Review of Tai Wah Pork Noodle 大华肉脞面

Block 531A, Upper Cross Street, Hong Lim Food Centre, #02-16

Nearest Mass Rapid Transit Station: Chinatown MRT

Buses to Hong Lim Food Centre: 2, 12, 33, 51, 54, 61, 63, 124, 143, 147, 174, 190

Opening Hours: 09:00 to 20:00 (Daily)

Queue: 1 to 3 people (Waiting Time: Less than 5 minutes)

Service: Fast but unfriendly

Environment: Clean but crowded hawker centre

Reputation: Traditional Singapore Minced Meat Noodles

Thoughts after eating: Dry and tasteless

Value for money: 58/100

Will I come back again in 6 months' time? No, there are better alternatives

My opinion:

This stall specializes in one dish and that is traditional Singapore minced meat noodles. They have been selling Chinese noodles since 1939, which was the year that World War II broke out. Customers get to choose the $4.00 small option, $5.00 medium option or the $6.00 option for their minced meat noodles. There is also an additional $0.20 cost for each takeaway container. I have tried their small option for $4.20 and was not impressed.

I was given 3 pieces of pork meat, 2 pieces of pork liver, 2 meatballs, 1 steamed dumpling and moderate amount of mee kia noodles. Pork meat and pork liver was dry, rough, tasteless and tough. Meatballs were small and too salty. The lone steamed dumpling was big but the skin was too rough and thick. Noodles were also dry, rough and had a vinegar taste. There was no chili taste at all even though I reminded the male owners that I wanted extra chili.

Honestly, the service was really bad as well. They cooked the noodles already and then pressurized me to take the mee kia option. The price of $4.20 for a bowl of poorly cooked minced meat noodles was also exorbitant for hawker centre food. This stall was surrounded by food "diamonds" such as Ann Kee and Lee Kheong. Who would visit this stall ever again?