Soon Heng Pork Noodles. Soup Bak Chor Mee in Chinatown @ Neil Road & Keong Siak Road

If you follow my blog you will know that I am fascinated by the story of Singapore's unique soupy type bak chor mee (minced pork noodle 肉脞麵). I am visiting all the soup bak chor mee stalls one by one, and today I am at Soon Heng Pork Noodles at Neil Road in Chinatown.

Soon Heng Pork Noodles stall is tucked inside the corner coffee shop at the intersection of Neil Road and Keong Siak Road. It is one of about a dozen soup bak chor mee stalls spun off from 陈联福's "hunchback noodle" stall which first operated in the Chai Chee area in the 1920s. The spun off stalls are operated by 陈联福's descendants, former workers and others.

According to Soon Heng Pork Noodles stall owner Andrew's interview with 8days in 2019, his mum started selling bak chor mee by taking over a stall operated by a worker of the bak chor mee stall at Fengshan Food Centre (in Bedok). As soupy bak chor mee was popularised by the famous stalls in Bedok, this dish is often referred to as "Bedok bak chor mee". (Source: 8days.)

There was no queue when I reached the stall at around 10am. I was getting ready a tray to take my food when the young man running the stall kindly offered to deliver it to my table. Appreciate the thoughtful gesture much! 🙏 (Founder Andrew was not at the stall.) 

I ordered the basic $4 serving.

We can help ourselves to bak pok (lard crouton), chopped spring onion, and cut chili padi. All essentials for an enjoyable soupy bak chor mee meal.

First things first, the soup which is the soul of soupy bak chor mee. It was well balanced savoury sweet with some bak chor (minced pork) suspended in the watery soup. There was little minced meat in the soup. Tasty enough though it is not the pure pork soup type.

For noodles, they have a choice of mee pok, kway teow etc. I chose mee kia. They use the slender flat type which I like best with soupy bak chor mee. The flat type mee kia made specifically for soupy bak chor mee is the heart of the dish.

The noodles were done soft-tender with a slight springy chew. I would like it even more, if it was done a notch firmer.

The noodles had their own slight salty taste which combined well with the savoury sweetness from the soup clinging to the strands.

There were two small wantons in the bowl. Sweet savoury but I wasn't sure if there was any ti poh (dried sole fish) in the soft minced meat.

There were three generic factory made pork balls. They have a nice springy chew to the bite and tasted savoury sweet with a subtle porcine aroma. I quite enjoyed them actually.

The self service bak pok is a nice touch for lard crouton lovers. The porcine taste that leached into the soup added another layer of flavour to the dish. However, today's bak pok were perhaps out a little long so they weren't crackly crisp.

Fried shallot and aromatic oil which are part and parcel of classic soup bak chor mee were missing from the bowl served here today. 

Soupy bak chor mee is a Chai Chee / Bedok / Eunos thing and is not often seen outside of that privileged zone. So, if you are around Chinatown and crave for an east coast soupy bak chor mee, Soon Heng Pork Noodles may tide you over until you get your fix in the east.

Story of soup bak chor mee in Singapore 👈 click

Restaurant name: Soon Heng Pork Noodles

Address: 120 Neil Rd, Singapore 088855 (across the road from Shake Shack)

Tel: +65 9792 8106

Hours: 8:00am - 3:00pm (Sun off)

Date visited: 5 Nov 2020