Tai Hwa Pork Noodles

Review Highlights

Tai Hwa Pork Noodles is the world's first Michelin-starred hawker stall, located on Crawford Lane in Singapore. Founded in 1932, the tiny stall has been run by the same family for three generations — with just two people working the kitchen, making it likely the smallest Michelin-starred operation in the world. Alexander visits to tackle the question of whether a humble hawker stall, complete with cracked ceilings and handwritten signs, truly belongs in the same guide as the world's finest restaurants.

• ·Dry Pork Noodles (Bak Chor Mee) — minced pork, pork liver, a large wonton, and scallions over noodles tossed in an acidic, spicy sauce underneath. "It's sharp, exciting, and with each bite, you want another. I love it."
• ·Kway Teow Soup — the soup version of the pork noodles, made with flat rice noodles in the same flavour base.
• ·Seaweed Soup — a lighter side soup; Alexander found it "not really my thing."

Alexander enjoyed the food — the dry pork noodles were sharp, exciting, and addictive. His main issue is with the Michelin system, not the restaurant: he believes Tai Hwa fits better in the Bib Gourmand category, which was created exactly for places like this, rather than holding a full Michelin star. He admired that the owners never raised prices after getting the star — the entire meal cost just $15 USD. "If you're looking for a classic Michelin-starred experience, this might not be the place for you. But if you're after really good, authentic Singaporean flavors, I definitely recommend it."

About

Tai Hwa Pork Noodles is a historic hawker stall on Crawford Lane in Singapore that made global headlines in 2016 as one of the first two street food stalls to receive a Michelin star. Founded in 1932 and run by the same family for three generations, the stall specialises in bak chor mee (minced pork noodles) — a classic Singaporean hawker dish — served from a tiny kitchen staffed by just two people. It is widely considered the world's smallest and most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant.