Satay Bee Hoon Showdown: Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon vs Lao Chao Zhou

Satay Bee Hoon is one of those dishes that is hard to come by at a hawker centre, unlike the more common chicken rice or minced meat noodles.

Today, I will compare two of the highest-rated and most raved-about Satay Bee Hoon stalls in Singapore: Sin Chew at Bukit Timah Food Centre and Lao Chao Zhou at Ghim Moh Market. I discovered both these places through conversations with taxi drivers, who are known for their extensive knowledge of food spots in Singapore.

Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon

The first contender is Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon at Bukit Timah Food Centre, which has a Google rating of 4.5 stars with 288 reviews at the time of writing this article.

Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon is renowned for its flavourful Satay Bee Hoon (S$5). Satay bee hoon features thin rice vermicelli noodles drenched in a rich peanut satay sauce, accompanied by a variety of ingredients like pork slices, prawns, cockles, cuttlefish, and kangkong (water spinach). What sets Sin Chew apart is its perfectly balanced satay sauce—thick yet smooth, with a robust nutty flavour.

While the cockles were on the larger side and there was a generous variety of ingredients, I feel that there was nothing out of the ordinary with the bee hoon and other ingredients. This suggests that the heart of a satay bee hoon is the sauce.

If you are not looking for something too carb-heavy they also sell Cuttlefish Kangkong (S$6) which comes with some cucumber for the crunch.

While I am probably uncultured and do not understand how this can be a dish on its own, I can see how those who love fresh cuttlefish might enjoy this. Because the crunch of the cuttlefish is satisfying and the ingredients they use are premium.

Even though Sin Chew has been around for many years, it continues to draw both locals and tourists, maintaining its reputation as one of the must-try food stalls for satay bee hoon lovers. Despite its popularity, prices remain reasonable, making it a go-to spot for an affordable and satisfying meal.

2A Jln Seh Chuan, #01-037, Singapore 599213
Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun: 11 am – 2.30 pm & 5pm – 8.30 pm
Closed on Mon, Tue, Fri

Lao Chao Zhou

The next contender is Lao Chao Zhou. Located at Ghim Moh Food Centre, Lao Chao Zhou is well-known for its delicious Satay Bee Hoon (S$7). What makes their satay bee hoon stand out is the satay sauce that coats the noodles and various toppings like pork slices, pig liver, prawns, and cockles. What surprised me was how tender the pork slices were and their perfect fat-to-lean meat ratio.

However, it should be noted that they do not include cuttlefish in their satay bee hoon, which I would consider a staple ingredient. Perhaps the day I went down was just a bad day, but the vermicelli was overcooked and the bee hoon was soggy and not very appetizing.

The sauce is nutty and smooth without being overly sweet, allowing the freshness of the ingredients to shine. The stall has built a loyal following for its authentic taste, offering a perfect balance of flavours.

In addition to satay bee hoon, Lao Chao Zhou also serves a very popular Mee Siam (S$4). But that’s a story for another day. It should also be noted that Lao Chao Zhou does not sell Satay Bee Hoon on Thursdays and is only open until 1.30pm from Thursday to Monday.

20 Ghim Moh Rd, #01-18, Singapore 270020
Thu to Mon: 6.30am – 1.30pm
Closed on Tue and Wed

Verdict

All in all, I feel that the heart of a good satay bee hoon comes from its sauce, and with that, Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon wins in every aspect.

When compared to Sin Chew Satay Bee Hoon, Lao Chao Zhou lacks the bits of peanuts in its sauce, resulting in what I found to be an overly watery texture. As someone who prefers stronger flavours, I think Lao Chao Zhou also fell short in the flavour profile of the sauce. It felt less substantial and less flavourful. Despite that, credit must be given to Lao Chao Zhou for its large and thick slices of pig liver.

Lao Chao Zhou also seems to have fewer staff which probably contributed to the long waiting lines when I visited. With that, I would choose Sin Chew Satay Beehoon every single time.

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