Noodles

The soup is thick and the meesua is cooked just right.
————
Friends are indeed gems. We don't need too many of them, but just that few definite ones to cheer my Monday up. So blues go away.

Kim Keat's specialty Claypot Hokkien Mee ($10) comes steaming hot, and swimming in a thick, bubbling, flavourful broth with prawns and squid. Making it even more irresistible, strips of crispy fried pork belly sit gently on top, quietly beckoning you. The portion is enough for 2-3 pax, so bring a few friends along and dig in! Quoting Tastemaker Shurong Lo, 'As you tuck into the yummy noodles, you can taste the smoky wok hei mixed with the prawn broth that brings the Hokkien mee to a whole new level. Over time, all broth will be sucked into the noodles making them even more flavorful! Slurp!' You may also opt for the regular Hokkien mee on an opeh leaf instead.

A couple of talented Singaporeans decided that ramen can be served at hawker prices, $5.50-7.50 (you get more wontons the more you pay), and created this delightful version. Think springy wonton noodles coated in a garlic, ginger, onion-infused oil, beautifully meaty wontons, irresistibly oozy onsen egg, slices of tender melt-in-your-mouth chashu, and shrimp wrapped in strings of crispy potato. Phew. At half the price of normal ramen, it certainly doesn't compromise on flavour or satisfaction!

Some say this is the best KL Hokkien Mee in SG, with thicker noodles and crunchy bits of lard. Burppler Terence Chan shares, "I've been hankering for authentic KL hokkein mee since that one fateful night in subang jaya when I was introduced to it. This is a pretty good rendition with plenty of wok hei, thick sticky black sauce that's not too sweet, lotsa pork lard and noodles fried just right." Try it for yourself and share your experience!

Closed since November last year due to renovation works at Amoy Street Food Centre, A Noodle Story has opened its shutters once again, churning out what has become a hawker favourite in the CBD — Singapore-style ramen. It features springy wanton noodles coated in a garlic-ginger-onion infused oil, wantons, irresistibly oozy onsen egg, slices of tender melt-in-your-mouth chashu, and shrimp wrapped in crispy potato. Phew. At half the price of normal ramen ($5 for small, $6 for medium), it certainly doesn't compromise on flavour or satisfaction!

Apart from serving really good coffee, Collective Brewers has always been playful and experimental with their food menu, with new items being introduced on a regular basis. Their newly-launched brunch menu offers both traditional items such as the "Ang Moh" Breakfast ($16) and Salmon Crab Cake Benedict ($18), and quirkier options such as their "Ondeh Ondeh" Pancake ($14). If you're looking for something more substantial, go for the Lap Cheong Aglio Olio ($15) — linguine with wilted spinach, shiitake mushrooms and smoked Chinese sausages — and their Rendang Grilled Cheese on brioche ($16).