21-07-2025
Number 10 Noodle House: Old-school bak chor mee & fishball noodles from $2.50 at this 20-year-old stall
These days (2025, to be exact), spotting a S$2.50 bowl of noodles at a hawker centre or kopitiam is is almost as likely as me winning the Toto jackpot. But stroll past Number 10 Noodle House at Circuit Road Market & Food Centre, and you might do a double take. Its signboard looks like it hitched a ride here from the 1990s, back when food was affordable and wallets were happier.
However, don't be misled. Besides the S$2.50 option, there are S$3 and S$4 versions on the menu, which are still budget-friendly by today's standards. Do take note of the 'fine line' that's drawn across the Lor Mee — it's no longer available.
The stall is a 3-person show: an elderly uncle handling orders and final touches, an aunty doing the cooking, and a middle-aged gentleman in charge of the mise en place. Operations are already up and running by 6am, and they are done for the day by noon. Friendly as they were, the trio were camera-shy when asked for a photo.
They shared with me that the stall has been running for around 20 years. As for the $2.50 option? It's their way of looking out for the senior folks around the neighbourhood, many of whom have smaller appetites and lighter pockets.
What I tried at Number 10 Noodle House
I started with the S$2.50 Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle with lao shu fen as my choice of carbs. Resting on top were clusters of minced pork, a golden-brown fried wanton, 2 meatballs, and some mushrooms. Sure, the portion might hit the spot for an elderly diner — but for others, it might feel more like a warm-up act than the main show.
The braised mushrooms were earthy and delightfully seasoned without being overly savoury, injecting a punch of flavour to every spoonful of noodles.
Speaking of noodles, the spicy seasoning possessed that unmistakable old-school charm — the kind that's become a rare find in Singapore these days. I had my suspicions it contained ketchup (not exactly my favourite), but it was done so well, it actually won me over.
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My late grandma would purchase wanton skins and deep-fry her homemade dumplings for dinner — something I dearly miss. The version here was an exact replica, filled with flavourful minced meat and chives. It stirred up a wave of memories with every crunchy bite.
Next, we moved on to the $2.50 Fishball Minced Meat Noodle. The humble bowl had my choice of mee pok, fishcake slices, a couple of meatballs, a solo fishball, and bak chor bits. The noodles still had some bite to it, and I was glad that the off-putting alkaline taste wasn't so bad here.
The broth wasn't exactly rave-worthy, and once again, those subtle hints of the mee pok's alkaline twang made an appearance.
The ingredients were fairly decent, with the fishball still possessing a slightly bouncy texture that I adore. The meatball was the showstopper of the bowl — soft and packed full of flavour!
Final thoughts
Though I highly suspect that most netizens will criticise that the S$2.50 portion isn't enough to fill a grown adult (or student) — and honestly, fair enough. But at least stalls like Number 10 Noodle House are still keeping prices below the market rate.
That matters, especially in an estate like Circuit Road, where the elderly population is noticeably high. So go ahead, pay the humble and friendly trio a visit, and soak in the nostalgia as you slurp up some old-fashioned goodness.
Expected damage: S$2.50 – S$4 per pax
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