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If you’re a Hokkien mee aficionado, chances are you’ve heard of The Neighbourwok — a cult-favourite HKM stall tucked away in a nondescript kopitiam in Bukit Batok. It’s my absolute fav, so you can imagine my excitement when I found out The Neighbourwok recently opened their second outlet at Owen Road!
The Neighbourwok first teased their expansion on Instagram in May, hinting at a new outlet in the “central area” of SG. After keeping fans in suspense, they finally revealed the big news — their second stall officially opened on 7 Jun at 44 Owen Road.
The menu offered at said new outlet is identical to the original in Bukit Batok, minus their satay. The one item on the menu — Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee (duh) — is priced the same at S$5/S$6/S$8. To dabao is an additional S$0.30.
If this is your first introduction to the stall, I’m honoured to be the one to let you in on this HKM gem. It ticks all the boxes of a good Hokkien mee — smoky wok hei that doesn’t overpower the dish, fresh and crispy pork lard, finished off with a punchy chilli on the side.
I must say, The Neighbourwok’s HKM is on the wetter side, where the yellow noodles and thick bee hoon combo are submerged in a rich prawn zhup.
Naturally, some diners will have their reservations about stalls expanding, fearing that the quality may not hold up at new outlets.
A netizen on Facebook had compared both outlets, stating that the Bukit Batok outlet “doesn’t have a strong eggy taste” while the chef at Owen Road “is more generous with eggs”. Ultimately, Hokkien mee is a very subjective dish, so take others’ reviews (including mine) with a grain of salt. I’ll continue singing praises about The Neigbourwok, though.
Personally, I’d still patronise the OG outlet as it’s nearer to me, but you can no longer use the excuse of “not wanting to travel to the West” to try The Neighbourwok’s Hokkien mee!
20 best Hokkien prawn mee stalls in SG for the avid Singaporean foodie [Nov 2024 update]
