Thye Hong Fishball Noodle (Ghim Moh Market)

[ Hawker Food Review ] I managed to get my hands on some good ol’ hawker comfort food today! I am super excited to post about this, and also in part to support the movement to share and promote traditional hawkers via social media — especially if they have been left behind by the digital divide. Today’s food in focus: Thye Hong Handmade Fishball Noodles (Ghim Moh)!

Fellow fishball fanatics may recognise the brand — Thye Hong is quite the bulwark in the hawker sphere, whose reputation has been fuelled by the culinary efforts of five siblings (of which three specialise in fishball noodles). The brand I’m most familiar with is this, the one in Ghim Moh managed by the second oldest of the sibling group. The two sibling (heh) brands are in Bukit Batok — run by the youngest brother under the same brand name — and Holland Drive — managed by the fourth brother under the name Ru Ji Kitchen — but despite similar roots, their noodles have a unique signature courtesy of the respective chef’s interpretation of their father’s techniques, and decades-long incorporation of their own masteries and flourishes.

I’ve eaten these noodles since I was a child, and even back then (i.e. when yours truly was more than happy to stuff anything fried into her stomach without much care for finesse and flavour), I always had a special fondness for THHFN.

The true magic of the bowl is in the wreath of handmade fishcakes and fishballs that circle the noodles. Made from fresh yellowtail with just enough a pinch of flour to hold everything together, each bite is met with a wispy hue of brine-touched savoury goodness. Despite the potency of the mix, you’re never met with a mouthful of fish; and in spite of its more muted intensity, you can still revel in the sea-swept flavour.

That’s the real magic: Decades upon decades of gastronomical prowess condensed into these hand-moulded bites. (And yes, the meatball is just as-, wait, it’s e v e n more boisterous in flavour, and has the most divine bouncy crunch.)

Don’t wait to taste the magic of a bygone decade — given the uncle’s age, please give him the support; besides, who knows how long it’ll be until the taste of his legacy becomes but a wistful memory.

How often do you find a fishball noodle with thick kwey Teow and a homemade savoury chilli that is so addictive.

The fishcakes at Thye Hong are especially flavourful ( typically fried ) but mine was white because the fried ones were sold out .

Still very very good .

10/10.

This stall is the big brother to a family of fishball noodle stalls like Ruji and Thye Hong at Bukit Batok. After eating here, I can understand why his noodles are still the best amongst his family. The fishballs here are handmade with love, really delicious and bouncy. The noodles were cooked nicely and the chilli was well balanced with a healthy sprinkling of lard. Trying to eat here can be a game of luck at times as they have irregular opening hours. If they are open, they will start selling around 6am and will be sold out by 10.30am latest.