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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
First dibs: Taiwanese spicy noodle chain with 2-hour-long queues opening 1st Singapore outlet
Spicy Noodles 销魂面铺, which has 18 outlets scattered across Taiwan will be opening its 1st overseas outpost in Singapore on 3 Jun 2025. Located at basement 1 of Raffles City Shopping Centre, this restaurant is famed in Taiwan for drawing long queues of customers, with wait times stretching up to 2 hours. Geez… hope it's not the case here! Its name, 销魂 (xiao hun) in Chinese, translates to 'selling one's soul', which will surely steal your heart with its soul-stirring flavour. The menu closely mirrors what's offered in Taiwan. However, when I checked with my native Taiwanese friend, their response was one of disappointment — they said, 'It's a pity we can't have duck blood in Singapore!' Well, it isn't a loss for me. To preserve its authenticity, key elements like the handmade Xiao Hun noodle, master chilli sauce, master chilli oil, and noodle sauce are flown in directly from Taiwan. Enjoy it either with the Mild Beef Soup or Spicy Beef Soup options. The broth is brewed and slowly simmered with pure beef bones for at least 6 hours. The Soul Chilli Oil is said to be stir-fried painstakingly by hand for 8 hours, and its nicknamed by regulars as 'the Hermès of chilli oil'. All it needs is just a single concentrated drop to switch things up a little. My threshold for spice is quite high, so I'll see about that in a bit. We tried the Mild Beef Soup Set (S$18.80++) that came with sliced US beef and veggies in a clear broth, Xiao Hun noodles, soft-boiled eggs, and tau pok. Calling the noodles springy is an understatement. It was delightfully QQ and had an addictive chewy texture that doesn't lump together even when it gets cold. Just like a ramen restaurant, the soft-boiled eggs were also executed perfectly. The beef slices were tasty and the fatty portion wasn't chewy. The soup was also clean tasting yet full of flavour — it looks like the long simmering time really paid off! We also tried the Spicy Beef Soup Set (S$24.80++) that comes with a mixture of beef tendon and sliced US beef. Judging from the broth colouring, I was expecting to get overwhelmed by the spice. Fortunately, it was mild enough for me. The tendons were like one of the best I ever had — pillowy and melt-in-the-mouth. Being a sucker for spice, I asked for an entire dish and slathered it onto my noodles. Be warned, use it sparingly — I absolutely enjoyed it while my dining partner was scrambling for iced water. To further complement your noodles, the Fried Dough Fritters (S$4.50++) are great for soaking into the spicy broth, which absorbs all the delicious savoury goodness. If you're a beancurd lover, you MUST get the Spicy Braised Spongy tofu and Soy Chip (S$4.50) — no questions asked. If you're at Raffles City Shopping Centre for some retail therapy, head down to Spicy Noodles for a taste of Taiwan. Hong Lim Prawn Noodle: Highly-raved spot serving up gao, umami-packed prawn noodles The post First dibs: Taiwanese spicy noodle chain with 2-hour-long queues opening 1st Singapore outlet appeared first on
Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Food Picks: Taiwan's popular spicy noodle chain Xiao Hun Mian to debut at Raffles City on June 3
Xiao Hun Mian is known for its signature thick and chewy noodles served with beef bone broth. PHOTO: XIAO HUN MIAN SINGAPORE – My first time trying Xiao Hun Mian in Taiwan was right after the 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Hualien city on April 3, 2024. I was with The Straits Times' Taiwan correspondent Yip Wai Yee at Taipei's Banqiao Stati on, and she recommended having lunch there. At the time, still fairly shaken from the tremors we had felt, I barely registered the name of the store. I remember only diving into a bowl of wonderfully thick and chewy noodles paired with a comforting mala beef bone broth. Xiao Hun, quite literally, translates to selling one's soul in Chinese, and can also mean ecstasy or overwhelming joy. It sparked joy then, and now, more than a year later, continues to do so – on home soil. The famed chain – established in 2017 and with 18 stores across Taiwan – will make its Singapore debut at Raffles City on June 3, and I was able to score a first taste of the food prior to the opening. Its other overseas outlet opened in Hong Kong in August 2024. The menu here is similar to that in Taiwan – with a choice of clear or spicy mala broth made from beef bone. In English, the 48-seat store's name is Spicy Noodle – and for good reason. The default noodle option is mildly spicy, so you will have to opt out if you cannot take the heat. The tingly spicy level is just right, but it may be adjusted depending on diner feedback. Prices start at $18.80 for a set, whi ch c omes with sliced beef, braised tau pok (called tofu pouch on the menu), noodles, ramen-style egg with jammy yolk and a sweet and sour dip for the meat. The $24.80 sets include beef tendon. Beef shank will be introduced later. Add on side dishes of garlic cucumber ($3.80) or spicy braised spongy tofu and layered tau kee (called soy chip on the menu, $4.50). Crispy youtiao ($4.50) is also good for soaking up the broth, although its textur e needs fine-tuning. But really, it is all about the noodles here – something that Xiao Hun Mian's founders chose to bank on when they realised diners at their former hotpot restaurant were more interested in the noodles than steamboat. Their growing noodle empire includes a range of Xiao Hun Mian instant noodles, in the style of dao xiao mian (knife-cut noodles), and I hope these will be sold here soon. Where: B1-38 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road MRT: City Hall Open: From June 3, 11am to 10pm daily Info: @spicynoodlesingapore on Instagram Check out ST's Food Guide for the latest foodie recommendations in Singapore.
