Lor mee ($4)!
A hawker bowl of lor mee: thick noodles drowned in a dark, starchy braised gravy with fish nuggets, ngoh hiang, minced garlic and chilli. $4.
A comforting, old-school hawker bowl: lor mee, $4. 😋
What I had:
- Lor mee: thick noodles drowned in a dark, starchy gravy with fish nuggets, ngoh hiang, braised meat, minced raw garlic, chilli and coriander
Lor mee is all about that gravy, and it is unlike any other Singapore noodle dish. A thick, dark brown braising sauce, sweet and savoury with five-spice depth, thickened until it gloriously coats every noodle and topping. Some stalls swirl beaten egg through it for those silky ribbons. It looks heavy but eats moreish.
The toppings sit half-submerged in it: crispy little fish nuggets going soft where the gravy soaks in, slices of ngoh hiang (five-spice meat roll), and bits of braised meat. But the magic is in the condiments piled on top, a generous mound of minced raw garlic, fresh chilli, a splash of vinegar and coriander. You stir it all through before eating, and that hit of pungent garlic and sharp vinegar against the sweet, thick gravy is what makes lor mee so addictive.
Rich, garlicky, tangy and comforting, it is a proper old-school favourite. At $4, lovely value.
Overall: 4.5 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Thick, dark gravy lifted by sharp garlic and vinegar, a comforting lor mee done right. Would re-order.
