As a food enthusiast with a penchant for exploring diverse cuisines, I recently found myself drawn to the vibrant stall front of MD Noor Hakim Chicken Rice, despite my infrequent visits to halal chicken rice stalls.
When it comes to comfort food, few dishes rival the warmth and satisfaction of a hearty bowl of soup.
The dining partner did agree that they tasted great too and mentioned that we will be back Gong Bao Frog Porridge on the next visit.
This household name in the local dining scene has become synonymous with delicious ban mian experiences. During a recent visit to their Block 126 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh outlet, I had the pleasure of savoring their signature dishes – the Original Soup You Mian and the Tom Yum Sea Prawns Ban Mian.
The noodles were extremely qq, springy, wiry and tasty. The chilli was really spicy, and the dumplings full of various ingredients like prawn, water chestnut and wood fungus, and nicely textured and flavoured and slightly peppery.
I don't think this changfen stall was around last time I was at Toa Payoh West Market, so I gave it a try today (127 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh #02-22). It turns out that it's from a guy who learned his techniques in Guangzhou, so the sheets of rice noodles were scrunched up rather than folded, making for a nice texture to catch that salty sauce. But the white bee hoon to the left of it wasn't very savory, so I won't bother with it again.
The shredded chicken is cooked until it's very soft and then shredded and has a slightly stringy or fibrous texture. Though the star is the fish dumplings with their firm and slightly chewy texture. Everything is handmade from scratch with love from mincing the fish, making the skin, and putting them together.
I enjoyed the chee cheong fun. The sauce was tasty and fragrant, and the rice sheet was smooth with a custardy texture and fragrance from the egg, and a crunch and freshness from the lettuce. The chilli was umami and sandy, and was a great addition too.
This is mainly because of the peppery and aromatic broth, as well as the use of proper quality garnishes and thin slices of beef. The noodles were wider than I prefer, but at least they didn't overcook them.
Folks on the lookout for Vietnamese cuisine in the Toa Payoh should give newcomer 2612 Little Vietnam Cuisine’s noodles a go! Read more.