How often does one go to a coffee shop and NOT see a Kolo Mee stall? Rarely. How often does one find authentic Kolo Mee? Rarely. If one’s idea of “Authentic” Kolo Mee is the common ensemble of dry noodles drizzled with meaty lard, sweet red pork sauce and sprinkled with spring onions, fried garlic, an unhealthy(but necessary) amount of MSG and Charsiew (Barbequed pork), I’d be inclined to tell you that you are mistaken.

So what then is Authentic Kolo Mee? Does it matter? Kolo Mee, has reinvented itself and come a long way from its roots of a bowl of just dry noodles, some vege and minced meat. Its evolution and transformation from what was deemed original and authentic brings meaning to the phrase, “Good chefs follow and great chefs reinvent”.

Ergo, we now look to the famous Kolo Mee stall in front of Chong Lin Plaza, Green road for our next Urban Palatable Adventure. If you can imagine it, now walk behind that stall to find a coffee shop called Food Corner. Within their halls, you will find a humble stall currently without a name but owned by local, Francis Then that serves “Mushroom Chicken Noodles”. 

He serves two variations to its noodles, with or without chili oil and flakes. Let me save you the trouble of helping you pick the one with the chili because if you can handle a slight kick of heat, you will thank me for the recommendation as this variation is the one we’ll be talking about. 

You will notice at first glance the similarity between the noodles served here and a normal bowl of Kolo Mee; the noodles and sprinkling of greens and minced meat. 

If Mr Then were to speak to you about his noodles, he'd tell you, "I'm not saying my noodles are the best, or others aren't as good.. Just give mine a try and you decide".

At first bite, you’ll realize that what most overlook as the most essential part of the Kolo Mee, is the noodles. Too often one will have a bowl of noodles that is either too chewy from being undercooked, or too soft and mushy from being overcooked. What you taste from this bowl, are noodles boiled to just the right amount of time for the right amount of bite or texture, and quickly shocked by blanching in cold water to achieve springiness. 

The mince, is flavoured with mushroom which brings an earthy and meaty body to the protein and is accompanied with the chili oil which as I’m told is homemade and cooked for hours to help the mince stick to the noodles and coat it with a roasted spicy profile. A dash of coriander that’s sprinkled over the noodles helps elevate the rich flavor of mushroom to add a fresh lemony dimension and also adds pretty colours if that’s what you’re into. Did I mention again that the mince is made of chicken? Because it’s made of chicken. Don’t judge me. 

What you get from a bowl like this, is layer upon layer of elements disguised as just a simple bowl of Kolo Mee. The rush of flavours one experiences is what you get from scrupulous dedication to detail from someone whom you can tell from his food, loves what they make and would love for you to love it too. That being said though, what is authentic and does it even really matter? Have another bite of from Francis Then's Chicken Mushroom Noodles and answer me again.

He is open everyday 7:00am - 2:00pm and 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Spoinks – a burger stand of proud owners, Reuben and William, named after a combination of a pink Pokemon and “Oinks”, the sound a pig makes, currently only serves one kind of burger. Their solo signature burger, the “Smashing Pork Burger” served in hipster like fashion on a wooden chopping board, is as the name suggests is “smashed” smashingly.

According to co-owner Reuben, “What I want to do, is to create a niche market of pork while being professional at it”.

At first glance, what looks like a thick patty in the sandwich is actually two. This is no gimmick as it serves the purpose of not only to increase the amount of meat, but also to cut short cooking time and increase the surface area of a char that is achieved by searing their pork balls into patties by “smashing” them.

Each detail of this burger has their handiwork from the way their soft and sweet brioche bun that they have specially contracted a supplier for is able to hold the full weight of the burger, to their home-made barbeque sauce and fresh condiments of slaw and buttery caramelized onions. Something that is also nice to try when available is the presence of their juicy yet crispy home-made cured bacon. After sitting down for a chat with the friendly Reuben, he could not speak enough about the pride of consistently producing fresh ingredients for all their condiments barring the cheese.

Spoinks does a lot right, but condiments like the slaw are of low abundance, which is a shame because one needs the crunchy, fresh texture of vege to balance the heavy and juicy burger. What is also left to be desired on a personal preference is the presence of cheese and mayo which although provides texture, to me does not enhance the flavor of the burger. The cheese is neither sharp enough nor melted onto the patty and the mayo’s soft creamy texture does not add to the already juicy sandwich. It is important to note that this is a minor gripe and can all be rectified by ordering them without.

Overall, the gripes only exist because Spoinks have put themselves up on a level that demands excellence, and because the burger itself is just that good. There are personal things one would prefer from this author, yes but it shouldn’t deter one from giving this place a try in front of the Public Bank in Stutong where they open from Tuesdays to Saturdays at 6:30 pm till 11:00 pm. Also check out their Facebook page where they regularly post updates on their whereabouts and availability.