Speak to any self proclaimed beef kway teow lover and inevitably the Famous Hock Lam Street Beef Kway Teow would come into the picture. Thick bee hoon and beef slices laden with brown gooey gravy garnished with kiam chye (salted vegetables) and grounded peanut, immediately this imagery would come into mind. This version that we’re gonna be introducing today would forever change your visage of the familiar Hainanese styled beef kway teow. Yes, forever.

What Empress Place offers is the authentic Teochew style “Hock Lam” Beef Kway Teow that was served during the old days or so, stall owner David says. He has prepared his beef kway teow the way he remembered back in the days when he used to eat at his Ah Gong’s stall up at North Bridge Road. You probably would be wondering who David’s Ah Gong is, which leads us to a little bit of insight to the Hock Lam lineage. You see, David is the grandson of Late Mr Tan Chin Seah, whom in turn happens to be the founder of the legendary Hock Lam Beef Kway Teow. He’s basically the patriarch and if his grandson says the style is as such, we ain’t gonna be arguing. Sad to say some of you folks are probably having the illegitimate spawn of beef kway teow, for years on end I reckon. Some of you jokers will most likely go, “Oei, the proof is in the pudding! “, hence pudding tasting we shall commence.

Served in a distinct sunshine yellow bowl and chopsticks (if any of you are having this in a different colored bowl, you’ve got the wrong address.), the dried variation comes with three modules; a bowl of soup, one serving of chilli sauce and the main course. The stock is extremely robust and full of beefy goodness, replicated thru days of simmering in low fire, really hearty stuff. The chilli sauce is unique with a tangy taste and a pleasant sting. I taste a tinge of pineapple in the concoction and guess it would account for the tanginess. I’ll usually dump the default serving into the kway teow and request another for the beef slices. The main dish is essentially a no frills serving of silky and velvety Ipoh kway teow (the thin type) douse with a mixture of fragrant seasoning including sesame oil, soy sauce and chilli sauce, topped with slices of pink medium rare beef.

The taste is exquisite; you really have to savour to experience its subliminal flavors. It’s hard to describe the sensation but after your first mouthful, you’re going to be like Super Mario obtaining a Star. Personally, I prefer the dried one over the soup version that is basically kway teow with its signature beef broth which is equally good.

For all those that are reading this, i’ve got a word of advice fer ya.

The hell you are still here reading this stuff for? You should be at LTN Eating House already!

-Darth Sidtoh