Tucked away on the second floor of CT Hub 2 in Kallang, Twin Island Noodle House is a no-frills eatery with a seating capacity of just about 20 pax. There is no server to take your order, everything is done via a self-service touchscreen kiosk outside. It is a simple, fuss-free setup, but once the food arrives, you would understand why the place is packed during lunch time.

The Taiwanese braised beef noodle soup is the undisputed star of the show. The beef shank is slow-braised to perfection, so tender it practically melts in your mouth. The broth is rich, slightly spicy, and deeply flavourful, coating every strand of the fresh, springy noodles and making it an absolute joy to slurp down. Honestly, I could have easily devoured two bowls of this on my own.

While the Lu Rou Fan (braised minced pork rice) and the other sides were decent, they simply paled in comparison. Not that they were bad, but when the beef noodles are this good, nothing else really matters. On my next visit, I’m skipping the extras. I just need that bowl of beef noodle.