Lan Xiang Ban Mian: Flavour-packed broth, QQ handmade noodles & loaded portions under $6 at queue-worthy stall

Everyone who knows me knows just how much I adore ban mian — or any handmade noodle, really. And while I’ve had my fair share of both the mind-blowingly good and the forgettably bland, I can always count on Lan Xiang Ban Mian for a solid bowl whenever the craving hits (which is very often).

I don’t recall exactly how long I’ve been a loyal patron of this stall at Bukit Merah Central Food Centre, but the tally’s easily in the dozens — I first stumbled upon it more than a decade ago, back when I started getting my hair cut at a nearby salon. And what a fantastic find that was, because their noodles have never once failed me.

What’s even more impressive is how their popularity has only shot up over the years, despite their near-total absence on social media. Just take a look at that queue!

But here’s the thing: I’ve always eaten here casually — never with a critic’s eye, if you get what I mean. I found myself wondering if I’d feel any different if I were there to eat and write about it, and that’s exactly what brought me back for my latest bowl.

What I tried at Lan Xiang Ban Mian

Of course, my first order of business was my go-to: You Mian (S$4.50).

Now, I should mention that you’ll never catch me ordering this anywhere else. Hear me out! I rarely ever gravitate towards noodle soups, especially not in Singapore’s sweltering heat. I’m also huge on spice and have a penchant for thicker, doughier noodles, so dishes like chilli ban mian and mee hoon kueh are much more up my alley.

But despite the fact that Lan Xiang Ban Mian doesn’t offer dry options, I’ve always gladly made an exception for their you mian soup — rain or shine. And you’re about to see why.

I can never rave enough about the thick cloudy broth, which I’ve always regarded as the star of the show. Light yet incredibly full-bodied, it’s packed with a natural savoury-sweetness, rich with savoury notes of pork and shallots, and the briny umami of ikan bilis.

I’ve been lucky enough to have never visited the stall feeling down, but I imagine it’d feel like the warmest hug if I ever did. Just so comforting.

After a strong showing from the broth, the you mian followed suit. I expected no less of noodles that are freshly prepared in-house, as I could tell from the flour-dusted balls of dough lined up neatly on the stall’s counter.

Thin as they were, the noodles were cooked to a perfect al dente and retained a good bite despite having soaked in a soup for a bit. Firm, satisfyingly QQ and chewy, they paired wonderfully with the warm broth — so slurpable, I forgot all about Singapore’s dreadful humidity for a moment.

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Where toppings were concerned, this was a seriously loaded bowl. Scattered throughout was a generous serving of ultra-tender minced meat that was seasoned to a tee with salt and pepper, while a soft-cooked egg added a creamy richness that melded beautifully into the already moreish broth.

There were also 2 types of vegetables: sweet Chinese cabbage and crunchy chye sim. Although I’m not the biggest fan of stemmed greens, I’ve got to admit that I appreciated the fresh, crisp contrast they lent the silky noodles.

In the mood for something new, I also went for the Tom Yum Ban Mian (S$5.50). This wasn’t accessorised all that differently from the You Mian, topped with the usual suspects: minced meat, vegetables, fried shallots and a scattering of ikan bilis. What set it apart was the bright orange tom yum broth, in which the thick noodles were generously bathed.

As much as I wanted to love this version, the tom yum broth fell a little short of expectations. While the characteristic tang and citrusy hit of lemongrass were certainly there, the flavours felt a little muted and the broth came across slightly watered down overall. It was also light on spice — not necessarily a bad thing, to be fair, as it rendered the soup entirely drinkable. Great news for the spice-intolerant; a lot less so for me.

That said, I did appreciate the zesty switch-up in flavour. I just couldn’t help but miss the rich rounded depth of its original counterpart.

Thankfully, not all was lost as the ban mian itself more than pulled its weight. Thick and chewy, these flat noodles were faultless in both texture and mouthfeel. They bore a discernible wheaty undertone that played nicely against the broth’s gentle zing — a pairing that, despite everything, I wouldn’t have changed.

Final thoughts

Although I didn’t quite fall for the tom yum variation, the deliciously QQ handmade noodles — both ban mian and you mian — and the flavour-packed original broth more than held their own.

With that, Lan Xiang Ban Mian maintains its pristine track record in my ban mian-loving books. Now I know, more than ever, exactly why it’s had such a grip on me all these years and why I’ll keep coming back.

Expected damage: S$4.50 – S$6 per pax

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