Handmade Noodles

I have been on a ban mian journey over the past month and good to say, I have reaped a fair number of worthy additions to my list. L32 is one of the stores that made its mark and is pretty high up the list. Highly raved online as one of Singapore's best handmade noodles, I definitely have to try it myself.

I came early at around 5pm on a weekday evening and was grateful that it was relatively empty. The bowl of noodles was pretty much perfect - noodles with a good bite, smooth seasoned meat, generous portions, and a hearty rich broth.

The ingredients used were of high quality and I could tell that it was not msg loaded. The only lacking part was that it did not taste special nor surprised me. It is for sure a really good bowl of handmade noodles, but I don't see myself braving the queue for it.

Most people staying in the Jurong West area are probably aware of this neighbourhood favourite. I truely think the broth is the highlight of the store, with a deep hearty flavour that is unique to He Jia Huan. Completed with an egg broken and mixed into the soup, this store's ban mian sure taste homemade. Their standards are unfortunately not very consistent though. Regardless, still one of my fav ban mian stores!

After trying multiple dry handmade noodles, I have to say Grandma's ban mee is really one of the best! The noodles are thick with a slightly chewy texture that was coated in this highly addictive sauce. The aromatic chilli truely heightened the dish and the stewed mushrooms added that extra dimension. Along with the noodles came a small bowl of soup with chinese spinach swimming within. Comprising of a sweet and natural taste from the vegetables, it was the perfect supporting character to the dish. The serving size was also perfect for me but those with a bigger appetite can opt to add more noodles or even an extra egg for additional 50 cents.

Looks like the addiction of dry handmade noodles has struck me hard! Here is another great store I would include in my top handmade noodles list along with bigger names like Grandma Ban Mee and Greenview Cafe. Situated within the humble Yuhua Market & Hawker Centre, Lai Lai U Mian is one of my recent favourite discoveries.

What makes this store distinct from other handmade noodles is its ultra springy thin noodles and the most fragrant shallots that are fried to crisp perfection. I was pleasantly surprised with the aroma of fried shallots from the start and the delicious scent lingered throughout.

Besides the original chilli, the stores also offers a tom yum chilli which I will return to try one day. In addition to the dry u mian, they also have a soup variation and other toppings such as lala/clams.

Gan En (感恩) Ban Mian has been my go-to spot when the craving for a good nostalgic bowl of noodles hit. I have been a patron for years now, and I literally grew up eating the noodles from this store. Even after these years, their food still tastes great - the same natural rich broth derived from anchovies, plus loads of spinach and a mix of mushrooms. Even the old school rooster bowls and metal tray stayed the same!

The noodles here are definitely far from ordinary, with a warm taste of home just like a meal cooked by grandma. They have now expanded to 2 stores, one at Yuhua Market & Hawker Centre (block 347) and another at JE346 Eating House (coffee shop). If I am not wrong they are closed on Thursdays and do visit during ordinary lunch or dinner hours as they close really early sometimes.

I've recently heard about this place selling some good authentic hakka style ban mian. Being a fan of handmade noodles, I had to come down to give it a try! It was not a wasted trip indeed and Madam Leong's ban mian is good as they said. We had the soup as well as the dry variation, and both were equally tasty.

The chilli dry noodles came with a delicious dark sauce and a dollop of mysterious paste that reminded me of this Malaysian chilli. A sunny side up was also served on the side, giving the bowl of noodles a nice touch of colour and some extra edge. Another commendable thing was the chilli sauce, a concoction that was tangy and packed a real punch. Use in caution, because a few drops are already potent enough!

As for the soup, it was slurp-worthy with stewed mushrooms, anchovy, meat and sayur manis that brought out a smooth and clear taste. Definitely will be back for more!

Arriving at 香香面家, the uncle can be seen at work, making the wide strands of ban mian with his handy noodle machine. The bowl of noodles did not disappoint indeed, providing a good QQ bite. With a generous addition of mushrooms, minced meat and spinach, it makes one worth it lunch! Complete it with crisp anchovies and mix it all up with their fragrant braised sauce, sweet chilli duo. The combination - a tasty medley of flavours and textures that come together as one!