19 August, 2008

Tai Wah Pork Noodle - Battle of the Bak Chor Mee Giants

While his dad, Mr Tang Chai Chye inherited his late father's Teochew Bak Chor Mee recipe in 1975. The son laid his hands on it 3 years ago in 2005, and opened his own Tai Wah Pork Noodle stall at Hong Lim Food Centre. Faced with a GIANT in the form of the legendary Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee in the same lair, can junior Tang hold his fort and put up a good fight for the acclaimed title of Best Bak Chor Mee in Hong Lim Food Centre?

While the older Tang claims that the secret to his noodles lies in the quality of his black vinegar, I dare dispute that it is their noodles that did the trick. Slightly thicker than the usual Mee Kia we are familiar with, the springy bite and silky texture is so consistent that one can end up slurping just the noodles alone to be satisfied.

With plenty of ingredients – Minced Pork, Pork Ball, Pig Liver, and Sliced Pork – in a $4 bowl of noodles, one cannot help but to fall in love with this bowl of noodles, or so I thought, until I had a sip of the soup and a bite of the Teochew Keow, or Dumpling. The Dumpling Soup ($4) was virtually tasteless with a smidgen of “water” taste – it was diluted and lacked of flavour. The dumpling was also slightly undercooked, with the skin still slightly firm – but the saving grace was the Fried Sole Fish that is found within it that gives it an extra vivacity.

Given time, Tai Wah Pork Noodle @ Hong Lim might dislodge Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee from its standings with its superior supply of noodles, but the lacked of an experienced pair of hands (pay attention to their quick flicks of wrist with every step) means HFB still flavours the legend dispute its recent decline.

Rating
Food: 3.5/5 (Quality of noodles is excellent, but dumpling was undercooked)
Service: 3/5 (Slow service)
Ambience: 2.5/5 (Food Centre - Very humid and crowded during lunch)
Price: 3/5 (Price is affordable but disappointed with the $4 bowl of dumpling soup)
Total: 12/20
Block 531A Upper Cross Street
#02-17, Hong Lim Food Centre
Singapore 510531



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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just tried today. Based on my standard, out of 10, this one only score 4. I think the uncle fish ball noodle stall facing outside at hong lim taste even better.

His Food Blog said...

*Ouch* - didn't think it was that bad but certainly didn't rank very highly with me :)

Anonymous said...

i am very impressed! been browsing throough your blog and I must say, you take extremely great photos of the food!

His Food Blog said...

Hi anon,

Thank you - but perhaps you might wish to leave behind your name next time. ;)

Yummy said...

i've tried the noodles afew days ago..i felt that his noodles taste the same as his father's at Prince Edward Road . Its worth a try. Thank you for publishing such good food in your BLOG =)

His Food Blog said...

Hi Yummy,

Thanks for dropping by. I am glad you find this review useful! Hope to see you around more often :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Yummy, I've tried both Tai Hwa Bak Chor noodles at Crawford and Hong Lim and I must they are both above average BCM stalls in S'pore. However, I am still biased about the one at Crawford as I find their QQ noodles and vineger better than Hong Lim. Both are typical teochew style which I am particular fond of their dumplings. The other stall at Best ... building opposite MAS is also worth trying but I find it too wet for my liking. Incidentally, I heard all stalls, including the one at Republic foodcourt Vivo belongs to the same family. Cheers. Collin

His Food Blog said...

Hey Collin,

Yes. Indeed they all belong to the same family. However, the one at Food Republic is nowhere near Hong Lim, Crawford and Best Building IMHO.

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