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The story behind Ming’s Prawn Noodle is simple: 29-year-old Cai Jia Ming decided to set up his own hawker stall selling one of his favourite dishes in the world — prawn noodles.
The humble stall at Alexandra Village Food Centre had a snaking queue when we visited during lunch hour. Throughout the handful of hours we were there, the queue never seemed to dwindle.
A whole ton of effort goes into a single bowl of prawn noodles.
Jia Ming wakes up at 3am to go to Jurong Fishery Port to handpick the freshest prawns, and thereafter heads to a wet market to pick the pork ribs. Then, he starts cooking his master stock at 5am.
The stall opens at 7am, and thus starts eight hours of gruelling and non-stop service.
Foodies will be familiar with Alexandra Village Food Centre, and not just because this simple hawker is next to IKEA Alexandra.
The food and drinks selection here is to die for. From S$2.50 wanton mee to cold brew coffee on tap, you’ll definitely something that’s up your alley.
It’s also a huge plus for me that Alexandra Village Food Centre is well-lit and spacious, with a fair mix of round and square tables for large and small groups.
Now, getting right to Ming’s Prawn Noodle’s menu.
It only has five items on the menu, but we decided to get three of its most popular dishes: Pork Rib Prawn Noodle (Dry) (S$7), Prawn Noodle (Soup) (S$5), and Pigs Tail Noodle (S$6).
I was surprised by Jia Ming, who asked me upon order if I’d like my prawns deshelled or with shell. I chimed in happily: “Deshelled, please!” What a thoughtful gesture, and definitely something that lazy people like myself would appreciate.
The large version of Ming’s Prawn Noodle’s Prawn Noodles (Soup) (S$7) came with a generous amount of prawns. I counted about five large, succulent prawns, a heap of yellow noodles, some bean sprouts and vegetables, and a sprinkling of crispy shallots.
For a stock that’s been brewing for seven to eight hours, it certainly shows.
What I absolutely loved about Jia Ming’s prawn noodles was how robust and full-bodied the soup was. It was brimming with a strong seafood flavour and had a sweet umami aftertaste.
I liked it that the soup wasn’t too gao. It was light and smooth, and very drinkable. In fact, I happily slurped up the entire bowl of soup!
The prawns were large and the meat was springy and firm — a sure sign that it was freshly picked.
I’m not even kidding when I say that the meat was so taut and fresh that when I bit into them, it was as if it burst in my mouth. It was such a joy to eat them and feel the snap of fresh prawn meat in my mouth.
Moving onto my favourite combination – Pork Rib Prawn Noodle (Dry) (S$7).
The yellow noodles were mixed generously with homemade spicy chilli gravy, vegetables, large chunks of pork ribs, and deshelled prawns.
My personal favourite way of eating dry prawn noodles: mix in a generous amount of chilli powder, drizzle half a spoonful of soup, and mix thoroughly.
The chilli reminded me of a mix between sambal belachan and spicy shrimp paste. Though I initially thought that the homemade chilli sauce was on the sweeter side, the spicy kick quickly took over.
The way that the fiery spice fills your entire mouth was deliciously addictive. I was quickly sweating (I may have added a tinge too much chilli powder), but I couldn’t stop slurping up these yummy noodles.
What I particularly liked about this bowl of noodles was how tender the pork ribs were.
While the meat was firm when I prodded at it with my chopsticks, it slid off the bone when I tried to tear it apart. I didn’t even have to use my teeth — that was how soft and tender it was!
The Pigs Tail Noodle (S$6) came with yellow noodles, a handful of pigs tails, and was accompanied by fresh vegetables and shallots.
I’ve got to admit, this was the first time I’ve had pigs tail, and I was surprised by how soft and tender they were. It reminded me of pork ribs, with how the meat was accompanied by a good amount of soft bone.
For those who love gnawing on soft bones and enjoying how the silky meat falls off the bone, Ming’s Prawn Noodle’s Pigs Tail Noodle would definitely be something you’d love.
It might be interesting to note that pigs tails used to be thrown away by butchers in the past, but as time went by, people began to be more accepting of it.
It’s amazing to see how far passion, dedication and hard work has taken Jia Ming, an individual who was born in the same generation as most of us youngsters in the SETHLUI.com office.
The amount of work, effort and love that he’s put into Ming’s Prawn Noodle is astounding. It’s great to see Singapore’s younger generation stepping up and working hard for something they’re passionate about.
Jia Ming’s hard work is evident through his food. The bowls of prawn noodles are super slurp-worthy and the ingredients used are all fresh and sweet. From the full-bodied and sweet broth to the fresh prawns and fork-tender pork ribs, I’d definitely come back again to enjoy a comforting bowl from Ming’s Prawn Noodle.
Expected Damage: S$3.50 – S$7 per pax
