I love bak chor mee (肉脞面), the modern variation with the vinegar, chilli, pork slices and liver. Thankfully, I have access to decent bak chor mee nearby to satisfy my cravings. Shortly after the Smith Street Market and Food Centre (more commonly known as Chinatown Market) reopened after a two-year renovation and upgrading, I read of this very popular bak chor mee stall that commanded a queue at all times of the day.
Indeed, during my initial few visits to the food centre, I saw, to my dismay, the long queue at the stall, Teochew Street Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle (潮州街香菇肉脞面). During one visit, however, I set my heart on trying the noodles, queue or no queue. The problem was not with the number of people, in fact, there were only about ten people in the queue. The problem was the time and effort the stall owner took to cook each and every bowl of noodles, which resulted in an over 30-minute wait. Since I had spent all that time waiting, I went for the $4 bowl.
Bak Chor Mee (肉脞面) - $4
Closer view of the soup
It sure looked delicious and substantial. There was a lot of ingredients: minced pork, dumplings, fish and meat balls, a big prawn and a generous serving of lard. Taste-wise, however, it was, well, disappointing. I always believe that the chilli is important to a good bowl of bak chor mee. But this bowl of noodles tasted bland and muted. Perhaps this is indeed authentic Teochew noodles, because Teochew cuisine is lightly seasoned to bring out the quality and freshness of the ingredients. This, I certainly do not deny. The ingredients were definitely good, and the prawn was fresh.
As authentic as it may be, the bak chor mee from Teochew Street Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle is definitely not my cup of tea. I prefer more "oomph" to my bak chor mee, and this is the complete opposite. Perhaps this would be a healthier alternative, if you can be bothered queuing for it.
Teochew Street Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle (潮州街香菇肉脞面)
Blk 335 Smith Street
#02-023 (Yellow Zone)
Smith Street Market and Food Centre
(map)
Singapore 050335
