Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Post for Foodies

Ever tasted something quite fantastic but found that nobody else much(besides those privileged few,that is)knows about it?I think I'd like to start a post for foodies here so those we can share our knowledge with others...where to find some of the best,yet least publicised food stalls/places in Singapore.So if you've got a recommendation or your friends know someplace,maybe you could get them to share it here.

Ok,I'd just start teh post here by recommending a,by my reckoning,quite fantastic Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee stall in Kovan.It's exact location is at second level of the Kovan Hawker Centre/Market near to the old/disused bus terminal there.Coming up from the Kovan MRT station as you walk towards the hawker centre,you'd find that you need to walk up a short flight of stairs to reach the second level,it's just the second stall straight after the stairs so it's quite near really.I think this stall is pretty well-known to people living in the Hougang,Kovan and Lor Ah Soo area but outside of that,few people actually know about it.For some reason,it never got featured on any of those food shows you see on TV.Maybe the reason is that it only opens at night to cater to the dinner crowd...and it doesn't even open every night.But whenever it is,you'd see a long queue forming.I guess that's a sign the food can't be that bad.

Anyway,talking about the mee itself...yummy!The stall-owner uses thick Bee Hoon (the sort you would find in Fish-Head Bee Hoon)instead of the usual thin Bee Hoon together with the common yellow noodles.That's part of the secret I think to the dish being very good.The thick Bee Hoon has a smooth texture that complements nicely with the smooth yellow noodles.The thin variety usually has a rougher texture that doesn't go as well.

The real secret though is the broth the stall-owner uses to cook the noodles.If I'm not wrong,it's made with chicken stock.Now I don't know if all stalls do that but it adds a lot of body to the taste of the food.Most Hokkien Mee is also cooked into a rather dry state.The stall here serves it wet,with a little bit of broth.And I think it's this wetness which makes it really good and easy on the palate.

What I'd usually do is then squeeze the lime juice all over the noodles and also spread the chilli all over as well.Now the chilli itself,that's another winner.The chilli that comes with most Hokkien Mee dishes is pretty dry.The chilli here,it's more like the chilli used for Nasi Lemak(only in texture and wetness,not taste).And it all adds up,the chilli complements the noodles really well and adds much flavour to it.

Ok ok,that's enough of descriptions,I recommend any of you guys to go taste it if you ever happen to be around that area.Of course,my taste buds could differ greatly from yours but it's no harm trying,right?