Tasty crispy claypot noodles, rich broths & seafood-filled ingredients

I was sifting through our long, long list of reader-recommended stalls when I came across Fook Kee Ipoh Famous Claypot Noodle.

I don’t know about you, but something about the ‘Ipoh’ in its name called out to me like a ‘seal of approval’ for authenticity. Besides, I’ve had only the best experiences at such Malaysian-named establishments. These, combined with my penchant for their signature offering of crispy claypot noodles, were enough to get me on a pilgrimage to Ubi.

As their name suggests, Fook Kee is a Malaysia-famous brand known for its speciality of Ipoh-style claypot noodles. They first made their Singapore debut in Aljunied in Jul 2023 but have since relocated to the kopitiam at Ubi Frontier.

They’ve recently opened 2 more stalls — one in Katong and another in Chinatown, which I unfortunately only discovered days after my 3-hour round trip to Ubi. Sigh.

On the (ironically) bright side, it had just rained that afternoon. The air was chilly and the sky was overcast — only the perfect weather for piping hot soup! My visit could not have come at a better time.

The kopitiam that houses Fook Kee is tucked deep in the Ubi industrial area. Roomy and furnished with lots of tables, it’s clearly designed to cater to bustling office lunch crowds. I suppose that explains why it was so quiet when I visited in the late afternoon.

Ulu as the stall is, people willingly make the journey for their noodles. I mean, just take a look at that ‘Singapore Best Foods’ sticker, complete with 5 stars. Behind the glass counter, stacks of crispy noodles beckoned enticingly under the glow of heat lamps. Yeah, it’s no wonder people are drawn in.

What I tried at Fook Kee Ipoh Famous Claypot Noodle

I started with none other than Fook Kee’s famed Ipoh Signature Claypot Noodle (S$6). The noodles arrived just as they appeared on display — an enticing block of golden-brown goodness that sported an enticing crisped exterior. How these noodles retained their shape so perfectly even as they simmered away in the rustic claypot will never not be a wonder to me.

An egg was cracked into the dish before it was served, its silky yolk draping over the bed of noodles. Beneath, an array of ingredients peeked out from the bubbling broth.

At first glance, the claypot noodles bear an almost uncanny resemblance to the crowd favourite yee mee. There’s more than meets the eye, though; these noodles are actually a special type of egg noodles specifically crafted for claypot dishes.

The noodles were springy and had an amazing mouthfeel that struck the perfect balance between crispy and chewy. They softened as they simmered, though not to the point of sogginess, and retained a wonderful firm bounce with every bite. Flavour-wise, they bore a subtle egginess that paired well with the savoury broth.

Furthermore, I noticed that each noodle strand was wavy and irregularly shaped, in contrast to the typically smooth texture of yee mee. These textural ‘nuances’ served as the gorgeous hallmark of handmade labour that I simply adore.

The noodles were accompanied by several pork slices and minced meat chunks that were well-marinated and simmered down to an incredible silky tenderness; it’s no exaggeration to say that they practically melted in my mouth. There were also many thick and soft slices of napa cabbage that gave the broth a natural sweetness and a delightful depth of flavour.

Now, I remember feeling pretty underwhelmed by the broth on my first sip of it. It was a whole different story later on, though. The initially clear broth gradually took on a cloudy light brown hue as I worked my way through the bowl.

Clearly, the broth had been enriched with the essence of the claypot noodles. The mild porky flavour of the broth became more pronounced with each spoonful, coaxed out and complemented by an umami richness imparted by the noodles. The result? A light yet full-bodied broth that had me savouring every last drop and feeling utterly satisfied.

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As I perused the menu, I was particularly intrigued by the Mixed Treasure Soup (S$7). I got a kick out of its Chinese name, 全家福, which translates to ‘happy family’.

The ‘family’ ensemble comprised a medley of ingredients you don’t often find at noodle and soup stalls: fortune bags, fresh prawn balls, shrimp wantons, crab nuggets and beancurd skin seafood rolls. Oh, the abundance of seafood-filled treasures in this bowl lived up to its name, alright.

On the contrary, the presentation of the dish was rather lacklustre. It was as simple as a cloudy grey-ish bowl of broth with the ingredients nestled within.

Nevertheless, as they say, never judge a book by its cover. Albeit its drab appearance, the broth proved unexpectedly robust. Its consistency resembled a fusion of creamy collagen and milky tonkotsu broth, with distinct sweet notes of fresh seafood and vegetables that infused a daikon radish-esque flavour that reminded me of a comforting oden.

The ingredients within were delicious as well. The fortune bags were my favourite of the lot. These hefty morsels were soft yet toothsome, filled with tasty orange fish paste studded with tiny pearls of roe that burst with umami that lingered on my tongue. Having only ever had mochi-stuffed tofu skin fortune bags from Japan, I was taken by pleasant surprise.

The shrimp wantons, each encasing a sizable fresh prawn, were another stand-out. Their silky skins were so delicate that they practically disintegrated in the soup and took on a slurp-worthy consistency reminiscent of kway teow noodles.

The prawn balls were equally impressive, embedded with whole chunks of fresh prawns that lent both a satisfying crunch and pronounced sweetness that complemented the savoury broth.

Final Thoughts

I didn’t expect Fook Kee Ipoh Famous Claypot Noodle to impress me as much as it did. The Signature Claypot Noodle lived up to my noodle-loving expectations and more with its flavourful soup and crispy, chewy noodles. Similarly, I deeply enjoyed the robust Mixed Treasure Soup and the abundance of tasty seafood-filled ingredients — amazing value for money!

You can definitely count on both dishes to warm you up on a cold, rainy day. To be honest, they’re worth digging into even on sunny days. However, I have to admit that I’m not sure I would brave yet another arduous journey to Ubi Frontier for it. I guess I’ll just wait for more details about their Chinatown outlet, for now.

Expected damage: S$5.50 – S$7 per pax

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