Yishun 928 Laksa: Probably The Best Laksa In Singapore Belongs To This Unassuming Stall In Yishun

Affectionately known as Yishun 928 Laksa, this literal no-name stall housed in the void deck of an unassuming HDB block, holds snaking lines all throughout lunch hour. The people of Yishun can proudly defend this one amidst all the controversy attached to the district.

I was never a huge fan of curry laksa growing up but whenever I got back from an extended period of time overseas, this particular bowl of noodles was one of the first things I had to have. In other words, Yishun 928 Laksa is home.

We hurried over just before noon to an already-expected full occupancy. We then waited for two seats to be available, in which time were spent dissecting the “rustic-alfresco” dining outlook of the eatery.

We found the area of operations to be comfortably spacious and brightly lit, while quietly possessing ideal conditions for allowing natural sunlight to illuminate the space. The large, extendable roof held shade to keep most of the heat away, but the otherwise persistent Singapore humidity was impossible to get away from. We recommend strongly to dress down before heading over.

We queued for a little over five minutes, and opted for a large-sized bowl of Laksa (S$3.30) with the full range of toppings — cockles, a large boiled egg and sliced surimi crab sticks.  When we got to the front of the queue, our bowls were already ready to be collected. I exchanged a quick greeting with the owners and promptly spooned the sambal garnish over to take it to our table.

And that’s how the queue moves along so quickly. The owners are scarily efficient with service, leveraging on their expert handy work to produce these bowls as fast as they come. Recognising the need for people to receive their bowls quickly despite its long lines makes their stall arguably the busiest lunch spot in the district.

And then we tuck in.

My perfect bowl of laksa is determined by three key details. The balance of creaminess and flavour of the broth, its al dente chew of the noodles and freshness of the ingredients.

The broth had a rich satisfying lemak feel brought out by the mixing of coconut cream. The consistency is smooth and thick, coating the full surface of the noodles before carrying it favourably into your mouth.

The creaminess cuts the deep, intense flavours of spice in the broth, marrying it harmoniously to balance the whole dish.

The ingredients also brought a different range of textures featuring the spongy taupok, delicate boiled egg and springy noodles. These ingredients are sourced fresh every day, including the cockles — dividing diners into two camps. I personally felt that it was not for me, while my colleague loved that it brought little nuggets of briny-sweetness to look for in the soup.

In combination, all of these elements work together to deliver an intense mouthful of contrasting textures.

Let’s talk about the sambal.

Slathering a dollop of the sambal onto a spoonful of laksa changes the whole composition of the dish entirely. The sambal adds much-appreciated heat and a layer of umami-ness to the dish. Its closely guarded makeup of the sambal would not be revealed to us, but we did detect varifying tones of citrus. An intelligent guess could determine it to be essences of the kaffir lime.

The stall is a darling of the Yishun community and has been operating in the same conditions all throughout its 20-year operation. The dependable stall is a wholesome family-owned business that takes on the responsibility of efficient service on their own, while consistently serving up high standards of their dishes daily.

We absolutely love committed personnel who care about their food as much as we love having them!

Expected Damage: S$2.80 – S$3.30 per pax