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Rich, thick and savoury— that’s how I would describe a good bowl of lor mee. This Chinese noodle dish is a staple in Singapore’s hawker centres, which notably consists of a starchy gravy, a hard-boiled egg and assorted meat. If you’re in search of a good bowl of lor mee, be sure to check out Soon Lee Lor Mee.
Soon Lee Lor Mee is located within Circuit Road Hawker Centre near Mattar MRT Station. This stall specialises in a single dish, lor mee, and has roots all the way back in the 1970s. Since its conception, the humble shop has amassed a steady following, with many touting it as one of the best lor mee stalls in the country.
I decided to pay a visit to Soon Lee Lor Mee to check out what all the hype was about. Customers can choose from 3 sizes, Small (S$4), Medium (S$5) and Large (S$6), and can even select from either yellow noodles or bee hoon. If you want, you can also get a mixture of the 2 types of noodles!
What I tried at Soon Lee Lor Mee
I decided to get Soon Lee Lor Mee’s S$4 portion, and was served a tantalising, glistening bowl of noodles and gravy, topped with a sliced hard-boiled egg, thin pork belly slices and crunchy fried bits. As I mixed the noodles around, I also unearthed a pretty liberal amount of bean sprouts at the bottom of the bowl.
The dish was topped with a drizzle of vinegar and a sprinkle of white pepper to enhance it a little more.
When it comes to lor mee, the defining factor of the dish is undoubtedly its gravy— this important element can make or break the entire bowl of noodles. Soon Lee Lor Mee’s gravy was a little more watery and less viscous than that of other stalls, which may or may not appeal more to certain people. Personally, I enjoyed that the gravy was a bit more flowy, as I find that sometimes, overly starchy gravy tends to have an unpleasant, goopy mouthfeel.
The lor mee had a strong savoury flavour, and a nice vinegar-y taste that wasn’t too overpowering. The sweet and sour undertones of the gravy also complemented each other nicely.
Each strand of noodle was well-coated in the thick gravy, with a soft and silky texture. The pork slices were pleasant too, albeit a bit average in taste— they weren’t super tender, but were effective in making the lor mee more exciting. As with all good lor mee dishes, the hard-boiled egg paired perfectly with the starchy noodles.
There were also fried bits within the lor mee that I couldn’t identify— I couldn’t tell exactly what they were (Yam? Chicken?), as they didn’t have a distinct taste. However, they were very crunchy with a deep, somewhat roasted flavour. I couldn’t get enough of these mysterious fried fritters, as their crunchiness contrasted nicely with the softer textures of the noodles, pork and eggs.
Final thoughts
Though Soon Lee Lor Mee only offers a single dish on its menu, they definitely execute it well. It’s no wonder why this stall has managed to sustain itself for almost 50 years by just serving lor mee. I did find that the S$4 portion was a tad small for me, so if you have a bigger appetite, I’d recommend going for the S$5 or S$6 portions instead.
I would love to have another bowl of lor mee when I’m near Circuit Road Hawker Centre in the future. Fellow lor mee lovers, be sure to drop by when you have the time!
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