Update: Prawn Village has permanently closed.
I have been meaning to visit Prawn Village when they were at Golden Mile Food Centre but procrastination has gotten the better of me and before I knew it, they had relocated to Ghim Moh Food Centre.
Well, not that it is a bad thing since Ghim Moh is actually much nearer for me. However, they have recently switched their operating hours from 9am - 5pm to 4pm - 9pm instead which makes it harder for me to have a bowl since I usually have dinner at home.
As fate would have it, I had a doctor's appointment in the afternoon and there is a direct bus that goes to Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre. By the time I arrived at the food centre, it was almost opening time. So, it was kind of like the stars aligned for me to finally have a bowl!
The last time I came to Ghim Moh Food Centre must have been at least fifteen years ago. When I reached there, I am surprised to find the food centre deserted and void of people. I asked a passing cleaner why is this so and he explains that the majority of stalls here closes for the day after the office lunch crowd has subside with only a handful remaining opened for dinner service.
Well, not that it is a bad thing since Ghim Moh is actually much nearer for me. However, they have recently switched their operating hours from 9am - 5pm to 4pm - 9pm instead which makes it harder for me to have a bowl since I usually have dinner at home.
As fate would have it, I had a doctor's appointment in the afternoon and there is a direct bus that goes to Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre. By the time I arrived at the food centre, it was almost opening time. So, it was kind of like the stars aligned for me to finally have a bowl!
The last time I came to Ghim Moh Food Centre must have been at least fifteen years ago. When I reached there, I am surprised to find the food centre deserted and void of people. I asked a passing cleaner why is this so and he explains that the majority of stalls here closes for the day after the office lunch crowd has subside with only a handful remaining opened for dinner service.
Prawn Village is one of such stalls that has switched from doing morning to dinner service. This stall serves the Penang-styled prawn noodle with two options available: traditional ($3) and signature ($5).
The signature bowl comes with bigger prawns and probably more ingredients but I decided to go for the traditional bowl. For me, prawn noodle is all about the broth so I will always go for the soup version with either yellow noodle, bee hoon or a mixture of both.
This time, I decided to go for bee hoon and it did not take long for my order to be ready. I added a scoop of sambal chili and a scoop of chili powder for good measure.
For $3, the bowl comes with a very substantial portion of bee hoon and I am surprised to find kang kong which many prawn noodle stalls conveniently leave out nowadays.
I also counted about six deshelled small prawns. Although the traditional bowl uses smaller prawns, the texture is crunchy enough to please. Honestly, I had expected cheapo prawns with mushy texture but I was wrong.
The fish cake they used had bits of leek in it and is handmade.
I had a sip of the slightly spicy broth which is full of umami goodness yet not cloying. I find descriptive words like "full-bodied", "robust", "gao" (thick) does no justice to the broth at all.
Anson Loo, the stall owner is a nurse-turned-hawkerpreneur who learned his skills from a true blue Penang prawn noodle sifu in Penang hence I guess his Penang prawn noodle is as authentic as it can get.
The signature bowl comes with bigger prawns and probably more ingredients but I decided to go for the traditional bowl. For me, prawn noodle is all about the broth so I will always go for the soup version with either yellow noodle, bee hoon or a mixture of both.
This time, I decided to go for bee hoon and it did not take long for my order to be ready. I added a scoop of sambal chili and a scoop of chili powder for good measure.
For $3, the bowl comes with a very substantial portion of bee hoon and I am surprised to find kang kong which many prawn noodle stalls conveniently leave out nowadays.
I also counted about six deshelled small prawns. Although the traditional bowl uses smaller prawns, the texture is crunchy enough to please. Honestly, I had expected cheapo prawns with mushy texture but I was wrong.
The fish cake they used had bits of leek in it and is handmade.
I had a sip of the slightly spicy broth which is full of umami goodness yet not cloying. I find descriptive words like "full-bodied", "robust", "gao" (thick) does no justice to the broth at all.
Anson Loo, the stall owner is a nurse-turned-hawkerpreneur who learned his skills from a true blue Penang prawn noodle sifu in Penang hence I guess his Penang prawn noodle is as authentic as it can get.
My $3 bowl of traditional prawn noodle is totally value for money and I am definitely coming back for the $5 signature bowl next!
*Prawn Village may open in the morning from time to time. Just watch out for the announcement on their Instagram.
**I really love taking the bus service 105 because it brings me to several food centres like Clementi Market & Food Centre, Holland Drive Market & Food Centre, Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre, Tanglin Halt Market & Food Centre, Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre and Empress Road Market & Food Centre.
*Prawn Village may open in the morning from time to time. Just watch out for the announcement on their Instagram.
**I really love taking the bus service 105 because it brings me to several food centres like Clementi Market & Food Centre, Holland Drive Market & Food Centre, Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre, Tanglin Halt Market & Food Centre, Commonwealth Crescent Market & Food Centre and Empress Road Market & Food Centre.
UPDATE: 01 November 2019
Closed: Sun/Public Holidays
Website: https://www.facebook.com/prawnvillage/
https://www.instagram.com/prawnvillage/
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/p5H7E5Td8TELoYS66
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