Singapore style Hokkien mee is a delicious iconic dish that is very hard to find a good version outside of the sunny island. For whatever reason, Singapore Hokkien mee outside of the Lion City somehow just cannot make it. Imagine, finding a good SG Hokkien mee, and one that does not use pork and lard in JB. Now, that's exciting.
Before I raise expectations to unrealistic levels, the best Singapore Hokkien mee is still over there across the Causeway. The velvety yellow noodles has to be dressed sinfully redolent in lard and unapologetically bedecked with golden lard cracklings.
This one has got no pork and no lard, as EH HE Art Cafe does not use any pork products in it's kitchen.
The thing that won me over is the savoury sweet sauce - the soul of Singapore Hokkien noodle. The sauce is thick and heavy as it should be in Singapore Hokkien mee. Then, it has a rich layered kind of savoury sweetness. Chef Paul of EHHE boils old hens and prawn shells to extract the chicken and crustacean savouriness. There is also a natural sweetness from hens and prawns in the sauce. The egg in the sauce added further body and sweetness.
RM8.90 per serving
The yellow noodles were done like al dente spaghetti with a certain firmness. It's likeable though my idea of ideal Singapore Hokkien mee is slightly soft noodles and bee hoon, even approaching sogginess thanks to the clingy gooey sauce (but, that's just me lah).
The fresh shelled prawns, shell fish slices, fish cake slices, wedge of calamansi lime and a splash of house made sambal chili complete the dish.
If you have been looking for a good pork free Singapore Hokkien mee, they have it at EH HE cafe in the Jalan Tan Hiok Nee cultural district.
No, wait. I haven't come across any good pork free Singapore Hokkien mee in Singapore or anywhere else, except at EH HE.
While you are here, there are lots of other food and drinks you can try at EH HE. Here are my earlier reviews on EHHE Art Cafe <- click
Restaurant name: EHHE Art Cafe 中間旁邊
Address: No. 1, Jalan Trus, Bandar Johor Bahru 80000, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Junction of Jalan Trus and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee (just beside Hiap Joo Bakery) 陈旭年文化街
Map: http://bit.ly/EHHEGallery
GPS: 1.456477, 103.764608
Hours: 7:00am to 4:00pm daily
No pork, no lard, no alcohol, no Halal cert
Date visited: 14 Dec 2015, 15 May 2016
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I do have visited this place, their Hokkien Mee was really yummy. The interior of the cafe was also aesthetically pleasing ( for being an art cafe which quite obvious).
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Liang
Thank you Liang.
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