The Dead Cockroach: Sheng Yi Fa Lor Mee @ Blk 443 Clementi Avenue 3

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When I learn about this popular lor mee at Clementi Central, I knew I had to go check it out at Food Loft, a coffeeshop situated along Clementi Avenue 3 near Clementi Town Secondary School.

I ordered the default $3 bowl and when it is served to my table, it came together with the vinegar bottle.

When having this dish, I tend to go over the top with the condiments like garlic and black vinegar because that is how I perceive this dish is to be best enjoyed.

However, there are times when the hawkers' face turned as black as the vinegar when I requested for more.

I am overjoyed that I could add as much vinegar as I wanted here without having the hawker rolling eyes at me!

At first glance, I am surprised by the shade of the gravy which is a darker tone than most lor mee I had before. Most lor mee gravy are brown but this is almost jet black.

Although the consistency of the gravy is thick, it is not lumpy at all. You know how some lor mee gravy can get very lumpy due the thickening starch? Well, not this.

A quick stir revealed no fish cakes nor braised egg hidden beneath but what I found instead were two thumb sized ngor hiang, a fried dumpling and some slices of pork belly.

The ngor hiang and fried dumpling were rather pedestrian but, the pork belly deserved a mention here. I have tasted many lor mee but this is my first time having pork belly that tastes differently from the gravy. I am guessing that the pork belly has either been marinated or braised separately from the gravy (with different braising recipe?).

On the whole, Sheng Yi Fa Lor Mee is flavorful and quite a decent bowl in terms of taste however, I find the portion of ingredients a little lacking. The pork belly, though nice is quite thinly sliced.

This lor mee would have received a better rating if they had been more generous with the ingredients. Despite that, they are doing a roaring business.

When I reached the coffeeshop at around 11.30am, I was told that there is only fried dumpling and pork belly left. Customers who came just slightly after noon were turned away because they were already sold out.