From The Straits Times    |

sumo big prawn - lobster prawn noodle soup

Photo: Wong Ah Yoke / ST

Perhaps it is all that lamenting about the demise of Singapore hawker food, but the past year has seen some young people not only joining the profession, but doing a great job as well.

Among them is the group running Sumo Big Prawn, which opened early last month in Ang Mo Kio. Three young men and a woman – who look to be in their 20s – were running the stall when I dropped in before midday last Tuesday, busy serving a long queue of customers.

They offer an original take on prawn noodle soup by adding clams and having options that include crayfish or lobster. Prices start at $5 for the basic prawn noodle soup and go up to $8 for the big prawn version. The crayfish one is $13 and lobster is $18.90.

But when I was there, the $5 version was sold out and the lobsters were premium ones from Colombia, which bumped up the price of the noodles to $24.90.

After queuing more than half an hour, you would say yes to anything to get your food, which is why I forked out the most money I have ever spent at a hawker noodle stall – a decision I soon regretted. The lobster was tough and bland, and it was a struggle getting the meat out of the shell. In the end, I left half of it behind.

But the rest of the dish was excellent. The broth was rich and full of shellfish flavour, which the beehoon soaked up. The prawns were big and, with part of the shell already removed, easy to eat. The clams were cooked just right and were sweet and juicy.

So the next time, I will order the $8 bowl – which has all the good stuff – and skip the lobster.

WHERE: Sumo Big Prawn, 628 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, 01-72 
MRT: Yio Chu Kang 
OPEN: 9am – 9pm daily, but may close early if stocks run out. Also, check its Facebook page for days it may close
INFO: Call 9299-2621 or go to fb.com/Sumobigprawnnoodle

 

This article was first published in The Staits Times