I try 328 Katong Laksa's new instant noodles, here's how it compares to the real deal

Laksa is one of the top few on my list when it comes to local food.

I mean, who can resist a bowl of noodles doused in creamy, spicy soup? 

328 Katong Laksa is arguably one of the more famous places in Singapore that sell it. 

And I can see why because they really do know how to whip up a damn good bowl of laksa. 

So, when I heard that they've come up with a new instant noodle version of their iconic dish, I was both excited and intrigued. 

We bought ours from the FairPrice Finest Jewel Changi Airport outlet for $3.

Each cup comes with noodles, as well as packets of seasoning paste, seasoning powder and garnish. 

We realised that the noodles were not your usual instant noodles, neither were they the thick rice noodles normally found in a regular bowl of laksa. Instead, they resembled yellow yi mian. 

The cup noodles also didn't contain typical laksa ingredients like fishcakes, bean sprouts, cockles and prawns. All we got were a few small balls of dehydrated prawns. 

But that wasn't surprising because, at the end of the day, it still is just a bowl of instant noodles. 

Putting it together was simple. Just like any other cup noodles, all we had to do was add in the seasoning packets and hot water before leaving it to cook for around four minutes. 

Even before we poured in the hot water, we were already impressed by the smell of the seasonings — it was pretty legitimate. 

Taste test 

The final product didn't smell or taste like the real deal from 328 Katong Laksa but you could immediately tell that it was meant to replicate a bowl of laksa. 

On top of that, the soup lacked the creamy element that usually comes from the coconut milk. 

However, considering that the soup was once in a paste and powder form, we were quite surprised by the intensity of the flavours and found it pretty addictive. 

We also quite liked the noodles used. These had more bite than your regular instant noodles and soaked up the soup well too. 

But we have to admit that by using these noodles instead of the typical thick rice noodles, it made the dish feel less like an authentic bowl of laksa. 

Nonetheless, it was still a really good bowl of instant noodles and something we would actually purchase again. 

However, if you do want to try these noodles, we advise that you manage your expectations and don't anticipate it to fully mimic the flavours of an actual bowl of laksa from 328 Katong Laksa. 

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melissateo@asiaone.com