Gastromania Feast @ Far East Square: Hock Lam Beef

This post is part of the Gastromania Feast @ Far East Square organised by Omy.Sg that quite a few bloggers and I indulged in a food marathon on 9 July 2011.

You can read more about Gastromania Feast @ Far East Square at http://blog.omy.sg/let-the-feast-begin  Visit the site too if you want to win youself a $50 voucher.

Gastromania Feast @ Far East Square Stop 7: 
Hock Lam Beef




I must confess, my stomach's bursting at Pitstop 7!
Everyone's already inside Hock Lam Beef and I am lagging behind.




Hock Lam Beef, we were told is the oldest Teochew Beef Kway Teow shop in Singapore!
They have been around since 1911! That's like 100 years now?!

They were originally peddling on the streets around Chinatown.



If you are like me wondering where in Singapore is Hock Lam Street, it's no longer around!
But from the photo above, you can see the fire station, well, that fire station is still around in Singapore. That's the Central Fire Station. Where Hock Lam Street is today is between Funan Centre and Peninsula Shopping Centre!



Probably the neatest and cleanest Beef Noodles stall around?



I find this fascinating.
It's always interesting to read the proper way to handle or enjoy food.



Our tasting portions of the famous Hock Lam Beef noodles.
I must confess I did not touch the noodles below. I was already so full.
But I finished up all the beef balls, tripe, tendon and the soup! The soup needs 24 hours to prepare, so I better fully savour it.



It was so funny, someone got served a bowl of nice raw beef and we quickly took it before it gets cooked in the soup. The beef here are all hand sliced and not machine sliced.



This is Mr Anthony Tan Hung Siang. In 2002, he was crowned Singapore Beef Noodles King.
He's the 3rd generation handling the business. Someone asked if the recipe has been changed over the years, he said no. It's the same recipe that his grandfather used 100 years ago!




Look at him when he was younger. :-)




Now, who's this? She's Tina Tan, Anthony's daughter.
Since 2004, she has taken over the business and yes, you can see her working at the shop daily!

Do you realise they are all not fat? I wonder if it's got to do with Beef Noodles?


Hock Lam Beef
22 China St
#01-01 Far East Square
Singapore 049564


Gastromania Feast @ Far East Square: Stop 1, Stop 2, Stop 3, Stop 4, Stop 5, Stop 6, Stop 7, Stop 8

Hock Lam Beef @ Bukit Panjang Plaza

We were at Bukit Panjang Plaza last Sunday for lunch and also to get some groceries.
For lunch we went to Hock Lam Beef. Aunt had the urge to eat beef noodles. ;-)

So what was for lunch?

This was the Mixed Beef with Tendon, Soup version. Five minutes after we ordered, we were told the tendon's sold out. Sold out before 12 noon? We think it's just some 'standard answer' for items that's not available. :-) The tendon was replaced with meat balls.



This was the same thing, Mixed Beef with Tendon, but the dry version.
The tendon was also replaced with beef balls.




I had the Hand Sliced Beef & Chunky Beef.

It was not bad. The ingredients looked fresh. The ingredients were plentiful too (probably because it's nearly $8/$9 per bowl). The sauce is gooey enough for my liking, not too thick. It was quite flavourful too.  I likes their beef balls too.

But the soup was a bit on the sweetish side. It's more evident after you eat the noodles then drink the soup! The soup served with the noodles (first photo) tasted better though. We wishes there was more 'xian cai' though. We only spotted a little of it.




It looks like things have gone up-market. The beef noodles were served in claypots with fire gel burning below it. You can see the prices below (taken with a camera phone).

We did notice a weekday lunch time menu and price though at the entrance. Hint: More economical to eat here during the weekdays. (Hey this is the heartlands!)

Beef noodles is close to the hearts of many just like chicken rice.  Everyone passionate argue which stall is the best in their opinion. Our tongues thinks it is a little above average compared to the rest, but it's on the sweetish side for the beef noodles served in this branch.




We don't usually want to give suggestions here. But Momo and I think they should get rid of the fire-gel. Their beef noodles were already served nice and hot. Claypots also retains heat well. There's no need to keep it hot with fire below. It gets uncomfortable when the claypot radiates so much heat on your face. I don't think they served it this way in 1911. ;-P


Hock Lam Beef
1 Jelebu Rd,
#01-60/61, Bukit Panjang Plaza
Singapore 677743