Is Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle Michelin Star-Worthy Or Overrated?

Hill Street Tai Hwa is Singapore’s only Michelin-starred hawker

If you look through Singapore’s list of Michelin-starred eateries, there is one entry that stands out from the rest. It does not require any dress code, nor does it serve aesthetically plated fine dining dishes. Instead, it simply embodies the entire unadulterated essence of the country’s hawker scene—and that is Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle.

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The stall specialises in the quintessential Singaporean comfort dish, bak chor mee. Alongside Hawker Chan, it became one of the first two hawker stalls to be awarded a Michelin star in the inaugural Singapore Michelin Guide back in 2016

While the former has since lost its crown in 2021, Tai Hwa has retained its Michelin star every year. Although opinions remain mixed, there’s no denying it has maintained a level of consistency strong enough to keep drawing long queues of tourists and loyal regulars to this day.

Importantly, they are not affiliated with Tai Wah Pork Noodle, despite being from the same family. Tai Wah is helmed by brothers Gerald and Jason Tang—sons of Tang Chai Chye, who is himself the son of Tai Hwa founder Tang Joon Teo.

Food at Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

The no-frills menu offers just two main options—Kway Teow Soup and Dry Noodles, available in $8, $10, $12, and $15 portions. You can also get a full portion of their famous Zha Bian Yu AKA fried sole fish, as well as individual meatball and seaweed soups to go along with your meal.

Many people are quick to scoff at the $8 price tag for a bowl of bak chor mee, but given many bowls today hover around the $5 to $6 range, the quality and variety of toppings here makes the premium feel reasonable. 

We opted for the famous dry noodles, which were decently portioned. I liked the thicker strands of mee pok used, which soaked up the watery sauce well. The brand’s hallmark bold, vinegary profile coated each strand nicely, allowing the noodles to carry more flavour while retaining their springy and satisfying mouthfeel.

However, this is also where opinions tend to split on Tai Hwa, as many argue that the prominent vinegar overwhelms the other elements of the dish. Many love bak chor mee bowls for its well-balanced combination of sauces, and here, the vinegar felt a little too dominant for me. I would have loved for the fragrance and spice of the chilli sauce to be more pronounced. 

That aside, Tai Hwa’s toppings were a standout. Unlike many other spots that often serve up dry and rubbery meat, Its pork slices and minced meat were clean-tasting and savoury, which complemented the vinegar-laden mee pok, It is clear that the cooks are masters at controlling cooking time and heat across the elements, which likely explains the consistently excellent textures throughout the dish.

Three meatballs offered excellent value, and while they were not the largest in size, they had a firm yet tender bite that held together well without being spongy. The two plump dumplings came with a thin skin encasing juicy, well-seasoned pork filling, adding an extra umami punch to the dish.

The few slices of liver did not quite match up to the high bar set by spots such as Orchard Bak Chor Mee and Jin Xi Lai, but there was certainly nothing much to complain about as they were soft and tender enough.

Meanwhile, the pieces of salted fried fish provided a pleasant contrast in flavour, with its light crispness offering a welcome alternative to the typically heavier lard-based toppings.

You may be familiar with the MSG-laden and soulless soups that frequently accompany bak chor mee, but rest assured that is far from the case here. Instead, you will find an intense porky broth with good depth and richness, which serves as the perfect palate cleanser. 

Ambience at Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

Located within the modest, slightly weathered Tai Hwa Eating House along Crawford Lane in Lavender, the coffeeshop has naturally become a hotspot for tourists over the years. As expected of a Michelin-starred hawker, queues can be long—sometimes stretching up to two hours—so it is best to arrive earlier than usual meal times to avoid the peak rush and improve your chances of securing a seat. Pick one of the roadside tables if possible for better ventilation as the interior can get quite stuffy. 

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle–Eatbook review

While bak chor mee generally sits in the “hard to go wrong” category—where you’re more likely to get a solid bowl than a bad one—Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle still stands a cut above the average offering, having arguably nailed every element of the dish. I’d gladly make the trip down whenever the craving hits, though how often that happens is another question, as I did leave my meal feeling a little heavy.

That said, it still deserves its place and is able to hold its own among a star-studded Michelin cast. Even with many dismissing it as overrated, the fact that it consistently draws minimally a 15–20 minute queue even during non-peak hours is a testament to its enduring appeal. 

For other signature noodle dishes Singapore has to offer, check out our review on the popular Hokkien Man Hokkien Mee, or read our guide to the top laksa stalls in the country. 

Address: 466 Crawford Lane, #01-12, Singapore 190466
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 8:30pm
Tel: 9272 3920
Website
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle is not halal-certified.

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Photos by Paula Formantes.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.