Social media has been abuzz with the “Rainbow” Mee Hoon Kueh from this coffee shop in Tyrwhitt Road, right next to the very popular 88 Hong Kong Roast. While this isn’t the first colorful Mee Hoon Kueh we have come across, it is the first one to have different colors in the same bowl.
Coloured with natural ingredients
The good thing is that all the differently colored mee hoon kueh is made using natural ingredients such as pumpkin, sweet potato, beetroot, and spinach, so it is not only attractive but also nutritious. They did admit that it was done more for marketing rather than health, though. Since they are the new kids on the block, they had to do something to make their bowl attract attention on social media! The strategy has indeed worked, and Madam Tyrant’s “Happy Bowl” has certainly garnered attention from various influencers.
The Happy Bowl ($6.50) is attention-grabbing, and we felt that the soup was quite delicious. Unlike other ban mian stalls where the soup is clear, theirs is more milky. This is due to the boiling of pork and chicken bones over 12 hours to extract the collagen from the soft bones.
However, if you are expecting to taste pumpkin or sweet potato, you’d be disappointed as the mee hoon kueh essentially tastes like the plain one. The spinach version also needs more work as it is speckled rather than a uniform green. Appearance aside, it is still a comforting bowl of Mee Hoon Kueh Soup that should satisfy your craving for carbs in a hearty soup! 4/5
The Dry Version is actually better
The dry version is excellent and is the one that we would order when we revisit. Their house-made sambal chili is delicious and pairs exceptionally well with their dark soy sauce, specially imported from Malaysia.
We also enjoy their Ramen eggs, which are quite unique to their stall. However, the ikan bilis could be better. In the past, pioneering ban mian stalls used to have ikan bilis that were really plump. Unfortunately, you don’t get to see them nowadays. It would also be even better if they were to use mani chai (sayur manis) instead of spinach for the vegetables. But otherwise, this is a very good bowl of ban mian. 4.25/5
Side Dishes
They also have side dishes that you can order to accompany your handmade noodles. Their Hakka fried pork $5 is a tad dry and needed to have more crust while the Pork Meatballs $5 were just average. They are okay if you really need some fried items to accompany your noodles. But they really do need more work. 3.5/5
The People Behind It
The three hawker heroes behind the venture have been friends since their secondary school days. Wei Yang is the chef, while Kenny manages the coffee shop. Darren and Kenny took over the running of the coffee shop earlier this year and renamed it “Food Tyrant”. That is why the stall is called Madam Tyrant. Although the mee hoon kueh recipe was inspired by Kenny’s grandmother, she is in no way connected to Madam Tyrant!
Conclusion
A satisfying bowl of mee hoon kway/ban mian in the Lavender area that’s worth the calories if you’re craving carbs! The vibrant mee hoon kueh is definitely Instagram-worthy and is likely a delightful way to encourage kids to eat their food! We would recommend the dry version as we really like the combination of their sambal and dark soy sauce with the handmade noodles.
Disclosure: the post is written in partnership with Food Tyrant. Opinions expressed are that of our own.
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