Mian Mian 麵糆

I would self-proclaim as a fan of Haidilao’s tomato soup base, so I assumed that the broth of the Tomato Beef Noodle (S$11.90) would be flavourful.

Sad to say, I was not impressed with the diluted soup, even if I could help myself at the complimentary condiment bar. Though it was also true that one could redeem a free ice cream cone from the token-operated soft serve machine, the “novelty” was long taken up by a few other eateries. With this price tag, I felt I could have a better meal elsewhere within the mall.

For those who would prefer something cool and yet filling at the same time, their Korean Cold Noodles (S$9.00) was one of the two carbs dishes that was available. Though it was refreshing given its serving temperature, in my limited knowledge of Korean cuisine, it did not quite taste like an experience I would get from an authentic Mul Naengmyeong. Nonetheless, if cold noodles would be something that you would look for to fill your stomach, this dish might just meet your expectations.

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As an exclusive deal for the month of June this year, Blanco Court Beef Noodles had offer this Spicy Mala Beef Noodles with a cup of Ice Lemon Tea or Ice Honey Lemon at a discounted price of S$8.80.

The thick Bee Hoon was tossed in the Mala sauce (with pretty strong notes of sesame oil) before they were topped with the sliced beef and roasted peanuts. Being mildly spicy at best, I personally would prefer ordering their standard menu, but maybe for a taste of variety, this one was not a bad choice after all.

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Located within Food Junction, the Putian Heng Hwa Cuisine stall served up some of the familiar dishes such as the Heng Hwa Fried Bee Hoon (S$6.80).

At this price point, the portion appeared to be quite big. Plus, the wait time was relatively fast, so I was able to have my meal shortly after ordering. Even though most of the ingredients were nicely plated on top of the vermicelli, it was a pity that they tasted bland, because they were like merely blanched before serving, so they did not carry much flavour which should have come through if everything was fried together.

Brunch was quite interesting at Neon Pigeon. While they have a menu with some mix of Japanese and Western mains, the most intriguing item on their list was The Duck Confit Ramen (S$20.00), which had limited servings available daily.

When the staff served the noodles, the first impression I got was more like Ramen in thick gravy (think Lor Mee), but at the same time the ingredients felt luxurious, with sliced Foie Gras and pink duck meat beautifully plated on top of the noodles. Digging in, I was excited by the flavours of the respective items, but I was also fascinated by how everything came together so well: rich but not too cloying.

Of course, one might not be full eating this, because the portion was not hearty (probably good things should also be taken in moderation), but that also gave us the perfect excuse to order more mains or appetisers for sharing.

The Le Signature Trio Shrimp Ramen (S$19.90) came with a rich shrimp broth (just look at the colour) and a combination of fresh big prawns, prawn dumplings and handmade Ebiko prawn paste.

Among all, I liked the handmade prawn paste the most because it also had prawn roe mixed in for that unsuspecting “burst” in every bite. On the other hand, I was a little apprehensive in ordering this again, not because it was not nice, but more of the overall satisfaction being unable to match with the price.

Lately, Xiang Dessert and Food, otherwise known as Xiang Hao Chi (饗好吃), had become my regular haunt to pick up some Taiwanese flavours. Apparently, other than their range of desserts that was always chosen as my afternoon pick-me-up, another item that had become my comfort food was their Taiwanese Crispy Chicken Chop with Minced Pork Noodles (S$7.80).

The noodles would usually be slightly springy and nicely seasoned with the minced meat and its gravy poured over. Though there were options to how the fried chicken chop could be flavoured, I would always go for their salt and pepper seasoning for that more authentic feel. Did I also mention that the pickled cabbage and the Ramen egg were also like icing on the cake, and for that price point I thought the overall portion was actually quite affordable?

Of course, the Upper Thomson belt had no lack of good food, but for some Taiwanese treats, this place deserved a shoutout.

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When the Laksa Supreme was served, I must admit that I was not impressed with what was in front of me, especially when it costed S$12.80 for a bowl of Laksa.

Even though the Laksa gravy looked like cream of pumpkin soup, it actually tasted like Laksa (phew!). Interestingly, the Supreme version had cuttlefish balls, quail eggs and raw cucumber sticks, ingredients that we seldom see with Laksa, alongside the Tau Pok and prawns. And since the chilli paste was served by the side, it might be better if they had some chopped Laksa leaves to garnish this dish for that distinct fragrance.

Would I order this again? Well, only if I wanted a Laksa fix very badly and I could not find better options within the vicinity.

One Canton came across as somewhat close to a Hong Kong Café, but I was a tad confused when they also had things like Teochew Porridge.

Anyway, I was pleased with the richness of the soup in this Shrimp & Pork Dumplings Tomato Soup Noodles. By using rice noodles, the pairing went well with the overall flavours. Did I also mention that their dumplings were quite plump too?

So at S$9.80 for a bowl of noodles, it was not too bad a meal, except that I probably would not slurp down too much of that soup, as compared to a pork broth for instance.

A delightful bowl of rice noodles that came with beef slices, beef balls and a very tasty clear beef broth. I was almost fooled to believe that the Signature Australian Beef Boat Noodle (S$7.90) was actually Pho, but I thought maybe there was a bit more greens in the latter. And then I realised that the resemblance was only made possible because of a “No Chilli” option that I had selected from the ordering kiosk.

Beverages were also available at a fifty-cent discount when purchased together with the main.

To cater to customers who had dietary restrictions against beef, go for their Chicken Dry Noodles (S$8.90 for Small) with Normal noodles. This choice of noodles was perfect to balance with the garnishing of the noodles, which for some reason reminded me of the Malaysian “kecap” taste.

Along with the noodles were a significant portion of grilled chicken which was sufficiently juicy. And if you could take beef, the staff would provide a small bowl of their beef broth for additional warmth and comfort.

And, as of what I last understood, Tongue Tip Lanzhou Beef Noodles was Halal-certified at their Tiong Bahru Plaza outlet, so I believe with this outlet also getting the stamp of approval soon, our Muslim community would also get to experience the taste of Lanzhou.

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Along the row of shops in Mongkok, Tongue Tip Lanzhou Beef Noodles claimed their space to serve some good stuff to their customers.

I said this not because I was invited to a Burpple Eatup here, but because it actually took me a while to discover flavours close to what I missed from Taipei (I can share more about this Taipei place separately... I digressed). The restaurant served six main dishes including this Signature Beef Noodles (S$8.90 for Small), and each item would also be available in 8 forms of noodles; the one in the photo was the Flat noodles.

What I really liked about this dish was that the beef broth was quite light but very tasty indeed. The tender beef slices came in thick sizes so it made the presentation more impressive. Most importantly, I had a great time savouring the flat noodles which had a thick, chewy texture which I would always fall for.

With a S$4.00 top-up, they would throw in a braised egg, side dish and a canned drink that were self-service, perfect for those who liked some variety above the carb-heavy meal. However, my opinion was that the top-up was entirely optional because the noodles would already account for the satisfaction.

After this Eatup, I shall look out for their other outlets at Tiong Bahru Plaza or Chinatown Point to try the same dish, this time with Small Flat noodles instead.

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