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As a huge fan of bak chor mee, I’m ashamed to say that I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve tried the soup version. Most bak chor mee stalls excel in the dry version, and the stalls I’ve been recommended for soupy bak chor mee are far away from me, in the east. Among them are 2 well-known stalls at Bedok 85 Market: Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian and Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee.
Located side-by-side, both stalls moved into the market in 1977, although Seng Hiang initially sold you tiao and char kway teow.
Despite that, both stalls are now equally known for their soupy bak chor mee, with both claiming to serve the “authentic” version. This sounded like the perfect showdown, so I decided to visit to find out which has a more flavourful meaty broth, tender bak chor and meatballs and springy noodles.
Xing Ji sells only the soup version, while Seng Hiang offers both the dry and soup options. The bak chor mee is priced at S$4 for Small and S$5 for Large at both stalls.
I ordered the S$4 bowl at both stalls, and the portions were similar. Xing Ji’s dish (left) was served in a white porcelain bowl, while Seng Hiang used a light purple bowl (right). May the battle begin!
Soup
Xing Ji’s soup was cloudy with tiny white specks of meat. When I took a sip, I was rewarded with a pleasant meaty flavour, accompanied by a mild chilli flavour.
There were also bright golden pieces of lard, which came with a slight crisp and brought out a roasted garlic flavour.
While a similar meat flavour was present in Seng Hiang’s broth, the taste of pepper and Chinese celery was also prominent. As someone who likes the flavour of Chinese celery, this was a pleasant surprise for me.
There were more pieces of lard, although they were slightly smaller than Xing Ji’s. It had a similar roasted garlic taste.
I enjoyed both soups so much that it was difficult to declare a winner, but I would give the point to Xing Ji as I feel that in bak chor mee soup, the meat flavour should be the most prominent rather than being balanced with other flavours.
Meat
At both stalls, the bak chor was really soft and barely needed any biting. I usually enjoy my food soft, so this texture was great. However, Seng Hiang’s was a little on the mushy side, and I would have preferred it to be slightly firmer.
The meatballs at Xing Ji and Seng Hiang were of a similar size, colour, and smoothness. They also came with a similar bounce and pork-forward flavour; I almost thought they were from the same stall! The only noticeable difference is that Xing Ji’s meatballs are easier to bite. Looks like Xing Ji is leading with a score of 2-0!
Noodles
Our final battleground: the mee kia. Again, it was a close battle for this one. Xing Ji’s mee kia was springy and came with an eggy flavour. It did have a very slight alkaline flavour, which I dislike, but it was mild enough to ignore.
Seng Hiang’s noodles were softer and silkier. Usually, I’m someone who prefers soft noodles, so this was appealing to me. But when it comes to bak chor mee, I think that the noodles should be more bouncy. So again, the winner of this round is Xing Ji.
Final Verdict
|
Category |
Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian |
Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee |
|---|---|---|
|
Soup |
Cloudy, meat-forward broth with a mild chilli note and crispy lard with hints of roasted garlic. |
Balanced broth with pork, pepper and Chinese celery flavours, plus roasted garlic lard. |
|
Meat |
Very soft minced pork and slightly easier-to-bite meatballs with a similar pork-forward flavour. |
Equally tender minced pork, though slightly mushier. Meatballs were almost identical in flavour and texture but marginally firmer to bite. |
|
Noodles |
Springy mee kia with an eggy flavour and only a slight alkaline taste. Preferred for its bounce. |
Softer, silkier mee kia. Appealing if you prefer softer noodles. |
|
Overall impression |
Narrow overall winner, delivering the more traditional soup bak chor mee experience with a stronger meat flavour and springier noodles. |
A worthy alternative with its own following, especially for those who enjoy pepper and Chinese celery in the broth or prefer softer noodles. |
After this intense battle, I would declare Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian the winner. While the stall won all 3 rounds, it was a very close battle in the soup and noodle categories.
I wouldn’t say that Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee is inferior in any way — in fact, I wouldn’t mind having it again during my next visit to Bedok 85 Market. I know people who prefer Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee, so each stall definitely has its own fans.
I have given my verdict but everyone has different preferences. Why don’t you try them out one day and see where you stand?
Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian (#01-07)
Best for: Traditional soup bak chor mee with a stronger meat flavour and springier noodles
Price: From S$4 per pax
+65 9841 0071
Fri to Wed: 11.30am – 11pm, Closed on Thu
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Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee (#01-08)
Order Delivery: foodpanda
Best for: Those who enjoy pepper and Chinese celery in the broth, or prefer softer noodles
Price: From $4 per pax
+65 9018 9846
Thu to Tue: 3.30pm – 12am, Closed on Wed
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For a list of locations, contact numbers and opening hours, click here.
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