Jiak Mee Review: Handmade Mee Hoon Kueh By Gen Zs In Bishan

Jiak Mee has handmade noodles and sides at Bishan

As a huge fan of mee hoon kueh (MHK), I was elated when I heard there was a new MHK stall, Jiak Mee, that opened in my hood. Imagine my surprise when I realised it is run by three 20-year-old friends, who are awaiting university entrance!

Jiak Mee is a MHK stall located in Bishan Cafeteria, right outside Junction 8. The stall offers mee hoon kueh, ban mian, you mian, and ee mian, as well as a variety of sides.

Food at Jiak Mee

Since the traditional Dry Mee Hoon Kueh is their signature dish, we decided to try that first. 

Priced at $5.30, the dry mee hoon kueh consisted of some mani cai, poached egg, minced meat, anchovies, shallots, as well as a dark, savoury sauce doused over the noodles. Texture-wise, I found the noodles to be a little bit starchy by itself, but that was fine as the ingredients helped to mask the taste. 

The ingredients in the dish complemented each other very well—the dark sauce coated the noodles evenly and there were enough ingredients to match the amount of carbs provided. The anchovies provided an extra crunch, adding layers to the dish. To me, the minced meat was the highlight as it came in big chunks and was incredibly juicy. While it was a delicious bowl of noodles, I personally felt that the portion was a tad bit smaller than usual.

As a spicy food lover myself, I was psyched when they shared that their homemade chilli was extremely fiery. And they were right—despite adding a little bit, the chilli still left a burning sensation on my tongue. You can choose to purchase a tub of it at $5.30 for 180g. 

However, although the chilli added an extra oomph to the dry noodles, do not add too much as it may overpower the dish. 

We also ordered the Soup Ban Mian ($4.80), which came with the same ingredients as the dry version. 

The soup was light and flavourful, and seemed to have absorbed the flavours of the ingredients well. While the soup had the unmistakable taste of anchovies, it was not overly salty and was surprisingly light on my palate. 

The ban mian did not have the same starchy taste as the mee hoon kueh, and I found that the noodles, ingredients, and soup complemented each other, making it a hearty bowl. My colleagues and I preferred the dry version to the soup, but nonetheless, the soup option is worth a shot too.

 

We also ordered a side dish for sharing, the Crispy Luncheon Meat ($6). We decided on this as we felt that it was a unique option compared to the other sides, as this was not commonly found at other noodle shops. 

The crispy luncheon meat was fried upon ordering, making it hot and crunchy. We also appreciated the fact that the batter was not too thick, allowing us to enjoy the luncheon meat within. 

Although this was a side dish, there were more pieces than expected. The luncheon meat was sliced into thin pieces and was an addictive snack on top of the mains. However, for its price, I expected a thicker cut of luncheon meat. 

Ambience at Jiak Mee

Located on top of Bishan Interchange, Jiak Mee is a two-minute walk from Bishan MRT Station Exit D. The coffee shop is slightly smaller and can be quite busy during lunch and dinner hours, so come earlier to find a seat and to avoid waiting too long for your food. 

The verdict

I enjoyed the stall’s dry mee hoon kueh and would order it again on my next visit. The dark sauce used was extremely enticing and delicious, and was not overly salty, which is a bonus. For sides, I would opt for the crispy chicken cutlet rather than the crispy luncheon meat in the future. While it was an enjoyable meal overall, I believe there is still room for improvement since they are still relatively new. 

For more ban mian to try around Singapore, check out our best ban mian in Singapore guide. If you’re looking for food around Bishan, read our Junction 8 food guide. 

Address: 514 Bishan Street 13, Singapore 570514
Opening hours: Daily 7:30am to 8:30pm
Website
Jiak Mee is not a halal-certified eatery

 

Photos taken by Melvin Mak
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg