Mei Jing Sandakan Fried Pork Noodle is a Sabah-style noodles specialist at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

If you happen to be in Chinatown and you’re craving a fuss-free, comforting bowl of noodles, Mei Jing Sandakan Fried Pork Noodle is your answer. 

It’s housed on the second floor of Hong Lim Market & Food Centre — an iconic hotspot that’s packed with hawker gems and a lunch crowd.

Though Mei Jing Sandakan is sandwiched between two cult-favourite stalls — Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff since 1952 and SLII Muffin — it still commands a presence with its mouthwatering Sabah-style noodle specialities and a bright yellow signboard. 

Manning the stall is 37-year-old Sabah native Max So, alongside his wife Victoria Wong, 37, who attends to customers.

Its distinctive store name pays homage to the humble beginnings of Mei Jing Restaurant in Sandakan, Sabah, which Max’s late grandfather opened in 1972. 

Max honours its long-standing legacy and original recipe by offering “delicious, affordable Sandakan food to even more people across Singapore”. 

This partly explains the move from Whampoa Food Centre to its current, more central, location earlier this year, as Max’s regulars comprise mostly working adults. “It’s super convenient for them to grab a satisfying meal during lunch,” he adds. 

Prior to opening the stall, Max first honed his cooking techniques for six years with the help of his aunt, who apprenticed under his grandfather.

For Max, it’s his priority to serve “something that would do justice to the original taste”. That’s why he’s exceptionally picky about the ingredients used and he ensures it’s as close as to what you expect in Sabah.

Nailed it with the springy noodles

Of course, we had to get its signature — a dry and spicy version of the Sandakan signature fried pork noodle (S$4.80).

For its price, the bountiful portion makes it a value-for-money option, especially for office workers who are up for something hearty.

As we gave everything a good mix, an umami-rich fragrance from the sambal wafted by. Thankfully, the bold spice was quite manageable — even for me who often skips spicy food.

The homemade dark sauce also gives the noodles a promising glossy finish. And true enough, the “QQ” noodles — that’s thicker than the regular mee kia — have an oh-so-satisfying bite.

Another stand-out was the crispy fried pork that’s packed with savoury, yet well-tempered fermented flavours.

It’s, in fact, marinated for a day or two beforehand, to achieve its nicely seasoned and tender end-product!

Alternatively, you can’t go wrong with the dry fried chicken cutlet noodle (S$4.80) that features succulent chicken slices, atop springy noodles and some greens for an added crunch.

Besides noodles, there’s a few rice bowl choices as well.

You can taste a little bit of everything with the hearty pork trio rice (S$5.80) that comes with the signature fried pork, pork belly, and pork rib.

The braised pork belly had a good fat-to-lean meat ratio, while the pork rib was fall-apart tender — we can understand why the customers around us were enjoying it with such relish!

For most of us, chicken feet can be an acquired preference. But the mushroom chicken feet (S$4) here is worth a try with its delicate and jelly-like skin.

It’s a stand-alone dish that’s drenched in its braised gravy, so its briny flavours can get quite pronounced as you munch your way through it. It would be better paired with carbs, which you can get in the form of the stall’s danggui mushroom chicken feet noodle (S$3.80).

Mei Jing Sandakan Fried Pork Noodle is only open till 2.30pm during the weekdays and sees a long queue during lunch hours, so drop by as early as you can!

This was an invited tasting.

For the latest eats, read more about the newly opened Queic by Olivia at Jewel Changi and Violet Oon Singapore’s new outlet at Dempsey Hill.   

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Hong Lim Market & Food Centre to try Mei Jing Sandakan Fried Pork Noodle’s fare.