“Authentic Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow Pte Ltd” at North Canal Road

The popular Hock Lam Street beef noodles is a signature offering at “Authentic Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow Pte Ltd” that CBD folks have come to enjoy. The restaurant is located at North Canal Road, just opposite OCBC Centre. There are quite a few restaurants in Singapore claiming to serve the “authentic” Hock Lam Street beef noodles, but at the end of the day what’s most important to me is that the food tastes good.

I arrive at the restaurant at about 12.30pm with my colleagues. By this time, the restaurant is already packed and there are about ten people in the queue. I am unfazed because I’ve come to understand the immutable fact that if you want to enjoy good food in the city area, you have to queue! The friendly restaurant staff hands me a menu while I’m waiting and I decide to try item number four “Sliced Beef & Beef Ball”. According to the menu, this is one of their “人气王” (most popular) items. I order mine with soup and without bean sprouts. After waiting for about ten minutes we enter the restaurant.

The first level of the restaurant is already full so we are led to the second level. The place is quite well ventilated so the place doesn’t reek of beef smell. After a short while, the noodles are served. As my colleagues pass my bowl to me, I check the noodles to ensure that there are no bean sprouts. I am not a fussy eater but I just don’t like having bean sprouts with unplucked ends in my food. After the quick QC check, I tuck into the noodles.

Sliced Beef & Beef Ball ($6.50)

I start by taking a sip of the soup. Usually, beef will have a slight, or even fishy odour if not processed properly during cooking. However, the soup doesn’t have any unpleasant odour at all, and there is a lightness of touch with the addition of the spring onions and salted vegetables. This is a savoury and delicious beef broth and I take a few more sips.  Next, I take a bite of the beef balls and sliced beef. The beef balls are fresh and chewy, and compliment the noodles perfectly. The sliced beef are fresh and tender too, unlike some other joints where the beef feels like rubber in your mouth.

Conclusion: An Artful Balance in Flavour and Texture
Overall, the impression is one of artful balance in the flavour and texture of the beef noodles. The chef has managed to retain the distinct beef flavour of the broth while getting rid of any unpleasant odour. The beef balls and sliced beef are deliciously firm and tasty but not overly difficult to chew. In short, it’s a shiok and satisfying bowl of beef noodles!

If you are having a craving for beef noodles, head down to “Authentic Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow Pte Ltd” at North Canal Road. If you are going for lunch on a weekday, you might want to go earlier to avoid the lunch hour crowd 🙂

Authentic Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow Pte Ltd
06 North Canal Road (opposite OCBC Centre Chulia Street)
Singapore 048819
Mon to Fri: 11am to 8.30pm, Sat: 11am to 4pm
(Closed on Sun and PH)
Phone Number: +65 6535 0084
Website: https://www.facebook.com/hocklambeef

Directions
The restaurant is located opposite OCBC Centre Chulia St, and is just a short five minutes’ walk from Raffles Place Mrt. Click the link to see the exact walking directions.

Other Locations
– 38 Seah Street (beside Raffles Hotel)
Daily: 10.30am to 8.30pm

– Chinese Swimming Club
Sat & Sun Dinner Only (Open to Members only)

Menu
Click on the picture to see full-sized menu!