TGIF lunch — Mala shrimp spaghetti ($7.50)!
Repeat order of mala shrimp spaghetti at a fusion stall — al dente spaghetti in mala chilli oil with prawns, broccoli, mushrooms. $7.50.
Friday lunch — back at the mala shrimp spaghetti stall for a repeat order. $7.50 solo this time. 😋
What was in the dark plate ($7.50):
- A generous nest of al dente spaghetti tossed in fragrant mala chilli oil — bright red with bits of dried chilli and visible Sichuan peppercorn specks.
- Plump prawns scattered through the noodles.
- Florets of broccoli for the green and crunch.
- Sliced mushrooms (button or shimeji) for the umami earthy bite.
- A scatter of dried chilli flakes on top for extra heat punch.
Repeat-order test passed — the noodles still had real numbing-spicy mala depth (proper Sichuan peppercorn, not just chilli oil masquerading). Prawns came through fresh and snappy under the spice. Broccoli florets were the cooling cool-down between bites.
This is one of those fusion plates that shouldn’t work but does — al dente Italian pasta carries mala sauce better than expected because the pasta surface holds chilli oil without going gluey. Different texture from wheat noodles, but the flavour fits.
Total: $7.50. Hawker-modern pricing.
Overall: 4.3 / 5. Reliable mala spaghetti when the craving hits. Consistency confirmed across two visits. The numbing-spicy slow burn lasts long after the bowl is empty. 😍👍🏼
