Wang Bu Liao Traditional Prawn Noodles at Golden Mile Tower
Tucked away in a deep corner at Golden Mile Tower is an unassuming stall selling traditional prawn noodles: Wang Bu Liao Traditional Prawn Noodles. The stall has almost 300 Google reviews, and as if this isn’t good enough, they have a perfect five-star rating, which is not an easy feat to achieve. Fun fact, the stall is run by a middle-aged couple who started selling minced meat fishball noodles more than three decades ago.
Food at Wang Bu Liao Traditional Prawn Noodles
Although many people travel to Wang Bu Liao for their famed prawn mee, the stall has several other items on the menu including bak kut teh, mee sua, shark fin soup, and fish soup. We were curious as to what it took for the stall to earn such a remarkable rating, so we gave four of their popular dishes a try to see if the hype was worth it.
We had to try the Prawn Noodle Soup ($8.50) first, which came with yellow noodles, fishcake slices, green leafy vegetables, pork slices, and fresh prawns. Upon the first bite, we found the yellow noodles to be springy with just the right amount of chew, and we liked that they didn’t turn too soggy throughout our time there.
We especially loved the broth, which is said to be simmered for about four hours. The robust broth was both savoury and sweet, along with a piquant prawny flavour that came through with the use of the freshest prawns.
Although the broth was already in a league of its own, the true star of the show was the fresh prawns. They were one of the juiciest and sweetest prawns we’ve tasted, and we found ourselves savouring each bite from head to tail. I was also pleased that the prawns were cleaned and deveined well, which isn’t a given at all eateries selling prawn-based dishes.
Next, we got the Soft Bone Prawn Noodle Dry ($6). The yellow noodles came separate from the broth, which makes for a great option if you want to enjoy their robust broth without worrying about the noodles getting too soggy.
Other than fish cake slices, prawns, and pork slices, the dish came with their speciality: soft pork bones. Picture tender pork meat that falls off the bone, and soft chewable bones that are similar in texture to cartilage. This reason alone made the soft pork bone the perfect addition to prawn noodles and has become my newfound favourite way of having prawn mee.
Another notable ingredient was the heap of chilli—which looked daunting at first blush. I have a low spice tolerance, so I removed some of it from my bowl. My colleague, on the other hand, mixed it in and loved the punchy flavours.
As expected, the fragrant chilli was incredibly spicy. If you are not good at tolerating spice, take note of this before mixing it with the noods! FYI, there’s a variety of condiments available to dress your dishes with, including dark soy sauce, chilli flakes, and dried onions.
Then, we tried the Pork Liver Mee Sua ($5). The mee sua consisted of thinly sliced pork liver and thin vermicelli noodles swimming in an umami-rich broth. It was also topped with pork lard, giving it an extra layer of crispy texture that we liked.
Although we were not big fans of pork liver, we appreciated that it was cooked to just the right consistency. It was tender, not too powdery, and thankfully, there wasn’t an overpowering gamey flavour.
My favourite out of the four dishes was the Soft Bone Bak Kut Teh ($7), which we topped up an additional $1 for a bowl of rice. The soft pork bones took centre stage with its perfectly tender, fall-off-the-bone meat and soft cartilage. Although it was already delicious on its own, it became even better when dipped in dark soy sauce and paired with rice.
The bak kut teh broth was phenomenal, boasting a rich and earthy peppery flavour tinged with the meatiness of the pork bones. Although the pork bones played a crucial part in giving it its flavour, the secret to the broth was the pepper.
Instead of tossing the white peppercorns straight into the broth, they were fried first to bring out a distinctive flavour. The piping hot bowl of peppery soup, paired with the most tender pork and a bowl of rice, became my definition of the perfect comfort meal.
Ambience at Wang Bu Liao Traditional Prawn Noodles
Wang Bu Liao is the epitome of a hidden gem as it’s located in a corner on the first floor of Golden Mile Tower that requires a fair bit of searching. Even then, the stall racks up quite a large number of patrons that occupy the seating space even during off-peak hours. For instance, my colleagues and I went during the late afternoon, and surprisingly, we weren’t the only customers. Do note that there are only about six tables lined along the corridor outside the stall, so come early if you want to catch a seat!
The verdict
If you’re wondering if Wang Bu Liao Traditional Prawn Noodles deserves the perfect Google rating, my answer is yes. My colleague and I thoroughly enjoyed all the dishes down to the very last bite.
Although the stall is known for prawn mee, which was inarguably exceptional and delicious, I’ll definitely be back for my favourite: their soft bone bak kut the. Additionally, the warm service extended by the owners made the visit all the more worthwhile—so I highly recommend this stall for a good bowl of prawn mee or bak kut teh if you are in the area!
If you love prawn noodles as much as we do, read our Sixth Avenue Porky Prawn Noodle review! Otherwise, read our Woo Ji Cooked Food review for $2 laksa and prawn noodles in Chinatown.
Address: 6001 Beach Road, #01-27, Golden Mile Tower, Singapore 199589
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:30am to 6pm
Tel: 8885 8577
Wang Bu Liao Traditional Prawn Noodles is not a halal-certified eatery.
Sixth Avenue Porky Prawn Noodle Review: New Prawn Mee Stall With 11 Toppings In Bukit Timah
Photos taken by Maisie Chong.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.
The post Wang Bu Liao Traditional Prawn Noodles Review: Prawn Mee With Perfect Google Rating At Golden Mile appeared first on EatBook.sg – Local Singapore Food Guide And Review Site.
