Whenever someone chimes ‘bee hoon’, I always think of the simple yet delicious vegetarian fried bee hoon at hawker centres. But bee hoon, when done well, can be so much more. These zi char stalls have made bee hoon into a dish that is so good, people flock from all over our island to have it.
Yong Kee Seafood Restaurant’s Chao Tar Bee Hoon ($6 to $18) is what keeps their pool of customers expanding. Presented like a pancake, this bee hoon is pan-fried till charred on one side while remaining flavourful and moist on the other. Dig into the bee hoon to reveal an array of ingredients such as prawns, squid, fish cake and char siew. Topped with crispy lard, bean sprouts and chopped spring onions to add texture, this is not to be missed.
Check out other places in Singapore that serve unique zi char dishes.
Address: 43 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208804
Opening hours: Daily 5pm to 3am
Tel: 6396 5390
136 Hong Kong Street Fish Head Steamboat’s signature dish might be Special Claypot Braised ‘Mi Tai Ba’ ($5/$8/$10), but their Boss Prawn Bee Hoon ($8/$15/$25/$35) is another dish worth getting. Short pieces of bee hoon are coated in a thick sauce and served bubbling in a clay pot. The prawns adds notes of sweetness to this savoury dish.
Check out our full review of 136 Hong Kong Street Fish Head Steamboat.
Address: Block 713 Clementi West Street 2, Singapore 120713
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 11pm
Tel: 9437 8260
Join the queue to grab a bowl of Curry Chicken Bee Hoon ($4.50/$5.50/$6.50) from Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee. Each strand of bee hoon soaks up the smooth and fragrant curry broth that takes on a smoky, fiery kick once mixed with sambal chilli. Topped with tender slices of chicken, tau pok, fish cake and potato chunks, this comforting dish proves why this stall always has a queue!
Address: 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-57/58, Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Singapore 051531
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9am to 9pm
Tel: 9457 4826
Website
Full list of outlets
Cheese Crab Bee Hoon ($25/$30) from Don Signature Crab makes normal crab bee hoon sound basic. An entire Sri Lankan crab is doused in cheese sauce, with bee hoon at the bottom to soak up the rest of the cheesy goodness. The sweet crab meat complements the slightly salty cheese, making this seemingly odd combination work. If you are not one who is adventurous with food, try their Crab Claypot Bee Hoon ($25/$30) – the dish that made them famous. Or, try both and determine for yourself which is better!
Check out other updated hawker food or crazy food combis.
Address: Block 206 Toa Payoh North, #01-1197, Bee Chow Hng Eating House, Singapore 310206
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12pm to 8:30pm, Sat-Sun 1pm to 8pm
Tel: 9691 6776
Website
Spicy Thai – Thai Cafe’s Lala Beehoon ($18) is served in a mini steamboat pot, a major plus point since it keeps the food warm longer. Topped generously with fresh and juicy clams, you won’t have to worry about having too little ingredients to go with your bee hoon. This hidden gem in Aljunied also serves Hommok ($18), AKA Thai-style otah, in a coconut!
Check out our full review of Spicy Thai – Thai Cafe.
Address: Block 115 Aljunied Avenue 2, #01-35, Singapore 380115
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 12am
Tel: 6747 8558
Website
Big Prawns Hor Fun ($16/$32/$48) and Big Prawns Bee Hoon Soup ($16/$32/$48) make Kok Sen Restaurant a die die must try. The latter features thick bee hoon, chopped kai lan and large prawns swimming in a red broth. The robust broth has a shiok spicy kick that makes it stand out from regular prawn mee. In case you missed it, this zi char eatery along Keong Saik is on last year’s Michelin Bib Gourmand list!
Check out our full review of Kok Sen Restaurant.
Address: 30-32 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089137
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 10:30pm
Tel: 6223 0955
XO Crab Bee Hoon ($48) from 881 XO Fish Head Bee Hoon has a thinner and clearer broth than typical crab bee hoon, and an alcoholic kick as well. The alcohol makes the crab meat sweeter and more succulent. Paired with the addictive broth and smooth bee hoon, this is one tasty bee hoon dish crab lovers should try.
Address: 412 Balestier Road, Hong Kong Street Chun Tat Kee, Singapore 329805
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 4:30pm, 5pm to 11pm
Tel: 6254 5768
TPY Mellben Seafood offers a wide variety of dishes, but they are better known for their crabs. Curry Black Pepper Crab with Bee Hoon (seasonal price, additional $4 for bee hoon) is a must-try. Black pepper is distributed to all parts of this dish, and even the crab meat is bursting with a smoky, peppery flavour that might make you wanna keep a glass of water close.
Address: Block 211 Toa Payoh Lorong 8, #01-11/15, Singapore 310211
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 4pm to 12am, Sat-Sun & PH 12pm to 12am (last order at 10:45pm daily)
Tel: 6353 3120
Website
Menu
An interesting dish that stands out from TungLok Seafood’s menu is Laksa Crab Bee Hoon ($65++/kg), which consists of thick bee hoon and fresh crab swimming in fragrant laksa broth. The laksa broth has just the right amount of spiciness to deliver a mild kick that strikes a balance with the rich coconut flavour.
Check out other places in Singapore that serve uncommon crab dishes.
Address: 181 Orchard Road, #11-05, Orchard Central, Singapore 238896
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am to 3pm, 6pm to 10:30pm, Sun 10am to 3pm, 6pm to 10:30pm
Tel: 6834 4888
Website
Menus
Full list of outlets
Do not be fooled by the simple appearance of this plate of Fried Bee Hoon ($1) from Chang Ji Gourmet. Dubbed ‘shark’s fin porridge’, there is a recommended way to eat this dish: mix the fried bee hoon into a bowl of Fish and Peanut Porridge ($1) and slurp this unique combination down.
Address: Block 335 Smith Street, #02-110, Chinatown Complex Market Food Centre, Singapore 050335
Opening hours: Wed to Mon 6am to 2pm
With these 10 signature bee hoon dishes, you can be assured that bee hoon is no plain Jane. Check out these places and drop us a comment if you have other signature bee hoon dishes to recommend.
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