Lim Hokkien Fried Mee – This Stall Adds Ikan Bilis Into The Hokkien Mee!

We all know about the “Hokkien Mee Master” Tan Kue Kim who opened Kim’s Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee. He is always attired in a long sleeve shirt and donning a Rolex watch while frying Hokkien Mee. But guess what, his younger brother Tan Kue Lim also owns a hokkien mee stall, in Changi Road!

I was googling for a good makan place to recommend near Kembangan MRT and there were many who recommended Lim Hokkien Fried Mee. Sadly, there wasn’t any opening hours available online. I went once for lunch, another time during Sunday but he was closed. Thank goodness I managed to try it on my third visit. They say third time’s a charm, right?

It’s quite a sight watching Uncle Lim fry his hokkien mee. He holds the spatula on his right constantly fries the noodles using the spatula in his right hand, and occasionally pours in generous amount of broth using the ladle in his left hand. I stood beside him as I watched him fry his noodles with intense concentration.

“How do you know when to add in the broth?” I asked. He laughed and replied, “This comes with experience.”

Indeed, Uncle Lim picked up the skill from his brother, who is the owner of Kim’s Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee. After he finished army in 1973, he started his own stall in Kallang and eventually moved to the current location in 1984. He recalled, “Back then, a plate of Hokkien Mee only cost $1.”

Uncle Lim first sauté the minced garlic to cook off the rawness. Once the aroma hit its peak, noodles are added to allow the garlic fragrance to mellow into the noodles. His stock is made up of prawns, pork bones, chicken carcass, dried anchovies and sweet corn, hence you get that natural sweetness in the dish. To be honest, the wok hei is not dominant but the flavours from the prawn stock, noodles and garlic are well-balanced.

A unique ingredient in Lim Hokkien Fried Mee is the crispy ikan bilis. “About 20 years ago, there was inflation and with the increase in prices, I decided to add ikin bilis to give back to my customers.” Learning how to fry ikan bilis from a stall owner, he uses good quality ikan bilis and deep fried them till it’s crispy and flavoursome. Used as a savoury topping with the hokkien mee, it gave an good bite and contrast to the noodles. They also add pork lard onto the noodles. Feel free to request for more!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.