Spicy Noodle 销魂面铺 is a popular Taiwanese noodle brand which has 18 stores across Taiwan. It first started in 2017 and has gain popularity across Taiwan for their spicy soup and noodle pairings. They are known for their ‘soul-stirring noodles’ paired with comforting beef broth. They recently open their first Singapore outlet here at Raffles City, near TWG store.
What is this ‘Soul-stirring noodle’ all about?
Its Chinese store name is called 销魂 (Xiao Hun) which literally means that the food is so good that it is worth “selling one’s soul” in order to try it. Their handmade noodles are super chewy and QQ. Even the recipe for their noodles are patented. And what makes these noodles stand out even further is that these noodles are tossed in their special house made fragrant chilli oil. But is it that delicious that is worth ‘selling your soul’? Read on to find out more.
Spicy Noodle outlet at Raffles City
It is located at Basement 2 of the Raffles City Mall, close to TWG store. The store has a minimalist wabi-sabi interior with muted,earth-tone walls and soft lighting. It has a welcoming storefront too. The space isn’t very big and can probably house no more than 48 pax in one seating.
I think that also explains why sometimes there’s a queue at this noodle shop when it first opened. We went there on a weekday evening at 5pm and there was already a few people waiting outside for the store to open.
What is on their menu?
The selection of food items on menu is limited to noodles, snacks and some drinks. And the noodles come in a set with a bowl of beef soup. The price of the noodle and soup set starts from $18.80.
I find their menu to be a little complex because the set comes in various combo and as a first-timer, I would have no clue which noodle set I should order. But they did indicate which set is their most popular set.
Mild Beef Soup Set ($18.80)
This set comprises of Xiao Hun Noodles served with soft boiled eggs, Mild Beef Soup with sliced US beef and braised tofu pouch. A set of noodles for $20.80 is certainly not cheap.
Chilli-tossed Soul Stirring Noodles
Thank goodness, it does somewhat lives up to its expectations. It’s not superb enough to ‘stir my soul’ but the noodles and the broth are delicious. Okay, let me break it down for you.
The texture of the noodles are super QQ and chewy. I am not too sure if you can describe it as bouncy but it has a firm al dente-like bite to it. In addition, the noodles are tossed in their house made chilli oil which takes them about 8 hours to make it. Their chilli oil gives the noodles that oomph and flavour that makes you keep wanting more of it. Apparently, the chilli oil is so potent that they only add in one drop of it into the noodles. That one drop of oil is enough to elevate the noodles.
The Potent Chilli Oil
Their chilli oil, made without preservatives, is carefully crafted by their skilled staff who stir-fry the mixture by hand. They first stir-fry premium beef tallow with a blend of fresh and dried chilli peppers. Then they then simmered with Chinese medicinal herbs, fruits, vegetables and fermented rice wine and fermented bean paste (Doubanjiang). After mixing and leaving the chilli concoction to rest, they extract the chilli oil which naturally separates and float to the top.
I would have love to taste the chilli oil on its own to savour the myriad of flavours it embodies. It would have been great if they could serve some chilli oil at the side for us to add into our noodles.
So, are the noodles spicy? Not at all. The noodles are simply just a little more flavourful. There isn’t much of a spicy kick to it.
Soft boiled Egg
Aside from the noodles, the eggs are really creamy and delicious too. It’s a good protein add-on to the noodles.
They also serve a slight tangy sauce with the noodles. I am not too sure if it is meant to be paired with the sliced beef or noodles. But it went pretty well with the sliced beef.
Mild Beef Soup ($24.80) – with Beef Tendon, Sliced US Beef, Braised Tofu Pouch, Soft Boiled Eggs, Noodles
The beef soup itself is another highlight. It’s a highly flavourful beef soup made from pure beef broth which has been simmered for at least 6 hours. It is no doubt hearty and comforting.
The beef slices, however, tasted pretty ordinary and the slices are clumped together. But I do need to mention that there’s quite alot of beef slices in one bowl of soup. My dining partner and I were both super satisfied after having one noodle set each.
If you enjoy eating beef tendons for its collagen, you can order the set which comes with the beef tendons too.
Spicy Beef Soup Set ($24.80) – with Beef Tendon, Sliced Beef, Braisef Tofu Pouch, Soft Boiled Eggs
They have two version of beef soup – mild and spicy. The spicy soup version has a spicy kick to it but it is not overwhelmingly spicy. Because the spice do numb your tastebuds a little, you can’t quite savour that robust clean flavour of the beef broth. Even though I enjoy spicy foods, I would prefer the mild broth over the spicy one as the mild beef soup tasted a lot better in terms of flavour.
Our Verdict
The noodles and broth are undeniably good but not to the extent of ‘selling my soul’ or ‘my-soul-leaving-the-body’ kind of experience. Is it worth a try? Yes, just to understand how chewy their noodles are and how hearty their beef soups are.
We also tried a couple of their sides but weren’t too impressed. As such, it would be best to just order their noodle and soup set.
Spicy Noodle 大師兄销魂面铺
Address: 252 North Bridge Road, Raffles City, B1-38, Singapore 179103
Operating hours: 11 am to 10 pm daily
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