History

Wonton noodles travelled from Guangzhou to Hong Kong with Cantonese migrants in the early 1900s. Mak's Noodle on Wellington Street and Mak Man Kee in Jordan both trace back to a Guangzhou wonton maker named Mak Woon Chi, who pioneered the small bowl format. The duck egg noodle (no water added) gives the bouncy texture that defines the bowl, and dried flounder bones flavour the broth.

Common allergens: Gluten, Shellfish, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 40 minTotal 1 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 200g raw shrimp, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 50g ground pork
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 20 thin wonton wrappers
  • 200g thin egg noodles (duck egg if you can find them)
  • 1 litre pork or dried flounder broth
  • 2 tbsp chopped chives, to serve

Method

  1. Mix shrimp, pork, sugar, shaoxing wine, white pepper and sesame oil in a bowl. Chill 20 minutes.
  2. Place a teaspoon of filling in the centre of each wonton wrapper. Gather the edges and pinch to seal at the top, leaving the filling visible in a pouch.
  3. Bring a wide pan of water to a rolling boil. Cook the noodles for 30 seconds only, then lift out with a strainer and rinse briefly under cold water.
  4. Drop the wontons into the same boiling water for 2 minutes, until they float.
  5. Divide the noodles between two bowls. Add 4 to 5 wontons per bowl. Pour over hot broth.
  6. Top with chopped chives. Serve with chilli oil and pickled green chillies.

Tip from the editors. Cook the noodles for 30 seconds maximum; Hong Kong wonton noodles should bounce against the teeth, not soak up broth.

Where to eat wonton noodles

Wonton noodles in Hong Kong

Mak's Noodle ★ 4.6

Cantonese$centralDaily 11:30-21:00

Mak's Noodle on Wellington Street sells small bowls of shrimp wontons in clear broth from around HK$45, a Hong Kong wonton institution founded in 1989.

Try: Shrimp wonton noodle

Tip: Order the small bowl by default; the noodle to wonton balance is calibrated for it.

77 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

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

Tim Ho Wan ★ 4.5

Dim Sum$sham-shui-poMon-Fri 10:00-21:30, Sat-Sun 09:00-21:30

Tim Ho Wan in Sham Shui Po opened in 2010 and was once famed as the world's most affordable Michelin star room, now holding Bib Gourmand status.

Signature: Baked char siu bun, Steamed shrimp dumpling, Beancurd skin roll with shrimp

Order: Three baked char siu buns with sweet polo crust.

Tip: Order at the entrance via paper slip; the baked char siu buns sell out by mid afternoon.

24-38 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong

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