Heng Kee Curry Beehoon Noodles - Hong Lim Food Center

It was hot just before lunch time. Then it rained. It stayed hot and became humid. Perfect weather for spicy hawker food wouldn’t you say? Piqued by my last review on Madam Kwan’s chicken curry, a foodie buddy of mine was determined I try one of his personal favourite. I could spot the queue kilometers away. Actually, most of the stalls had queues. They must all be famous. I was rueful that this was my first visit, how could I have missed this place? 

Since it was lunch rush hour, strategy was the name of the game. Armed with an umbrella (which I unfortunately left behind afterwards), I ventured the tables, hoping to catch one with patrons at the end of their meals. My friend on the other hand, swiftly joined the snaking queue.

After a sweaty twenty minute wait, lunch was served. I have to say, it was not pretty. Bits of sharply chopped chicken parts, mangled with taupok (fried beancurd skin) and half a potato atop noodles with beehoon. The aroma though, was a thing of beauty.

First was the chicken, I was given parts of breast and wing. The meat was sufficiently tender but strangely lacked the stronger taste I was anticipating. My friend reminded about the small dish of darken chilli paste that accompanied. Ah, the mystery solved. Dipping my chicken precariously into the paste, it all made sense. The combination was fierce. The chilli, initially spicy, transformed the plain piece of chicken with its fragrant sweetness. Wonderful.

Next, I popped a piece of the taupok, that my friend has taken the liberty of ordering extra. The moment I took my first bite I was secretly thanking my friend for the extra order. The soft, chewy piece of modest taupok, took upon itself to absorb all the possible flavours of the curry. The curry bursts out of its every pore with every bite. I was blissfully entrapped in a maze of curry frenzy. Like the chicken, the initial spiciness paved the way for the amazing curry flavour. The coconut milk gave a necessary sweet ending note.

Lastly, the staple portion of my bowl, the mix of noodles with beehoon. It was strange, but the noodles and beehoon did not seem to fully absorb the curry. Cocooned in a small bubble of warm cooked water, the noodles mix seemed to stand out on its own. Bouncy, warm and comforting, I started taking a spoon of curry with every bite of the noodles.

The thick goodness of coconut milk was a little more subtle in this dish. Instead, the curry was an extremely smooth concoction, fusing everything in the bowl without possessing any of their individual taste. The curry was good to the last drop.

It was slightly after lunch time when we finished. As we passed the stall, there was slight comfort to see the queue reduced. I know what time to come when the craving eventually gets the better of me.