L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles: Comforting Ban Mian at 17 Year-Old Ban Mian Stall in Geylang

There are very few things that you can have every day. Sure, I adore a beautifully marbled steak served with a side of foie gras but for obvious health and practical reasons, I can’t have that every day. However, one of the few things that fall into the ‘all day, err day’ category is ban mian.

Ban mian is one of those hawker staples that is often overshadowed by other flashier hawker favourites. Still, its steadfast presence is one that is sorely missed when absent from the usual hawker lineup.

This sentiment is shared by regulars who frequent L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles. No prizes for guessing where this 17-year-old ban mian is located. Helmed by Shirley and her husband, the stall stemmed from a love of eating ban mian.

I visited L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles on a sultry afternoon, so I was pretty surprised by the sizeable crowd slurping down steaming bowls of ban mian. My curiosity was piqued and I wondered what magic L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles has in their noodles that would garner such a response even amidst this heat.

I started with one of the bestsellers, the Pork (S$4.30) and at Shirley’s recommendation, paired it with torn mee hoon kueh. Topped with a handful of crispy ikan bilis, a dropped egg along minced and sliced pork pieces, this felt like a hug in a bowl.

The soup was commendable; light and clean-tasting, this is exactly what you want when you are feeling under the weather. A little tidbit that Shirley tells me is that the soup is made with absolutely no MSG and simmered for up to eight hours. A real labour of love, this was clearly not your average fish soup.

The torn mee hoon kueh folds had a good bite and were a good complement to this iteration of ban mian.

While the pork pieces were not as tender as I would have liked, the fresh and crunchy ikan bilis more than made up for it. Shirley tells me these are fried daily and I couldn’t keep my hands off these tasty morsels.

If the heat deters you from getting the soup option, the Clam (Dry) (S$5.50) would work too. This is my favourite way to enjoy ban mian as the flavours are more pronounced and sharper here. For better texture, Shirley recommended u-mian for this one.

The soup is served on the side with a dropped egg, so you still get the choice of using that rich yolk in your noodles.

With a simple dressing of dark soy sauce, I gave it a good mix to ensure all the noodles are coated with the sauce. Served with chunky razor clams and delicate slivers of fish, this was going to hit the spot.

The razor clams were fat and sweet, though my only gripe was that there were too few clams. The fish was flaky and especially moreish when covered in the black sauce. The u-mian was slightly chewy and while the sauce was simple, it worked.

I enjoyed the texture, flavours and simplicity of this bowl. If you would like to kick the flavours up a notch then I suggest some helpful slices of bird’s eye chilli for a spicy addictive kick.

If you are feeling particularly indulgent, I urge you to get the Prawn (S$5). This comes with three delectable prawns which at its price point is pretty well worth it. I had the classic ban mian with this one and just like many bowls before, it was straightforward and simple.

Each ban mian stall is unique in its own way and L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles is no different. Their dough is specially developed by Shirley’s mother-in-law and has gone through multiple rounds of experimenting and testing.

Their ban mian had a silky-smooth, almost velvety texture, and it’s a little thinner than I would have preferred but that’s just me.

The prawns added an oceanic sweetness to the soup and I was lapping it all up. I found the bits of minced pork well-seasoned, albeit a little tough, but it still made for a pretty good bowl.

Besides the generous portion of prawns, they were also fresh and firm. The only thing is that they come shelled so you’ll have to get your hands dirty if you want to enjoy them.

There’s a reason L32 Geylang Handmade Noodles has enjoyed their success for so long. With an uncomplicated approach to ban mian, it is truly a bowl you have every day.

Expected damage: S$4.30 -S$7 per pax