The latest craze to hit Singapore's shores is China's sour and spicy noodles, better known as Suan La Fen.
These vermicelli noodles, which are typically packaged in cups, usually take around four to six minutes to cook after hot water is added and the lid is sealed.
They also come with seasoning powders and sauces, as well as a variety of condiments.
If you'd like to give this trend a try, here are 12 Suan La Fen brands and where to get them.
1) Hai Chi Jia
Image via Shopee and Lazada
Hai Chi Jia is probably the most well-known Suan La Fen brand in Singapore, as a quick check on several e-commerce sellers reveal several thousand orders for them.
The noodles also come with the following ingredients: ginger sauce, vinegar sauce, peanuts, oil, seasoning powder, and dehydrated vegetables.
Image via ezbuy
Here's where you can buy it:
Shopee
- Per cup: From S$3.88
- Bundle of three: From S$9
- Bundle of six: From S$16.80
Lazada
- Bundle of six: From S$17.94
Ezbuy
- Bundle of six: From S$11.48
- Bundle of 12: From S$19.89
2) Hai Di Lao
Image via Shopee
Most Singaporeans will be familiar with Hai Di Lao, the iconic hot pot chain from Sichuan, China.
Their Suan La Fen comes in two flavours:
- Sour and Spicy Beef Tripe (includes real beef tripe)
- Sour and Spicy Assorted
Here's where you can buy them:
Shopee
- Bundle of six: From S$18.36
3) Tan Xiao Ai
Image via Lazada
Tan Xiao Ai is yet another Suan La Fen contender.
According to one review on Shopee, the soup base has a mala taste to it.
Another reviewer also noted that the noodles came with packet ingredients like crisp peanuts, tofu skin and coriander, which "lifted" its taste.
Here's where you can buy it:
Shopee
- Bundle of two: From S$7.90
- Bundle of four: From S$12.90
Lazada
- Bundle of six: From S$19.90
Ezbuy
- Bundle of six: S$17.90
4) Shi Zu Ren
Image via Shopee and Carousell
Shi Zu Ren's Suan La Fen is characterised by its "bold, pungent, spicy flavour".
Apart from chili, vinegar and chicken powder seasoning, other ingredients include peanuts, bean skin and dehydrated vegetables.
According to a review on EzBuy, this brand of noodles is also spicier than Hai Chi Jia's.
Here's where you can buy it:
Shopee
- Per cup: From S$5.45
Ezbuy
- Bundle of 12: From S$20.80
5) Chen Cun
Image via Ezbuy and Shopee
Fifth on the list is Chen Cun's Suan La Fen.
While not much information is available about the noodles online, the brand claims that their Suan La Fen is non-fried and less oily.
Here's where you can buy it:
Shopee
Ezbuy
- Bundle of six: From S$13.44
6) Wei Da Da
Image via Facebook
Wei Da Da is another Suan La Fen brand from China.
Each cup is sold at a slightly higher price compared to other brands.
Condiments include peanuts, mushrooms, dehydrated vegetables and star anise, among others.
Here's where you can buy it:
Shopee
- Per cup: S$6.15
7) Bai Jia Chen Ji
Image via Lazada
Perhaps as a testament to its popularity, Bai Jia Chen Ji's Suan La Fen is currently sold out on both Lazada and Qoo10.
According to one review on Qoo10, though, the noodles are "nice and spicy".
Here's where you can buy them:
Shopee
- Per cup: S$5.08
8) Xiao Yang
Image via Ezbuy
The Suan La Fen from Xiao Yang comes in two flavours:
- Hot and Spicy
- Sour Spicy Fish
According to the brand, their soup base is made with over 10 ingredients that have been slow-boiled for eight hours.
Not sure how that works for a cup of instant noodles though.
Other sauces and condiments that come with the noodles also include vinegar sauce, ginger sauce, oil, seasoning powder, peanuts and dehydrated vegetables.
Here's where you can buy them:
Ezbuy
- Bundle of 12: From S$18.89
9) Mo Xiao Xian
Image via Ezbuy
Mo Xiao Xian claims that their Suan La Fen has the "flavours of Chong Qing", a city in Southwest China.
According to the brand, the noodles they use are chewier and more translucent in colour compared to regular noodles used by their competitors.
As a result of this, their noodles also do not break as easily:
Image via Ezbuy
Sauces and condiments in each cup of noodles include seasoning powder, vinegar sauce, ginger sauce, peanuts and dehydrated vegetables.
Image via Ezbuy
Here's where you can buy it:
Shopee
- Bundle of six: From S$17.40
Ezbuy
- Bundle of six: From S$12
- Bundle of 12: From S$20.96
10) Yu Zhen
Image via Ezbuy
Yu Zhen is an award-winning hot pot brand from China.
They pride their Suan La Fen on "delivering the flavour of Chong Qing", along with generous portions of ingredients per cup of noodles.
Here's where you can buy it:
Ezbuy
11) Jia Xiang Ren C Wei
Image via Shopee and Ezbuy
One key ingredient in Jia Xiang Ren C Wei's Suan La Fen that is apparently not found in other brands are their dried shrimps.
According to a review on Shopee, the noodles are suitable for people who can only take a mild level of spice.
Here's where you can buy it:
Shopee
- Bundle of two: From S$7.90
- Bundle of four: From S$12.90
- Bundle of six: From S$17.90
Ezbuy
- Bundle of six: S$17.90
12) Hei Ren Bu Luo
Image via Shopee
Somewhere on the spectrum between Suan La Fen and mala noodles are Hei Ren Bu Luo's oden glass noodles.
According to the product description on Shopee, the soup is "not as numbing and spicy as it looks" and thus will not burn your throat.
Each cup of noodles comes with oden (assorted fishcake) as well as a packet of spicy sauce and dehydrated vegetables.
Here's where you can buy it:
Shopee
Be prepared to wait for some of the products though, as they might be shipped from overseas.
Top image via Shopee, Ezbuy, Carousell, Facebook and Lazada