Tjao Sin Wanton Mee @ Blk 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1. Lost & Found Favourite WTM Invisible on Social Media

Today, I met up with Daniel, Sylvia and family at Queenstown MRT station to start our whole day food trail. We had a perfect plan laid out. Food trails with Johor Kaki always start with a perfect plan 😄

After I hopped into their car, I casually mentioned that I missed the old school wanton mee at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Alexandra Road. But, the wanton mee stall disappeared when Tjao Sin Eating House was demolished to make way for Alexis condominium.

Ding, ding, ding, 🔔🔔🔔 it instantly rang a bell with everyone in the car. "Yes, yes, yes! it is one of our favourites too" everybody chimed in.

"We know where it has gone. We can go there first."

Dang, dang, dang. Perfect plans always unravel once the food trail with Johor Kaki starts 😅

Tjao Sin wanton mee has moved into Block 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1 (the same coffee shop as Hong Kong Street Chun Kee). After moving here 12 years ago, Tjao Sin wanton mee sort of "disappeared" as it could not be found online (yeah, lower than below the social media radar 🤷‍♂️ ). Only some faithfuls like Daniel and Sylvia's family know where they are now.

Mdm Tan who runs Tjao Sin wanton mee started as a helper at her uncle's stall in Katong known as Hock Lam Wanton Mee. Oh...? That sounds intriguing 🤔

Mdm Tan's uncle started his wanton mee stall in the 1960s at Hock Lam Street. Hock Lam Street was a foodie haven and his stall was known as Hock Lam Wanton Mee. Of course, the most famous stall there was Hock Lam Beef Noodles.

In the 1970s, Mdm Tan's uncle moved his Hock Lam Wanton Mee stall to a coffee shop in East Coast Road, the same one as the legendary Janggut Laksa 😮

If anyone knows Hock Lam Wanton Mee and wonders where it has gone, it is now here at Block 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1.

When her uncle retired in the 1990s, Mdm Tan set up her own stall at Tjao Sin Eating House at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Alexandra Road. As Mdm Tan's wanton mee is the only stall that opened during the daytime at Tjao Sin Eating House, her stall was known as Tjao Sin wanton mee to her customers. Actually, Mdm Tan did not give her stall any name at all.

Mdm Tan ran the stall here for 16 years and had a huge following. I remember the mornings were always full house with many office workers working nearby having their breakfast ritual here. It was during this time that I began eating at Mdm Tan's wanton mee stall whenever I am around this area.

Around this time too, Daniel had been tabao-ing (taking away) Tjao Sin wanton mee for Sylvia and future mother-in-law 💗 So smart lo 👍 😉

Then, 12 years ago, they demolished Tjao Sin Eating House to built Alexis condominium and Mdm Tan moved her wanton mee stall here at Blk 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1 which is anchored by Hong Kong Street Chun Kee restaurant.

But, Mdm Tan actually never gave her stall any name and so since then she sort of disappeared to some of her fans including me. Without a name, her stall is also invisible on social media. Fortunately, Mdm Tan was able to rebuild a new following here.

Thanks to Daniel and Sylvia, I rediscovered one of my nostalgic favourites again.

Some things have not changed at Tjao Sin Wanton Mee. The same old school aroma of sesame oil and lard greeted us when the plates of wanton mee arrived at the table. The same pocket friendly prices - $3 small serving, $4 large serving.

There was plenty of sauce though I remember there was even more in their old place, if my memory serves me right. The char siew was just ok, but their main draw for me was the egg noodles and sauce.

The egg noodles had a nice tender crunch to the bite. The lard, sesame oil, chili sauce wrapped every strand with lardy, aromatic, spicy hot flavours, taste and smell.

Lard lovers can help themselves to their hearts' content. Plenty of lardy flavour but today they were not very crackly.

The wantons with minced pork and prawn filling were nice. The soup have just mild anchovy flavour i.e. slightly bland.

Fans of the no name wanton mee stall at the old Tjao Sin Eating House, if you are looking for your old favourite breakfast or lunch hangout, they are now at Blk 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1.

Thank you, Daniel and Sylvia for reuniting me with my old breakfast wanton mee.

Restaurant name: No name wanton mee stall (formerly at Tjao Sin Eating House)

Address: 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1, Singapore 150125 (wanton mee stall is sharing space with Hong Kong Street Chun Kee restaurant)

Hours: 8:00am - 2:00pm

 

Date visited: 17 Sep 2020