Qi Ji Minced Pork Noodle has crocodile ribs in Clementi
What would your reaction be if I said you had to eat crocodile today? For me, I certainly flinched. Trying exotic foods has never really been part of my food adventures, as I’m usually cautious and shy away from unfamiliar dishes. But when it comes to work, you don’t really have a choice, right?
So, on one hot afternoon, I found myself taking a long bus ride to Sunset Way in the Clementi area to visit Qi Ji Minced Pork Noodle and try something I never thought I would willingly order: crocodile meat.
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Helmed by former fine-dining chef Darwin Wong, the mastermind behind other dining concepts such as Cheeky Signatures and Wok Hei Burger, this may be his most unconventional creation yet: the Claypot Nourishing Crocodile Ribs Fish Maw Soup ($28).
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As crocodile ribs are not readily available, he sources them from Singapore’s only crocodile farm, Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm in Lim Chu Kang. The soup arrived in a generous claypot that could easily feed two to three people, and at first glance, it looked somewhat similar to a hearty bowl of bak kut teh, complete with plenty of meaty ribs—albeit in a more rugged form.
There are not many direct comparisons to draw in terms of flavour, but it was immediately apparent that crocodile meat is much leaner and firmer than pork ribs. If I had to compare it to either chicken or pork, I would say it leans closer to pork due to its relatively neutral flavour profile, which meant it also absorbed the rich fish maw soup particularly well.
Although crocodile meat is naturally a little chewy, these ribs leaned a bit too heavily in that direction, requiring quite a bit of effort to get through each chunk of meat. On the plus side, every chew was packed with the rich broth, but the texture meant that it was ultimately not as satisfying to eat as I had hoped.
As for the soup itself, it was particularly comforting, with a cloudy broth that tasted as though it had been simmered for quite some time. Packed with ingredients such as fish maw, Chinese cabbage, mushrooms and beancurd skin alongside the generous crocodile ribs, each component added its own character to the bowl.
The Chinese cabbage lent a gentle sweetness, while the mushrooms brought an earthy depth, and the beancurd skin was full of flavour after soaking up the broth. Altogether, it was a fresh-tasting and nourishing bowl of soup.
You can pair the soup with a choice of carb, including Mee Pok, Handmade Bee Hoon, or Kway Teow, but we opted for the Pork Lard Pearl Rice and Special Mee Kia. The pork lard rice was particularly enjoyable, with the rendered fat from the crispy lard lending richness to each grain. Combined with the dark soy sauce drizzled on top, every bite was extra savoury.
The Special Mee Kia was lighter in flavour, but its springy texture paired well with the rich fish maw soup, offering a pleasant contrast and helping keep the meal from feeling overly heavy. If that’s not enough to satisfy your appetite, you can also add on the Teochew Seahum ($9.80) for an extra dose of briny sweetness.
Overall, we appreciated the opportunity to try a rather uncommon meat that is rarely found on menus in Singapore. The flavours were decent throughout, but the added chewiness was not to my preference. While I would still gravitate towards more familiar options such as chicken or pork, I would recommend this dish to adventurous diners and curious foodies looking to venture beyond the usual protein choices and try something a little different.
For a look at the second outlet of a premium K-BBQ restaurant, read our Kott-Don 360 coverage. For bubble tea and Pixar fans, read our LiHO TEA x Toy Story coverage.
Address: 106 Clementi Street 12, #01-62, Singapore 120106
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 9pm
Tel: 8116 6506
Qi Ji Minced Pork Noodle is not a halal-certified eatery.
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Photos taken by Heather Ng.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.
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