There's so much talk about Uncle Peter Hokkien Mee, I just got to come and try it for myself. It's third time lucky before I managed get a taste of it - last visit, Uncle Peter was on sick leave. Another time, kaki kaki gathered here but I couldn't make it.
I got here at 10:30am, so there were only two ahead of me.
Uncle Peter is relatively new to hawking, but is a hawker in the traditional sense. He is his own boss, sells a rendition he developed himself, and personally cooks it on order at the stall.
I got the S$6.50 serving. Asked for more lardon and was given generously with no extra charge.
The mix of yellow noodle, thick and slender rice vermicelli (bee hoon) came tongue scathing hot, fresh off Uncle Peter's wok. The whole time I was here, I could hear the clanging ring of Uncle Peter frying noodles non-stop. It's hard work!
The noodles were saucy but the liquid was sponged up quickly before I finished my meal.
The soft noodles tasted mildly umami savoury sweet (hardly any lard or egg taste). A little milder than I like but I was glad it was not sugary sweet (which is becoming trendy in Singapore fried Hokkien mee 🙄 ). There was almost no wok hei taste or smell though one or two strands of noodles had char marks.
I like the three forefinger size prawns. They were shelled, tender, succulent, subtly crunchy and naturally sweet. Nice and felt fresh.
I wish there were more than two small minuscule pieces of sotong (squid) as I love the taste of sotong and this dish is known to old timers as "sotong mee".
Two small pieces of lean pork. I wish I was given strips of pork belly as well, as it has more porcine flavour.
Two slivers of chives. Glad to see it as I love the taste of chives.
The lardons were slightly crisp and saturated with grease.
I like the taste of Uncle Peter's savoury spicy sourish sambal which lifted the taste of the mildly flavoured fried noodles.
My curiosity satiated and now I can answer from first hand what I think about Uncle Peter Hokkien Mee. The taste profile is old school and I would love it, if flavour intensity and seafood umami are higher by two notches plus some wok hei and subtle porcine notes.
Of course, Uncle Peter's legion of fans love it as it is now. They reported rich umami (which I felt was shy today), so I need to come back another round to double confirm for consistency.
What is your personal experience?
Stall name: Uncle Peter Hokkien Mee
Address: Blk 55 Lengkok Bahru, #01-387, Singapore 151055 (stall inside Meet @ 55 coffee shop)
Nearest MRT: 10 minutes walk from Redhill station
Tel: 8616 4953
Hours: 10am - 2pm (Tues off)
Your writing is so restrained, I feel the chest tightening, just reading it 🤪!
ReplyDeleteNot my kind of hkm … pls check a new kid on the blk at Telok blangah crescent under the name of Simon Road HKM by a young couple …
ReplyDeleteBrutally honest but we need honesty so badly in this social media age. 👍
ReplyDeleteSame experience as you, wondered why the hype. Then again, my fav Swee Guan was really bad on the last trip back. Taste memories are seemingly becoming just that.
ReplyDeleteI think he is good but not that good. If he was really good why did he have to relocate from Woodlands? Fans would make a beeline to his stall irregardless of location.
ReplyDeleteA walk from my place.
ReplyDeleteHad it myself, was ok.
A hawker friend then went to try, reported that flies flew over her supposed off-ed prawns.
Haven’t returned since. 😂
IMHO the best HKM was available in the past, today all are just poor imitations of its previous glory🥲
ReplyDeleteMy Fav was the humble HKM at Yishun Ring Rd Hawker Cte in the early 90s that one was really a Dragon's Wok Hei, least that is just a memory today 🙏
I agree with your assessment. It's probably a 6.5/10 in taste but below par for price to ingredients ratio. I ignore social media hype that were orchestrated and look at the product and delivery as I see it.
ReplyDeleteLeslie Tan Had the Simon Rd hkm at Lor 8 TPY fried by the son I think which turned out not so good. Went back to Uncle Peter one and it came out soggy. Even the hae mee soup at 6th Ave also not so good liao. Ckt at Geylang E HC was great but post covid became jialat. Reckon inconsistency is a constant these days.
ReplyDeleteTerry Sprouts must really go to the masters or capable disciples. For ckt, my go to place is hai kee. Fyi, I just saw the Simon Road hkm old man today at the kovan market stall observing the hawkers cooking so good to know
ReplyDelete