Thaksin Beef Noodle
How often have you come across a dish that got it's name from a Politician?
Indeed, the name was what truly caught my eye while researching for recommendations of what to eat at Clementi Central.
Nestled in a Halal coffeeshop, Thaksin Beef Noodle sells - as you would have guessed it - Beef Noodles that is named after Thaksin Shinawatra, the Thai Prime Minister.
Manned by two Malay ladies, the stall offer other Thai dishes like the Pad Thai, Seafood Tom Yum, Seafood Fried Rice and Beef Ball Soup.
I decided to give their signature dish, the Beef Noodles a try after reading reviews online touting it as the next best alternative outside of Thailand!
What I learnt was that the boss acquired the recipe from a Thai thus making this an authentic bowl of Thai Beef Noodles.
Available in four different sizes (Standard, Value, Supreme, Super), I ordered for myself the Supreme bowl which costs $6 and I requested for kway teow instead of noodles.
Hidden under a generous pile of mint, basil and coriander were pieces of beef and kway teow; more 'digging' uncovered strands of kang kong (water convolvulus) and bean sprouts.
(Okay, where is this 'abundance' of kang kong and bean sprouts that I read about from the reviews?)
The kway teow was smooth and the broth full-bodied with the aroma of spices and herbs.
The beef pieces consisted of beef tripe, stewed beef and beef slices. My favorite ought to be the chunky stewed beef with bits of fat in it, making them a joy to chew on.
There was a row of condiments in front of the stall for us to enhance the taste of the broth but I chose not to add anything just so I could savor its true essence.
Despite the long hours spent simmering the broth, I find the Beef Noodles a little pricey for what I am getting. I am not ready to pay another $6 for mere pieces of beef and kway teow.
Still, I think it is quite a novel idea to name their beef noodles after the Thai Prime Minister. Will we be seeing Kwan Yew Chicken Rice or Chok Tong Bak Kut Teh anytime soon?
The stall
The condiments available to add to your beef noodle
Huge simmering pot of beef pieces
THAKSIN BEEF NOODLE
See Lam Hern Coffeeshop
Blk 449 Clementi Ave 3
#01-211
Singapore 120449