The Place There are a few Bak Chor Mee stalls in Singapore with the name Tai Wah or Da Hua and it can be confusing for the uninitiated, with the most famous being the One-Michelin starred Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle at Crawford Lane. The latest Michelin Guide Singapore 2018 also sees another new entrant to its Bib Gourmand list, Tai Wah Pork Noodle which is located at Hong Lim Market and Food Centre. The names are largely similar and that is because both owners are brothers who uses to run the stall back at the days when it was still at Marina Square, though these days both are in semi-retired mode and you could count yourself lucky if they happen to be preparing your noodles.

The Food I visited Tai Wah Pork Noodles few days after the Michelin announcement, and without any surprise, I was greeted with a long queue. The wait was approximately 45 minutes during lunch hour and there are two price options – S$6 or S$8. The owner son Chef Jason Tang prepared my noodles, and the S$8 portion comes in the same big bowl as the Hill Street’s version, along with a huge bowl of soup.

My first thought is that the noodles spots similar flavours to the Hill Street version, where the vinegar flavour is unmistakable though this version is more toned down which some people may or many not fancy. I personally prefer the Hill Street’s noodles, which has a better texture as I find this a tad too tough.

That said, there’s one item at the Hong Lim stall which is better – the soup. Packed with huge pork dumplings and pork meat balls, the soup is really flavourful and I enjoyed it till the last drop. The dumpling is so good, which a skin so thin it reminds me of Xiao Long Bao where the flavours burst in the mouth.

Rants The ventilation at Hong Lim Food Centre is really bad, and the competition for tables is real during weekday lunch hours. Be prepared to sweat it out.

Will I Return Again? Tai Wah Pork Noodles is definitely one of the best Bak Chor Mee in Singapore, a close tie with Hill Street Tai Hwa. The waiting time is significantly less that the Michelin outlet at Crawford Lane during peak hours and if you can’t stomach the relatively longer wait at Crawford Lane, this Hong Lim version wouldn’t disappoint too.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 3/5
Ambience: N/A
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

Tai Wah Pork Noodles
531A Upper Cross Street
#02-16 Hong Lim Market & Food Centre
Singapore 051531

Opening Hours
Daily: 7.30am to 7.30pm

Ranted by The Ranter