Excellent next-gen​​ prawn noodles at Da Da Da Shi Jia at Killiney Rd

Da Da Da Shi Jia (DDDSJ) had been on my radar some time ago, for their hearty bowls of traditional prawn noodles along the outskirts of Orchard road. I had tried their prawn noodles once, and while it was decent, I thought it wasn’t much to write home about.

This time, I went back specifically to try their unique wok-fried version of prawn noodles that they had created. Note that this is entirely different from the Hokkien fried prawn noodles that you find at hawker centers.

First thing when you enter DDDSJ you will be greeted by an awesome 2 meter+ wide mural of the classic Chinese folktale ‘8 deities crossing the sea’. It to me is our Chinese ethnic representation of hipster culture.

I ordered the signature green apple juice with sour plum drink again, and again, it was a delight. I’ve never encountered this drink elsewhere; It’s a very simple pairing of pure granny smith apple juice, topped with ice and a generous heap of crushed dried-preserved plums. The salty-sweetness of the plums give a balance to the sometimes-tart green apple juice while standing out with it’s own flavors at the same time.

The wifey had the traditional prawn noodles, opting for kuay teow (flat rice noodles). I had a try, and it was as I had remembered from my previous experience. The prawn broth here at DDDSJ is not as strong as many other places, perhaps because it was less salty and possibly lesser/no use of MSG. It tastes healthy, but just not lip-smackingly so like that of Blanco Court, Beach Rd, and Hoe Nam prawn noodles.

It’s worth noting that they offer a good variety of ingredients in every bowl, consisting of prawn slices, pork slices, fish cake, bean sprouts, kang kong and of course, fried pork lard.

On to the main event, the signature wok-fried prawn noodles (vermicelli). This was almost like some sort of noodle Paella. It did cost a little premium, at $16 each, portioned for one.

When the dish arrived, the smokey wok hei (breath of wok) immediately hit my nostrils. I knew this was going to be a strongly flavored dish right away.

Tucking in, the smokey flavors were a little overpowering. After a few more bites, I began to appreciate the subtle hints of the prawn stock that had been reduced and absorbed by the rice noodles. I’m not as big a big fan of strong wok hei as others rave about. I feel that the charred flavors of wok hei should be present only as a hint, absolutely no more than 50% of the flavors of whatever you’re eating.

That said, the wok hei in this dish is a little too strong for one to appreciate the other elements it’s made up of. I would try this for the novelty, but unlikely that I would pay $16.80 for it again, considering there is little justification in the mark up.

It’s worth noting that the prawns at DDDSJ are of exceptional quality, even the cheapest variety. If you look at the menu, you will see various price grades for the prawn noodles. These price grades determine the quality of the prawns used, with the most expensive being large tiger prawns.

Bonus Must-Eat in the Area

If you’re still hankering for a bite after a bowl of prawn noodles, head a few shops down to Fook Kin! This hipster-celebrity endorsed restaurant is a spin-off project by the folks behind Roast Paradise, a hawker stall at Old Airport Road (and now Lau Pasat and a certain coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio) praised with having the best char siu in Singapore. Praises that I have verified and concurred with. Nuff said.

The roast pork is textbook perfect, well-seasoned flesh with a crisp crackling.

The char siu is of it’s own game changing league. Super well marinated and flavorful meat that is tender, almost soft to the bite, and with a lacquered charred skin holding together the almost-rendered fat that meltsand melds completely with the meat when it’s in your mouth. (oh myyyy)

This rounds up this little write up, do give these 2 places a try, and let me know what you think!