"Xiang Xiang" literally means "delicious aromas". And that's exactly what the traditional minced pork noodles here are all about. In fact, the broth that comes with it tastes uniquely different from other traditional minced pork noodles, and it's a lot more aromatic and umami, and totally satisfying!
I love the soup version of minced pork noodles (bak chor mee). In fact, that's the most traditional version of this local noodle dish, which has over the years, evolved to also include a "dry" version.
In my opinion, if you only like the "dry" version of bak chor mee, that's probably because you haven't met the right traditional soup version. So, what exactly is this "right" version?
To me, a quinessential traditional soup bak chor mee should have a flavourfully sweet and umami broth that's garlicky and murky, as well as super soft and finely minced pork, plus of course, perfectly cooked noodles that are springy to the bite. Most bak chor mee would use factory-made pork balls as an ingredient; so honestly, I don't really have much expectations for that. And if the bak chor mee comes with pork dumplings (minced pork with crushed deep-fried sole fish wrapped in a wonton wrapper), that would really be icing on the cake.
But the soup bak chor mee at Xiang Xiang Traditional Minced Pork Noodle totally redefined what an excellent soup bak chor mee is to me. And the delicious broth is a key reason.
A harmonious blend
Above: A rich, flavourful, and thick pork collagen broth perfectly cooks the finely minced pork in the bowl in an instant, making the broth so sweet and umami, even without an iota of MSG
Most traditional soup bak chor mee would almost certainly add quite a few scoops of MSG into their broth pots. And many a time, the MSG makes the broths taste artificially sweet, followed by a signature thirst. But the broth here at Xiang Xiang is nothing of that sort.
Besides the fact that it contains no MSG at all, the broth is a murky and flavourful collagen-based pork broth that tastes delightfully sweet and umami, less garlicky, and somewhat herbal — although I was told that it doesn't contain any Chinese medicinal herb. And the pork lard just makes it taste even better.
I must say that the delicious broth, which blends so harmoniously with the super soft and finely minced pork, really has deep flavours. It's that type of broth that I'm sure you'll finish the last drop of, just like me!
Handmade pork balls with a twist
Above: Tender handmade pork balls that contains a piece of cubed Chinese turnip (or Jicama)
Although there are no pork dumplings in this soup bak chor mee, it comes with a handmade specialty that most traditional soup bak chor mee doesn't have. Yes, I'm talking about their handmade pork balls.
Combining grated carrots with finely minced pork and other ingredients, each handmade pork ball also encases a Chinese turnip cube in it. In my opinion, that's a really clever way to combine the vegetables' natural sweetness with that of the minced pork! And the pork balls are really bouncy and fun to bite into. Yums!
If you ask me, this is really a delicious soup bak chor mee you shouldn't miss. Apart from traditional flavours, the improvements that the business owner has made to the broth and pork balls actually added a lot more flavour to this classic noodle dish, compared to many other bak chor mee out there. And if you're someone who appreciates pork innards (which I'm not a fan of), you'll be in for a treat.
So the next time you're in the Kallang area, drop by for a flavourful treat. You won't be disappointed, I'm certain of that.
Locate it
Address:
Xiang Xiang Traditional Minced Pork Noodle
5 Upper Boon Keng Road
#01-01 WuFu Coffee Shop
Singapore 380005
Operating Hours:
Opens daily, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Call:
9237 0001
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