Chun Seng Noodle House, Bukit Merah: “Pork belly with a taste of tradition & culture.”

Lately, I’ve been on a mee renaissance. All thanks to my 18-week pregnancy craving, I’m currently going through a food phase where all I can only think of for lunch and dinner are hawker-style noodle dishes. From wanton mee to mee rebus, name any mee-related dish and I would probably have eaten them at least once in the past two weeks. Yes, I’m currently on a mee spree, and no one can stop me. 

My noodle frenzy led me to Chun Seng Noodle House, a recommendation by a dear friend who has been religiously visiting the stall for her bak chor mee fixes. Located within the food haven of ABC Brickworks Market, Chun Seng Noodle House is one, unlike its fellow counterparts. 

Instead of a bowl of minced meat noodles topped with the traditional pork liver and braised mushrooms, Chun Seng Noodle House crowns their bed of noodles with slices of lor bak (braised pork belly). Pork belly in my bak chor mee? Sign me up.

What I tried

Don’t come expecting your bowl of bak chor mee to be filled with intense vinegary flavours. In fact, the Minced Pork Noodles (S$3.50) here at Chun Seng Noodle House have little to no sharp, sourish taste from the use of black vinegar.  

Catering to the tastebuds of the pioneer generation living in the area, their noodles were coated in a mix of mildly seasoned soy-based sauce and pork oil which made them morishly addictive even when eaten alone. 

Elevating the brilliance of this dish were the cubes of crispy pork lard which enhanced the richness and fragrance of every bite. As sinful as it was for me to finish these beautiful golden fatty nuggets, let’s just put it this way: the calories were well worth it. 

Seldom do we find fishballs and fishcakes added to the meaty galore of bak chor mee but I’m definitely not offended by their presence in my bowl of Dry Minced Pork Noodles. They might not be made in-house, but they were indeed fresh and bouncy; the right kind of texture that complements the dish in a pleasant way. 

If you are visiting Chun Seng Noodle House to savour their renowned lor bak, then forgo their Minced Pork Noodle and head directly for the Braised Pork Noodle (S$4). Featuring only three ingredients, this dish shines the limelight on those alluring pieces of braised pork belly that glistened beneath the rays of sunlight. 

Prepared using the family’s 100-year-old recipe, every slice was a perfectly braised piece of pork belly that encapsulated that taste of tradition and culture. It had the right balance of sweetness and savouriness from the braising sauce that seeped evenly into the pores of the meat, resulting in a flavourful bite I could not get enough of.

Whilst some might scorn at how thinly sliced the lor bak was, I preferred them cut this way as it ensured that I could relish in the melange of textures from both the meat and noodles altogether. The lor bak might not be served thick, but they still packed a punch of flavours I thoroughly enjoyed.

I might have left Chun Seng Noodle House’s Dumpling Soup (S$4.50) for the last, but if you are a true blue foodie at heart, you won’t want to pass on this hearty bowl of goodness. 

Loaded with minced meat and humongous chunks of water chestnut, these dumplings possessed a unique charm that brought me back to my childhood with its familiar flavours. 

Complementing the minced meat’s savouriness was the natural sweetness from the water chestnuts—the magic ingredient that lured me to the dish and captured my heart. Since they were only roughly diced, the water chestnuts retained their juicy crunch, which reminded me of my late grandmother’s dumplings. It was the taste of family—the taste of home. 

Final thoughts

Minced Meat Noodles led me to Chun Seng Noodle House, but it was their humble bowl of Dumpling Soup that ultimately won me over. 

My trip to ABC Brickworks Market might be an hour-long, but I left content, with a full belly and more importantly, a sense of satisfaction. Satisfied to have found yet another gem amongst the slew of good food our own UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage has to offer. 

Even without any pregnancy cravings, I already foresee myself travelling to ABC Brickworks market for Chun Seng Noodle House. To me, this is the kind of taste that cannot be replicated easily and I’m fortunate to have tried it. 

Expected Damage: S$3.50 – S$4.50 per pax