This Kung Fu Style Bamboo Wan Thun Mee noodle is the secret to bouncy or springy QQ textured noodles made with flour and eggs without alkaline water.
I love Cantonese-style wonton noodles in Hong Kong.
Finding a stall in George Town that makes traditional duck egg bamboo noodle is a treat.
Freshly made noodles are a treat, and a beautiful bowl of hot noodles here may be costlier than those sold at local hawker stalls.
Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee is a traditional Chinese restaurant along the hipster belt of Campbell Street’s cafes in George Town.
What are Bamboo Noodles?
I remember watching a TV clip of an old-timer making a traditional duck egg noodle.
Seeing the noodle dough folded into a square and a man riding on a long bamboo to compress the noodle dough to achieve the al dente, or as locals call it, the QQ texture was intriguing.
These noodles are best enjoyed by slurping it immediately before it gets soggy.
Most people will eat the “Liao” ingredients after they finish the noodles.
They make these noodles without alkaline water and taste fresh with the bite of an al dente texture.
It is hard to replicate the original taste of made-in Hong Kong Cantonese-style Wan Thun Mee noodles topped with that delicious roast goose drumstick.
I had a penchant for that and the lovely congee when I visited Hong Kong.
But then, that’s time for another eating spree and another story.
How Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee Bamboo Noodle is Made.
Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee’s secret lies in their Jook-Sing noodles.
Jook-sing noodles are a rare type of Chinese noodle found in Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangzhou in Guangdong province, China.
The noodles are traditionally made with duck eggs and without alkaline.
Historically, the sifu rode a bamboo log to press the dough ingredients together instead of using hand or machine kneading.
In Hong Kong, by 2008, only a few restaurants would traditionally make noodles, which is a time-consuming and tiring method to yield distinctive noodles.
Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee makes their noodles fresh twice daily at 11 am and 3 pm.
If you’re interested in seeing how it’s done, drop by during the photography or video sessions.
There is a large glass partitioned room where diners could look in instead of using the noodle machine to process the noodles.
The traditional bamboo press method produces a springier and smooth noodle.
You can watch the young man “ride” the long bamboo pole as he presses the dough into flat sheets.
Watch how the noodles are made!
Why is Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee so special?
The larger-sized plump Wan Thun more than makes up for the price.
The first time I patronized the shop, I couldn’t resist ordering a massive bowl of steaming hot Wan Thun.
Walking in, I watched the cook flick the fat Wan Thun into a pot with water that was boiling.
Quite a sight to behold as each Wan Thun floats to the surface when it’s cooked.
The Wan Thun is fat and plump.
Tasty without a strong porky odor, there is a bit of prawn in the minced pork filling, which you can taste when biting it.
The larger-sized Wan Thun, with a nugget of pork filling and a piece of prawn, is juicy and meaty enough for two bites.
The ingredients for the plump Wantons – the recent ones don’t look the same!
My favorite Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee
There are two ways to have noodles. Wan Thun Mee’s dry version is called ‘Kwan lo,’ and the noodles are mixed in light and dark soy sauce for taste.
The soupy version uses a sweet porky soup made from pork bone with a naturally sweet Ikan Bilis flavor.
I prefer the ‘Kwan lo’ version as I dislike soggy noodles.
You could order plain noodles for everyone and get the a la carte side dishes for sharing for a change.
Some of us like a lot of “Liao,” as the standard char siu topping is just a few thin slices.
Wan Thun Mee.
Wan Thun Mee as you mix it.
Flavorful “Wok Hey” Char Hor Fun & Ee Foo Mee
I love the “wok hey” or breath of the wok when the plain flat rice noodles are fried in a super-hot wok until it has charred caramelized bits. This gives the dish a distinct smoky flavor.
Again, its taste is hard to replicate.
The Char Hor Fun is light; hardly any excess oil oozes out when the “lor” or gravy is poured over it.
Mabel and I remember the few old-time stalls in Pulau Tikus and Cintra Street to compare the “Korcha bi” taste test.
All fall short.
Years ago, the gravy for Char Hor Fun was made by frying the raw ingredients with garlic until it was fragrant before the “tua chu hoon” was added to thicken the gravy.
- prawns
- pork slices
- pig stomach slices
- liver slices
- cabbage
- white lettuce
- Chye Sim (Mustard Greens)
The flat noodles and vermicelli are fried separately.
To serve, a mix of flat noodles and vermicelli is placed on a plate, and they ladle the delicious hot gravy over.
Sometimes, “Yee Fu Mee” is used upon request.
Adding an egg knocked in was uncommon in the 60s and 70s.
They add fish slices and fish balls or cakes in the early 80s.
Popular restaurants for a delicious Char Hor Fun are “Seng Kee,” “Foo Heong,” and “Tai Tung.”
“Foo Heong” used banana leaves in their wrappers and for serving.
You can share a meal.
Wat Tan Hor is Char Hor Fun with an egg knocked in for a silky smooth taste.
Remember to order the Penang Hokkien Char.
For those who love Hokkien Char, this wet fried mee and vermicelli mix makes a great meal with a dollop of sambal belacan.
Although it is not up to my standard of the best lard-infused Hokkien Char, it will do nicely if you’re short on places to order this dish.
Penang Hokkien Char is best with Sambal Belacan.
Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee is packed – Go before or after the usual meal times.
This restaurant is packed daily.
Breakfast, lunch, teatime, and dinner, especially on weekends and public holidays, are choc a block full of diners.
For a leisurely, unhurried meal, try to go on weekdays or even during breakfast and lunch hours.
It is rather hard to find a car park along busy Campbell Street.
The authorities will clamp or even tow errant vehicles away.
It is advisable to park a little distance away and walk.
Look out for the crew in “orange” tee shirts to place your orders.
What I like to order at Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee
The most popular choice here would be their basic small Wan Thun Mee (RM 5.50).
They are topped with shredded char siew (pork slices) with plump wan beneath the noodles.
My favorite is the Wan Thun Soup with six plump wantons, which makes a lovely meal (RM 5.50).
Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee restaurant serves a range of mouth-watering snacks or side orders.
For a change, sometimes I would order a serving of the fried Wan Thun (RM 6.00 / 8 pieces).
These have a tiny amount of pork filling compared to the Wan Thun Soup.
The crispy skin Wan Thun skin has a delicious crunch when you bite into it. It is addictive.
Sui Kow for soup or fried is (RM 1.50) each.
Fried Sui Kow with a chili dipping sauce.
A small bowl of Wan Thun has six fat pork and prawn dumplings.
You can order your favorite Kopi O.
Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee Review
This is a favorite dining place I visit several monthly visits as the food is fresh, with no MSG, and NOT oily. Overall this place is excellent for a decent meal—top points for family and budget-friendly.
Hong Kee（鸿记） Wan Thun Mee
Address: 37 Campbell Street, George Town, Penang
Contact: +604-2619875 Mobile: +6012-2319875 / +6016-5209875
Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee along with Lebuh Campbell, Penang
You can always sit along with Penang’s five-foot ways to dine!
Remember the famous Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee’s recent closure?
Tok Tok Mee Bamboo Noodle, another traditional wanton mee shop, replaced the Campbell Street shop.
We’ve heard their menu and the “kung fu” noodles haven’t changed.
