Fishball noodles are such an Asian thing, especially so in Singapore. Fishballs themselves can be a delicious snack, either boiled or fried. They are great accompaniments to soup and noodles as well. However, different people have varying preferences for their fishball noodles.
Some like handmade fishballs while others prefer the machine-made ones, and some rather have their noodles soupy than dry. Even the choice of noodles can make a huge difference. Nonetheless, high-quality ingredients are the most important factor that sets the basis for a good bowl.
With that in mind, I decided to collate 13 fishball noodles dishes that will make you feel like you’re ballin’ in life. After all, you only live once. If you are craving some fishball noodles, do yourself a favour and indulge in a good one.
1. Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles
Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles is my personal favourite out of the lot, with various outlets in Singapore. It’s nice to know that their standards are pretty consistent across all outlets. So for those who love to shop and hang out around town during the weekends, ION’s Food Opera got you covered. Most of us don’t go to Orchard for hawker food, but if you are craving for some or working with a budget, this is a perfect place to satisfy your stomach!
This bowl of Fishball Noodles (S$5.50) is admittedly on the higher-end of the spectrum in terms of its price point. However, the location makes up for it a little, and the food quality substantiates it.
The six signature yellowtail fishballs were very fresh, soft and bouncy. They are made from scratch then kept chilled, never frozen. That’s hard to come by especially in food courts these days. The noodles are generously coated in the flavourful sauce as well, made with ketchup, homemade chilli and crispy pork lard.
Food Opera: 2 Orchard Turn, ION Orchard, #B4-03/04, Singapore 238801 |Opening hours: 10am – 10pm (Daily) | Tel: +65 6509 9198 | Website
2. Song Kee Fishball Noodle
The original Song Kee Fishball Noodle that made everyone devastated when they closed at Upper Serangoon Road is now at Tembeling Road. We had to go to their new outlet to see if their standard maintained despite the hiatus and shift in location.
This new place has more seating, but the wait for your food is still about an hour. When my Normal Bowl (S$4) arrived, the aroma wafted up to my nose and the wait immediately felt worthwhile. It comes with three firm fishballs, as well as one tau pok and a fish dumpling. A pretty average portion, but big in taste.
Although I prefer vinegar-based noodles, this sauce still won my heart. A mixture of sambal and buah keluak paste, fried shrimp and lard — this was so flavourful!
But of course, the fishball is the main reason they made it to this list. Each fishball is moulded by hand, and it makes all the difference. They were bouncy with a nice bite to it. Made of yellowtail fish, they had a more distinctive fishy taste. But come on, they are fishballs after all!
Song Kee Fishball Noodle: 128 Tembeling Road, Singapore 423638 | Opening hours: 11.30am – 9.30pm (Daily) | Tel: +65 9336 2745
3. Ming Fa Fishball
With several locations located across Singapore, the Mingfa Fishball at Upper Thomson is the one I frequent the most. I have been eating their noodles since I was young so it’s quite nostalgic to me, and they do serve up really yummy bowls of food.
This satisfying bowl of Fishball Noodles (S$4.50) always hits all the right spots. Usually, it comes with a mixture of fishcakes and minced meat. However, you can always ask for all fishballs instead. Their fishballs are pretty subtle in flavour, but I do like its bouncy texture. Their noodles stand out from the rest. They are springy, laced with flavour from the chilli and vinegar.
The wait may get a little long when it’s crowded but it’s totally worth it. They just renovated their space, so it’s cleaner and more comfortable now!
Mingfa Fishball: 246B Upper Thomson Road Thomson Garden Estate, Singapore 574370 | Opening hours: 9am – 5am (Daily) | Tel: +65 6455 4890
4. Yong Seng Teochew Fishball Noodle
Located at the Hainanese Village Centre, Hougang residents y’all are lucky people! Yong Seng Teochew Fishball Noodle is pretty popular, with snaking queues from early in the morning.
I would highly recommend their Minced Meat Fishball Noodles (S$3.50). You get a decent portion of fishballs, meatballs, minced meat, liver slices, fish cake slices, and braised mushrooms to fill you up. The noodles are well-flavoured with the lard oil and vinegar, without being overly salty. The fishballs here are handsome, with a nice bite.
Yong Seng Teochew Fishball Noodle (荣成潮州鱼圆面): 105 Hougang Avenue 1, Hainanese Village Centre, #02-47, Singapore 530105 | Opening hours: 6.30am – 2pm (Daily)
5. Joo Chiat Chiap Kee
Located at Block 216 Bedok Market and Food Centre, Joo Chiat Chiap Kee is well-known for their fishball noodles. They are so good, people are willing to queue up to an hour for them.
My bowl of Mee Pok Dry (S$3 for small, S$4 for large) came with five fishballs, one fish dumpling and a pork ball. The noodles were perfectly cooked to al dente, and absorbed all the flavour from its accompanying ingredients such as the pork lard and shallots. The chilli, which is homemade, packed a punch and it was delicious.
The fishballs here may not be the prettiest as they are handmade, but they taste really good. They had a very fresh taste to it, with a nice chewy texture. They are so popular the stall even sells them raw!
Joo Chiat Chiap Kee: 216 Bedok North Street 1, #01-31, Singapore 460216 | Opening hours: 6am – 1.30pm (Thurs to Tues), Closed on Wed
6. KL Traditional Chilli Ban Mee
I love ban mee, albeit being less commonly paired with fishballs, which makes this all the more special. KL Traditional Chilli Ban Mee is located at Macpherson Road.
The Signature Hand-made Fishball Noodle (S$5) doesn’t get enough credit. The noodles themselves are springy and thoroughly flavoured in the chilli sauce. True to its name, the chilli does pack a punch, with a tingling sweetness at the end.
The fishball itself was huge, and it did not compromise on quality. It was slightly firm on the outside but that gave a nice bite.
KL Traditional Chilli Ban Mee: 476 MacPherson Road, Singapore 368191 | Opening hours: 11am – 7pm (Daily) | Tel: +65 9052 0555 | Facebook
7. Kang Kar No.1 Noodles
Located in a corner of Circuit Road, Kang Kar No.1 Noodles has a very traditional and humble vibe to its eatery. However, they serve unique dishes with a twist to them. They are known for their signature minced fish, as opposed to our ever-so-loved bak chor mee that’s served with minced pork.
I was dubious but curious. I got the Minced Fish Noodles (S$2.50) as it was very similar to the soup version of fishball noodles. The dish was served with the minced fish, fishcake slices and three fishballs.
I love that the soup had garnishings of chilli, scallions and crispy pork lard. This really helped to create a well-rounded flavour profile for the soup. It had an umami-like taste to it from all ingredients, with a subtle sweet aftertaste. Who knew a clear soup could have so much depth?
The texture of the minced fish was so different from what I expected. It was so soft you practically don’t have to chew them. However, it complemented well with the fishballs. They were bouncy and chewy, full of flavour. I also appreciated the fact that the fishballs were handmade, a sign of effort and authenticity.
Kang Kar No. 1 Noodles: 77 Circuit Road, #01-450, Singapore 370077 | Opening hours: 7.30am – 10pm (Daily) | Facebook | Instagram
8. Xin Lu Fishball Noodle
Mei Ling Food Centre is one of the more popular areas in the heartlands of Queenstown. Xin Lu Fishball Noodle is one of the decent stalls there, with a very nostalgic vibe.
This portion of Fishball Noodles (S$3) is generous for its price. It comes with a massive serving of noodles and five fishballs. The noodles themselves were well-seasoned and al dente.
Admittedly, the fishballs may not be the tastiest that I’ve had but I like the texture of them. They are handmade and pretty large with great elasticity in every bite.
Xin Lu Fishball Noodle: 159 Mei Chin Road, #02-05, Singapore 140159 | Opening hours: 5.45am – 3pm (Fri to Wed), Closed on Thurs | Tel: +65 6475 8510
9. 254 Fishball Minced Meat Noodle
Here’s one for all the Westies. Hailing from Yuhua Village Market And Food Centre, 254 Fishball Minced Meat Noodle is one, if not the best, in Jurong. There are a plethora of stalls here, and it takes quite a bit to be able to stand out.
This stall has insanely quick service; even with long queues, they moved pretty quickly. I got the Fishball Minced Meat Noodles ($2.50), which seemed to be one of the more popular options.
It was a pretty big portion for its price, which can only be found in such hidden gems. The noodles were nicely coated with the sauce with a silky texture. Although there were only three fishballs, they were huge with actual bits of fish in them. I could taste its freshness and was satisfied.
254 Fishball Minced Meat Noodle: 254 Jurong East Street 24, #01-32, Singapore 600254 | Opening hours: 8.30am – 9pm (Daily)
10. Mei Ji Fishball Noodle
Geylang Bahru Food Centre underwent renovations early last year, and it has become all the more convenient with the new MRT station located just opposite. Mei Ji Fishball Noodles was the stall that had fishball noodles, so I went ahead to give it a try.
I got my usual order of Fishball Mee Pok Dry (S$3), and it arrived with a heap of ingredients. There were three fishballs, two fish dumplings and loads of thinly sliced fishcakes.
The noodles were perfectly cooked, and the fishballs were very light with a nice bounce to them. If you are in the area, give it a try! It’s one of the better ones out there.
Mei Ji Fishball Noodle: 69 Geylang Bahru, Singapore 330069 | Opening hours: 6am – 2pm (Wed to Sun), Closed on Mon & Tues
11. Nan Yuan
I don’t visit Beo Crescent Market & Food Centre often, but when I do I will always choose to go for the fishball noodles at Nan Yuan. There’s always a queue, so be prepared to wait for your food, but trust me, it’s worth it.
The fishballs are on the smaller side but they are very springy. It also comes with other ingredients like minced meat, meatballs and fishcakes. The clear soup is very flavourful, making this a wholesome meal.
Nan Yuan: 38A Beo Crescent, #01-68, Singapore 169982 | Opening Hours: 6am – 1pm (Sat to Wed), Thurs & Fri Closed
12. 2 Wheels Cafe
2 Wheels Cafe is a unique bicycle-themed cafe serving local delights in the heartlands of Jurong. It is uncommon for cafes to serve local eats, which intrigued me to pay them a visit.
They do have several choices of mains but I had to get one of the top sellers, the Signature Fishball Noodle (S$4.50). The moment I had a bite, I understood why it was so popular among the customers.
The fishballs were light, slightly sweet and had a nice bite to them. They complemented the thickly sliced juicy mushrooms with a generous heap of minced meat. The noodles were firm and I really liked the addition of dried chilli to spice up the dish.
2 Wheels Cafe: 61 Jurong West Central 3, Singapore 648330 | Opening hours: 6am – 11pm (Daily) | Facebook
13. Finest Song Kee
Located along Upper Serangoon Road, Finest Song Kee‘s emergence was a slight confusion to many Song Kee fans, which is now located around Joo Chiat.
We got the Mee Pok Dry (S$4.50/S$6.50/S$8.50) which is pretty delicious. The sauce had a vinegar tinge to it that I really liked.
The fishballs were plump and juicy, an essential quality of good fishballs in my books. My gripe about this place is their pricing. The small portion is really an extremely tiny portion, so do size up if you are a regular or huge eater.
Finest Songkee’s Cuisine: 532 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore 534547 | Opening hours: 11am – 2am (Wed to Mon), 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 2am (Tues) | Tel: +65 8838 3532 | Facebook
Fishball noodles may be a basic staple that we see in hawkers and food courts. However, finding a good place to go may prove to be more of a challenge. Varying styles of fishball noodles have other ingredients, matched with different noodles of choice. What is your favourite style of fishball noodles? Do you have a favourite fishball noodle stall you frequent that’s not in this list? Do let us know!
