Rich flavours, generous portions, and you don't have to reach deep into your pockets for a satisfying meal. Plus, the authentic flavours of Sarawak's signature street food. These are what this humble eatery serves up at the heart of the CBD.
Sometimes you just have to try harder to get to better things in life. And that's exactly what I did when I headed down to Downtown MRT Station in search of 64 Dirgahayu Sarawak Laksa & Kolo Mee.
In fact, I spent a good 10 minutes walking through the MRT station and the shops on the basement level of the Marina Bay Financial Centre, and even going up to Level 1 and back, before I finally located this elusive eatery. Turns out that I actually only need to make an about-turn towards the right-hand-side on exiting the MRT station's electronic gantry. I hope I saved you some efforts searching for it, if you do swing by!
My first impression of the eatery was that it really appeared to be "no-frills", with hardly any decor to speak of. And it's probably also the brightest food place I've ever been to, with those ultra-bright white lights hanging from the ceiling. Quite different from its "past life" when it was located back in Lorong 1 Toa Payoh!
But whatever the decor lacked, the good food and friendly people made up well for it. And prices are considered relatively affordable too, compared to other food options in the area, with most of the dishes priced below $7.
Chicken kolo mee that smells so good
I started off with a Classic Sarawak Kolo Mee, which was really delicious! When the noodles were served, I noticed immediately that the "char siew" was actually made with chicken instead of pork. And it turns out that the eatery doesn't serve pork or lard in all their dishes, not just the kolo mee.
The lady boss explains: "In Sarawak, there're actually non-Halal and Halal versions of the kolo mee. So kolo mee isn't always served with pork. It can also be served with chicken, if it's the Halal version."
Above: The Classic Sarawak Kolo Mee smells so good with fried shallot oil and rendered chicken fat
Besides that, something really piqued my interest. Other than the usual condiments you'd expect in a kolo mee, and the distinct aromas of the fried shallot oil, my nose tells me that there's surely another unique aroma that makes the noodles smell so good.
And I was right! It's rendered chicken fat, which is also an important ingredient that makes the Hainanese chicken rice so aromatic. In the words of the lady boss, that's their "secret ingredient". But now, it's not a secret anymore! LOL!
Above: Kolo Mee with Sweet Red Char Siew Sauce — for some reason, the red sauce does make the noodles taste even better
On the crew's recommendation, I also tried the Kolo Mee with Sweet Red Char Siew Sauce, which is right up my alley! I actually prefer this version of the kolo mee to the classic version, and I really think that the reddish char siew sauce makes quite a difference to this noodle dish. And even though the sauce is sweet, it's not cloying. It's actually more of a sweet-savoury kind of sauce.
Of course, I believe that the sauce's reddish hue may have also made the noodles look tastier. After all, our food tasting experience is not just influenced by the aromas and flavours of the food, but also the colours that it presents.
It's also worth mentioning here that the eatery only uses eggless noodles and there's also a vegan version of the kolo mee for those who'd prefer it, among several versions of this noodle dish on offer.
Sarawak Laksa with a rich broth
Sarawak Laksa is one of a kind, and it's definitely not the typical laksa you'll find ubiquitously in Singapore. If your idea of a laksa is that it must come with the rich flavours and aromas of coconut milk (like the taste of the Nonya Laksa) or piquant flavours with a pungent waft of fishiness (like the taste of the Penang Laksa), this will be something really unexpected.
I would say that the thick broth of the Sarawak Laksa is akin to a hybrid of prawn soup noodle and Mee Soto broths. After all, the base of the soup is a prawn broth and it's filled with various herbs and spices from the rempah (a complex paste of herbs and spices, which includes candlenuts).
Uniquely different from the laksa Singaporeans are more familiar with, I believe that this may be an acquired taste for some people for a start. But for me, it only took three sips of the broth to win me over.
Above left: Eating the Sarawak Laksa as the Sarawakians would with a dollop of sambal and a squeeze of calamansi lime juice
Above right: Thick broth that comes with rich flavours from a complex paste of herbs and spices
Besides reasonably big and crunchy prawns, the standard version of the Sarawak Laksa here also comes with generous portions of shredded chicken and strips of omelette. And the special version is essentially an upsized version with more ingredients in it.
Pro-tip if you haven't tried the Sarawak Laksa: add a dollop of the sweet and slightly spicy sambal and a squeeze of the calamansi lime juice — that goes a long way to making it even better. Try it to believe it!
Ever tried the "Whisked Kopi"?
Besides food, the eatery also serves up a range of hot and cold beverages. And the one that caught my eye was the Whisked Kopi.
Interestingly, a whisk is used to create a thick milk coffee froth similar to what you'll see in a teh-tarik, but without all that dramatic moves. And that really helped to release the full aromas from the kopi much less strenuously! Quite smart!
Sarawakians consider it authentic
According to the business owners, many of their regular customers are Sarawakians who are living in Singapore, and they consider the taste of their food offerings very authentic — just like what they used to eat back at home.
That speaks volumes about how the business tries to retain the traditional flavours of its dishes. Meanwhile, it also reflects the business owners' and customers' reminiscences of home.
Speaking of which, the business name "64 Dirgahayu" is also a reflection of the business owners' reminiscence of home because that is actually the address at which they used to live back in Sarawak. What a way to remember home!
Locate it
Address:
64 Dirgahayu Sarawak Laksa & Kolo Mee
15 Central Boulevard
# B1-04 Downtown MRT Station
Singapore 018969
Operating Hours:
Opens daily except Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Call:
8113 7937
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