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#3 Fishball Noodles

Song Kee Fishball Noodle

Song Kee Eating House

Teochew Est. 1966
86
Certified
Shiok
Google 4.3★

About

Song Kee was founded in 1966 by Mr Chua Keok Sip and has since split into multiple stalls run by his five sons. The Yio Chu Kang Road location is the one most people refer to. Originally at Upper Serangoon Road, it relocated to Tembeling Road in 2017 before settling here.

The fish dumplings (her kiao) are what people queue for, not the fishballs. The dumplings have a wrapper made from fish paste, filled with minced pork and dried sole fish. The texture is unlike anything else in the fishball noodle world: chewy fish skin outside, savoury pork inside.

Queues of 30 to 60 minutes are normal, and the stall sells out regularly. The fishballs themselves are good (handmade from yellowtail) but secondary to the dumplings. If you are comparing fishball noodle stalls purely on fishball quality, Song Kee might not top the list. But the dumpling alone makes it worth the trip.

ShiokScore Breakdown

Scored across 5 dimensions specific to fishball noodles. Learn what each means →

Fishball Quality 87

Texture (bouncy, springy, QQ), fish flavour intensity, handmade vs machine-made. Irregular shape is the sign of handmade. Should bounce, not crumble.

Noodle Texture 84

Al dente is the benchmark. Mee pok should be flat and firm, not soggy. Kway teow should be silky. Overcooking is the most common mistake.

Sauce 83

The cook's signature. Balance of chilli, vinegar, oil or lard, soy sauce. Chilli should have depth from dried shrimp, not just heat. For soup orders, the broth should taste clean and sweet.

Toppings 93

Fish dumplings, fish cake, meatballs, minced pork, braised mushrooms, fried lard. Freshness and generosity. Some stalls give you four fishballs, some give you six.

Value 80

Price vs portion, number of fishballs, overall satisfaction. A $3.50 bowl with four bouncy handmade fishballs is excellent value. A $6 bowl with two factory balls is not.

Style: Teochew

The standard in Singapore. Fishballs from yellowtail (豆腐鱼) or wolf herring (西刀鱼), pounded by hand. Noodles tossed in chilli, vinegar, lard, and soy sauce. Crispy pork lard on top. Around 90% of fishball noodle stalls in Singapore serve this style.

Learn about all 2 fishball noodles styles →