Where’s your favorite wonton noodle soup bowls in the city?
Wonton noodle soup is as Hong Kong as it gets when it comes to food. In the city of wonton noodle soup, the competition is fierce. Noodle, wonton, broth, garnishes, all are scrutinized and compared endlessly. There are the big 4s. There are the new challengers. What’s your favorite?
Very well rounded bowl. Springy noodle, great wonton with fresh shrimp. Deep, balanced and savory fishy broth. No noticeable differences vs the Central branch.
On this Hong Kong trip, I have tried twice wanton noodles soup.
First one in Wing Wah Noodle Shop in Wan Chai.
I love their broth, very delicious, I tried to read more, they said it is made of fish head, flounders, shark bones, pork bones. Their noodles are well cooked and it is hand made with old traditional technique by pressing bamboos and is al dente, very firm to the bite . The wantons itself is different most place I have ate, medium size, there is a lot of minced pork, with some small Indonesian shrimp. Strong presence of pepper. It is recommended to add the lychee favoured sauce you on the table to enhance the flavour of the wanton.
On each table you can find a glass of marinated white radish snack, you can eat as much as you want, quite refreshing.
Since we want to do a Wanton Noodle night, the same evening, we went to Jordan, Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop.
The wanton of Mak Man Kee is famous for it huge size, it doesn’t consist of pork but 3 or 4 shrimps. Noodles is quite good, a bit softer than that of Wing Wah. I feel the presence of lye in the broth though. I think I like the wanton here but the broth and the noodle of Wing Wah.
We order some other dishes in addition, the brisket and tendons, with a barbecue pork noodle.
I saw next to Mak Man Kee in Jordan, there is the famous chain that sck has mentioned, Mak’s noodle.
I read story about their keen competition, some story about how they are coming from the same Mak family. People said the Central shop is the best. We didn’t eat as we were full. It’s convenient, if you are a wanton geek.
I didn’t try this one either, but I always saw long lines waiting outside in their Causeway Bay shop (84 Pervival Street), it’s called Chee Kei. It’s comparatively more recent, only since 1994. But has already 4-5 shops everywhere in HK.
(photo from their website)
PS I just saw there’s another link on Hungry Onion talking about the restaurant but not wanton noodle:
Long line? wow. We did ate here this time before dinner rush. They were good. I think comparable to Tasty’s. Well rounded. I ate wonton noodle a number of times on this trip though this was the only I didn’t note how it tasted so the memory was blurry.
All the better wonton noodles these days cost about $40, plus or minus maybe $2.
So they are like the Chee Kee in Kowloon to Mak’s. In Central, Mak’s got Chee Kee right next to them. Similar situation, gigantic wonton, (bigger bowl), and cheaper bowl.
When they made it cheaper, probably the soup base wasn’t as expensive and skipped the fish ingredients.
Tasty’s cater to the upscale clientele that still want the proven favorites, but made with better ingredients, in a clean environment, and a fairly service oriented staff. We ate in the store in the Elements in TsimShaTsui in January. I’m pretty sure I saw a Tasty’s in the Hong Kong airport as well. Menu prices are higher than your Mak’s or TimHoWan, comparable to Lei Garden. I enjoyed all the dishes, though my wife prefer Lei Garden for taste and quality/price ratio.
Following some of the dishes we had. We also had congee and wonton mein and they were tasty and worthy to be included in the restaurant name.
Fish skin with peanuts. I prefer my fish skin cooked, and still clinging to the fish. This was a pleasant palate cleanser, sort of.
Yes, there is one there. We ate there en route to Kuala Lumpur in March. It was good, but I prefer Singaporean/Malaysia style wonton noodle soup with all the add-ins (roast pork, chillies, sauces, greens, etc).
Too bad, I was just back from a trip in Malaysia, I didn’t try any wonton there. There I saw the soup one looks like the Chinese one. The darker sauce mee is with barbecued pork sauces and vegetables.
What?! You can find it everywhere! Usually known as wantan mee. Can get it dry or with soup. It’s actually my all-time favorite food ever. First thing I eat everytime I go back.