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Some time ago, I first stepped into Bendemeer Market & Food Centre, where I visited Hwa Heng Beef Noodles for my best-rated series. As it was almost an hour wait, my eyes were drawn to a little queue formed in front of 哥哥家 K Kitchen. I made a mental note to feature them in the future, a decision that eventually proved worthwhile.
A little background story: 哥哥家 K Kitchen was opened in Sep 2023 by a 51-year-old couple, JK and Hui Szu. JK participated in the NEA hawker development program, which equips aspiring and existing hawkers with the relevant skills and competencies to run their hawker businesses.
When asked why they specifically chose mee hoon kueh, JK replied, “It reminds me of my childhood and both of us love to eat it, too!”
While waiting in line, I spotted the machine that works its magic. With the stall opening at 7am, JK and Hui Szu dedicate the wee hours of the morning to handcrafting 3 types of noodles: mee hoon kueh, you mian, and ban mian.
The couple caters to a broader customer base by also offering Koka noodles, bee hoon, mee sua, sheng mian, and claypot noodles.
What I tried at 哥哥家 K Kitchen
I started things off with the priciest item on the menu, the Signature Dry Sauce (S$5.50), and I selected mee hoon kueh for this.
The bowl had a melange of pork slices, ikan bilis, 1 fish dumpling, pork balls, nuggets of pork lard, mushroom pieces, a fishball, mani cai and a poached egg.
True to habit, I immediately went for the poached egg with my chopsticks and spoon, eager to witness the luscious yolk cascade its orangey goodness onto the noodles. Regrettably, it was slightly overdone, and the anticipated burst of richness didn’t unfold.
Luckily, as I mixed everything up, the egg whites offered a glimmer of hope as their creaminess coated the pieces of mee hoon kueh with a layer of shimmer.
Upon first bite, I could distinguish the difference between homemade mee hoon kueh and one that is factory-made. The thick sheets were pillowy and not doughy in the centre, which glided down my throat with ease.
The bits of ikan bilis provided a satisfying crunch which released robust umami notes, giving a lot more personality to the overall bowl.
The golden nuggets of pork lard were unctuous and tasty, but if only they were crisper and airier… it would be perfect. The pieces of mani cai provided paper-thin layers of texture with their signature rough surfaces.
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The piece of fish dumpling was silky-soft and had enjoyable bits of carrots embedded within. After devouring over half the bowl, I found that it was flavourful enough and I didn’t even bother reaching for any chilli dip to enhance the experience.
We also decided to try the Signature Soup (S$5), and I chose ban mian to go with it. While its ingredients were similar to those of the previous dish, there was an addition of fishcake slices.
The soup was clean-tasting and light without the addition of MSG. Surprisingly, it remained warm when I had it— a rare occurrence for people like us who are constantly taking photos all day long.
The ban mian strands brought to mind slightly expanded versions of linguine, exhibiting a silky and tender texture akin to its broader counterpart. Various ingredients like the anchovies, egg bits and mani cai were caught in between and carried along for the ride into my mouth, creating a delightful burst of flavours— a mini party in every bite.
The meatball clusters deserved some recognition— they were flavourful, tasty and consuming them in large amounts was one of the highlights of the bowl.
Perhaps it was a lack of caffeine or something, but I completely overlooked the homemade chilli sauce on their stall front. Instead, I opted for the chilli padi soaked in soy sauce, which delivered satisfying and impactful punches of spice to the food.
Final thoughts
I sincerely believe that we need more individuals like JK and Hui Szu to revitalise the fading hawker culture. Otherwise, in 10 years, when the older hawkers have retired, there won’t be the same anticipation when I visit a hawker centre (crossing my fingers).
If you’re in the area, make sure to visit 哥哥家 K Kitchen for a taste of their handmade noodles— it’s not to be missed!
Order Delivery: foodpanda
Expected damage: S$4 – S$8 per pax
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