An invention of Teochew immigrants in Singapore, fried kway teow is a nutritionist's worst nightmare. Picture a plate of lard-laden noodles and cholesterol-filled cockles doused in sodium-heavy fish sauce and sweet black soy sauce, fried in high-temperature flames. Say hello to saturated fat, cholesterol and trans fat!
Singaporeans know the undesirable consequences of eating fried kway teow, but we love the dish too much to give it up. The keyword here is "moderation". As long as we eat a balanced diet, it can't be that bad to indulge in a sinful plate of fried kway teow once in a while, can it?
Since there's so much at stake, we shouldn't waste precious calories on bad fried kway teow. Risking clogged arteries, inSing.com eats its way through some of the most talked about fried kway teow stalls to bring you this list.
Operating hours: Mon-Sat: 7am-3.30pm
Price: $2.50
Rating: 4.5/5
There is a good reason why this stall has been around for decades. The proof is in the pudding, or in this case, the noodles. Even before tasting, we could smell the wonderful charred aroma of the fried kway teow!
Each mouthful was full of fiery wok hei (wok's breath), a yardstick of excellent fried kway teow. The noodles were slippery and moist, without degenerating into a soggy mess. There was also a fair amount of juicy cockles and fishcake slices. But seriously, the noodles were good enough on their own. The seasoning here leaned towards the sweet side, so those who prefer a more savoury taste might find it a little too sweet for their liking.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 10:30am-7pm
Price: $2, $3
Rating: 4/5
The first impression we have of Meng Kee's fried kway teow is that it's of a very light shade, compared to other fried kway teow. However, this doesn't mean that the fried kway teow here was any less flavorful.
On the contrary, we were surprised by how addictive the fried kway teow here was. The kway teow was very moist and slick, and tasted slightly sweet and spicy. The most memorable part was the fresh and juicy cockles. The cockles were the fattest among the stalls reviewed.
On the downside, there weren't many ingredients used; only eggs, cockles and beansprouts. The dish was also quite oily, but this was precisely what made the noodles so smooth.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 11am-9.30pm. Closed on Sun & public holidays
Price: $3.00
Rating: 3.5/5
This was definitely the healthiest fried kway teow of the six stalls reviewed. You got a full plate of fried kway teow, topped by another plate's worth of stir-fried caixin!
Despite the generous portion, it didn't feel heavy at all. Perhaps it's because minimal lard was used to fry the noodles; the kway teow here didn't feel as rich as the rest. Or perhaps it's the crunchy, juicy caixin that made it so refreshing.
On its own, the fried kway teow was just as delicious. The seasoning was a good balance of sweet and savoury, and the dish had large, juicy cockles and crisp, sweet beansprouts in it. A unique touch was the addition of chai poh (salted radish), which provided a salty and crunchy contrast. This was one fried kway teow that you can indulge in without feeling like you've swallowed a whole block of butter.
No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow
Opening hours: 12pm-3pm/6pm-11pm. Closed on alternate Mon
Price: $3, 4, 5
Rating: 3.5/5
The fried kway teow here had the most ingredients among all the stalls reviewed. Besides the usual eggs, beansprouts, and cockles, there's also fishcake, lup cheong (Chinese sausage), and Chinese chives. These additional ingredients certainly added an interesting dimension to the traditional version.
A good mix of sweet and savoury, the seasoning was nicely balanced. Although the noodles could be more moist, the good thing was that they were not too oily. The noodles could also benefit from more wok hei. That said, overall, the fried kway teow here was still one of the better versions around. A very generous amount was given for the price.
Hill Street Fried Kway Teow
Opening hours: Tues-Sun:10.30am-7pm
Price: $2.50, $3.00
Rating: 3/5
Although this famous stall is considered one of the best fried kway teow in Singapore, we thought it was just average. Perhaps we caught the chef on an off day; the dish was soggy and didn't have enough wok hei. We also felt that the noodles were too bland. In trying to cut down on salt and sugar, the noodles lacked a distinctive taste. It would definitely have tasted much better with bolder flavours.
What saved the dish from being a total letdown were the rest of the ingredients. The cockles were cooked just right, so that they retained their juiciness. The fried lard cubes were delightfully crispy. There was also lots of beansprouts, which gave a crunchy, refreshing contrast to the dish.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 5pm-10pm
Price: $3.00
Rating: 2/5
Hai Kee is another legendary name for fried kway teow, but we were less than impressed. To start with, the kway teow was too broken up, too mushy, and too heavy. The overall taste was too mild, with no distinctive flavor. There's a lot of noodle, but only a small amount of eggs and beansprouts. And even then, the beansprouts weren't crunchy at all.
The only nice thing about the kway teow was the incredibly generous portion of cockles that came with it. This is great if you're a cockle lover, otherwise, there's nothing much to like. In addition, the long waiting time of 20-30 minutes at this one-man operated stall is a turn-off.
