Ming Chung

The Fable

Famed especially for their Heng Hwa �mee suan�, which symbolises longevity, Ming Zhong is one of the few surviving Heng Hwa restaurants from the pre war era. Originally named �Sin Choon Hin� in 1933 by the father of the current proprietor Mr Ho Boon Lim, it was later changed to �Ming Zhong� in the 1940�s to reflect the crowds of people who populate the community centre in the immediate neighbourhood. 

Beginning its humble origins in Weld road, the original premises hired mainly unemployed Heng Hwa immigrants who were unable to find a job in the latest pearl of the orient. Catering to a diverse clientele, from sweaty ricksaw men to weary bus conductors, the restaurant became a meeting place of sorts for local Fujian and Heng Hwa families. 

The Food

Heng Hwa is located off the course of Fujian province in China and this is probably the reason why ingredients like sea weed and oysters are a dominant feature in their culinary fare. According to Mr Ho, Heng Hwa dishes are not spicy in nature, in fact he remarked that the inhabitants back in China are particularly adverse spiciness, yet because of the Singaporean predisposition, his father was encouraged to incorporate chilli into some of the recipes. 

Ming Zhong restaurant has a couple of signature dishes that has proven to be perennial favourites among its regulars. The Heng Hwa �mee suan� is one such: it is considered the most important item on the menu for the first day of the Chinese lunar year, characterised by the thin delicate nature of the shell rice vermicelli and its unique blend of ingredients like fried seaweed that impart a favour not normally found in traditional Fujian dishes. Another item of note is the Heng Hwa �lor mee�. Unlike the Hokkien version with its braised pork loin and fish slices in its signature thick dark sauce, Heng Hwa �lor mee� is a hearty noodle meal in itself with a slurpy murkish white broth populated with a healthy serving of �lah lah� (Hokkien clams).