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Have any of you ever experienced a sudden craving accompanied by hunger pangs that strike at the most unexpected hours? Yes, friends, I know that feeling too well. Luckily, there is a 24-hour Hokkien mee and prawn noodle spot over at 290 Jalan Besar. The stall doesn’t have a name and simply states its offerings on the signboards — ‘3元 Pork Rib Prawn Noodles‘ and ‘6快Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles‘.
If you’re a Hokkien mee or prawn noodle fan, you no longer have to wait till the next morning or evening to satisfy your cravings. But is this stall really worth making the trip for, especially if you live all the way in Jurong? We headed down to check it out.
For the prawn noodles, there are several options available in a variety of different toppings such as Squid Prawn Noodles (S$6/S$8), Pork Ribs Noodles (S$6/S$8), Shrimp Paste Noodles (S$6/S$8), and even a wallet-friendly Prawn Noodles Soup (S$3).
To kickstart our appetite, we began with the small dry Prawn Noodles (S$6). At the stall front, we spotted a small jar of curry powder and helped ourselves — ahem, we might’ve gone a little overboard with it.
The bowl of noodles was accompanied by 3 decent-sized prawns that were sliced in half, kangkong, and a few golden nuggets of pork lard. There was also a small bowl of prawn broth served on the side.
The soup was gently umami and subtly sweet. Though it wasn’t life changing and the most robust version I’ve had, it was still pretty alright to me.
After tossing the ingredients to allow the seasoning to penetrate every strand of yellow mee, we went in for the first bite. What impressed me most was the absence of the off-putting alkalinity. The noodles had a good bite and the savoury sauce was delicious, complemented with a touch of pork lard oil. The curry powder added a wave of spice which elevated every ingredient used.
The pork lard bits were probably freshly fried, given how unctuous and crunchy they were.
The prawns were fresh and had a good snap. Though it didn’t really matter much, we wished they had removed the digestive tract on top before serving it.
Next, we tried the Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles (S$8), one of four available portion sizes priced at S$6, S$8, S$10, and S$12. Right off the bat, we knew that the noodles were pre-cooked as we received them pretty quickly. Though the portioning looked substantial, it appeared dry and kind of sad looking. The thick bee hoon and yellow mee came with pork belly pieces and 4 prawns, crowned with pork lard.
The noodles were cooked a little too long, lacking springiness and resulting in a texture that was uncomfortably close to soggy. Flavour-wise, it was better than expected, though a more pronounced prawn broth would have elevated the dish.
The sambal was good with a strong punch of dried shrimp flavour. Mixing the noodles with it made it taste slightly better.
Overall, this 24-hour Hokkien mee and prawn noodle stall isn’t too bad. I must say that the prawn noodles here are much better than the Hokkien mee. If you live nearby, it’s definitely worth heading to Earnest Coffeeshop. Tell me what you think.
