Over the past few months, I have been seeing numerous posts on Burpple and Instagram raving about the Curry Fried Chicken Cutlet Noodles ($4) and Wanton Mee ($3.50) from this corner hawker stall on level two of Hong Lim Food Centre. After a failed attempt on a previous visit (I was distracted by another stall 😝), I finally got to dig into these two popular dishes this morning.
Without a doubt, the fried chicken cutlet in the Curry Noodles was a winner. Not only did its crunchiness hit new decibel levels but that battered coating was nicely seasoned. I also enjoyed the curry for its aroma, sufficient spiciness and drinkable consistency. However, when I started chomping on the egg noodles, I noticed there was an alkaline taste (probably from not being drained properly during the cooking process) which interfered with the curry somewhat. Luckily, it became less apparent after a while. I also decided to top up $2 for "char siu" because it came highly recommended by @happyappydays on Instagram. He was right - the version here was definitely above average. Fragrant and well roasted with some edges charred, the thickish slices of pork were lean and not too sweet. I reckon they're worth trying even for those who usually avoid "char siu".
The Wanton Mee didn't disappoint in any way. Everything about it was spot-on. And oddly enough, the noodles in this didn't have any taste of alkaline at all. I loved the black sauce that coated the springy strands, and of course, the "char siu". Effortlessly ticking the boxes of juicy and yummy were the dumplings. Like I said, there was nothing to fault about the Wanton Mee.
Concluding thoughts: I would return for the latter without hesitation but if I am craving curry mee, I'd rather queue for the traditional version from "Ah Heng Curry Mee" at #02-57/58 in the same hawker centre. It is my personal opinion that curry simply goes better with "bee hoon" and "sek mee" (fat yellow noodles) rather than the finer egg noodles. I find they make better sponges to soak up and hold the tasty gravy. But I would order the chicken cutlet and "char siu" from "Cantonese Delights" anytime. They're excellent.
