28-Year-Old NUS Graduate Opens Hokkien Mee Stall In TPY: Here’s Our Honest Review

Herng Hao Chi Hokkien Mee is run by a young hawker

Most of us wouldn’t trade a cushy desk job for the demanding occupation of being a hawker. However, this NUS graduate put his passion first, pursuing a career in F&B and starting his own hokkien mee stall. 

28-year-old Jing Herng is the owner of Herng Hao Chi Hokkien Mee at Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Market and Hawker Centre. When asked why he chose to sell hokkien mee, Jing Herng shared that he has always loved the dish. In fact, he now eats a couple of plates a day and still isn’t bored of it. And if you’re wondering how a NUS student learned to make such good hokkien mee, his journey started at Shiok Hokkien Mee, where he assisted for about a year before leaving to start his own business.  

If you didn’t notice, the stall name is a play on Jing Herng’s name, an idea inspired by his friend. It translates to “very delicious hokkien mee”, so naturally, we had to visit to see just how good this young hawker is. 

Food at Herng Hao Chi Hokkien Mee

The menu at Herng Hao Chi Hokkien Mee is pretty straightforward: small ($5), medium ($8), large ($10), and kosong hokkien mee ($3), basically plain noodles without the fixings. 

We ordered the medium plate, which had four prawns, pork belly, and sotong mixed in, topped with pork lard, a calamansi lime, and sambal on the side. 

We were immediately impressed by the portion size, which was very reasonable for the price point. The hokkien mee was on the wet side, cooked in a heady broth that is stewed for six to seven hours, according to Jing Herng. 

The ingredients in the hokkien mee were fresh and well-cooked. The prawns were sweet, with a firm and slightly bouncy texture. Meanwhile, the pork lard added a satisfying crunch and rich, savoury flavour, providing a nice contrast to the creamy noodles. 

It was definitely an above-average plate with well-balanced flavours and quality ingredients. The young hawker shared that the wok hei flavour is what set his stall apart from his competitors, and we have to agree. There was a distinct charred taste that wasn’t overwhelming, so you won’t feel jelak a few bites in. The lime also added a refreshing and much-needed contrast to the savoury dish. 

Another thing that stood out was the house-made sambal sauce, which is not for the faint of heart. I took a small nibble and was immediately hit by the strong spice. However, the acidity of the sambal paired incredibly well with the noodles, and despite the sweating, I found myself enjoying the chilli sauce bite after bite.

Ambience at Herng Hao Chi Hokkien Mee

We arrived at the stall on a weekday at around 2pm, right after the lunch rush. While business at the stall is usually said to be booming, we were met with an empty hawker centre and didn’t have to wait. In classic hawker fashion, it was hot and humid despite the open space, but nothing a true-blue Singaporean isn’t used to. 

Herng Hao Chi Hokkien Mee is located in Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Market and Hawker Centre, which is an 11-minute walk from Braddell MRT Station. 

Herng Hao Chi Hokkien Mee – Eatbook review

Overall, Herng Hao Chi Hokkien Mee is one of the better versions we’ve tried. The quality ingredients and well-balanced flavours showed how much thought and passion went into the dish. While the location is not the most accessible, it’s definitely worth seeking out if you’re in the area. 

If you’re interested in more unique stories like this one, definitely check out Outback Butchery, opened by an Australian butcher also based in Toa Payoh. Or, for more hokkien mee content, we ranked these top hokkien mee stalls in Singapore so you don’t have to.

Address: Lor 8 Toa Payoh, #01-52, Singapore 310210
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 8pm
Website
Herng Hao Chi Hokkien Mee is not halal-certified.

Photos taken by Marcus Neo.
This was an independent feature by Eatbook.sg.