Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Mee

Have just had our weekly fix of Bak Chor Mee (Minced Meat Noodles) at this popular stall in Toa Payoh.

Comes in $3, $4 and $5 portions. $4 and $5 portions include canned bamboo clams. Our typical order is the $5 "dried" version with chilli, but we specify that we want extra "liaw" (ingredients) and noodle, because the default version comes with too much ingredients and adding more noodle balances the dish just right. Also, husband can never have enough noodles, while I prefer the "liaw" more, so I give him my extra noodles, and both of us are satisfied.

The best noodle type is kway teow, theirs is more like the Ipoh Hor Fun, fine, thin, smooth and slippery, and absorbs the sauce better than the usual mee pok, mee kia, fresh egg noodle or mee tai bak. At weekends, only kway teow, fresh noodle and mee tai bak are available. The sauce is a masterful blend of chilli and black vinegar. Very very Shiok!! The noodles are topped with generous quantities of minced pork, sliced pork, fresh pork liver, bits of bak-po ( fried pork lard), braised shitake mushrooms, crispy and salty slices of tik poh (fish) and clams, also some taugeh and spring onions. No mass-produced stuff like fish balls, meat balls, wonton, etc that is so prevalent in other stalls. Just a simple harmony of noodle, sauce and fresh ingredients.

The cooking is done by a stocky Chinese man in a white t-shirt, sometimes he sports a towel around his head a la Japonaise. One bowl at a time. Working to his own rhthym, and seemingly never needing rest as he copes with the non-stop orders, he also likes to banter with other customers in loud and colourful Hokkien. A small army of aunties efficiently take order, garnish, serve, collect payment and clear tables. Usual waiting time 20-45 minutes, so we usually bring along some reading material.

Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Mee
Blk 85C Lor 2 Toa Payoh #01-368
CK Food Court ( no lah, only a coffeeshop)
8.30 am -4 pm. Closed Wed