Malaysia
Singapore
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Char kway teow has steadily grown to become one of my favourite local hawker dishes. Containing a mix of noodles, eggs and various other ingredients stir-fried with lard and dark sauce, this simple dish is both delicious and comforting. Though char kway teow can be found all over the country, Hai Yan Fried Kway Teow Mee stands out as it serves its dish with a unique extra ingredient.
You’ll find Hai Yan Fried Kway Teow Mee within Telok Blangah Rise Market & Food Centre, easily spotted by its hot pink signboard featuring the image of 2 swallows. The stall only offers 2 dishes, either Fried Kway Teow or Fried Bee Hoon. Both dishes are available at 4 price points: S$3.50, S$4, S$5 and S$6.
What I found exciting about Hai Yan Fried Kway Teow Mee was the fact that for S$1, diners can opt to add a runny egg to their dish, something that I thought was quite unique.
What I tried at Hai Yan Fried Kway Teow Mee
I decided to order the smallest portion of Fried Kway Teow for S$3.50, and opted to add an egg on top. The tantalising dish consisted of a mix of yellow noodles and flat noodles that donned a stunning brown hue. Mixed within the noodles were bean sprouts, bits of fried egg, lap cheong and fish cake slices.
Take note that Hai Yan Fried Kway Teow Mee does not serve cockles in their dishes, which may disappoint die-hard hum fans— personally, as someone who prefers my char kway teow cockle-free, this did not faze me in the least.
I gleefully broke apart the egg that sat atop the bed of fried noodles to allow the golden liquid within to spill out. The egg resembled a more raw version of a poached egg, as some portions of the egg whites were still uncooked. If you are bothered by raw eggs, perhaps this addition may not appeal much to you.
Lai Heng Fried Kuay Teow & Cooked Food: Generous char kway teow portions that lack wok hei
Mixing the egg into the noodles gave the entire dish an extra creamy texture, as the silky egg whites and the rich egg yolk blended harmoniously with the moist noodles.
I took a bite of the kway teow and was impressed by how flavourful and smoky it was. The dish was aromatic with a distinctive wok hei taste. The creaminess of the egg also enhanced its texture, making it extra enticing to slurp up.
The fried kway teow contained a good ratio of noodles to ingredients— I enjoyed the generous amount of fluffy fried eggs cooked within, and the lap cheong slices were delightfully sweet and chewy. The fish cakes were springy and delightful, while the bean sprouts added a nice crunch to the otherwise soft dish.
One of my favourite elements of char kway teow is the presence of fried lard, which was unfortunately not super prominent in the version by Hai Yan Fried Kway Teow Mee. I only very seldomly managed to unearth pieces of delicious, crunchy lard as I worked my way through the dish. I would have loved for there to be more fried lard pieces scattered in the dish to make it even more indulgent and satisfying.
Final thoughts
Overall, I had a pleasant experience at Hai Yan Fried Kway Teow Mee. Their Fried Kway Teow was delicious and well-executed, and the addition of the runny egg did wonders in elevating the dish. However, I found the S$3.50 portion to be too small for me, as I was not satisfied after finishing everything. Hence, I recommend opting for one of the bigger portions if you’re feeling hungry.
Though Telok Blangah is a little out of the way for me, I’d certainly visit Hai Yan Fried Kway Teow Mee again if I happen to be in the area.
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