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Finally, Westies have something to rave about with Hubei province’s famous noodle house, Cai Lin Ji, opening at Jurong Point. Welcoming local diners from 6 Sep, this is the brand’s very first foray into Singapore waters.
Their multi-award-winning Hot Dry Noodles are Wuhan’s very own cultural icon (included in the list of ‘Top 10 Noodles in China’), and prepared with a noodle-making technique enshrined into Hubei province’s ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage List’ in 2011.
The Signature Zha Jiang Hot Dry Noodles (S$7.90) are made with jian shui alkaline noodles for their smooth springy texture, then tossed in a medley of spices including Chinese five spice and black cardamom.
Other varieties of the dish include Beef Hot Dry Noodles (S$9.90) topped with prime cuts of lean beef, Beef & Tripe Hot Dry Noodles (S$12.90) complete with different textures afforded by its beef slices and tripe, and Shrimp Hot Dry Noodles (S$11.90) with the distinctly subtle sweetness of prawns. Soup noodles come in the form of Xiang Yang Beef Noodles/Beehoon (S$10.90).
Fei Zai Pork Rib Prawn Noodles: Tasty bowls of pork rib prawn noodles sell out by 11am
That’s not all there is to it; imbued with flavours direct from the streets of Hubei is their Three Delicacies Dou Pi (S$4.50 for 1 pc, S$8.50 for 2 pcs). These are 3-layered, the bottom of potato flour, middle of steamed egg or glutinous rice, and the top layer stuffed with bamboo shoots or minced meat and mushrooms.
Their Signature Shao-Mai (S$3.90 for 3 pcs) wraps sticky rice, raisins, rock candy, peanuts, osmanthus flower, orange peel and shredded carrots in a soft skin that breaks to reveal soup, much like xiao long bao.
Washing it all down with a comforting bowl of soup makes for a perfect closer. Cai Lin Ji’s Signature Egg Drop Rice Wine (S$4) is a simple serving of raw egg in 100-degree water and rice wine. Opt for the sweeter Signature Osmanthus Paste Rice Wine (S$3.90) that includes mini rice and potato balls for their cooling effect.
Qiu Rong Ban Mian: Handmade ban mian & red wine mee sua from $4 at Old Airport Road
