Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: 5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing

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Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: 5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing

5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing
5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing



Nothing was sponsored, we visited as regular paying customers. Photos in this post were taken between 2000 and 2021 (across 21 years!), as such, the quality of photos varies drastically due to advances in camera technology. Mobile smartphones were in their infancy and had yet to become widespread.


Also Known As:
5 Spice Roll, Wu Xiang Xia Bing, 5 Spice Pork Roll, Ngo Hiang, Ngoh Hiang, Heh Gerng, Lor Bak, 5 Spice Fritters


Average Price Per Serving:
SGD $5 - $15








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Description:
The 5 Spice Roll is a Singaporean Chinese dish that consists of various deep-fried fritters made from meat, seafood, tofu bean curd, and other ingredients. Also known as Wu Xiang Xia Bing, 5 Spice Pork Roll, Ngo Hiang, Ngoh Hiang, Heh Gerng, Lor Bak, or 5 Spice Fritters, the 5 Spice Roll dish is usually priced around SGD $5 to $15 per serving. It's normally eaten for lunch, tea, dinner, or supper.

The eponymous 5 Spice Roll is a type of deep-fried meat sausage, featuring a thin crisp tofu bean curd skin, stuffed with juicy minced pork and other ingredients, seasoned with 5-spice powder. There are 2 variations for the other ingredients within. The common Chinese Teochew pork roll version includes tender yam, bouncy deshelled shrimp, and crunchy water chestnuts, with a lovely meaty earthy savoury sweet salty nutty flavour. The Chinese Hokkien liver roll version includes soft white onions and tender pork liver, with a robust meaty earthy mineral bitter savoury salty flavour.

A 5 Spice Roll stall will have other deep-fried fritters to accompany. The most common include; either soft sweet potato cakes or water chestnut cakes with lovely vegetal earthy sweet flavour; either juicy Taiwanese pork sausages or chewy guan chang / Chinese marinated lean pork sausages with addictive meaty savoury sweet smoky flavour; bouncy tofu bean curd with grainy sweet flavour; either bouncy fish cake or fish balls with mild sweet savoury flavour; and crispy prawn fritters with enticing sweet savoury salty flavour.

Other ingredients vary from stall to stall, but may include preserved century eggs, prawn cakes, pumpkin cakes, squid stuffed dough fritters, marinated squid, squid balls, fried eggs, and egg coated fish paste rolls. The plate of 5 Spice Roll is usually served with juicy sliced cucumbers with vegetal sweet flavour, silky fried bee hoon / rice vermicelli with grainy sweet flavour, and 2 dipping sauces. They include a sticky sweet pink sauce (made with pandan / screwpine leaf, white sugar, water, whisked egg, and corn starch), and a spicy nutty chili sauce garnished with crunchy crushed peanuts.


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1. Armenian Street Wu Xiang
@ 205 Sims Avenue / Geylang Lorong 21A #01-00
Opening Hours: Tue - Fri 11am – 4pm, Sat - Sun 11am – 2pm, Closed Mon

Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $14) @ Armenian Street Wu Xiang.

The old-school taste of tradition, with generous portions. Located in the Aljunied / Geylang area.

Freshly made crisp prawn cracker fritters with fragrant savoury sweet shrimpy flavour, thick chunky chewy guan chang / Chinese marinated lean pork sausages with meaty savoury earthy flavour, and bouncy fish cake with mild sweet savoury flavour.

Also appreciated the fresh cucumber and pickled daikon radish strips, which helped contrast the fried items with their vegetal sweet sour notes.

Paired with a thick chili garnished with diced shallots, sharply spicy with a hint of sour. Skip the fried bee hoon / vermicelli noodles. Price can vary though, seemingly on their whim, and they'll also try to upsell you.





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2. BerryGood
@ Bistro 8, 30 Foch Road #01-02
Opening Hours: Daily 7am – 11pm

Taken in 2020


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $12) @ BerryGood.

With several outlets across Singapore, this chain serves up delicious fritters, especially helpful when the coffeeshop they're located in at the Lavender area is known as a beer drinking place.

Ingredients are freshly fried to order, I especially like their hand made fish cake with its bouncy texture and mild sweet savoury flavour, and the juicy tender 5 spice roll with meaty earthy savoury sweet salty flavour.

The prawn cracker fritters are crisp with a lovely savoury salty shrimpy flavour, and the soft water chestnut cakes have nice vegetal earthy sweet flavour. The fried bee hoon / vermicelli noodles is pretty good too.

The chili is addictive, thick enough to coat the ingredients, sharp and spicy enough to make you crave more. And the pickled radish helps.





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3. Bukit Merah Central Wu Xiang Guan Chang
@ Bukit Merah Central Food Centre, 163 Bukit Merah Central #02-26
Opening Hours: Mon - Sat 1pm – 8pm, Closed Sun

Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $11) @ Bukit Merah Central Wu Xiang Guan Chang.

Not everyone will agree with this review, and that's alright.

I think this stall at Bukit Merah Central serves a pretty good rendition, with the 5 spice roll having a succulent crisp moist bite to texture, and lovely meaty savoury salty flavour.

While the guan chang / Chinese marinated lean pork sausages was slightly gamey, the other ingredients were well executed and great when freshly fried.

Also loved the snappy juicy Taiwanese pork sausages with meaty sweet savoury notes, and the soft sweet potato cakes with vegetal earthy sweet flavour.

Rare to see the pink egg sauce these days, I find it complements nicely. Was one of the first customers at opening time, the fried bee hoon / vermicelli noodles was hot, fresh, and tasty.





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4. China Street Fritters
@ Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street #01-64
Opening Hours: Tue - Sat 12pm – 7:30pm, Closed Mon

Taken in 2009


Taken in 2009


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $8) @ China Street Fritters.

A taste of tradition at this old-school stall in Maxwell Food Centre, with the current 2nd-generation owners set to retire in March 2022.

For over 60 years, the family has been serving handmade Hokkien style 5 spice pork liver rolls, moist and tender and crisp with a robust meaty earthy mineral bitter savoury salty flavour.

The soft sweet potato cakes have lovely vegetal earthy sweet flavour, while the chewy guan chang / Chinese marinated lean pork sausages has addictive meaty savoury sweet flavour.

Also loved the bouncy tofu bean curd with grainy sweet flavour, and the robust chili dipping sauce with its sharp savoury spicy kick.

Everything is served in an assortment set meal, making it easy to decide. Paired with hot fresh fried bee hoon / vermicelli noodles, so yummy.





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5. Choa Chu Kang 302 FoodHouse Ngoh Hiang Bee Hoon
@ CCK 302 Food House, 302 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4 #01-719
Opening Hours: Daily 1pm – 12am

Taken in 2010


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $9) @ Choa Chu Kang 302 FoodHouse Ngoh Hiang Bee Hoon.

This stall in Choa Chu Kang has been around for over 10 years, and still attracts a queue.

It benefits from not having nearby competitors, and serving their food hot (with a lot of turnover). Otherwise, it's really just slightly above average.

The prawn fritter crackers are the star, crisp and crunchy with enticing sweet savoury salty shrimpy flavour.

The chili is shiok, with a sweet nutty spicy kick, and makes everything taste better. Might not be worth travelling for, but good if you're already in the area.





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6. Lao Zhong Zhong
@ 29 Tai Thong Crescent
Opening Hours: Tue - Sat 11:30am – 11:30pm, Closed Mon

Taken in 2009


Taken in 2011


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $11) @ Lao Zhong Zhong.

This stall at Potong Pasir is one of those that was much better in the past, but they still serve a reliable above average rendition.

What remains good here - the juicy 5 spice roll with meaty earthy savoury sweet salty flavour, and the crispy handmade prawn fritters with enticing sweet savoury salty flavour.

The bouncy tofu bean curd with grainy sweet flavour is pretty good too, especially with their rich chili sauce which has a good spicy sour nutty kick.

They used to serve cucumbers with each order, but not anymore. The fried bee hoon / vermicelli noodles is decent, but runs out far too quickly.





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7. No Name 5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing
@ S-11 AMK 711 Food Gathering, 711 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 #01-3501
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm – 1am

Taken in 2014


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $8) @ No Name Stall.

This stall doesn't make any of the usual lists, but has been around for at least 7 years or more.

I like the soft sweet potato cakes with lovely vegetal earthy sweet flavour, the juicy Taiwanese pork sausages with meaty savoury sweet salty flavour, and the crispy prawn cracker fritters with savoury sweet shrimpy notes.

Served with juicy strips of cucumber, whose vegetal sweet flavour help refresh the palate.

Reliable, worth a try if you're in the Ang Mo Kio area.





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8. Old Airport Road Wu Xiang Xia Bing
@ Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Road #01-56
Opening Hours: Daily 10am – 11pm

Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $12) @ Old Airport Road Wu Xiang Xia Bing.

Of the 2 wu xiang stalls in Old Airport Road Food Centre, I personally feel this is better in overall quality, though each has different stand-out ingredients.

Love the juicy 5 spice roll here, with its addictive meaty savoury salty spice flavour, while the soft sweet potato cake has lovely earthy sweet savoury notes.

The prawn cracker fritter is much lighter in comparison, shatteringly crisp with light sweet savoury shrimpy flavour.

The fried bee hoon / vermicelli noodles is better executed than their counterpart, and they have a generous garnish of crushed peanuts for crunch.





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9. Old Chong Pang Wu Xiang
@ Chong Pang Market & Food Centre, 105 Yishun Ring Road #01-166
Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 9:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 10pm, Closed Mon

Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $13) @ Old Chong Pang Wu Xiang.

This stall in Chong Pang has been serving the dish for over 30 years, and still makes their signature pieces by hand.

Queues at dinner can reach up to 45 minutes, and the quality of frying can be inconsistent at times. When perfectly executed however, the prawn cracker fritters are fantastic, crisp with mild sweet savoury shrimpy flavour.

The bouncy tofu bean curd carries lovely grainy sweet savoury flavour, and the juicy pork and liver 5 spice rolls have nice meaty savoury salty spice bitter mineral earthy notes (if not over-fried).

Wish they gave more chili though. Note that there is a deposit upon order due to the long waiting time. Personally, I think they attract a crowd because of nostalgia.





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10. Seng Kee Ngo Hiang Prawn Cracker
@ Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Road #01-29
Opening Hours: Thu - Tue 5pm – 11pm, Closed Wed

Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $10) @ Seng Kee Ngo Hiang Prawn Cracker.

Of the 2 wu xiang stalls in Old Airport Road Food Centre, I personally feel their competitor has better overall quality, though this lesser-known stall has some stand-out ingredients.

The 5 spice roll is moist and tender with meaty savoury salty spice flavour, while the soft water chestnut cake is excellent with lovely earthy sweet savoury notes.

The prawn cracker fritter has a nice crisp crunch with light sweet savoury shrimpy flavour, but has a thicker batter than the other stall. I also like the juicy Taiwanese pork sausage with its meaty savoury sweet flavour.

The fried bee hoon / vermicelli noodles is just alright, but the chili is pretty good with a spicy sour sweet nutty kick. Fortunately, the queue here is often shorter, so orders are more quickly fulfilled.





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11.Sin Sin Ngor Hiang Prawn Cracker
@ Sembawang Hills Food Centre, 590 Upper Thomson Road #01-21
Opening Hours: Fri - Wed 1:30pm – 8pm, Closed Thu

Taken in 2008


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $13) @ Sin Sin Ngor Hiang Prawn Cracker.

Am a fan of this stall at Sembawang Hills, which has been serving the dish for over 40 years.

Yes, they can be slightly more pricey than elsewhere, but the range of ingredients available is nearly unrivalled, with many unique handmade items, including yam rolls, prawn cakes, and more. Better still, it's served non-greasy.

The visually intriguing squiggle-shaped battered dough fritters are crunchy with sweet grainy savoury flavour, while the fried tofu puffs stuffed with fish cake retain a moist texture and sweet salty savoury flavour.

Like that they serve with juicy cucumber, whose vegetal sweet flavour refreshes the palate. Love the spicy sweet savoury kick of the chili, and the simple but well executed fried bee hoon / vermicelli noodles.





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12. Wang Lian Xiang Wu Xiang Xia Bing
@ 59 New Upper Changi Road #01-1260 – Stall Relocated

@ 128 Bedok North Street 2 #01-02
Opening Hours: Daily 4pm – 9pm

Taken in 2018


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $12) @ Wang Lian Xiang Wu Xiang Xia Bing.

Formerly at Bedok South, this stall is now in Bedok North, a street away from 85 Fengshan Food Centre. While the other stalls here (kway chap & curry fish head) are more well-known, I'm a fan of this stall.

The 5 spice roll is moist and tender with balanced meaty savoury salty spice flavour, the tofu bean curd is wobbly soft with grainy sweet notes, while the water chestnut cake has crisp edges and a soft texture with nice earthy sweet savoury notes.

The prawn cracker fritter is non-greasy with a crispy crunch and sweet savoury shrimpy flavour. I also like the snappy Taiwanese pork sausage with its meaty savoury sweet flavour.

The fried bee hoon / vermicelli noodles is pretty good, and they're generous with the sliced cucumbers. The chili is spicy sweet with a light kick, and they serve the rare pink egg sauce with sticky sweet notes. Yum. Stall only opens for dinner.





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13. Wu Xiang Da Heng
@ 201C Tampines Street 21 #01-01
Opening Hours: Tue - Sat 10am – 8:30pm, Sun 10:30am – 9pm, Mon 11am – 6:30pm

Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $12) @ Wu Xiang Da Heng.

Was tipped off about this under-the-radar stall, mostly known to residents of Tampines East. Operating for at least 5 years, probably more.

Presentation is iconic, using large, old-school metal plates, with the chili in metal bowls that resemble the chwee kueh moulds.

The juicy pork and liver 5 spice rolls have nice meaty savoury salty spice earthy notes, the soft water chestnut cakes have lovely earthy sweet savoury flavour, and the fish cake is bouncy and large with sweet savoury notes.

The prawn cracker fritter shatters lightly with savoury shrimpy sweet flavour, while the chewy guan chang / Chinese marinated sausage is meaty with savoury salty flavour.

I like that they're generous with the crushed peanuts, and the inclusion of cucumbers is good. The chili is lightly spicy salty, with a mild kick. Nice.





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14. Xin Sheng Gor Hiong Prawn Cracker
@ Boon Lay Place Market And Food Village, 221A Boon Lay Place #01-164
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 11pm

@ VivoCity, 1 Harbourfront Walk #03-01 – Branch Closed

@ Taman Jurong Market And Food Centre, 3 Yung Sheng Road #03-163
Opening Hours: Daily 11:30am – 9pm

Taken in 2012


Taken in 2014


Taken in 2021


Taken in 2021


5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing (SGD $12) @ Xin Sheng Gor Hiong Prawn Cracker.

The original outlet in Boon Lay has been serving the dish for over 70 years, and the well-organised menu with pictures has clear prices stated.

Quality is pretty good, especially when eaten hot and freshly fried. Taking pride in their generous, chunky portions of handmade ingredients that are served less oily, the 3rd-gen owners tried opening several more locations, but only 2 stalls remain today.

What I like here is the thick tender 5 spice roll, with its meaty savoury sweet salty flavour. And the crispy disc-shaped prawn cracker fritters with a light shattering crunch and lovely savoury shrimpy sweet flavour.

The other ingredients have that similarly nostalgic, old-school taste. Yes, I did travel out of the way just to eat this... thrice.





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- 93 Wu Xiang Xia Bing – Permanently Closed
@ 93 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 Market And Food Centre, 93 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 #01-202

Taken in 2005






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- No Name 5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing – Permanently Closed
@ Eunos Food Station, 2A Eunos Crescent #01-2431

Taken in 2007






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- No Name 5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing – Permanently Closed
@ Tai Wah FoodLink, 151 Serangoon North Avenue 2 #01-41

Taken in 2013






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- No Name 5 Spice Roll / Wu Xiang Xia Bing – Permanently Closed
@ Yen Fei Lai Eating House, 322 Hougang Avenue 5 #01-86

Taken in 2009






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- Teng Yu – Permanently Closed
@ ABC Brickworks, 6 Jalan Bukit Merah #01-119

Taken in 2006






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