Hong Lim Hawkers Star In Parkroyal Hotel Buffet, Including Tai Wah Pork Noodle

We love our hawker food. However, on special occasions, skipping the queues to enjoy bak chor mee in a non-humid, comfy setting doesn't sound like a bad idea. Enter The Best of Lime’s upcoming a la carte buffet dinner at Parkroyal Collection Pickering hotel’s Lime Restaurant (from $68 per pax). It will feature grub from three popular hawker stalls from Hong Lim Market & Food Centre: Tai Wah Pork Noodle, Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodle and Morning Bak Kut Tea.

Key ingredients, soups and gravies by the hawkers will be delivered to Lime and prepared a la minute by the restaurant’s in-house chefs. Of course, there will be an international spread too, including sashimi and lamb chops.

In line with Covid-19 measures, all dishes will be served at the table from the open concept kitchen only upon order, and servings are unlimited of course.

Tai Wah Pork Noodle is helmed by Gerald Tang, nephew of the one-Michelin-starred Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle stall at Crawford Lane. But no, they’re not quite the same and the two businesses are unaffiliated. This Hong Lim hawker is a 2018 Bib Gourmand recipient and oftens boasts a queue at the food centre. We like the fruity vinegar and fragrant ti poh (fried flat fish) but find the noodles sometimes overcooked and too soft. Hopefully, the mee pok will have a springier texture here.

Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodle is arguably the more popular curry noodle stall at Hong Lim Food Centre even though its upstairs rival Ah Heng Chicken Curry Bee Hoon Mee won a Michelin Plate nod. The former boasts a longer queue and its fans swear that its curry gravy is thicker and more flavourful. So yay, you get to skip the line at this buffet.

Photo: Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodle/ Facebook

The third Hong Lim stall in the line-up serves the darker, richer Hokkien style of bak kut teh.

Photo: Alvin Lim/ Facebook

What else is on the menu? Japanese and Cantonese cuisine like sashimi, a mod Salted Egg Lava Tempura Hand Roll, plus an assortment of roast chicken, pork and duck paired with Hainanese chicken rice. Western offerings include Australian Lamb Chop, Caramelised Mini Angus Beef Sirloin, Grilled Plant-Based Sausages and Roasted Idaho Potatoes with Gruyere Cheese. For those craving booze, there’s a one-for-one drink promo which includes $27 for a house wine.

Available from 1 Nov till 26 Nov for dinner only. Hawker dishes only available Fri, Sat & Sun. Lime Restaurant is at Parkroyal Collection Pickering, 3 Upper Pickering St, S058289. Tel: 6809-8888. www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pr-pickering/dining/lime.html

Photo: Park Royal Singapore