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While exploring Yishun Park Hawker Centre, I came across an unassuming beef noodles stall named 838 Hainanese Beef Noodles, tucked at the back of the hawker centre. Despite the less-than-ideal location, it had long queues on the regular, surpassing many of the staples in Yishun Park.
Little did I know at the time that this stall had some intriguing history behind its owner and what inspired him.
Have you ever had beef noodles cooked by a former Air Force engineer? 838 Hainanese Beef Noodles was opened by Jerry Koh, who was an aviation engineer. He was inspired by the TV show ‘Old Taste Detectives’ on Channel 8 to take the plunge into the culinary world and open a hawker stall.
Interestingly enough, I spotted a handful of National Servicemen in their uniforms ordering from the stall when I paid a visit. Is Jerry’s stall popular among National Service Fulltimers (NSFs)?
What I tried at 838 Hainanese Beef Noodles
First up, I tried their Dry Beef Slice Noodle Soup (S$6.20). The thick and dark gravy grabbed my attention almost immediately, as it completely masked the contents of the bowl. It filled the bowl to the brim, and I was cautious not to rock it and spill the contents while I carried it back to my table.
The gravy had a honey-like thickness and viscosity, with a dark orange colour that reminded me of soy sauce. It had a mix of herbal hints and starchiness, the flavour staying consistent as I sipped more of the gravy. I was rather impressed, given how most soups and broths tend to dilute the deeper you dive into the bowl.
I dipped my fork and spoon into the gravy to toss the kway teow noodles, but felt an odd heaviness weighing my cutlery down. Imagine my shock when I discovered that all the kway teow noodles had become stuck together under the gravy, what horror! I feared that the noodles were uncooked. Thankfully, that was not the case.
What most likely happened was that the noodles were placed in the bowl while still in a bundle, with the gravy being poured on afterwards. This didn’t ruin the dish, but I think properly separating the strands would help avoid surprises like this.
I gave the kway teow a thorough mix and tasted it. The thickness of the gravy made it stick to the noodles so easily, filling every slurp with rich flavour.
However, the beef slices were very tough and dry, making them hard to swallow. I feel like the toughness could be lowered if the beef were boiled together in the same pot as the gravy, which might soften the slices.
Next, I tried their Beef Combination Noodle Soup (S$9.20). It was quite the price hike compared to the other dish, seemingly justified by the wide variety of toppings added to the bowl. The soup had a pleasant clarity and little to no MSG taste, reinforced by how I didn’t feel thirsty later on.
The ribs were insanely tender and deboned to perfection, melting in my mouth with the gentlest of bites. My only issue was that the ribs were small and there were only about 3 in the bowl. However, I think it’s a fair trade for the different toppings you get.
The beef slices were rather perplexing, as they were drastically better in the soup than in the thick gravy. Each was much more tender and easier to bite into, contrasting the toughness of the gravy variant. Were these slices actually boiled together with the soup?
Unfortunately, I didn’t like the beef tripe. It just wasn’t for me, with how difficult it was to tear through with my teeth due to its texture. Diehard beef noodle fans may like it, but not me.
Thankfully, the beef balls reeled the dish back in for a strong finish. The meatiness was very present, which indicated to me that they were likely prepared by hand instead of store-bought. I wish I had another serving!
Final thoughts
If you like beef noodles, this is the place for you. While I had my gripes with certain elements like the kway teow in the gravy and beef tripe, I could tell that a lot of heart and soul were put into the bowls served to me. My biggest complaint is honestly how big the portions were, as I couldn’t finish either bowl.
Maybe if the portion sizes were reduced slightly, they could reduce the prices as well. That will make dishes like their Combination Beef Soup more affordable.
Expected damage: S$6.20 – S$9.20 per pax
