Asia Flavours: Mak's Noodles

Wellington Street is such a great place to head for if you're looking for a quick, cheap meal at lunchtime. There are so many options from Wang Fu's Beijing dumplings (Link) to Nha Trang with its great Vietnamese Pho. If you're looking for a quick bowl of Wonton Noodles then Mak's Noodles is a good option. Like the others, it is pretty basic in terms of decor and there really is no option of hanging around - the food arrives almost instantaneously and the next people want the table as soon as you're done. However, while it's not the cheapest place to get wonton noodles in Hong Kong, it is accessible for non-Canto speakers and the food is tasty.

E. and I went there for lunch last week and had their prawn wonton noodles with a side plate of pak choi. The wontons were fresh and flavoursome, the noodles beautifully al dente and it was great value for money. Apparently Wonton noodles are a Guangdong speciality although there are different takes on the dish across Asia. Wiki reckons that in Hong Kong:

There are four distinct features: First, the wontons are predominantly prawn, with low amounts of pork mince, or no pork at all. Second, aficionados will insist on fresh, smooth thin noodles which are al dente, free from the taste and odour which is characteristic in many egg noodles when cooked. Third, the bouillon is light brown (prepared from dried flounder) and is usually steaming hot. Lastly, garlic chives are used as a garnish. The first two give the dish a wet but crunchy or crispy mouthfeel. The last two give the dish a unique bouquet.

As an interesting fact, Wiki also reckons that the current owner's grandfather served wonton noodles to Chiang Kai-shek (Chairman of the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 to 1948). I'm presuming that he didn't do so in Hong Kong but apparently the recipe is still the same, with the soup base still made from "powdered dried flounder, dried shrimp roe and pork bones".