Under-the-radar gem with tasty lao mian

My case for Lye Bo Toss Noodle is an interesting one. Its inclusion in my line-up of places to eat and write about was based on one thing — an enticing image of its noodles that I stumbled upon on Facebook. Okay, maybe two; the post’s creator used the words ‘can eat’. 

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s that the Facebook folks have their finger on the pulse. Also, ‘can eat’ is basically code for ‘delicious’. I decided to trust the process, and to the stall I headed.

Lye Bo Toss Noodle is situated in Alexandra Village Food Centre, where you’ll find several well-known establishments like Ashes Burnnit and Depot Road Laksa. In comparison to these household names, Lye Bo seemed to lack buzz. 

All I gathered from a quick Google search was that the stall specialises in — you guessed it — tossed noodles, or lao mian. Oh, and that they used to sell roast meats and wanton mee. 

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I certainly didn’t think there’d be a queue! Seems to me that Lye Bo has their own dedicated following despite their limited online presence — hallmark of a well-kept secret, perhaps?

Lye Bo has one of the most pristine hawker stall fronts I’ve ever seen; everything was just so clean and well-organised! With glistening slabs of char siew hung behind the glass-fronted counter and the stall-owners doling out bowls of lao mian in perfect synchrony, I couldn’t take my eyes off the scene.

Interestingly, the stall also offers low-carb bakes like Pound Cake (S$4/slice) and Burnt Cheese Cake (S$5/slice), as handwritten on the glass panel.

What I tried at Lye Bo Toss Noodle

Lye Bo’s menu offers 3 straightforward options of lao mian paired with either char siew, pan-fried pork belly or minced pork with onsen egg. 

You’re free to zhng your bowl of noodles with add-ons. I did so with an Onsen Egg (S$1) on top of my Honey Glazed BBQ Pork Noodle (S$5), or char siew noodles for short. The stall-owner recommended adding exactly 4 teaspoons of their chilli oil to the noodles, along with a dusting of chilli powder to suit my spice tolerance. Of course, I followed the instructions.

Look, I don’t mean to exaggerate but you can’t possibly disagree when I say that the bowl of noodles was a sight for sore eyes. Everything, from the chopped hunk of char siew to the onsen egg and stalk of kai lan, was placed so neatly atop the bed of noodles. Very on-brand for a stall as tidy as theirs!

The char siew was clearly not pre-packaged. Each piece sported a glossy appearance, with a caramelised glaze coating its mahogany exterior. A leaner cut of meat was used here — the blush pink-hued interior struck me as firmer to the touch than most.

Regardless, the meat was decently tender and succulent. It had a sweet flavour profile, with pleasant notes of honey and five-spice from its marinade. Unlike most handmade char siew, it lacked a smoky flavour; my guess would be that Lye Bo’s rendition is oven-baked rather than charcoal-roasted.

However, the slight chewiness of its exterior didn’t quite complement the meat. I would have preferred crispier charred edges for added textural contrast. Nonetheless, it wasn’t shabby at all.

Sorry, I just had to include 2 images of the noodles — just look at how they glistened after a thorough toss! 

Appearance-wise, these noodles resemble any other egg noodles you’d find at a roast meat noodle stall. However, they had an al dente bite reminiscent of the texture of hand-pulled noodles. Springy yet chewy, the mouthfeel was remarkable. 

As I found out later on, they’re low-carb noodles. Call it a placebo effect if you will, but no wonder they tasted so clean!

The sweet soy sauce mixture that coated the noodles had a robust umami that had me slurping spoonfuls on end. The binding factor to it all was definitely the onsen egg, which imparted a velvety richness that elevated each mouthful.

The sweetness of the char siew and the moreish savoury goodness of the noodles was a true match made in heaven. Each bite was a delightful combination of flavours and textures that only had me wishing for more.

Shen Yang Feng Wei: Noodles & xiao long baos handmade upon order by native Chinese chef

My next dish was one with its image prominently displayed on the stall front’s LED screen: the Minced Pork with Onsen Egg Noodle (S$4). Adorned with minced meat and that perfectly cooked onsen egg, the bowl of noodles reminded me of mazesoba, one of my favourite Japanese noodle dishes.

Don’t let the seemingly dry appearance of the minced pork chunks lead you astray. They turned out to be soft and juicy, infused with a savoury marinade that bore hints of cinnamon and five-spice.

Oddly — but satisfyingly — enough, these noodles held more moisture in comparison to their char siew counterparts. The dish leaned towards a savoury profile, with each strand of noodle infused with the bold flavour of the minced pork, generously coated in a rich mixture of sweet soy sauce and creamy onsen egg.

It’s amazing how something with a price tag as small as S$4 could deliver such incredible flavour.

Final Thoughts

I love a good hidden gem and Lye Bo Toss Noodle sure is one that impressed me. With a pristine stall front, great service and delicious flavours coupled with remarkable value for money, it’s a wonder how they’ve yet to find themselves on a list of best eats in Alexandra Village Food Centre.

Regardless, you can count on seeing me back again for more of those tasty tossed noodles. Maybe I’ll finally get to try the Pan-fried Grill Pork Belly Noodle (S$5).

Expected damage: S$4 – S$6 per pax

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