60+ years of legacy with old-school prawn noodles at Havelock Road Covent Garden Prawn Noodle

I’ve heard of Covent Garden Prawn Noodle at Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre earlier than. It’s well-known for its old-school bowls of prawn mee, that are filled with conventional flavours. Previously, the stall was helmed by an previous couple.

Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre is often known as the L-shaped hawker centre, notorious for its meals and packed crowds, particularly throughout peak hours. With well-known stalls filling the hawker with its snaking lengthy queues, it doesn’t appear to be that a lot of a hidden gem contemplating how they aren’t situated on the important highway.

Back within the Nineteen Eighties, Covent Garden Prawn Noodle was beforehand situated at Old Zion Road Hawker Centre. Before they named themselves Covent Garden Prawn Noodle, Mr. Lee was a kok kok mee hawker, and he went round banging bamboo poles to create the “kok kok” sound as a technique to garner attraction for his prawn mee. Back within the olden days, these noodle stall hawkers have been seen doing this excitedly whereas pushing their push-carts round.

After the demise of Mr. Lee, Ms. Yim took over the stall after receiving steerage from Mrs. Lee, the unique proprietor of Covent Garden Prawn Noodle.

I truly got here right here to get my repair of nasi lemak within the space, but it surely was closed so I gave this well-known prawn mee stall a go. As I approached the stall, I used to be confronted with an endearing smile from whom I inferred to be Ms. Yim. As the lone proprietor of the shop now, she was accompanied by the pop music taking part in within the background by her son.

The glass window on the entrance displayed an aesthetic array of condiments and utensils— clearly the work of a girl who pays consideration to element!

What I attempted at Covent Garden Prawn Noodle

At the storefront, the costs of S$4/S$5/S$7 have been introduced subsequent to a picture of prawn noodles. They provide a concise menu of Prawn Noodles and Pig Tail Noodles. I opted for Prawn Mee at S$5, as she promised that there can be extra elements. You may add S$2 for a portion of pig pores and skin and intestines.

As with most noodle stalls, you possibly can go for the dry or soup choices.

Just like she promised, I used to be served with a beneficiant bowl of recent elements blanketed over my alternative of mee— bee hoon-mian (mixture of skinny rice noodles and egg noodles). I counted 6 small prawns, 4 enormous slices of pork and a considerable quantity of fishcake and beansprouts.

Unfortunately, I discovered that they did themselves injustice after they plated their noodles in an enormous bowl, making it seem to be their portion was small.

Time for a style check! I gave my noodles a great toss, mixing all of the pork lard oil, chilli sauce and garlic chips collectively that give the noodles its fragrant flavour.

A chew in and the very first thing I tasted was the slight trace of ketchup within the sauce. The bee hoon soaks up the sauces due to its absorbent function, whereas retaining the richness of the prawn broth that it was cooked in.

What I appreciated was the truth that the prawns have been de-shelled and cleansed, eradicating the gunk that some hawkers often shut an eye fixed to. It is obvious to say that the present proprietor of Covent Garden Prawn Noodle places in a variety of effort behind the scenes. Not to say, de-shelled prawns are means simpler to eat!

The skinny slices of pork have been tender and it gave the bowl of noodles an assuaging component for many who may discover prawn noodles barely fishy.

On the draw back, I discovered the noodles a bit dry as a result of I personally favor my noodles to be wetter in texture. Pour a splash or two of the soup into the prawn noodles for an immediate moist texture— it made it style means higher!

All my compliments go to their soup. I obtained a glimpse of the behind the scenes after I noticed her scooping up my bowl of soup from a broth full of prawn heads. Knowing that hours have been spent boiling it, it’s no marvel it tasted so wealthy!

While some may say that it’s lighter in flavour, I truly actually appreciated the broth. It was palatable and wasn’t too overpowering. This may differ from well-liked opinions, however I’d most likely advocate the soup possibility as a substitute of the dry.

Another nice level is that their prawn noodles comprise a big portion of pork lard. Once combined, you’ll get bits and items of the addictive pork lard in virtually each spoonful!

Final ideas

Either the portion is small, I’m actually hungry, or this was good. It could possibly be the entire above! Although I felt that the style wasn’t out of this world, they certain make up for it with their beneficiant portion of elements. I additionally admire exhausting work and figuring out that this was the works of a woman in coaching after the artwork of the aged couple, I assumed that it was nice effort.

Furthermore, I’m certain the strain of protecting as much as commonplace with their well-known neighbours is immense. With Noo Cheng Adam Road Prawn Mee close by, Covent Garden Prawn Mee is a less expensive different for a bowl of prawn noodles.

Expected injury: S$4 – S$7 per pax

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