Hong Kong Food Tour! 5 Legendary Wonton Noodle Restaurants

imioi

Among the noodle shops in Hong Kong, many bear the Mak surname because they all originate from the lineage of Mak Woon-chi, the godfather of wonton noodles. Mak Woon-chi first opened his noodle shop in the 1920s in Guangzhou and had as many as eight stores at his peak of popularity. Mak Ming Noodles, located in Sai Ying Pun, was founded by Mak Woon-chi's second grandson, Mak Chi-ming, and has gained great popularity to the point of being included in the Michelin Guide despite its small scale. Besides, Mak Woon-chi's eldest son and Mak Chi-ming's father, Mak An, founded 'Mak's Noodles' based on his father's techniques. Mak Woon-chi's disciple, Ho Chi-hong, opened 'Ho Hong Kee,' and Mak Woon-chi's brother, Mak Man Kee, is successfully running 'Mak Kee.' Mak Woon-Chi's eldest grandson and Mak Chi-ming's brother, Mak Ji-chung, established 'Mak An Kee' noodle house in Central, making it impossible to discuss Hong Kong's wonton noodles without mentioning the Mak family. Since they have all inherited Mak Woon-chi's secret recipe, it’s said to be very difficult to judge the superiority of taste among the Mak family's wonton noodles.

imioi

Mak Huanchi is renowned as the godfather of Hong Kong wonton noodles, starting his business in Guangzhou in the 1920s. At its peak, he had eight stores in Guangzhou alone, maintaining business even during Japanese air raids and blackouts, thanks to the patronage of influential figures of the time. Mak is famous for inventing 'egg noodles,' a process that involves mixing duck eggs, chicken eggs, and flour without water, then kneading the dough on bamboo. He is also credited with standardizing the number of wontons in a bowl to four. In 1945, the Mak family moved to Hong Kong, where Mak An, his eldest son, founded Mak's Noodle based on his father's techniques. Meanwhile, Mak Huanchi's apprentice, Ho Chi Hong, opened 'Ho Hong Kee' in 1946 in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, and Mak Huanchi's brother-in-law, Mak Keng Man, established 'Mak Man Kee'.

imioi

Ho Hung Kee (何洪记) is a traditional noodle shop that has received a Michelin star. Although there are many Michelin-starred restaurants in Hong Kong, it is rare for a restaurant to earn a Michelin star for noodles alone. People count Ho Hung Kee as one of the world's most affordable Michelin-starred restaurants. The history of Ho Hung Kee dates back to 1946. Ho Chi Yung (何釗洪) set up a noodle stall in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, based on the noodle-making techniques he learned from Mak Wan Kee (麥煥池), a master of Guangzhou wonton noodles. The name of the store was derived from the first and last characters of his name. Ho Hung Kee's wontons feature a thin, chewy skin with a tender filling, and the soup is light and refreshing, earning the love of government officials and famous actors. His son, Ho Kwan Ming (何冠明), inherited his father's business and felt the need for a restaurant with a more diverse menu, opening Zheng Dou (正斗) in 1996. Today, the Ho family is revered as one of the most prestigious wonton noodle families in Hong Kong, along with the Mak family.

imioi

Jungdoo is the spin-off of Ho Hung Kee. Ho Kwan-ming took over Ho Hung Kee from his father, Ho Zhao Hong, in 1984 and felt the need for a restaurant with a more diverse menu, thus opening the first Jungdoo in Happy Valley in 1996. Jungdoo inherited the taste of Ho Hung Kee's wonton noodles while adding dim sum and dessert menus, which made it very popular. As a result, it was able to expand its branches throughout Hong Kong. Unlike Ho Hung Kee, which continues to operate only in Hysan Place, Causeway Bay, Jungdoo is expanding its stage worldwide as well as throughout Hong Kong. This can be considered a strategy of the Ho Hung Kee group, where Ho Hung Kee strives to preserve the tradition of wonton noodles, Jungdoo is leading the popularization of Cantonese cuisine. It is no exaggeration to say that the roots of wonton noodles come from Guangzhou, China, but Hong Kong has inherited the taste of traditional wonton noodles. Ho Hung Kee and Jungdoo stand at the center of this.

imioi

Tsim Chai Kee, continuously featured in the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand since 2009, has withstood the test of time with its singular focus on wonton noodles for 60 years amidst the fervent menu innovation of countless restaurants. The harmony between the silky noodles and the generous portion of shrimp-filled wontons is exceptional. In addition to the wonton noodles, diners can customize their order with toppings such as fish balls and beef, and choose between Flat White Noodle or Yellow Noodle.