Bak Chor Mee Throwdown at 85 Market aka Fengshan Food Centre
I've been eating Bak Chor Mee at Block 85 Bedok North Street 4 since I was a kid. My late grandfather's favourite stall was sold many years back after the original hawker struck the lottery and decided to call it a day.
I don't recall the name of the old stall but it occupied the same space as Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian, often referred to as the original Bak Chor Mee stall that Fengshan hawker centre's famous for. There are now 3 popular Bak Chor Mee stalls, each with its own loyal following. The waiting time for all 3 stalls range between 20 to 30 minutes.
Bak Chor Mee from Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian @ S$2.50
Everytime I visit Fengshan Food Centre, I can never decide which of the 3 stalls I want to order Bak Chor Mee from. I sometimes order from all 3 stalls for a comparison. A horizontal tasting of Bak Chor Mee of sorts! The noodles from Xing Ji were firm to the bite but the minced pork had an unnaturally sweet aftertaste that I didn't like. The soup was fairly tasty but could do with some reduction to intensify the flavours a little more.
Bak Chor Mee from Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee @ S$3
The only stall of the 3 that serves both a dry (tossed with chili and seasoning) as well as a soup version of Bak Chor Mee, Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee requires a pre-payment at the point of ordering. Fair enough as the long waiting time probably resulted in quite a number of people leaving the hawkers holding a bowl of orphaned noodles. I usually order the dry version from this stall but ordered the soup version so we can compare the same dish across the stalls. The noodles were a little stodgy and had a pretty strong alkaline flavour that seemed to overwhelm the bland soup. To the hawker's credit, for 50 cents more than the other bowls, they piled on alot of minced pork into the bowl and this was the largest serving of the lot. However, perhaps they were afraid that the pork might not be cooked well enough, the minced pork was a little overdone. A pity as they used to have pretty decent soup versions previously.
Located side by side along the first row of hawker stalls facing the police station, both stalls attract their fair share of customers although many swear by Xing Ji's noodles. The quality of the food varies from visit to visit so if you have the appetite, you might like to order from both as they seem to take turns to produce better food from time to time.
Bak Chor Mee from Ah Poh Minced Meat Noodle @ S$2.50
Located at the 2nd row of the hawker centre closer to the wet market, Ah Poh Minced Meat Noodle's stall's pretty far removed from the madding crowd that spills out onto the pavements. The waiting time's about 5 minutes shorter for this stall. Ah Poh has our vote (my folks & I) for the best bowl of noodles on Sunday evening. The noodles were firm to the bite while the minced pork was tasty and fluffy in texture due to a good balance of fat and meat. The soup tasted rather bland at first but the flavour improved when the minced pork was stirred evenly into the bowl. This is a Must-Try!
My favourite stall of the 3 because Ah Poh tends to produce a more consistently tasty bowl of noodles, the stall is also rather popular with some of my cyclist friends. We used to stop here for supper on the way home after taking a spin along Changi Coastal Road.
Taste is subjective, so try all 3 if you can find room in your tummy and decide which suits your taste best. :)
Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian
Block 85 Bedok North Street 4
#01-07 Fengshan Market & Food Centre,
Singapore 460085
Telephone: +65 9835-7884
Operating Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday: 5 pm to 1 am
Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee
Block 85 Bedok North Street 4
#01-08 Fengshan Market & Food Centre
Singapore 460085
Telephone: +65 9018-9846
Operating Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday: 6 pm to 3 am
Ah Poh Minced Meat Noodle
Block 85 Bedok North Street 4
#01-18 Fengshan Market & Food Centre
Singapore 460085
Operating Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday: 6 pm to 3 am
