Armenian Street Char Kway Teow: Pork lard-laden plates of char kway teow by 2nd-gen hawker in Sengkang

Armenian Street Char Kway Teow is renowned, with its own dedicated Wikipedia page. It’s been a couple of years since I visited their location at Anchorvale 303 Foodcourt in Sengkang, right in front of Renjong LRT Station.

The business was established back in 1949 along (you guessed it right) Armenian Street by the father of the current owner, Mr Tan.

“Has the standard remained unchanged or has it declined?” I pondered.

I have a sentimental relationship with char kway teow. My late grandmother, during her youth, used to prepare this dish in an army camp, and I had the good fortune to savour it while growing up. I am particularly fussy when it comes to the wok hei and flavour of this sinful dish.

At 11.30am, when the stall opened for business, there was already a small queue forming ahead of me.

Even after 2 years, I was still amused by the misspelling on the stall’s signboard, which read ‘Armeniam’ instead of ‘Armenian’.

While waiting, I was thrilled to notice the use of light brown waxed papers for takeaway, which, in my opinion, enhances the taste of the food compared to using transparent plastic containers.

Aunty had a well-organised system in place that made everything run smoothly. All she had to do was shout the orders to Mr Tan according to the plates that she’d lined up, supported by a mixture of classic wooden pegs and plastic ones.

I observed Mr Tan meticulously cooking each portion individually and serving them up plate-by-plate.

What I tried at Armenian Street Char Kway Teow

I ordered a small plate without chilli for S$3.50 (white floral plate pictured above) and a large portion with chilli for S$5 (purple plate pictured below).

From afar, the plate of noodles may appear as a blend of brown shades. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the delicate white strands of tau geh, the vibrant green hues of spring onions, and the rich dark red tones of the Chinese sausage.

My dining partners and I were tested on our chopstick skills as we took our first mouthfuls (the stall doesn’t provide spoons). I waited for a response from them, but there was only an atmosphere of quietness.

I had high hopes for the wok hei to fill my mouth with a delightful smoky aroma, but unfortunately, it fell a bit short and was rather underwhelming. The silence was broken shortly after, and they expressed their slight disappointment too.

We found that the chilli version was suitable for those who can’t handle spice, and was also tastier and oilier than its non-spicy counterpart.

If there was any consolation, it would have to be the cockles which were skillfully camouflaged in the dish. They may not have been the largest in size, but boy were they fresh and jam-packed with flavour.

There were also tiny and crunchy bits of chye poh which weren’t visible to the naked eye unless you paid close attention.

The pieces of Chinese sausage had a great texture and unleashed a mix of savoury and sweet bursts while the slices of fishcake were pillowy soft.

I also enjoyed every intimate moment with the generous amount of pork lard which I found in my plate of char kway teow. It’s no wonder that they say that the most sinful foods are also the yummiest. The golden nuggets were definitely the pièce de résistance of the dish.

Final thoughts

Consistency is paramount for any chef, regardless of their experience level, be it an established culinary expert or a budding hawker. Achieving it demands unwavering dedication and hard work.

I hold on to the belief that Mr Tan’s wok skills still possess the enchanting magic required to conjure up amazing char kway teow; it just didn’t happen on our plates that day.

Expected damage: S$3.50 – S$5 per pax

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