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Most of us have a special relationship with our grandfathers. That includes Fang Yu, a 22-year-old NUS student who established Ah Gong KKM (ke kou mian) at Shifu Food Court in Bras Basah Complex to pay homage to her ah gong.
She is currently in her 4th year of a degree in business with a double specialisation in entrepreneurship and finance, and will graduate by next year.
She commented, “Growing up, my parents were busy working and my grandfather was mainly the one taking care of my sister and me. Sometimes, due to the workload at school, the time that we returned home was very unpredictable, and our ah gong wasn’t able to cook dinner for us.”
That was when Fang Yu’s grandfather would whip out a quick and comforting bowl of ke kou mian for the both of them when they arrived home. She added, “He would use whatever leftover ingredients he found in the fridge, such as minced meat, prawns and razor clams.”
She managed to tweak her grandfather’s recipe and combination to achieve the flavours she was aiming for, allowing her to execute the various dishes on her menu. Her stall operates 24 hours to cater to the younger crowd, who are looking for a supper spot after partying and drinking in the central area.
Fang Yu commented, “I am setting up Ah Gong KKM for my 81-year-old grandfather to return him a favour.” (This makes me miss my late grandpa.)
There are 4 non-spicy options for the ke kou mian: Pork (S$4.80/S$5.80), Prawn (S$5.80/S$6.80), Clam (S$6.80/S$7.80) and Combo (S$7.50/S$8.50). Spicy variations are available for an additional S$0.70, for a total of 8 variations.
The broth is first boiled and simmered with pork bones and a blend of secret ingredients for a minimum of 5 hours before it’s used. We tried the large Spicy Combo (S$9.20), which was big enough for 2 pax.
Before a bowl is served, fried ground garlic is added on top for the finishing touch.
They are generous with ingredients: 2 packets of noodles, 2 medium prawns, razor clams, sliced pork, pork liver, vegetables and an egg.
The broth was flavourful and packed a spicy punch with a light umami.
As for the ingredients, thank heavens the liver wasn’t overcooked, saving me from the off-putting powdery texture. The pork slices were incredibly tender and the seafood was decently fresh. Overall, I had no complaints— it was a comforting bowl of instant noodles packed with loads of ingredients.
For those studying at SMU, LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), there’s also a special student discount of up to 20%.
So, if you’re seeking a makan place to satisfy those hunger pangs at any time of the day, simply head to Ah Gong KKM at Bras Basah Complex.
Hai Xian Zhu Zhou: Springy ke kou mian & robust broths — worth the long queues?
