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The Uncle Yeo Lor Mee stall is located inside Zhi Yuan Coffee Shop at 151A Serangoon North Avenue 2, just across from the Serangoon Community Club. It’s one of the names in the hawker community that I have heard mentioned several times but never had the opportunity to try.
It’s strange timing because the eponymous Uncle Yeo retired in Feb 2022 after several decades in the business. However, that was only after the current operator had mastered the art of creating his unique recipe under his close supervision.
Seeing as the stall features his name, Uncle Yeo apparently still visits regularly to see how things are going and even rolls up his sleeves to whip up a bowl or two for lucky customers. I was not so fortunate when I made my way down this week.
Seeing the young female hawker in her pink galoshes at work, I could not help but smile at the stark difference between her and the man on the signboard. Earning Uncle Yeo’s blessing was quite an achievement, though, and the earnest look on her face as she bustled about reassured me.
What I tried at Uncle Yeo Lor Mee
The Uncle Yeo Lor Mee stall is a specialist— it sells only Lor Mee (S$4.50). After having heard and read so much about the famous bowl, I ordered one and asked for Egg (S$0.60). (That was before I realised there was already a submerged half egg in the bowl)
My dish was made on the spot within about 2 minutes and came looking and smelling delicious.
You can help yourself to the coriander and garlic paste, and I think they really added some essential flavour to my bowl. The gravy had what I’d say is the perfect consistency for lor mee. Just thick enough to be fluid but still heavy with flavour, it formed the background on which all the other ingredients excelled.
I counted approximately 20 pieces of pork of the size shown in the picture above. Every piece was tender and beautifully cooked through. It had a slight peppery heat but was so subtle that it didn’t tickle my throat.
The 4 pieces of fried fish were nice and crispy but that wasn’t what impressed me most about them. I really appreciated that the hawker had not placed the first few pieces of fish within reach into the bowl. Instead, she lifted and checked each piece before adding it.
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I had moved off to the side as she prepared the noodles so she couldn’t see me and I didn’t tell her I was there for a review until after I was done eating. Watching her choose carefully gave me an insight into the mindset of someone trying her best to give every customer the best possible experience. Very nice.
There was just enough taugeh to provide interesting texture and crunch between the strands of soft noodles.
Final thoughts
Lor mee is one of the Hokkien dishes that doesn’t get quite as much attention and publicity as some of its cousins. Perhaps if more people tried the version at Uncle Yeo Lor Mee, it would be more popular.
I had read online comments claiming that the taste has changed since Uncle Yeo’s retirement but that wasn’t what customers eating there told me. I spoke to several people who said that they kept coming back because the bowls of lor mee were as good as ever.
Without having tried the original, I cannot vouch for either opinion. After trying a bowl from Uncle Yeo Lor Mee for myself, though, I find myself wanting another one soon.
What stuck with me most about my visit— apart from the pink galoshes— was the care the hawker took in selecting the best pieces of fish. A small thing, you might say, but I take it as a sign of someone working hard to live up to the stall’s big name… and impressing people along the way.
Expected damage: $4.50 – $5.20 per pax
