Cowboy Caleb the liberal arts, grown-up stuff & random mischief

Food Review: Malan Noodles

What’s with the lanterns?

After such an amazingly sincere writeup about the Singapore outlet of Malan Noodles, a respected noodle franchise from China - I just had to go and see myself what the fuss was all about. So I made my way there during my lunch break with a few friends in the merciless sun. The outlet is located at the Majestic in Chinatown on the second floor, just below the new swanky chinese-only Popular bookstore.

The deco was rather obiang. Think Macdonalds meets Jiang Zhemin. There was even a very ah pek karaoke in one corner complete with mosaic tiles featuring chinese dragons and phoenixes. All the staff were from China. A rather pretty middle-aged lady ushered us to a table and gave us a piece of paper to write our orders on. The menu was rather extensive and most of the food looked great. I chose a sliced beef noodle dish, because I had it before in Hong Kong and it was fantastic.

This looked totally different in the menu!

So when the food arrived, I was very disappointed. It looked nothing like what I had seen in the menu. To be honest, after I was done only one thought was in my head -I am never ever f87king coming back here again.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Malan Noodle Fastfood Chain Store Pte Ltd
80 Eu Tong Sen St
#02-01 The Majestic Bldg

Hmm… that really didn’t look too good. Not exactly whetting the appetite. And it look too little as well, looks like you had a unfulfilling and bad lunch.

it was actually ok when it opened, i rather liked it then - i think about a year and a half ago. but subsequent visits proved disappointing.

aww man do I have to read abt. food and look at those photos always in the office morning when I am hungry?? even tho u say it is bad I’d eat anything right now.

I only see the picture but from the picture itself I don’t think its tasteful :D

[caleb, I have finally moved to WP and of course my RSS feeds changed :) ]

Tired once. So-so lah. But won’t go second time too. Din Tai Feng at Paragon also. Queue so long, the noodles are only handmade noodles blend with sesame oil. Not worth the price.

yeah, compared to the dintaifung in taiwan.. the one at paragon is really crap.

i quote my mum: more people than there are xiaolongbao!

I understand that the Din Tai Feng in Singapore is a franchise owned by BreadTalk.

That bowl of noodles looks exactly like what you’d get at an eatery in Shanghai, Beijing or Guangzhou. But then this won’t fly in Singapore where even a $3 bowl of meepok tah at a Kopitiam food court has better presentation.