When you talk about the best Bak Chor Mee in Singapore, the usual suspects such as Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles at Crawford Lane, High Street Tai Wah Pork Noodle at Hong Lim Food Centre, Macpherson Minced Meat Noodle, Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles at Toa Payoh, and Seng Kee Bak Chor Mee at Serangoon Garden Way, may come to mind.
I noted that Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee 亚成潮州肉脞面 located at Albert Centre Market & Food Centre (opposite Bugis Plus) was listed in the Singapore’s Michelin Guide with a “Michelin Plate”.
This pipped my curiosity as I never seem to hear this stall being talked about. Even if I head to that food centre, it is usually for Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu or Hock Lee Fishball Noodles.
Located closest to Bugis MRT station, this hawker stall is founded by a simple factor worker-turned noodle seller, Ah Seng.
His father’s friend, who ran a popular Bak Chor Mee stall at Chinatown Complex, taught him all about BCM-cooking.
Turned out, his version was way different from his mentor’s, as it comes with mee pok that’s softer and thinner than most Bak Chor Mee stalls.
This helps as he could cater to the many seniors who frequent this food centre, and prefer their noodles softer.
Ah Seng serves affordable bowls of Bak Chor Mee, starting at $3. The Fish Ball Kway Teow available in dry or soup versions, is priced only at $2.50 onwards.
Prices are kept low so more customers can afford and eat his food.
The $3.00 portion (add $1 for meatballs) comes with assorted meat balls and fish cake, as well as generous amounts of noodles, minced meat and stewed mushrooms.
As earlier mentioned, the mee pok was cooked to a softer consistency, but still quite springy.
For the condiment, the sambal is paired with some black vinegar and stewed mushroom sauce. What’s nice about their sambal, though mildly spicy, was it being flavourful – you can even taste a subtle nuttiness in it.
However, if you compare this to the more prominent stalls, you may find the sauce light on the vinegar and not as rich overall, which some people may not fancy.
Also, during a return visit, I noted that I didn’t get those braised sliced mushrooms.
Here, two types of meatballs are served. The regular fish balls and pork balls supplied by his mentor, and a special in-house meatball made with a mix of fish and meat.
With a ratio that leans more on the fish, the spongy meat balls have a Teochew fish cake-like texture. The pork flavour wasn’t drowned out at all, as it was even enhanced with bits of pork fat added to the mix.
Appearance wise, they look lumpy as they are intentionally not kneaded too finely.
While I thought the sauce and soup might not stand out that much, the special item in the whole bowl was indeed those meat balls.
Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee 亚成潮州肉脞面
270 Queen Street, #01-77 Albert Centre Market & Food Centre, Singapore 180270
Tel: +65 8399 0220
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 5pm, (Mon – Fri, Sun), Closed Sat
Other Related Entries
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles (Crawford Lane)
High Street Tai Wah Pork Noodle at Hong Lim Food Centre
Hock Seng Choon Fish Ball Kway Teow Mee (Bedok South Food Centre)
Lao Shen Ji Si Mian (Toa Payaoh Lor 1 Food Centre)
Ru Ji Kitchen (Holland Drive)
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