On the Pathway to Ban Mian Enlightenment, Singapore

July 26, 2014

On the Pathway to Ban Mian Enlightenment, Singapore

On the Pathway to Ban Mian Enlightenment (Multiple Locations Across Singapore)
Quirong Hand-made Noodles: 84 Marine Parade Central #01-161, Singapore 440084
Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle: #05-02, City Plaza, 810 Geylang Road, Singapore 409286
L32 Kopitiam Ban Mian: 558 Geylang Road, Jln Geylang Lorong 32, Singapore 398269

One sunny Singapore day, three adventurers set off on a journey across the island from East to West on an adventure. Their mission was simple: to try the best Ban Mian Singapore had to offer! The Brief? At each location we all must try one of each dry and soup you-main...

And so we started from far out in the East of Singapore at...
Quirong Hand-made Noodles:
84 Marine Parade Central #01-161, Singapore 440084

Impressions:

middle of nowhere foodcourt, attached to the Mecure hotel carpark off Marine Parade
inside- noodles cooked to medium firmness
soup is very light with ikan bilis and fried shallots (anchovies) providing a slight flavour to the broth
dry is spicy but quite flavourful
foodcourt also houses a famous fish head steamboat place... You won't miss it it's at the other end of the food court

Scores
Soup: (6/10, 7/10, 7/10)

Nice and light flavour, ikan bilis flavourful
Noodles a bit starchy, but good soup
great stock broth, noodles soft but chewy

Dry: (7/10, 6.5/10, 6/10)

Very flavourful
A bit watery

Next up was...
Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle:
#05-02, City Plaza, 810 Geylang Road, Singapore 409286
+65 6842 4524

Impressions:

Side note: Famous Arnold's chicken also in same building (2nd floor) - touted as Singapore's home-grown KFC
inside mall so have air conditioning (big YAY)
first hawker food stall I have been to that uses electronic call system to call you when order ready apparently many hawker stall starting to use this system
the noodles cooked till still quite firm
dry one flavour quite light
soup in soup base quite light but very light on flavour too
what is spectacular is the chilli sauce which gives it a different flavour

Scores
Soup: (5/10, 4/10, 3/10)
Dry: (5/10, 4/10, 3/10)
However, the chilli is 9/10!!!
Additional sidenote: Slight detour made to Arnolds... (one some of us deemed "necessary" :))

... And what was meant to be halfway through our journey...
L32 Kopitiam Ban Mian:
558 Geylang Road, Jln Geylang Lorong 32, Singapore 398269

Impressions:

Sidenote: Same area as Geylang clay pot rice Cnr Lor 33 geylang and Geylang Rd AND Kong Kee - KL Hokkien mein Cnr Lor 31 geylang and Geylang rd
First place where you get soup separate for the dry one, and you also get egg in the soup.
Dry one flavour really hits the spot. Not overpowering like first one. Noodles are still medium firmness. Also noticing small bits of fried pork mixed in.
Wet one doesn't have as much flavour but still one of our favourites.
Warning: during the day this place gets quite warm owing to outdoor seating and reflection off the grates over the drains. Try to sit under a fan.

Scores
Soup: (7/10, 6/10, 8/10)
Dry: (8/10, 7/10, 8/10)

Places we didnt get to (owing to a potential case of overeating....)
Liang Ji Ban Mian (亮记板面）at Sims Drive - Blk 49 Sims Place, Singapore 380049
Lan Xiang Handmade Noodles Blk 163 Bukit Merah Central, #02-37 Bukit Merah Central Food Centre - Opening hours: 10am-8pm, closed alternate Sat
Yu Hua Village Food Centre Ban Mian (Ace Ban Mian and He Jia Huan Ban Mian) 254 Jurong East Street 24, Singapore 600255