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We all know that ban mian is a popular Singaporean staple that warms the tummy and comforts the heart, especially on rainy days. But did you know that you mian is its dry equivalent?
Served dry, this versatile noodle dish has so many different interpretations, and Youbanmian demonstrates a few innovative twists on you mian.
This stall incorporates local flavours such as tongue-numbing mala, savoury bak kwa and toasted goma Japanese dressing into its springy noodles.
Yobanmian isn’t new to the Singapore hawker scene. In fact, students at Singapore Polytechnic might find this name familiar because there’s a stall right in Singapore Polytechnic‘s Food Court 3!
We visited the stall at Anchorvale (now closed; the only outlet is Senoko South Road), which was located inside a quaint coffee shop at Block 330.
With large wooden tables, sturdy chairs, sufficient ceiling lights and a high ceiling (which means enough ventilation), this coffee shop was definitely one of the cleaner and more spacious and brighter ones I’ve been to.
I’m a huge fan of mala (trust me, I can down one whole bowl in a single seating) so I was super excited to try Yobanmian’s Mala You Mian (Dry) (S$5).
Served with two slices of pan-fried luncheon meat, a spoonful of toasted peanuts, cabbage, scallions, and seated on top a bed of lethal-looking mala oil, Yobanmian’s Mala You Mian looked really promising.
The noodles were coated thoroughly with piquant chilli oil, which was really fragrant and had a strong Sichuan peppercorn taste. I could taste a garlic-and-soy-based gravy underlying the chilli oil, just like an authentic bowl of mala hotpot.
While there was definitely that tongue-numbing mala sensation, which I enjoyed immensely, my only gripe is that it wasn’t spicy enough.
Served with a heap of finely diced bak kwa on the side, Yobanmian’s Bakkwa You Mian (S$3.50) also came with fried ikan bilis and scallions. A sweet and mildly spicy dark soy sauce gravy was hidden underneath the mountain of you mian. It was also accompanied by a bowl of plain pork broth.
What I really liked about the Bakkwa You Mian was the sweetness of the dark soy sauce, which complemented the savoury chopped bak kwa bits.
Every mouthful reminded me of Malaysia’s pan mee, but with dark soy sauce and chopped red chilli. What I got with every bite was a pleasant honeyed sweetness, followed by a mild sweat-inducing spiciness that slowly spread throughout my mouth.
Mix the springy you mian well, including the fried bak kwa bits! Because the you mian was dry, the bak kwa remained crispy and crunchy. It was super indulgent and satisfying, just like having bak kwa during Chinese New Year.
When I saw that Yobanmian had Goma Sauce You Mian (S$5), I definitely knew I had to try it. I’ve never heard of it before, especially in Singapore, and to combine Japanese and Chinese cuisine must’ve been challenging.
This dish is served with crispy wanton, a heap of cabbage and ikan bilis. The Goma Sauce You Mian‘s sauce is actually imported all the way from Japan, so you can be assured of its authenticity and flavour.
The noodles were delightfully light and appetising. The goma sauce was nutty and had a really strong sesame taste, just like what you’d get with a typical Japanese cold salad. I could taste a pleasant sweetness from the miso, as well as a slight acidity from rice vinegar, which cut through the copious amounts of carbs.
As my tastebuds normally associate goma with refreshing salads, I would’ve preferred the goma noodles to have been served cold. However, it was definitely fragrant and sweet, and would appeal more to lighter palates.
While pork floss is typically served on top of bread, porridge, cake or omelettes, Yobanmian weaved this local favourite into its bowl of you mian.
While the flavours of the Hoty Pork Floss You Mian (S$3.50) were similar to that of the Bakkwa You Mian, as both came with a sweet and spicy dark soy sauce gravy, the former was definitely spicier. The dark sauce that coated the noodles were thicker and heavier in texture, and was packed with more umami flavour.
What I liked about the Hoty Pork Floss You Mian was how the pork floss soaked up the spicy dark sauce. It became almost like minced meat; springy, granular and utterly addictive. Pairing it with the firm noodles was a real delight and I ended up slurping the noodles unabashedly.
If you’re looking to spice up your usual you mian orders with unique twists, then Yobanmian is perfect for you.
I really loved its Mala You Mian and the Hoty Pork Floss You Mian, but that’s perhaps because I prefer spicier food.
Yobanmian definitely does a good job fusing these flavours and cuisines together — I’m already looking forward to my next bowl of Mala You Mian. Maybe I’ll even ask for them to make it a little spicier!
Expected Damage: S$3.50 – S$5 per pax
