The Dead Cockroach: Fei Fei Roasted Noodle @ Yuhua Village Market & Food Centre

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I have been to Yuhua Village Market & Food Centre a number of times to do marketing with my Mum and we would usually settle our breakfast at the food centre itself.

One particular roast stall here is famous for their char siew and there is always a perpetual queue for it.

The stall in question is called Fei Fei Roasted Noodle. Being a regular at the food centre here, I have eaten at Fei Fei a couple of times but I wonder why it took me so long to write about them?

The stall is opened at around 9am and during my latest visit, I was there just at that precise moment when they switched on the lights inside the stall indicating that they are opened for business.

I was taken aback when a horde of people around me started swarming towards the front of the stall, all trying to place their orders. I joined the queue as well and I stood in line for about twenty minutes before it reached my turn to order a plate of wanton noodle.

The main roasts here are their roasted duck and char siew (BBQ pork). However, do take note that their much coveted bu jian tian (不见天) pig's armpit char siew - which is what they are really famous for - gets sold out pretty quickly.

The char siew used to be only available after 10am but during my recent two visits, the prized meat is already hanging in the window around 9am.

It is self service here. You queue to place your order, make your payment and wait to collect your food.

My plate of wanton noodle ($3) contains quite a substantial amount of springy egg noodles, tossed in a delectable soy-based sauce. This time, I have forgotten to add their umami c hili which contained bits of crunchy hae bi (dried shrimp). The noodles are good on its own without the chili though.

Their charcoal-grilled char siew have a good balance of lean/fat ratio while the exterior is well-caramelized and charred along the edges. I love that sweetish honey glaze coating its exterior. This is my benchmark of a good char siew.

As for their wantons, there are two of them in the soup. Sometimes, you may find a shrimp wrapped within it and sometimes (like today), you can't. It really depends on your luck; I came with Dad twice and both times, he got the shrimps while I didn't. The wanton is of a good size and the soup is flavorful.

Most of their items gets sold out pretty fast by noon. Even though they are opened only for four hours a day, their typical day starts at about 3am when they have to start roasting their meats at the stall.

Such is the life of a hawker and perhaps that is why a lot of young people shun this job. Fortunately for us, the second generation of Fei Fei is already helping out at the stall and learning the craft from their parents.