(Closed) Lik Ming Laksa – A Simple Bowl of Laksa that Brings so Much Joy!

I have a love-hate relationship with laksa. On some days, I get the strongest cravings for them. But instead of travelling to Katong, I will usually settle for some subpar laksa near my place, end up dissatisfied, and swear off laksa for the next couple of months. Extreme I know, but it is maddening how so many laksas are far too watery. Most just fail to get the balance of aromatic coconut milk, spicy laksa paste and rich shrimp stock right. There is no middle ground — if I can’t find a good bowl of laksa, I’ll rather not have it at all.

While scrolling through social media one day, I happened to chance upon a comment claiming that Lik Ming Laksa has the best laksa in Toa Payoh. Now, Toa Payoh is a food haven and the sheer size of its heartland area means that Lik Ming is competing against tons of laksa stalls. Can Lik Ming live up to such a bold claim?

So, I made the trip to the sleepy hawker centre where Lik Ming was situated. When I turned the corner and saw the stall, my first thought was ‘Oh my, how rare is it to find only laksa being sold at a stall!’ Most laksa stalls would usually offer prawn noodles as well due to the similarity in ingredients used for both dishes. Perhaps the laksa was really yummy for Lik Ming to sell only a single item! You will also see many newspaper clippings decorating Lik Ming’s storefront. Now excited, I eagerly ordered a bowl of laksa ($3) and chatted with the pleasant stall owners.

Lik Ming is run by a couple in their sixties. The friendly uncle told me that the stall was originally helmed by his father, and has been around since he was a boy. The couple is now the second generation stall owners. The auntie then told me to grab a seat as she would deliver the laksa to me later.

The moment the laksa arrived, I knew that it would be good. The laksa gravy rocked a nice vibrant orange. A nice pile of tau pok lay atop the bee hoon, and fish cake, bean sprouts and cockles could be found in the gravy. I greedily took a spoonful and silently rejoiced — Lik Ming’s laksa hit all the right spots! The gravy had the rich creaminess of coconut milk, but it does not overpower the spicy laksa broth. Instead, both components worked together in harmony to achieve a wonderful gravy that is light, yet encompasses so much flavour.

Those with a weak spice tolerance (like me) would be pleased to know that Lik Ming tones the spice level down so that it can be easily enjoyed by all. If you prefer your laksa to be spicier, simply ask the auntie for more dried belacan. In addition to dishing out a great tasting bowl of laksa, Lik Ming is generous with their ingredients. Their cockles, though small in size, are very fresh and not stingy in portion. For a seemingly small bowl of laksa, I was surprised, and happy, to find cockles in every spoonful!

I left Lik Ming Laksa feeling extremely happy and satisfied. A good bowl of laksa, more than anything, requires the careful weighing of all components to ensure that neither outshines the other. It is in such simple food that, sometimes, it is difficult to get the most basic things right. Lik Ming has clearly gotten it right and I have been enthusiastically recommending this stall to all my friends, now introducing it as the best laksa in Toa Payoh.

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

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