Battle of the Century Egg

Some time ago, a friend of mine shared with me an article from Hong Kong  alleging that the famous century egg at Yung Kee restaurant is actually being supplied by a particular shop in Sheung Wan and that this shop is selling the same century egg at a fraction of the price!    I was naturally thrilled as I have long been a fan of Yung Kee "sugar heart" century egg 糖心皮蛋 so I decided to check out this place called Shun Heng Hong during one of my trips to Hong Kong.

Take the MTR to Sheung Wan station, exit A2 and one will surface onto Wing Lok Street.    Turn left upon exiting the MTR station and just a short distance away, Shun Heng Hong is across the narrow road. 

As you can see from the picture above, this shop has its shutters perpetually down with just a small door opened for conducting their business.    Peek into the shop and you will see trays of century eggs stacked up ready for sale.     The lady who served me was very friendly and patiently gave me directions to where I can buy some preserved ginger slices to go with the century eggs.    Yes, this place sells only the century eggs and they DO NOT provide the preserved ginger slices to go along.   Also, do not expect travel-friendly type of packaging like those you will get from Yung Kee when you purchase  century eggs from Shun Heng Hong.     Depending on the quantity that you purchase, they will provide you with the ordinary plastic egg trays.    So you will have to figure out how best to bring your eggs back to your country without breaking them!

So, does the century egg from Shun Heng Hong taste the same as those from Yung Kee?   My taste buds tells me it is a resounding NO!   The Shun Heng Hong version has a thicker, mashed kind of texture to the yolk whereas the Yung Kee version is smoother and more liquified in comparison.   See pictures below (Top - Shun Heng Hong, Bottom - Yung Kee)  

Yung Kee century egg is marvellous because there are three distinct texture and taste in every one - the jelly-like egg white (or maybe it should be called egg black) outer layer with light ammonia taste, the firm part of the egg yolk with a strong ammonia taste and finally the soft, liquified part of the yolk with hardly any ammonia taste.  I believe this is the reason why people call it "sweet heart" or 糖心 in Cantonese.    With the Shun Heng Hong version, the so called "sweet heart" is nothing but just thick, liquified yolk with the same pungent ammonia taste as the firm portion of the yolk.

My verdict is that Yung Kee's century egg is different from Shun Heng Hong's century egg.   The taste is just not the same.     

SHUN HENG HONG 順興行

G/F, 61 Wing Lok St. Sheung Wan

上環永樂街61號地下

TEL : 2544 1911

Operating Hours : 1030-1530hrs (Mon-Sat) 

麥奀雲吞麵世家 or 麥奀忠记麵家

Food lovers who frequent Hong Kong will undoubtedly have tried Mak's Noodle 麥奀雲吞麵世家, the famous wonton noodle located at Wellington Street, which is a stone's throw away from the famous Yung Kee Roast Duck restaurant.    Then, there is another lesser known Mak's Noodle 麥奀忠记麵家 at Wing Kit Road also in Central but the location is closer to Sheung Wan.    So what is the difference, you may wonder, given the latter has a Zhong Ji (忠记) attached to its name?  For the answer, we will first have to appreciate the history behind the Mak's Noodle family business which I will quote from Wikipedia as follow -

"Mak noodle today is a third generation family business dating back to the 1960s, and is now run by Mak Chi-ming, whose grandfather Mak Woon-chi (麥煥池) served the dish to Chiang Kai-shek.   It is claimed that the recipe has remained unchanged since Mak's grandfather's time.

The Noodles restaurant has its roots in a Guangzhou eatery established pre-war by Mak Woon-chi.   One of his sons, Mak King-hung (麥鏡鴻), nicknamed Mak Ngan (麥奀) because he was extremely skinny as a child, started an open air food stall in Central in 1968 in which his younger brother was the chef.    The founder retired in 1983, and renounced his food stall license in lieu of HK$36,000 in compensation from the Hong Kong government.

The founders eldest son, Mak Chi-ching (麥志忠), opened his own restaurant Chung Kee Noodles (忠記麵家) in 1986, while Mak senior partnered his son-in-law in 1989 to reincarnate his original business in Wellington Street.    He ran the restaurant himself and retired again in 1996.   The business was succeeded by his second son, Mak Chi-ming, the current proprietor.

In recent years, Mak's Noodle has established outlets at Olympian City, China Hong Kong City, Causway Bay and Jordan, and one restaurant in Macau." - unquote

As to whether the current shop in Central is in the exact location as the one started by Mak Ngan way back in 1968, I am not sure.

Mak Noodles have a reputation of not only serving authentic and  tasty wanton noodles but also irks many a patrons for their ridiculously small servings given the price.

Having been to both the Mak Noodles, I prefer  麥奀忠记麵家 at Central.   Firstly, as you can see from the picture above, 麥奀忠记麵家 retains the traditional, old-style road side stall look (which I prefer) whereas 麥奀雲吞麵世家 have taken a more up-market kind of restaurant style set up.  For a brand that is so steep in history, a retro set up tend to give you the turn-back-the-clock feeling while you are having your meal.    Secondly, the service  I experienced at 麥奀忠记麵家 is one that is more courteous and warm, given that the shop space is smaller and there are less waiters compared to 麥奀雲吞麵世家.

Food wise, both are quite similar in serving and taste.     Noodle is cooked just right, not soggy but with the right amount of "springiness".    The soup is favourful , with a tint of "soap water" taste to it.  I really don't think they have used any MSG when preparing the soup.   The wanton have a reasonable sized prawn in it.
Overall, a very, very nice and satisfying wanton noodle albeit the small serving.   Then again, one can order and down another bowl quite easily without feeling overly bloated after that.

We were told that Kailan was in season (it was winter then), and that we should try it steamed and topped with Oyster Sauce.   As it turned out, this dish was superb.     Fresh, crunchy and juicy Kailan and not too salty oyster sauce.   Yummy.

Some people may just settle for  Maxims or Tsui Wah when it comes to their bowl of wanton noodle, but for me, it must definitely be Maks Noodle Zhong Ji because in my opinion, this is the best one can find in Hong Kong.

MAK'S NOODLE (ZHONG JI) 麥奀忠记麵家

G/F, 37 Wing Kit Street, Central

(Sheung Wan MTR exit E2)

中環永吉街37號地下

Tel : 2541 6388

Best egg tarts can be found at Honolulu Cafe in Hong Kong

I was introduced to this place many, many years ago by a Hong Kong colleague when he found out that I have a liking for egg tarts.    Our office was located in Wanchai and was in close proximity then.   The egg tart here, apparently is a favourite among many locals.

They have two outlets in Hong Kong - one in Central and one in Wanchai.    Having been to both their outlets many times, I conclude that the egg tarts at their Wanchai outlet definitely taste better.     Not sure why, but my taste buds tell me that the egg tarts somehow taste a little different in Central. Maybe the customer turn-over is higher at their Wanchai "cha chan-tang" and therefore I get to taste the freshly baked ones most of the time!


Their version of the egg tart is the "flaky" crust type, as you can see from the picture below. So sorry if you are like Chris Patten, who likes the Tai Cheong type of egg tart.  It is also not the mini egg tarts that you will find in most dim sum restaurant.    Each is about the size of a round sauce plate and cost about HK$7.

The tart is always baked to perfection.   Crispy, layered crust with the distinct butter taste, not too overwhelming.  Hong Kong friends like to describe the crust in Cantonese as "a thousand layers" and because it is so crispy, it tends to break quite easily.   The egg filling is soft and smooth, flavourful but not too sweet.    If it is fresh from the oven, the filling can be piping hot!    Overall, the taste of this egg tart is so balanced that one can easily take in 2 or 3 at one go!

Being a typical old-styled Hong Kong "cha chan-tang",  Honolulu Cafe also serves the usual Soup Nissin noodles with Luncheon Meat and Egg toppings, "Pineapple" Bun (aka Bo-Lor Pau), Set Meal A, Set Meal B etc. which I find mediocre if not sub-standard.   The milk tea is good though.

Ever since my first visit years back, I have been a big fan of Honolulu Cafe.   I will try to make it a point to drop by just for their egg tarts and milk tea every time I visit Hong Kong.    In my opinion, Honolulu Cafe serves the best Egg Tarts, period.

HONOLULU CAFE 檀島咖啡餅店
G/F, 176-178 Hennessy Road, Wanchai
(Wanchai MTR exit A4)
灣仔軒尼詩道176-178號地下及閣樓
Tel : 2575 1823
or
G/F, 33 Stanley Street, Central
(Central MTR exit D2)
中環士丹利街33號地下
Tel : 2526 8063

Perfect Char Siew

This has got to be the best Char Siew that I have ever tasted in my life, so far.

Tucked in one corner in Glenmarie, Kuala Lumpur is this ordinary looking coffeeshop called Restoran Meng Kee Char Siew.     We arrived way before lunch time and there were only a few tables with patrons and just a stall displaying some steamed and roasted chicken.   Ah, Chicken Rice for lunch today, I thought to myself.    At this moment, my Malaysian colleagues insisted that I try the Char Siew here.    Without much ado, we placed our order of chicken rice and a side order of the supposedly famous Char Siew.

The rice came first - nothing extraordinary except that it is a little more brown than the Singapore version.   Taste-wise, it is less fragrant too.    Next came the plate of steamed chicken.    Less oily than the Singapore version and I am suspecting that they use kamoug chicken instead of the mass farm reared type.

Finally, the Char Siew came.     Boy, the look is just so appealing - well charred with a beautiful shine to the dark red outer layer.    Good balance of fat and lean meat.

Now the real test - the taste.    The meat is just so succulent and flavorful that it simply blows one away!    Just the right amount of sweetness to it and the tenderness of the meat is simply unraveled in my opinion.    The mere mention here set my saliva glands working.   Simply awesome and highly recommended should you visit Kuala Lumpur the next time.

I should mention also that they do not sell their Char Siew as a standalone item for take way.    I thought I could buy a slab and smuggle it back to Singapore in my luggage.   As the lunch crowd starts trickling in, and seeing that almost every table having a plate of this signature item, I can understand why - the supply cannot catch up with the overwhelming demand.

So even for dining in, to avoid disappointment, do come by early as the Char Siew is on a "while stock last" basis.

Note : They have another outlet called Meng Kee Char Siew Wantan Mee located at No. 48, Jalan Kuchai Maju 6, off Jalan Kuchai Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur (Tel 03-7982 9781)





RESTORAN MENG KEE CHAR SIEW
20, Jalan Pekedai U1/36, Hicom Glemarie Industrial Park,
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor
Malaysia
Tel : 019-379 3629
Operating Hours : Mon-Sat & Public Holidays 0900hrs - 2130HRS  (closed on Sundays)

BE PREPARED TO WAIT FOR YOUR MEAL HERE!

I was introduced to this place, tucked away in a corner in Johor Bahru, by Lynn who in turn was recommended by her mum.  

The interesting thing about this place is that this shop will stop accepting diners rather early - shutters down at 2pm daily. However, if you prefer take away, you may preorder and then pick it up between 2pm to 5pm. Don't come on tuesdays though as they will be closed.

When I came here yesterday at about 10.30am, there were about 2 or 3 empty tables and the lady who took my order told me that there will be a 30min waiting time, minimum. The usual long wait is definitely worth it, I'd tell you.

The wanton noodle is like nothing that I've tasted before. It is not the typical black sauce Malaysian version in case you are wondering. The sauce is just the right amount, not too much, not too little. The noodle is cooked just right, chewy, not soggy. Wonder if they make their own noodles. The taste of the noodle is just so wonderful, the sauce blending beautifully with the "done-nes" of the noodle. I've ordered mine dry with chili and the spiciness is not overwhelming, just the right amount to tease the taste buds. The char siew is nothing shout about though. My friends will all know that I like my char siew with little fat and a little burnt but here it is just the usual thin slices of the dry and non juicy type. But that is alright, after all we are here for the noodles and not the char siew right? As for the wonton, it is typical JB style where they place it in your noodles, not in the accompanying soup. If you are a big fan of the "a full prawn wrapped in a big wonton" version, you will be disappointed. Anyhow, the wanton here is reasonaly good in my opinion given the reasonable price they charge. The cost of my meal - RM$8.10 complete with 2 glasses of drinks.

RESTORAN HO SENG KEE

(www.hosengkee.com)

12 Jalan Kancil, Taman Century

80250 Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Tel : +60 12 717140

The Bad, The Good and The Tasty in Hong Kong Disneyland!

The most horrible Wanton noodles in Hong Kong can be found in...Hong Kong Disneyland! On our recent trip there, we came across this Tahitian Terrace cafe in Adventureland and my gosh! the wanton noodles here is absolutely horrible! The noodles just do not have the typical "皂水"("soap water") taste to it. Just plain yellow noodles that you can find in every school canteen in Singapore. Utterly disappointing. And guess what? They have got the cheeks to charge HK48 (S$9.60) a bowl! What a rip-off!

Next stop......Tomorrowland on Day 2. This time we went to the Comet Cafe, which is located just outside the Autopia station and we tried the Rice with Stewed Chicken as well as the Rice with Sweet and Sour Fish. Nothing much to talk about the former but I must say the Sweet and Sour Fish with Rice is simply marvelous! No overly strong fishy taste and somehow, the sweet and sour sauce just gives an overall balanced flavour to the dish. A simple but delicious meal that cost HK$45 (S$9) a plate.



Enough of al-Fresco street dining, we decided to go for restaurants on Day 3. We tried both the Main Street Corner Cafe (which serves western food) as well as the Plaza Inn, which is managed by the Maxim's chain of Chinese Restaurant. The fish and chips served at Main Street Corner Cafe is quite tasty with the batter fried to a golden brown color. Again, there is no overly strong fish taste to it, just right to my liking. The tartar sauce that came with it compliments the fish very well too. The ambience in this place is very cosy, ala Little House on the Praire! A meal for the four of us, comprising of one Christmas Set Meal, one Fish and Chips complete with drinks and dessert cost less than S$100. Reasonable food at reasonable prices.


Lunch at Plaza Inn was Chinese food. Finally, we had decent tasting Wanton noodles, Char Siew and some Dim Sum. The 流沙奶皇包 is quite normal. The buns are served hot and soft but the filling could have been more watery to make it better. Anyway, the asthetics more than compensates the mediocre taste of the buns. Well, it is pretty difficult to find a decent Chinese Restaurant in Disneyland and somehow it must be my yearning for Chinese Food that I would rate this place as a must visit even though the taste of the food here is not quite what you would expect in Hong Kong.

Satay or Sate? Jakarta or Jogya?

One of my favorite Sate, or Satay as Singaporeans will call it, can be found in this open-air eatery called Pondol Sate Djono Jogya located in a place called Pejompongan, right in the centre of Jakarta. (I wonder why it is called Jogya when it is located in Jakarta?) Although it is open-air, the dining area is actually quite dim, hot and stuffy. It is usually crowded during meal time as it is a favourite amongst the locals. Quite a number of other stalls selling sate have begun to spring up along the same stretch of road but a local told me that this is by far the best and the original one.
This place is renowned for its Sate Kambing (lamb) and interestingly, it is served with a plate of steamed rice and not the usual ketupat (compressed steamed rice wrapped in leaves). The meat is not too thick by comparison to the other Indonesian sate which is usually thick and chuncky. I guess this is so that cooking it is much easier considering the high turnover required given it is a popular warong. Barbequed to perfection outside the shop (see picture on the left), the sweet flavour and tenderness of the lamb sate is simply yummy! The small portion of skewered meat means you can go on and on, stick after stick....... sinful! What is also similar to the Singapore style satay here is that the peanut sauce is served separately quite unlike other Indonesian outlets where they pour the peanut sauce over the sate before serving.
Another very nice side dish that this place serves is the Fried Toufu. It comes with a small plate of dark and thick sweet sauce and some small spicy green raw chilli to go with it. The fried toufu is crispy on the outside and steaming hot on the inside when served. Dipping it into the sweet sauce just adds flavour to the otherwise blend toufu. Simply brilliant!
So if you don't mind sweating it out for some good sate, you should not miss this place.

Pondol Sate DJONO JOGYA Pejompongan
Jl. Penjernihan I No. 5B, Pejompongan,
Jakarta Pusat
Tel : +6221 5701292
Operating Hours : 1100 - 0000hrs (daily)