The Dead Cockroach: Maxwell Haha Mee Siam Mee Rebus @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

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Reviewing this stall is not part of the plan.

I was actually there at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre for Fatty Ox HK Kitchen's soya sauce chicken noodle but I have forgotten that they are closed on Mondays.

Not wanting to make a wasted trip, I went to the next stall on my list, Tai Wah Cooked Food for their Pandan-flavored "butterfly" but they, too were not opened.

Then, I remembered about this mee siam stall at the row behind Chang Ji Gourmet when I was there to review them. I was actually sitting at the table outside this stall because I wanted to make use of the lights coming from their stall to take photos of the fried bee hoon and peanut porridge.

The stall in question is called Maxwell Haha Mee Siam Mee Rebus and you can probably tell where they were previously located and what they sell. The stall is wholly Chinese owned, selling Chinese-styled mee siam and mee rebus.

The mee siam and mee rebus come in two sizes ($2.50/$3). I ordered the smaller bowl.

The amicable lady began to assemble my bowl. Once done, she asked if I wanted lime. I said yes but what I did not expect was for her to squirt lime juice from a squeeze bottle into my bowl.

This is perfect for those who do not want to get their fingers oily by squeezing the lime themselves and having to deal with the seeds. I must really give them brownie points for their thoughtfulness!

When I got to my table and took a look inside the bowl, I was taken aback by the portion. The bee hoon is pretty generous and there is a whole egg in there with lots of tau pok cubes and chives.

This is very filling for what $2.50 can buy. Can you believe that this used to cost $2 before the price increase? In all honesty, if the lady had sold me this as the $3 portion, I would not have suspected a thing at all.

So, how did this Chinese mee siam fare?

With a subtle sweetness and restrained sourness in the gravy, I am not sure if they held back on the use of assam (tamarind) and tau cheo (fermented bean paste) because the flavor is milder as compared to the Malay version.

If you are used to the Malay style, you might find this underwhelming but then, the stall attracts a steady flow of customers made up primarily of the elderly.

Perhaps, that is how the old folks in this area like their mee siam? Initially, I do find it light and not as intense as I preferred but after a few more mouthfuls, it kind of grows on you and you will soon realize this mee siam is quite likable.

The toned-down flavors make the gravy so drinkable that I finished every drop!