History

Hong Kong's brisket noodle tradition descends from the Cantonese ngau lam (beef brisket) braise, refined in dai pai dong stalls from the 1950s. Kau Kee on Gough Street has cooked the same brisket since the 1920s; the queue forms by 11am daily. Sister Wah's curried brisket noodles in Tin Hau hold the Bib Gourmand. The bowl uniquely pairs flat rice river noodles (ho fun) or thin egg noodles with a clear-and-aromatic broth.

Common allergens: Gluten, Soy, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-on 40 minTotal 4 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg beef brisket (mix of lean and fatty cuts)
  • 300g beef tendon (optional, traditional)
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 4 spring onions, in 5cm pieces
  • 3 tbsp shaoxing wine
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 60g Chinese rock sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 piece cassia bark (or cinnamon stick)
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1 dried mandarin peel (chen pi)
  • 1 large daikon, peeled and cubed (added late)
  • Salt, white pepper
  • To serve: 600g fresh ho fun or thin egg noodles
  • scalded; 1 small bunch fresh chives
  • snipped; 1 small bunch coriander; chilli oil

Method

  1. Blanch brisket and tendon in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove impurities, drain, rinse.
  2. Heat oil in a heavy pot. Brown brisket cubes (3cm) on all sides, 10 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Fry ginger, garlic, and spring onion 2 minutes. Add shaoxing wine to deglaze.
  4. Return brisket and tendon. Add light soy, dark soy, rock sugar, star anise, cassia, bay, Sichuan peppercorns, and mandarin peel. Cover with 2.5L water.
  5. Bring to a bare simmer, skim foam, then cook covered on the lowest heat for 2.5 hours.
  6. Add daikon cubes, simmer uncovered another 45 minutes until brisket pulls apart with chopsticks.
  7. Taste, adjust with salt and white pepper. Strain the aromatics; reserve the rich broth and the meat separately.
  8. Cook noodles 30 to 60 seconds in boiling water, drain. Divide between deep bowls. Top with brisket and daikon, ladle hot broth over. Scatter chives and coriander, finish with chilli oil at the table.

Tip from the editors. The Chinese mandarin peel (chen pi) is the secret flavour; without it the broth is just a beef braise, with it it tastes like Kau Kee. Asian groceries sell aged chen pi in jars.

Where to eat beef brisket noodles (ngau lam min)

Beef Brisket Noodles (Ngau Lam Min) in Hong Kong

Kau Kee Restaurant ★ 4.8

Cantonese$$centralMon-Sat 12:30-22:30, Sun closedUntil Mon-Sat 22:30Cash only

Kau Kee on Gough Street stays open until 22:30, serving its beef brisket and curry tendon noodles late into the night for diners walking back from Soho.

Try: Beef brisket noodle and curry beef tendon

Order: Curry beef tendon noodle in clear broth.

Tip: Closed Sundays; the queue thins after 21:00 if you missed the dinner rush.

21 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong

Sister Wah Beef Brisket ★ 4.7

Cantonese$tin-hauDaily 11:00-22:45

Sister Wah in Tin Hau holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and sells a full bowl of clear broth brisket noodles from HK$65, cheaper than the better known Kau Kee.

Try: Beef brisket noodle in clear broth

Tip: Half brisket, half tendon at HK$85 is the smart split; the chilli oil on the counter is the local hot sauce.

13 Electric Road, Tin Hau, Hong Kong

Tsim Chai Kee Noodle ★ 4.2

Cantonese$centralDaily 11:00-21:30

Tsim Chai Kee on Wellington Street in Central is the Bib Gourmand noodle shop across from Mak's, with a king prawn wonton bowl that lands under HK$70 for one.

Try: King prawn wonton noodles

Tip: Order the three topping bowl: prawn wontons, beef and fish balls.

98 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong

Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop ★ 4.4

Wonton Noodle$yau-ma-teiDaily 12:00-00:30

Mak Man Kee on Parkes Street in Jordan has been hand making wonton noodles since 1957, using a duck egg and flour recipe unchanged for three generations.

Signature: Shrimp wonton noodle, Beef brisket noodle, Eight treasures shrimp roe noodle

Order: Dry tossed noodle with shrimp roe (har-zi lo mein).

Tip: Order the dry tossed noodle with shrimp roe; the broth comes on the side and the noodle texture survives the bowl.

51 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong

Block 18 Doggie's Noodle ★ 4.2

Cantonese$$yau-ma-teiDaily 12:30-03:00Until Open 24 hoursCash only

Block 18 Doggie's Noodle in Jordan is open round the clock, plating curry fish balls and short tail shaped doggie's noodles to taxi drivers and Temple Street.

Try: Doggie's noodles with curry fish balls

Tip: Add the curry fish balls to the noodle bowl; that combination is the canonical late night order.

27A Ning Po Street, Jordan, Hong Kong

More cities are in research. Want beef brisket noodles (ngau lam min) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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