The tastiest chilli ban mian you’ll find in SG

I have said this before and will say it again: I am a sucker for anything ban mian. If I had to choose only one type to have for the rest of my life (and I hope I don’t ever have to), it would be chilli ban mian, otherwise known as chilli pan mee.

However, I recently learnt that I can’t call myself a fan of the dish unless I’ve had the one from Chilli Pan Mee (Batu Rd). Say no more; it became an instant next-up on my to-eat list.

In case you didn’t know, Chilli Pan Mee (Batu Rd) hails from Malaysia. There, it’s known as Restoran Super Kitchen Chilli Pan Mee, a local household brand well-loved for none other than its titular dish. It landed on our shores in 2018 with its first and only international outlet that has remained in Far East Square ever since.

The quaint eatery houses many tables, all of which are usually occupied during peak hours. I was greeted by the sublime sight of an empty restaurant when I visited in the late afternoon, though.

Chilli Pan Mee (Batu Rd) prides itself on authentic KL-style chilli pan mee made with the same recipe as its parent brand. I thus made my visit harbouring the highest of hopes and expectations.

What I tried at Chilli Pan Mee (Batu Rd)

Needless to say, I had to start with a good ol’ bowl of Chilli Pan Mee (S$8.50). The Chilli Pan Mee here makes use of you mian noodles in place of the conventional ban mian. It’s topped with minced meat, ikan bilis, a poached egg, a heap of shallots and a singular piece of deep-fried pork lard.

One thing you might’ve noticed is that the Chilli Pan Mee came devoid of sauce. No, it isn’t hidden under the bed of noodles. You’ve got everything you need right there in the bowl. 

Well, except for the chilli. Their house blend comes in a separate container that’s placed on your table for you to help yourself to. I’d liken it to a chilli crisp rather than the typical paste.

As a spice lover, I was thrilled; if all chilli pan mee joints had these containers, I’d never complain about my noodles lacking spice ever again. Still, I was sparing with the amount I added for fear of inadvertently overpowering the noodles.

“Aiya, add a bit first, later add more,” I told my dining partner.

Before I tucked in, I couldn’t help but break into the poached egg. Glorious lava-esque egg yolk flowed out as I pulled it apart. In true food photographer fashion, I couldn’t do without snapping a few photos.

I gave the bowl a thorough mix, ensuring that every strand of noodle would be coated in chilli and all of that velvety yolk. Despite the lack of sauce, I tossed the noodles up just fine.

Remember when I so confidently said that I’d return to the chilli later? I knew from my first bite that I no longer had to; the chilli blend carried a potent spice that felt perfect for me.

The blend was also seasoned with the right amount of salt, complementing the noodles well in tandem with the fragrant shallots and savoury minced meat. The springy noodles held a nice bite too!

I was surprised to learn that the chilli does not contain any hae bee. How then could it be this tasty? Trust me when I say I walloped the bowl in no time.

There was much to shout about the ingredients, too. The heap of succulent minced meat had a nice mix of both lean and fatty meat. It was well-seasoned, with an umami that made the noodles all the more palatable.

The pork lard took me by surprise. While it tastes the way you’d expect it to when eaten on its own, having it together with the noodles brought out an enthralling fragrance that enhanced the dish as a whole.

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I was delighted to see that Chilli Pan Mee (Batu Rd) offered Mee Hoon Kueh (S$8.50/S$9.50). Obviously, I had to give it a worthy shot.

Apart from the bowl’s sheer size, one thing that stood out to me was the colour of the broth. As opposed to a typical clear broth, it was a light brown. I found it robust yet light as it glided down my throat with ease.

Like any authentic bowl of mee hoon kueh, this was packed with mildly bitter mani cai that balanced out the saltiness of the soup. The bowl also included marinated minced meat as with the Chilli Pan Mee, along with slices of shiitake mushrooms that brought a rich earthiness to the broth.

As a self-proclaimed mee hoon kueh connoisseur, I was excited to see if the noodles were hand-torn. They weren’t, as could be seen from the uniformity of the pieces. Nonetheless, I wasn’t dismayed; they were perfectly thick and chewy.

To make the meal a touch heartier, I opted for a side of Deep Fried Pork (S$6.50 for Small, S$10.50 for Large).

The pork slices were hefty yet tender, lightly crusted with a crispy skin that was not greasy in the least, despite the rather off-putting ‘deep-fried’ in the dish name.

Taste-wise, they had a succulent savouriness with hints of five spice. Dipping them into the refreshing Thai sweet chilli sauce cut through the mild gamey-ness of the pork, allowing for a good flavour balance.

Final Thoughts

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Chilli Pan Mee (Batu Rd)’s Chilli Pan Mee blew me away. I never thought it was possible for me to love the dish any more than I already did, but here we are.

Having gotten a strong showing from all the dishes I tried, I only have 2 words to say: 5 stars. Although the fare’s a little pricier than what you can get elsewhere, I promise that it’s worth your every cent.

Chilli Pan Mee (Batu Rd) takes the crown for the tastiest chilli pan mee you can find in Singapore, at least in my books. If this is the standard for ban mian in Malaysia, I’ll gladly give them the winning hand over us in that arena.

Expected damage: S$8.50 – S$9.50 per pax

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