Review of Guang Fa Laksa @ Havelock Food Centre Stall #01-08

Early for breakfast at Havelock Food Centre. It's a small food centre at the city fringe but well in the foodie radar because it has a few popular stalls like the popular kway chap, fried kway teow, handmade fishball noodles, etc. 

Stall name: Guang Fa Laksa 廣發叻沙

Address: 22A Havelock Road, stall #01-08, Singapore 161022 (inside Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre)

Nearest MRT: 10 minutes walk from Havelock station or Tiong Bahru station

Hours: 8:00am - 1:00pm (Sun & Weds off)

Most people here seemed to be regulars who either live here or come regularly for breakfast before setting off for work. They all have a certain friendly familiarity with the dozen of hawkers here. It felt like I  walked into a kampung (village) 😌

I heard a lot about Guang Fa Laksa here but never had a chance to try it - it was either closed or sold out the last few times I was here. This early morning, there was no queue (yet) and the pots of steamy laksa stock was still brimming, waiting for the first customers.

I asked for the smallest serving, I always do, so that I can try as many stalls as possible in one outing.

Nevertheless, it has everything I need in my bowl of laksa.

Thick vermicelli (chor bee hoon) sitting in a thick fiery looking pool, topped with tau pok (fried bean curd), fish cake, egg, and the essential cockle and roughly chopped laksa leaves (daun kasum).

The stock was thick, heavy, umami savoury and spice flavours were rich with mild spicy heat. Uncle chucked in a dollop of sambal at the side by default, so you can dial up the spice and umami flavour quotient even more with the hae bee hiam (dried shrimp & chili relish), if the standard stock is not enough for you.

If you like your laksa stock creamy and robust, this is for you.

The fragrance and taste of laksa leaves were so alluring. (If there isn't this laksa leaves, it is not laksa.)

The thick bee hoon were long and blanched to just the right tender doneness. A sprinkle of bean sprouts provided crunch and juicy contrast to the tender noodles.

Uncle cooked the cockles through by default which I like. Am not comfortable with medium rare cockles anymore at my age 😬

Didn't finish the stock as it felt a little heavy and a tad too greasy. Otherwise, it is a nice laksa.

My personal favourite is still George Laksa at Changi Road as the profile of spices and underlying stock tastes more interesting to me 👈 click

If it weren't for the Hainanese, we won't be eating laksa in hawker centres and coffee shops 👈 click

Written by Tony Boey on 13 Mar 2023