Swedish meatballs in a bak chor mee shop? Now that’s a makeover we didn’t see coming. Fusion noodle joint 51 Noodle House, which serves bak chor mee with Japanese-inspired elements like chashu and onsen egg, has given the same pork orbs used in their dishes a hip, Scandinavian twist for Christmas. The festive dish is only available at their fancier Tai Thong Crescent outlet and not at Yishun Park Hawker Centre.

“Our meatballs are well-loved, so we thought of creating a meatball-focused dish. When you say meatballs, you’d think of Ikea so we started making something similar and were surprised by how the meatballs go well together with the [demi glace] brown sauce,” says ex-landscape architect Darren Teo, 32, who co-owns 51 Noodle House with ex-restaurant chef Henry Yap, 38. The hawkers also own modern toast joint, Fete Kopi & Toast, housed in the same space as their noodle shop at The Venue Shoppes in Potong Pasir.

51’s Swedish meatballs are available from now till 31 December.

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Looks like the real deal… sort of

51 Noodle House’s festive creation (pictured below) features a dozen meatballs served with brown sauce, roasted potatoes, blanched broccoli and raspberry jam. Looks somewhat similar to what’s plopped onto our plates at the Ikea restaurant (pictured above) — except these purely pork balls are paler than Ikea’s dark brown ones.

Taste test of 51 Noodle House’s Swedish Meatballs, $13.80 (12 pcs) 

On its own, 51’s pork balls are tastier than most local versions. The tender and juicy orbs are made in a factory according to the hawkers’ specifications and are significantly lighter and bouncier than Ikea’s meatballs. Texture-wise, it’s finer and smoother than the Swedish version, which features a mixture of pork and beef. The pork balls are torched before serving for a tinge of char – which we found to be a nice touch. 

We were initially sceptical of whether the assertive taste of five spice powder and dried flounder powder (ti po) found in local pork balls would work well with the Western brown sauce. Thankfully, the seasoning was not too overwhelming and paired harmoniously with the house-made demi glace (a rich brown sauce made from a reduction of meat broth) rendered from pork and beef stock. The brown sauce was not as rich and creamy as Ikea’s, but flavourful nonetheless, with a lovely peppery aroma. 

For the sides, we preferred 51’s crisp-skinned spuds over Ikea’s forgettable mash. Their store-bought raspberry conserve was also a good dupe for Ikea’s lingonberry jam, providing a welcome tartness to balance the meatballs.

Bottom line

On a scale of zero to Billy Bookcase, you probably wouldn’t mistake this for Ikea’s signature dish – mainly due to the absence of the distinct beefy flavour found in Swedish meatballs. We did, however, enjoy 51’s creative take featuring the versatility of local pork balls. The orbs offer a bouncier, homey texture, which we found more appealing than Ikea’s. The warm notes from the five spice and ti po also worked well with the peppery brown sauce. It’s pricier than Ikea’s ($6.90 for eight pcs), but boasts a heartier portion. A fun fusion dish to try without having to jostle for a table at the furniture chain’s always-crowded cafe.

The details

Available till 31 Dec at 51 Noodle House, #01-07 The Venue Shoppes, 2 Tai Thong Cres, S347836. Open daily 10.30am-8.30pm. More info via Facebook & Instagram.

Photos: 51 Noodle House & Chin Chih Lin

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