At the recommendation of @that_dex & @coolheart, I waited for about an eternity and an hour on a Monday night for this legendary plate of $8 hokkien mee.

So how does Yi Sheng stack up to Hong Heng, which is my other favorite? Well, Hong Heng’s noodles are definitely more satisfyingly sapid, but Yi Sheng has Hong Heng beaten handily in the wok hei category.

However, the one thing that makes Yi Sheng’s Hokkien Mee so legendary is that supremely scintillating fried chili on the side. Powered up by the inclusion of ikan bilis into the marvelous mix, the chili has some serious pumped up kicks. Plus, it’s ridiculously redolent and absolutely addictive, and mixing it up with the noodles is what makes this hot mess so undeniably and unforgettably umami.