A $4.50 bowl of Singapore pork noodles is now the cheapest Michelin-starred meal in the world. I eat noodles every day, and it was still one of the best meals I've ever had.

Marielle DescalsotaFeb 8, 2022, 14:33 IST

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Last weekend, I tried the world's cheapest Michelin-starred meal: Singapore pork noodles.
Locally known as bak chor mee, it cost 6 Singapore dollars, or about $4.50.

Many Singapore residents, including myself, spend a lot of time eating at hawker centers, the open-air food stalls found throughout the city-state.

Tai Hwa Eating House.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

One such hawker stall is Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, a street-food vendor that sells a Michelin-starred dish for 6 Singapore dollars ($4.50).

Located at Crawford Lane, the stall was awarded a Michelin star in 2016. A hawker stall in Singapore is currently home to the world's cheapest Michelin-starred dish.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle is no ordinary hawker stall: It's currently one of two street food vendors in the world with a Michelin star.

The stall proudly displays its Michelin star plaque.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Tai Hwa Pork Noodle is also the oldest bak chor mee stall in Singapore, according to local food site Miss Tam Chiak.

Chef Chua Hock Cheng.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Like many hawker centers, Tai Hwa Eating House is located within a public housing area.

The stall is located at a public housing estate.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

When I visited at around 2 p.m., the weekend crowd was starting to pick up.

The hawker center at Crawford Lane.Marielle Descalsota /Insider

While there were only 10 people when I began to queue for the noodles, a dozen more joined soon after.

Queue at Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Gourmet awards and photographs of owner Chay Seng and chef Cheng were tacked to the stall's wall.

Owner Tang Chay Seng and Chef Cheng.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

It was finally my turn, and I was more than ready to devour two bowls of noodles.

Chef Cheng preparing noodles.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

I was especially excited for the dry noodles, which were made with sambal, a chili sauce with shrimp paste and garlic, and black vinegar.

Guo tiao tang (rice noodle soup) and gan mian (hot dry noodles) (left).Marielle Descalsota/Insider

As someone who eats noodles nearly every day, both dishes hit the spot — but the dry bak chor mee was the one that exceeded expectations.

With my first bowl.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

Before I left, I caught up with chef Cheng, who was having lunch at around 4.30 p.m., right after the crowd dissipated.

Chef Cheng.Marielle Descalsota/Insider

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