor mee aren’t generally present in Singapore. Why not give the OG a shot?

Anticipated harm: S$3.50 – S$4.50 per pax

We tried Singapore’s best-rated bak chor mee