Shi Hui Yuan: Singapore-Style Hor Fun Which Earned Michelin Bib Gourmand For 4 Consecutive Years Opens New Flagship At Lau Pa Sat

Shi Hui Yuan flashed across my screen while I was browsing through Michelin Guide’s website, in search for new food places to explore around our sunny island. Not an avid fan of hor fun, I would usually scroll past the write-up and move on. However, the words ‘4-year consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand Award winner’ caught my attention, and that was when I knew I had to give Shi Hui Yuan a try to experience for myself what the hype was about. 

Not quite a star, but most certainly not a consolation prize, the Bib Gourmand is granted by Michelin’s inspectors to recognise establishments that offer high-quality food at wallet-friendly prices—S$45 as per Singapore’s standards—and thus, to be able to receive the Bid Gourmand four years in a row is definitely not an easy feat. 

Having more than 40 years of history, Shi Hui Yuan can be considered one of the most popular stalls located at Mei Ling Market and Food Centre in Queenstown. With that being said, it is not exactly the most accessible place to get to with no train stations nearby and a long walk from the nearest bus stop. Therefore, as an attempt to introduce their ‘Original Singapore Hor Fun‘ to the masses, Shi Hui Yuan opened their flagship stall at Lau Pa Sat late last year. 

Taking a corner stall in Lau Pa Sat, Shi Hui Yuan stood out from the crowd with its pink logo and hanging aluminium lamps. Selling the same menu items as the parent shop in Mei Ling Market and Food Centre, the differentiating factors at Lau Pa Sat were the addition of braised egg into each dish, a rice option if you are not a fan of hor fun, and the introduction of their Combination Platter (S$16.80) that houses all the ingredients in their menu—huge enough to feed a family of four!

I was spoilt for choice with more than ten combinations to choose from, but since it was my first time trying Shi Hui Yuan’s hor fun, I went for their Blissful Set (S$7.80) just to have a taste of everything. My plate of silky thin hor fun was topped with a medley of meats—chicken drumstick, duck drumsticks and spare ribs—heavily drenched in Shi Hui Yuan’s speciality collagen-rich and nutrient-loaded herbal braising sauce. 

Upon receiving my plate of hor fun, my senses were aroused by the herbaceous and earthy fragrance from the gravy. “This must be Shi Hui Yuan’s key to its Michelin Bib Gourmand”, I thought to myself as I excitedly slurped a mouthful of the dark, luscious pool of goodness. Cooked uninterrupted for the last 30 years, and using over 30 different herbs along with the meat and bones of chickens and ducks, resulted in a gravy that was thick, complex and multi-dimension in flavour, matching perfectly with the smooth and silky hor fun. 

The meats in the Blissful Set were all soft and tender, making them ideal partners to the gravy-slicked, dense noodles. What stood out to me, in particular, was the duck meat as it did not have the usual gamey taste I anticipated. The meat was a little denser as compared to the chicken, which I thoroughly enjoyed as it added extra chewiness to the dish. 

Although the spare ribs were soft and delicate, with the meat almost sliding off its bones when I picked it up, I thought that it was seasoned a tad too sweet for my liking. In my opinion, it did not match the savoury and rich gravy as well as the chicken and the duck did. However, for those who enjoy a little bit of sweetness, you might end up loving the spare ribs most!

If you are not squeamish about chicken feet, the Braised Chicken Feet Hor Fun (S$6) is a must-try dish. 

As if the 1500 mg of collagen (yes, each plate of Shi Hui Yuan hor fun is packed with approximately 1500 mg of collagen) is not enough, I got three fat and delectable chicken feet on my plate. Stewed in their signature gravy, every bite of the chicken feet had a deep herbal note which was cooked through into the collagen-rich skin, making it absolutely delightful to suck on and savour. 

Every order of Shi Hui Yuan’s hor fun comes with half a braised egg, mushrooms and vegetables to complement the meat and noodles. Although supplementary, these ingredients play an important role in making each plate of hor fun hearty and satisfying. The mushrooms, specifically, were so good that I almost ordered an additional mushroom add-on to fulfil my craving.

They were braised till soft and spongy, absorbing all the gravy which exploded in my mouth the moment I bit into it. The gravy further enhanced the mushroom’s natural earthy taste, making them very addictive. 

Halfway through my meal, I was recommended to try their house-made chilli sauce by one of the stall’s regular patrons whom I shared my table with. “Add the chilli, and you will like it even more”, she mentioned, pushing her saucer of fiery red chilli sauce towards me. Regulars do know how to make a plate of good hor fun even better.

I’m glad I did as I was told as the addition of the chilli alone was a game-changer. Not only was the chilli sauce spicy, but it also had a bit of acidity which added another layer of flavour and ‘kick’ to the dish. Trust me, when I say, the chilli sauce did make a pleasant difference, which I very much enjoyed. 

Just like the founders who believe that ‘Good thing should always be shared with others’, here you have it. Me, sharing my new-found favourite stall at Lau Pa Sat. Whether you are a fan of hor fun or not, give Shi Hui Yuan a go. With four Michelin Bib Gourmand Awards under their belt, they do know what they are doing, and they are doing it impeccably!

Expected Damage: S$4.80 – S$7.80 per pax