Hock Seng Choon Fish Ball Kway Teow Mee – Fishball Noodle Store As Old As Singapore

Hock Seng Choon…where shall I even begin? (Bias review incoming 😅)

Being the very first post/store I uploaded on my Instagram, Seng Hong Choon holds a very special place in my heart. Growing up by them and being their regular customer (as much as I can these days) for the last twenty years, their fishball noodles remained unrivaled in Bedok. Located at Block 16 right opposite Temasek Junior College, it boasts long queues during peak hours and it’s a stall that I always return for more to satiate my fishball noodle fix.

Brief History

As mentioned in the title, Hock Seng Choon Fish Ball Kway Teow Mee first begun as a street hawker in 1965, around the same time as Singapore’s independence as a nation. Like most street hawkers of the time, they eventually move to permanent hawker centres and have been stationed at Block 16 Bedok South Market & Food Centre since 1975 till the present day.

One key feature about Hock Seng Choon was their handmade fishballs, using purely yellowtail fish paste that doesn’t look completely round like what you see in most fishball noodles stores. And that’s part of their charm, as this is somewhat of a quality assurance that the fishballs you get are freshly handmade each day.

Experience

Whether if it’s your first time visiting or a seasoned regular, the store has always been located in the same spot for the past 49 years at #01-50. The queue moves quick even with a long line, and the lao ban niang (lady boss in Mandarin) would usually take your order for the group of first three customers in line. Don’t be shy to say ‘hi’ to the lao ban niang, she’s an easygoing and nice lady who is willing to engage in small chit-chat during quieter periods.

For anyone who wants some extra fried lard in your noodles, feel free to request for it. Ask and ye shall receive. They’ll kindly make the changes for you even if you don’t want certain condiments added, like coriander.

Taste Test: Fishball Noodles (Dry, Kway Teow, Ketchup, $4)

As a child, my go-to order would always be the fishball kway teow soup. Kinda basic, I know. But they’re much more well-known for their fishball noodles in dried form and that’s the order most customers would ask for. The dry version’s $0.50 more than the soup version, but is it worth the price? Let’s find out.

For this review, I ordered the dry version of their fishball noodles with ketchup. Not many fishball noodles store does noodles with ketchup very well (coughcoughJalanTuaKongLauLim) but I am confident to say that Hock Seng Choon balances the sauce and the noodles perfectly.

Helps that the chef mixes the freshly cooked noodles and the sauce (whether it’s ketchup or chili) before serving it to the customer. While it takes the fun out of the customer mixing the sauce and noodles, the sauce coats the noodles evenly that all you need to do as a customer is to start chowing down.

The ketchup’s not too overpowering to the point that it dominates the taste profile of the noodles, and the kway teow I ordered was on par, perhaps even better than the kway teow at Song Kee.

And speaking of Song Kee, one element that they were better at than Hock Seng Choon was the herh keow (fish dumplings). HSC’s herh keow isn’t all terrible; it was still tender and was more subtle with their flavours, but it lacks the meaty goodness that was found in Song Kee’s. From my previous visits, the herh keow was definitely much better appearance and taste-wise, but it all practically boils down to luck whether if you get a good looking herh keow or not.

You think I’ve forgotten the most important aspect of this dish: the fishballs? Worry not, as I’m about to review them now.

Contrary to the fishballs I had a few months ago in the soup version, thankfully the fishballs in the dry version was the bouncy sort that were iconic and what most customers would remember them for. This group of fishballs I had weren’t overcooked, and I was glad that I held faith in HSC’s standards in providing the highest quality.

Final Thoughts

I left Block 16 feeling refreshed and relieved, knowing that their fishball noodles are still to die for after twenty years since I begun patronizing them. It was nice growing up with them for the last twenty years, and here’s to another twenty years if they manage to survive this long.

Address & Opening Hours

Address:
Pasar 16 @ Bedok
16 Bedok South Road, Singapore 460016, #01-50
Opening Hours:
Tue to Sun, 10.45am to 8.30pm
Closed on Mon