Xiang Xiang Traditional Bak Chor Mee Review: BCM With Intestines And Collagen Soup In Kallang

Xiang Xiang Traditional Bak Chor Mee has mee pok with collagen soup

It’s a well-known fact that bak chor mee (BCM) is a hot favourite dish with our Eatbook team. Ask any of our members about where to get the best bak chor mee in Singapore, and they’d be able to rattle off a long list for you. I’ve always been longing to review a bak chor mee stall too, and recently, I finally got my chance with Xiang Xiang Traditional Bak Chor Mee. 

What sets Xiang Xiang Bak Chor Mee apart from other BCM stalls is their collagen soup, which is simmered for hours before being served. Each bowl of noodles is dished out with utmost care—all the ingredients in their BCM are freshly prepared in-house. When we spoke to the chef, we learnt that he sources all the ingredients from the wet market every morning, and all their dishes contain no MSG. Despite the tedious preparation process, he remains steadfast in ensuring the freshness and quality of his food items. That’s really a commitment to his work, in my humble opinion.

Food at Xiang Xiang Traditional Bak Chor Mee

If this is your first time here and unsure what to start with, we recommend going with their signature Traditional Minced Pork Noodles ($4/$5/$6). The bowl comes with meatballs and minced meat in their collagen soup base, and is crowned with pork lard. 

It was hard to determine my favourite component of this dish, but if I had to pick one, it’d have to be the meatballs. They were packed with flavour, and boasted a nice bounce in every bite. There are also copious amounts of minced meat and pork lard in the bowl, which gave some nice variance in texture. 

For the soup, don’t come expecting the thick, sticky mouthfeel that typically comes with a collagen broth, as the soup is relatively thin. Nonetheless, I found the soup to have a well-balanced flavour profile, with its prominent garlicky notes adding a touch of vibrancy to the broth.

Another unique item on the menu is their Sweet Intestine Noodle ($6/$7). Aside from the usual mix of ingredients, it comes with both pig intestines and gelatinous pig skin. 

While I usually avoid having innards in my bak chor mee, I was delighted by how they were well-executed here. The pig intestines were mildly sweet, and there wasn’t any of the bitter, gamey aftertaste which often puts people off. The light-tasting pig skin was thick and chewy, and I found both elements to complement each other well.  

Dipping the intestines into their house-made chilli also added a piquant, fiery kick, making it an addictive treat when combined with the other elements in the dish. 

If you’re looking for a meatier alternative, go for Pork Belly Noodle ($6/$7). Each piece of pork belly was tender, and was packed with loads of meaty flavour. 

We can’t forget to mention the star of any bak chor mee—the noodles. Here, you can choose from Kway Teow, Mee Pok, Mee Kia, or Bee Hoon. While their noodles are not made in-house, I liked how it was cooked to the right doneness, resulting in a springy, wavy texture that wasn’t mushy. The noodles also did well in absorbing the flavour of the sauce mix.

The bak chor mee is great on its own, but you can zhng it up with vinegar to amplify the broth’s flavour. We added a dash of vinegar before giving everything a thorough mix, and my companions couldn’t stop commenting on how good it was.

Ambience at Xiang Xiang Traditional Bak Chor Mee

Xiang Xiang Traditional Bak Chor Mee is nestled in Wufu Coffee Shop, a five-minute walk from Kallang MRT Station. Although the coffee shop is a little ulu, it’s pretty spacious and wide, which makes it a peaceful spot to enjoy your meal. An additional perk of it being remote is that you don’t have to worry about long queues and aggressive birds—which my colleague Cheryl often encounters during her shoots.

The verdict

Xiang Xiang Traditional Bak Chor Mee definitely impressed us with their authentic, homey bowls of bak chor mee. My colleagues and I agreed that we will definitely be back, especially since they are located near our office. Although they might be located a little out of way, I’d argue that it’s a worthy trip down to enjoy a good ol’ bowl of bak chor mee.

If you’re looking for more BCM to try, check out No.25 Minced Meat Noodle, which uses tonkatsu-inspired soup in their noodles! Alternatively, if you’re interested in bak chor mee that has unique ingredients such as ikura and abalone, check out Minced Pork Bros.

Address: 5 Upper Boon Keng Road, #01-01, Wufu Coffee Shop, Singapore 380005
Opening hours: Sat-Thurs 8am to 8pm
Tel: 9237 0001
Xiang Xiang Traditional Bak Chor Mee is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Aldrich Tan.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg