The Dead Cockroach: Woo Ji Cooked Food - $2 Laksa & Prawn Noodle @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

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The food centre at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre is like a labyrinth filled with surprises at every turn. I am excited to learn of a stall here that sell laksa and prawn noodle for a mere $2!

The only catch is, you have to come very early for a bowl as they are opened from 6am till they closes at 10am. Yes, only four hours! Very short operating hours I know!

But, what is one to do if you want to have a bowl? Well, you jolly wake up and leave the house when the skies is still dark which is what I did!

There is already a snaking line when I reached the stall Woo Ji Cooked Food at 7am. I cannot decide whether to have laksa or prawn noodle so I ordered both!

For the prawn noodle, only the soup version is available here. I am not too sure why they do not serve the dry version as well but that is how they function. Maybe less work for them so they can close shop on the dot? I can imagine just making sambal alone is a lot of work for the pair of elderly stall owners.

Apart from the noodles, there are three slices of pork, three slices of halved prawn and three slices of fish cake. Pretty basic stuff here but you can upgrade to the $3 portion if you please.

The broth does not have a strong briny prawn flavors to it. Compared to other prawn noodles I have tried, the taste is quite subdued.

I would have appreciated stronger flavors.

Comparatively, the laksa fared better.

I chose thick rice bee hoon for my spicy noodle dish. Ingredients included two pieces of fried wantons, one piece of green chili stuffed with fish paste, one piece of fried fish ball, tau pok, and some dried shrimps which reminded me of the dehydrated ones found in cup noodles.

The fried wanton is a good size although I find the skin a tad thick and salty. It has turned soggy having soaked in the laksa gravy. Now, if only there is a way to serve the fried wanton separately so it could maintain its crispiness.

Taste wise, the broth is a little thin and not as robust but for $2, I am not complaining!