Showing posts with label Soup. Show all posts

[FOOD] 20150112 Pa Yak Boat Noodles @ Victory Monument, Bangkok


Boat noodles are actually soup noodles originated from boat vendors selling on the canal, providing an on the go food for the locals, hence the small portion. While you might still be able to find these boat noodles at floating markets, nowadays these vendors have moved inland and selling these delicious noodles onshore, but preserving the authentic flavours, and portion as well.

So, where can we find authentic boat noodles around Bangkok? Many have recommended to go to Victory Monument area where there's a few boat noodle restaurants by the canal. Among all, the Pa Yak Boat Noodles received the most thumbs up, as they claimed to be the best of boat noodles.

It's recognisable from their distinctive orange uniform and the end of the shops. It's kind hard to find with no exact address because it's by the canal. You can either sit by the canal side (ignoring the occasionally foul smell) or choose to be in the air conditioned room to enjoy your meal.

Pa Yat Boat Noodles
Nearest BTS Stations: Victory Monument, Exit 3
Telephone: +66 (0) 2271 3178
Opening Hours: 11:00am until 09:00pm (Daily)

TO GO


Finding the exact location of the Pa Yak Boat Noodles is quite a challenge due to no proper road sign. After taking the exit from Victory Monument Station (BTS Sukhumvit Line), follow exit 3 on the escalated pedestrian walkway where you will also get to see the Victory Monument at the side.

Take the 3 o'clock (or 12 o'clock) exit of the walkway towards the left side of the road, the boat noodle restaurant is actually at the 1 o'clock direction. You will then see many roadside stalls and ticketing counter for tour travels.

Walk to the back towards the canal where you will then see a small bridge, the Pa Yak Boat Noodle is located at the right side while the other boat noodle stalls at your left.



SPECIALITY



To be honest, I didn't know the exact stall in the first place. I only knew I have to come here to look for it. At first I didn't really know where is the location, but from the side you can actually see the restaurant is full of patrons, which tells me I'm on the right track.


You can't be wrong when the restaurant is basically filled with locals. The left side is the air conditioned room while the right side will be fronting the canal.

Thick Rice Vermicelli - 12 Baht (RM1.40)

There are a few types of noodles that can be ordered but the basics will be pork or beef, and then choose your noodles, which is either keow teow (thick rice vermicelli) or the thin rice vermicelli. They do have one more sour soup base. Each serving will cost 12 Baht (no longer 10 Baht thanks to inflation), which is still very affordable. 

Ordering can post quite a challenge as the people here are not well versed in English. If they see you are a tourist, they will bring their small menu and you point to them and tell them how many you want each.


The noodles are served in flavourful broth (salty with hint of herbs) with a piece of meatball and some water spinach. You can then add chili flakes or fish sauce to give it more kick.


You can also order some toppings to compliment your noodles. I personally ordered this streaky pork with crispy cracklings, which is actually fried pig skin I suppose. It adds more texture to the noodles.


Personally I enjoyed the meal pretty much and would prefer the thin rice vermicelli because it soaks up more soup than the thick one which is smooth and chewy. Both having their pro and cons. Each serving is about two bites full, I can go on and on having this boat noodle but need to reserve some tummy for other delicious food later on.


I also ordered one sour soup noodle to try. The soup is not too sour nor spicy, topped with bean sprout, minced meat, peanut and slices of meat. I still prefer the original boat noodles.

EST cola - 20 Baht (RM2.20)

Last but not least, the local cola, est to end my meal. Although I did not had 20 bowls to get a free cola, I did order one bottle to try. It taste like cheap cola with no gas.


Two gentlemen preparing the noodles at the front of the restaurants. There's actually two counters side by side preparing different menu. Not forgetting to mention their friendly service and also posing to my phone when I was recording a video.

Hope I can have some time to edit and upload the video some day.

SUMMARY


Authentic boat noodle by the canal with affordable pricing and friendly service, what else can you ask for?

Taste
☆☆☆☆☆
authentic flavour, coupled with crispy pork. OMFG!
Value
☆☆☆☆☆
20% price hiked but still affordable!
Service
☆☆☆☆☆
Tend to be quite busy at times but friendly nonetheless.
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
by the canal!
Opening Hours
11:00am until 09:00pm (Daily)
Wifi
Nil
Parking
Nil
Website
Nil

GPS: 13.765664, 100.539546
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[FOOD] 20141224 Cheong Kei Noodles 祥记面家 @ Macau


Cheong Kei Noodle is probably one of the more well known noodle house in Macau that sells wanton noodles identical to those in Hong Kong like the one I went - Mak's Noodle.

With more than 50 years of history and their unique method in making their noodles using bamboo stick to kneed the dough (a traditional method before the invention of machines), it is not surprise why this noodle house is so famous locally and internationally. It became a must eat in Macau by many travel magazines and guides.

Among all, their prawn roe wanton noodle and side dishes like the fish skin and fish cake are the most ordered.

68, Rua da Felicidade, Macau
新馬路褔隆新街68號
Telephone: +853 2857 4310
Opening Hours: 12:00pm until 12:30am

TO GO


Located walking distance away from Senado Square, Cheong Kei Noodle House is located at a small alley, in between two cookie shop. The tagging in Google Map was off from the exact location, so following my mark below will definitely lead you to the correct way.


SPECIALITY



It was quite hard to find the exact location using the address and the Google Map's POI is way off from the exact location. However, with good sense of direction and natural instinct, it lead me to the correct location. 


There's no queue noted during my visit, as opposed to my expectation for a famous eatery like this. The eatery is old and small, with about 10 small tables for a total maximum capacity of less than 50 patrons.


Menu, newspaper articles, magazine reviews etc filled both sides of the wall, promoting their signature dishes. A small cramp space in the front, opposite the counter is where the chef will prepare all the orders.

Service is not stellar with the lady boss (I assumed) rushed for order. 

Signature Prawn Roe Wanton Noodle 招牌虾子捞面 @ MOP30 (RM13)

I ordered their famous prawn roe wanton noodle 虾子捞面 @ MOP30 (RM13). The serving is very simple, plain noodles in soy sauce, sprinkle with stir-fried prawn roe for flavouring. You will notice a very strong aroma of the prawn roe, identical to ebiko in sushi restaurants will fill your mouth during the first bite. Then, the texture of the noodle is slightly different from the Hong Kong variant. It is less tangy, and has a more coarse texture than the counterpart in Hong Kong, most probably due to the preparing method of using bamboo, hence the name bamboo noodle 竹升面.

Wanton Soup Noodle 云吞汤面 @ MOP26 (RM10)

I also tried their wanton soup noodle 云吞汤面 @ MOP26 (RM10). The wanton was OK and the noodle as the dried noodle above but I don't really like the soup base (still better than lousy Malaysian MSG soup). Probably due to higher expectations from those I tried in HK. Overall a good bowl of noodle but nothing much to shout about.

SUMMARY


Personally I think Cheong Kei Noodle is a bit overrated, probably due to less competition in Macau and also a few signature dishes like the prawn roe noodle and fried fish cakes etc. Given the price and quality, it is still an acceptable and decent meal. Recommended if you are a fan of wanton noodles and would like to try their prawn roe noodles. 

Taste
☆☆☆☆☆
Five star for the unique variant of prawn roe wanton noodle
Value
☆☆☆☆
acceptable pricing
Service
☆☆☆
poor service but still acceptable
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
slippery floors but clean utensils
Opening Hours
12:00pm until 12:30am (Daily)
Wifi
N/A
Parking
N/A
Website
N/A

GPS: 22.194752, 113.537480
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[FOOD] 20141221 Guilin Rice Noodles 爽又爽桂林米粉 @ Haizhu, Guangzhou



Guilin Noodles 桂林米粉 is a well known and common noodle dish in China, believed to be originated from Guilin, Guangxi Province (yet to be verified). Unlike other noodles which are mostly made of wheat, the Guilin Noodle is actually made of rice flour. However, the texture differs from the rice vermicelli (beehun) that we usually had. I used to have rice vermicelli and keow teow but never knew that a third variant of the texture can exist.

The Guilin Rice Noodle has a very smooth yet tangy texture. It will not soak up the broth like normal rice vermicelli but will hold enough for taste. Typically preparation includes cold noodles, sour and spicy, beef noodles etc.

I stumble upon this noodle eatery known as Shuang You Shuang Guilin Rice Noodle 爽又爽桂林米粉when I'm on the way to the Guangzhou Tower after late arrival from Shenzhen. It is located not too far away from the Guangzhou Middle Ave Bridge (there are many bridges along Zhujiang River!). My stomach was growling and have no idea where to grab a quick bite. The weather was cold and I was thinking a hot bowl of soup noodle would be a good choice.

This eatery is a small cornet shop at the side of the road, with about 6 small tables within (Sorry no pictures of the shop as I was starving!). There are a variety of Guilin Noodles and normal noodles to choose from, rice dishes are also available. Price ranges from RMB8 (RM4.50) to RMB12 (RM7) for a bowl of noodle or rice.

No. 71, Jinju Rd, Haizhu, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
广州市海珠区金菊路71号
Nearest Metro Station: Lujiang Station, Exit A
Telephone: +86 20 6126 7525
Opening Hours: 07:00am until 01:00am

TO GO


Disclaimer: Google services are barred in China. You need to either bypass the "Great Wall" or use a VPN. Alternatively, you may use their domestic sites such as Baidu Map.

There's no direct access by Metro for this eatery, with the nearest Metro station being the Lujiang Station. It is more recommended for you to take a bus or a cab or just take a walk from Guangzhou Tower as the river bank overs quite a scene.




SPECIALITY


A hot bowl of soup noodle is all you need during a cold weather. A quick glance a the menu, you will notice a variety of noodles can be chose from with beef and pork being the dominant flavour.

Char Siew Rice Noodle 叉烧粉 - RMB9 (RM5.20)

I ordered a very safe choice which is the char siew rice noodles. The serving here is more generous in comparison to Hong Kong, with different toppings like peanut, fried long beans etc within. The broth is clear soup yet flavourful. The peanut is surprisingly good with a very nutty flavour, which is very different from normal peanuts available in Malaysia. The char siew was just mediocre while the noodle was the highlight.

Mixed Variety Noodle 什锦面 - RMB9 (RM5.20)

This is my personal favourite as I like the texture of this noodle. It gives more filling to the stomach with a richer flavour due to the topping used.

五香卤肉饭 Five Spices Stew Pork Rice - RMB12 (RM7)

Last but not least, I also ordered a bowl of rice to try (please note, on sharing basis). However, would recommend to give the rice a skip and just focus on the noodles. 

SUMMARY


Overall, you have to try Guilin Rice Noodles when you are around in China. Not necessary from this same stall, but can be any other stalls that you stumble upon. No harm trying something new that you never taste before.

Taste
☆☆☆☆
for the noodle
☆☆☆
for the rice
Value
☆☆☆☆
pricey for cheap eatery like this but overall cheap
Service
☆☆☆☆
not too bad with prompt service
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
cheap eatery, hence lower hygiene cautious 
Opening Hours
07:00am until 01:00am daily
Wifi
N/A
Parking
N/A
Website
N/A


GPS: 23.100896, 113.313899
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[FOOD] 20141218 Mak's Noodle 麥奀雲吞麵世家 @ Central

BRIEF



Wanton noodles is probably the next thing you have to try in HK. The tangy egg noodles with juicy shrimp wanton will definitely satisfy your belly especially during cold weather. There are many wanton noodle eateries in HK and I went to one of the famous one known as Mak's Noodle  麥奀雲吞麵世家.

You will notice many different Mak wanton mee in HK, this is because they are all descendants of the founder, Mr Mak King-Hung, nicknamed Mak Ngan (麥奀). You may find more about the history of Mak's Noodle via Wikipedia. Currently, only the Central branch is operated by Mr Mak's son, known as Mak Chi-Ming, which is also the Branch that I visited.

Mak's Noodles has a few branches across HK which include Central, The Peak, Causeway Bay, Jordan, and Tin Hau (do pardon me if I missed out any).

G/F, 77, Wellington Street, Central, HK
香港中环威灵顿街七十七号地下
Nearest MTR stations: Central Station, Exit D2
Telephone: +852 2454 3810
Opening hours: 11am-9.00pm daily

G/F, 37, Leighton Street, Causeway Bay
香港铜锣湾礼顿道三十七号地下
Nearest MTR stations: Island Line, Causeway Bay Station, Exit A
Telephone: +852 2893 0006
Opening hours: 9am-10.00pm daily

Shop 1C, G/F, The Peak Galleria, 118 Peak Road, The Peak
香港山顶广场地下1C埔
Nearest MTR stations: Nil
Telephone: +852 2854 3871
Opening hours: 10am-10.00pm daily

G/F, 76B, Electric Road, Tin Hau
香港天后电器道七十六号B地下
Nearest MTR stations:  Island Line, Tin Hau Station, Exit A2
Telephone: +852 3106 2386
Opening hours: 10am-12.30am daily

G/F, 55, Parkes Street,Jordan
九龙佐敦白加士街五十五号地下
Nearest MTR stations: Tsuen Wan Line, Jordan Station, Exit C2
Telephone: +852 2302 0908
Opening hours: 11am-12.30am daily

TO GO


I went to the Central Branch as it is where the origin of Mak's noodle in HK and still operated by the son of the founder. Depending on where you are coming from, just hop on to the MTR to arrive at Central Station and exit D2. There are a few routes to get to Mak's Noodle within 10 minutes walking distance, just refer to the Google Map directions below. 


SPECIALITY




There are a variety of choices that their menu can offer, but little that my tummy can accommodate. They have two types of noodles which is their well known tangy egg noodle and another chewy noodle knwon as Lai Fun (沥粉 - similar to our assam laksa noodles). Price ranges from HKD33 (RM15) up to HKD53 (RM24). Do note, they only serve soup noodles and no dry noodles (干捞) available at Mak's Noodles.


Table is small with maximum occupancy of 4 person, that too is considered very packed. Tea is served free and the service at Central branch is excellent, probably due to off peak hours during my visit.

Signatory Wanton Noodle 云吞面- HKD33 (RM15)

For the price you paid, you probably expecting a big bowl of wanton noodles. When the noodles was served, I was stunned for a second because the noodles was served in a normal chinese rice bowl size. First thought came through my mind, "mana cukup makan ni?? (where got enough eat??)". However, mind you that small bowl is fully packed with wanton and noodles, which is actually quite filling. Compared to our Malaysian style of serving, you probably have a big bowl with a lot of soup (tasteless MSG soup) and then the same portion of noodles (soggy noodles). OK, that's fair. Let's proceed with the tasting.


The serving is very simple and straight forward. Wanton noodles means wanton and noodles. No fancy char siew nor vegetable to decorate the bowl of noodles, unlike our Malaysian style where the hawkers will add all sorts of funny ingredients to make your noodle look like a rojak. 

First try will definitely be the soup because the soup base is the essence for a soup noodle. The soup didn't disappoint, it's clear and flavourful with hints of pork bone and dried fish. 

Next will be the egg noodles that the restaurant is famed for. The noodles was tangy and elastic, it gives you a crunchy texture when you bite through the noodles, cooked to perfection and not soggy like most of our Malaysian wanton noodles.

The wanton is wrapped with shrimps and minced pork, the wanton skin is also cooked just right and not soggy and soft. I enjoyed the noodle until the very last drop of soup. This is how cooking should be, simple yet detailed. Every important aspect of the dish is taken care of, which is what many of our hawker stalls failed to master.

The small serving is just perfect, it makes you satisfied but yet insufficeint, you want to eat more but having one more is too much. It lures you to come visit again another time to have more.

SUMMARY


Is it the best wanton noodle in HK? I don't know because I haven't tried all of it yet. But I can rest assured that this is a quality meal, cooked with attention and pride. Portion is not too big but just nice for a medium eater. Recommended to have a try in Central branch.

Taste
☆☆☆☆☆
simple and detailed
Value
☆☆☆☆
detailed expensive for the portion
Service
☆☆☆☆
better than average HK. Probably due to off peak hours
Cleanliness
☆☆☆☆
clean utensils and premise 
Opening Hours
11:00am until 9:00pm (Daily)
Wifi
N/A 
Parking
Minimal 
Website
N/A 

GPS: 22.283011, 114.154575
Please note that Google Map tagging is a bit off from the exact location. Please follow my GPS coordiantes.
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