Bossi Ban Mian – Unique Ban Mian with Chye Poh & Mei Cai

Bossi Ban Mian was a recommendation from a new friend, when we were craving for some piping hot comfort food in a cold, faraway country. The homesickness had crept in like a fog and i realised that after a few days of scrambled eggs and croissants, all i craved was some piping hot comfort food from home (Singapore).

Alas, some fellow Singaporeans in the same train cabin shared similar sentiments. Before long, a flurry of conversation about ban mian ensued. And a stall with a curious name, “Bossi Ban Mian”, came up. Nestled in the heart of Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre, Bossi Ban Mian garnered rave reviews from my new found friends. Thus, upon returning to Singapore, I made a trip to Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre for a taste of this “unique” Ban mian.

Both the soup and dry versions of the original ban mian cost $4 each. Other variations include prawn ($6), sliced fish ($5), clam ($5) and sliced abalone ($5). Different types of noodles such as ban mian, u mian, mian fen guo, yi mian and mi fen are available.

The Dry Ban Mian ($4) arrived at our table looking like a work of art. Just one mouthful of the ban mian, and one word popped into mind — shiok! The ingredients provided different textures to the dish, while enhancing the flavour of the noodles at the same time. The ikan bilis was really crispy. Huge, generous chunks of well-marinated and flavourful minced pork added an extra dimension to the dish. The chilli packed a punch, and heightened that “shiok!” feeling. Yet, what made this version outstanding was the chye poh, which added a savoury and smoky flavour. This was my first time encountering chye poh in ban mian, and it was a pleasant surprise.

Furthermore, the dry ban mian comes with a bowl of soup which contains spinach and an egg. Why not transfer the egg from the soup to the dry noodles? Not only does the egg complement the ban mian, it makes the dish 5 times more insta-worthy. After all, who dosen’t love looking at a runny egg yolk?

The ban mian was served with a mean spicy green chilli sauce, which was pretty flaming hot and not for the faint-hearted. However, once you get used to the spice, you’ll realise that the green chilli sauce actually adds a zesty tang to the noodles. For those averse to spicy food, fret not, for the ban mian tastes just as good without the chilli. The green chilli sauce came with a side of ikan bills which had been fried to crispy perfection.

Similarly, the Soup Ban Mian ($4) was unique and had a flavour unlike other ban mian that I have tried. The soup was on the slightly sweeter side, which, according to the owner’s son, stems from the soup being simmered with pork bones. The soup ban mian was served with generous chunks of meat, an egg, and a spoonful of mei cai. According to one of the owner’s sons, the mei cai adds a “special” flavour which makes the soup tastier. True enough, the soup ban mian tasted unique, yet comforting. I imagine that it would be perfect on a rainy day.

According to the owner’s son, Bossi Ban Mian used to be located at Seletar Market. However, when he enlisted for National Service, Bossi Ban Mian closed down due to a lack of manpower. Recently (2 years ago), the stall reopened at Serangoon Gardens Hawker Centre after the owner’s son had completed his National Service.

In my opinion, Bossi Ban Mian’s noodles definitely left an impression, especially the dry version. In fact, I liked it so much that I revisited the stall 2 days later with my family. Who knew a recommendation from a new friend would lead to such a valuable find and a new haunt?

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.