Chadstone's Nudle

I like eating at Nudle , the reason for which I usually don't proclaim too loudly, lest other Singaporeans roll their eyes.

But still, because sharing is caring, here goes: Nudle's Stir-Fry Beef Hor Fun is the best stir-fry Hor Fun (a type of Asian noodles) I had, even in Singapore. (Maybe I've been going to all the wrong places?) Still, that's a bold statement, especially coming from a heritage which prides itself on good food.

Talking about Chinese stir-fry invariably brings in Wok hei, the elusive, indescribable je ne sais quoi taste of Chinese stir-fry. (Did I really just used a phrase meant for French cuisine to describe Chinese food? Let's see how many more groups of readers I can alienate in one go.)

Wok hei is a smoky flavour imparted to the dish by a combination of the high heat of the fire, the skill of the chef,  and a seasoned wok. To someone who is eating chinese stir-fry for the first time, it may be hard to notice, until you taste a similar dish cooked without wok hei. The flavour profile (sweet, spicy, salty, bitterness) is still present in the second dish: but it lacks the depth of flavours. And that is the taste of wok hei (translated as 'the breath of the wok').

For those who are interested, the technical points on achieving wok hei is explained by J. Kenji over at the Food Lab in a comprehensive fashion (in terms of specific heat capacities of Chinese woks vis-a-vis non-stick stainless steel. With graphs!), so I won't spend much time talking about it, except to say that Nudle's Stir-Fry Beef Hor Fun has one of the most pronounced taste of wok hei I ever had. And it's worth the trip to Chadstone just to have it again. And again. And again.

There are some reviews on Urbanspoon that complain of bad service (no smiles! The horror). But in my trips, I had no issue with the service. It may be a little lacklustre compared, but I'm used to it. When I ordered Nasi Goreng (which the menu cautioned was spicy), I requested a version made without chilli, and the staff obliged. After the meal, I asked for a box because we had over-ordered (a regular hazard with me...), and we were given one without extra charges.

Nasi Goreng

Perhaps it's a cultural thing. Not being smiled at is the norm for food stalls in Singapore and Malaysia, where it's often a one-man show juggling the orders, as well as cooking, packaging and payment collection. They just don't have the time to make niceties and ask you how your day is going. I'm just looking for tasty food, and I don't need a waiter hovering over us checking the water level in our cups.

If all you're looking for good stir-fry with an abundance of wok hei, a clean table and napkins, Nudle does the job.

Must Try:
Stir-Fry Beef Hor Fun