Yan Fried Bee Hoon: Is PM Lee’s favourite chicken wing worth the wait?

Back in 2014, our Prime Minister was caught waiting 30 minutes for chicken wings. HUH?!

You can imagine the buzz 10 years ago. Where were his bodyguards? What was so good about these chicken wings? Why did he need to get this personally? The questions were endless.

Standing quietly amidst the centre of this hoo-ha is Yan Fried Bee Hoon at Redhill Food Centre, the very same hawker store that sold chicken wings to PM Lee Hsien Loong.

Renowned for long queues in the morning and late afternoon, this humble store has become a staple for most Redhill residents looking for a quick fix.

Fun fact! The name of Yan Fried Bee Hoon (焱) can’t be found in the Chinese dictionary. Balanced on 3 blue waves of water, the 3 fires (火) are derived from the store owner’s name, 火榮. As a firm believer in feng shui, he believes that good cooking requires both fire and water.

Now that PM Lee is passing the reins to DPM Lawrence Wong, it is fitting that we revisit a part of history that I hope will not disappoint.

What I tried at Yan Fried Bee Hoon

When I arrived at Redhill Food Centre, I thought I was at the wrong place. Yan Fried Bee Hoon was eerily quieter than expected. After frantically checking Google Maps to see if I had made a mistake, I found 2 other stores (at West Coast & Bukit Timah) with the same “Yan Fried Beehoon” name. Imagine the stress… I was ready to make a U-turn and go back.

Fortunately, among the numerous news clippings that were pasted at the storefront, I squinted to see a familiar face that I knew from our annual NDP Rallies — PM Lee. And to my surprise, I noticed a queue steadily forming a few minutes later. So that settled it!

So famished that I could eat like a horse, I decided to order their signature Bee Hoon (S$1.20) with an additional topping of Luncheon Meat (S$0.70) and Cabbage (S$0.80).

Of course, how could I miss a share of their famous Chicken Wings (S$1.60 per piece) too? Although I espied a notice that stated “We are unable to cut the wings during peak period”, my fried chicken was neatly served in 3 parts: wings, drumstick and tip. Lucky me.

BTW in the good ol’ days, the Bee Hoon and Chicken Wings were priced at S$0.60 and S$1.20 respectively! The low price was to cater to the old folks in the area.

Served on disposable plates, the dishes looked simple but tasty, similar to what my grandmother used to prepare for me before I went to school.

Boy was I correct.

As this old-school Bee Hoon was not overly greasy nor clumpy, it was extremely light on the palate. Despite the massive portion, I didn’t feel jelat. I usually prefer my bee hoon mixed with eggs and taugeh but the simplicity of these lightly-charred soft strands sealed the deal for me.

Coupled with a serving of fresh cabbage and savoury luncheon meat, Yan Fried Bee Hoon’s bee hoon (heh) can be your go-to comfort dish. You may also opt for Kway Teow Mee (S$1.20) as well as other toppings like Bian Xiang (S$1.20), Ngoh Hiang (S$1.20) and Small Xi Dao Fish Cake (S$0.80) that I now regret not having.

But I saved the best for the last!

Their Chicken Wings are deep-fried on the spot and after chatting to a stranger in the queue who said, “I’m not a regular customer but those chicken wings look delicious”, I had high expectations (which were immediately met).

Upon biting into the fragrant wing, I could see why PM Lee was determined to queue for 30 minutes for it. Boasting a crispy golden brown exterior, the chicken wing’s tender and juicy flesh was oozing with flavour. There was no hint of any frozen smell, just pure well-marinated goodness.

So good meh? Hear this out. A staff from Yan Fried Bee Hoon shared that it is common for customers to dabao 20 to 50 pieces of Chicken Wings at one go.

So good, yes.

Final Thoughts

Setting its cornerstone on value-for-money dishes, Yan Fried Bee Hoon is the perfect all-day breakfast spot.

I am resolved to return and try other Bee Hoon toppings that will fill my gaping hole of regret. As for the star of the show, I believe I will eventually become one of those onz customers that purchase what appears to be an excessive amount of Chicken Wings.

As with all sinful indulgences, no amount is ever enough.

Sooo I dabao-ed another one on the way home. Oops. But under the sweltering sun, look at THAT irresistible chicken in full glory!

Well, now that I have presented my answer, the ball is in your court: “Is PM Lee’s favourite chicken wing worth the wait?”

Expected damage: S$1.20 to S$3.50 per pax

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