Madam Chua 133 Mian Fen Guo: 25-year-old stall serving $2.50 handmade ban mian soup in the East
While most of us are still asleep at 5am, stalls like Madam Chua 133 Mian Fen Guo at Blk 216 Bedok Food Centre and Market are already up and running, ready to serve the early crowd.
Previously known as 133 Mian Fen Guo, this 25-year-old noodle stall attracts a long line of customers almost daily.
While queueing, I spotted Madam Chua using a pasta machine to handmake the various noodles. Before putting them through the machine, she slices them thinly from a large slab of dough. She prepares it fresh only upon receiving the customer’s order.
There’re 4 choices of noodles for you to take your pick: ban mian, mee hoon kueh, you mian and mee sua, with the last one being the only variety that’s store-bought.
What I tried at Madam Chua 133 Mee Hoon Kueh
My colleague, Rachel and I started off with the cheapest option: Ban Mian Soup (S$2.50 for small). At such an affordable price, one would expect a measly portion— we were pleasantly surprised. The noodles were topped with clusters of minced pork, ikan bilis and green spinach, all doused in a clear broth.
Possessing a generous amount, each ivory-hued, flat strand of ban mian had a chewy and satisfying texture.
The minced pork came in varying sizes— some pieces were tiny while others were huge and lumpy. Although I was greeted by specks of black pepper which dotted the surface, it wasn’t pungent at all. Instead, it was marinated thoroughly, delivering a tasty experience with each bite.
The broth was transparent and didn’t look impressive, causing me to lower my expectations before even tasting it. But after the first spoonful, all of that flew out the window. The soup that resembled plain water actually turned out to be packed with flavour.
The pieces of fried ikan bilis not only gave the noodles a crunchy texture, but also injected a wave of umami essence.
I was especially excited over the Dry Mee Hoon Kueh (S$3.50), as I tend to prefer dry noodles over soup-based ones. The broad, flat sheets of kueh were garnished with ingredients similar to the previous dish: ikan bilis, minced meat and spinach, but with an extra fishball.
As I mixed all the elements into a beautiful mess, I watched the noodles transform from a light yellow to a rich reddish-brown. From my past experiences with mee hoon kueh, some versions can turn out to be doughy and tough. Thankfully, Madam Chua’s rendition had the perfect texture— neither too hard nor too soft, with just the right mouthfeel.
Nothing prepared me for the fiery surprise that knocked me awake instantly. Similar to a bowl of KL chilli ban mian, it caused beads of sweat to emerge from my forehead. Though some might find it a little too spicy, I couldn’t help but kept returning for more ‘torture’.
The lone ranger fish ball, on the other hand, while decent, was rather pedestrian, offering nothing extraordinary to leave a lasting imprint on my palate.
The Dry Mee Hoon Kueh was also accompanied by a bowl of soup. Just when I thought that the broth from the Ban Mian Soup earlier was impressive, this one took it up a notch. Without the distraction of various ingredients, drinking it ‘neat’ was even better.
Our final dish, the Sliced Fish Mee Sua Soup (S$4) had a mound of wheat vermicelli topped with fish slices, ikan bilis and spinach.
The fine strands of mee sua were slithery smooth, gliding effortlessly across my tongue with pieces of spinach tagging along for the ride.
The slices of fish were pristine and fresh, without any hint of fishy flavour. Unfortunately, the mee sua flavour dominated the overall taste of the broth, sticking out like a sore thumb.
Final thoughts
In Singapore, stalls that offer ban mian and mee hoon kueh can be found at almost every corner. What makes Madam Chua 133 Mian Fen Guo stand out is its S$2.50 option and display of handmade noodles, giving customers front-row seats to the process as they’re churned out.
To avoid disappointment, you’re advised to come early and be prepared to queue. Though it states that they close at noon, the signage lights were already switched off at 10.30am.
Expected damage: S$2.50 – S$4 per pax
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