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If you ask me, Hokkien mee isn’t just a dish — it’s practically a national treasure, right up there with the likes of char kway teow and bak chor mee. Don’t believe me? Well, tell that to the 78,800 noodle-obsessed members (at time of writing) in the Hokkien Mee Hunting Facebook group. So naturally, when I posted the question on which Hokkien mee spots have a long queue and are worth trying, Fung Yi Delights and Chuan Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee popped up more than once.
Thankfully, I haven’t tried either of these stalls yet, which cranked up the heat on my excitement meter. Will one of these two establishments become my new favourite? Let’s makan and find out!
Competitors
Fung Yi Delights is tucked away at ST 82 Coffee House, diagonally behind St. Hilda’s Secondary School. It has been occupying its current spot for the past 1 year or so. Its past locations included Hougang and Maxwell Food Centre.
I expected a long line in front of the stall, but as soon as I received the buzzer, I realised that it’s an ‘invisible queue’ situation. While waiting for my buzzer, I overheard that customers faced at least a 30-minute wait for their food. True enough, I received my food at 12.40pm, half an hour after I placed the order.
Chuan Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee is a cult favourite that’s mentioned very often in the Hokkien Mee group. Previously, they were located at Bedok Reservoir. I paid their stall at Circuit Road Market & Food Centre a visit.
Despite arriving 15 minutes before opening, I was pleasantly surprised to find customers already placing orders. Before I knew it, my number was called 10 minutes later. A younger man was busy at the wok, while a more senior man prepared other items. Apprentice… perhaps?
Noodles
The Hokkien mee at Fung Yi Delights has 3 options: S$5, S$7, and S$9. My S$5 plate arrived bursting with loads of broth underneath. The trifecta of thin bee hoon, yellow mee, and thick bee hoon was complemented by 2 prawns, sotong pieces, and fried pork lard.
I’m usually disappointed if the wok hei isn’t present, but for the case of Fung Yi Delights, I actually didn’t mind its smoky absence. The noodles still packed a punch, probably thanks to that robust prawn stock that was used to stir-fry the noodles.
There are only 2 sizes for Chuan Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee: S$6 for small and S$9 for large. Appearing significantly drier than its competitor, the S$6 portion had a combination of yellow mee and thin rice vermicelli together with 3 prawns, squid and golden nuggets of pork lard.
Some netizens were contemplating whether the smoky flavour of Chuan’s Hokkien mee comes from its wok hei or due to the fact that it’s actually burnt. Personally, I would think it’s because of the former. It was incredibly fragrant and a culinary mic drop — so addictive it should come with a warning label.
Ingredients
The pork lard from Fung Yi (pictured above left) varied in terms of consistency. Some pieces were too crispy which became a little too tough to chew, while others were delightful with sinful bursts of fat gushing out.
On the flip side, I counted a total of 18 pork lard pieces — a whole spectrum of sizes ranging from tiny, medium and even a couple of giant ones. That being said, the lard here wasn’t oily and tasted a little ‘healthier’ (not exactly my thing).
The prawns on both sides were equally fresh and naturally sweet. However, some pieces of squid at Fung Yi were a little tough. Though Chuan’s sotong looked thick, each piece was amazingly tender.
Chilli
The chilli at Fung Yi wasn’t playing games. This fiery concoction was potent, carrying a distinct umami hint of belacan — equal part danger and delicious.
If you love a hint of sourness in your chilli, the sambal served at Chuan will totally be your jam. Though the shrimpy essence of the belacan was there, it was the sourness that didn’t quite work for me.
Verdict
Without a doubt, the Hokkien mee from Chuan Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee resonated with my taste buds much more than the version at Fung Yi Delights. Fragrant, smoky, perfectly seasoned and tasty.
I didn’t even mind that they had forgotten to give me calamansi. The noodles hold their own without the need of sambal or any condiments. Definitely a must-try in my books! If you don’t agree with me, that’s absolutely fine as taste is subjective. Do let me know your opinions in the comments.
