10 Places for Wonderfully Delicious Wantan Mee

When we say wantan noodles, straight away, the vision of wantan noodles submerged in a hot broth with beautiful plump wantans (sometimes hidden at the bottom of the bowl) is what usually comes to mind.

Well, that's probably so in other countries that offer this dish, notably Hong Kong, but here in KL, it's always the dry-style wantan mee, with the ever important key component of well caramelised "char siew" (barbequed pork), tossed in a delicious black sauce which is the more popular version.

Here are just some of my personal favourites, some of which I liked because of the wantan mee itself, some for the toppings (of char siew or siew yoke) and others for the soup base.

Restoran Chan Meng Kee @ SS2 PJ

This wantan mee obviously gets the vote purely because of the smoky, dark, well caramelised, half-lean-half-fat char siew that's impeccable in both taste and texture.  How can it not be good when the owner strives to make sure his char siew emulates the famous and absolutely tasty Meng Kee char siew (yes, he did say that when interviewed on TV!) ^_*

And what makes the wantan mee so sinfully delicious....tossing it in pork lard oil, of course.  And if that wasn't sinful enough, they let you order more crispy pork lard for added sin! O_o

Restoran Char Siew Zhai @ Paramount Garden

This 'flying' wantan mee where the noodles are tossed in the air is good for the texture of its house-made noodles (no relation to the Seapark one that doesn't make its own noodles).  You can see that their house-made noodles are flatter and different from the usual factory produced ones.  

Their choice of toppings are very decent too from melt-in-the-mouth (but a bit on the fatty side) char siew to tender poached chicken (my top pick) and crispy siew yoke.

Restoran Koon Kee @ Damansara Uptown


If you're expecting well caramelised char siew, you're in the wrong place.  Come here for the wantons and soup instead.  The wanton skins are smooth and thin while the soup base is clear and subtle tasting.  Don't hate me if the soup turns out to be MSG-laden coz I'm immune to MSG (unless it's in big quantities).  Then again, what tasty soup base out their is not MSG-ed (it just depends how much)! @_@  A good option when I'm hankering for the soup version.

O & S Restaurant @ Paramount Garden


This is one pick where the (leaner) char siew to the noodles to the sauce (used to toss the noodles) is terrifically balanced.  Presentation might be very messy (at times) because of the sheer amount of orders they have to handle but it's one of those that gives me great satisfaction.


Is that a gorgeous char siew sight to behold or what?  Your mouth will water in anticipation!  Lucky you (maybe unlucky to some) if you get those fragrantly scrumptious end bits! ^.^

Restoran Hoong Kee @ Ampang


For this one, you can go with either the dry or soup version as both is equally good.  I usually go for the soup version as it's more difficult to find a good soup than a dry one (but note that the char siew cut for the soup version is usually leaner than what you'd get with the dry noodles).


Although they seem to be more well-known for their char siew, which is not overly sweet nor overly charred for those who like it that way, I like to have it with siew yoke if I'm having the dry-style version.  If you get here at the right time when a fresh slab comes out, you'll be assured of pleasingly tender and juicy meat with a crispy crackling. ^_^

Restoran K Intan @ Sec 17 PJ


This one made it on the list for the reason that they still hand-make their noodles! O_o  Their handmade noodles, made fresh daily without preservatives, are thicker and rounder (than the normal manufactured ones) with a nice texture yielding a good bite.


Even though the char siew and sauce may not be quite up to par with the rest, no worries....go for their plump "sui kow" (soup dumplings) instead with a filling that's bursting with prawns, pork and crunchy water chestnuts (or is it jicama?).

Annie 1 @ Damansara Uptown


This shop showcases Menglembu wantan mee that's irreproachable in both taste and texture juicily partnered with drool-worthy char siew and noodles in a well balanced flavourful sauce. ^o^

 my Toast n Roast @ SS2 PJ


They're notoriously famed for their excellent melt-in-the-mouth char siew which is certainly the main draw here coupled with very dry, slightly oily wantan mee that's topped with crispy fish flakes.

Restoran Loong Kee @ Pandan Indah


This one is included in the list just because it's the wantan mee I eat the most often since it's from a shop near where I live.  Your best bet here is the soup version with poached chicken.

Pudu Chan Fatt Wanton Mee @ Damansara Uptown


Although this last one wouldn't be a typical choice when it comes to wantan mee, their lion head meatballs wantan mee in soup deserves mention.  The well-boiled, flavour-packed soup is the standout here.

I dare say that wantan mee is one of the most well liked and popular noodle dish loved by all age groups. They're so popular that you're bound to find a wantan mee stall in most coffee shops you patronise.

And because they're so commonly available, I'm sure there are lots of 'hidden gems' of wantan mee stalls in your every day coffee shop waiting to be discovered.  Everyone will have their personal favourites.....so, which one is yours? ;)