Char Siew Zhai Wantan Mee @ Paramount Garden

Many have eaten (or at least heard of) the infamous flying wantan mee.....but then the one in Seapark is only available at night + the eating condition (at a roadside stall) isn't all that conducive or convenient for me.  So, to get flying wantan mee in the day (in a proper shop), we had to go to Restoran Char Siew Zhai @ Paramount Garden which has been around for quite a number of years (since 2009, I think).

Probably many wonder if this shop is related or affiliated to the stall in Seapark (that also tosses their wantan mee high up in the air).  I did ask the boss (at the pay counter) and he said they're not affiliated in any way. He further added that the Seapark char siew may taste almost similar to theirs but their wantan mee is not house-made like theirs (meaning the Seapark one buys manufactured wantan mee).  So, for those of you who have eaten both wantan mee, was there a difference in their wantan mee? ;)

The noodles are prepared here by blanching them in hot water, followed by a quick dip in cold water and then tossing them high up in the air before it's plated.  I'm not sure if the tossing of the noodles improved the wantan mee at all...other than just making it really dry before mixing it in the sauce.  To me, the tossing into the air is more gimmicky than anything else.  I'd much rather they don't do that...especially so when I can see the remnants of the noodles sticking to the wall which isn't a pretty or appetising sight >.<

As much as I'd like to, it's quite difficult to catch a pic of the mee flying through the air though.  Nowadays, it's the workers who do the tossing.

The shop offers all sorts of roasted meats (barbecued pork, roast pork, roast duck and roast/poached chicken) with wantan mee or rice as can be seen from the menu.

As the name of the shop implies, one obviously must try the "char siew" (barbequed pork) here.  The plate of Char Siew Rice @ RM6.50 was as basic as it gets...literally just char siew and rice! :D

We didn't request for a specific cut of the char siew when we made our order but got the "pun fei sau" (half lean half fat ratio) which turned out to be meltingly tender.  I liked that the char siew sauce was served separately to cater to the individual's taste buds as to how much sauce he/she wants.

On another occasion, there were at least some slices of cucumber on the plate.  We got a leaner cut of char siew the next time round but it was still as caramelised and good.

Next was the Dry-Style Wantan Mee with Char Siew and Wantan @ RM6.  The texture of the house-made noodles were pretty good in a nice, flavourful and not too oily sauce (suitable for those who likes a less robust sauce).  The char siew on this plate weren't as caramelised on the outside as the ones that came with the rice though.

I didn't care much for the accompanying chilli dips though.  The pickled green chillies (for the wantan mee) was cut a bit too thick + it needed a bit more pickling time while the fresh chilli dip (for the rice) was rather watery.

I went for Wantan Mee Soup @ RM6 as I wanted to see how the soup would stack up.  The noodles were understandably softer to the bite since it's steeped in soup but the broth didn't do anything for me.  Koon Kee's soup version is still the one I prefer.

The char siew is obviously their pride in that it was served separately when you're eating the soup version to ensure it's kept at its optimum taste level.  I got the parts that were the most caramelised with a smoky aroma...and also the most fatty!  Lucky or unlucky?  Personally, I'd prefer a wee bit more lean meat but I have to say that this was the softest char siew I've come across...it literally disintegrated in my mouth....probably because I got a really fatty part (so I had to swap some pieces with my husband)! :P

On another day, I got to try the Poached Chicken Wantan Noodles @ RM6.  The noodles were served separately.  The noodles here are available in small, medium or big...but I can assure you that a small portion here is almost like one and a half wantan mee elsewhere.

The poached chicken was really smooth and tender and the skin wasn't overly fatty.  I usually don't eat the poached chicken skin but this one I was able to eat.

We didn't manage to try the "siu yuk" (roast pork) the first time we were here as it wasn't ready yet....but we were second time lucky and ordered a single portion of Crispy Roast Pork @ RM8.

The roast pork was certainly good with a crackling skin though some parts of the crispy skin may be a bit harder than expected.  My husband actually preferred the siu yuk to the char siew.

We also ordered the Fried Dumplings @ RM9.60 (for 6 pcs) which seemed pricey at RM1.60 a piece. Thankfully, the filling of minced pork, carrot and crunchy wood ear fungus was plump and generous.  They were decent with a crisp and a not too thick skin.....and came freshly fried and really, really piping hot (so be warned if you don't want to burn your tongue).

My Personal Opinion

You shouldn't leave the shop without trying the char siew which was indeed super tender (if you get the right cut) and well caramelised for a smoky flavour.  Though the 4 - 6 pcs of char siew they give may not look like much but these were thicker cuts than usual.

It's a decent place not only for char siew with your wantan mee.....but also for roasted pork and poached chicken though I noticed that the place doesn't seem as packed (both times when we were there on a Sunday). I think this is probably due to the fact that the shop looks rather drabby and old but the wantan mee here is decent enough...and certainly at portions larger (and more value) than those in Chan Meng Kee.

Restoran Char Siew Zhai Wantan Mee
No 5 Jalan 20/13
Paramount Garden
46300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 012-628 1348