Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee @ Balestier

They briefly appeared in my neighbourhood of Woodlands, but could not maintain the harsh reality of the F&B business. I can’t bear to wait in line in Old Airport, so I thought I said goodbye.

One of Old Airport Road Food Centre’s most famous stalls, Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee, opened a second outlet on Balestier Road. The legendary Lor Mee 卤面 stall is touted as one of the best hawker stalls in Singapore and draws infamously long queues that can take up to an hour. And the queue did not improve after the Michelin Plate recognition in 2019.

It’s been operating out of Old Airport Road Food Centre more than 4 decades, and this marks their first expansion outside of their home turf. But technically it was a joint-venture that included the third generation of the original store and some other YouTubers and influencers.

And since it was not the original store and it occupied a whole shop, an expanded menu was needed to keep the place profitable. And just like the one in Woodlands, the price for a bowl of lor mee was at least $6. And when you customise or upgrade certain items, it quickly adds up.

Of course I didn’t mind the lack of authencity as I can dine in aircon comfort and no queue. And I paid $9.70 for the bowl of signature lor mee with all the works – parsley, chilli, garlic, vinegar, and the standard ingredients. But was the lor mee any good?

Although not as black as the Korean jjajangmyeon, the sauce with its faint ngor heung (five spice) taste was quite good. With strands of eggs whipped in and a rather monotonous taste, it was OK but not mind-blowing. The original was famous because it was very generous with ingredients – bits of mackerel fish, braised egg an braised pork belly.

I only like the braised pork belly, which the lor (or braise sauce) came from. And it was a disappointment because they were quite dry from overcooking.

So was it worth the detour? Not really. I wouldn’t even queue for the original, so I would not miss this one.

Xin Mei Xiang Zheng Zong Lor Mee 新美香卤面 (Balestier)
586 Balestier Road, #01-01, Eastpac Building Singapore 329898

Visited Jul 2023

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