Liu Lang Mian Review: Popular Noodle Bar At Alexandra Central With 4.7-Star Rating

Liu Lang Mian has famous fusion noodles in Alexandra

A good friend of mine is extremely picky with noodles. He takes umbrage at spaghetti, pho, and udon, and even has a convoluted flowchart explaining why he can’t enjoy them like a normal human being. But that extreme selectiveness means that when he does enjoy a noodle dish, you know it’s going to be really good. Why am I telling you this? It’s because the eatery we’re reviewing today, Liu Lang Mian, is one of the few places he swears by.

Liu Lang Mian is the brainchild of Hubert Arnold, formerly the head chef of Raw Kitchen Bar and Kilo Kitchen. What began as a home-based business called SOBA25 has since grown into a noodle bar at Alexandra Central Mall, serving Japanese noodles with some Chinese influences.

FYI: The popular eatery currently boasts a 4.7-star rating on Google, based on more than 400 reviews.

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Food at Liu Lang Mian

We started with the Grilled Duck Chashu Soba ($14.50), which is the noodle bar’s claim to fame.

The soup here was simply incredible. You get a shoyu-based duck paitan broth, slowly simmered for eight hours until every drop is a slap-you-in-the-face level of richness.

There was the savoury depth of shoyu, the meatiness of duck, and a glorious smokiness that ties the flavours together. To top it all off, the broth had this luxuriously creamy texture. I’m not glazing; it was just that good.

All that flavour was soaked up by the silky yet chewy soba noodles. There was a generous portion of them, too, enough to leave you satiated after a bowl.

The duck was also fantastic. Each slice had that slightly charred flavour I was hoping for, and was quite thickly cut and succulent.

Ajitsuke eggs, menma, and a large sheet of nori rounded out the bowl nicely—no complaints about any of them, as each added a new dimension to the bowl.

What’s remarkable is that the Signature Chilli Mazesoba ($14.50) was on the same level as the previous dish. The Chinese influences are more pronounced here, with the usual mazesoba elements such as wheat noodles, nori, and onsen egg existing alongside chilli crunch, lor bak, and even wonton skin.

After giving the noodles a thorough mix, the result was a dry noodle dish brimming with complexity. Of course, you had the chilli crunch adding a nice spicy kick, but there was also a hint of zestiness that brought to mind yuzu. Then there were the bursts of fatty flavour, courtesy of the pork lard hidden among the ingredients.

The lor bak, these thick slices of braised pork belly, had a pretty good balance between lean meat and fat. It also helped that they were well-braised and plenty savoury.

One of the more interesting side dishes here is the Har Cheong Karaage ($9), the love child of chicken karaage and har cheong gai, AKA prawn paste chicken. It tasted exactly as you’d expect, with the umami and slightly funky notes of prawn paste shining through the karaage.

But I will say it was a little too salty for my liking, which may be why there was some tangy honey mustard mayo on the side to balance things out.

Ah Ma’s Ngoh Hiang ($7) was a lot more disappointing—apologies to said grandmother. It consisted of a few thin rolls of ngoh hiang, stuffed with dried-out minced pork and water chestnuts that didn’t leave much of a crunch. Personally, the Har Cheong Karaage made for a far better side—or maybe my expectations were just a little too high for a dish as nostalgic as ngoh hiang.

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Ambience at Liu Lang Mian

Liu Lang Mian occupies a cramped space with limited seats, though it is not without its charms. Its walls are decorated with retro Coke bottles and posters of yesteryear, giving it a cosy, quaint feel. Since seats are limited, you’re advised to drop by early to avoid the wait.

The noodle bar is a five-minute bus ride from Redhill MRT Station.

Liu Lang Mian – Eatbook Review

My picky friend was right—Liu Lang Mian serves exceptional noodle dishes made with a lot of thought and care. It’s now one of my favourite noodle spots in Singapore, and if you haven’t tried it yet, I’d highly recommend doing so soon.

For a Michelin-approved soba spot in Chinatown, read our Gwanghwamun Mijin review. For $8 chilli crab noodles, read our Gan Lao Zai review.

Address: 321 Alexandra Road, #01-03, Alexandra Central Mall, Singapore 159971
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11:30am to 3pm, 5:30pm to 9:30pm
Website
Liu Lang Mian is not a halal-certified eatery.

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Photos taken by Casandra Nicholas and edited by Nabila Malek.
This was a media tasting at Liu Lang Mian.

Feature image adapted from Lin Eva via Google Maps